Friday! : )

Our neighbors, the nice elderly couple who live right next door. The ones who have the two dogs. The ones I used to call "cujo and cujette" ha ha ha, remember that last year? Well, turns out the dogs are really nice. They must not have known us last year, because they completely know us now and they don't even let out a "ruff ruff" if they see us. So they are really nice dogs actually. Anyway, those neighbors usually go to the onsen for a few days every summer. They did this last year too. Well this year, they took off again. And guess who baby-sat the 2 dogs? I did! Yup, dog food and dog bones and water a plenty, I gave them during the past couple days! I also was the chief protector of their house, while they were away as well! Ha ha ha! Anyway they got back today and they brought me back some butter cookies. Oh man they are really good cookies! Last year they brought me back some black eggs from the onsen. They are pretty good neighbors! And since I am a total dog person, I love dogs, grew up always having a dog, I am really happy their dogs turned out to be so nice. : )

After yet another day of the boys frolicking in the backyard. Today they brought out some plastic cups/tumblers to play with in the pool in the backyard. They also brought out one of their water guns they usually keep for the bath tub. From about 9:00 am to noon they played. Around noon is when I brought them inside and we all had lunch. Noboru was home today, like I said. His days off work this month are Thursdays and Friday's. Yup, sadly he works Saturday and Sunday this month! Oh well, we will survive, ha ha ha. Anyway, after lunch, we had a bit of quiet, relax down time. They got changed from their swim trunks, which were totally dry by now. And changed into some regular clothes. They laid on the couch. Watching cartoons. Branden actually managed to watch one cartoon completely upside down. What's up with that? Then Branden took about a 30 minute cat nap on the couch. At 3:00 pm, we left and headed to the swimming school. Side note, Noah finally outgrew his smaller sized green Crocs. And now he is wearing the larger sized green ones. This picture was snapped right before we headed off to swimming school. Hence the swimming bag! Ha ha ha! : )

Aha, after a day of fun and play. And since Branden took himself a small cat nap at home, Noah didn't. So he was taking a small 10 minute nap in the car on the way to the swim school.

Aha, there's "Mr. Green Goggles" right there! Third person from the left! We have white cap guy, then blue cap guy with no goggles and then finally we have blue cap and green goggles kid and that's Branden! Ha ha ha! : )

There's Branden, AKA, "Mr Green Goggles" in the pool with the coach right there! Meanwhile, my dearest good friend Rieko/Rie-san came upstairs since her son, Aoi-kun and daughter, Itsuki-chan were swimming as well. Remember we had wanted to have that BBQ, right? Well, even though rainy season is still hanging around in Chiba some more (what's up with that already, sheesh!). We figured, let's not put off that BBQ not, one second more. So she whipped out her day planner and since I must be the only person in the entire country of Japan without a day planner, lol. I whipped out my keitai and started checking the calendar and we set up a day for the BBQ. We will be having it exactly 1 week/seven days from now. So August 10th, is the day of our BBQ. We will be heading to Costco next week sometime together as well, to get some things for the BBQ, that we will be needing as well. We might be heading to Costco with a few other girlfriends as well. So for right now, the 2 of us will be heading there together for sure.

That's Branden swimming in the swimming pool right there in this pic! By the way, Rieko told me (this is such a cute thing, she said) anyway she said that, she has *never* been to Costco before and she is ready!!! She's pretty excited about it! She said she has a feeling she is going to buy a bunch of stuff, ha ha ha! Then after swimming, we left, I said good-bye to Rieko, she said she would send me an email, some time this week and we said good-bye.

Just because we stay home most of the time in the summer, doesn't mean we are exactly being bored to tears. There's lot's of fun to be had at home. This evening, I thought it would be a great idea for Branden and I to make chocolate covered bananas. These little packs are sold everywhere in Japan and are also quite cheap, by the way too. I bought 5 bananas, but I only wanted to use 3 of them for the choco bananas. Besides that's all the chocolate really allows for anyways. So when we got back from the swimming school, Noah fell asleep and took himself a good long hour, nap. He needed his nap and it gave B and I time alone to make these.

These kits have everything you could need right inside. 6 sticks, sprinkles and all. : )

Cutting the bananas in half makes them the perfect size for kids to munch! Just looking at the face on Branden, you can tell, he really enjoyed himself, by getting to make these! : )

Yes, we use cups to stand the bananas in while they dry. Reason? Well, last time we made these, we placed them wet on a plate and when the kids picked them up the chocolate ripped off the backs of them. Talk about learning from experience here! Ha ha ha. So now we lay them in the cup and they dry okay. It's not a perfect system we have set up here. But again, we aren't professional choco banana makers or anything and we did have fun making them though! Ha ha ha! And that's what really counts. Next time we will lay them, the opposite way and lay them on the stick side into the cup and hopefully that will work even better! Who knows! : )

That happy face just about says it all! He got one on one time with mommy. We got to be a little creative with the sprinkles. And yup Branden even ate some sprinkles as he made them. Fun definitely accomplished here! Ha ha ha! : )

Noah woke up right as we were putting the choco bananas into the fridge. Noboru then sat in the living room with the boys, while I prepared dinner. Tonight's menu, karaage, salad, corn on the cob and rice. Now I really like crispy lettuce for my salad (imho, nothing worse then soggy lettuce in salads). So, to make it even extra crunchy, I usually place it in iced cold water and a handful of ice on top and then just chuck it into the fridge, until right before supper is ready!

This is our spicy karaage. All white meat, no funky bits or fat hunks of any kind. There's 1.5 kg here. So yes, we will be having this same meal for tomorrow nights dinner as well. But of course I will fry more fresh tomorrow. This will keep in the fridge nicely for tomorrow as well.

And here is what we had for dinner, this Friday night. Karaage, rice with butter and soy sauce, corn, with butter, salt and pepper. And a simple salad with goma dressing on it. With a nice glass of iced tea/Kirin straight tea. And yes, like I said since there's so much extra, we will be eating this same thing for tomorrow nights dinner as well. : )

A very happy Noah eating a choco banana! After eating a very filling dinner! : )

Geeze, what a huge bite of choco banana, he is eating! These kids will never starve that's for sure! Ha ha ha! : )

They tasted so good, because he made them! Branden really enjoyed them, he ate 2! Ha ha ha! I ate 2 as well. Noboru ate one. After dinner. We all took showers and baths. Then we all got settled into the living room. Popped some popcorn and watched some TV! Yet another uneventful day, happily spent at home! Have a good weekend everyone! : )

PS, Happy 60th Birthday today dad! I wish, we could have been there and spend your special day with you! But we love you dearly and you were in my thoughts all day long! You are so loved! : )