Pixel Bug Weekend

How' s your weekend guys? I was not able to upload for some of the photos during the weekend coz my husband brought the camera with him at his work today ( forgive me for that ) but I don' t want to miss Sassy Mom' s meme so I' m sharing the photos at my In-Laws blueberry farm taken last summer. Wakaba and Haruka had a great time on their outdoor leisure activities by picking up blueberry at their Grannies farm. My FIL' s farm grows large fruit bearing blueberry and most of the berries were picked by hand which my kids loves to enjoy! My FIL does the planting, taking care for some weed control ( I don' t know much about the planting though ) and before we know it, it' ll be time to start pruning where we can come over to pick fresh and eat yummy blueberries!! I' m sure my kids will have good childhood memories on that ^_^

Wakaba picking up some fresh blueberries
Spread of blueberry bushes

Quarter-size blueberries
My MIL and the kids
Blueberries-- ready to pick!
And yours trully enjoyed seeing the kids of what they enjoy!
They are busy filling up their own containers
YUM!! I guess you know already who picked the unriped ones LOL!! We brought some of the blueberries at the apartment and my MIL made some jam out of it and some were frozened.

My homemade Marble Blueberry Cheese Cake!!

And here' s a slice for you ^_^

Happy Monday and enjoy your week ahead!! For more Pixel Bug Weekenders, head up here

Food Trip Friday---Sukiyaki

Who says you can't do sukiyaki at home? I know that dining out is a kind a pricey but you can make a home-style sukiyaki right into your home!

What you will need is:
A:
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tbsps sake ( japanese rice wine )
5 tbsps sugar

beef - thinly sliced
negi ( leek ) - 1 pc
carrot - 1 pc
hakusai ( chinese cabbage ) - 1/4 pack
yaki- dofu (grilled tofu) - 1 cake
shirataki noodles(yam noodles) - 1/2 pack
shiitake mushrooms - 1 pack
shimeji mushrooms - 1 pack
chrysanthemum leaves - 1/2 pack
2 tablespoons oil

Directions:

1: Cut all ingredients into bite-sized pieces.
2: Mix A to make sukiyaki sauce.
3: Boil shirataki noodles, set aside.
4: Put oil and fry some beef slices into the skillet, then pour A in the pan.
5: Add other ingredients when the sauce starts to boil except for grilled tofu and leek.
6: Simmer until all ingredients are softened, add grilled tofu and leek, simmer for a while.
7: Add chrysanthemum leaves just before you eat them.

Our family don't add raw eggs for the sukiyaki but you can add raw eggs for dipping if you like. Enjoy!! ^_^

( The Chrystantemum leaves used in cooking is different from those flowering chrysantemum--it is grown specifically for cooking only. It is called shingiku here in Japan---edited )

Note: This is a re-post for my Food Trip Friday entry. For Food trippers join us here. Chibugan na!!! \(^0^)/

Mommy Moments

A day at AEON Mall-- they love to play Taiko at the amusement park!
Go-go Mario Kart

Thanks God, it' s Friday once again and it' s time for Mommy Moments meme!! For today' s theme is A Day at the Mall. My kids loves to go to the mall ( Aeon Mall ) and the mall is just a walk away from our apartment! The photo above is what my daughters loves to play whenever we' re malling. But for sometimes, we went for a long ride just to have fun at a bigger malls like Fashion Cruise ( at Hitachi Naka ) and Sano Premium Outlet ( at Tochigi Ken )

A day at Fashion Cruise
Studio Ghibli -- What I love it there because there are lots of Ghibili goods and other characters of the works of Hayao Miyazaki.
Wakaba and Haruka loves ' My Neighbor Totoro '

You might as well seen this cat on the anime ' Kiki' s Delivery Service '. The black cats name is Jiji.

Lunch time at a family restaurant--did you know what makes them really busy?

Window shopping at Coach ---hayzz.. hanggang tingin lang ako lol!!
Wakaba and Haruka at Lego

Wakaba loves this Tee as a present given by her Tita Bambie
GUCCI-- hanggang tingin lang!!

Even I can't own those brands, I' m happy even just looking at it. Do you believe in me?LOL!

Please share your Mommy Moments and stories-- join us here. We' d love to hear from you! ^_^

Girl' s Talk--Shoes

I' m not much into mules, high heeled shoes--No,no!! You won' t see me wearing those shoes!! I can' t run with my kids wearing with heels on! I' m much into sporty sneakers of all time like Air Force 1 of Nike ( what I have now is dirty and rotten because I used them everyday lol!) and I love Chuck Taylor All Stars due to texture and unique design. No matter how many pairs of Nike I go through, there will always be a Chuck' s on my feet in spirit! These two from Converse is a fave of mine.

How about you? Wanna talk about shoes? Share them here ^_^

Couple's Corner: Meet Mr.And Mrs.Sasaki

Congratulations to Mommy Liza of Rodliz Nest.. for this fun meme held every Wednesday for couples. Here' s my first entry:

My name is Clarissa, you can call me Clang for short, was born in Quezon City but raised up in Negros Oriental and yes a true pinay. I have two brothers that is very much taller than me and I am the only girl and the eldest. I lost my stepfather when I was still 9 years old and our Mom raised us up working in our own business, a small canteen. I can still remember at my early age, I have been waking up 5 A.M.early in the morning to help my Mom at the canteen and then went to a public school after helping her--my two brothers were still too young then. Years passed and due to financial problems I didn't finish my College and I decided to work as an entertainer/dancer here in Japan--they called us Japayuki at that time. I get hurt for sometimes because of the humilations made just because I am working as a dancer in Japan. It was like a ' naghuhubad ka ba dun?' 'bakit?meron ba akong ipapakita?' is my reply.Well, that was before, I can laugh it all now. I stayed at a promotion for a year with a lot of practice, dance lessons, and then passed, received my license and took an audition. I started working for 6 months and got requested again for the 2nd time, same working place and met the man of my life. His name is Yoshiyuki, Yochan for short. He' s the eldest among 4 siblings. He' s working as an radioligist, crazy over his work and now an occassional racer. He fighted for his love for me over his father who's against a Filipina. I can't blame his father for not trusting a pinay-- lot of Filipinas and Chinese wives married to Japanese at my In-Laws place before but most of them now were gone/ran away after the marriage. His father was worried that my husband will experience the same thing because I am a Filipina, too. But he wanted to prove that his father is wrong and still get married to me. Now we have 3 daughters, Wakaba, Haruka and Clarence Claire which my husband is calling his own.^_^

For more talks at Couple' s Corner, head up HERE:

Jillian Rylie' s Smile

What do you think of her smile? Isn' t it the sweetest smile on earth?? Please vote for her smile at PINOY SMILE CONTEST Jillian Rylie Cotrill is the daughter of Ate Rose and Sir John, author of the following blogs--just click the cutie button to direct you to their sites.





For more details:http://www.pinoysmiles.net/2009/10/contest.html

Pixel Bug Weekend--Undokai at Kindergarten

Last Saturday was Wakaba' s undokai event held at their school. My Mother-In-Law was with us to cheer up and give a boost to Wakaba. What I love about Japan' s Undokai ( Sports Day ) is the idea for the kids to work together as a team and supporting each other. The concept of team work and camaraderie is encouraged of the competition during the sports event. You' ll hear them saying ' Gambatte!!( do your best! )' It is fun to see kids to putting their efforts into something most especially Wakaba ( she really feel bad when she or her team is not #1 lol! ).My fave part at the undokai is the oyako undokai ( it is where parents can also participate in some of the games ). My husband and I participated the game and yes Wakaba and Haruka had smiles on their faces and so are we ^_^. It is also the time wherein I can make all their favorite foods together in a pack lunch box that is called obento here. I guess you have seen some of my homemade lunch pack that I made for my family for family outings and picnics. You can see last years undokai HERE

Homemade Obento
Wakaba at the parade
The Button Relay
Wakaba looks so responsible whatever she does! She had grown up so fast, too soon!!
The Tug-Of-War
Wakaba and her Daddy' s tandem
Haruka showing up her medal after their dance with Dad
Button Relay part 2
Wakaba dancing her heart out!!
Mother-In-Law and yours trully
Bubble fun
They had a bubble fun after the closing ceremony
On our way to our home

For more Pixel Bug Weekenders, head up here