Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Home Healthy

Tokyo is apparently in the middle of an influenza outbreak.  So my "big kids"--I just used that phrase to describe my older two for the first time today, and was shocked at how apropos it is, except, when exactly did they get so big?!!--are perfectly healthy but out of school for most of this week.  Enough children were absent Monday from their respective classes that the teachers ruled three days of rest as a better option.  Exactly whom will be "RESTING" is an entirely different discussion.....

Once littlest got home from school, she and her sister were right to the tedious and exacting work of creating these puppets.  That's right, they carefully cut these little paper figures off a calendar from two or three years ago--supplied by their grandmother, of course.  Next step, find all the disposable chopsticks in the house and cut them in half.  Finally, laboriously tape each teeny piece of paper to aforementioned stick.  I'm sorry, I sound like I don't appreciate this project.  I DO!  Because they didn't ask me to help.... 


However, I was privileged to attend the show.  I was called to task for looking at my phone while it was going on--for shame!--so I tried to cover my sin by grabbing these photos.  



My sweet little ladies, so earnest and yet silly in everything they do.  I am not completely sorry that I looked my phone during the show.  After all, I was trying to stay awake.....



ONLY because the puppeteers are irresistible, well, I might be up for an encore.  Of the show.  Not the three days off school thing....two more to go....I am SO in favor of homeschool....for other people.  Good night!

Sunday, February 02, 2014

Remembering Now


Sunday evening is TV time.  
At 6 pm, Chibi Maruko Chan (CMC) is on.  She's pictured above, on our ultra-modern-TV-with-VCR-attached. If I have dinner ready in time, then I sit and watch with the kids. Watching TV isn't usually a top priority for me.  
But tonight as we were sitting, I was allowed to see the moment from a bird's eye view.  I saw that this simple, almost silly routine we have of laying everything aside so we can laugh together at CMC's antics is special.  We won't have it forever.  Someday we'll say, "remember when we used to do that?"
So I took this photo, for someday.  I'm showing it and telling you in case I need help to remember some day.  

Saturday, February 01, 2014

Hustling Away From Cake


Yesterday I was invited to a friend's house for lunch.  She wrapped it up with coffee and cake, a combination I find particularly irresistible.  
However, for the sake of my expanding waistline and the stress that brings--ironic, the reverse is also true--I've committed to give up grains (though I may occasionally allow white rice) and sugar for the month of February.  
This is by no means the first "lifestyle change" I've attempted.  If I want to be honest with myself, it likely won't be my last.  
I'm at the end of my first day.  Today went well as far as my parameters and not well as far as my mood.  But, thank God, I made it through one day.  Only 27 to go!