Undokai for Branden was Saturday, the weather was lovely. It really was so much better then the undokai Branden had last year. A totally rainy and cold undokai he had last year. : ) The undokai's are so much different then the sports day/field days I had growing up in the US. Lots of practice goes into it. A huge marching band and dance number, sorta like a half time is the best description I can think of, for you Americans. Obento/packed lunches are brought by all of us. No first and second place type ribbons are given out at our elementary. But medals are given out at our yochien go figure. But the sports and fun the kids have is the same. Here was the start of undokai. The red (hat) team versus the white (hat) team. In Japan, the kids have these hats, they are white on 1 side and red on the other (reversible) half the school ends up a red hat or a white hat. For Branden, the 3rd grade #1 class are red and the 3rd grade #2 are white (hats). The camaraderie, they feel towards their team is pretty big. They started out like the picture above...the red waves their huge red flag and shouts and says...basically. "Go red, you can do it" Gambatte gambatte. The reds all clap hands in unison. Then they stop and the white hats do the same. Shouting and cheering for the white team. And they all clap and shout in unison. So this riles up the red and they go back and forth. It's all in good fun! But it gets the teams going. Doesn't matter if you're an ichinensei or a 6th grader, the most popular kid in class or not, you're team will root for you! They will shout for you and cheer you on the whole day long! Go red...go red!!!
Branden is the 5th to the right red hat, they start with warm up exercises.
Stretching out the ol' back!
Here's a pic of the red team clapping. There's also a drum beating for the red team and white team.
Branden came in 2nd on this race but on another race he came in first place. However I had video taped it instead of taking a picture. It's crazy for sports days. Noboru and I each have a camera so we're both snapping/clicking like crazy. Then I am also taping the mini videos for the blog. And also I have my mini camcorder I am trying to make a full length dvd for B for when he grows up. @_@ Yep, it's nuts. ; ) So we were definitely all over the place with taking pics, taking videos. Chatting with my friends. Noboru chatting with his friends. Keeping an eye on Noah. But it was fun.
Branden about to run a relay, I was so glad I had the front spot, I was sitting right where the kids were running. With our leisure sheet right there, we didn't have to move for many of our pictures, ha ha ha. Thank goodness for our spot.
Branden getting ready for the half time type performance. He was playing Ponyo on the pianica. Everyone had to wear the berets and bandanas.
About to begin.
Now here were the father's tug-o-war! White won twice and reds won once. You'r color is whatever your kids hat color is. Branden was a red, so Noboru was a red. Sorry honey, you guys didn't win the tug-o-war! ; )
Then the "father's club" had a competition with the 6th graders. The father's club were given instructions before undokai. They said..."try hard, don't let them win" It was 120 kids versus 20 or so father's. 4 father's per bunch/cluster of the kids! The "father's club" won! Yay! Noboru was happy! Ha ha ha. By the way...you know how some events some people don't watch, they might be chit chatting with friends or something. But...this event...the father's club versus the 6th graders. Everyone in the whole field watched this event. It was loud and you could hear lots of grunting back and forth for that log...who would win and pull that log. But....the father's club did. Branden was cheering for Noboru. "Yay daddy!!!!" It was very cute.
A pic of the father's club running for that log! The way they all charged that log...you would swear you were watching Braveheart or something along those lines! Two opposing teams running screaming for that log! Sorry no camera movie for this one, I video taped this one with the camcorder too.
Another race the 3rd graders did.
Watching the ending runners run, they already ran so were sitting along the sidelines.
The red (hat) 3rd graders and white (hat) 3rd graders were having a ball rolling contest. Talk about having a ball...I mean literally!!! ; ) All the other red hats and the white hats in the whole place were screaming...basicaly....go!!!! You can do it!!!! It was a real nail biter! ; )
And they're off! Rolling an enormous red ball across the field. Crowd goes wild, who will win..who will win. Noah's jumping up and down...go Branden!!!
Rolling rolling rolling...keeps those doggy's rolling!
See the thermoses? Everyone brings a thermos and when you're thristy you drink. You see the girls laughing in the background. Yep, Noboru was teasing the girls a little beforehand. Just something silly and they were laughing about it. Even still a bit smily in the picture. ; )
Are you just about ready for your lunch Noah? : )
Karaage, salad (tomatoes courtesy of the garden) potato salad, tamagoyaki, meatballs, more karaage. Rice balls, croutons and salad dressing.
Fruit, can't forget the fruit. Different colored apples and grapes. Since they're in season.
My serving. From 12 noon-1pm was lunch.
A very nice lunch.
The score midway. The red hats were winning! Yay!
And the final final score! The red hats indeed won! Branden was so happy!
The kids went to their classroom and would come out 20 minutes later. We know that already. And so we packed up quickly, loaded the MPV. And then waited for B to come out. Then he did. Noah had a cherry shave ice just before we were about to leave. First time I've ever seen cherry flavor since I've been in Japan. I mean, melon sure...lemon of course, strawberry yep very common. But yeah first time for me to see cherry. It's common in the US. But happily surprised to see it for sures. Noah had cherry kakigori. And had red stained lips after eating it afterwards. : ) But with the heat...it completely hit the spot.
Branden didn't want a kakigori, he chose a choco banana instead, so that's what he got! It was his day afterall. ; )
And I picked my trusty ol' lemon flavor. Though I have been thinking, you know, I should have gotten cherry. ; ) Hubby luckily picked cherry so he shared with me though. We came home exhausted. Mc D's for dinner Saturday night. We were just too pooped to cook (geeze we were up since 5am that morning and I was cooking that morning and then all day spent at undokai we were rightly tired). And then at 6pm, Noboru went to the "Father's club" dinner and drinking party also with all the teachers and principal. This is very good for our relationship with the school. Noboru being in this club since Branden was an ichinensei. Means he has had many long and lengthy chats with the teachers of this school. Has developed a friendship with the principal. This close sorta relationship is very good for Branden and someday for Noah. Makes our ties to this community even stronger and our relationships even closer and bond a bit tighter. So it's good. It's very beneficial for our boys. And we know that. Plus they're all really nice at this school anyway. And so Noboru actually enjoys his time with them during these father's party's. Noboru isn't really a drinker at all, he said he had 2 regular beers for the "cheers" toast part. And then switched to non-alcoholic beer. He came home around 8pm. Anyway, that's Branden's undokai/field day/sport's day 2010 in a nut shell. : )
How's everyone been? We've been pretty good over here. It's been a quiet week. It rained twice this week. Once like crazy and once just drizzle. But other then that, just hanging around. : ) On Wednesday, Noboru made us dinner. It's a nice change since I am usually the main cook around here. ; ) So, I enjoyed that. He made us Indian curry. It was nice to see him, throw the garlic in the food processor and onion and piece of an apple, fry up the chicken, add all those spices and make dinner. He also did all the dinner clean up too. What a guy. : )
Dinner from Wednesday that the hubby made.
It misted/lightly rained one day. But the other day this week it also rained like crazy. It seriously did.
The water from the rain started covering parts of the lawn completely. When I drove the kids to school and when I picked them up, I had my windshield wiper blades on the fastest setting and it still wasn't fast enough for the rain. It was crazy. That one day...the day of the lots of rain day....it rained during the night, when we woke up, all morning, all afternoon all the way until that evening. And then it finally fizzled out. That was a full day of nonstop rain.
See the water crashing on the table? Crazy stuff. But the positive is...the grass really needed it. ; ) So that is the bright side.
Today I snapped this picture...the time on the clock says....1:18pm It was this afternoon and I already had Noah with me at that time today, so he was on weekend already...and I already chopped up the chicken for tomorrows karaage obento. I also had ran to the store with Noah today too. To pick up the last minute things for tomorrow's undokai/field day/sports day. All the mother's in our area are in full blown busy preparation mode today. So much to prepare and think about.
This picture was taken of Branden at the elementary school field at 5pm this evening. They said nobody could get a spot until 5:30pm today. I showed up at 4:45pm. Knowing they'd open it early. Good thing I did, the parking lot was nearly full 2 spaces left and I took one. And the other mom parking her car took the last one. Branden is a red hat this year and so we went to that part of the field. When the teacher said in Japanese basically..."go ahead" the mother's and I am kidding you not. Ran. Not walked....flat out ran. To grab a spot. So, I ran too. So there me and my flip flops went running across the field. Feeling like a nerd. But...I must say, I did get a fantastic spot and front row. So, I didn't feel too nerdy after all. ; ) We put the stakes into our corners of our leisure sheet. Put our table (unfolded) on top of it and umbrellas (unfolded on there too) Our last name's on everything (sheet, umbrella, etc). Same with everyone...their names are all on theirs too. And we left headed home. The time on my car as I was driving out of the school? 5:35pm. Good thing I went when I did, I thought.
So many of the first rows gone (this is the red hat side and that sheet and stuff is ours in this pic, closest to the camera). And the white hat side.....the whole front row was already gone by the time we left (those white hats were really on the ball ; ). I'm not kidding. And so many mother's with kids in tow, were walking *towards* the areas as we were walking out. Tomorrow is going to be no stress. Our obento is wisely prepped already. Our spot has been saved already (phew) and so tomorrow we can just sorta relax and enjoy it all. I'll wake up around 5:30am and get the obento made. Noboru just has to make the rice balls/onigiri, that's his only task. : ) I'll make a few omlettes for breakfast. Throw a little concealer on, some Mac studio fix. And we'll be sitting on that field from probably 8:00am until I think they said it ends at 3:45pm. So until about 4pm or so. Sunday, Noah is going to a senior facility/nursing home. His yochien is going to be singing there in hopes to brighten the seniors day, so that's Sunday. So, we'll be up at the crack of dawn Saturday *and* Sunday. Weekend? What weekend? Ha ha ha. It's true...I will have no (sleeping in late type) weekend this weekend but that's okay. Getting to sit and enjoy sports day is actually pretty fun. And watching my youngest singing to some seniors sounds like fun too. And ahhh, I can always sneak in a nap this coming Monday or Tuesday. : ) : ) Have a wonderful weekend all of you. I'll catch up with you all after this weekend is over.
Last Sunday night, I had 2 very lean beef tenderloins, diced them fried them in a pan and then transferred the beef to the crock pot. Monday's dinner? Beef curry.
It cooked all night long.
Very unappetizing picture, but there ya go. ; ) Skimmed the top, and after sending both Branden and Noah to school last Monday, I added the onion around 9am-ish. And the mushrooms around 10-ish. The potatoes and carrots went last. Around 11am or so. And at noon just put the roux in and when it dissolved, I just switched it to the warm setting.
Very tender since the morning.
Added the onions first.
Meanwhile I steamed a batch of Noah's sweet potatoes, lightly salted them and they were gone by Monday night. Everyone just ate them up. I steamed another batch during the week as well.
Nearly done...about to add the curry roux.
And done, on warm. Made the rice. And didn't have to think about dinner Monday. Folded some laundry, swung around and picked up the kids. Took them to Kumon and then everyone sat down and ate and enjoyed dinner.
Tuesday, we decided to go to have yakiniku for dinner. We ate a lot, talked and chatted a lot, enjoyed the drink bar, so we drank a lot of Qoo, melon soda, coke, tea, etc and other various drinks. ; )
Noah eating up a storm. It was a good Tuesday.
Lots of beef, chicken, veggies, rice bowls. Garlic, kimchi. We had a good time for dinner Tuesday.
This is the 2nd order I have placed from Nissen for stuff for myself for the upcoming Fall/Winter weather. Which is interesting because this time last year the nights were getting cooler. In fact Branden's first day back to school last year in September he wore a long sleeved shirt because it was a bit chilly that morning. A year later it's still steaming hot. ; ) However, I know the cooler weather will get here eventually. And this way, I won't be too caught off guard when it finally does.
Have been getting the boys ready for Fall too. Although frankly the weather still seems like Summer. I am doing things like I do every year. A little by little. A bit each month. And by the time it's freezing cold and November, I'll be nearly done or done. ; )
Nothing for myself from Gap or Old Navy. Just for Branden and Noah.
Gap rugby striped shirts and Old Navy, thank goodness they're the same company and ship together.
1 pair of sweatpants for Branden, 1 rugby shirt for Branden.
1 long sleeved shirt for Branden and 1 striped zip sweatshirt for Branden.
Gap striped shirts for Noah, love the colors.
Such soft fleecy lounge pants for Noah. Wish they sold them this way for older boys about Branden's age. : (
2 very soft pair of "around the house" pants for Noah. For when the weather turns cold. Closeup was above.
Same sweatshirt for Noah that Branden got.
A pair of PJ's. ; ) For Noah, that way I can tuck him in bed and say...night night. ; )
Orange robots. LOL. I also placed 1 more fairly large order from Gap/ON and it should be shipped to me by next week. 2 more pair of sweatpants for B. Lots of long sleeve tops. A pair of pj's for B. Just trying to get the boys ready for the cooler month's is all. : ) 
Umbrellas at Cainz. When I went and did my weekly shopping last week. Our elementary school asks for you to have your child keep an umbrella at school for if it rains unexpectedly. Which we have done since the ichinensei years ago. And then the regular umbrella bit the dust and we replaced it last year finally. Though they're just a few dollars. Anyway, a few times Branden would leave it at swim school, leave it at Kumon. And we'd be really out of luck and have no umbrella. Once he borrowed Noah's. Then when I walked Noah into yochien we used/shared mine. Anyway, long story short, thought it finally would be better to get a spare one for Branden for home. Cost 298 yen, so cheap and now we won't be umbrella-less in the future hopefully. Also, I have needed to replace my umbrella since last year. It broke during a typhoon or huge rain storm, we had last year when the boys were getting their flu shots. I was running the boys from my car covering their heads with my umbrella (I was soaked btw) anyway the wind blew my umbrella and it went inside out. It broke basically, but I being somewhat either stubborn or cheap, lol. I used it since last October. Yep. Half broke umbrella, that was okay, I used it even last week. My husband has reminded me throughout the last 10-11 month's..."do you know your umbrella's broken?" Yep. Any plans to just rebuy? Nope. My rationale was as long as it opened and covered my head, why replace. ; ) Anyway last week, everyone at the yochien had cutecutecute umbrellas and then..... I realized mine started leaking. Now just a small tiny leak. But...I had to admit, it was time to call it done for. And buy a new one. So....I bought the store brand Cainz brown and white polka dot one. It's sitting in my car now.
Cainz replaced my step counter thankfully and I am once again counting my steps.
Cocoa popsicles and last weeks snacks (spicy chips, sour cream and onion chips, senbei). And yes we do eat also very healthy snacks, but these are the yummy ones for during the week. Noah picked those Pizza-la chips, and those were so good, this week Noboru and Branden have requested the same Pizza-La chips.
I bought a lot of veggies for salad, 2 packs of croutons and salad dressing, we've had salad every single night last week with our meal and weekend. That olive oil dressing is so good. So good.
One night we had chicken teriyaki bowl with mushrooms and broccoli.
Received some package from my dad. Good grief what could it be. I wondered....
A Hollywood gossip magazine. ; ) Thanks dad. That front cover scared me a little at first. Yikes. @_@ Anyway....took it with me to the yochien and read half of it in my car, while I was waiting for Noah to get out of yochien.
Finally we reached Friday. Yay. The dvd's got here. Now we would not be dvd-less this weekend. ; ) "I love you Beth Cooper" And "Old Dogs" I have also rented for the upcoming dvd's. "I love You Phillip Morris. The Women. And Shutter Island. I think Shutter Island and The Women are the next 2 coming.
I made the pizza dough Friday morning as soon as I got home from taking both the boys to school. The dough rested all day. Did laundry, got the house cleaned up for the weekend. Swung back around picked up the kids. And when they got home, the smell of rising pizza dough hit them as they entered the house...they said...pizza! yep, pizza I said.
2 very large sized pizzas. And we enjoyed them with some salad.
One half pepperoni only, the other half, pepperoni, mushroom and bell pepper. Sodas with ice, pizza and salad. I emailed my dad, told him good night. And shut the computer down. We watched TV, took showers, then a movie.
Saturday Noboru and Branden went and had a father and son bonding fishing trip. Sometimes he takes Noah and sometimes he takes Branden. This time was Branden's turn. They fish really close to our house. And Branden always comes back beeming from ear to ear. : ) Saturday for Noah and I was very laid back. I did 2 loads of laundry in which he followed me and helped me hang the laundry out.; ) And then I spent the rest of the day on the couch with some shorts and a tee shirt and a pony tail. I think I got up once to have a choco pie. Then I went back to the couch to enjoy my choco pie. Noah joined me and so he enjoyed a choco pie too. We watched cartoons, Kid vs. Kat and Kick Buttowski!!! Those cartoons cracked Noah and I up so much. With the weekday being busy and run here and run there. It's honestly sort of nice to cool my jets on the weekend and do nothing. Sometimes doing nothing can be good for the soul. ; ) I did make dinner and folded the laundry. But wow, Saturday...good day. And when Branden and Noboru got home, they were so happy. They had a lot of fun fishing. And Noah and I had fun just chilling at home together. Here's 2 movies Noboru took with his keitei of their fishing trip. ; )
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