My hair salon appointment today...

I made my appointment for today...2 weeks ago. I go to the salon for a hair coloring once a month, like clockwork. A hair cut every other month. And a hair straightening, every 3 months or so. Anyways, today was my... get all 3 things done day. My hair straightened. Like straight as a pin. Like Pantene commercial type straight. It's called a Japanese thermal hair straightening and they work super well. And make your hair so shiny. I also got my hair colored. A nice rich medium to almost dark brown color (Katie Holmes or Rose Byrne hair color, if that gives you an idea of my hair color and that's pretty much my natural hair color dead on, anyway). And my usual lob (long bob) slightly longer at the front of my hair. From 9:30am until 2:50pm today. 2 iced coffees later. Read 3 magazines. And I'm done! It was such a long time to sit there. But it's so worth it. I am so happy I don't have to get it straightened until late Feb or early March now. Now when my dad gets here next week, my hair will be done and I won't even have to think about it. Anyways, have an awesome night everyone. I'm making cream stew right now. While Noboru is picking up both the boys. Have a good night. : )

Going to the movies and lunch with good friends. My yearly health exam postponed. My hair salon visit complete. And a very cool and helpful foreign guy...

Just another little one of my bits and pieces type a posts. Let's see, where did I leave off. Oh yes, Thursday was to be my movie date with friends. And Friday was to be my big health check up/physical exam. So anyway, I wake up around 5:10am Thursday morning, I go downstairs, heat up the hot water pot for a hot coffee. Read through my emails. Read some online news. Go to the restroom. And surprise surprise, I literally just started my TOM (time of the month) /my period.  Absolute shock and surprise because... my periods are as dependable as the Japanese train schedules and bus schedules. I always start the date I am supposed to and fwiw, I was supposed to start a week later. This has like never happened. And figures it happens when I have a scheduled health check! @_@  Granted while I admit I am not crazy about going to the exams and I admit I was not looking forward to the barium HOWEVER I was totally planning to go. So anyway, it has since been postponed to March 27th. @_@  So I got the kids sent off to school Thursday. Got myself dressed, hair and makeup and went and met up with my 2 amazing friends at the movies. For our morning movie date. We went and saw American Sniper. It was an amazing movie, I loved it! A really good movie! After the movie, we 3 went to lunch. Conversation was amazing at lunch, we just always have so much fun together, the 3 of us. I picked up both the kids and then I came home and started rolling meatballs for spaghetti and meatball night. That Costco handmade type a pasta is so good. My meatballs are made of super lean ground beef, garlic salt, Italian style breadcrumbs (Progresso) black pepper, parmesan cheese. And a few other spices in there and I rolled them quickly and as they were almost done cooking I tossed in the mushrooms and peppers. Then added the sauce. Just a quick store bought sauce, from Costco. A quick dinner but a really good one. So that was Thursday. Also forgot to add, that since I did start my period, and could no longer go to my health check on Friday, I might as well make use of Friday. And even though I was planning to go to the salon Friday March 20th, I could now go a week earlier and so I went Friday the 13th, dundundun! Hahaha. : ) 

Meanwhile, my birthday is in March, it is coming up this week. And I received this really gorgeous birthday card from my dad. The front of the card says...Parents Sometimes Say Things Like "You'll Always Be My Little Girl"

The words inside the card really got me. Just a very special and nice card. My dad did write me a special message and I am keeping that part private, sorry. : ) It was cute though. : )  Has my childhood nickname on it and stuff. : ) My dad also sent me  ichiman yen (like a hundred dollars in Japan) and an American $100 dollar bill. Thank you dad. : )

I have been going to the same salon for years and years. I really like this salon. Every year they send me a 20% off coupon/post card for my birthday month and it is good for 2 months. However I was planning to use it Friday. For my hair cut and wavy hair. Which I did use. 

Meanwhile this side of the post card from my salon says. I can get my hair colored/dyed 5 separate times for 11,000 yen About $100 dollars. Which is an *amazing* deal. Because in America, I use to pay about $70 each time, for my hair color. So for me...getting to go to the salon 5 different times and it only costs $100, that's superly cheap/ a good deal. So, with the ichiman yen my dad gave me for my birthday. I used that for my hair coloring ticket worth 5 times of getting a hair coloring. I have not got my hair colored there yet, but they gave me a hair color ticket card already to be used for 5 times with my name on it, customer number and also put the info into the computer so they too have it on record, that I get my hair dyed 5 times now and this salon does such great work, all the people who leave with haircuts look amazing and modern with just fresh and current hair cuts and all the colors always look so rich and beautiful. Which is why I have been coming to this place for so many years, they do fantastic work! : ) So thank you dad. I'll go every 2 months so it will be a present I can use and appreciate for 10 full months. I think I made the right choice. : )  Though I will appreciate it much longer, but yeah a good choice, I think for sures. I am planning to get my hair colored some time in April at the salon, which will be my first color there (I usually color mine at home) so I am excited to get it done there.

So, Friday morning after the boys went to school. I got myself ready and dressed. I brought this picture. And she gave me this very hair cut! I love my hair cut! She also gave me a digital perm. She used big curlers since I wanted waves and not curls. I left looking like this picture and I was happy. However, here's the thing. My cut I love. But having wavy hair is such a pain in the butt. When it looks good it looks super good. However....every morning...

I woke up looking like Sideshow Bob from the Simpsons! Seriously no joke...I woke up looking like Sideshow Bob Saturday morning. My hair was absolute crazy town Saturday morning, you guys. It sprung up and coiled. When I went into the sink area upstairs to brush my teeth in the morning and wash my face, I literally scared myself! Look at that hair! I squealed to my husband sleeping upstairs in bed still. What happened honey, what is it??? I look like....I look like freakin' Sideshow Bob! I had to jump in the shower Saturday morning, to fix that hair-do/scare-do. Wash and condition my hair. Then my hair looked normal and rockin'. However all Saturday I seriously asked myself, do I have time to shower every single morning as long as I have wavy hair or perhaps I have to wash it in the sink every morning and do I have the time for that. I just don't think so. Plus the more and more I looked at the waves, I disliked them. Looks messy and disheveled, I just didn't like it afterall. So, I made the decision to switch it back, to straight hair.There's just no use in dragging it out for a couple weeks really, what for. Then came Saturday night. Do, I wash it at night? In Japan people usually take nightly showers versus how we do in America with our morning showers. I showered Saturday night but I didn't wash my hair. Sunday morning, I woke up yet again. And sure enough as I brushed my teeth Sunday morning, Sideshow Bob hair was looking back at me in the mirror as I brushed my teeth. I talk to my husband quite a lot about stuff and even my dad knew I was really trying to get adjusted to this hair. And for the record, I naturally have wavy hair to begin with. However I have been getting the Japanese thermal hair straightening for the past 12 years or so. Here is what I realized about myself. Friday to Sunday.  Having wavy hair Friday through Sunday, I realized how much I actually HATED having my wavy hair to begin with. I realized how much time I need to spend on it, to make it look good. I am a mom of 2 kids and I frankly don't have oodles and oodles of time to spend on my hair each morning. I realized why I got my hair straightened all those years ago in the first place...I hate wavy hair on me personally! Absolutely hate it. On other people it looks beautiful, but on me, yuck, I hate it. Lesson learned.  I most certainly don't have time to take a morning shower before sending the boys to school just so that people I pass by while driving... don't think..."hey is that Sideshow Bob, should we go and get an autograph?" lol! When my hair is professionally straightened with that Japanese thermal hair straightening my hair seriously and no I am NOT joking. My hair looks like a Pantene ad! My hair looks flawless all day and all night. I even wake up with perfect freaking hair! It's like having a perfect hair day every day of your life. And I love that..I love that it takes zero time at all. I love that I wake up looking like me, versus waking up looking like Sideshow Bob. When my hair is straight I wash and condition it at night and blow dry it at night and I wake up with the most slammin' hair you ever did see. I am a mom of 2 boys and again I like the ease of having my hair straight. Pin straight. Again wavy hair when it looked normal and stuff after I jumped in the shower and stuff. It looked amazing. But frankly...my mornings are so busy I really don't have 30 minutes free to just fix the Sideshow Bob hair in the mornings. I called Saturday evening to make a hair appointment for Sunday evening. I got my hair wavy on Friday. My stylist who is amazing and just the best, did nothing wrong. It is all my fault, I am the IDIOT who wanted it wavy. And I realize it just isn't for me. I am so sorry. Again it is all my fault. They laughed and said no trouble come in Sunday at 3pm. And I did. Like I said Sunday morning when I woke up as Sideshow Bob yet again, I was glad I had made that appointment. I just realized, you don't need to wait a month to know you made a mistake. I could tell by the next day. Again...it is.. what it is. I wish the wavy coolness would have worked for me, but it just didn't. 

This is what my hair looks like now. It is longer at the front just like hers. This is the very cool infamous EssieButton beauty Youtuber. I love her videos and her hair is right on trend. Her hair is slammin'. It's very current. And it just happens to be exactly what my hair looks like now, as of Sunday evening. 

You can indeed see near her coffee cup her front is indeed longer than her back of hair. Mine is an A-line too. Granted I wish I could have had the waves, but...they just made me crazy. So this is what my hair looks like, as I am typing this to you right now. : ) I'm pretty happy.

Friday after getting my digital perm (after getting a Japanese straightening this is apparently the only thing you can get to undo a thermal straightening). Noboru was going to take Bran to the RC shop (radio control) so since they were going to be in Inzai, Noah and I went too, we planned to have supper there in Inzai. We also went to look for the mozzarella shredded cheese. It is still out of stock. The lady we asked said it was supposed to be back March 10th but given it was March 13th, yeah...the mozzarella cheese is delayed. Anyway they have a huge bag of hollow gorgeous Easter eggs. A huge massive bag of them amount for only 1500 yen. A very fair price considering the amount you get and the size of the eggs, about the size of a regular large grade A egg, so they are quite big. 

They also had more Easter things too. However, since we're going to Guam , I'll be getting Easter goodies from there. But just wanted to mention it if any of you are in Japan and needing some Easter things Costco has some. : ) 

I did buy a huge hunk of Colby cheese though... since this week we will be having tacos for dinner. Anyway we went to have supper Friday night at Coco Ichiban curry in Inzai. Their chicken tenderloin is back and is there until May. Yum, my favorite curry there! This was my dinner Friday March 13th. 

The rest of the fam's dinner. It was nice. 

Bran's RC stuff for his car. 

Sunday morning, our town had a festival. And Noah's teacher had an idea for her 3rd grade class. To have them have their own booth and teach all the people who pass, "how great our little town is" So all last week the kids made up their own fliers, on the computers at school. Noah made his own fliers. And each child had to stand in front of the both and give out 15 fliers and talk to 15 strangers about how cool our little town is. Here is Noah talking to a crowd of bigger kids. : ) And his sensei standing behind him. 

Here is Noah talking to some lady about how cool our little town is. It was a little weird all us mom's/parents standing back as our children went approaching and talking to strangers. The teachers and head teacher all stood by. With cameras snapping pics of the class kids chatting with misc strangers. Hahaha. But the coolest thing is...Noah can speak to Japanese people and he can also speak to foreign people who pass by in English (if they speak English). His classmates and teachers and the head teacher were so impressed!

Noah talking with this very amazing guy in English. telling him all about our town. All the other mom's and kids were talking and saying how "kakkoii (super cool) Noah is being able to speak to foreigners in English" I saw 1 mother snapping a pic of Noah and the guy. The sensei up above snapped about 5 pictures of them talking together. Even the head teacher came running too and snapped a picture. Long after they spoke, for about 30 minutes afterwards you could hear the parents..."did you see that?" "Did you hear" "Noah just speaking and shooting the breeze to foreigners in English." I kept hearing. kakkoiii...kakkoii! I do have to say though...I do love that fellow foreigners always do seem to come to help other fellow foreigners and their kiddos. If any of you reading... had a kid who had a project like this and stopped and asked me if I could spare a minute or two...I would not hesitate to help and also listen and take a few minutes to help your child out too, it would be my pleasure. : )  So yep, we went with Noah Sunday around 11am-ish for Noah's class thing he had to do at the town festival. Noah's classmates, parents of said classmates, and all teachers thought Noah was so super cool. And I always tell both my kids, you being able to fluently speak English is something that is very important. Not all hafu kids are bilingual and it's true. But mine are, I made sure of that. That was just something that was really important to us, when raising the boys. They can speak to absolutely anyone in English. And the man asked questions of Noah on Sunday too. He said, "your mom is American I can tell, but what part of America is she from?" Noah answered him, "she's from Denver." So yeah they did just shoot the breeze for a few minutes. And of course he was aware of the gaggle of teachers were snapping pictures and he was very cool with that. Just again...a very nice cool guy who wore Vans. : ) 

We came home from the festival Sunday afternoon. Perfect timing because the delivery man had brought us The newest Hunger Games (Mockingjay 1) We will be watching this tonight. We just can't wait! : ) I did fix everyone lunch Sunday here at home. I did know I would be gone Sunday evening at the salon, since I made the appointment the evening before. So Saturday night, I prepped dinner for Sunday. I cut up 4 chicken breasts and marinated the chicken with karaage liquid. It was going to be marinated long and taste so good. I made the rice Sunday afternoon. And at 2:30pm I left. All Noboru had to do Sunday for supper was dredge the chicken into flour and fry. I had a bag of salad and some broccoli he made for them as well. I meanwhile got to the salon. The manager came to me right away. And again, I didn't want anyone to think any negative or bad stuff, like I blame my stylist because I don't, I blame me. I said what I said over the phone. I said it again..."My hair cut, I love it. My perm was exactly what I asked for and she did the best job on it. It's just... it is 100% my fault." I said that exactly in Japanese... it being 100% my fault. I guess I am just not a wavy hair person, I told the manager, he smiled and shook his head. It was very difficult to control and manage, me having wavy hair. I am truly sorry. But it was 100% my fault, the blame lies on me completely. She (my stylist) came to me at this point and I told her...I am sorry for all your hard work on Friday. It is my fault. She said...please Gina-san don't even worry about it. It has happened at the salon by many customers before. I asked her about possible damage to my hair. She said my hair will be fine. She would give me a treatment afterwards. And I went and sat down. She washed blow dried and then put oils into my hair before doing both chemical changes to lessen any damage. She also gave me a deep conditioning treatment afterwards and my hair looks *so* amazing, it's as shiny as glass and it is super pin straight...my hair is indeed an A-line lob to bob in length somewhere in between. I woke up this Monday morning and my hair looked like a Pantene ad again. And I feel relief. No more waking up with Sideshow Bob hair for me anymore. I wish the soft beach waves would have worked on me. But...it's just very time consuming and I have no time in the mornings for it. I like the ease of having pin straight hair. And I *love* my cut. I am going to give it a few weeks before I get my hair colored. I also like that I was 100% honest with the salon, I didn't sneak off to a different salon I went right back, I told the truth, that it was my fault on the perm because it WAS my fault. And I didn't want them to think otherwise that I had blame anywhere except where it should be on....me. And the salon people actually really liked that. Because yeah...I have some guts to go back and get this all figured out in a foreign language. Ne~ The manager washed my hair and he gave me a head massage and he even joked with me while he blow dried my hair. See my stylist had a client who booked first. They just fit me in...but she was technically booked already so my main stylist did most of me Sunday but the others all jumped in and helped...washed my hair or one flat ironed half my head then my main stylist came and finished. But everyone helped me out Sunday and I joked with them all, and I did apologize to everyone and they all laughed and said...seriously no worries. And so yeah...they sorta really like me at my hair salon. I keep on trying and I don't give up and if I'm wrong...I'll flatly say I'm wrong. But yep, they totally fixed my hair. I paid for the mistake as *I should have* but my stylist gave me 20% off anyways even though I no longer had my coupon...I think she just liked my apology and the fact I had guts enough to go back and explain myself and stuff (again in a foreign language). She digs me. She actually chatted my ears off Sunday, she has 2 kids, ones 6 and ones 8. They will start English lessons in April. They all made me feel really comfortable. And not so bad for going back and asking for a change. And for that I really like them too. I'm human and yes I make mistakes all the time too. I wanted soft waves but you know...it just wasn't meant to be for me and that's okay. But yep...I am super happy with my hair right now. I feel really current and on trend with this hair. Anyway so that's what's been up in our neck of the woods. : ) 

Hair salon appointment scratched off the list...

I woke up super early yet again. Got breakfast made and the kids fed and made sure both got to school. Came home, had 2 of those Costco frozen pancakes, microwaved, also had a hot coffee. I started getting dressed. I wore a pair of Gap distressed jeans, with my gray Gap T with the cute British guard riding a bicycle with a Gap bag inside his basket. And a Gap black boyfriend cardi (did not realize I wore all Gap until I just typed what I was wearing just now). I had makeup on, primer, concealer, Mac studio fix, blush, lippie, eyeshadow, eyebrow mascara for my brows, the whole bit basically... I was ready for the salon...the only thing that was really weird... was my hair. I purposely do not do anything to my hair the day I go to the salon because, I know that... they need to see...the crazy! They need to actually see the real thing. Not a subdued...I flat ironed it at home, type a deal. They need to see the real thing. lol. Otherwise, what if they gave me a weaker hair straightening... because I tamed it before going in...that's why I go in with my hair totally in it's natural state, so she knows truly... what she's dealing with. : )

Drove myself to the salon. Was waiting for the mall/salon to open up (looking cute, if I don't say so myself... face/nice makeup, nice outfit...and wait for it...my *crazy* "Side Show Bob hair" from the Simpsons, lol) and went right in, I told her...I washed it last night...and she got right to town on my hair. She put the stuff on my hair. I waited what...30 minutes or so? I was reading my magazine/US tabloids. And drinking a drink so I lost all track of time. She rinsed and washed it after that. Blow dried it, flat ironed it. Gave me a trim. She told me a piece on my front layers was slightly different in length...(must be my salon in Guam whoops) but she fixed it and went piece by piece comparing my whole head...so it’s 100% spot on, my hair. After it was flat ironed and she cut the tiniest dot/amount on my hair. She then put solution bottle #2 all over my hair and combed it through. I then waited all over again, but this time a much shorter time. She then washed my hair, shampooed and conditioned it. Massaged my temples, neck and shoulders (bliss)...then she took me to the chair yet again...blowed it dry...2 people came to blow dry each side of my head. Then she flat ironed it yet again for the last time. She sprayed stuff to make it look even shinier.  And I left. I was there so so so long.

Price 9,500 yen about $95 US. Which is a steal really if you think about it... because I got a serious hair straightening, plus a haircut. The Japanese thermal hair straightening treatments here... actually change the hair structure and texture completely...which is why they use flat irons during the process of the hair straightening. My hair was coarse and puffy and wild looking this morning, now it’s silky smooth. My hair is now...straight as a pin...shiny as can be. My hair looks like it belongs on a Pantene commercial...seriously no joke! I know I say that all the time after I get a hair straightening..but it's honestly true. It’s shiny and healthy and reflects light and is so manageable, just so super easy to take care of.  I have been getting these for almost 10 years. The difference in my hair, before and after... is night and day. My hair can really no longer... hold a curl, it’s just straight as a pin. And taking care of it is super easy...all I have to do is wash, conditioner and blow dry it 100% always (has to be blown dry 100% or else) and it will remain like this...until the roots grow out too long. Like every 4 months, for me.

So from now until end of December my hair is going to be just really easy to deal with...my hair is no longer an issue or a thought at all.  Just shampoo, condition and blow dry.  And it will remain like a Pantene ad, type a hair. So for me...$95 US, and to not have to deal with my hair...especially on undokai days...or days when I really am frankly busy enough. It will just save me a load of time. So for me personally...yes it is worth it.  I like low maintenance hair...yet that still looks nice and feminine and pretty. So yeah...just really really worth it for me. No more lions mane type a hair.... well until end of December. And then I’ll have to make another appointment yet again. : ) I really wonder why I waited so long this last time around? @.@ From Feb-Sep? I usually am never delayed with my hair straightening. What took me so long. Oh well, no worries...it’s done now. : )

Meanwhile, Branden and Noah are at swim club right now. Noboru is fishing, he should be home soon. The rotisserie chicken is in the oven as I type. Though Branden had some beef stew before swimming and Noah had a ham sammie. : ) I gave them both 130 yen today so they could buy a Coolish and have it on the swim bus, after swim school. All the kids have been buying Coolish for the bus ride home on Thursdays, so the past few weeks I have been giving them Coolish/ice-cream money on Thursdays swim night (they bring a snack on Monday nights bus ride) The Thursday kids they swim with... like ice-creams and all buy them who ride the bus together, the Monday group however that they swim with and take the bus with, don’t buy ice-creams so they don’t either, on Mondays. Just different set of kids. : ) But Thursday nights is when they buy Coolish for the  (swim) bus ride home. : )

Anyway that’s it from me...for now.

PS...can’t wash my hair tonight at all, but I can wash it tomorrow night. Great.... tomorrow while buying undokai stuff (lunch stuff for our obento), I’ll have to walk around being Mrs. Grease head or Mrs. Greasy scalp. Blech! : ) I better wear a baseball cap tomorrow. Truly, I am sorry for anyone, I encounter tomorrow. I’m usually not like that, I promise. : ) 

The Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story...and Swiss Miss Fudge Bars at Costco Chiba New Town right now...

We get our TV shows 1 day delayed from the mainland US, which isn't really bad really at all and that's because our day is a day ahead in Guam and Japan from the US, so for example we watch our Sunday night cartoons on Monday evening here... because it is "really" Sunday in the US. Which makes sense really. Anyway, 1 day delayed (and not complaining and thank goodness for my Slingbox) but anyway...just wanted so say... I enjoyed watching "The Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story" on the Lifetime Network/channel, last night. I grew up watching that show, as cheesy as that show was, I enjoyed it and so...I was curious about this Lifetime movie about it. After dinner last night, and showers for the kids and bedtime for them, I enjoyed watching this. 

They showed commercials for the upcoming Lifetime movie on the Brittany Murphy made for TV movie they will air this coming week or the week after. I will be looking forward to that and watching that one too.

Anyway, today's plan was to... clean out my closet. However, I started thinking last night.. about dinner for Thursday night/tomorrow night. The kids swim tomorrow night and with me being at the hair salon in the day for all day tomorrow (which is a rare treat for me)...getting the kids fed was a concern for tomorrow night. So...I left my house this morning and headed to Costco Chiba New Town, arrived at 9:50am, it opens at 10am, but she was letting a few of us in already, so I zipped in, grabbed a fresh out of the oven rotisserie chicken (for dinner tomorrow nights supper...so tomorrow nights dinner issue... not an issue at all anymore, right on!) 1 big hunk of cheese because I have baked gratin cheesy potatoes on my mind for next week. And...they had some new Swiss Miss chocolate fudgesicles, omg! They looked so amazing. However, I was to eat lunch there...and I didn't want them to melt while eating...so I bought them after I had my lunch. The store was still dead...and so zipping to the aisle after my lunch was doable...totally. : ) 

I had a slice of cheese pizza, then parked my cart and went sans cart to get the fudgesicles. Checked right out again and hopped in my car. : )

Oh, in case this info helps anyone...this is the price...there are 18 chocolate bars inside the box.

A horrible camera picture with my cell phone...sorry, but at least I tried to get pics. : )

And here they are...of course they are now safely in my freezer. Tonight's supper will be beef stew. I was home by noon today. I fried the lean beef that I cubed and then got the pot boiling and it's been boiling all day long...very tender beef! : ) I went upstairs to the closet of doom. : ) And spent 2 hours on the closet. It is nearly there...but it still is not 100% quite yet. And tomorrow I'll be gone all day at the hair salon (this wavy puffy out of control hair... just needs to be taken care of once and for all!!!! : ). And tomorrow evening...probably relaxing and getting a quick dinner sorted out. : ) Friday it will be undokai preparation madness around here. And charging of the camera and all that good stuff. : ) Anyway...that's all for now. Just wanted to say hi...and this is what's up for today around here. : )

Oh...I got an email for my next yakuin meeting already. : ( Next meeting is...September 13th at 7:30pm at the community center in our housing community, near our tennis courts in the housing community. Just a short 3 minute walk from our house. I thought we had no other events until the Christmas party? Could we be planning the Christmas party already? This soon? @.@  Holy goodness that's early. Oh well...this Saturday will be a non-weekend type a Saturday (meaning not really a free day/day of leisure)... since we'll be at undokai (no complaints though anything for my kiddos). And the Saturday after that will be a... semi non-weekend Saturday too (meaning not really a free day either) since I'll be spending my evening at a yakuin meeting. Hahaha. Seems there are a lot of events coming up...and so I will enjoy a day at the salon tomorrow. Haven't been to the salon in Japan since February (feels like ages). And I could use a little pampering once in a while. And my hair really needs to be brought under control (I have a nice cut, I recently got... it's just way too wavy and wild right now...lions mane, I tell ya lol). : ) Alright, have a great night everyone. : )

TGIF! My hair appointment today, our bbq ribs tonight, and DVD later tonight, Idenity Thief

My hair straightening and cut went really well today. OMG! It took forever, like 3 hours! @_@ But on the bright side, my hair is as straight as a pin and so freaking shiny. I asked my stylist to barely barely cut any length off. I said less then a trim, type of trim and she "got me" exactly (she has long hair, so she knows).  And she took literally the tiniest dot off my hair. She said I didn’t have many split ends at all this time anyway. Plus she knows I’m growing it out. Anyway, as usual I now can’t wash or wet my hair for 24 hours. So, I will wash it tomorrow night. I usually wash it every night. Aw well, I have a couple shower caps from past hotel stays, so I' guess I’ll just throw on a shower cap tonight when I shower. Hahaha. : )

Right now we are bbq’ing the ribs out in the backyard. It is lightly sprinkling rain right now, not a down pour, but a light mist. It’s fine anyway because we eat inside anyway. We will have baked potatoes from the potatoes we grew and also some veggie, some zucchini (we grew) and corn.

Tonight we will be watching Identity Thief after the kiddos go to sleep. With Jason Batemen and Melissa McCartney (she is so hilarious!) I ordered this from Amazon.com and it arrived this week. : ) Am not sure which movie the boys picked for the family movie tonight, we will watch after supper and showers of course first though. : )

Foot peeling pack/treatment update: Today marks, day 2 on the feet and I see no peeling but I have read and heard it’s normal and that I shouldn’t see any peeling until day 3 or 4. So, I’m being patient.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Today is my birthday : )

Hmm, I rarely talk about my birthday on here. I just never have. I'll happily talk about Branden's, Noah's or Noboru's birthday. But if you really think about it. March slips by and my birthday slips by and maybe I might write in the middle of a "bits and pieces" type post a tiny blurb mentioning oh yeah it was my birthday last week. Hahaha. But for the most part, they go unmentioned. And I do love my birthday, but I'm sorta very low key and quiet about it, always have been even when I was a little girl. So, just this once, I'll mention my birthday on my actual birthday hahaha. Today March 22nd is my birthday. Noboru works tonight from 4pm-midnight. He could have taken the day off, he did ask me if I wanted him to a month before.... but I think that's sorta silly just for me, I'm an adult. And really it's okay. : ) So, this past Sunday, in the evening, we went and had my birthday dinner, since we knew we couldn't go to a restaurant the day of. At first we were going to have Capricciosa but I made homemade pizza the night before. So we went and had yakiniku instead. : )

We ate a lot. Grilled a lot. Talked a lot and laughed a lot.

We had a drink bar, so free refills.

A dinner with my favorite people. : )

After dinner, we were heading home but stopped off at a car wash. Robo-wash type place. And afterward, we parked the car and Noboru and Branden and Noah went outside and each grabbed a free cloth/rag and wiped my car down. Talk about feeling the love Sunday night! Hahaha. : ) To look out and see Noah wiping the mirrors down. Trying very hard you guys, doing his best. ; )

Branden wiping the windshield. Don't laugh but I thought, I am truly loved! : )

Noboru wiped and he wiped and then the 3 of them got back into the car and that was it. And we headed home.  Monday after the boys went to school. A few hours after, I headed to the hair salon. It's March, I haven't been to the salon since December. So it was time. I got a thermal hair straightening thing and a trim. My hair has really grown and I'm currently letting it grow long again. I spent 3 hours at the salon on Monday. I also had a 20% off mailer that they sent me since it's my birthday month, you know me and my coupons, lol don't make fun of me too much about that. But yeah it was nice to get a little pampering, it's a rare thing for me, so it was nice. And I left with my hair as straight as a pin and shiny and I'm happy with my hair. Also Monday was the boys last full day of school. The other days all this week have been half days since they are about to go on break. So, I knew that was the best day for me to go to the salon schedule wise.

Yesterday morning my birthday cake arrived. I have been so looking forward to it's arrival. Yay!!!

: )

They have so many flavors to choose from. But I picked, banana ice cream for the top layer and maple walnut for the bottom layer.

It is a little hard to see since it is covered with the plastic top.

Not only did I get to pick my 2 layers of ice cream. It's decorated with gelato and ice cream on top and fruit. Noboru made sure I had a really special birthday cake.

2 layers of ice cream and it has a nice cake bottom also. Today or tonight we will have some! I think we should have some before Noboru leaves to work so we 4 can all enjoy it together. : )

Besides Noboru sending me to the hair salon for one of my birthday gifts. I also placed an order for some clothes here in Japan. Just some tops (3 or 4) and 1 pair of shorts and 1 pair of capris. But they won't get here for a while. And my dad, got me some DVDs on Amazon.com. He had asked me a week ago, to pick something out and email him what DVDs I'd like. I picked Dexter season 7. This hasn't come out yet, but it's been ordered and when it comes out.... Amazon will ship it to me here. I have not seen this season, but from what I read online, this season looks amazing, I can't wait.

A Haunted House. I enjoy the Paranormal Activity Movies. And I do think the Wayans are hilarious. So, this looks funny to me and plus I love to laugh. So, I can't wait to see this.

Love Bette Midler, think she's amazing. And I saw the previews to this and this looks funny to me. I also picked 2 other DVD's also. Picture Bride and another one. Anyway enough about my birthday. : )

Today is the boys last day of school. They are officially on break when they get out of school at 11am. It's drizzling rain here right now and a little chilly. Which is weird because yesterday was so warm and sunny. What is the plan for tonight? Well, Noboru has to be at work at 4pm. He works until midnight. So he gets to be with us all day so that's the positive. And the boys will be here with me from 11am. My cake is in the freezer. And I'm making pork green chili and beans tonight for dinner. I have the beans boiling on the stove as I type. And I can sorta gauge it and I think dinner will be ready early today. So maybe around 2-3pm. I'm going to run to the bakery this morning after I pick up the boys. So I can get 2 loaves of bread for Saturday's breakfast. But other then that.... I don't think we'll be leaving the house for the rest of the day and night. : )  I'll just eat dinner with the boys, have another slice of cake, and just watch TV and relax. I do want to put my hair up tonight after the boys go to bed. And I plan to soak in a hot bath and just soak for a good 30 minutes. Anyway, have a great weekend everyone. : )

Branden and Noah’s winter observation day! Yakiniku bbq in the backyard! And the Denver Broncos vs. Raiders game and my thermal hair straightening

 Tuesday, December 4th, 2012 was our elementary school's winter observation day. We have them in Fall, Spring, Summer and Winter, hahaha : )  I really enjoy going to observation day personally because I like to see what the kids are doing and learning. Who their friends are. etc. And it gives me a chance to talk to the other mom's and dad's. And interact with the teachers. I often say on here that my favorite observation days are the type where you can go anytime of the day. This is perfect for most of us. I have a few mom friends who work for example and one works at the local mall which opens at 10am. And this type of go anytime visiting day is perfect because even she for example can go and watch her child before work and she feels happy she got to partake in the observation day too.  This also works perfect for parents with multiple kids in the shogakko, like me who have a 5th grader *and* a first grader. This way I can go to see one son and then next class visit the next son. And they both get my full 100% attention. So yeah my favorite type of observation day is the "you can go anytime of day" observation day. My least favorite observation day is the "you go to the last class only" observation day! I really dislike this type of observation day a lot. Because Branden and Noah only get half of our attention before we are zooming off to the next child. Noboru and I take turns, I watch one son first half, meanwhile he watches the other son and we switch. This is okay-ish....but I feel often I am entering someones class where I am only understanding half of what's going on.... because the instructions were given out at the first/ start of the class. So....having said all that. December 4th was a go to the "last class only" observation day.  Noboru's and my plan was originally, I go to Noah's class first half, he go to Branden's class first half and we switch in the middle of class. However now add in this wrench into the mix. Noah's class was called "play a game with your parents" So, was I to play half a game with Noah and then Noboru enter the last half and not know what was going on at all? Do you know what I mean? Also...Branden was having English and he wanted me there for the whole thing also. After lots and lots of debate. We decided what was best was for this time....I would attend Branden's observation day only. Because he was doing English and that's clearly my strong suit out of the other mom's. Hahaha. So, yeah I was most needed for that. Noah meanwhile was fine with having daddy/Noboru being with him the whole class because it was just a bunch of active games and Noboru is perfect for that.  However, I only have 1 camera and so, since I was going to be with Branden the entire time. Noboru took my camera and took pics of Noah and his observation day. So long story short. I have no pictures of Branden's observation day because I was actually with him and Noboru took my camera to take pics of him since I couldn't be there.  Here's a pic of Noah playing with his guy friends. Best buds!

Noah taking a turn here.

I wish I could have been there and watched Noah. But, I know he had a blast with Noboru.

See, this super cute girl with the purple pony tail ball thing. That's Lily-chan. She and Noah are really good friends. Out of all the boys, Noah is her favorite boy that's a friend. And out of all the girls, Noah's favorite is most definitely her......Lily-chan. : ) She goes up to my tiny red car at the plaza everyday and waves at me or Noboru depending on who's picking him up and also waves at Noah. She's such a cutie pie. And she lives in our same housing community. According to Noboru his mom approached Noboru on observation day, when this picture was taken and said, I am so glad Noah and Lily are such good friends and please let Noah come to our house anytime to play. Noboru said same goes for Lily that she's welcome anytime. : )

Meanwhile, Branden's English class was so fun! All us mom's were there..... all us 5th grade mom's. We all watched. They did English greetings, they played Bingo. They sang songs. It was pretty funny. Us mom's were cracking up, because one of my mom friend she's just so funny The teachers said a "what's this game" and they had a picture of a shoe...we all had to scream out what it was as fast as the word came into your mind, both parents and kids....so I screamed shoe and many screamed shoe, the funny mom screamed out....slipper! Everyone turned around and laughed and just in fun they told her..."are you kidding?.... that's a shoe not a slipper." And she is so funny she said and no she wasn't mad at all....everyone was just having a ball but she said..."well I don't have my glasses on, so do I get half points for that?" hahaha! I said yes she should. And some were saying yes but some mom's were laughing some said no points! Teachers were laughing. We were all laughing. Honestly English class was so fun that day. I laughed so hard that afternoon. Especially funny mom, man she can crack up anyone! She's so funny! Literally before you knew it, class was over. The bell rang and I was glad I got to enjoy Branden's class 100%. And gee those mom's are a hoot! I had my keys to the MPV, Noboru had his keys to the MPV.  And whoever gets there first we said depending on who gets out of their meeting first. I somehow got to the MPV first. Then Noboru about 3 minutes after me. Not too far behind me. And then the boys came out and down the hill and met us at the MPV about 5 minutes after that. And we were done. Winter observation day done for 2012.

We had yakiniku that same night as observation day if my memory serves me.  It was marinated all day. It was white meat chicken breast and Noboru had beef or pork. We also had mushrooms also that were well marinated.  So cold outside. But we ate inside so it didn't matter too much. We just ran outside every couple minutes, hahaha. : )

It was a simple but delicious yakiniku dinner that Tuesday. We wrapped out marinated meat with a little rice in lettuce leaves and some kimchi.

Did any of you take the "Gangnam style" poll on Yahoo, last week? Like this says, "thanks for voting", I took the poll. I voted for, "I'm over it" It was all the rage, end of Summer and maybe start of Fall. Believe me, Branden and Noah were all doing the horse dance around the house, as was I. But late Fall and up until now. Meh~ I'm over it.  Was totally good while it lasted though and fun! It was on heavy rotation on the Honolulu radio station and Guam radio station I listen to via my itouch when it first came out. Now I rarely hear it, as often anymore.  Less and less air time for sure now. But when it was hot...it sure was a hot song! : )

December 6th was the Denver Broncos vs the Oakland Raiders game. It was on Friday morning for us in Japan, December 7th though.  We were all set to watch it. Also, what was so funny is our friend. One of the guys who lived in Honolulu when we did, who was also sent there for the same amount of years as Noboru and we all lived in the same condo complex. Anyway, T, was an exchange student in California and so he was/is as hard core a Raiders fan as Noboru is about the Broncos. Anyway, one thing they have in common and they are great friends is they both like football a lot.  And working for Delta, how each employee uses or chooses to use their travel passes is always as different as the person. For example, Noboru has 1 coworker and he and his wife *love* Hawaii. They love it! He was one of the Honolulu guys too. Anyway so every chance they get, they fly to Honolulu. Not to Guam, Not to the mainland US. Nope, they go to Honolulu about 3-4 times a year. Yep but that's okay that's their hobby and #1 destination. Then there is another of Noboru's coworkers and his hobby or travel choice is he is in love with taking those ocean liner cruises, ykwim. Like the Love Boat type cruise. Except he's married he's got kids and their favorite cruise is the Disney cruise. They use their travel flight benefits and fly to Florida mostly or LA (they did that once, last time, if I remember correctly) and take the cruise out of there. They go about twice a year, for a full week at a time. And we often see the pics and those are always super cool to see. They love those Disney cruises and that's their thing. And more power to them. He also has a married coworker and he and his wife go to Europe a lot and I do mean about twice a year could be even 3 times a year, he has so much knowledge about it.  Now back to the story...T's thing is...since he's a Raiders fan, that's his thing is the Raiders and sports. He often will take his vacation days and he will fly to California and watch a football game. He also btw went to the World Cup in South Africa. So that's his hobby or thing. Sports and the Raiders. Ykwim. Noboru's and my thing. Hmm, not sure we have a particular place. We sorta go to Guam a lot or to Honolulu sometimes and Denver every once in a while but no....we don't seem to have a specific particular 1 point. Anyway...T took his days off and he was set to fly to California and watch the Broncos and Raiders game. Lots of teasing from Noboru to T back and forth. Whose team would win. T told Noboru he thought the Raiders would lose since they have lost the last 4 games in a row or something like that, so he wasn't so hopeful. But yeah so we watched the game here at home. Meanwhile we knew T was in the stands somewhere when we watched the game live.

When it was pretty much in the bag for Denver, Noboru emailed T's keitai and said..."we're watching from here. Go broncos" he wrote back right away and said bummer and all that stuff. They both laughed and stuff via their messages.... however he did send this picture to Noboru live from the stadium...down below!

He said..."Raiders always and forever!" See how they kid eachother. Noboru lol'ed to that. Anyway, T's wife is preggers right now she should be giving birth in June some time, we're all very excited. But yeah...it was funny. He sent us this picture!

My hair straightening went great. December 6th. My appointment was set for 10am, the first appointment of the day since they open at 10am. I was waiting in the parking lot since 9:45am-ish. with the car heater on. Left at 1pm! OMG it's such a long appointment and long time to be sitting in a seat. I brought a stack of American magazines and read them, every last paragraph. So the mags I bought November 1st when we got back from that Guam trip were read 100%. They washed my hair, conditioned it first thing blow dried it. Then they put solution on my hair for 10 minutes or so, wasn't really paying attention could even have been longer. Then they washed it again. Blow dried it, flat ironed it. Every last piece this took forever, them flat ironing it....took 2 ladies to flat iron my hair... then they put warm solution over the freshly flat ironed hair and let it sit like that.... for another set time. then they washed it all over again gave me another conditioning treatment. Massaged my head and shoulders which felt really fantastic btw. Especially after sitting there for what felt like forever! Then they blow dried my hair and cut it, just the tiniest trim, I did mention please do not cut my hair ,unless it's dead ends, because I am growing it out. So she cut only like the tiniest amount. A mm, lol.  Then she blow dried it on cool to take any hair bits off and then she flat ironed it for real this time and I left. On one hand, hate getting it done, because it's so time consuming. But on the other hand, love getting it done because then my hair is so easy to do at home for the next 4 months. Until it gets regrowth at the root area. So it's really a...love/hate feeling getting myself to the salon for me. But as always glad it's now done and won't have to think about it now : ) Met Noboru at Saizeriya (same mall as the hair salon) for lunch (he had went fishing earlier) left an email for me and said he was at the same mall at the bookstore and if I had time let's go to lunch, so I called him after I was out and we had a fast lunch since we had to pick up Noah at 2:30pm.  Noboru said, "wow your hair got longer, didn't it?" I said, I know right? When wave is uncurled it does get longer. It's now definitely below my shoulders. About 1-2cm below my shoulders but below my shoulders it is. My hair appointment was Thursday December 6th. This was the only time I could fit it in. Because  we were set to head to Guam Saturday evening December 8th. And considering this was a "relax swimming by the pool" type holiday coming up for us, and considering you can't wash your hair for 24 hours after getting a hair straightening. So I had to either get it done on Thursday or....wait until after we got back from Guam. Friday was the football game and I wasn't available Friday, lol. Plus I wanted freshly clean hair for the marathon also, didn't want to show up all grease pit looking, kwim. Also consider when the boys start winter break, they won't be in school and there for me getting to the salon when the boys are home isn't so good either. Though I guess I could do it on Noboru's day off but...sometimes we like to have a family outing.  Plus the other day I had open/available I was busy at observation day. So yeah...this was really one of the few days that worked for me. So this was the day...the best day for me to head to the salon. that way, I wouldn't wash my hair Thursday night. I waited until Friday night to wash it. First time since my thermal hair straightening. And then next time I washed it was in Guam Saturday night after we arrived. So yeah...this was the only day that perfectly fit for my hair appointment.  So glad the ol' hair is done. it's sleek and straight, below my shoulders a pinch already and growing. It's actually a very fun length for my hair right now.  I had us all packed and ready to leave to Guam since Thursday night. And Friday, I had the football game in the morning and prepping for the boys obento for Saturday's marathon. They each needed to bring onigiri. And an empty bowl for the soup that Noboru and the Father's Club would be serving to the entire kid population at school Saturday.  So any nori or sprinkles, I needed to pick up at the store, I had to make sure I had what I needed. Friday night we all went to sleep super super early. Noboru needed to be at the school by 7am. And I needed to have the boys at the school by 7:20am, and from there I was heading to the marathon area/rice field area they were running at. I had to be awake by 5:30am Saturday make the boys breakfast. Pack their thermos. Onigiri. I only wore MAC under eye concealer and MAC Studio Fix (powder foundation) and nothing else makeup wise. It was way too early Saturday morning to wear anything else. I had on a black long sleeve top, a pair of boot cut jeans and my fleece peacoat and a pair of New Balance sneakers. I dropped off the boys and I went directly to park my car along a tanbo/rice field, where Noboru suggested I park the day before. Which was the perfect spot. But more on the marathon in the next post. I got some excellent pictures from that day. : )

In the news.  A Justin Bieber murder plot? OMG! Did anyone hear that, I saw that on Entertainment Tonight last night! I was shocked. I was like...seriously? @_@  Yikes!  And then there's the whole.... DJ's calling the hospital and the nurse who committed suicide after that. All very sad news. I heard the DJ's have since been fired/let go. Just so much going on in the world now days. And this morning, I wake up read yahoo news and....a deadly shooting in Conn. At an elementary school : ( Hold your loved ones close, you guys. Take care all of you. Please. And plus wasn't there a shooting at the mall earlier this week also. Wow. Just be careful everyone. Please.  Our plans this weekend? Staying home. Christmas shopping's all done. We're finished with everything, now we're just in relax and enjoy the holidays type mode. : )