Kitsune Udon ( Fox Udon )

Had a quick lunch at Joban Expressway Tomobe Service Area during our road trip to Ibaraki and Tochigi Ken. Kitsune Udon is a japanese noodle soup with aburaage fried tofu and a japanese comfort food. According to the folk stories, fried tofu was a favorite food of the fox, that’s why the noodle was named after this folk tale.

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Busy Preparation

Getting children prepared for school is not a simple thing. There is so much planning that goes into getting them ready for school and we have been busy getting all the school stuff that Haruka chan will need in preparation for first grade. In Japan, school starts in April so the parents have to prepare for that. Well anyway, here's the stuffs that we prepared for Haruka ^_^

Haruka chan's new Study Desk~ it has a built in bookshelf, which is a popular design in Japan as a space saver. It comes with an alarm clock, electric pencil sharpener, led desk lamp, chair and globe as set for 40,000 japanese yen.

Wakaba chan and Haruka chan's Hello Kitty Thermos~ My kids bring bottled water everyday at school and they need spill proof water bottles to keep water cold during summer and warm mugi cha ( roasted barley drink ) during the winter.

Toothbrush set~ they will need it after eating their lunch at school

Rilakkuma Shoe Bag, Uwabaki ( in Japan school, kids remove their shoes at the entrance at the school and put on indoor shoes ), Rilakkuma pencil case

We bought her a formal pink suit to wear on her Entrance Ceremony and of course, the traditional Randoseru ( a leather school backpack for 50,000 japanese yen ). Most kids usually have one randoseru that lasts them throughout their 6 years in elementary school.

Moving Up Day

Congratulations to our precious Haruka chan! It doesn’t seem that long ago that I walked her into the first day of kindergarten. Time sure does fly by, she is now ready for first grade ^_^

We wish you all the success in the future, Haruka chan!
Our daughter Haruka chan receives her certificate
Her big sissy Wakaba chan~ she also completed kindergarten at the same school

The Kinder Graduates singing 'Jesus Loves Me this I know' in japanese version~ enjoy!

焼き味豚丼

When we first saw Yoshinoya's commercial on TV featuring their new menu, me and my husband had the same thought in mind that we must try it and Yaki Aji Buta Don ( stir fried pork bowl) didn't fail our expectations. We had a chance to visit Yoshinoya and was excited and so is my husband ( which is a pork lover lol). The kids ordered the usual Kids Gyudon of course and we were delighted with our orders too, the sweet and fragrant sauce coated from the decadent pork belly over rice with coleslaw and yes, it is definitely perfect with rice! Sabi nga nila, sauce pa lang ulam na^_^ I would go for 2 pork bowls for that lol!

For a pork lovers like us, it will definitely make your day. Only 380 yen for a bowl of Yaki Aji Buta Don and 50 yen for miso soup as side menu, how reasonable right?^_^

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Haruka's 6th Birthday

We celebrated Haruka chan's 6th birthday at home and she wasn't feeling very well days before her birthday. Her fever was quite high and we went to the hospital on the day of her birthday and was positive of Influenza. Influenza was spreading everywhere here in Japan and half of the students at their school has influenza and their school was closed for one week because of the spreading virus. Yours trully and her big sissy Wakaba of course, have been bed ridden after her birthday due to influenza. Oh well... at least after her birthday, if not I wouldn't be able to prepare something for her birthday...

Strawberry Short Cake made by yours trully as requested by the birthday girl
My girls
The birthday girl Haruka chan with a fever of 39 deg C on that day
Smile Pretty Cure figures, our gifts to her
Surprise gift from a friend in Tokyo

Monday, February 20, 2012

Nagano Trip

My husband and I thought of celebrating our Christmas in Nagano last year without telling the kids about the plan because we wanted to give 'em a wonderful Christmas present~ a nice and fun childhood memories. We wanted them to play more outdoors which they can't do much here in Fukushima and aside from that, it's the second time around ( went there last summer, same place) and we love Nagano! Many Winter Olympic events were held there and has many winter resorts. Well anyway, since it was a secret getaway for the kids, we bought 'em some snow gears ( snow boots, caps, blah,blah) the time the kids were at school and put all the stuffs inside the cars trunk day before the trip. It was hard to plan an secret getaway but it was all worth it! You should see their reactions when they saw lots and I mean LOTS of powdery snow the time we reached Nagano from 5 hours driving by car! They have no idea of where we were goin' and we just told them that we'll have a 'long fun drive today' and even though it was really a long drive,the kids enjoyed taking trips to the service area coz from there, they'd get a souvenir stamps available at the service area where we took some rest ( toilet, drinks and foods) and didn't get bored.

We reached at the resort and check-in, we told the kids of the plan next day, we enjoyed our Christmas dinner at the resort of course and relaxed ourselves at the onsen( hot spring). Our kids were worried coz they don't have snow gears to wear but when they opened the other bag with their snow gears, they get all excited!

Next day, we took our breakfast, we took or sled, our shovel then Wakaba and Haruka enjoyed playing a lot of snow outside, the sleigh rides, built a snowman, built a kamakura ( an igloo-like snow house~that's why we brought our shovel with us) and we had snow ball fights and enjoyed to the fullest!

I really love seeing them playing around, playing with us! It is such a great experience for them I'm sure! I hope that my girls will always keep these memories in their heart^_^

Winter Resort in Nagano
Japanese Style
White Christmas in Nagano
Lucky Haruka build snowman together with new-found friend that we met at the same resort that we were staying at.
Wakaba can being pulled by her Dad
Haruka chan, enjoyed snow balls fight with me^_^
Wakaba chan posed for me ^_^
Like mother, like daughter LOL!
Yours truly ^_^
Took a photo of the snowman we made before we left
Christmas dinner at the resort

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Haruka chan, Now 6!!!

神様からの愛をたくさんもらっている遥ちゃんへ

毎日のめぐみにかんしゃして　たのしく　げんきに　すごしてね！！お誕生日おめでとう！

Happy 6th Birthday!!! ^_^