A new camera. Another bbq, some gardening and some swim school mixed in for good measure.

The boys and I fly out of Narita August 10th, so tomorrow. We're going to Guam, going to be staying at my dad's. And I want to get all of the last minute bits and pieces that I may have not had the chance to post about yet. I have a new camera. It was out of necessity at first and then...really wasn't. @_@ Let me explain. Back when my dad was here, the boys and my dad and I went for a walk through our town. It was around 5pm, so it had cooled off some weather wise. Meaning the sun wasn't beating down on us too much, while we walked. Anyway during our walk, I thought I would maybe take a few family pics during our walk. And then during half way through our walk, my camera fell out of my hand and onto the street. Something inside me knew it was broke...call it just a feeling or what have you. But I opened my hard case the camera stays in and sure enough it was broke. Making a horrible sound. And the lens stuck/froze at open, so the lens would not go back in. This definitely sort of ruined the happy go lucky feel of our walk to say the least. ; ) So, we just ended up walking back home. I called Noboru and told him. Also get this, to make matters worse...we had Noah's yochien Summer festival the following day. Yep, a camera being quite necessary. Luckily for me, I had the spare camera, the old Sony digital I originally had to begin with. Before buying the Olympus. The Sony years ago, it started vibrating/shaking during taking pics which is why I replaced years ago, but shaky/vibratory or not, it would have to do....for the next day's summer festival. When Noboru got home, he ordered me a new Olympus from Amazon.jp. However we knew it would not get here the next day for the festival. So the Sony luckily behaved itself and didn't shake or make any malfunctions during Noah's Summer festival.

This is the new camera.

And the Sony who jumped in and saved the day for Noah's Summer festival. I had to recharge the battery for the Sony....where in the heck was that charger again??? Oh yeah, we really had a wrench thrown at us the day before Noah's festival. But still everything went without a hitch. But yep, the day before the festival though...I had a big headache from the camera issues/problem. ; ) Also, I want to say...my camera, I have taken to vacation countless times, to Hawaii, Guam, back to Denver, never droppped it or had any sort of accident. I have also taken it to the movies, to Disneyland, Disney Sea again never had any accidents. And to have it happen right before Noah's Summer festival at the yochien. Oh man...talk about being thrown for a loop. But positive side is....we held onto our wits and pulled through it. The best we could. Phew. ; )

The lens on the old camera is in you see? Yes you are right. You'll never believe the ending of this story. Where was I? Oh yes, so we were still deciding what to do with the old Olympus. Meaning was it worth to fix or just chuck it? The lens was by all accounts still stuck in the popped out position by the way. None of us really wanting to touch it either because we worried if we'd touch it then perhaps we'd really just finish it off for sures. Do you know what I mean? So...the morning of the Summer festival. All of us were upstairs getting ready. And Noah said from downstairs...I wish I could fix it for you. I was busy getting ready as I said upstairs, but I did add a.."yeah I know honey sure wish you could fix it too" and then went and did my hair. Next thing you know....Noah says...."I fixed it, I fixed it" We all ran downstairs..knowing full and well what he was talking about... but yet sort of in disbelief. Sure enough, Noah fixed my camera. Back to normal..no funky noises and I have been using ever since. I did still take the Sony for the Summer festival because I didn't want to chance it. but sure enough it works like nothing ever happened. We did ask Noah what he did...and he said he just pushed all the buttons at once. Yeah sure...I think he maybe just got lucky by it all. But honestly who cares...it's fixed and that's all what matters to us. Plus Noah likes thinking he fixed mommy's camera, lol. ; )

The new ones on the right. And would you believe...I did ask Noboru to just send the new one back to Amazon...my thought wasn't didn't need it anymore... since I have my old one back. But he said he will keep the old one for himself and so that's what we did.

Anyway...the story how and why I ended up with a new camera, definitely an interesting one. Ohhh and I actually offered for Noboru to take the new one. No not because I am an angel but more because I am more comfortable with the old one. ; ) No such luck though...anyway I am still getting used to the new one.

Switching subjects now...how about a tiny garden update, the corn are so big now.

Some corns are a bit smaller. But many have 2 growing on each corn stalk.

We have tomatoes up to here!!! Seriously this 1 plant has yielded us so many tomatoes. We've just about had our fill. We throw them on salads, eat them with sprinklings of salt. And when we pick a big bowl full we get another bowl full in a day or two. It's endless. Good thing we didn't grow any more then the 1 plant for our family. Hubby's even mentioned I should make some homemade pasta sauce...we might consider that, if they keep coming at us, in the same way we've been getting. @_@ The bell peppers are growing full steam ahead. Same with the cucumbers. The mini tomatoes are so sweet, I think they'd make a nice sauce if we made one.

The zucchini plants, we pulled the both of them out. All the zucchini we grew in July were delicious and yumm. But the ones at the end of July and August started growing very weird. Like they had some funky mutant disease because what grew wasn't even resembling a zucchini anymore. It started to look like a cross between or hybrid type plant. It was weird. They were darker and the shapes were a bit off towards the end. Noboru chalked it up to the plant just growing too big and going bazonkers. What happened? I really do not know. I should have took a picture of an actual mutant zucchini gone wild. ; ) Anyway they were pulled.

Now we're deciding what to do with the space. Grow something for Fall or still too early still. Hmm. We'll see.

Tomato overload.

Has the weather been blazing hot or what? It's been so hot lately. Noboru told me, August should cool down some, however I don't see any cooler weather as of yet. Every week, we have to buy many garigari popsicles.

The nashi pear ones are Noboru's favorites.

The original soda ones.

The boys really are fond of the apple mango ones. My favorite flavor is the lemon one or the chocolate one because they remind me of a fudgsicle or a chocolate jello pudding pop.

We had another barbecue. Chicken and beef, and veggies.

My serving.

Last Friday, morning we went to visit some friends of ours in the Funabashi/Yachiyo area. We used to live in that area so though we don't get a chance often when we do get the chance, we like to visit and say hi. ; ) They were looking forward to seeing us and us them as well, they prepared a beautiful brunch for us, we stayed for about an hour (from about 10-11) it was so wonderful to catch up with them. After leaving their home our family went to Costco to pick up a pizza to take home for dinner that night.

Though there was temptation at Costco for sures. I know I will be in Guam this coming week. And to just hold any temptation I had until I go to Guam. So, it was just the pizza.

We threw this into the oven last Friday for dinner.

Last Friday at 3pm, we took Noah swimming. We had reached back to our neck of the woods around 1:50pm anyway. That's Noah down there in this pic with the white swimming cap.

Noah was to take his turn next.

Man his swimming is getting so good.

Every week he's working hard learning some crazy mad skills.

Hi Noah. : )

Once a year our swimming school sells some very overpriced items. pictures that can be attached to your child's backpack. So like swimming charms for the backpack, keitei straps, and tumbler cups, etc. On one hand I want to say..it's too expensive the prices are too over inflated and not buy them. Just be strong and resist. But on the other hand...if you were to ask me, "Gina what are your most treasured items from your childhood?" I would answer you....the plate I made for my mom and dad in the 2nd grade, the plates were like $20.00 (which was a lot for those days) My mom being all sentimental and wanted to keep the keepsakes, ordered one for me, so I was allowed to make a plate. I drew a 2nd graders version/ picture of a snowman. But at the time I thought it was a masterpiece!!! ; ) I wrote, Merry Christmas mom and dad all around the edge of the plate, signed it and dated it, wrote love, Gina. The plate is shatterproof plastic of some sort but I love this plate. For me it's priceless. Another one... every year...my mom went and got my picture taken with the Easter Bunny. Then one year, they were selling overpriced tumbler mugs. Being the softy she was, she ordered the mug. I was kindy aged sitting on the lap of the Easter bunny and I still have that thing. Again it's priceless. To have that image frozen in time like that. Other keepsakes for me are like the childhood blanket my grandma made for me. A wonderful quilt. But yeah the sentimental stuff like that I love. So, naturally you can understand why I felt so torn and conflicted when I saw these ridiculously priced cups, 3,000 yen each (and I have 2 kids not just 1, mind you ; ). First reaction was to faint. Then I thought about my own mug that I have and I love. And so....a few weeks ago, I bit the bullet and I ordered 2 cups, 1 for Branden and one for Noah. Who knows maybe they'll love them and cherish them as much as I love mine. Maybe they can show them to their own kids when they grow up. ; ) Branden's is of him doing the butterfly, you can see the #3 on his cap. A moment frozen in time. And Noah's is of him swimming underwater and a #13 on his cap.

For Kolabear, a fellow mom, who's living in Singapore. You had asked me for the nikujaga recipe. And I didn't forget. I looked for it. And I found where I placed it. I posted the recipe for my nikujaga on October 14, 2009. And to make it easier, I am tagging this post nikujaga right now. Just in case I ever need to find the recipe again. ; ) I will link it for you to make it easier for you to find. nikujaga recipe

Hazel, I didn't forget about the karaage and yakiniku pics either. : ) And I wanted to get this stuff up for the both of you, two before I leave.

The karaage is the one on the left. Just chop up your chicken, stick it in a gallon size ziplock type bag and let marinate for a good 20 minutes, at least for the flavor to soak in, or even an hour, it's up to you. Then dredge in flour before frying.
Yakiniku sauce, like I said, we don't really have a favorite or staple brand. Like we do for our karaage for example. But the one we have been using the most all Summer long has been the Kikkoman one on the left hand side of this picture. It's spicy and has some really good flavor to it. Especially if the meat had a chance to marinate for a good while. We also use it as a base of our dipping sauce as well. : ) We also marinade our veggies in a bit of the sauce as well. Hope this helps. : )

I forgot to post or even mention the dvd's we rented for July. The Surrogate with Bruce Willis. The Princess and the Frog, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, And "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. "It's Compicated" was so funny! The first 2 dvd's for August arrived this week. The pics are above, we have, "Alice in Wonderland (I saw this at the movies with my friends but the hubby wanted to see this) And we also rented Last Chance Harvey with the very talented Dustin Hoffman and equally brilliant
and amazing Emma Thompson. Having read the reviews and given the fact, I like both actors quite a bit, I wanted to see this. Hopefuly I will get a chance to see this tonight after the boys go to sleep otherwise I'll have to watch it when I get back from Guam.

I'll be back from Guam this coming Friday, at the latest maybe Saturday. So, just 3-4 nights. But just long enough to enjoy a mini getaway. And recharge any batteries that may need recharging before the school year resumes again. ; ) A little pool time, a little beach fun, an eye brow wax and some shopping and I'll be feeling refreshed and ready to come back to Japan again. Also, I didn't mention this before but, in January 2010 when the merge was complete between NWA and Delta. We now are given buddy passes. With NWA we didn't have buddy passes it was strictly for family only. But for Delta, we have our unlimited worldwide flight travel benefits of course for our family. But we also now get buddy passes, 7 or 8 a year. But because some were actually selling their buddy passes, shame shame shame. Now the rule is the buddy has to travel with one of the family members. Anyway it's great because that means if a really good close friend of mine and I wanted to actually go to Guam together for instance, I actually have the ability to make that happen now. Isn't that cool? Anyway this post is getting entirely too long, so I better end this here. Have a wonderful week everyone and I'll catch you all on the flip side.