Tonight's dinner....Philly cheese steak sandwiches (well sort of...: )

I used to love going to the mall in the states and getting one of those great Steak Escape sandwiches! Oh man were those delicious! I also used to like the chicken ones as well!

Thinking about those sandwiches today, inspired me to make them for dinner tonight. Here's some chopped up veggies. If my memory serves me...you gotta have the onions, the mushrooms and green pepper. Check, check and check! Ha ha ha got that all chopped and ready to go! And I'm going to add a tiny Asian twist and use the tiniest bit of teriyaki or yakitori sauce. Just a bit for flavor.


Thank goodness my tiny little country grocery store had 3 loafs of french bread left. Though I only needed 2 of them. : )


Fried up some white skinless boneless chicken breasts then I threw in the chopped up veggies. When they were semi soft I added a bit of sauce then, I threw on some mozzarella cheese. Covered the pan with a lid, until they got all hot and gooey. Lightly toasted my breads so they wouldn't be so chewy. These sandwiches were gigantic. So filling. So warm and hot and yummy melted cheese. Damn they were great! I also served them with fries!


This was one heck of a filling dinner! Branden is going to take a smaller version of this for his obento tomorrow. Mainly because the chicken and veggies are already made and there's leftovers in the fridge, I can quickly warm them up in the morning. This really was a yummy dinner! No frills of course, but definitely delicious! : )

Tuesday! : )

Presents have been all wrapped today (the ones we got for Branden). And presents have been coming in from Denver Colorado, Torrance California, where my mom lives, the package should be here by the 26th, we've been tracking the shipping via UPS online. Guam and even my good friend Leilani from Honolulu who has been my friend from way back when, we used to live there called me and said she had sent something for Branden for turning the big 5 as well! Thanks Leilani, you rock! : )The major part is done. Now we can just relax and wait until October 26th! Phew! : )


Noah being totally enchanted by the Fujiya girl/doll with the wobbly head! LOL! We were here because I was ordering Branden's birthday cake today!




I made fried shrimp tonight. You know...ebi fry/furai, lol! You know, when I bought these I thought they were very nice sized! But when I made them tonight, they looked a lot smaller then I thought! Hmmm, I guess I didn't realize, I had bought such shrimpy looking shrimp! Ha ha ha ha! : )

Oh well, they tasted great! : )

Movie rentals tonight! : )

I rented 2 DVD's at Tsutaya tonight! Poseidon and Rumor Has It!

Poseidon, I can tell you in 5 seconds about this movie! Think Titanic, but without the love story !!! I personally loved the movie Titanic. I loved the love story, girl in love with Jack, but must marry Cal, the whole saga, blah blah blah. Very great story! Characters you could really *feel* something about! Drew me in type movie!

This Poseidon movie *briefly* showed you each of the 5 or 7 or however many of the characters stories. You got like a 1 minute blurb of each of who the characters were and that was it! So, couldn't really relate or feel anything for each of the characters. Just watched these 5 or however many characters try to get off this sinking ship. Things exploded a lot in this movie! Ha ha ha! I would never buy this movie. And I doubt, I'd ever rent it again either. A real stinker of a movie...sorry to say it! I know this was a remake, I wonder how the one from the 70's was. Hmmm.

Rumor Has It, with Jennifer Anniston! You know Rachel Green from Friends! This movie was so great! Beyond 2 thumbs up! This wasn't just a cute movie...it was a great movie! Had me smiling and laughing my butt off! I will try to get this movie the next time, I'm in the US! Really funny! : )

Today's plan, sneek over to Toys r us for some birthday presents while Branden's at school! : )

Knowing my plan for today. And knowing no matter what...I have to be at Branden's yochien to pick him up at 1:40 pm or else!!! So I didn't have much time! Especially since the nearest Toys r us is about 45-50 minutes away! Sheesh! Ha ha ha! I got up...quickly made Branden his lunch for the day. Chicken cutlet with mozzarella cheese inside! Yumm! And some rice with butter and soy sauce. Broccoli and a few fries! Ha ha ha. Walked him to the bus stop and then Noah and I got in the car after that and we drove to Toys R us. : )

I quickly snapped this while I waited for the cars to turn right! : )


I didn't want Branden to know. I wanted his presents to be a total surprise! He had been asking me for a big "Lightning Mc Queen" car. You know from the movie Cars that's out by Disney. I didn't want to say yes. I just keep saying, we'll see! Ha ha ha! I've been pretty good at my birthday poker face so far! He has no clue! : )


In Toys r us in Japan. The Disney toys can be bought in Japanese or they also have the "foreign" models that speak in English. Like you can buy a Buzz Lightyear that speaks Japanese or English, lol. It's up to the mom! This is cool for us foreign mom's especially if your kids speak English. I usually by the American ones. Since the movies are originally in English anyway. Man oh man...this is exactly what he has been wanting! He's going to be *so* excited! Ha ha ha! : )



At first trying to decide which one to get. I got the one up above...the talking one! LOL. : )





















I raced back to the yochien! I was 4 minutes late! Damn! I picked up Branden. Drove him to the ear doctor! She said his ear is completely fine and we don't have to visit her again, unless of course he gets an ear infection again. He's free to go to swimming school! Yippy! Finally! The doctor gave him some stickers and Noah some stickers. When I got home, I opened the door. To my surprise Branden was not only dead asleep...he had stuck 2 of the stickers over his eyes! Ha ha ha! What a funny kid! I left him in the car asleep for 5 minutes. Quickly ran the toys in the attic so he wouldn't see. And then I brought the kids inside. Branden and Noah each slept for an hour. I laid down on the couch for an hour too...I needed a little rest after my busy day! Ha ha ha! : )

Chalk it up as another lazy Sunday at home! Ha ha ha! : )

This morning Noboru made the cabinet we bought yesterday at Ikea! He usually makes the things from there quickly and easily. But he said to me that this was the hardest thing he has ever had to build! Yup this corner cabinet gave him a major headache! Ha ha ha! : )


And if you look at the pic, can you see how rainy and gray the sky was today! It rained non- stop all day long! A great day to stay indoors no doubt! : )



It really doesn't matter how wealthy a family may or may not be. Or how many toys the kids may have. When it comes down to it, all kids prefer playing with a card board box! Ha ha ha! I know, I used to do the same, when I was little too. If I got a toy fridge, the cardboard box the fridge came in, was by far more fun!!! Ha ha ha! I used to make windows in my big boxes and paint and decorate them! Ha ha ha! If I ever get a big box, I will save it for my boys and let them play with it! Today, I bought a case of tea. The box was way too small to play inside. But for some reason both the boys gravitated to the box all day and evening long! They drug it all over the house. Took turns throwing their stuff inside! Man...they loved this box! And I got a total kick out of watching them play with it!


Branden giving his younger brother a hand with stuffing the box! : )




Tonight we made an Indian curry. Hmm, we haven't gone to a restaurant in a while have we? We even bought some naans. We loved it! Noboru and Branden and I had the curry. And since the curry was too spicy for Noah, we got an instant egg drop soup and mixed it with some hot water and rice. The egg drop soup was only like 46 yen, but it's really delicious actually! : )


So anyway, that was our very uneventful Sunday at our house! : )

What a busy Saturday : )

Today we knew was going to be a busy day. Noboru has off Sunday's and Monday's this month. And tonight he's working a night shift.

However the import homebuilder whom we had build our house was having a small fall festival. We normally woulda skipped it. but they told us they were selling all the contents of one of their model homes.

Now not trying to get too far off track. But, when we first decided to buy a house. We went to so many model houses. Nothing seemed right. Even the company that built our home, their other 2 model homes were not really our style either. But then there was the model house called the "country house" and that was it! From the second we walked in the door. We were in love. Loved everything about this house. The walls, the floor, the counters. Down to the carpet on the stairs. We felt at home here. That particular model house was the reason we decided to buy from the company in the first place. The furnishings and everything. Actually if you could just pick up that house and move it someplace else, I woulda been happy with that house! Ha ha ha. We ended up with a bigger house then that original "country house" we went with the "farm house". But our house was totally inspired from that house for sure. Sadly though the country house is no more. So now no one can take a look at what used to be. The country house has been turned into a small shop now. Which is why all the contents were being sold.

Okay so now that you know that...they mentioned. We are selling all the contents from the "country house". Keep in mind all of those contents came from the US and were shipped here as well. I knew I loved the contents from that house. I had been coveting so many things from that house, heck I've been in that model home about 8 different times, that I practically knew it all by heart. So when I heard the things were going to be for sale, we knew we'd go there and get something.

Noboru wanted stuff from that house as well. So he phoned the head guy who runs the entire import house company. Since he was the guy who helped us with our house in the first place. And he's the head guy. His brother is the president of the company actually. Noboru told him, we wanted to buy some stuff. And he said the stuff had been already shipped to the warehouse where the fall festival would be held at. But he called the warehouse people, to tell them we were allowed to have a private viewing before everyone got there at 6:00 pm. And we could hold anything we wanted. Sweet!

So knowing this since Friday. We got up this morning around 10: 00 am (hey weekends are meant for sleeping in a bit, right? : ) We had breakfast and dressed and left. Since it's about a good hour or hour and half away, we got there at 1:00 pm and didn't leave the warehouse until about 2:00 pm. We told the people our last name and they let us in right away. I think I was dreaming. All my favorite things in this warehouse. I was in heaven. The lady had yellow "post it's". And we walked around and whatever I wanted, she would put a yellow post- it, on it and put reserved for...insert our last name. We picked mostly artificial flowers and plants. The furniture was out of this world expensive. Nice yes, but I can get cheaper furniture at Ikea.

Then we quickly left the warehouse.. We ran to Ikea. But we knew we had only 3 hours until we had to be back at that warehouse to buy our things. We wanted to buy a corner cabinet for the dining room, 1 small area rug for the genkan/entrance way and some bedding for Noah's room, since Branden got his a few weeks ago from Ikea already but since we had no time for dilly dally today and just had to get the things we were sure of, so we forgot the rug completely. We just didn't have the time. But we did buy a corner cabinet for the dining room. And a new comforter/blanket and duvet for Noah's room.And 2 pillows, 1 for each child. The pillows were priced from 280 (these were like not even cotton, they were like the plastic feeling airline type pillows you get on a flight), and they ranged up in price all the way to 3200 yen for a mere pillow. I bought the boys the 490 yen pillows. Yup, that's right, the cheapest pillow they had, not counting that plastic funky 280 yen pillow. This 490 yen pillow was all cotton and very soft and nice! I'm sorry but I'd never spend 3200 yen on a pillow. But then again, I'm a cheapskate, so it could be just me! Ha! : )

We ran outta there. Threw the box in the car. NOTE: they increased the delivery price at Ikea Funabashi!!!! And if you are shipping more then 3 items you will be charged the shipping charge again! This wasn't the case *before*...so I thought I better mention this in case some of you might be heading down there! Shucks! So we loaded it up in the van and drove to Costco. However the traffic sucks, so much in this part of town, we were stuck in utter gridlock, forever it seemed. There's a very loud race track right near there, so there's so much traffic congestion and a big mall and their traffic, plus the Ikea traffic, ahh! No wonder we got stuck in the terrible traffic. And on a Saturday nonetheless! Yikes!

So now after what seems like an eternity, we finally get to Costco Makuhari. #1 we were looking for the darned icicle lights! Nope none! They had icicle glass ornaments for the Christmas tree. Snowflake lights. But not an icicle light in site! Sigh! I will keep checking and if worst gets to worse, I'll ask my parents if they can send me 2 packs of them and pay them for shipping. Or, I could always buy the Japanese version of icicle lights that they have at all the DIY stores, but they are a pinch different I see. Hmm, we'll see. We also looked for the turkey. Costco makuhari must be having a problem? Because last time they had *zero* turkeys. And this time they had just one, 15 pound turkey. For 11 people eating at my house, we need like 22 pounds or more. So we passed on the one and only turkey they had! What's up Costco Makuhari? Get it together guys! You've got a bazillion expats counting on you! Don't let us down! Any fellow foreigners living in Chiba, please don't even bother running to Costco, for your turkey just yet! Because they don't have any! : ( I'll keep you posted! : ) What a freakin waste....you know I don't get to Costco much anymore! And when I finally get there...no lights?...no turkeys? And get this....no freakin waffles or pancakes at all either! Nope and I walked the entire frozen section, at first just thinking they might have just moved them elsewhere. Nope, they were nowhere to be found! I was counting on those 3 things to be there. They usually are. And they used to have the icicle lights there last year. Are they under new/worse management at Costco Makuhari all of a sudden or what? I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and hopefully they are just waiting for a new shipment. Sigh. I'll be checking again in 2 weeks. I'm going there more frequently now! Especially since I am waiting and looking for those 3 things.

However, going to Costco was a score when it came to raincoats for the boys! I know Costco has always sold cute raincoats. I've never bought them before. Because before Branden was in yochien, he was either home or in mommy's car, so there was no real need to spend the money for one. But, with him in yochien. And us walking back and forth to the bus stop. I wanted one for him and have been looking. I also picked one up for Noah, since he walks to the bus stop and gets pelted by the rain as well. And yes we do have a rain cover for the stroller, but there are days when we walk there and he needs one. I got them the same one I got for Branden but smaller, lol. I bought Branden's in size 6. Because even though Branden's still technically 4 and won't be 5 until next week. The size 5 looked a bit snug and like he'll outgrow it in no time (imho these raincoats seem to run a pinch small, so I'd size up). I went for the size 6. So a size 6 was it. They had only 2 size 6's left. I got one. I got Noah's in size 2T. Reason why, is they had no smaller size! Ha, can't argue that reasoning! LOL. And I tried it on. and it wasn't freakishly too big at all. And he will get a full years usage out of it, so I'm happy about that. And Branden will get a full years usage out of his as well, if not longer! I also bought Noah a pair of rain boots with matching rain hat and umbrella. Branden already has rainboots. Smallest size rainboots they had was a size 14cm. Being that Noah is a 12cm shoe. I figure by the time rainy season hits in June, he will be exactly a 14cm. I tried them on and they were huge. But they were the smallest size they had. No worries when rainy season hits, we'll be ready. They'll be splish splashing in no time!

We bought a whole pizza. No time for a nice sit down dinner. We each had a slice in the car, along the way driving to the warehouse. We got there at 7:00 pm. It started at 6:00 pm. About 50 people/families. Most of them eating the free food they had. We walked upstairs and paid for our things that were reserved for us. Noboru ate some food. I didn't have any, because I was full from the pizza. And we left right away.

We got home at 7:30 pm. The boys and I reheated the pizza in the oven. Meanwhile Noboru went and took a nap until 10:00 pm. He felt refreshed and left to work since he was working the 11pm to 7 am shift. After the boys and I ate, we bathed and showered and got our jammies on and watched TV, while daddy left for work, poor guy! :(

Now, I've got to figure out where to put all the flowers/plants. Oh and the plants all came from Seattle Washington from a store called Pacific Rim. The import homebuilders go to Seattle, 4 times a year or so and buy things for their model homes or customers and ship them back. The price tags were still on the things with the name of the store, lol. One for example was a beautiful vase of mixed colored roses. However the roses although life-like, are not really real at all. The price said $78.00. The big plants had a small tag that read...mixed foliage $55.00. Some were $20. And so on. We bought 8 pieces total. And since they were all in the model house for 1 year, they didn't need them anymore. The cost, for all 8 pieces was just 6500 yen! Like $65.00 US. Seriously, I'm not kidding you. The deal was just too fantastic for words! Unbelievable. And I don't really care in the least if they were in a model house for a year. If it saved me money, I'm all for it! Geeze, I really am a cheapskate! Ha!

So that was our Saturday in a nutshell. And I worried Noboru was tired. I phone him on his keitei/cell phone. And he was actually happy...he said it was worth saving the money by getting the house plants and such for the house where we did and for that price, then it was more then worth being a little tired. : )


Here's a pic of the boys at Ikea Funabashi! We were heading to the check out line, when I quickly snapped this pic. So if it's a bit blurred, sorry! We were in *that* much of a hurry! : )




The beautiful long stem mixed roses in the glass vase are fake and that's not even water in there, lol. It's some sorta solid hard gel stuff! Ha! On the bright side, they'll look lovely always and never die! Ha ha ha! I bought a cookie pan and rolling pin at Ikea. Good thing they were right out there and easy to see, otherwise I wouldn't have had the time to get them at all. Now, I can make Christmas cookies! : )

The two cheap pillows, one for each of our sons. And the cheap washable blanket/futon (these are such great prices) And the happy looking fish/sea duvet cover we picked for Noah's bedroom! : )

The pizza we had to eat in the car while driving! Man were we in a hurry! Ha ha ha! It sure was good warmed up at home as well! : )




Just barely enough time to throw the Costco things in the back of the minivan along with the Ikea stuff. And get cruising along the road again!


The tree skirt we picked up!

What a busy Saturday 2 : )

Here's the boy's rain coats! And Noah's rain boot set! : )


I love the cute face on these boots! : )












Branden got to go first! He tried his on! The fit is perfect! Especially considering the child will have an entire outfit on underneath the raincoat. You'd never want a skin tight rain coat. Comfortable enough to move in obviously. : )


Noah got into the act! Two brother's having a good time, acting silly and laughing away! : )









Again stuck in traffic after leaving Costco this time. Sigh! Good thing we got back to the warehouse though! Ha ha ha! : )




We also bought these American book-ends! : )



There's Branden in the background in the yellow shirt right behind the chair. This was at the warehouse and many people were eating. The kids were playing! : )

And Noboru getting some food, yakisoba I think, while holding Noah in the white long sleeve shirt in the other pic. So that's our Saturday for ya! Doing just the regular ol' boring shopping and house stuff! : )

And now we return to, "Return of the Convection oven" : )

Noboru thought long and hard about it and came to the conclusion, that he should phone National and inform them about the problem we had with the convection oven. He said, he wasn't calling to complain, nor to give them hell! He was calling, because a kitchen appliance should last longer then just 4 years! I agreed. And there could be something really wrong with that particular model and they should know what happened!

So he called them up and gave them the make and model #. Basically National freaked! They said that should *not* have happened! And that they were going to pick it up and either fix it or replace it!

Now we really weren't planning on them saying this. Come on...we already bought a cheaper alternative already!

National insisted. But we told them Saturday we were so busy, we won't be home at all. So they said they'd be here on Sunday. Unbelievable. So stay tuned!

What wonderful customer service they have! : )

TGIF....a walk to go pick up Branden!

Just kickin' back and waiting for mommy to check the mail box and get the front door locked up!



He's gearing up to go. The lot next to us is still empty and the farmer has zero plans to sell it. Which is fine by us, we like having no neighbors on the right. However if it ever does go up for sale. We'd be willing to buy it. That way we could build ourselves a proper 2 car garage on the side of the house. But like I said, we've asked. He doesn't want to sell it just yet. But the man does know we are interested. We're patient, we'll wait, ha ha ha! : )


This pic looks *very* similar to my blogger icon pic doesn't it? However Noah's older in this one! Same face, just getting older! : )

On our way to walk over to pick up Branden! : )

On our way to go pick up Branden this afternoon at the yochien bus stop!

Boy oh boy, is Noah happy! I tell Noah, "let's go get Branden...are you ready to go get your brother?" He runs and grabs his sneakers and I quickly put them on! We walk to the bus stop together. He greets his brother and hugs him in front of everyone, ha! Then they walk together with me back home and I'm just so happy. It's times like these that I love being a mom! : )

A busy morning so far....our morning at the DIY's! : )

As soon as we took Branden to the ear doctor and ran him to school. We headed to 2 DIY centers. This pic was taken at the second one!



Noah getting a big hug and being carried by daddy!




Noah is such a happy boy! He is such an extrovert and so outgoing! He waves to everyone! And he totally blew air kisses at the cashier ladies, when we were paying for our stuff this morning! He's a little charmer this one! But he has such a good kind heart! : )


This place had the same exact microwave, that we wanted at the first place, but it was 2000 yen cheaper! Score! Good thing we checked 2 stores..very smart! We bought it here obviously! And we bought a small toaster oven for making toast as well. Phew! Sometimes little unexpected stuff like this just happens, well as long as everything has been replaced, then it's all good! : )





We picked up some KFC along the way to have ourselves some lunch at home. Here's Noah in the back seat eating a french fry. His brother Branden is at school right now by the way.

Here it is. The microwave and toaster is all set up now. And the broken convection oven is in the shed until trash day. Looks fine. But I think for me, I've been looking at a black oven there for so long, that it's a bit of a shock to see a different color one in it's place. Oh well, I'll get used to it in no time. And it does go well in the kitchen. It's just me, with being used to seeing something different, I guess. Ha ha ha! : )