July Top 10 Commentators, Thank You!!

It's time for me to formally thank my Top 10 Commentators monthly and really I should have given much attention of giving a special mention of them more earlier here at Kizuna which I wasn't aware of before although I always give my top commentators the linky love that they deserve at my sidebar monthly. Now, this will be my monthly ' must thing to do ' to show appreciation and giving thanks to everyone who keep on visiting Kizuna.

I would also like to thank Mommy Jac of Mom's Special Diary for the cutie Top Ten Commentators badge and Kaye of WHAMaholic for the commentators widget.

For my July Top 10, thank you for all the visits and for leaving your precious comments and for joining me in my journey as a busy Mom here in Japan. THANKS A LOT!!



Ate Cecile of Thoughts of a Pinay SAHM
Mommy Eden of Moments To Remember
Mrs. Kolca of U.T.O.T. M.O. P.I.N.K.
Anney of Blog Ni Ako













And to all my friends who didn't make it to the top 10 and even if you don't leave comments, your visits is highly appreciated. From the bottom of my heart, I wanna thank you all for always dropping by and for leaving a line or two at my shout-out corner. Please feel free of visiting them also thru their linky badges.

Food Trip Friday---ROYCE' BEST SELECTION

I almost screamed when my husband ordered on-line my top 3 of ROYCE' best selection of chocolates the time 'twas delivered to our door one day. Shipping fee is kind a pricey ( 1,100 jpy because they do refrigerated delivery ) so everytime we order Royce' chocolates on-line, we ordered in bunches. It is really a piece of ' Heaven on Earth' for giving us these luxurious chocolate experience.

---ROYCE' Potato Chip Chocolate Caramel for 693 jpy---

You'll never stop munching ROYCE' Caramel. The white chocolate caramel flavor and the saltiness taste of the potato chip blends together in your mouth and if you're into ' too much sweets ', this is for you and I recommend to pair it with a cup of black coffee.
---ROYCE' Pure Chocolate Mild Bitter and Extra Bitter for 693 jpy---

For those who loves bitter treats, this round ridges chocolates is for you. High quality chocolates, with a divine taste,mild bitter 80%cacao and rich and satisfying extra bitter 90%cacao. And by the way, we're bitter chocoholics!

---ROYCE' Potato Chip Chocolate, 2 bags in a carry box for 1,386 jpy---

And if you're in the mood to be bad, I recommend you to try the original chocolate-covered chips, they're sinfully good!

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/

Nostalgia--Honeymoon at Liloan

We went to Liloan a day after our church wedding in the Philippines and stayed at Marine Village in which the owner of the resort happened to be a close family friend of ours. I wanted Yochan ( my husband ) to enjoy the beauty of the beaches in the Philippines and the place is just perfect for us to spend our honeymoon. We went through a private boat to the resort and the staff is friendly to tour us around the resort ( and it was his first time to know about the TIP thingy coz they don't give money to the staffs working in a hotel in Japan ), the food served is on buffet style ( our choice to have ) and my husband loves some pinoy foods ( as long as they're not seafoods ), then we strolled along the beach. We didn't do much activities like diving or snorkeling but we spoiled each others arms during our quick stay there and he told me that he's loving the Philippines! ( dapat lang coz I'm a pinay lol!) He went back 2 days after our honeymoon and waited for me in Japan after working for some important papers to be done.
---Private boat---
---Bongga Villa---

Isn't it so much fun to go back and just yank them all out and just sit there and reminisce? ^_^

*Nostalgia is a weekly Thursday meme hosted by Ate Rose--please play with us by clicking the linky badge.*

Girl's Talk---Emotionally

I'm afraid of making this entry coz I don't post too much personal emotions ( except for what I feel about my kids and husband ) here at Kizuna most especially when I'm really, really down spirited. The thing is I don't want to be seen as emotionally distraught---I am a softie, but I don't want to be seen as one-- gusto ko yung nagpipigil ng luha at ayokong ipakita. I think I'm emotionally unhealthy--hinde ako yung tipong nagsasalita ng marami. I don't know why but I guess it's just me.

There was a time that I was so emotional ( I guess hinde ko na talaga nakayanan ), I called a friend but asked her not to ask a question but just let her stay beside me while I was crying like river--after an hour, I feel a lil bit lighter in the inside. She didn't ask, she cried for me,too but we didn't had an emotional conversation but it's enough for me to feel better knowing that she was there for me and faced tomorrow as if nothing happened. Thanked God for her..

It's not all roses but those bothersome times won't stay either. When it comes, let it pass. Tomorrow's a new day.

A friend of mine told me that and I do believe so....Tomorrow's a new day...

More emotion talks here at

Couple's Corner--Our Different Talents

I don't know if I have talent--I used to dance at the centerstage and be on the spotlight but now I am dancing while vacuuming some house dust at every corner of the house lol! What else? I'm not a good writer kaya dinadaan ko na lang sa mga pics, not a good cook but I'm learning. I can't think of anything for myself but I guess I'm loving photography more. I'm a newbie in photography and I wanted to improve little by little so what I'm doing now is practice and take a shot of my kids as a subject.

My husband is the opposite of me--he's very good on numbers ( Wakaba is good on numbers,too. I bet she got it from her Dad ), an artist ( he's good on sketching or anything about crafts), a computer techie, a hands-on mechanic and knows about tools or anything on cars. He has a passion on cars and he's enhancing his driving skills on car race practices at the circuit. He also had a good sense of humor and I am his number one fan lol!

For more talks at Couple' s Corner, head up to Mommy Liza' s fun meme

PBW---Janome Beach

---Aquamarine Fukushima's 10th!---

Aquamarine Fukushima celebrates their 10th Anniversary last Saturday and grabbed the opportunity to make it to the event coz it is summer time and we want Wakaba and Haruka to have a load of fun this summer vacation and yes, we all had a blast! After watching the aquarium ( this time, they're really quick of the tour at the aquarium lol) we stayed at the Janome Beach ( manmade shore) wherein they can touch and observe living creatures at the mudflats, rocks and sandy beach inside Aquamarine Fukushima. Another fun family adventures and I love it!!\(^0^)/

---Haruka with a big smile---
---My girls---
---bonding with my kids is my joy---
---Yours trully and Wakaba---

Have a nice week ahead to everybody!!
For more Pixel Bug Weekenders, head up here

Mommy Moments--Park Day

---Futatsunuma Koen---

Spending time at the park is one of our Family Fun Day and when the sun is out, we would spend a day having fun, eat lunch with my homemade bentou ( lunch box ) and running around with our kids. At the park we let our kids to have around unlimited fun but kids are still kids, they sometimes get cranky when it's time for us to go home lol! This is where our family spend our family park day during the weekend, we all had a goodtime and aside playing with the playground, the space there is huge where we can also do badminton, soccer, dodge ball ( we always bring our game stuffs with us most especially balls ) and then had some ice cream and a lot of laughters. For a nature lover like us, the park has greens to cherish--all you have to do is just spread your leisure sheet and relax! And hey, it's F-R-E-E!! ^_^ Sharing the photos taken last weekend--enjoy!

---An all-time fave, Air Dome---
---Wakaba, having a good time---
---Ice cream delight---
---Us, sitting in peace while keeping an eye with the kids---

---Wakaba is growing up so fast but not too old to still want to hold my hands----

It's getting hotter this summer so be sure to bring water and a lot of sunscreen! Have a nice weekend to everybody and enjoy your summer!! ^_^

Share your Mommy Moments and stories-- join us here

We' d love to hear from you! ^_^

Food Trip Friday---Agedashi Tofu

---Agedashi Tofu---

I' m a fan of tofu ( bean curd ) and my family loves anything with tofu! It's a traditional japanese food and another comfort food of my family. My style of making agedashi dofu is using a momen tofu ( firm bean curd ) while others use kinugoshi tofu ( silken bean curd ) and is deep fried and served with sauce. I love my tofu dishes to be cooked that way ^_^ Now, I'm gonna share my recipe of making agedashi tofu or agedashi dofu ( Japanese Deep Fried Tofu ) for you to try---eating tofu is cheap and healthy. You can find some of the ingredients again on your favorite asian markets.

Ingredients: ( good for 4 persons )
Momen Tofu-- 2 blocks
Katakuriko or Cornstarch
Oil for deep frying
Daikon ( white radish ) ---grated

Option:
Grated ginger
Eggplant

Sauce:
Mirin--2 tablespoon
Soysauce--2 tablespoon
Dashi stock-- 1/2 tablespoon of powdered dashi no motto plus 1 cup of water
Sugar-- 1 tablespoon

Directions of making Agedashi Tofu:

In preparing the sauce, put all in sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan, turn the heat and simmer until done then set aside. Cut tofu into squares like the photo above or you can cut them into smaller cubes ( if you like) , drain excess water and blot with paper towel. You don't want your tofu to spatter when you deep fried them right? Be careful and make sure that it has no moisture. Coat your tofu lightly with potato starch or cornstarch and deep fried them ( 170 to 180 degree C ) until golden and repeat for another batch and drain excess oil and or use paper towel and set aside. You can also deep fry an eggplant ( like of what I did ) sweet potato, pumpkin ( just cut the veggies thinly ) for added volume. Arrange bowl and put the deep fried tofu and veggies ( if you have ) and pour over the sauce and top with a mound of grated daikon and a bit of grated ginger ( if you like ). Serve with plain rice, soup and veggie salad and you're done with an easy and light to the budget dinner! ^_^

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/

Nostalgia--Simple Wedding Reception In Japan

After our Church Wedding in the Philippines, we celebrated a simple wedding reception ( hiroen ) here in Japan to formally introduce me as the wife of Mr. Sasaki ( blushing ). It was a less-formal reception and the venue has a nice atmosphere. Attending wedding receptions here in Japan are expected to give cash, wrapped in a beautiful money envelope called Shugi-Bukuro. Family members and relatives were invited and they were introduced to me one by one and extended their well wishes and accepted me as Mrs.Sasaki. My heart is bursting with gladness coz after all my FIL was against a Filipina ( read here ), it was his will to celebrate a simple wedding reception which was very solemn to be witnessed by the whole clan. During my FIL's speech, he lied about the 'against thingy' lol!
It was my very first time to wear a Japanese Kimono which my MIL wore during her younger years and I nearly can't breathe coz I was tied, wrapped and trussed all over! Well anyway during the reception, a banquet is served, a lot of chit chats and drinks with the guests, changed my Kimono to Chinese dress just like how Japanese do at a wedding reception ( some change attires 3 to 4 times ) and ended with smiles on our face. It is also in the tradition to give wedding momentous called the Hikidemono to the guests such sweets and or tablewares ( ours was a pair tea cup from Noritake which is my FIL's choice) interiors or a gift catalog where the guest can choose from.
---Received a gift from SIL Mihoko---
---It is also in the tradition to make rounds to the guest's table to pour or fill their drinks---
---Very busy of doing rounds and a lot of talking---
---With Yochan's cousin---
---My PIL received a bouquet of flowers from us ( abot tenga ang smile ng FIL ko lol!)--

Isn't it so much fun to go back and just yank them all out and just sit there and reminisce? ^_^

*Nostalgia is a weekly Thursday meme hosted by Ate Rose--please play with us by clicking the linky badge.*