Friday, June 15, 2012

June 12, 2012 - Scrapbook Day

I completely let the Scrapbook day this month slip by me because we just had so much fun this week. For starters, Daddy started a new job which meant a busy week for him. We are so proud of him and all of his hard work he does for our family. On the actual scrapbook day, we had a low key day - yochien, hanging out at home and playing afterwards. I did see the K Man take a few steps while holding onto the couch. He also loves Patty Cake these days. It is so fun when we sing it together because he sits in my lap and gives me the biggest hug when we get to "put it in the oven for the baby and me." I love it...melts my heart. On Wednesday this week we went to some gardens near by with good friends. It was nice and cool, a little overcast, which I am taking advantage of because I know come July it will be miserably hot. The kids had a ball walking around, "climbing Mt. Fuji" and going on lots of little adventures. M is really enjoying yochien. She will cry and say she does not want to go in the morning, but when we get there and pray, she goes right in and has a blast. She tells me when I pick her up, "Mama, I am sad school is over." As for me, I got in 2 runs, two weight days and one hot yoga day this week, so I am feeling good! This was my 5th class for hot yoga and I am loving it! I go on Friday nights from 7-8:30 and sweat buckets. It is a good way to de-stress from the week and get myself refreshed to start my weekend. Afterwards, my friend and I stop by for a quick bite of noodles on our walk home. Thankfully they have a small option at this restaurant so we do not feel quite as bad eating noodles after we exercise. That is what is going on for us...how about you out there? Enjoy the pic of the K Man - today he was standing up trying to get into our Maker's Mark bottles we give out as gifts from Kentucky. I guess even though he was born in Japan, he still has some Kentucky roots. :)

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Train Museum

Today we had a blast going to Oyami area and visiting a train museum. For those of you in Tokyo, I highly recommend it. We left Tokyo around 10:30 and arrived there right at noon for a curry lunch with a kids meal that was served in a train car dish. They had old trains, shinkansens, JR trains...you name it, they had it. You could climb in them and even drive some, pretend of course. You got to see the history of the train in Japan and enjoy a show. It also had been on my list of things to do and see for quite some time, so I am glad I get to check it off the list. Daddy was on vacation so we enjoyed spending the day with him and our friends from yochien. The museum also had a nice play ground that the kids thoroughly enjoyed. As you can see from the pictures, it was a great day. I do love that this city has so much to offer in terms of museums and kids activities. My focus this summer is giving thanks and I am ending each day by writing 20 things I am thankful for - the train museum made my list today. Good times...lasting memories.

Our First Yochien Field Trip

We went on our first yochien field trip this past week to Hama-rikyu garden. We are very familiar with this place as it is close to our house and we go here often for picnics. It was fun to try it out with M's yochien. Although, I did find it quite stressful. At one point I picked up a daffodil and let M blow on it, only to be told we cannot pick those up because they are part of the garden. Really? It is a weed people. But, it is cultural...the rules...and as my husband reminds me if I let each and every rule drive me crazy I will be lucky to leave the country sane. M seemed a bit more clingy on the field trip, a bit more reserved, and I am learning more about her...she likes smaller crowds (like her mama). She does fine in her classroom, but when it is 6 classes combined, it was a bit much for her. Once we walked through the gardens and had lunch we had free time and hung out with our new friends from yochien. M opened up here, running around and chasing their little boy. I posted a few pics - if you have a hard time finding us, I am the only one not wearing a hat and M is the only one not looking up. :) We definitely march to a different drum. :) It was a fun day all in all...our first of many I am sure.

Mother's Day Gift 2012

For Mother's Day this year I got a 24 hour get out of jail free card. Just kidding (well, mostly kidding:). My husband gave me 24 hours to myself in a hotel with an onsen nearby. I went with two other girlfriends and we had a blast. It was my first onsen experience. The onsen felt like an amusement park with the common area having a food court to eat at and lots of different shows going on for children. From the common area, you could venture off to the separate baths for men and women, the massage and facial rooms, or the foot baths outside. You also had the option of purchasing a sand bath, where you sit in this pit and they cover you with hot sand, but we all decided that would not feel very relaxing. We started with a massage and it was marvelous. Then we went in to the baths. Going to the onsen confirms you are good friends...no, make that great friends...because you wear your birthday suit. We started in a bath that was 38 degrees C and thought this was not so bad, so we jumped up to 41 degrees. We quickly realized we should not have skipped baths 39 and 40 and worked our way up in temperature. It was relaxing. After cleansing ourselves we went to the foot baths (opting out of the option to have little fish nibble the dead skin off of your feet) and decided to close the day with a facial...heavenly. After cleansing ourselves from head to toe we enjoyed dinner in Odaiba at Bill's and were laying in our beds by 10 with a good novel. My novel was so good I stayed up until midnight reading it. The beauty was I could sleep in as late as I wanted. I only slept in until 8 (must be natural to not sleep any longer than 8), but I laid in bed until 9ish. We had a quick breakfast and I was home at noon. It was a wonderful 24 hours. I missed the little munchkins and the kind man that sent me away, but it was good for my soul to have a true vacation day from any responsibility. I thought though that one day off would cure me and make me a better mama. :) You know, help me not get frustrated so quickly or be more kind at bedtime. But I found I still had moments less than 12 hours of coming home from said vacation day. To be honest, it kind of pained me...wondering what on earth is wrong with me...and then the sweet gentle whisper of grace reminded me it is ok...that I am doing my best...that I have hard days (often more than not)...but that there is grace, mercy, redemption...every second along the way. Every hour I need Thee...

Shinagawa Aquarium

Last week we took an afternoon and went to the Shinagawa aquarium. It was pretty small but worth an afternoon outing. M was not crazy about the darkened room with all of the cool sharks, turtles, and many other sea creatures so Papa and I walked through it separately with the K Man. M however did love the dolphin show. It had been on my list of things to check out for quite some time so I am glad after two plus years we finally made it over there. It was small and friendly, perfect for a family fun afternoon.