Last Thursday, I received a book from a good friend. She blogs over at, TokyoRosa she's so funny, honest and I really enjoy her blog a lot. She used to live in Japan. And now she's back in the US. We've gotten to know each other through the years on our blogs, and I have the pleasure of calling her my friend. Thank you Rosa for the book and the Easter card!!! I've been enjoying the book all weekend and I'm half way through right now. : )
"When American Women Marry Japanese Men." Oh my gosh, do I find my head shaking in agreement with some of the stuff I've been reading. A really really good book for American women to read!
Thursday night I made curry and split the boiling basics and ended up making half pot of curry and half pot of cream stew. Noah had cream stew. Branden had 1 serving of curry and 1 of cream stew. And I had one serving of curry. It has been sorta chilly and raining off and on in bits. So, a nice pot of curry sounded good. I know Noah had curry for that lunch for the blue badges on Tuesday so that's why he chose cream stew on Thursday can't say I blame him. Ha ha ha. : ) Didn't want to be curry-ed out! :D
Friday, I am not sure if you will believe this, but it's honestly true, it snowed here where I live in Chiba. It really really did. However, it never accumulated and it melted before it ever hit the ground so while it looked like lovely big fluffy snowflakes in the air, by the time they got to the ground they turned to wet sloshy type rain when they hit the ground. : ( Anyway, we still had lots of the cream stew and curry left. So, a night of leftovers wouldn't kill us. So, with it being Friday, after picking up both kids. I came home and I made 3 chicken cutlets. Hubs was at work, bummer. Anyway I gave the boy's a choice, you can have either cutlet curry or....chicken cutlet. Both kids chose chicken cutlet with rice and veggie. Meanwhile I went for the cutlet curry. Didn't want the curry to go to waste and all. And when hubby came home, he had a big plate of curry and then it was gone. : )
With it being the weekend, normal plate size for me. And so there was my chicken cutlet curry. And an iced tea. It was still snowing outside and the boy's and I were channel surfing all night.
Not sure if my stomach shrank or what, meaning my appetite. Does it do that? I think it does, right? But, odd, I would have been able to finish this off a month ago, but I was filled to the gills and so I chucked the rest in the garbage disposer. Sorry, but being honest, I was too full. I left 2 pieces of cutlet and lots of curry there still. Ah well, I was stuffed and didn't wanna overeat either. Aw well. : ( Ha ha ha. : )
Saturday afternoon, the boy's woke up and asked what will we bake? I said, huh? They said, "it's the weekend!" Hmmm. Wasn't expecting that. I thought a bit. How about cookies. Cookies must have still been in mind since Kim posted about cookies on her blog last week. : )So, I said....we got the big Costco size peanut butter and oatmeal, so do you want to bake oatmeal raisin or peanut butter. They said, chocolate chip. Hmmm. Chocolate is the thing I have given up for lent, but I guess, if you guys want them, okay. So, we made chocolate chip pecan cookies. I did pull a big ball size of dough away before the chocos were added and I baked myself 4 pecan cookies minus the choco chips. : ( Ehhh, my 4 weren't bad, but the kids cookies looked better! Since they had chocolate chips, ah well. : )
Branden had been outside playing but he ran inside to give a stir. 
Done. I had 2 pecan cookies Saturday and 2 pecan cookies Sunday. The rest of my family enjoyed the normal cookies. I just watched. Almost felt like I had my nose pushed up to the glass window type feeling. *winks* Ha ha ha. Just kidding! :D Ha ha ha!
Hubby with cookies in his hand on Saturday afternoon. No rain, no snow. So a nice day. The kids and Noboru played out there all afternoon long. It must be a guy thing. They put that wood on the ground and who can jump farthest past it.
On your mark....get set....GO!!!!!
Run Forest run, lol!!! 
Smiles and laughter out of Branden! Good quality guy bonding being had out there! LOL!
Jump!!!
Soccer, they got to the soccer part after the distance jumping thing was done. They played soccer for about an hour. For it being sorta chilly, they were sweating bullets back there. Must be all that running and playing they did.
Noah's getting it! : ) And Noboru helps! : )
And then Kouiki-kun came! He asked if he can join and of course they said, yes! Please. So, he did! :D This is a classmate of Branden's and we live in the same housing community as well.
And so, Noboru played soccer with Branden and Noah and Kouki. And then Noboru decided to be the oni and he chased them through the yard, Kouki too! At 5pm when the music played Kouiki went home. And we came in and had supper. And then showers baths and American Idol! Oh goodness it's getting so good!
Sunday, with Monday coming upon me and the thought of yet a whole other week. Yet again. Oh my! I decided to make the most of my Sunday. So, I relaxed on the couch and watched Figure Skating on satellite.
It was the 2009 US Nationals or something like that. It was new. And I am sorta wondering who we (the USA) are sending to the Olympics for figure skating, couples etc.
You can see the American flag on the background of the TV show. I just watched an hour, it was way longer and so, I switched the channel after an hour though. I saw a really good male skater who's like 15 years old from Colorado Springs Colorado. He was pretty amazing.
On Wednesday (sorry to back track a bit), a really good friend, had given me all her son's used uniforms. She only has 1 child, and he was a classmate of Branden's. So while he is in the first grade now. He did have the same uniform. She offered to give me her son's uniforms, and that she had wanted to give them to Noah. At first, I even said, "no no that's okay" That's too kind, too much, etc" But she insisted. So, Wednesday she brought them all beautifully wrapped and everything. I am just so appreciative of her kindness like that. Yes honestly Noah will use Branden's uniforms, that's what we have been planning to do, since they are in perfect condition still and since the uniforms are outrageously expensive and I do mean *wow* holy crap type expensive. So, yeah it saves us a lot of cash, so my plan is to have Noah wear his older brother Branden's uniforms. But having our friend give us her sons as well, he can surely wear those too. And it was very nice and Noah can now have 2 of the jackets, versus just having 1. And now he has 4 navy blue shorts versus just having 2. So, yeah it's really really cool of her to do that. Also a lot of mom's want to keep their children's uniforms as keepsakes or memento's, and I understand that totally, so for her to actually feel close enough to us, to want to give us, her son's uniforms. I think it was just really really thoughtful. I am so glad to be that close to the yochien mom's. I will be baking her something as a thank you for sures!
All these came from my friend!
Sunday night was American Idol night too. Oh my gosh, anybody watch it last Sunday? Well, we are on Hollywood week. It was the group rounds on Sunday. Always always lot's of drama galore on group rounds! Anybody catch the lady on the left hand side of this pic? She was definitely a little umm different! First she has no group and asks if she can join their already formed group and they let her. Then she ends up bossing them all around. And then she goes and joins another group. Then she leaves group #2 and joins the first group again. And then group #2 gets pissed that she joined and then left. Meanwhile I am just sitting her like, wow! You could feel the tension through the TV! And so glad I was out of that! Yikes!
Bikini Girl also had drama on group rounds. Because she was in a group and then walked off and went to her hotel room and went to sleep. Meanwhile the rest of her group practiced with out her. Next morning they went and asked her if she was ready for the try outs, she said, she quit and was going to go home. So, the group went without and at the last second she came back and I think her groups mates were a bit miffed about it. Which rightfully so. I tell you guys....group rounds are always filled with drama drama drama!
I'm really liking this Danny Gokey guy. Anyone remember him at try outs? His wife passed away and I think he was a music teacher or singing coach or something like that, But he's good, real good! And seems like a nice guy.
Monday, after sending both kids to school, hubby and I again went and had a date. A Coco's breakfast date. ha ha ha. And then we went to the store together. He went to the yard and DIY section of Beisia and I went to the food section, we met up later. I have been seeing the commercials for this Blueberry cheesecake ice cream. Tempting me like mad! And since I am without chocolate until Lent ends. I sorta allowed myself to get this. I also bought a big pint of Lady Borden for the rest of the family. And after supper on Monday night, we all had ice cream. This cheesecake ice cream was heavenly. I would totally buy this again. Next week, I will buy another one. It can be my once a week treat. Ahhh. : )
Dinner Monday night. Elmo was cruising the dishwasher, ha ha ha. So, still small meal but bigger plate. Hamburg, steamed veggie and rice, and tonkatsu sauce. Simple simple simple. But delicious! The 4 of us enjoyed dinner together Monday night. :D
I got a note in Noah's backpack from yochien and it said, at the yochien there will be an Olympic medal ceremony on March 12th. And that is the day Noah will need to wear his real uniform versus the gym uniform. So, I went into the attic on Monday night and pulled out Branden's old stuff. And sure enough, it fit. I will take them to the dry cleaners and get him prepared for wearing his uniform. I think from March 12th on, he will start wearing it then. I am sorta glad we won't have the expense of having to buy that uniform again. Phew! : )
Noah wearing Branden's old uniform. We will go and get all 4 white dress shirts dry cleaned and pressed and the 4 shorts and 2 top coats cleaned too. He's going to be ready! Oh his last day of school is.....March 16th. And Noah won't have to be back to school until around April 8th or so, don't quote me on the dates exactly, I have it written on the calendar already though.
Anyway other thoughts or tid bits??? Well, my PTA duties at the elementary school end in March!!! Oh so happy about this! But glad I got mine done and now I don't have to do anymore. I was the Kougai-shidou-iin, for the last year for the ichinensei class. Remember when I placed all the signs to be careful for kids etc. Anyway I think I have 2 more weeks of duty and then woohoo! I am done.
Tuesday/today is observation day at Branden's school yet again!!!! Ha ha ha. Do we do so many of these or what? yeah that's sorta what I've been thinking too, but I will always attend no matter what though. :D Anyway, I have to be at B's school from 1:30 pm to 2:50pm. And let's not forget Noah gets out at 1:50pm. Noboru will be at work and we have no family near us to help. Which is fine, but, I am taking Noah out of school early today. At 12:30 pm, so that he can go home, get a glass of milk, go to the bathroom and then we can cruise to the elementary school without a second to spare more then likely. Boring boring PTA meeting will follow. And then we will go home. Phew!
Also, Branden gets out of school early on Thursday and Friday this week also. This sorta throws a wrench in my picking up both boys stuff. So B gets out at 1:30pm Thursday and Friday (Noah gets out at 1:50 and their schools are not anywhere close to another, B goes to school in our tiny town meanwhile Noah goes to school in the city). Noboru will be able to help and pick up either kid on Friday, *but* for this Thursday, I will more then likely have to pull Noah out of school early again (hey sometimes we all just sorta do the best we can right?). Just only thing I can think of. I don't want to strand either kid and B has Kumon directly after school on Thursdays so him walking is sorta out of the question because walking home yes, but walking all the way to Kumon, no! Ahhhh, I think with both boy's having half days and wonky schedules these next 2 weeks of school since the school year ends this month for us in Japan, I am going to have to do a whole lot of shuffling!!! But that's okay, stress level none for now. I am not sure why, I am just calm as a cucumber this time around. In January I was stressing and trying to deal with both schedules, but now, 2 month's later, I sorta have faith everything will work out and besides, it's only 2 weeks more anyways. And Spring break will be here before we know it! So, can I make it? You betcha! Will I survive? of course! Now if I woulda asked myself that in Jaunary I woulda been like, HELPPPPP!!!! Ha ha ha. But, I think I'll be okay. Have a good week you guys!!! : )
PS: I have a question, maybe someone will know the answer, maybe not, but doesn't hurt to ask. When I make my posts, I place the pictures next to what I am talking about. And it looks normal to me. But then when I publish it, it takes the words, like way below or way too high, basically not near the pic I am even talking about. This happened a few days ago. I don't recall anything I did to it. Haven't been using the computer so much. Though hubby recently upgraded to Internet Explorer 8, could that be the reason? But anyone know why this happened or how to fix it? And when I go back and try to COMPOSE, it to fix it, in the COMPOSE section it's right where it should be exactly. But then goes all wonky when I publish again. Anyway I better motor, just thought I'd ask. : ) Have a good day everyone! : )
ETA: (edited to add), It was from my computer, the problem is solved. Thanks to all though who offered and tried to help. It was hubby's new IE he downloaded, on the top there was a button on IE, that said.....Compatibility view blahblah blah corrects it yada yada when I clicked that button, PRESTO, everything went right back to normal and now it looks normal, phew!!!! : ) Anyway if anyone ever downloads the newer IE and mentions having a wonky screen, at least I'll know how to help with it!!!! Ha ha ha. :D Phew, mystery solved! : )
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