Bits from our weekend. And all about Branden receiving his "principal's recommendation letter" from his JHS for high school...

 Did everyone have a nice weekend? We had an amazing weekend here! On Friday evening, as you know, we went to the movies to see Rogue One. On Saturday, we had a family movie night here at home. And I made these 2 pizzas from scratch! We also had salads, really amazing salads with The Olive Garden salad dressing. And we had sodas with ice with dinner.

I forget the night we had karaage. But as you can see, ginger infused really well marinated karaage, this is flat out amazing, crispy on the outside and so juicy inside. Rice, macaroni salad and also broccoli too. 

We always have a nice leisurely breakfast over the weekend. 1 day it's pancakes or french toast and the other day is always eggs and bacon. Cheesy scrambled eggs too. Very yum.: )

Amazing cornbread fresh and hot right out of the oven and buttered nicely on top. Went nicely with the chili last night.

Chili beans. There were many toppings to add. If you wanted lean ground beef to add we had it. We had sour cream, diced onions. This was so good and what is currently in their thermos at school today. The boys each took a thermos full of chili beans. A quesadilla each and 1 and a half mikans each... that I peeled and put into a  plastic container. Their soup thermoses stay boiling hot for like 15 hours straight, so they're as hot as the second I pack them. Japanese technology at it's finest! : ) 

Yesterday was a Star Wars marathon on my American cable. It showed them in order and me and the kids actually watched them all yesterday. It was awesome! But also...this week. Was it Wednesday? I forget the day. But on the ID channel (Investigative Discovery channel.) That has nothing but crime shows 24/7, I love this channel. 

Anyway the ID channel has been showing something called, People Magazine Investigates. Cases that were huge in the headlines years ago. People Magazine has been going back and making updates or delving further into the case. I have seen all of these so far. But the one last week. Was a case I remembered immediately. I am sure you do too. : (

It was called, "Mystery in Texas. In The Name of Love"

Recognize her? Does the name Diane Zamora ring a bell? 

The two lovebirds. 

His name was/is David Graham.

This case was all over the news. It was big time.. in the news at the time. They were high school sweethearts. In love. She had given her virginity to him, yeah that was a little tmi for me hearing that too last week. And he later told his girlfriend Diane. That he had cheated on her with a girl in his cross country team. Diane was so upset and angry that she told David. To make their love pure again. @_@ They would have to get the girl he slept with and murder her! And he agreed. And so...they did just that. Diane bashed her in the head. She tried to run but because she was bashed in the head and badly injured. David caught her and shot her in the head twice! 2 gun shots to the head. This was huge news all over the USA, why? Because it actually horrified us all. #1, Diane should have broke up with David. Yes sure...she would have been sad. But...life would have went on. And over time... she would have healed and moved on. Or David should have broke up with her after hearing her murderous request!!! The other things that shocked everyone was that...these weren't just... loser kids or bad kids! They were brilliant smart kids, good kids. 3 kids who would have had amazing careers and lives. David and Diane were both going to have military careers. One was in the air force. They were both cadets. One was in Colorado and one was in another state. So they were intelligent kids. Kids who would have had fantastic careers. And good lives. And they could have been contributing people of this earth. However Diane's jealousy got the better of her. And she would not rest until the other girl was lying dead in a morgue. To me that is so sad. I feel saddest for the actual victim. But, I also feel sad for all 3 too. Why? Because, it's obvious...they ruined their own lives! They had a choice not to kill her. Yet they still went through with it. And for what...teenage puppy love?  

This is Diane Zamora now. Sorry but... prison has clearly not been kind to her. I was a tad surprised when I first saw her. I was like...is that REALLY her? @_@ She didn't look anything like she did in her pictures when she was younger. Anyways...I was interested to hear what she had to say in 2016! Was she sorry? Was she remorseful? I guess what I'm saying is.... that I was hoping to hear. "I'm so sorry, every day of my life, I regret what I did. I regret what we did. And every day I think of Adrienne and am so sorry." However...that was not the case at all. She didn't really seem sorry at all. That was the most shocking to me. She said..."I'm sorry for Adrienne however SHE shouldn't have made me mad!!!"...yep that's basically what her thoughts on the matter are as of 2016. And honestly I was really disappointed. Because she doesn't seem remorseful or sorry about it at all. Not really. How sad.

And the actual real victim in all this. Granted should she have slept with another chick's man? Guy? No she should not have done that. However...did she deserve death for it? Absolutely NOT. Her parents never get to hear her voice again. She will never have a wedding day. Never have children. Never get to live up to her full potential. She will never be able to spend another birthday or Christmas with her family. Everybody lost in this! Adrienne lost the most. At least David and Diane's family get to visit them in prison. Or receive letters. Adrienne's family doesn't get to visit with her. The whole thing is just sad. So sad. And what's saddest? Was there was no real remorse...or I'm so sorry. I regret doing what we did. Nothing like that. : (

Anyway so now for some good news. Branden received a principal recommendation. If you live in Japan and have a 9th grader. And your 9th grader will be going to high school in Japan. Your wish and hope is to get a principal recommendation. To get a principal recommendation is like amazing and it's *the* goal. How do you get one? You have to have very good grades. Amazing grades. Outstanding grades. JHS in Japan goes like this... you need points. The highest score you can get for example in English is a 5. And same for math, it's 5 points. And all other subjects. The highest you can get is 25 points for all 5 subjects combined for Chiba prefecture. And then it depends on the school you wish to go to too. Some schools will not even allow you to get a principal recommendation unless you have 20 points, some schools want more. And in many cases if you you have a special skill that will help. Now knowing this. This explains why kids in JHS study their brains out. Because they want their points to stay high. We have really teeter tottered about...should Bran go to high school in the Unites States. Which means I will live with the kids in the US for a few years. Which would be hard being apart. But...we'd do it for our kids. Then we found a few high schools that have strong English departments and programs, Bran  will do university in the United States though 100%. This high school though...they require you to have extremely high English skills. And we have since checked this particular high school out 3 times. Bluntly speaking. My kids are native speakers and they want Branden. There are many native teachers there. The main native teacher actually asked us...if we are returnees (clearly I'm western but he thought we were living in my home country beforehand) because of our kids English abilities. Which was nice/kind to hear. But no...we have lived in Japan their whole school lives. He could not believe my kids have never studied in America and this was coming from a white/western man who has been a high school teacher here for ages and has seen the English skill of returnees vs, hafu, vs never lived over seas at all. And he has a kid Noah's age. So that says a lot, that he assumed my kids were schooled in America. Then.... the actual head teacher and high school principal who is Japanese...the final time we were there... could not believe Branden's Eiken 1. He had *never* seen that before...never ever seen that before...from a 9th grader... that he actually in front of all the other kids and parents and teachers...told everyone and actually asked if he could go make a Xerox copy of it. Yes it was a bit embarrassing that he went on and on and on about his passing the entire Eiken.... regarding Bran... in front of everyone...but understandable too. To have that in your hand is a bit unusual. He was that flat out shocked. So special skill has been proven. And grades are on point. So...our JHS head teacher for the 9th grade and our actual principal went to Branden's future high school and they had a meeting last Friday. Our JHS 2 heads and the high school heads met up at the high school.... and when 2 schools agreed, which they agreed. And they love his grades and agree he has a special skill. So the high school gave the JHS the go ahead to...give Branden his principal recommendation. And so that is why we were in the best mood going to the movies on Friday. Branden's actual teacher phoned our house during dinner. Friday evening saying..."you got it kid!" She spoke to Noboru first. Then spoke to Branden, then spoke to Noboru again. We were quiet while on the phone but we were high five-ing each other in the kitchen. Noah and I were doing a jig! Then Noboru and when Bran got off the phone he passed it back to his dad and Bran Noah and I were dancing in the kitchen. Like Whoop whoop! LOL. Just super happy ya'll.  : ) So anyways...that's that....Branden has 1 final test to take...his entrance exam for high school and he has been studying his brains out. If he gets into this school, which everybody basically thinks it's in the bag. He's going to be having a blast. He will be in the English department. Their school trip in 10th grade is some place English speaking, I know where... but I can't say, I'm sorry guys. And their 11th grade trip is to America. He's basically going to have a blast and best years of his school life. With lots of like minded people just like him. There are many hafu and foreign nationals going to this high school and also returnees (Japanese who lived overseas). I am so happy for my son, you guys. His high school life will be a blast! This school is a good school. It looks like all the hard work of JHS was worth it for Branden.  So anyway, very happy news for Bran. And he's so...almost done with JHS! I love you kid and am so proud of you Branden! : )