June 13, 2013, Scrapbook Day

Our Scrapbook day for June fell on a Thursday. Usually on Thursday mornings we hang out with our Australian friends because the little boy is off school. This Thursday was no exception. We met the boys and their mom at the climbing gym near our house. Another mom and her two little ones came along too - she has a 2 year old boy and a 4 year old girl and is from America. What is nice about this particular day is we met a new friend who is NOT MOVING anytime soon. The girls got along great and Miss M was so happy to meet a new friend. She will be doing drama camp with these two friends later in August so that will be fun for her. I have been pretty sad lately as I am finding more of my friends are leaving Tokyo. Remember our little Japanese party we had in our flat with the friends we play with every Tuesday? Well, our host for Tuesdays is moving back to Hokkaido in August. This really came as a shock to me because I do not expect my Japanese friends to move. So, on scrapbook day, when I met a new friend, I was very thankful - it gave me a little bit of hope in a dark place with so many dear people moving in the course of the next six months. We came home from the climbing gym and lunch and the K Man napped while Miss M had piano. We started her in piano and she really seems to be enjoying it. I hope my kids get their music ears from their dad and his side of the family. After piano we worked on our kiwi craft (thanks Mel for the tip and thanks Mom for sending them to us each month). Each month we get a craft sent to us to do. What I love about this is the instructions and supplies are all in the box. You literally do not have to do anything. For this month we grew beans and squash. Unfortunately the K Man tipped over the squash and it did not really grow. However, the bean sprout did. The craft said to transplant it to your backyard. Well, we have no backyard. Miss M said, "maybe we should plant it in the nikai park (the park on the second floor behind our building which I refer to as our "backyard")." I thought about trying it but in Tokyo, you never know if you would be breaking a rule doing that and I did not want to get into trouble. A friend of mine passed on a pot with soil to me over the weekend and we finally transferred it on our balcony. However, I think we may have been a bit too late on the transfer as it does not seem to be growing as well. Oh well. We tried. And we can use the pot to try to plant something else. After the K Man took his nap, we were out the door again to sports class. I think it was raining on this day which is never fun. We are in the rainy season and it is just a pain - trying to push a stroller with two kids, carry bags and hold an umbrella is not easy. I recently bought a rain overcoat fairly cheaply to get me through the rainy season as it is pointless trying to hold the umbrella while I push the stroller. I guess I should not complain because before I know it the rain will be gone and the heat on the concrete will be horrendous and I will be wishing for rain to cool me off a bit. That was our Thursday on this month - and it is fairly consistent with a typical Thursday. I thought on the scrapbook days I would add a few thoughts on what is going on in my little world. I have been trying recently to eat more "real" foods. I made some black bean brownies with maple syrup - no flour, no sugar - and they were delicious. My kids eat them and do not know the difference. Tomorrow I am going to try using chick peas as a base for flourless chocolate chip cookies and trick the kids. We will see if it works. I just want to be healthier - for me, my husband, and our kids. I would love the benefits of losing a few pounds too, but I just had been feeling blah lately and I thought if I take out some of the bad white stuff I might feel better all around. It has helped. I notice my moods are elevated and go back down when I cave and eat white sugar or white junk. We switched to brown rice, in JAPAN, which is almost unheard of. My husband is growing to like it. The kids do not like it, but one day they will. We switched to brown pasta - and nobody can tell a difference. I am making spaghetti sauce rather than buying the Japanese version of prego. It is not as sweet but I feel better knowing there are carrots and celery in it, even if the kids do not eat the celery. I am making smoothies every morning - with some green lettuce in it. Miss M will not drink them but the K Man loves it, which I am glad. I wish I could say I have switched and am 100 percent real food...not there yet...but I am trying. I just want to set a better example for my kids. They still have their treats - Miss M loves suckers. (If anyone knows how to make those "real," HA, let me know!) But I am just trying in the areas I know I can. For fun reading I am in the middle of The Lost Boy by Camilla Lackberg. She is a Swedish author and this is the fourth book of hers that I have read. This one has been a bit slower for me than the others, but I recommend her books. They are mystery type books and pretty easy reads for before bed. I also just finished the book Seven by Jen Hatmaker. My American MIL sent it to me for my birthday. I was talking to her last night about the book and was telling her there was so much in it that I do not know where to start in my own life. The book is about excess and how we live in excess. The author did an experiment in her own life to see how she can cut the excess out of her life. For example, for four weeks she ate only 7 foods. One month, she had to limit her shopping to 7 stores. One month was about media- no facebook, blogging, twitter, internet - she could only check email. As I told my husband about this one, he said we would last about 10 minutes. So, the book was a lot to digest because I was finished with it thinking to myself "there is so much I could change that would be beneficial to my life and happiness but I am not sure what to do or where to start." As I discussed this last night with my MIL she mentioned just doing baby steps. For her, it is taking the time to recycle more. I decided for me I was not going to have phones or Ipads near the dinner table. If the kids cannot have toys at the dinner table, my husband and I should not be reading the recent news at the dinner table. I would like to take it a step further and not be on the internet while my kids are awake. I just get sucked in and it takes away valuable time from them. Another baby step is buying things - every time we go to Disneyland or Hello Kitty land (we went there yesterday for the first time - a post will come soon) I let Miss M pick out one thing. Well, actually going to these places is a treat and luxury. We do not need to set the expectation that we buy something each time. So, on July 17th when we go to Disney Sea with friends, we will not be buying anything "extra." Or if we do, it will be to give away to someone who needs it or does not have much. I have more, but I am tired so it is time to get off the computer. Happy June!