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. : )
Okay....anyway I better get going...I have to change clothes before I run and pick up Noah from yochien. : )
Christmas morning at our house. I woke up first and was having a cup of hot coffee in the kitchen quietly waiting for the kids to wake up. I also had a batch of blueberry muffins mixed in a bowl and also a muffin tin with lining papers all waiting for when they woke up and an already preheated oven. So I could throw them in the oven. I could hear when they woke up. One ran into the others room and they came barreling down the stairs. I was by now sitting on the living room floor waiting for my boys reactions. Lots of OMG...OMG from Noah. And many a sweet..... I can't believe its, from Noah as well! Needless to say he was a very happy little boy Christmas morning. Branden as well. Finding his much anticipated and wished for beyblades from Santa. Was pretty great. Noboru and I enjoyed watching the boys unwrap their gifts. There was plenty of laughter and chatter here at ours Christmas morning.
I also unwrapped my gifts and Noboru unwrapped his as well. We picked up all the wrapping paper after and threw it in the trash can. I left the kids playing with their things while I went to the kitchen to throw in the muffins. Noboru was meanwhile going over the Wii manual. And setting that up. And by then the muffins were done, a light butter on top. And I brought this plate to the living room and everyone ate. The kids had milk. And Noboru and I had ours with coffee.
Christmas found us doing many exciting things around the house like...outside watching Noah ride his bike. Inside the house and watching the boys play Wii. Setting up our own Mii's, lol. Noboru and I bowled. We also had a kayak race against one another. Both Branden and Noah raced with Mario Carts. We had lunch. And I cut up the chicken for dinner and soaked the chicken parts in salt water all day long.
Christmas dinner at our house. We are pretty casual around here as you know. We had good food and good conversation. It was the perfect way to wind down Christmas.
A huge platter of southern fried chicken, a heap of mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, also stuffing, dinner rolls, salad, drinks (like the strawberry tea pictured) and a Christmas cake. (strawberry with whipped cream frosting and fresh strawberries on top that I made)
The day after Christmas, we got right on with the end of year clean up. I post the big end of year clean up on my blog every year. And same for this year. In Japan, we do a great big clean up before the New Year. Sorta reset everything. Out with the old (or dirty) and in with the new (or clean) So Sunday, all the chairs went outside. That was great so the boys could wipe down the chairs for me outside while I mopped the kitchen floor. I also had to wash the kitchen linens...the table cloth for one. And I also washed the kitchen mats and floor runners. Dish towels, etc.
Everyone in our household helps. If you live here....you help. Even when my kids were little toddling babes, they went to the genkan and helped straighten up the shoes. Sure I had to restraighten after they "helped" but they did like helping. Here they are cleaning any spots off the wall.
And I meanwhile after the floor dried, I cleaned the big patio window, inside and out.
Windows sills I got. Meanwhile both Branden and Noah wiped down the baseboards for me. And this wasn't like glum work. This was happy work. Everyone in Japan does this at the end of the year. Their friends across the street were also cleaning. We had music on in the kitchen. We were singing, swaying to the music while we cleaned. So it was fun. Meanwhile Noboru was outside taking all the Christmas lights down.
Every nook, every cranny got cleaned and wiped down.
Noboru working so hard outside. We all had a job to do. : )
See the table cloth fresh and clean drying along the fence and all the kitchen mats. Our neighbor granny next door and I chatted throughout the day because she was cleaning and so was I. She also chatted with Noboru who was on the front porch taking down the lights.
Kitchen towels drying and a load of jeans drying too.
The whole fridge got the super big clean down! So did the oven and the dishwasher. You name it, we washed it. Sunday was the kitchen and when we were done we called it a day. Monday however....was living room day.
If it was in the living room, it was going to get the scrub down. I vacuumed under the couch cushions. Under the couch. Dusted everything. Cleaned windows, window sils. The boys did the baseboards again, thanks boys. Noah fixed up the genkan. The boys wiped down any spots on the walls. I cleaned the big patio window in the living room inside and out. Cleaned the downstairs toilet. Wiped down the computer area in the living room. If it had anything to do with living room, it was sparkling by the end of Monday.
I not only vacuumed the area rug but also underneath the area rug.
Every couch cushion went outside. In Japan we believe things get fluffier in the sun. And all I can tell you is the couch cushions got so fat by the time we brought them into the house at the end of the day.
Every hour or so, either Branden or Noah or myself would whack each cushion with the futon stick.
Every pillow in the entire house also went outside.
Now on Tuesday it was vacuum the stairs for Branden. Man these kids helped me tons all week. Right on these helpful kids! Good kids, good kids seriously. And on Tuesday I cleaned and scoured down the laundry room, the sink room and the toilet upstairs and the shower area. I also rearranged the furniture and bed in Noah's room yet again and called it a day Tuesday. Now Wednesday....was wash all the bedding for all 3 beds. I stripped down all the beds. And to the laundry mat we went.
For all the bedding we used 1 huge washer, it was seriously gigantic. And for the dryer we used 2 dryers. All the clothes were so soft and smelled amazing afterwards. The helpful boys and myself went home and made all the beds upstairs on Wednesday. Finished cleaning those bedrooms and my walk in closet got a good thorough cleaning as well. By Wednesday I was pretty much basically done for the great big end of year clean up. I felt really good about that. You know don't laugh, but I really and honestly love this tradition we have in Japan about the big year end clean up. I don't like to ring in a new year in a dirty or cluttered house. So I do really like the tradition of a clean house for a new year. : )
Wednesday evening the boys playing the Wii. And they did play Wii everyday. So though they helped me tons by helping around the house. They did get plenty of play time and even played with their friends twice this week too.
Super Mario Bros.
I meanwhile have been doing the "Your Shape" and I love it. I honestly really love this. You know, I have the Shred dvd, I have the other Jillian Michaels dvd as well. And the Billy's Bootcamp. And while they're all really good. I feel for me personally this is the one. I like that I have someone there while I workout. Someone cheering me on all the way (for me I'll be honest I need that motivation, I just honestly do because I can be a lazy exerciser, I admit it). And for me, I hate working out in general anyways but I do know I need it. I like that Jenny grades my workout after every time. Whether I do great or not so great, she finds something positive to say. This is a scan of myself. And she tells me what she thinks I need to work on. So I get a workout made just for me.
My shape level, is a grade B after the body scan and my workout. If I would have guessed my own fitness, I would have guessed a D? But then it proves how much harder I am on myself. So, this sort of helps me see more clearly and not be too hard on myself.
I have been doing this daily. Though she lets you pick what days you do this. So, one of the mornings, I signed in and before she decided my workout for the day, she asked me...."how are you?" Your choice to answer back were..... Nothing can stop me....not too bad....or ehhh, "you're lucky I'm here" That particular day, I said..."you're lucky I'm here"!!!! LOL. And she said, fair enough. And she gave me a great but hard cardio for 15 minutes. She ended by telling me, I gave you a good workout but not an impossible one. She had me do enough but not so much I won't keep coming back. Everyday the exercises are different. The songs are different. I did my workout to Rhianna's Umbrella and a few others yesterday. I don't feel like I'm doing all my exercises all alone. I feel like I have a coach slash workout partner. And when you workout, you see your real self on the camera not a cartoon you, the real you on the camera. Anyway...I am really enjoying the Your Shape quite a bit.
What else, in between cleaning and such. I also ran to do the weekly shopping. I went on Thursday because I wanted to get the freshest food possible before New years without going the busy day before on actual New Years eve. I went to the tiny cheap veggie store near Noah's yochien. And they had all the fresh mikan you can fit in this plastic bag for 138 yen. I debated...should I go for it? Or not. I finally thought heck ya. So, there I went stuffing as many as I could. I was quite happy to get this great deal.
A nice big bowl of fresh sweet mikans. Bought lots of veggies and 4 kg of chicken, some pork and other meats. Drinks and a few other odds and ends and left.
Thursday night I had make pork green chili, spanish rice and beans. Sorry, we had already served ourselves and the pic is not really pretty but it's real. We're just your basic family here and this gives you an idea of what we had at least. ; )
I had boiled a big batch and then refried a big batch of beans. We had burritos and green chili and such Thursday evening. And we had plenty for Friday too which was nice. In Japan lots of my Japanese lady friends, after all that busy cleaning, take a rest for New Years. Eat sushi or other things. Or they order osechi. They deserve a break from cooking after all that cleaning let me tell ya. ; ) And I'm no different. By the time Friday rolled around, December 31st. I was thrilled knowing we had a spic and span house. And would be having leftovers for New Years eve meal. Nobody minds here and all and frankly we'd all like to take a rest and ring in the New year quietly and relaxing. I did however bake a homemade cheesecake New years eve evening and the boys and I also made a batch of rice krispie treats. After we enjoyed dinner.
Homemade burritos smothered in pork green chili. Yummm!
Also Friday morning after my workout on the Wii. I ran to the bakery. Bought 2 fresh baguettes of bread for the lasagna and salad that we will be having for our January 1st dinner. And some fresh baked goods for the family to enjoy and munch Friday afternoon.
Also, Noah was tested and is now a #12. We are so proud of you little one! : ) 
The best part for any kid helping in the kitchen is the licking the spoon or beaters. Here they helped munch off some extra rice krispie treats off the spoon.
Noah also got a turn.
Helping mix the cheesecake filling.
And Branden mixed the cheesecake mixture too.
We watched the Japanese New years specials on TV while the kids were awake and enjoyed those. And then when the kids zonked out, we put them upstairs to bed. We then channel surfed and we found they had on some scary TV specials on satellite. Called the Haunting. How there's a spirit or what have you in a house and how their animals knew. Like a cat hissing all of a sudden made this lady think, wow something could be in here. Or how a family were sitting watching TV and easter eggs started falling on the kitchen floor all by themselves. @_@ Noboru and I rung in the NY, by scaring ourselves silly watching The Haunting. They had back to back episodes all evening long. So we enjoyed that. A nice quiet way to ring in the New Year at home. Kids tucked in bed and us downstairs just relaxing. Anyway that was what our family has been up to, after Christmas and all this week leading up to New Years. : ) Happy New years everyone.
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