Thanksgiving was special.  The kids helped make rolls, and whipping cream for the pumpkin pie.   We cooked a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and took turns giving thanks for all our blessings.  This trip was sure a blessing for Lavena and me.  We had spent time playing, talking and eating while traveling across the beautiful country of Japan with some of our favorite people.    

The buns were extra special because Maggie and Jack helped to make them.   Maggie was going to make sure she did not get hurt in this endeavor.  

Jack has blueberries for eyes just like his father. 

Mt Fuji
We had some awesome views of Mt Fuji as we traveled up the side of this mountain.  The elevation was at 3000 ft and considering that we started out at sea level Jason and Melissa's car had a lot of work to do.  I hope that Lavena captured some more pictures, because we went on some very narrow roads and through small villages to get here. 

I can not tell you the name of this place at this point, but I will find out for you.  These are boiling hot springs where they place eggs inside a basket and then cook them in the water.  The water has a high sulfur content and cooks them in no time.  It has a legend or ceremonial aspect to it.  When you eat one of these eggs it is suppose to add 7 years to your life.   It looks very gassy here and they warn you about the noxious gasses, but on this day it was so windy that we didn't even notice the smell.  

There was a visitor's center where we went to get warm, and the trail goes up the mountain a little ways.  You can see all the steam coming off the open water. 

I am sure he is tired at the end the of a day.  

We are at the top where they were cooking eggs.  You can see how windy it was and none of us were dressed for it.  There were lines to carry baskets of cooked eggs back to the visitor's center.   

There are the cooked eggs.  The kids were excited to get them and once you peeled the shell the egg was great.  It was also warm and he held on to them for a few minutes just to warm our hands.  

Miss Maggie is just like her mother.  She is full of energy and a very nice young lady.  She was a real pleasure to watch as she did not stop at anything.  

He is smiling because at last his had is warming up.   What fun kids and so excited to go on adventures.  

Well if the legend is true we should all live 7 years longer.  

It did make me wonder what was just underneath the surface.  

What a spectacular mountain and we got to see it a few times as we traveled to Kyoto, and along the coast to this place.    Jason and Melissa had the opportunity to climb Mt. Fuji and I am sure they will never forget that experience.  

This was a special day and our favorite tour guides gave us another trip of a life time.