Holy goodness it's been forever since I blogged! What have we been up to? Not a whole lot. Just honestly really, enjoyed the holidays and time off the boys got from school quite a bit. We've been playing Wii quite a bit. Watching the dvd's, I got for Christmas. Especially the Everybody Hates Chris the first season we got through those..... they were so funny we hope to get another season when we can. Also I finished the Keeping up with Kardashians seasons 1 and 2 by myself after the kiddos went to sleep. And I really liked those a lot. And the George Lopez show season 1 and 2 finally got here and we just started watching the first season now. Though I've seen the repeats on TV in the US before. So basically long story short....we've been just hanging home, and enjoying quiet home life. This is what we had for dinner for January 1st. Not a traditional New Years meal in Japan. I know. But since Noboru works for an American company and doesn't really get off Japanese holidays. The likelihood of him ever getting off for New years is rather slim and why we can't get to Osaka, which is sad because I know he'd like to his family. However he does get off American holidays like Christmas and stuff. Which is great for me. But I do feel badly for Noboru never getting to see his family for New Years. So we spent New Years here at home in Chiba. He got home in time for dinner and to enjoy a quiet evening with us here. I asked Noboru what he wanted for dinner from days before and, he said something simple. And so we had a ready made just throw in the oven lasagna. I made some salad and some garlic bread. It was quite delicious though. It was nice we were all together at home and could eat and enjoy dinner as a family. : )
I baked a NY style cheesecake. Made some blueberry sauce. And we had rice krispie treats for dessert as well. So we had quite a bit of good things for dessert for our January 1st dessert.
Noboru had 1 big slice of cheesecake and 1 very big rice krispie for his dessert. The kids had 1 of each too. And I just had a slice of cheesecake with blueberry topping and a hot pumpkin coffee.
The kids received otoshidama from family members.
One of the mornings, while the boys were playing Wii. Noboru said...I'm going to be right back he would be picking up something for the Wii. So he left the house. And came back 30 minutes later with 2 extra Wii remotes. So now all 4 of us have one to play. Needless to say Noboru has been playing quite a bit of Wii.
Here are our Mii's. That's the Branden Mii on the left, then a Noah one and a Gina one and Noboru. We have since tweeked/switched Noah's eyebrows since this pic. You can change all the features of your Mii.
We have been bowling nearly every day since Christmas. Here Noah won. He's actually quite a very good bowler.
Here I won.
And sorry, I won again. Gomen gomen. Noboru and I are really equally matched bowlers so when we play against each other, it's either he wins or I do. It's always a tough call. Very close to say who will win.
Tennis. We have been having so much fun playing together as a family. I would have never thought a video game could help make family time so fun before. But wow this Wii is very good. It has something for everyone.
Noah and Branden love playing swords. Here are his new eyebrows on his Mii, lol. Looks the same but it's a slight change. Anyway...they are both equally matched. Here Noah won twice as you can see, he won game 2 and 3. No wonder this game is approved by the American heart association it definitely keeps you active. It's hard not to feel like a jedi in training when playing swords. ; )
Alright to prove we haven't truly been sucked into Wii land completely or a dvd "Everybody Hates Chris" haze. Well before the kids both started school last Friday January 7th. I pulled everything remotely related to school. And I washed it. Every shogako gym uniform. Seat cover. Every yochien gym uniform and winter school uniform. Yochien seat cover. Lunch mats, handkerchiefs. red/white hat for both kids. You name it....I washed it. I stuck their seat cushions outside for 2 days (brought them in before 5pm each night though) to get even fluffier. By the time school rolled around they were ready.
Noah's Christmas outfit...all us mom's had to wash their kids costumes before sending off to school. I washed on the gentle cycle in my washing machine and hung it out to dry. And returned to the school.
White inside shoes also got chucked into the washing machine and stood outside to dry.
Noah's clay mat I trashed. And good thing I always keep a few extras. I put some new name labels on the new yellow mat I had tucked away in his closet for a day like last week. And meanwhile washed his clay tools.
Threw this clay shaper in some hot soapy water. Scrubbed it and soaked it.
Even pulled out a skewer and picked out any clay bits hiding at the ends of the clay stamper thingy. Come last Friday...both Branden and Noah were ready! It was just a half day anyway for both of them. But they brought all their stuff back to school. And they were ready. ; )
These movies came for us for January from Tustaya Discas. Resident Evil the new one. And "Our Family Wedding" with America Ferrera (from Ugly Betty)
Do you remember the yellow raincoat and green winter coat my dad picked out from Old Navy and Gap for the boys for their Christmas present? Well....you will never believe this, but we got them. Finally and wow what a ride it was. Let me back up. The kids didn't really need anything and I told my dad the boys didn't need anything. And then he insisted. And then we went back and forth and finally I said what about a coat. He said perfect and so we both sat online from both Japan and Guam. Anyway. The order was placed like before December 5th. Way way way before. And it was supposed to arrive according to the delivery estimate date. By December 14th or 15th. So no problem..when I was there December 20th or whenever we were there, it would surely be there right? Wrong. It was not there. In fact...we left Guam minus the coats. When I got back to Japan. Both my dad and I tracked down the coat. It was MIA. Missing. It was at some post office that wasn't in Guam. We saw the whole tracking of it online at USPS online...when it left and was scanned out of NJ. And everything and then it fell off the radar. We called Old Navy. They also were awesome and searched for it. And they said in the meantime they would ship out a new order immediately. Just in case the stuff ran out, went out of stock. They are very cool that way. So they sent out a 2nd exact shipment. Said it would be there by January 4th. And as you guessed it..it also never got there either. This time we asked for a delivery confirmation signature thingy. And so now 2 packaged either hit the Bermuda triangle or were mysteriously lost! And I order from ON and Gap a lot and this has only happened 1 other time to me...like when Branden was 3 years old, so it's very rare this happens. To make matters worse...by now Branden's coat in size 10-12 was/is sold out! And we are like what the flipping heck? So we called and spoke with ON two more times. Lovely people. Were doing everything humanly possible to track both packages down. By now....we are just about at wits end. And about to call it a wash. So one day my dad runs to his post office box to check his mail and guess what's waiting for him? The original package!!!! It was sent to a US military base by mistake. And though Old Navy had put an electronic message on that packed when scanned to say...ship back to the company ASAP. That wonderful US military must have thought it was a lost or missing Americans' Christmas present...which it was. So they sent it to Guam. Right on! So, we got the original lost package. The military shipped it on for us. They just sent it on...forwarded it. That was very cool! And very appreciated! So my dad was a little shocked and happily surprised it got there. After we sort of gave up hope. And he mailed it on to me in Japan. And that's not all....he went home called ON/Gap and thanked them. They told my dad to give me a code coupon...for 30% off my next order. So, I have that now. Plus I told my dad that Branden's coat was $44 US but now since it's on sale can they price adjust and they did so Branden's coat was adjusted to the sale price of $25!!!! So an amazing deal. Also ON said if the other package ever makes it there, to please refuse it and have it sent back. The following day....guess what came in? The other missing ON/Gap package. @_@ Talk about good luck. My dad refused it as they wanted us to do. And it was sent back to the company. And every one's happy. Phew! If you're reading this and thinking holy goodness. Yes....we were thinking the same thing since mid December. : ) : )
You know, I've heard of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" before but wow...could these be like the the brotherhood of the traveling coats or what? @_@ And now...whenever I look at this raincoat or winter coat I will wonder where they traveled to. Did they wind up in a military base in the middle east somewhere? Or where? Anyway like the saying says don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I won't question it....I'll just be happy they're here. : )
This winter coat is for Branden for next year. And at $25 on sale....a very good deal. And Noah desperately needed a new raincoat. His raincoat now is a size 4!!! : ( And I have Branden's size 7. But that's ginormous on Noah. And so...this was much appreciated. And very needed.
The color of B's coat is a very bright happy green.
Size 10-12. Though he just turned 9. It'll be perfect for next year.
Though Noah is 5, this size 6-7 will be perfect. With room to grow, as they say. ; )
We honestly gave up hope of ever getting these. But as luck would have it...they came. This is turning out to be a wonderful lucky year already.
Branden is such a sweetheart. A kid who just wakes up. Didn't even get a chance to fix his hair yet bless his heart. But if I ask him...honey can you try this on for me please? He says sure. ; )
Sunday...the Sunday that just passed....we all had french toast. French toast and sausage for the hubby and the kids and just french toast for me. And coffee. Again not a whole lot going on here.
Has anyone tried this cereal? With the boys being on holidays. They were going to the grocery store with me weekly. And they saw this. Something I would've not noticed maybe by myself. But the kids wanted try to it. Pancake flavored cereal? I relented and said why not. And the next day. Wow it really did smell like pancakes. Syrup and a touch of buttery flavor. It was very good. I wasn't thinking it would be...but wow. Very good indeed. Think I'll have to rebuy this one.
What else...Current music that I have been really liking/recent downloads on my ipod lately.
1)The Time (dirty bit) by the Black Eyed Peas (I love this song so much right now!!!) Have been dancing to this around the house every chance I get! : )
2)Like a G6, by FM (The Far East Movement)
3) DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again by Usher
4) Raise Your Glass by Pink (love this video)
5) Hold My Hand by Akon featuring the late Michael Jackson : ( Great song though.
6) Club Can't Handle me by Flo Rida (love this one too)
7) While My Guitar Gently Weeps by Santana, the guitar part in this is beautiful.
What else. Branden and Noah have their dental apointment, every 6 month check ups coming up soon. I also have observation day coming up this month for both Branden and Noah. And also Noboru's birthday is coming up shortly too. January 18th for him. : ) Branden lost 1 tooth last week. Needless to say the tooth fairy has been kept quite busy all Fall and Winter long. ; ) January is looking good...quiet but good. : )
My BIL (brother in law) is going on vacation this January with his family. He's taken 2 weeks off. And I think that's fantastic. My BIL works very hard and he's a very good guy. And I really like him a lot. And my SIL Satoe, I like her a lot too. In fact I think the absolute world of her, I think she's quite amazing. And my niece...a total sweetie pie. And, I know they work hard. I imagine at times it's hard on my SIL being a housewife and an active and busy yochien mom. I can imagine. Because I also am often being kept on my toes with both Branden and Noah's school stuff too, plus the housework and cooking etc. So, I can definitely understand and relate completely. So, I think them going on vacation sounds lovely. I hope they have a wonderful time. They deserve it. They're just really good people. : )
Noboru and I are quietly planning to go someplace in February with the boys. I really can't go into more detail until I know his days off were accepted/okayed. So, I am hoping and crossing my fingers. : )
Okay....anyway I better get going...I have to change clothes before I run and pick up Noah from yochien. : )
Things and life are still quiet here as usual at our house, which is a good thing. : ) It seems around here January and February are the coldest months of the year and true to form it's been quite cold here outside lately. Both Branden and Noah are settled and back into their school routines. Last week while the boys were at school. I ran to the cheap veggie store. And then to a meat shop, didn't get so much. Just some great looking beef block for curry on sale. And the marinated ginger pork and some chicken both dark and white for teriyaki chicken for Saturday. Yes I make weekly menus...guilty. ; )
The pork we would have that night...same night I bought it.
And the red block of beef was half off. It was still bright red and fresh so I bought it. And I diced it/cubed it and fried it that same night to have for the following nights curry dinner. So I did use it right away. And was glad to get it half off.
Some yakitori sauce with brown sugar and some curry roux. I didn't buy a whole lot last week because I knew I'd be heading to Hanamasa on Saturday.
Had to buy some face wash last week. It's okay, smells good. Is it like holy grail type greatness? Not really but it's good for now. ; )
I quietly ordered a few things for Spring. Which is funny since it's sorta too cold outside to even be thinking Spring. But anyway. They came and was a little surprised they were too big. I called Noboru upstairs and before I even asked him...what do you think of this? He said...Did you order that in your right size? @_@ I said. I ordered the size I have been ordering the past year or two. He nicely said, honey you need to send it back and get smaller sizes. I tried on the skirt next and same thing. Basically everything had to be sent back and exchanged for a size smaller (I also at first was a little worried... What if....they were sold out in the next smaller size, luckily they didn't... but the skirt was almost sold out, phew good thing I was quick in exchanging it). I usually don't like talking about exercise or what have you on here very much. Because I almost feel like it's a curse the second I type the words..."exercise wise things are good" Bad things exercise wise will surely happen or surely follow...of course I mean only exercise wise, not life in general wise at all, lol.... but yeah next thing you know my exercise mojo goes kaput! And then next thing you know...it was all basically for not. So.... While I have been exercising pretty hard since Christmas. And I even joined Sparkspeople. online. And find it is really helpful. And no I am not listed by my name or by Japan or Denver. I picked some random name like. Mrs ballet slipper or something weird, lol. And I sorta like the anonymity. I like logging on and meeting like minded people. And staying on track. So yeah...it's weird I was really surprised to have to send the clothes back and get a smaller size. Anyway....switching subjects now. ; )
Dinner, from the night I ran to the store for a quick shop for a few days worth. We had salad, ginger pork, steamed broccoli and rice. It was a good basic and quick meal and the kids and Noboru also had miso soup with theirs as well.
What is this? Looks like a red hot mess, right? ; ) It's the red block of beef. I cubed it that night and after it skillet fried I threw it into the crock pot and let it stay over night and all morning the next day.
Last Thursday mornings obento Noah had. Ginger pork, veggie, rice and sprinkles and some peaches and 2 jellys.
I chopped up the veggies after sending both Branden and Noah to school. And then I vacuumed cleaned the house for a good hour. Tossed a load in the washer and into the dryer. And then did my workout for the day the Jenny workout on the Wii. Rested after that for a bit. Skyped my dad.
Then after that turned off the crock pot and poured it into a pan on the stove and boiled it some more. Ran and picked up both kids. Dropped off the kids at Kumon. Ran home, made salad. put the curry roux in and then went back to the Kumon and did a kid pick up. We all came home and enjoyed dinner. It was now freezing cold outside. And the curry would surely hit the spot.
Noboru came home and enjoyed dinner with us. Beef curry, rice and salad and dinner rolls with butter.
Friday morning as I walked downstairs and before I started making the kids their breakfast. I checked the inside/outside temp gauge. A nice comfortable 71 degrees inside our house. Thanks to central heating. And a freezing cold 25 degrees F outside. That's below freezing.
Breakfast eaten Friday morning and Branden driven to school. Rushed back home and started making Noah's Friday obento. I nuked some beef curry. And started quickly making obento.
Beef curry, rice, a dinner roll and some peaches and 2 jellys. I packed Noah's obento in his yochien backpack. Got him dressed and off to school he went. : ) Did my Friday stuff. Load of laundry, vacuuming, bathroom cleanup. Straighten the genkan. And treadmill. Checked and replied emails. And then swung around did the kid pick up from both schools. And Noah has now switched to swimming on Fridays. And Branden meanwhile had a makeup day so he also swam last Friday. So, needless to say....a lot of time was spent at swim club last Friday. But the good thing is both the boys love swimming school. They like to swim. They love meeting up with their school friends at swim school. It's social for them. And they really love it. My TGIF...relax time started rather late. 7pm is when we got back from swim club. We had leftover curry for dinner. Noboru and the kids quickly showered. And I showered after. We all got on our jammies. And played the board game Sorry. Playing a family board game was a great way to start the weekend.
Saturday I got a great sleep in...until 9am. All of us slept in. Sausage and skillet fried potatoes and cheese omelet for the hubby and kids. And veggie and cheese omelet for myself and potatoes and toast and a hot coffee for me. We lazed around. Knowing eventually we'd get around to going to Hanamasa. But ehhh, it being the weekend we weren't in any rush. ; ) I think we finally left the house around noon? Didn't find any shoes at Narita mall we liked. Went to another shop along the way to Hanamasa. And found a pair.
Oh yes let me back up. Across the street form Narita mall is a liquor store. Since Noboru and I don't drink. You'd think why go in there. But they actually have a very large foreign food section. Friends of ours rec'd that place to us last year when they first opened up. Have been enjoying that store ever since.
I needed some pasta sauce.
And some graham crackers. These obviously are not graham crackers though. ; )
So from the international market to the shoe store we went. They had a very large shoe area in the center that said...1990 yen. So under US $20. That's sounded like a pretty good deal. So we looked around for anything cute in there. And found something.
Not bad, we thought. And the price...excellent.
1990 yen. ; )
Noah waiting while we had B try on the shoes and do the walk around. ; )
With shoes in tow (but in the trunk). To Hanamasa we went.
I am a very hmm what's the right word. Cheapskate sounds bad. Hmm. I am a very frugal shopper I guess would be a nicer way of wording that. My husband gives me a certain amount of money every month for groceries and house stuff. And it's my job/responsibility to make the most of it. Get the most food and value from it I can. I take it sorta seriously because well they're depending on me. ; ) We like to eat salads and so I buy my heads of lettuce at the cheap veggie store (local farmers and stuff and fresh veggies) for 88 yen in Winter and 2 for a 100 yen in Summer. Sometimes cheaper. And so on. I enjoy chatting with my elderly neighbors about which store is running this sale or that sale each week. Anyway, so at Hanamasa I got hasbrowns, french fries, brand x, yes but so superly cheap. Frozen green beans and broccoli and I have noticed the tortillas before but wondered if I should buy these to try and see if we like the flavor. LOL. So those are test tortillas. ; ) They make good wraps for obento making. ; )
Trying to find tomato sauces, tomato purees and pastes can be quite the challenge living in Japan. Especially the bigger sizes. When I saw this bottle for 100 yen. The bottle was so huge. And the price so much cheaper then the bottle I usually buy at Cainz. I had to buy it. Label in English this side.
And the other side in Italian. Just sounds so much nicer in Italian then English. ; ) Am still trying to decide what to make with it yet. : )
Mikans and fresh broccoli.
I usually buy my Jasmine tea the Ito en (sp?) brand at a local drug store for 178 yen. This brand x/generic was 125 a bottle. We drink it a lot. It doesn't have sugar. And we like the light flavor. So, at 700 yen a box, it was a good deal. However stuffing these 2 boxes of 12 bottles of tea into my little red car plus the rest of the food was proving quite the challenge espeically with 4 people in there too. We realized we should have brought the MPV instead. Aww well, it will save me in the long run for my month's shopping totals.
All red lean beef. It's sorta sad or funny depending on how you take it. I choose funny. ; ) When the meat guy sees you coming and he starts walking out with his meat cart with wheels from the back with about 30 packs of lean ground beef for me to chose and pick from. I thought holy goodness, did he know what I was coming for or what? Noboru laughed and said, they know you! Expires in March so he wheeled me out the freshest batch they had, he said they ground it fresh this week and keep it in the freezer.
6 of them. They are all bright red and very very lean. But froze in this pic. It's a good month's supply of lean ground beef. Hamburg, cheeseburgers and meatballs are in our near future again. ; ) I thanked the meat guy there and said see you next month again. ; )
A great deal for pork chops for fried pork chop night and 1 whole chicken for roasted chicken.
The pasta sauce and graham crackers. You know I don't really mind spending $20 a month on ground beef if I know we'll use it. And since it's in the freezer it won't go bad plus it's not like it's in there for months on end.... we use it by the end of each month. Or 580 on a whole chicken etc. It will be eaten and I know if the weather gets bad, like snow hits or something we have food in the freezer I can always pull out and make something with. Plus it makes my weekly shopping at Cainz even cheaper. Anyways enough mommy grocery talk for now...
Adidas sneakers on sale. They really were a great deal. We were glad to be home. I got my big things grocery wise I needed to get for the month. And they are now in the freezer. Saturday night it was cooling down. Snow was expected for the next day. We were glad to be home.
I made supper. Noboru's was on the right. Mushrooms on top his chicken thighs. And I meanwhile had a teriyaki type bowl with some steamed veg on the side all white meat for me. The kids had bowls too. Noboru showered with the boys upstairs. I could hear them in the bath. They were laughing and talking loudly and having a good time. I showered and bathed before them.
And after the dishes were cleaning in the dishwasher. And baths were given. We had played 2 rounds of bowling as a family. Branden is pictured here bowling.
A slightly blurry pic of Noboru bowling from last night. He had nothing on his elbow not sure why it looks like he had something on there...he didn't.
I won. Both times again. Gomen again. But the important thing is we all had fun. The kids went to sleep. They had a great day. Good dinner and fun with their parents bowling.
And we woke up to this, this morning! Snow! We rarely ever get snow so it was quite a treat. This was the first snow for us this year/season.
Do you see Noah wiping out here? Ha ha ha. He was running all over the yard happily and then boom blammo! He wiped out! You can actually see him wiping out right here. Poor kiddo. ; )
He was no worse for wear. Noah quickly got up and dusted himself off and got right back to playing again. Yay Noah! ; )
Nothing quite like waking up to an all white backyard. Knowing it would more then likely melt quickly by noon, I let them have at it. So they played and played for a good hour out in the backyard first thing this morning. I enjoyed watching them from inside the house with a hot cup of coffee in hand.
And now...today is Sunday. The sun is shining, the snow has melted and gone away, but the temps are cold outside today still. Thank goodnes I took the pictures before the snow melted. : ) Noboru's at work and will get off at 2pm and be home by 2:30pm. I have Branden's school stuff in the dryer, as I type. No hang drying outside for us today. With this weather. Noah's school stuff will go into the wash next. We're just trying to take things easy here and enjoy the last day of the weekend. Before the school week starts all over again. ; )
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