A snowy Friday...

TGIF! Happy Friday everyone! This was the view I had while driving Branden to the train station this morning. It does say 0 KM because since nobody was on the street... but Bran and I, I stopped snapped the pic and then drove off. First things first. The movie date with my 2 friends didn't happen and I think that was the best, smartest and safest idea. Last evening, one sent the 3 of us a Line message, saying the weather forecast is actually worse than originally expected and asked the rest of us, should we cancel? I thought the same thing. No need for any of us getting in a car accident... just to see a movie, kwim? Not worth it. Our safety should come first. And so we all messaged and all came to the conclusion... that yes we should cancel our Friday morning movie date. And that was a good idea... because it keeps us 3 mama's safe. : ) So we talked about 6pm-ish Thursday/last night and decided that last night. I woke up this morning and sure enough it was all white outside. Snow all over... once again and the roads looked like this. @_@ I packed up Branden's lunch and he got dressed and ready and I drove Branden to the train station. The roads were ugly. Really bad looking. They were this and you can see it was still snowing and it's snowing even right now as I type this. I can only imagine what the roads will look like tonight... when I get Bran around 5pm-ish because stuff starts freezing solid by that time and I hope the roads don't look like an ice skating rink outside with black ice. @_@

After I dropped off Bran, I stopped and snapped this pic of the rice field that surrounds the backside of our train station. And look at the snow on my side window. Branden even wiped it off. Anyway it's been a cold bitterly cold day here in my town. The sky is a pale gray color. And as for Noah. I got an email from Noah's school around 6:20am and it said they were on a "snow schedule" meaning school for our local elementary school starts at 10am. So Noah was home a lot longer than usual. Which was nice. I did get an email from Bran's school... but it said, school is still happening. But that the high schoolers... don't need to wear their fancy but dangerous slippery loafers that they usually wear....they could wear sneakers because of the slippery conditions. So Bran wore his Vans today with his high school uniform. 

Anyway, I finished all my house cleaning by yesterday afternoon. I did that because I was planning on the movie today and like to get my work knocked out of the way first. So, I do not have any house cleaning to do today at all... since I did it already. I am making chicken curry nabe tonight with lots of yummy healthy veggies and some udon noodles. Perfect for this cold weather. And I did run to the local grocery store in town at 10 am after dropping off Noah at school because tomorrow February 3rd is Setsubun. And I was looking for something for my kids for that. Just something cute and festive and yummy. I love these cakes anyways but was happy they decorated these up for Setsubun. I seem to buy these every year, lol for Setsubun. I like them because they're 95 yen each they are chocolate roll cakes quite long/good sized with delicious chocolate whipped cream and when they're nicely sliced the amount of just 2 of these... stuffs my family. So that will be dessert for tonight. Anyway, it's barely 1pm now. I just finished my salad for lunch. I finished all my house work yesterday like I said, so I am gonna just chill and rest on the couch now until I pick up the kids later this afternoon/evening. Noah 3:45pm and Bran 5pm-ish. I will chop up the veggies around 3pm real quick and preset the rice. But basically, I am totally free and will now go and watch Hoarders on TV.  Gosh these people on Hoarders are so weird. Anyways, have a great Friday and nice weekend. Stay warm. 

It's snowing...

Just a super quick post. It's snowing in my town at the edge of the Chiba/Ibaraki border. I also heard that this week in particular will be the coldest week for Chiba prefecture in a LONG time. Sunday/yesterday I could feel it actually growing colder. You could feel a cold front...definitely moving in. This morning it was insanely cold. Honestly this morning when I dropped off Bran it was downright bitter cold. Freezing means 32 degrees F for us Americans. But all day long, it stayed 33 degrees F. Sorta teasing us all. 1 degree away from freezing and 1 degree away from turning into snow all day long. But raining like crazy all day today.

Noah got out at 3:45pm today. I was there at 3:10pm because I knew all parents would be picking up their kids in this rainy bitterly cold gray day. And sure enough... good thing I got there early because the parking lot was full by 3:30pm. And it's a massive parking lot.

Yesterday I made a hearty curry nabe soup for supper. Tomorrow night I am making nikujaga. Stews and soups in winter and perfect. But tonight...for variety I am making cheeseburgers from some of that lean 100% lean ground beef from Costco I bought last week. I ran to the grocery store this morning at 10am. Hit the bakery, bought 2 loaves of bread for tonight's cheeseburger night at home. Bought some lettuce for the burgers too. Also bought some potato salad and some macaroni salad from the deli. So tonight's dinner will be cheeseburgers, macaroni salad and potato salad. An easy dinner. Breaks up all the soups and stews we've been having and tomorrow we can enjoy some nikujaga. We also have a massive amount of mikan to eat too.

I am looking out my back patio window and I see it is snowing like crazy outside. Looks like a snowglobe outside my window right now. I am happy Noah is home safe and sound and nice and warm. Branden is already on the train and heading to our town as I type. When I go and pick up Branden later....I will be sure to drive slowly and cautiously. I hope everyone else can do the same. Anyway if you're in Japan, please stay warm!!! : )

Winter clothes shopping is pretty much done now. 2 huge orders from Gap/Old Navy arrived...

In an effort to finish with our Winter clothes shopping. When Old Navy/Gap USA had a huge sale, I placed 2 orders. One was at 45% off and one was at 50% off. This says, Style Delivered.  

Yep this is definitely from the USA, because It says Gap, Old Navy, if you remember Old Navy left Japan last year. And Japan doesn't even have Athletics. So yep...a package from the US for sures. : )

I picked up some sweatshirts and some winter vests. I liked this sweatshirt. Because even though winter can be gray and gloomy weather-wise. This shirt just looks so cheerful and I loved it. 

I love this quilted black vest so much. 

Denim seems to be getting lighter and lighter. I do have a jean jacket...but wanted a lighter color denim jacket and am so happy I ordered this. 

This red plaid quilted vest was so gorgeous. It was an instant immediate love for me. I ordered it immediately. 

Black quilted vest far left, red quilted plaid vest center and my new lighter denim jacket far right. 

And my sweatshirt. I love this sweatshirt so much. 

I liked this sweatshirt and the gold wording.

I also liked this wine colored/ maroon colored sweatshirt with silver wording.

And this just makes me smile. Every single time I see it. So as for me, I am done for my winter clothes shopping. I don't need a single thing. For myself. 

For Noah, loved this long sleeve in yellow with navy arms. Noah needed lots of long sleeves since he wears regular clothes to school.

Loved this maroon colored long sleeve with gray arms. 

Loved this shirt for Noah too. Orange sleeves baseball style shirt with cute message. These were all like $5 US on sale. 

This one I really liked a lot. Evergreen colors arms and bear print and pine tree print on the body of the shirt. So super cute.

Old Navy sweatshirt.

Sweatpants.

This was on a heavily reduced sale and was just $4.99 at Gap. And sold out the next day...so glad I got this for Noah. 

My 2 sweatshirts arrived in another huge order.

Some of Noah's long sleeved tops. 

Love these. Noah is now all set. He has 5 sweatshirts. What...like 7 long sleeve tops now or 8. Two new sweatpants. New jeans. This kid is all set now.  

Noah also got this gray Old Navy top on the right too.

This is even cuter in person.

Cute long sleeve for Noah. Remember Bran is all done winter clothes wise...especially since he wears a school uniform 5 days a week.

And the sweatpants. Knowing that my kids are now taken care of..regarding winter clothes now. Huge peace of mind now. Now we can just relax and enjoy the weather getting colder. 

And sorry I almost forgot... my Hello! sweatshirt. : )

Bits and pieces...

Has anyone tried the sweet potato soft cream/soft serve ice cream at the convenience store, The Mini Stop? I have had it twice. It's actually pretty delicious and the flavor is...like a freshly roasted sweet potato. The flavor is so on point and it's actually perfect for this time of year and season! I am not sure how long they will be selling this seasonal flavor. But, I'm actually glad I tried this. I had been mentioning to Noboru, how good this looked. And last week as we were driving past one, he stopped and he said let's try one each. So, we did and we both actually really liked it. The kids were also curious about it. And since they were not in the car with us, that day, on another day...I made sure to buy them one too. : ) 

I love these Korean foot mask things. Where you let your feet soak in their presoaked foot plastic booties for 90 minutes and then wash your feet after wards. My feet start peeling after about 5 days and are now nice and smooth and like a baby's foot. : ) Hence the name Baby Foot. : ) I use these in winter and definitely in the summer too...summer especially because I wear flip flops and my feet need to up their game. : ) I use them in the winter too sometimes, because my feet just feel dry and this helps. : ) 

I happened to be in the small city nearest us. And I saw these running socks on sale. With the marathon coming up (it has now passed and is over with) but at the time...I thought...holy cow too cheap to pass up! This was originally 980 yen and now reduced to 280 yen. Super deal! And yes with the marathon approaching at that time...I jumped on this deal! 

Size was right. Price was superly right. : )

I love getting good deals. And Adidas nonetheless!

Though Noah is now wearing thicker longer socks for the colder weather. These were perfect for the marathon and will be perfect in Spring or for gym class. : )

I buy a box of adult sized masks every Fall and Winter, for Noboru, Bran and myself. And a box of kids sized masks for Fall and Winter for Noah. These are sold everywhere in Japan. And are like 400 yen for a box of 50. So they're super cheap. And just because my family and kids get their flu shots every October! Doesn't mean everyone else does! Also...the stomach flu has been going all over our town for months. In Japan it's called the noro virus. And it is so bad! Like vomiting for days diarrhea for days, sorry TMI. Lucky for us. My kids have not gotten it, knock on wood. And our flu shot doesn't cover the noro virus I am sure. Just influenza A and B or A or B. So...what's a mom to do? Not much you can do. Except for...hope your kids don't catch whatever is going around. I also have my kids wear masks... every time they leave the house. And it helps. My kids have not been sick this year or last year and I think the year before that too. I think they caught the noro virus though 4 years ago? And it was so nasty and horrible. And to top it off, they gave it to me after they had it. @_@ So...needless to say. I have been hearing from everywhere/everyone. The cashier at the town grocery store, the pharmacist who likes chit chatting with Noboru and I every time we're there at the local drugstore for...well we were buying bath powder. But he likes us...and he comes to talk whenever we're in there. He did say...so many kids are coming in with prescriptions for noro virus meds, so he told us to...be careful and take precaution. Hahaha. : ) Kind nice guy! : ) So...it is going all over our town. And...given Branden is in his final year of JHS, he can't miss school... so the second he leaves our house he has a mask on his face. Same with Noah too. : ) And I have been giving them tons of mikan/mandarin oranges for vitamin C. : ) One of Noah's closest friends at school 2 days ago...he ran to the bathroom and vomited and they called his grandma to pick him up. And yep...sure enough Noro virus. @_@ Poor kid. : (  Noah has a handful of kids masks from the last box I bought. But, I will be buying another box of kids masks this coming week. Stay healthy everyone. : ) 

The January issue. 

Usually they have very good issues, but this time, Biteki fell a little flat for me. Hopefully February will be better, than the January issue was. : ) 

The one thing though that I love is that this magazine always gives a gift. This time they gave 2. 1 is a mirror so you can check your hair, while on the go. @_@ Do we need that now days? Gee whiz! : ) And the other gift is a face mask. I'll use the face mask but I doubt I'll use the mirror. :)

I haven't gotten a new pair of reading glasses in 3 years. It was time for a new eye exam and a new pair. Styles change and 3 years is too long to be wearing the same old pair. Branden also got new lenses for his frame. We really wanted Branden to get a new frame too, but he looked all over the eye glass shop and didn't find a pair he loves, as much as the pair he has. So, he got new lenses. His eye vision had a slight change since April 2016 and plus he had a few slight scratches on his lenses so he got new lenses. And these in this picture are my new frames. They are way more stylish and current versus my pair from 3 years ago. Girls...females in Japan are wearing plastic frame glasses and their frames are larger and bigger then they were 3 years ago. I really like the bigger frame. And I am a brunette so I got a pair that matches my hair color. I like this eye glass shop because they sell super affordable frames and lenses for 5900, 7900 and 9900 yen. Something like that. They only have 3 prices. And it takes... only an hour to get your new glasses. I also think Japan always has the most stylish glasses. Mine cost only 7900 yen. So about US $75. Which is a fantastic deal considering, I got an eye exam, plus lenses and frame. Everything is included for that price... including the case. 

I don't need glasses for regular life. I am lucky in that I can see in normal life, so no regular walking around town glasses for me. But, I do read a lot. A lot... a lot. And I think all that heavy reading is why I do need reading glasses. Which is fine. At least if I do need to pull mine out, mine are super stylish and I'm not embarrassed by them at all. My new ones are the larger cooler squares on the left and my old pair are the too small rectangle ones on the right. I am really loving my new pair. And my prescription isn't heavy or anything like.. coke bottle glasses or anything, it's light. And I just really dig my trendy new reading glasses. : )

Aww, okay back to the roasted sweet potato flavor soft cream at Mini Stop. So, I mentioned to the boys. I tried it, I liked it. If you'd like to try, I can drive ya'll down to the local Mini Stop and buy you each one. They both said sure. So, we came home with 3. 1 each. : ) 

Enchiladas happened last week. A whole tray of them. Yum. Chicken enchiladas. 

We always eat a variety of different foods. I don't want to just make Japanese all the time or just American all the time. Or just 1 certain type of food. I want them to like... all sorts of different variety of foods. And they love everything they eat at home! : )

Brownies happened last week. Last week we had 2 desserts, the cookies on Friday and at the beginning of the week, I baked the family brownies with walnuts. Yum. : ) 

As soon as the kids walked through the door after school, they said..."I smell cake, did you bake us a cake?"...I said..."close! I baked you all brownies!" : ) Anyway, TGIF everyone. It's Friday. The weekend starts for us...as soon as the kids get home from school. You all know we have tickets to see Star Wars Rogue One this evening. We can't wait! : )  Have an awesome weekend everyone. : )