Last But Not Least...

Alyssa Winters!

Alyssa Winters is the youngest child of the Winters family! She is 5 years old and loves to do many things! She loves to sing, help with chores, have her nails painted, play at the park, play with her friends, eat peanut butter, and play dollies. 

Alyssa loves to have her picture taken and see the picture, even if I take a picture of something we both are looking at! Alyssa and I have many fun times together! Once in a while, I get to put her to bed and we read a book, sing a song, giggle, and pray before she goes to sleep! 

Just last week, Alyssa started wearing glasses! One of her eyes is "stronger" than the other, so they are trying to even them out, I think. We have all been getting used to her in glasses! I think they fit her personality well! I just hope they stay on while she be-bops around!

I had a little "interview" with Alyssa, and I tried to write exactly what she said, so you could catch her "essence!"

Very Candid Questions: (What she said, is what I typed!)

(Translations and explanations in parenthesis!)

Jordan: Where do you go to school?
At Youchien. (Kindergarten)
I'm learning how to draw stuff at Youchien. We can play outside and color. We have lots of fun.

Jordan: What other things do you do?
Play outside, and ride on the bus, that's how I get at Youchien.

Jordan: Anything else?
I like to play tetsu bo. (A bar kids do flips over).

Jordan: Do you usually bring a lunch to school?
Yes, like obento. (Packed lunch)

Jordan: What do you usually have at lunch at Youchien?
I have onigiris a lot of times. One time I picked flowers and bring it home.

What is onigiri?
It's rice and you make it into a triangle. Sometimes I have furikake in it and sometimes I have plain rice.
(Furikake comes in little packets, and it is seasoning that you mix into your rice. There are many different flavors. Alyssa's favorite flavor is "chicken" which is actually salmon)

Oto-chan is my friend, and Maina-chan is kind of a friend, but sometimes she doesn't want to play with me and she's a little bit, like, mad. Sometimes Oto-chan wants to play with me, but a lot of times she doesn't because she has a lot of friends, like 6 friends or 7 friends, or 10.
My other friend is Uutsuke, he is 5. One time we played at our pool here. We have a blow up pool.

Jordan: What is your favorite food?
Beans, and chicken nuggets! (When she says beans, she means beans that her mom cooks, they are kind of like snap beans, but a little different. She just eats the beans out of the skin.)

Jordan: What do you say when you answer the phone?

Moshi moshi! (This is how you answer the phone in Japanese. I'm not exactly sure how it translates! Just today, Alyssa and I were playing. I was the Doctor and she was the patient, and I called her on my "hand" and she answered, "Moshi moshi." Her mom was laughing and said she knew she would do that! It is very interesting to see that, though Alyssa belongs to an "American" family, she was born and raised in Japan, and therefore, is more familiar with the culture.)

Jordan: Where do you keep your shoes?
In the genkan. (The genkan is the place just inside the front door. This is where all the shoes are kept. To many Japanese it is still considered "outside" so it is common for someone to just walk in and holler into your house.)

Let's go play, that's all I need to say.
A-L-Y-S-S-A, I have lots of fun with my sister!
Good Bye! Sayounara!

Alyssa, displaying a yummy snack nuts and little dried fish! 

Wearing our Ukatas, ready for Natsu-Matsuri! (Summer Festival!)
Alyssa taught me how to do a festival dance, and we did it at her Youchien festival and our town festival!

Here is a video of Alyssa singing a kids church song! Some of the words are not quite the same as what is written in the book, but, it's still amazing how much Alyssa knows! She sings often, and picks up songs very quickly! She is also learning piano from me, and is doing wonderfully! She practices her frog hops, finding all the keys, Chairs, and Katydid! I forgot to mention, that Alyssa is teaching me "Jap-nese" (that's how she says it!). We practice reading Japanese on some flash cards she has and play games in Japanese! She knows so much of the language, and it is so amazing to watch her play and converse easily with her Japanese friends! She is learns most of her Japanese at Youchien. Well, here is the video!