Last Thursday, was the Olympic ceremony. That's what they call it. Now if ya ask me. I'll tell you it's just medals/awards given out for PE/gym. : ) The woman on the right, wearing that very light minty green or light frosty blue sweater, she is our principal. The lovely on the left, is our most favorite teacher. That's the tender hearted fluffy heart sensei. She's Noah's teacher. She is like this super kind gentle soul. She's not married and doesn't have kids yet but you can tell, when she does, she's going to be a fantastic mother. She's such a sweetheart!
This guy is our school's gym teacher. Just in case the track suit didn't give it away! Ha ha ha. :D He's hilarious this guy! He is always joking, kidding around. Branden used to really like him a lot. And now Noah really gets a kick out of him as well. He's a real good guy!
Sorry for this pic being sorta small. You all know, I usually never do that. It's just, every one's name tags are on their outer parts of their jackets. I should have tried to white out the names on the tags at least. But don't really have time. So, just shrunk the pic size. I do apologize. Anyways this is such a good story and I just have to tell it. You guys will get a good laugh about it, I think. : ) Okay, first off, I just have to say. You know how Noah had like the smoothest transition starting yochien right? Well, so then it's pretty obvious why I wouldn't have had any worries at all for the PE ceremony day thing (or so I thought, dun dun dun!!!!!!). Okay, so, anyway. Last Thursday, my dad, Noboru and myself are sitting in the second to front row upstairs waiting for the kids to come in and be presented with their little cardboard or paper medals. :D We are just relaxed and calm and just otherwise sitting and waiting, doing some small chit chat type stuff. Then the kids came in. Oldest to youngest. Blue badges first and all the way down to the wee little yellow badges. In walks the 2 last yellow badges, sniffling and with watery eyes. One was Noah! What???? Why??? My dad is like, "oh my god, Noah's crying, what happened" "Is he okay?" Me sitting between both my dad and the hubster sorta surprised myself. Going..." I'm wondering why he's crying too." Noboru meanwhile whispering..."oh my, he's crying", tender heart sensei makes her way to us and assures us every thing is fine, that this is just their first time on stage and so they are fearful. Remember that little girl and Noah started in January. The other new boy wasn't there last Thursday. The other kids/yellow badges started in October and have done 3 stage walks already before this one (Christmas recital, candle ceremony etc). So they are sorta used to it. "Ohhh okay" the 3 of us said to the sensei, what she said, sounded pretty logical and could be the reason for sures. The little girl was just flat out crying, bless her little heart. It was sorta cute though, her being so little and just a little 3 year old, and she's quite the cutie anyway. Noah, is a quiet crier, so while he might not have been as vocal, he just sniffled a lot and he indeed silently cried too. And tears streamed down his face the entire time. So the yellow badges went first. All the kids except 2, went right up on stage when their name were called. When they got to Noah and the little girl they didn't want on the stage. The other mom's having more then likely been there done that, all said....kawaii. Just them saying that, I think that made us and the little girls mom feel much better, like we were in a supportive circle, among friends type situation versus being around spiteful mockers, so it helped a lot. The other sensei, carried the crying little girl on stage to collect her award and the tender heart sensei carried our little Noah on stage. I'm glad they had them go on stage though to get over the fear factor for next time. Knock on wood. And how was I during all this? No worries from me at all, not even 1 iota, I guess, I just figure, after getting 2 kids adjusted to yochien under my belt, nothing really rattles my cage anymore. Ha ha ha! That is the silver lining with this! : )Plus, after he went on stage, he stopped the crying and the fear was totally gone, like poof in an instant. He was all smiles afterwards. Kids, I tell ya! Sure I didn't have to tell this story, I could have just not shared it. But again, it's honest. And it happened, I should share it and maybe in a few years we can all laugh about this. I took about 6 pics of him crying on stage. Just so he can have a good laugh or chuckle when he's older. And I didn't wanna take them because he was crying but because it was from his very first ceremony and I wanted to capture the first pics from his first one. It just happened to be tearful on his part. Awww! : )
The sweetest and our favorite sensei carrying out the gift everyone helped make. That was from the baragumi class. All of us were asked to bring in 1 picture, we were all given a little square to place the pic on. Noah's picture is on there. His pic is on the 3rd row from the top someplace. : )
After the ceremony last Thursday, my dad and hubby and I went to Coco's for lunch. With an exciting morning like that, we had a whole bunch to talk and laugh about at the restaurant. The both of them had a hamburg lunch set. And I meanwhile went for a chicken cheese quesadilla and fries and endless drink bar.
Last Thursday after school, grandpa/my dad went and played outside in the backyard with both the boy's. They chased grandpa through the yard. 
They asked grandpa to be the oni and here is grandpa about to get Noah!!! : )
He's a very very supportive grandpa. Here he is clapping for Branden because he did a hand stand!!! LOL. (And a sliver of my shadow, my arm up high and bent as I held my camera)
Still standing, way to go B! And grandpa hugging Noah!
Since I'm the only child, these are his only grandchildren. They are extremely tight! And on Thursday and Friday, grandpa would stand out and wait for Branden to walk down the hill with the other kids. After school. And then they'd both jump in my car also, grandpa walked Noah into class those 2 days to and from, he really is a doting grandpa, ha ha ha. He's so cute! : )
With Saturday being White day. Then the boy's would have to give their classmates the cookies on Friday then. Lucky for me, my dad was here to help us bake them on Thursday night.
Not even a quarter of the amount of cookies we made.
These ones say from Branden.: )
Each kid/classmate of the boy's, got 2 cookies per bag. And there are 20 kids for Branden's class. And 30 kids in Noah's class. So 20 and 30 makes 50. 50 times 2, is 100. And then, the ones in the clear cookie bags are for the teachers. 1 bag for Branden's sensei and one for his principal. And 2 for Noah's 2 teacher's and 1 bag for the yochien principal and 1 bag for the yochien secretary. So that is definitely well over a 100 cookies. And then to my very very good friend, Noriko as well. Oh and the bigger pink bag with hearts was a bag of 5 cookies in it and a gift for Chi-chan. She's Noah's best friend at the moment and she is just so nice and helpful and sweet. She's a very very good girl. So, that's why hers was a bit different. Looks like a ton of cookies in pink bags on this table, right? It was! Ha ha ha! However, I do not regret taking my time to bake those cookies at all. And besides it wasn't that much work at all. We baked about 50 cookies at a time (these were smallish cookies that's why, the size I bake for our family, usually gets us about 2 dozen per pack of Toll House, but these were twice smaller, which is why, and we made 2 batches, but they were fine.) So, it wasn't really all that hard anyway. Homemade chocolate chip pecan cookies!!! And no, I didn't eat one single cookie since they contain chocolate. However I did have a blueberry cheesecake ice cream after all the sweets baking. Ha ha ha. I was craving something sweet after all that delicious cookie baking going on. : ) The boy's helped make the cookies. My dad also helped me *big time*!!! However, we had music playing and it was sorta fun baking together like that. The boys were excited to give them out. Branden took all of his in a paper Gap bag. And he had his classmates put theirs in their backpacks to take home. Everyone loved them! The principal of the elementary came into the classroom after he ate them and thanked Branden and said they were very good. Branden felt happy and the kids all felt happy and no one was left out, since everyone got them that was in the boy's class. Branden was beaming after school on Friday. Noah's teachers were so surprised and happy to get something for White Day. I asked them to give them to the kids, they also put them in their backpacks. When I picked up Noah with my dad on Friday, all the kids in the bara class said, thank you to "Noah's mama" Ha ha ha. The principal at the yochien got so excited she thanked me in both English and Japanese. It's really sorta cool to do something for others. Just to do it to be nice, plain and simple. Noah was all happy about giving the cookies too. A lot of the mom's have since thanked me and said how good they were etc. And I didn't do it for thanks. Just for more of the pay it forward type stuff. Sometimes you are nice to other's and they might be nice to someone else and then it snowballs. Anyway, sorry to be such a dork here! But it's sorta nice to be nice!!! Ha ha ha. : ) 
My dad also came with some good stuff for us! He brought for Noah and Branden. The Dvd's, Igor, Dora's the Easter Egg Hunt DVD and the Naruto boxed set in English. Very thoughtful of grandpa indeed. : ) And my dad brought me, "Mama Mia" And "The Secret Life Of Bee's" and "The Changeling", Mama Mia's good. The Secret Life of Bee's on the other hand is FANTASTIC!!!! This actually did win the People's choice award. I have been dying to see this. It's got, Alicia Key's (love Alicia Key's btw!!!!) Queen Latifah (Love her too, she's so awesome!!!) Jennifer Hudson was flat out amazing in this. Dakota Fanning, we love Dakota Fanning, ever since the "I am Sam" "Uptown Girl's" etc. She's downright brilliant and wow is she growing up! The story is so rich, so well written, it's one you'll see more then once, 2 thumbs way way up for, "The Secret Life of Bee's". "Igor" is such a cute movie. We saw that last night. The kids loved it! Would you believe I have yet to see the Changeling with Angelina Jolie. I hear this is awesome. And I will watch it this coming week no doubt!!! Thanks for the DVD's dad, they are so appreciated!!!! : ) 
He also came bearing Easter candy!!! Love the Easter egg shaped gums, the jelly beans, and Peeps, the Easter Reese's peanut butter cups and pieces eggs. And the Easter Kit Kats and caramel kisses. Dad says he will send more Easter stuff for the boy's, in a week. The black jelly beans are for me, I love the black jelly beans, so much. I remember when I was little my cousins would always pick out the black ones give them to me and trade me for a yellow or red or green one. I always agreed. And yes I like all flavors, but those are really yummy to me. When I got older, I started buying a bag of just the black ones, that way I could have a bag of regular and a bag of the black ones. : )
Miracle Whip for me. And Elmer's school glue for B. : ) At our elementary you can buy any glue you want and B usually just goes with the Japanese glue, but this year he requested if he could bring both glues, so he will have Japanese glue and American glue. And they do have a lot of uses since they make a lot of art projects in school so I don't mind so much.
Kneading the pizza dough on Friday.
We already made one large pizza with dough leftover grandpa suggested we make Branden and Noah their own mini personal pizzas. Good idea. : )
Three pizzas ready for toppings! : )
As you can see by the time, it wasn't even 6:30 pm. Pizza done, we ate, watched TV and relaxed.
This was such a good pizza! We really enjoyed it a lot. : )
My dad ended up catching the flight Saturday evening. That way he could spend 1 more day with the boy's. And then that was that. Next thing you know we were driving dad to Narita airport. Sniff, sniff. : ( Oh yeah, My dad found his place, we had the agent find us the place we liked and she took pics of each room in full details. So Noboru didn't even need to fly there. So dad was happy he found such a great place and we were all happy to visit with him here in Japan before he left. And it was really short and the time seemed to just slip by.
My dad and Branden. His first grandchild ever ever ever! Here he is bending down and being playful with Branden right up to the second he left! Branden was so sad when grandpa wheeled his luggage cart away and inside the airport. he said..."I don't want grandpa to go" I said, "I know you don't sweetheart. " I was bumming too, because you all know how close we are. Noah fell asleep in the car when my dad left. And when he woke up, he asked for grandpa. And even asked for him the next day as well. It was sorta really sad for me to hear how much the kids miss grandpa. Sigh. : (
Noboru, saying good bye. They're pretty close. Noboru likes my dad a lot and vice versa. Unfortunately though Noboru was working every single day my dad was here and had a really wonky schedule those days, so they only had like 1 day to chat. But all was good. : )
Right before my dad left, he handed me this money. (about $350.00US for you Americans or about 35,000 yen for you in Japan) I handed it right back. "I don't need it", I said!!! My dad said, "but your birthday is coming up soon" "I know" I said with a smile. But I still don't need it. He insisted and shoved the money in my purse, "go on just take it", I pulled it out of my purse and then put it in his pocket, "but that's way too much" So we went back and forth forever it seems. And then, he said, "look I'm your dad, just take it", so, I relented and took it. Thanks dad. I appreciate it. If I do spend it and buy something I'll let ya know. : ) Between, my dad and my hubby and my mom, I think I'll make out, okay for my birthday, I always end up getting way more then I need. Simple little Target girl that I am! Ha ha ha. : ) And my birthday isn't even until March 22nd. Ha ha ha.
The sweetest and our favorite sensei carrying out the gift everyone helped make. That was from the baragumi class. All of us were asked to bring in 1 picture, we were all given a little square to place the pic on. Noah's picture is on there. His pic is on the 3rd row from the top someplace. : ) After the ceremony last Thursday, my dad and hubby and I went to Coco's for lunch. With an exciting morning like that, we had a whole bunch to talk and laugh about at the restaurant. The both of them had a hamburg lunch set. And I meanwhile went for a chicken cheese quesadilla and fries and endless drink bar. Last Thursday after school, grandpa/my dad went and played outside in the backyard with both the boy's. They chased grandpa through the yard. They asked grandpa to be the oni and here is grandpa about to get Noah!!! : ) He's a very very supportive grandpa. Here he is clapping for Branden because he did a hand stand!!! LOL. (And a sliver of my shadow, my arm up high and bent as I held my camera) Still standing, way to go B! And grandpa hugging Noah! Since I'm the only child, these are his only grandchildren. They are extremely tight! And on Thursday and Friday, grandpa would stand out and wait for Branden to walk down the hill with the other kids. After school. And then they'd both jump in my car also, grandpa walked Noah into class those 2 days to and from, he really is a doting grandpa, ha ha ha. He's so cute! : )With Saturday being White day. Then the boy's would have to give their classmates the cookies on Friday then. Lucky for me, my dad was here to help us bake them on Thursday night.
Not even a quarter of the amount of cookies we made. These ones say from Branden.: ) Each kid/classmate of the boy's, got 2 cookies per bag. And there are 20 kids for Branden's class. And 30 kids in Noah's class. So 20 and 30 makes 50. 50 times 2, is 100. And then, the ones in the clear cookie bags are for the teachers. 1 bag for Branden's sensei and one for his principal. And 2 for Noah's 2 teacher's and 1 bag for the yochien principal and 1 bag for the yochien secretary. So that is definitely well over a 100 cookies. And then to my very very good friend, Noriko as well. Oh and the bigger pink bag with hearts was a bag of 5 cookies in it and a gift for Chi-chan. She's Noah's best friend at the moment and she is just so nice and helpful and sweet. She's a very very good girl. So, that's why hers was a bit different. Looks like a ton of cookies in pink bags on this table, right? It was! Ha ha ha! However, I do not regret taking my time to bake those cookies at all. And besides it wasn't that much work at all. We baked about 50 cookies at a time (these were smallish cookies that's why, the size I bake for our family, usually gets us about 2 dozen per pack of Toll House, but these were twice smaller, which is why, and we made 2 batches, but they were fine.) So, it wasn't really all that hard anyway. Homemade chocolate chip pecan cookies!!! And no, I didn't eat one single cookie since they contain chocolate. However I did have a blueberry cheesecake ice cream after all the sweets baking. Ha ha ha. I was craving something sweet after all that delicious cookie baking going on. : ) The boy's helped make the cookies. My dad also helped me *big time*!!! However, we had music playing and it was sorta fun baking together like that. The boys were excited to give them out. Branden took all of his in a paper Gap bag. And he had his classmates put theirs in their backpacks to take home. Everyone loved them! The principal of the elementary came into the classroom after he ate them and thanked Branden and said they were very good. Branden felt happy and the kids all felt happy and no one was left out, since everyone got them that was in the boy's class. Branden was beaming after school on Friday. Noah's teachers were so surprised and happy to get something for White Day. I asked them to give them to the kids, they also put them in their backpacks. When I picked up Noah with my dad on Friday, all the kids in the bara class said, thank you to "Noah's mama" Ha ha ha. The principal at the yochien got so excited she thanked me in both English and Japanese. It's really sorta cool to do something for others. Just to do it to be nice, plain and simple. Noah was all happy about giving the cookies too. A lot of the mom's have since thanked me and said how good they were etc. And I didn't do it for thanks. Just for more of the pay it forward type stuff. Sometimes you are nice to other's and they might be nice to someone else and then it snowballs. Anyway, sorry to be such a dork here! But it's sorta nice to be nice!!! Ha ha ha. : ) 
My dad also came with some good stuff for us! He brought for Noah and Branden. The Dvd's, Igor, Dora's the Easter Egg Hunt DVD and the Naruto boxed set in English. Very thoughtful of grandpa indeed. : ) And my dad brought me, "Mama Mia" And "The Secret Life Of Bee's" and "The Changeling", Mama Mia's good. The Secret Life of Bee's on the other hand is FANTASTIC!!!! This actually did win the People's choice award. I have been dying to see this. It's got, Alicia Key's (love Alicia Key's btw!!!!) Queen Latifah (Love her too, she's so awesome!!!) Jennifer Hudson was flat out amazing in this. Dakota Fanning, we love Dakota Fanning, ever since the "I am Sam" "Uptown Girl's" etc. She's downright brilliant and wow is she growing up! The story is so rich, so well written, it's one you'll see more then once, 2 thumbs way way up for, "The Secret Life of Bee's". "Igor" is such a cute movie. We saw that last night. The kids loved it! Would you believe I have yet to see the Changeling with Angelina Jolie. I hear this is awesome. And I will watch it this coming week no doubt!!! Thanks for the DVD's dad, they are so appreciated!!!! : ) 
He also came bearing Easter candy!!! Love the Easter egg shaped gums, the jelly beans, and Peeps, the Easter Reese's peanut butter cups and pieces eggs. And the Easter Kit Kats and caramel kisses. Dad says he will send more Easter stuff for the boy's, in a week. The black jelly beans are for me, I love the black jelly beans, so much. I remember when I was little my cousins would always pick out the black ones give them to me and trade me for a yellow or red or green one. I always agreed. And yes I like all flavors, but those are really yummy to me. When I got older, I started buying a bag of just the black ones, that way I could have a bag of regular and a bag of the black ones. : ) Miracle Whip for me. And Elmer's school glue for B. : ) At our elementary you can buy any glue you want and B usually just goes with the Japanese glue, but this year he requested if he could bring both glues, so he will have Japanese glue and American glue. And they do have a lot of uses since they make a lot of art projects in school so I don't mind so much. Kneading the pizza dough on Friday. We already made one large pizza with dough leftover grandpa suggested we make Branden and Noah their own mini personal pizzas. Good idea. : ) Three pizzas ready for toppings! : ) As you can see by the time, it wasn't even 6:30 pm. Pizza done, we ate, watched TV and relaxed. This was such a good pizza! We really enjoyed it a lot. : ) My dad ended up catching the flight Saturday evening. That way he could spend 1 more day with the boy's. And then that was that. Next thing you know we were driving dad to Narita airport. Sniff, sniff. : ( Oh yeah, My dad found his place, we had the agent find us the place we liked and she took pics of each room in full details. So Noboru didn't even need to fly there. So dad was happy he found such a great place and we were all happy to visit with him here in Japan before he left. And it was really short and the time seemed to just slip by. My dad and Branden. His first grandchild ever ever ever! Here he is bending down and being playful with Branden right up to the second he left! Branden was so sad when grandpa wheeled his luggage cart away and inside the airport. he said..."I don't want grandpa to go" I said, "I know you don't sweetheart. " I was bumming too, because you all know how close we are. Noah fell asleep in the car when my dad left. And when he woke up, he asked for grandpa. And even asked for him the next day as well. It was sorta really sad for me to hear how much the kids miss grandpa. Sigh. : ( Noboru, saying good bye. They're pretty close. Noboru likes my dad a lot and vice versa. Unfortunately though Noboru was working every single day my dad was here and had a really wonky schedule those days, so they only had like 1 day to chat. But all was good. : ) Right before my dad left, he handed me this money. (about $350.00US for you Americans or about 35,000 yen for you in Japan) I handed it right back. "I don't need it", I said!!! My dad said, "but your birthday is coming up soon" "I know" I said with a smile. But I still don't need it. He insisted and shoved the money in my purse, "go on just take it", I pulled it out of my purse and then put it in his pocket, "but that's way too much" So we went back and forth forever it seems. And then, he said, "look I'm your dad, just take it", so, I relented and took it. Thanks dad. I appreciate it. If I do spend it and buy something I'll let ya know. : ) Between, my dad and my hubby and my mom, I think I'll make out, okay for my birthday, I always end up getting way more then I need. Simple little Target girl that I am! Ha ha ha. : ) And my birthday isn't even until March 22nd. Ha ha ha. Other tidbits:
Noah's last day of school was yesterday, Monday! Now he will have break for 2 or 3 weeks!!! Woohooo! Branden has school, let's see, his last day of school is next Tuesday so 1 more week for B! Right now, I only have one kiddo going to school and the feeling is pretty much awesome. I have half the work to do now. No obento to make for the next few weeks. Everything's sorta winding down. I'm just enjoying my time at home lately. Using the computer even less then usual, which was pretty few to begin with, ha ha ha. : )
TV talk, Oh my goodness, American Idol is so good! My thoughts for so far and remember things can change. But for now, I think Tatiana is sorta really strange. Sorry no offense, if you watch the show, I'm sure you'll understand why I say this. I really like Danny Gokey a lot, I think he's really talented. There's a few other's I really like too. But again, I'd like to watch a bit more before I can figure out who is a favorite or not. We're still with the 36 contestants. We saw the first 12 last weekend. And this coming weekend will be another 12. So looking forward to getting to know them all a bit better. What else? Oh yeah, saw a movie on satellite called...."A Cinderlla Story" With Hilary Duff! It was pretty good, since then I've caught it twice on satellite. A very cute cinderella story. : ) Also saw, Sleeping Beauty! Darn that witch!!! She was truly as scary and evil as I remembered her! Dexter season 3 is starting within the next week, and I can barely wait! : D Ghost Whisperer is getting so good. Still watching Cold Case, think these are all the repeats, still like them though. : ) Grey's is still good!!! Weed's is getting good too. Still am liking Samantha Who. And the movie Stella with Bette Midler, has been airing quite a bit and my dad and I saw it with the boy's once, while my dad was here, he loved it! : ) And the boy's and I have seen it 2 other times, one time which was with the hubby. But it's a good movie, a movie with a lot of heart.
DVD rental update: Might have to change the amount we rent. I'll explain. You know how you can join with 4 rentals a month plan or the 8 movies a month plan. We joined the 8 movies a month plan. We have rented 4 movies so far. And now we better hurry and rent those other 4. Before March 31st, ha ha ha. I think after I post this, I will go online and select 2 movies. I think our month has just been so wonky and stuff that we have not really had the time to watch the normal amount of DVD's we normally could watch. For April, we will get 8 as well. If worst comes to worse we can knock our movies down to 4 a month. But for now it's still 8. Hey just being honest. : ) This is all just trial and error, we'll get things figured out, I'm sure.
Is Spring coming around the corner? : ) Is it starting to look like Spring for some of you yet? : ) I can say one thing, I wake up during the weekday at 5:30 am. In December for instance it was pitch black at that time. However, now when I shuffle out of bed, I notice it's getting lighter earlier. Around 6am it looks like morning now, ha ha ha. Sorta a bit of a sign Spring is drawing near.
Disney Sea!!! In a few weeks, the kids and the hubby and I are going to be going to Disney Sea! We already have the day already set, picked out and everything. And we are really looking forward to it. We wanted to wait until April for when it is a bit warmer and not dead freezing like the middle of winter is. I'm sure we'll still be bringing sweatshirts and winter coats and stuff. But at least the weather will be a bit more Spring like hopefully. We went for Spring around the same time last year too. I'm really looking forward to the Indian buffet with endless naan and yummy stuff. And the NY sub sandwiches we always have for lunch!!! And that creamy coconut icecream and different flavors of popcorn. Yumm! I'm really looking forward to that quite a bit. : ) The kids and hubby are too. : P
Have a good week you guys!!! : )
PS, Can't forget to mention the yard work we've been doing: we are currently working on the grass in the front lawn. We had kentucky blue grass for the past 3 years we moved into our house and finally planted Japanese grass on the front, this week. Japanese grass is just a lot easier to take care of and that's what we have in the backyard. It really is better suited for the hot Japanese summers. Every summer, our backyard grass was bright green and healthy and our front yard, would come down with disease after disease. We're surprised we held out for 3 years. We know other's who gave up after 1 season with the American types of grass. Which means we scraped off the old grass. Got the proper mixture of nutrients down. And then laid the sod/grass down yesterday evening. So doing a lot of Spring, stuff yard wise. Also, we will be staining the play yard/jungle gym in the backyard this coming Spring/Summer and the front porch as well. So we have 2 projects on the horizon. :D Okay, I better go. Have a wonderful week you guys!!! : )
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