Typhoon Melor was a No Show... So We--->

Hung off the Walls instead. Obviously... when were not napping ... they were bored.

(hahahahaha)

HOME'S Store, Denny's & the Movies!

So, Sunday we had a long, yet fun day. :)

We headed out for a fun Sunday w/ Daddy yesterday.
We went to the Movie's 1st. We saw Monsters VS Aliens! :) It was a Really Cute, Age A-ok Movie for the kids!
The Yokosuka Base Theatre is pretty much our only option, in English.
4$ for Adults and 3$ for kids... it's not bad! :)
And, Snacks for ALL of us...4 drinks and popcorn... for under 10$. A steal! :)
So, we had a fun few hours seeing a movie. It's been 8 months... WoW!

After the Movies we went to Home's. Home's is like a big "home store"... Everything u need for a home (not food).
We bought our Curtins for O's room ... and the Living/Dinning room @ Homes a few months ago, and now we're back!
We REALLY needed Curtains for Evan's room, the Den and Our room.
(the sun rises EARLY here in Zushi!)
So, we shopped around before heading over to the curtain area.


Coffee Table's are on our minds these days, as we both are not happy with the Tall Coffee table we have now.
But, we WONT be investing in one of these for At Least 6 months~8 Months.
BUT, Ethan is S-O-L-D on this Style.
He is Droooooling over these for SURE!
They run Upwards of 2 Thousand Dollars, no joke... but... they are Beautiful.
It would be really Fabulous to own one of these pieces of Art!
(We will be Debt Free 1st!)


The coffee table will be Similar to this one.....

This is the one he REALLLLLy loved!
The legs are Adjustable in Height.




Oh! And Next time we buy a Dinning table, Remind me i LOVE this one!
(of course, after kids! We will be coming back to Japan for shopping... for our Retirement home! haha! And, of course Ethan does not know this yet!)


Ok, this is what 250$ in curtains look like... and we DID NOT go expensive! We went Mid Range!
Ugh! 2 Little Bags? :(:(:(
But hey... they look So Nice now that they are up.... (will share pic's later)...
But still... WAY 2 much YY or $$.
(Oh and one set we bought , our room... did not fit. So, Thanks Goodness Home's has a Return policy!)


After Quite a bit of shopping we headed over to Denny's (within walking distance).
We were all very hungry!
[walk our of homes and walk through that LITTLE door... you'll walk a bit and see it! :)]



The kids were super :):) happy :):) we got a 'cool' booth! hahahahaha

Lets play a Game while we wait....

Now, for my American friends, i am Sorry!
You don't have Fanta MELON options. :(
But, Here in Japan we do... and MAN it's AMAZING! So, if you have not had a Fanta MELON soda float.....go out right now and try one! Mmmmmmmm!!!!
These came with the kids' Dinners!!

Here is our meal.
Ethan got a Steak with Rice 'set'.
The kids ordered from the kids menu.
(Olivia usually does not order from the kids menu, as she Loves Ramen ... but... today was different. She was undecided ... and i kind of chose for her. She was happy and ate everything...)
Evan got with tarter sauce and O got w/out.
And, i ordered my Favorite Salad.
Now, you'll get a BIG laugh at this.
Last time i got this salad... it was so good and it came in a Small Bowl or Plate. It was perfect.
This time? I must have pointed to the wrong SIZE... Because it came on a PLATTER!
With Tongs and 2 plates!
I ordered a Family Size! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, it's OK... i just ate a portion, and left the rest. BUT SUPER Funny!
(I have done this before!... @ a Yakiniku Restaurant... where the American Menu was Vague.
They brought out a PITCHER of Cola! With a STRAW in the pour spout! NO JOKE!
Anyways, Good Laugh!
--->[my big ass salad!]--->







I love how the Japanese Always seam to make the Hotdog Octopus! Adorble!


Aw! What a NICE pic of those 2....


With the kids set comes a sipable Apple Sauce. (At least thats what it tasted like!)
Both kids Loved it!



Dessert Time!
I will call this Cocoa Puff Special! LMAO!
It's Chocolate and Banana Ice cream w/ Whipped topping and Choco Cereal.... mmm!
Olivia and I shared.


Ethan and Evan shared the Mango Sundae.

OH! and .............. i fell in love with a DOG!
Ethan told me, If you want him, he is YOURS!
(what a guy!)
But,................................... Nope. I could not.
Although, this is the 1st dog i fell for... Ever!
Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun Photo's with the Kids

Happy Mother's Day.....

.... To all my fellow Mommies!
:)
Today was a Wonderful Mother's Day i have to say.

The only thing that made me sad was that i could not be with my baby sister Diana on her Very 1st Mother's Day. Please Keep praying for her & the Baby. She needs it!!!!!

Today I was just Spoiled!!! Plain ole' Spoiled!
Ethan did Cooking/Chores AND Laundry... all with a "I love you" attitude.
Which made it just so nice.
I was able to sleep in, was made a muffin breakfast!
Ethan and the kids made me a Bamboo Wind chime, and Olivia brought me home some cute School Gifts, :) Like Homemade Flowers.
We just hung out around the house, got Evan's Big Boy Bed set up and then grilled a Steak Dinner. It was Amazing!
:)
My Dinner, Mmmmmmm!!!

Dessert??? Home made Ice cream!!
Vanilla w/ Butterscotch Chips.
Ethan made it while i was away last night, and had it Ready and Waiting for dessert tonight. WOW!

Well, we don't have a toddler anymore,... we have a Big Kid. Well, 2 big kids.
Evan has been ready for a big kid bed for some time.
Well, we finally 'did it'.
He is so happy and so are we.
Thank You Kath & Tim for the Wooden Frame. (They acquired the frame, and then they had no need.) So, we are so very grateful!!!!
We bought Evan a new mattress/sheets/bed set... pillows... the whole 9 yards.

It's Sad for me... as Today, 5 yrs ago... i found out i was pregnant with Evan.
He has Grown so big, it what seams to be a short amount of time.

So, while i was @ the Home Store, ... you know i could not resist and i bought Olivia a comforter and sheet set as well. I just happened to find a 'Record Pillow' and i Loved it... so of course, that's the black circle on her bed. :)
And, Here are my 2 reason's... to Celebrate this Day.....
2 Beautiful Reasons i might add! :)

Happy Mother's Day Fellow Mommies!

Cherry Blossom Hunting in Kamakura Part 2

Last Saturday the kids and i went to Kamakura to Hachiman Shrine for the day. We were mostly going to view new/baby Cherry Blossoms... but only saw a few. We still had fun, and Olivia really enjoyed herself. Evan on the other hand was a whole story ... but we wont go there! ;)
The photo's will show, we had an enjoyable time... looking/walking and ... as always Eating!
Please Enjoy!

2nd Torii Gate

Cherry Blossom Baby's

Olivia, taking a load off ... on the "Walk of Cherry Trees".



I spy a Cherry Blossom Tree Already Blooming.
It was pretty much the only on that had more than "A" flower on it.
There were many people and Camera's and even a TV Camera Swarming the area.
So, we did not go and get a 'close-up'.

We saw 2 Shinto Weddings while at Kamakura that day.
This one was over, and they were leaving the shrine.

A Nice View of Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura Japan!

Getting ready for Wedding #2



Wedding #2

Front Row "Seats!".
I was not (by any means) the only person Viewing the Wedding.
It's almost "open" to the public.
There were at least 100 other's viewing as well.
The kids and I were lucky to get this view.
Cameras were going off EVERYWHERE!



For whatever reason,... Squirrels are Rare in this area.
They are also "Good luck" a Japanese Older Woman told me.
This squirrel was ALL over the kids!
Everyone was snapping "phone" photos... ;)

The kids and i walked ALL over the grounds...
Looking around, and just exploring/having fun!
Although, i did learn the correct way to "pray" and visit the Shrine during my New Years Visit to Hachiman w/ the Japanese American Society (i also remembered a bit from visiting a few in Sasebo)...
I did not take the children inside.
We took a sit down in a nice shaded area (where others were sitting too) and ...
Had a 'lesson' on how the Japanese Pray and how we don't pray like them.
BUT, that it IS ok for them, and how we don't judge.
Olivia was very interested and asked a lot of Questions.

We took a little walk up to visit another area of the shrine.

I just adore this photo...
(If you visit the blog, those of you who get this via e-mail.... you'll see a version of this photo is my New Blog Header!)



This tree is over 1,000 yrs old!

These Sake Barrels are Gifts from Big Company's to the Shrine/Gods.
They cost in the Hundreds of Yens!
(the kids were chasing bubbles, btw.)

On our way out of the Shrine, we stopped at a few Vendors.
This vendor had the most delish Candied Strawberries on a Ritz Cracker covered in Sprinkles!
Odd, but GOOD!

As Always (with my kids....)
Yakitori Sticks!
They LOVE them!
Evan Olivia, who had decided she is NOT a vegan anymore! LOL



As we walk out, another view of the 1 tree... So Pretty!

We tried to walk through the shopping street of Kamakura. It was PACKED and WOW!
So, we stopped off and had a few Ice Cream cones.
for 300Y pp, i think ...we each got a cone. O got Vanilla and E & I got Coffee! mmmmm



This is the ONE shot i got... WOW! Me & 2 kids? NOT FUN!
So, we book'd it to the station and headed home!

Oh, and now that Olivia is 7 we buy her ticket.
She pays 1/2 price... and she just loves having her own ticket.
I need to head over to the Train Station and get her a Suica Card.
I always forget to bring her Passport! If/when i do...
They will print her name on the Sucia Card, and she will always pay 1/2 price Automatically!
So... maybe i should do that soon!

This photo is to show...
Olivia is saying "we are home"!!!!!
So, i guess this means we have 'moved in'!
We are at the Shin-Zushi Station in this photo.
That "Were home" while standing in ShinZushi made my day!
I hope yo enjoyed the photos! ;)