Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Couple's Corner--We Help and Support Each Other

---We couldn't have made it this far without the loving support of each other---

Doing the household chores is a shared responsibility between me and my husband and although he may not always take the tasks the way I do at home, I know he tries his best even without me demanding him to do this or do that. He can take over the duty whenever I'm not around just like when I needed to tend to my MIL for a week with the kids and I thought that the apartment would be a disaster when we came back but it wasn't-- the apartment was cleaned and all! However, I received a ' claim ' from him coz I left him with an empty dishwashing liquid lol! He doesn't like leaving the dirty dishes and even though he came home late that night from his job, he went to the nearest supermarket to buy one lol!

He maybe the most ' maarteng asawa' ( he's such a claimer lol! ) but I'm lucky to have him-- he prepares an occassional breakfast for me and the kids and although his french toast ( and or pancake ) ain't perfect, I can feel the love and his effort and thanked him for preparing our breakfast. And when he feels down spirited in some way, I'm always there to listen and to give a hug ( and vice versa ) and as with the kids, he finds time to teach them, read stories and play with them while I'm doing something at home. And as a support to my loving husband, no matter how early it maybe, I love preparing homemade bento for my husband to bring for his lunch at work.
It' s very important to let your partner in life know how much you appreciate their help, big or small. Maybe a kiss or a hug goes a long way to make them feel loved and appreciated. ^_^

For more talks at Couple' s Corner, head up to Mommy Liza' s fun memeRodliz’s Nest


Top Commentators For August

I would like to give thanks to friends who kept on visiting my outlet Kizuna and for commenting---your comments is very special to me and I really appreciate all of you guys for making an effort to visit and read my lively journey here in Japan. And with this, I would like to grab the opportunity to give thanks to my Top 10 Commentators for the month of August and at the same time, the following friends links will be at my sidebar as a linky love for their continued loving support for Kizuna.
top ten commentatores
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Mommy Eden of Moments To Remember
Mrs. Kolca of U.T.O.T. M.O. P.I.N.K.

Mommy Mylene of Online Mommy's Corner
Anney of Blog Ni Ako
This Is My Life

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, it brightens my day ^_^Please feel free of visiting them also thru their linky badges.


Monday, August 30, 2010

Heart's Content Of A Mama Turns 2!



In support of a new found friend here at blogosphere, I'm joining Mommy Mel Cole of Heart's Content Of A Mama, Seasons and Seasonings and Arty Bluejay first giveaway contest as she celebrate her 2nd blogversary. The main: what's up for grabs? You will be able to win lots of beauty products, cash and a special prize and it's very easy to join and do the mechanics. Visit her site for more details. Contests starts from August 25,2010 to September 25,2010. Hurry up to join now! ^_^

Sunday, August 29, 2010

PBW--Tanabata Matsuri

One of the highlights of our summer activities is attending events like Tanabata Matsuri which my family loves to enjoy every summer. Tanabata Matsuri is an exciting event for Wakaba and Haruka coz it is a time where they can spend a ' lil bit of their allowance ' freely. We let them save their money that they received from relatives during the Oshogatsu so when the event comes and they need something, they can always bring along their wallet to spent for fun. They love scooping super balls everytime we attend summer festivals!
We watched parades and shows for kids and enjoyed somes frappes to beat the summer heat and went home to change for our summer yukata to get ready for the evening fun and this time with their Dad. We enjoyed our eyes with all the beautiful and colorful streamers and watched the evening parade and went to our favorite Izakaya for our dinner ( tanabata matsuri feasts will be served on Food Trip Friday ) It was a day of lot of walking, fun and of course flooding with people.
---Day time dancing parade with Japanese people on Kimono---
---Kiddie cheerleaders, cutie!---
---Wakaba and Haruka scooping super balls!---
---Holding hands to their Dad---
---Wakaba------Mom should have at least one photo ( again )------Evening parade with the Hula Girls------Drinking session at Izakaya---
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Have a nice week ahead to everybody!!^_^

Hair Care For My MIL

Since the day my Mil had an accident, I just can't help but kept on worrying about her and thanked God that she was released at the hospital last month. I see to it to go to their place every week to tend to her needs and if our schedule won't let us, my SIL is there for her. My MIL can't walk well, she down-sized her weight and she looked old than her age.

Last week I came to wash her hair and then I discovered her hair is dry, wiry and brittle and decided to look for a good grey hair shampoos for her grey hair and some treatment and care such as keratin shampoo to keep her hair healthy and some tea tree shampoo for maintenance with all-natural fragrance that I bet she' ll surely love. Having a well-groomed hair will look young for her!

And oh, I'm planning to give my MIL a cool hair blow dryers for her birthday as a present this month. Don't you think she would be the happiest? She deserves to be pampered and all! ^_^

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Food Trip Friday---Hiyashi Tantanmen

---Hiyashi Tantanmen---

Hiyashi Tantanmen is made with a flavored ground meat and spicy sesame sauce over cold noodles topped with thinly sliced cucumber and boiled egg and is usually served during the summer. Japanese loves to eat cold noodles to beat the summer heat just like Hiyashi Chuka. You can buy tantanmen noodle set from your favorite asian store but here in Japan, it is available at supermarkets and can easily done at home--all you have to do is follow the package instructions and prepare the toppings and viola! You're all set!^_^



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

Mommy Moments--I Love Toys And Gadgets!


Wakaba and Haruka could have piles of toys from us but during on their birthdays only ( now that they're growing up fast ) and they could buy for toys only from their otoshidama that they receive from relatives on New Year Holidays in Japan . I thought that at their age, they would be asking for computer/electric gadgets coz some of their classmates in kindergarten and at gradeschool most has it but I think they're still not interested which I think is good for them. I don't know if I'm so makaluma but as much as possible I don't want them to be exposed into computer games ( please don't get me wrong-- it's just me ) but rather let them play together with friends. As of now, I would be very happy to see my kids run with their friends and play traditional games outdoor/indoor. As they grow, I would buy them gadgets that are useful ( rather than cute ) and is right for their age.
Friends in the neighborhood is a frequent visitor of ours most especially during off time at school and play with my kids toys at home BUT with a promise to return the toys after using them and they're keeping their promises which is very helpful to me^_^ Here are some of my kids and friends fave to play at home. Enjoy!
--- Licca chan's Mister Donuts Cafe Play Set to play with Haruka , our pressies for Wakaba's 7th Birthday ---

---Mickey Mouse Jolly Cooking Set---
---Newest Tamagochi for a 7 years old Wakaba, it took me a year to decide to really buy her the gadget and let her promise to take care of her virtual pet after doing her homework at home. ( and I'll be taking care of it when she's at school lol! )---
---The last time we used our PSP was during a long flight to the Philippines, we rarely use 'em--- ---Anpanman Sushi-Go-Round Play Set is a fave of all time! ---
---Kindergarten Sylvanian Families Play Set, I soo love the nice details, all with teen tiny accessories and they're incredibly cute!---

More cutie and cool toys and gadgets here at Mommy Moments. Join us! mommy moments

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


Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Nostalgia--First Summer

I never thought that summer in Japan could be such a fun because of lots of events! Natsu Matsuri, Hanabi, Tanabata Matsuri and it is the time of the year that I could wear my summer yukata. As a preparation of the natsu matsuri or the so-called summer festival and our first summer as husband and wife, my SIL did my hair up and my MIL helped me dressed up my yukata to be with the event of my husband's circle of friends--most of them are Yochan's childhood friends and classmates. It wasn't the first time I mingled with Yochan's friends, they're also a living witness of our lovestory. We held up a tent and put up some games, we had a lot of fun, not much with the fund raising though but we did it all just for fun. Now that we moved here at Iwaki, we seldom see each other but if we did, there's always a nomikai ( drinking party )Hope to see them again on autumn this year ^_^



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.* Photobucket

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Couple's Corner--When Simple Sorry Is Not Enough


I promised to quit smoking but for a heavy smoker like me, quitting the habit was hard. When he's at work, I puff once in a while but the urge is too strong that a single puff ain't enough and he kept on giving me a chance still. 'Just one last puff ' says me and made the biggest mistake of my life and left him with my belongings when he told me that he'll divorce me if I won't stop--I guess it's a big deal to him coz I promised to quit smoking when we're still both single and he is so much concern about my health and all. My PIL's doors is always open for me and my MIL picked me up at the apartment( gladly lol! ) after calling her and stayed at the bukid of tralala for awhile hoping that Yochan would follow and bring me back home to Fukushima but there's no Yochan, not even a single ring at the phone. I cried and realized my fault and called him days after. I wanted to be home and I missed him badly and swallowed my pride with a promise not to smoke anymore--and it's for real otherwise, I might lose him forever with full of regrets for the rest of my life. I went home at the apartment and cooked for him the time he arrived from work--I was about to tell him I was sorry but he just hugged me and told me okaerinasai ( welcome back ). Gosh, I'm so guilty--he's so good to me but what have I done? That was 8 years ago and from that day on until now, I haven't had a taste of my fave cigar and wouldn't even dare to smoke again that caused us much damage to our relationship.
For more talks at Couple' s Corner, head up to Mommy Liza' s fun memeRodliz’s Nest

Sunday, August 22, 2010

PBW--NASU Animal Kingdom

---NASU Animal Kingdom-- Nasu, Tochigi----

During my kids summer vacation at school, we wanted our kids to have fun memories and great adventures inspite that my husband is busy and crazy over his work but taking our kids out is also our sort of relaxation and we wanted the kids to get excited so all of the summer plans is a secret to them. We didn't tell them where we're going, only hints: not at the circuit, not at Disneyland nor Disney Sea, and not at Sanrio Puroland ( not this year and if we are, we always planned of a 2 days fun so staying at a hotel is another plus to be planned for.

This time we went to NASU Animal Kingdom at Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture ( 3 hours drive from our place ) where my kids had a blast with all kinds of animals ( 500 and more ) from aqua to zoo and they had a close contact with dogs, rabbits, etc and we spent almost a day there coz the park is soo spacious--it is 10 times larger than Tokyo Dome and they have a free bus transportation to go over where you wanted to explore at the animal kingdom. Wakaba enjoyed her first ride at a camel ( the truth is I wanted to ride too but it says that the camel ride is limited for people who weights 50 kilos only lol ) and Haruka also enjoyed the horse ride with me at the back ( gosh, bumalik ako sa pagkabata! ). We also enjoyed the New Zealand Farmshow performing the scenes of sheep farming-- the dogs did a very good job of controlling the sheeps and of course with the help of a sheep raiser from New Zealand. They also have a bird performance show and some events which family will love to enjoy.

We had a wonderful time, walking around and staying there for a day really worth the money we spent and the food is delicious and the whole area is clean and lots of greens to cherish! I thought that my kids will get tired feet but no, they're active in walking and I love 'em for that!

And again, another fun summer memories for all of us ^_^ ---Close encounter with dogs---
---Kawaii neko chan!!---
---Cats world---
---My kids had a lot of fun feeding the rabbits with carrot---
---Humboldt Penguin---
---Aqua Zone---
--- Eurasian Eagle Owl, Bird Town----
---Wakaba enjoying a camel ride---
---While me and Haruka enjoys the horse ride--- ---Watching the show with Daddy---
---New Zealand Farm Show---
---Yakiniku lunch, good for big eaters like our family---
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