I am going to try this post with pics in dead center. Not sure how I am going to like this way for my blog, I'll try it this way once, if I don't like it, I can go back the other way. : ) Anyway, today's Monday, I have so much to say since last week that if I don't get it up right now, it could snowball and then another day delayed and another, infinity, ha ha. So, hopefully I can quickly jot every idea, thought, word that's stirring around in my head at this moment. :P Last week, I made cheeseburgers. We don't have homemade cheeseburgers at home for supper too often, but hey, every once in a while we sorta need em' right? : )
Started off with some mustard and ketchup, for me, hubs had his the same way. B had half with Miracle whip half with ketchup and Noah had both buns ketchup. : )
Crispy lettuce, onions and pickles and even on a sesame bun to boot! Ha! : ) Almost reminds me of that crazy Mc D's song! : )
Tomato with sprinkles of black pepper and salt.
My burger has to be well well done. Kids and the hubs like normal done. Ha ha ha. Real cheddar cheese and mozzarella mixed in.
And that was supper for one night last week, cheeseburgers and crispy french fries, and a pickle on the side. Yummm! : )
Another night during the week, Niku jaga. Last week was cold and one night it even snowed, so some nice hot niku jaga was perfect for our cold weather we had been having. : ) Enough to fill up the boy's and make them stuffed! : )
My serving, I am still walking and still watching what I eat. This was my serving of niku jaga, I had another 1/2 serving after this, hey just being honest. I think that day I was just starved. And a nice cranberry apple juice with ice.
Obento making, still at it, as always! Leftovers, you are my saving grace!!! : ) Niku jaga, in a nice little star dish nicely centered around a bed of rice. And just a small handful of diced apples because it's all the room he has for his tummy, I also put a little scoop of peanut butter in there for his apples, since he loves peanut butter on his apples. And a nice lime jelly! : ) A healthy lunch, a simple lunch!!! Aww. :P
The day I went to my friend Noriko's house. After all the kids were in school. Anyway, I baked some blueberry muffins. I brought 6 to her house and kept 6 for the boy's to have after school also for a sorta dessert for us all for after supper. 
We did flower arranging at my friends house last Friday. Ikebana. It was a lot of fun. We also had tea and sandwiches and chatted until we had to go and pick up our kids. I really enjoy going to her house. She knows so many traditional Japanese things. We also chatted about American Idol, since we both have satellite and watch it. The day I went to her house it was raining like cats and dogs.
Friday, after both boy's had finished school. And we were ready for the weekend to start, however we went to swim school for Noah's swim lesson. Hubby went with. Here's Branden, looking at the poster. The JOC, Japan's junior Olympic's 2009. And our school, our particular school is really a good one. This school is the kind of school that trains athletes that go on to the Olympics type school. This is a serious and competitive swimming school. I think our school sent 12? To the Junior Olympics to compete this year. I've seen them swim, the D course kids. They go on after Branden swims and they are fantastic! Branden is far too young, he is barely getting his butterfly down right now. But Branden enjoyed looking at who was lucky enough to be sent to compete this year. As you can see in this pic, as he looked at all their pictures in awe of the older guys! : )
Noah's swimming is getting so good you guys! He hopes to follow in his big brother's foot steps regarding his swimming.
These coaches are so good!
Noah's got the face down swimming thing okay.
When we came home, Noah slept for 45 minutes, just snoring away on the couch, poor guy. I think the yochien all day and then swim club afterwards tuckered him out. It gave me time to finish supper though and Branden time to finish homework. And then we ate and enjoyed the whole night.: )
Oh yeah duh. :P I almost forgot, Noah passed another swim level on Friday. He passed the test. So now he's this purple flower. More sewing of the swim cap is needed now, ha ha ha. : ) And Branden, was ranked in his English at Kumon last week. I think he should be passing to level F this coming week. Good kids, good kids. :D
I finally joined Tsutaya DVD rental home delivery. I had not wanted to join for the longest time. I figured I can go to the actual store, why join. The problem was though....I rarely went to the actual store. That was the problem. 3 weeks ago. Girl Japan kindly mentioned she was watching a DVD rental, I said I will try to go and rent one. Then life got busy and driving all the way to the city just to rent a DVD was always on the "to do list" but never actually got going. She asked sweetly 2 weeks ago, "did you get the chance to go to the dvd store yet?" She was only wondering because she wanted my thoughts on that movie she rec'd to me, is why she asked. : ) I said not yet. And then, I got to thinking. Wow, I guess I have the best intentions to go. But not really the time to go. So at that second I said to myself, I should just join that rental online. Be done with it. If I hate it, I can cancel and never do it again. But...as it turns out. I love it! It's so freaking convenient. What on earth took me so long, really? Their set up, sorta goes like this. And most of you probably know, but just in case. Here ya go. They rent Dvd's in sets of 2. And they send you the envelop like here, you open it and it reseals and you place it in any Japan post box and there you have it. You can keep it however long. Well, probably not years, but a few days is fine. Cheaper then Tsutaya standing store that charges per day. It probably wouldn't work for everyone. but it is a life saver for me.
First Dvd's we rented were, The Eye (with Jessica Alba) and The Road To Rodanthe (sp?) with Richard Gere. The Eye, the suspense, the scare comes out of nowhere and it did scare me quite a few times. And the Richard Gere one was a good one, a chick flick type movie though. The end was sad, but I saw this without the hubby on a night he was working, because I knew it wouldn't be his cup of tea. I liked it though. Noboru loved the Eye though. : ) We sent them back in their little envelops on Thursday morning, they emailed us on Friday saying they received the movies and just sent us our other 2. We got the other 2 on Saturday! That was quick!
My dad ended up sending me the Old Navy /Gap combo box. Since they are the same company and ship stuff from both stores together now. Branden got this Gap zip green sweatshirt, the orange Old Navy T. 2 pair of house shorts on the left (navy and gray) and a jean pair of shorts.
House shorts for Noah. Just 3 bucks each, was a good deal. And they only had up to size 5. If they woulda had B's size we would got for both boy's. : ( So, we got 3T, 4T and 5T, rugby striped house shorts. Navy and red and gray and navy. Very preppy and now the price is back up on these, so glad we saved when we did.
A pale yellow surf graphic shirt for Noah, and orange shirt that says Old Navy since B got one that says Old Navy. : ) And that gray one is a perfect house shirt. And a pale yellow Gap shirt with bear logo on pocket. : ) Also, after going through Branden's closet, he was running low on shorts. So, I found some cute ones in the Nissen catalog. Jean cargo shorts, 2 pair for 1980 yen or something. Noboru got Branden 2 packs, so 4 pairs, different colors and stuff and 6 t shirts (house shirts/play shirts) and 20 pairs of socks. So B is pretty set, same as Noah for Spring, summer.
My friend Noriko had given me some cereal. These cereal come from the UK. They are really really good. They have all sorts of fruits and nuts and healthy stuff in them. I've been enjoying a bowl of cereal every morning since she gave these to me.
And she also gave me some olives. I love olives, those black olives I plan to turn into a pizza topping, yumm. Her husband owns a wholesale (grocery) business. So, that's pretty cool! : ) And she's a really fun and good friend.
Every day it's not been raining or snowing, the boys have been outside in the backyard. The 2 girls in the yellow sweatshirts are sisters. And then B and Noah and then Kouiki. Saturday and Sunday the kids played up a storm.
Our other 2 Dvd's came on Saturday, perfect for the weekend. Before American idol on Saturday we watched the Love Guru with Mike Myer's. So funny! And I have yet to see, the 2nd DVD yet. : ) Probably tonight. : )
Sunday (yesterday) we went and had dinner at a yakiniku restaurant. The kids loved cooking. : ) Drink bar and unlimited rice. So a pretty good deal. 
Waiting for the meat to be ready to flip. : )
After the yakiniku restaurant. It was about 6pm by then. We went to yakiniku at5pm and stayed for an hour. But with AI starting at 9pm. We sorta hurried things along. But we ran to the little country mall, we went into Mister Donut. Bought 6 donuts. And 1 onsen packet for the bath. And went home. It was still really early, so great timing. We set the bath, had donuts. I ran up, took speedy shower with Noah and soaked in the tub for about 10 minutes, until my muscles and body got all relaxed and felt nice and warm after. Hubby and B went after, took speedy showers and then soaked. They came out with jammies. And then, the boy's went to sleep. Noboru and I watched American idol. Oh goodness! It's getting so good! We are now down to 36 contestants. I know we are way behind you in America.:P But wow, it's getting pretty GOOD! : )Any other bits? Hmmm. (thinking)
My dad arrives here this Wednesday (2 days from now). His plane lands Narita around 5:30pm. He is going to quickly get himself on the train and make himself down to my house. He'll call me from the train station and the kids and I'll go get him. I usually pick up my dad from the airport but Branden swims on Wednesday's. Trying to change or switch a day for a C course kid is a whole ordeal and must be done in writing, yada yada. So, my dad will be fine, getting the train here. He's a well travelled guy, he'll be just fine. Meanwhile, by the time, I get out of swim club, I can take the kids home and feed them. Get them showered and jammied and around 7pm or so when my dad gets out of customs takes train etc etc. I should be able to get my dad fairly easy. Kids can come with jammies in the car. My dad can't wait to see the kids and the kids can't wait to see grandpa. So, everyone's looking forward to Wednesday night.
I'm sick. Can you believe it? Our family barely ever gets sick. We are nearly like freaks of nature our family, lol! The kids haven't been sick once this year and I don't think they were sick last year either, I'd have to check but I don't think so. I find that odd and weird. *very* weird actually. Granted I haven't even had a cold myself in the past 18 month's not even as much as a sniffle. And then, Last Thursday comes and *poof*, my throat is on fire. I have a cough, a dry hacking horrible... type cough. Sounds like I smoke 3 packs a day type hacking cough. Yet I obviously don't smoke. Sunday I started getting terrible sinus pressure. Kids meds are all new and current. I buy them new meds every year whether theirs went unused or not. Meanwhile I am taking meds that expired in 2008 and my sinus pills expired in 2007!!! What the heck??? Clearly I must not get sick too often with meds that ancient.:P Yikes! I'm also surfin' the crimson wave at the moment. Figures my busiest week, the week my dad arrives, and the days are all different times for both schools and such this week, plus baking all those cookies for Friday for the boy's to take to school. That ceremony at Noah's school this Thursday. So much to *not* forget and then....I end up sick and surfing the wave, at the same time nonetheless? I can't beleive this. I feel like curling up in bed for a few days and getting rid of this cold. But yeah right, like that's gonna happen. For now, I am genki or just plain stubborn enough that I am holding on. If I can just finish this week, next week is smooth sailing. And yup, dad's bringing me some new cold meds and sinus meds. So, if I can just hold out until 2 days more, I will be okay. Phew.: )
TV talk: Anyone watching anything good lately? I'm still into AI of course. Still a faithful watcher of Grey's Anatomy. I can barely wait for Dexter season 3 to start for us in Japan, it starts last week of March, yay! : ) Or 3rd week of March. I also started to watch a show called, The Listener. It's about a guy who can hear what everyone is thinking. Sorta reminded me of that Mel Gibson movie like that. :D It's a pretty good show. Am still watching the Ghost Whisperer and House. Law and Order SVU. Hannah Montana. Wizards of Waverly Place. And I am counting the days for Sleeping Beauty to air on the Disney channel. It comes on mid March, And I can barely wait! I love Sleeping Beauty, that witch used to scare the living daylights out of me when I was little!
The, I'm not going to Guam trip: My dad leaves Japan this Saturday. Noboru is going with. But the kids and I are not going. I could go if I want. But with school letting out so soon and stuff. I really wanna just stay home and get some rest and relaxation. Plus I am sick right now with the most horrible nasty cold you wouldn't even believe how bad this one is. I think when this weekend finally rolls around. I will enjoy myself with some much needed rest. I'm not sorry, I'm not going, I am sorta looking forward to dropping them off at the train station and the boy's and I coming home to a quiet house for the weekend. And my dad's trip to Japan is a short one at that, as well, Wednesday night to Saturday morning. So, just enough time to catch up. : )
Okay you guys, I think that's it. if I forgot something, I will come back and add it. Forgive me, you guys, but I have severe medicine head right now. I'm half in a fog here. Ha ha ha. : )
PS, Observation day last week went well. I didn't take one single picture though. I should have. Branden did jump rope with his classmates, math and they showed us a few other things they wanted to show us parents. : ) Okay have a good night you guys! : )
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