Bits and pieces...

A pic of the boys that I snapped during one of our evening walks. We walk our housing community 5 nights a week, Bran, Noah and I. We do 2 laps. 2 laps gets you about 5,500 steps. And I will usually walk it once in the morning with Noboru too, 5 days a week unless it rains. Noboru likes to get his blood a moving and his lungs a pumping. : ) I feel the same, I look forward to our morning walks as soon as the kids go to school. Plus I will do my treadmill for 30-45 minutes about 4 times a week though I do aim for 5 times a week. I get between 10,000 steps to 13,500 steps a day. Which is great. And it means I will feel no guilt once Thanksgiving gets here! The boys love going for an after dinner walk, they really look forward to it. And my pedometer, I use a free ap on my cell. : )

Japanese menu on the left, English menu on the right. Being an American. A westerner. An obvious foreigner, you know what I mean, I hope. I do get menus in English given to me... as soon as I walk into a place. : ) I do not mind. I actually take it very positively. I think how considerate Japanese people and establishments are to make menus for us in English. : ) So, I never take it badly at all. The four of us just finished shopping in Narita City. We went to GU and to Uniqlo. Peacoat for Branden. At our Japanese elementary school you can wear regular clothes and wear any winter coat you like. Now at our local Japanese JHS, you may only wear a peacoat or duffle coat. And it must be navy, black or gray. And be plain. Or it is not allowed. @_@ Same as their JHS shoes must be plain white with not 1 dot of color. Yes their JHS shoes look like ugly all white nurse shoes (sorry nurses, and to be fair I know now days you guys wear cute Crocs styles and stuff too and cute clogs too). @_@ But again...rules are rules. And so...we went to get Bran a navy blue peacoat. Some gloves. And then we went to dinner afterwards. We went to Coco Ichi Curry. When we parked our car. And were exiting the vehicle, I could see the wait staff standing watching us about to enter. She saw my face and pulled 2 different menus. She gave our family of 4, 2 English menus and 2 Japanese menus. I think she was just covering her bases. : ) She was very nice and very kind. We sat down. She passed me the English menu right away. : ) I spoke to the waitress in Japanese the entire time. But, I did use the English menu, because there is no reason not to. She gave it to me to be kind. : ) So, I did use it. And fwiw, our closest Coco Curry in the city nearest us, "know us"...so they always just give me a Japanese menu after living around this area for 10 years. Hahaha. It's just in Narita City, I am not often in Narita City, maybe 2-3 times a month at most. And if i do it's just to run to Uniqlo and back home or to an Eiken interview and back home or to Pizza Hut and back home, ykwim. Or to the mall and back home. So, I don't often eat in Narita City. So they didn't know me at that particular Coco Curry place.: )

We 4 shared 2 salads, they're big enough to share between 2 people. They have such excellent salad dressings at Coco Curry! We each had curry. : ) I had the vegetable curry. The kids had a chicken cutlet curry each and Noboru had a seafood curry. 

We went to charge my car at the Aeon mall in Narita after eating our curry. We had been driving all over that day. But no worries, it only takes 10 minutes and it gave us just a bit of time to run into Starbucks and get something. Noboru got a hot caramel machiatto. Branden and I each picked a hot gingerbread latte. And Noah picked a hot chocolate. : ) After our Starbucks run. Which the electric car charger is right in front of Starbucks btw. So super convenient for us. We drove home with our Starbucks. : ) I look forward to their Winter holiday theme cups every year. 

This is a neck warmer for Branden. And that super soft fleece material.

In plain navy. See the color says navy. B's school uniform is navy anyways, so this matches super well.

Uniqlo makes the coolest/smartest materials. They make super warm things in winter to keep you warm. They have Heat teach stuff. And this right here is wind proof. They also have clothes that keep you cooler in summer. : )

Block Tech. Keeps Bran warm. : )

New school shoes for Bran had to happen. In pure white. 

Adidas JHS shoes. And yes...the blinding white shoes...even blind us! : )

The day we went to curry. This is what we brought back. 

Gloves. In navy. Soft fleece gloves.

Japan technology. I swear the Japanese have the best technology when it comes to fabric or clothes. And there is anti slip finger tips on these gloves, which make Branden riding his bike easier. He doesn't ride every day. Because some days are rainy etc. But on the days he rides. These come in handy. He uses these even on days, he gets a ride because he still has to walk from the Plaza. In our town. Kids may not be dropped off at the actual JHS. Why? I don't know, it's just their rule. They may only be dropped off at the plaza and walk the 1 minute to the school. And same for the elementary. You may *not* drive up to the actual school. @_@ You may drop off your kid at the Plaza only. Again...I don't mind. My kids don't mind. But...both kids do have a 1-2 minutes walk from the plaza to their school. : )

Looking online, both Uniqlo and GU sells a peacoat. However, we went to Uniqlo first and we could not find it anywhere! We wanted the Uniqlo peacoat. We asked the lady...after walking around the mens department like 3 times looking for it. She told us, it's available online, but not at this store. @_@ Why...do they do that? Weird! So we went to GU and they had it in the actual store! Yes, smart store! Even though they are owned by the same company, GU and Uniqlo. So...we bought it at GU. I mean...we wanted to buy it that day. And we also wanted Branden to try it on and see if it fit...in person!!! GU had it. It fit with room to grow (but not baggy and weird either though). And so...this was best! And it's in navy if you can see it is in navy on this tag. And it was only 4,990 yen. So like US $48!!! That's a bargain! And they had all sorts of different styles in the mens department for 4,990 yen and the sizes run all the way up to a mens XL. Really cute ones. So...if anyone is looking for a cute coat. Either for themselves, their kid or husband. Maybe give GU a look. Oh and fwiw, the peacoat from Uniqlo was double the price, 9,990 yen online. : ) 

Bran has been wearing this navy blue peacoat from GU, his Uniqlo gloves and neck warmer from Uniqlo ever since. So....keeping the teenager warm over here. : ) 

And of course can't forget my little one either! And fwiw, I always check online first! So, I can see what's available. And then check in store. I liked this coat for Noah, in navy in size 160cm. His green coat from Uniqlo last year was a 150cm size one. His clothes this year are 150cm but his coat is 160cm. Because the bulk of long sleeves and sweatshirts underneath their coat means I always buy my kids a slightly bigger coat, to accommodate a long sleeve top and sweatshirt underneath (all the layers basically) I also always try to pick a coat with a hood. I picked this coat exactly with the hood. They also sell one with no hood. But, I prefer the hood. Better to have the hood and not use it ever day...then need one... on an especially cold day and not have it. I went to my nearest Uniqlo which is in Narita City. And I only saw up to 150cm. Like even the sizes up to picture...in store only went up to 150cm. Yet...I saw that morning they had up to 160 online. So, I asked the lady at the Narita store. Hi...there is no size 160 in store yet it's online. Are you guys just out of the coats in that size? Or? She knew immediately what I was talking about. She shook her head and said...yeah in our store we only carry up to size 150cm. The 160cm is for online only. @_@ So you need to buy it online. I smiled and thanked her and left (not her fault). This was a different day then the peacoat day. Noah's coat day was when I ran there in the day while the kids were in school. The only thing about this was that...in America...if you go to Old Navy online for example...if it is a limited color not available in the stores...or limited item not carried in stores it says in black and white. ONLINE ONLY. I just wish they would have put that on their site. Because if I would have seen that..it wasn't available in store... I would have ordered it online and saved myself the drive. In the past 30 days I have been to Uniqlo 3 times! Hahaha. : ) 

So just a FYI..or if you need the info. If you have an 11 year old child and need a 160cm size. Don't waste your time looking in the store. Just order it online. : ) Hope this helps someone. : ) 

I buy these coats every year. I love them because there is a spot to write your child's name on the inside of the coat, this coat also has hidden big pockets inside the coat too. I wrote Noah's name really pretty in cursive. And he really likes how it looks this year on the inside of his coat. And this way...if someone in your class has the same exact coat. You can check the name area and it will be written on there. : ) I used to buy their coats from Gap and Old Navy and they were very thick. Super fluffy and stuffed. My kids didn't like those. They said they made their randoseru feel very tight and uncomfortable with their big fat coats and yes I did obviously make their randoseru on a bigger longer notch too, but it didn't help, they just hated that stuffed feeling with their randoseru. These Uniqlo ones are famous for being thin, but being just as warm...thanks to their materials. Heat teach Wind teach. Ultra Down. All that stuff. So they are just as warm...just without all the bulk. So I have been buying their coats at Uniqlo since Bran was a 3rd grader and all Noah's elementary years. : ) 

The kids coats are only 2,990 yen. So under US $30! Again a super bargain. The adult coats are like 5,990 yen so near US$ 60. So...I am glad I could get Noah a kids size, one last year/time. The price difference is fantastic if you can get the kids 160cm size. : )  Noah is now a toasty warm boy in his new navy Uniqlo winter coat for winter 2016/2017! : )

The day we went and saw Bridget Jones's Baby. We went into Old Navy to look around. Sadly Old Navy will leave Japan in December. We picked this long sleeve top up for Noah. Anyways...so yes still slowly getting the kids Fall and Winter ready clothes-wise. We're nearly done though. : ) Next topic. Moving along...

All 5th grade parents had their final recycle day on November 12th. Our meet up time was at 8:30am. Saturday morning. You can see the trees changing colors. Here I am walking along the pedestrian path from my house to the park. 

We all met there. Our housing community picked up for our housing community. And basically...wherever you live...you pick up the recycling there. We broke into teams. The 2 senpai mom's (me and big & little K's mom, she has 2 sons named K, one Bran's age and one Noah's age) So me and K's mom and Noah and little K were in 1 team. And the rest of the cars split in groups of 2 and 3 per car. Right before we were about to drive off came the youngest mom of the group. She was 16 when she gave birth to her son. Noah's classmate. She was late getting to the meet up spot. I really dig this mom! I have always been so nice to this mom. I noticed when I was kodomokai yakuin (kids club vice president) that one year some of the mom's snubbed her. Not any of my fellow yakuin...they are all nice... but the helper mom's did the snubbing. When they were passing out drinks during the summer dashi pull all kids and all mom's were given a drink but her and I could tell by her face she felt left out and she was just going to have no drink. But...I could feel her feeling and it bothered me so much, I felt so bad and I don't like when folks try to show someone..."hey you are not a part of our group"...type of bullying....freezing someone out or giving them an ignore job... that ain't cool. That's mean, rotten mean! And yes you should treat folks how you'd want to be treated or how you'd want your kids to be treated. And that is just plain old wrong. I hate when folks are like that. So I grabbed a cup...since I was yakuin... filled her a cup of Calpis with ice and filled it as high as I could fill it and I walked it right over to her!!! Her whole face lit right up! She bowed and told me thank you so much! I told her..."my pleasure, please enjoy, it is very hot today!" And well she has always liked me... ever since. : ) Anyway... That was a couple years ago. : ) So anyway back to the recycling day, she came running to me and K's mom. "Sorry I'm late." She said in Japanese. I said..."no worries..we are still here": ) Little K's mom said get in my car. I said, in Japanese... "yeah get in!" : ) So she was all happy! We 3 mom's chit chatted our brains out the entire time. Meanwhile little K and Noah ran all over our area we had to collect trash and they piled it into K's mom's car. We of course got out and packed it in. It was gross sorta. Yucky beer cans. With ooze leaking out. @_@ Crusty old newspapers that looked so weathered. Clothes were not so bad to pack in there. Lots of cardboard. Like tons of cardboard! We 3 mom's and our 2 sons. It was a fun crazy morning for us! Then we were about to go to the school to drop it all off. But K's mom turned to the other mom and said. There's no room for you in my car when the kids get in. I felt so bad, this took me by surprise. : ( I felt the guilt. I felt it hard. But she was so cool. She was like...no problem. I can just go home. I trying to think of some comforting words said "that's right, you're lucky, I can trade you places... if you want" and we all laughed. And I smiled and waved her a good bye. And then our 2 sons got in the car. FWIW, our sons didn't get in the car the whole time they literally ran through the neighborhood area collecting trash, they were so hot and sweating by this time. : ) Good loyal kids. And fwiw, I would not have minded going home instead of the super young mom. But, I think because we're the senpai mom's and this is our last time doing this for the school... the teachers needed to see us there. Or I don't know why. But either way would have been fine with me, or it could have been...me and K's mom have known each other since Bran and Big K were ichinensei and so she feels more comfortable going with me? We have put our tents right next to each other for about 9 years every undokai...so we do have a connection and both our husbands are in the Father's Club together. I really don't know. And again...nobody minded or fretted about it. I did feel bad. But then again... I am a worry wart and worry about people too much. Are they okay? Are their feelings hurt? You know...that sort of stuff. But she was fine and we went on our way. : )  Also...this recycle thing...is town wide!!! So we saw so many white flat bed farmer trucks...with mom's in the back sitting in the flatbeds...wearing aprons, mom's also driving. 5th grade mom's all over our town. Loading up trash. So many of us all about that day. You could see recycled stuff laid out all along the streets of our town all over. Little K and Noah were in the back seat together like...hey there's A's mom! And waving. And Little K's mom and I waved at the other mom's as we drove and sat in the front seat together to the school. Once we got there. I jumped out. I unloaded first the cardboard. The teachers met us and helped us unload it. Then we went to the next area and next area. We unloaded. And there were so many mom's at the actual school waiting to help us unload. I saw my good friend there and chatted. And then we were done. Little K's mom drove Noah and I home. And we otsukaresama-ed each other. And I went into the house. I had Noah jump in the shower right away! After he soaped up, showered. And dried off. I went in when he was out and soaped up shampooed up and put on an old comfy (my fave) pair of yoga pants and a tee shirt and sweatshirt. : ) Now I am officially done. No more recycling for me. 

When does my dad get here? Tomorrow! I can barely wait! By this time tomorrow, he'll already be here. And the boys are so excited! They have already told their class and teachers that their American grandpa is coming for Thanksgiving! : ) The turkey is already in the fridge defrosting. 22-23 pounds! He's huge! : ) 

What’s up in our neck of the woods! Spring cleaning, brownie baking, Spring and Summer clothes shopping for the boys. Roasting a 14 pound turkey. Planting some flowers in my hanging baskets. Growing some jalapenos and just ordered 10 Big Jim plants (great big chili’s) to grow this coming season...

Happy Monday everyone! How's everyone been doing since the start of school again, after Spring break! As for us here? Things have been going pretty good here! On sunny days, I find myself throwing out every one's comforters outside to get fat and fluffy in the sun! Still blanket and sheet washing of course weekly, but I do love the Japanese way of letting your comforter sit under the sun! They do get so fat and fluffy by hanging outside! : ) 

I went to Starbucks with my sweetie pie one morning after we sent the boys to school. We sat and talked and talked for a good hour. 

The ladies at Starbucks are always really nice! What else did I do since the boys went back to school after spring break. Oh yes, I went for my hair cut and color. The boys first day back at school actually, was the day of my hair cut and color at the salon. I went April 6th to the salon, yep that was the day! It feels nice going to the salon once a month. And keeping myself looking good and freshly cut and colored is so good for my mind body and soul. Taking care of myself is important, just makes me a happier mommy! : )

The cherry blossoms in our town are long gone and have blown away. But while they were here, they were gorgeous! I appreciated seeing them, in all their beauty while picking up the kids at the plaza after school. 

The cherry blossom petals that had fallen look so nice.

So pretty.

Random morning lunch pic.

Have you ever had a skillet fried bologna sandwich? So good. Bran this day, wanted bologna sandwich and Noah this day, asked for turkey! Bran is bigger, so he needs 2 sandwiches. 

Noah's lunch at the local elementary school. This is not a yochien obento where we try to... out cute all the other mother's obentos. *yawn*... this is a basic...fill you up...Monday-Friday packed elementary school lunch! It's also not a cutesy field trip/ensoku type obento either. Again it's a no frills no thrills....regular common Monday-Friday elementary lunch. And healthy! 1 turkey, miracle whip and cheese sandwich, 2 apple slices and 1 banana. Definitely enough to fill up my skinny 10 year old! : )  

For my 14 year old, 2 bologna and cheese sandwiches and 2 apple slices (note he doesn't want his apples in a container...have mercy...he's a teenager.) @_@ And 1 banana. Just simple healthy sandwiches and fresh fruit! 

Packed up in sandwich containers bought in America and with a band to make sure...this keeps the container closed bought at Seria (a 100 yen)

A visit to Costco happened since the boys have been back to school after spring break. I went there for a turkey. Turkey was for sandwiches. But, I also bought, as pictured...Q-tips, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, senbei and tortilla chips for our fully loaded nachos.

Tissues, the price of tissue is such a fantastic deal at Costco.

Come on turkey, get in my cooler and let's go home! I bought the smallest one I could find. A 14 and a half pound turkey. 

I didn't care for the pot roast cuts of beef they had at Costco that day...so I bought mine at Joyful Honda in Inzai since it's right near Costco anyways. Also picked up a huge bag of chicken leg quarters and chicken breast from Joyful Honda too. And the tortillas came from Costco. 

My flowers came in, for my hanging baskets that sit on my front porch every Spring and Summer! I buy them online from a really nice flower farming place. I have since planted them and they are now hanging in baskets on my front porch. So that is another thing I did recently too.

What are these 3 containers? I bought these 3 tupperware type containers from Seria (the 100 yen btw)....I planted my jalapeno seeds in here! Jalapeno seeds need no direct sunlight or any sunlight at all. They also need to be in a warm location. So, I have been keeping these jalapeno babies in my genkan/entrance way. I have been spraying them down with water once a day. Talking to them. Like..."good morning you spicy little babies YOU!! And this morning...I saw 1 jalapeno baby had popped it's head out of the dirt! Yes!!! I am so happy! And as soon as they get bigger then I can throw them outside and they can get sunshine and whatnot. But they're still vulnerable right now. I also ordered 10 Big Jim plants...these are quite common and well known in Colorado and New Mexico. I ordered Hatch's last year but he (the chili farmer in Japan) only had 3 Hatch's plants left. So, I will try and grow 10 Big Jim's this year. They won't be arriving to my house until the end of May though, but they have been ordered. Last year I grew 4 hatch's green chili plants. This year I am going to grow over double that amount, with 10 Big Jim plants plus...however many jalapeno plants survive. We will see. I'll keep you updated. : )

I made a great big pot of beans and a great big pot of pork green chili (from my chili harvest last year.) We had both beans and chili mixed in our own individual bowls for dinner one night with tortillas. It was delicious! 

I have been really enjoying this new TV show. Called Bride and Prejudice. Basically it's about 3 couples. It's reality TV, so it's not scripted and they're real people not actors. It's where somebody doesn't approve of their interracial or inter-faith up coming marriage. 

Take this family for example. There is 1 mother and 2 grown adult son's, one is married also to a Jewish female. They're all Jewish except for the younger/second son...his fiance is not Jewish and the older brother has a serious problem with that. I don't mean a mild problem with it. But a huge...will never accept or like you...type of problem with it.

This is the gal who isn't Jewish. It is fair to mention, they also have a baby son together. 

This is the older son and his wife. This is the guy who is totally against his brothers choice in fiance. He is VERY vocal about not accepting them. 

This is the youngest brother and yes the 2 brothers look like identical twins but they're not. : ) Anyway...so far...the oldest brother said...I might not even attend your wedding. That's how strongly I feel about you guys being together. He flat out says...he does not support them. The younger brother is the weaker of the 2 but he finally said last week..." if you don't go to my wedding then you no longer have a brother!" How will this end? I have no idea. But holy cow...this show is a real nail biter. 

Next couple. We have this lady. She is so pretty by the way! Anyways, she is African American. She is in love with a white guy. It wasn't intentional. It's just...out of all the people on the earth...that's her soulmate. That's who she clicked with. He makes her happy. He treats her like a queen. He respects her. He's a really good looking guy. Her parents like him. However...this lady right here. Is so sick with worry. Why? because her cousin...disapproves of her marrying a white guy! She (the cousin) is so mad about it. She says she doesn't want to attend the wedding. She wants nothing to do with her cousins husband...EVER ever ever! And it is so stressful to her...because that's her closest best cousin. The stress this poor lady is under. 

Her! She is the one...who hates him. She doesn't even know him, she admits that. Doesn't want her cousin marrying a white guy. Her cousins the one getting married is like near tears. meanhile...the cousin in question pictured here...says she flat out doesn't want to get to know him! She's basically not even willing to open her mind. Who is it hurting most? Her cousin. 

She's asking...please come to my engagement party. And of course her cousin doesn't attend and it crushes her! Absolutely crushes her!

Her and her fiance...hoping to meet her cousin at this pool hall. Her cousin showed up for like 3 minutes and left. This show is interesting to watch. But also...I find myself wondering. Why this gorgeous girl would give her cousin any power at all? Bottom line is...do you know how absolutely rare and special.... it is to find...your soul mate? Some people walk this earth and never find theirs. If this lady has found hers! And he treats her right! Adores her...treats her like a princess. Then honestly...it's sad but...who really cares if her cousin is okay with her relationship or not. Stop begging your cousin to approve of you guys! As long as YOU approve. Also...her parents like this man too. It's just the cousin. Seriously...she needs to stop this madness. Not beg her cousin anymore. Her cousin feels the way she does and she'll never change. So let it be! And besides...does she want that negativity..her cousin would bring to the wedding by inviting her? No! These couples...are giving way to much power...to people who shouldn't even have a say. Opinion of cousins and brothers? Puhleazze! It would be nice if everyone got along yes. But honestly...don't give them 1 dot of power to control your special day. Ugh uh! Just don't do it! Anyway...clearly I like this show. : )

Roasted turkey sandwich fixings/toppings.

I roasted this on a Sunday. The boys took turkey sandwiches, Monday and Tuesday of that week as part of their packed lunches that week to school, with also a lot of fruit too. In case you live outside of Japan and are wondering, chips in lunches here are not allowed at school, chips are considered junk food, so not allowed as part of school lunch in Japan. No worries though. They loved the turkey sandwiches and fresh fruit! 

Lettuce, provolone, tomato, avocado.

Some Lay's potato chips and a sandwich. These sandwiches were so good and I was really happy I roasted a turkey that Sunday. : ) 

Spring means Spring cleaning for Americans. That's what I have been busy doing too! I pulled out Noah's drawer in his closet. Vacuumed and dusted behind it. I know exactly what's in Noah's closet. I spent 3 days cleaning Noah's bedroom. The first day, I spent about 2 hours in there. The 2nd day I spent about 3 hours in there. And this weekend, Noah and I took and pulled out his other dresser in his closet and he vacuumed and dusted in there. His room is now 100% spic and span clean. Not a single dust or anything. I didn't just want to do a quick...band aid... type of clean up job. I wanted to do a...thorough and intense clean up of Noah's room! Besides doing my regular daily cleaning. I have been spending 1 week tackling 1 room...but a very detailed...ever nook and cranny type of cleaning of each room. Next room, I am tackling? The kitchen! The kitchen will be this week and next....and that's only because I have 3 days this week. I will be gone or not available. So, it will take me 2 weeks. Since some days I am not available. Like 2 observation days etc. 

Noboru and I went on our weekly lunch date. Last week we went to our favorite Indian restaurant. 

Also made karaage one night. What is this... 6 skinless boneless chicken breasts sliced up and in Japan we sell a tube of ginger. Regular stores sell it for 98 yen a tube. But at Cainz/Besia it is 49 or 59 yen a tube. So, I buy mine there. I squeeze a whole tube of ginger with 6 skinless sliced up chicken breast. And let it marinate for about an hour. Alone with just the ginger. This just infuses lots of yummy ginger flavor deep down. I use 6 chicken breasts because with a hungry husband, and a teenage son, I need to make a lot plus I also need to get 2 packed lunches out of it too, for the boys. 

After an hour, I pour the karaage liquid in with the chicken and ginger and knead the ziplock a bit. Just massage it a minute or two. And then I throw it in the fridge. Mine sat with just the ginger from 9-10am. And from 10am until 3:45pm. It sat with ginger and the karaage liquid in the ziplock in the fridge. It marinated all the way through. Traditional karaage is just flavored powder and while it flavors the outside of the chicken okay, the inside just tastes...tasteless and plain. I mean not terrible. But meh! This karaage liquid on the other hand marinates every fiber of that chicken. It is flavored through and through. And after the kids come home. I just dredge/roll in plain flour and fry in oil. If your fried food tastes really oily. That means you aren't doing it right!!! And #2 it means your oil temp is way too low. If you fry things correctly and right...your deep fried stuff will never taste overly oily at all. It will be light and crisp and delicious. Drain it in a drain type pan where any excess drips down and it's fine! As long as you make it once a week or once every 2 weeks as a treat. Not every single day type a meal, if you know what I mean. 

This is so well flavored and marinated.

You can see all the ginger in there. I tell ya, I have been perfecting my karaage through the years and my karaage is most definitely on point! It's so good. My family loves when I make this. 

This Sunday, while Noah was playing with his friends. Riding bikes. Saturday is the day we finished his room. Anyways Sunday, I baked these brownies for our Sunday night dinner's...dessert. This picture is nice but it's badly out of order/sync. Should be 2nd to last pic on this post. Oh well...it happens. : )

Last Friday, both schools in our town got off at 1pm. Noboru was off work that day. So it was the perfect day for us to hit Uniqlo and GU for the kids and then after that we went to Capricciosa for dinner at the Narita mall. We shared a pizza. First, we each had our own salads. Noboru, Bran and Noah... had 3 individual cesar salads and I had a garden salad with Italian dressing.

We all had the spicy tomato and garlic pasta. Dinner was really nice at the Narita mall.

Spring/Summer shopping.

Two new pair of shorts for BrannyB. I love that shade of blue, he picked up! 

Noah meanwhile got a pair of house comfy shorts. He's in size XL for kids sizes now at Uniqlo. 

I like Noah's house shorts, they look like jeans but are soft short material. We wanted a pair of house shorts for Bran too, but they had none out yet at Uniqlo. Never fear...we went to GU, which is Uniqlo's more affordable sister store. 

You know how there's Gap and Old Navy, same...for Uniqlo and GU. : ) 

Bran got a pair of jean looking house shorts too, but from GU and he also liked these jean colored slip on shoes from GU too. These are really popular shoes now days. Since Bran liked them...we said...okay. And bought these for Bran too. 

They are actually sweat shorts material, but look jean-y and I think that's just the style for 2016 for house shorts in Japan. I actually really like that Bran and Noah both got similar house shorts this year. : ) 

And the price for house comfy shorts at GU was so cheap. A really great deal. And that's the same price for Noah's house comfy shorts from Uniqlo too. And B's slip on sneakers were only 1400 yen. So again...super great deals. Yet they're still going to look really cute this summer.

Yesterday's Sunday dinner. We had brownies for dessert. Pictured somewhere up above. And we also had a delicious very tender pot roast (3 pot roasts but for you in America...size wise it's just 1 American sized pot roast) : ) Homemade mashed potatoes, beef gravy and green beans. 

What's on my agenda for this week? I have Branden's observation day this Wednesday (Noboru and I are going to that). Noah's observation day meanwhile, is this Saturday (Noboru can't come since he's working but Branden and I are both coming to support Noah and observe.) 

This Thursday, Noboru and his coworker are planning to dismantle our huge jungle gym in the backyard. Why? Because honestly Branden is a 9th grader, he's far too big/old to want to play on our huge big playground. And honestly Noah's already a 5th grader and he didn't play on it once all last summer. Noboru and I were thinking about giving it away last summer. But we waited and watched. And sure enough it got zero usage last year. So, this year, I told Noboru, he's right. And since they're not using it anymore. I would talk to the boys about it first though. I was very honest with my boys. I said..."ya'll aren't using it anymore, you know that and I know that" It's just taking up space in our yard...if it goes unused it's a waste of space. If it's being used no problem. I said..."daddy's (Noboru's) coworker who's hobby is carpentry and he built his own house by the way. Anyway he has 2 yochien aged kids, who could get a good 7-8 years usage out of it. They'd play with it every day and love it. And the man would take care of it and wood treat it and stuff yearly, since wood work and carpentry is his hobby. I also told them if they wanted to keep it...I would in fact keep it. They thought about it for a week. This was a few weeks ago. And they said...they think we should give it to the other family. As for the family who is getting it..I am not charging them anything or asking for anything. I am giving it to them for free because it will be given to a good home and be loved by children once more. So it is quite a good deal for them too. Considering this was a couple thousand US dollars when bought new at Costco in Japan. However...it served it's purpose for our family. Branden and Noah got many years of fun out of it. It was very well loved. And now like...Woody and Buzz who went to live with that girl in Toy Story 3. The play ground will go and live with another family and so it is a good and positive thing for us. 

This Sunday, Olive has a check up. My Nissan Leaf. Nothings wrong with her, it's just time for a check up. So basically I got a whole lot on my plate this week. Between 2 observation days and a playground dismantle as well. Now if it rains the playground dismantle will be postponed. I hope it doesn't rain, because I really want to move on and close that chapter. Saying good bye to our playground will be bitter sweet, but its time.  I also ordered Branden a new pair of Crocs from the Crocs Japan website, they're coming this week. Not sure when.. but I hope they get delivered on a day when I'm actually home. : ) I would have ordered Noah a new pair of Crocs too, but they didn't have his size. So, we'll have to go and get Noah's in Inzai or the Ami Premium outlet. Anyway, that's enough for now. I better motor. I have to run to the store for some fresh fruit, some bakery bread. And then come home and get my baked ravioli prepped for dinner tonight. So when the family gets home, all I have to do is whack it in the oven and serve some salads along with it and some fresh buttered and sliced baguette from the bakery. 

The earthquake down in southern Japan. We're basically on the opposite side of Japan we live in the north, granted not Hokkaido type north, but we are indeed in the north. We felt nothing here. So we are good and well and okay here. But, I of course worry for them and hope they're okay. If you live in Japan period. You know this could be you next, I know that too. So, all we can do really is hope and pray they are okay. And hope it's not us, the next time. : ( I am truly so sorry for the folks who were affected. I watched a video from a lovely American man on YouTube who I have been watching for years. He and his family are so sweet and such good people. Anyway he lives at ground zero basically. He's actually one of the few that I know that actually lives in actual Kumamoto. They have no power, he said... he also said...he waited in line for gas for 45 minutes (this is exactly why we bought my 100% EV car btw especially living in earthquake country... again not rubbing it in...but this is exactly why, we personally waited for about an hour or more after 3/11)...their house is damaged on the inside... but the outside structure is fine. Everything was knocked and thrown around. He has been making the very BEST videos showing what actual Kumamoto looks like right now. His videos are in English. So, I have been so informed by his videos. I am so thankful to him for making such videos. And even though he lives in the center of where it happened. He's in such high spirits and says...at least they're alive. As least they didn't totally lose their house. It's just so reassuring seeing someone who lives in the center of where it hit... being so positive. Many were not so lucky. : (  Anyway, so for those wondering if we were affected. No, we were not, we didn't even feel it, where we live. Alrighty you guys. I really have to get going.