Hairclip Making Machine

I'm finally nearing the end of a huge order from a lady from here on base for hairclips for her 8 granddaughters. She ordered 26 pairs! I'm so excited for her granddaughters! But I've already ran out of some supplies, so it was good timing that I had a trip to Seattle recently to make a run to Michaels to get more. I made sure to stock up this time.
I miss Michaels. There's a couple craft stores nearby, but the prices just don't compare. Plus, crafting here in Japan leans more towards beading, felting, knitting/crocheting, and sewing. I'm finding lots more cute fabrics and felt colors and yarn textures than in the US. So, maybe my crafting habit will have to take a new direction soon.
Here's two if stores I frequent that have websites: (viewed with google translate, so the english maybe butchered)
Yuzawaya
Odakaya
The funny thing about the larger craft stores here is that they sell lingerie there too. Not to make yourself, but to buy. I guess they figure their customers are usually women who need lingerie while they're looking for buttons.

Happy Candy Day!

halloween 08

Careese turns ONE?!

We're back! Sorry its been a long while. I just got back from Seattle with Careese. I was asked by my best friend I've known since elementary school to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. She's been waiting, I have too, for a long while for her man to propose, and he finally popped the question last Christmas. I couldn't be happier for her. So being part of her wedding was a big part of why I was in Seattle. And I haven't seen my family in a while, and they haven't seen Careese since she was 2 months old, and I miss them.
Careese turned the big O-N-E over the trip. And I feel bad that Mark and Evan missed it. They stayed behind, because Mark had a conference to prep for in Malaysia, and Evan couldn't miss that much school, and I was scared to make a trip out to Seattle with two kids on my own. Mark's mom was kind enough to come in town just as I was going to be out of town to take care of Evan for me. Big Thank You!
My brother and sister flew up from Provo to see me over the weekend too. So it was a nice little family reunion in the Thong household. I'm glad they could come up. We went shopping, just the three of us, and it was like stepping back in time, because the last time we ever did that was when we'd go Christmas shopping when we were kids!

As (almost) always, my mom and I do some sewing/crafty project when I'm home. This time, we were sewing a Hawaiian dress for me to wear to my friend's wedding. I searched online for modest and cute dresses, but they're hard to find. I found a pattern for one I liked in a Japanese fabric store, and me and my mom figured out how to make it just from the pictures, cause we don't read Japanese.

Oct 2008 Seattle|Careese 1st Birthday|Bridesmaid Bev

Here's the pics. I thought I was invinsible against jetlag, but it's catching up to me now... I'll have to write more about Seattle later. A picture says a thousand words right?

Bend it Like Evan

Evan seems to be in limbo between needing a daily nap or not. And some days he drives me crazy with his jumping off the furniture and wanting to go outside at the worst times. So I thought we should at least channel some of this energy into something constructive.
I signed Evan up for soccer on base with the 3-5 yr olds. He did quite well for his first day. I think he has a hard time keeping focused the whole hour, because he kept wanting to do his own thing with the soccer ball. But then again, maybe it was wearing him out, just as planned?
I was surprised to see some of the kids with full on shin guards and cleats cause they're just 3-5 yr olds! and this program only runs 4 weeks, once a week! I might just cave and go get him shin guards, at least to keep him from getting hurt by everyone else's cleats.

On a quick side note: The other day when we were driving home from something, Evan was looking out the window, and then pointed out to me that he didn't want to go to our house, he wanted to go to our old house. I didn't think he'd remember anything of our old house, let alone cared. I asked him, what old house? what did it look like? what color? He couldn't nail down the color for me but he told me about how there was a triangle on top of the door! That's amazing! Because there was a "triangle" shaped moulding over the front door! He did remember! I explained to him that he was right, and that was our old house, but now we're in our new house, and we would see our old house again one day. He seem satisfied with my answer. I think I don't give him enough credit for how sharp he is sometimes.

From weeks before Japan

You did what to a Mochi?

We were shopping around in the Akihabara area, known for electronic stores of all calibers, and went into a kitchen appliance store.
I found what I thought was a waffle iron, but it made white colored waffles? Huh?
So I googled it, and this is what I found.
It is a Moffle Machine! It makes waffles from mochi! And you can eat it with almost anything. Ice cream, curry, salmon roe (eggs), dipped in chocolate, with ham and cheese, really anything! I'm very curious. I don't know if I'm willing to shell out $70 USD to try it. I think there are a few cafe's that have put it on their menus. So I'll let you know when I try it if its good. :)
I guess the article says people have tried using their reg waffle irons with mixed results. I might try it, it can't be too hard to clean up right?

Fun with Evan

One evening, Evan whined his usual whine, "I need something else I can do!" I just happened to finish vacuuming so I had Evan lay down on my rug and pretend to be different letters. He did a pretty good job! I had to get my camera out and had him spell out his name. Cute huh?

Then I got an idea to turn up the fun. I read a post on designmom.com last year about how she took pictures of her kids to look like a scene from the nativity. And even making her daughter look like she's a flying angle. I wanted to try it out on Evan.

It turned out alright. I think I'd have to try a differnt rug, but it looks like he's flying! Maybe next time I can dress Careese up too and see what shots I can get.

ｴﾊﾞﾝは幼稚園に行きます!

I feel horrible that its been a while since I last posted something substantial. I've been meaning to post about our much anticipated trip to Singapore that we came back from 3 WEEKS ago! We had a great time and ate and ate and ate all the foods that I missed and visited friends and family I hadn't seen for over 10 yrs. Last time I went I was 17. Now I was bringing a husband and two kids with me. I think I enjoyed having the freedom to chose what I wanted to see and do. This time, I am the adult.
Mark had a conference there and we went a few days earlier to vacation. He'll be going to Singapore quite a bit for his job in the future, so I hope we'll be making trips at Singapore at least annually.
We visited with my dad's side of the family, and Evan had a blast with my younger cousins. So much fun, that he didn't want to come home with us. My aunt was nice to offer letting Evan spend the night. And even babysitting for us one evening so Mark and I could have a date night. I don't think we do that enough. Thanks so much Aunt Geoklee!
This is me with my cousin's daughter, Beverly Thong. Seriously, isn't that so cool! (Thong is my maiden name) She's such a cute girl. I forgot to ask her what her middle name was... :)
Here's the pictures to give you an idea of what we did. There were a few days where I forgot to take my camera out with us. So just imagine more pictures of us eating. hahaha

From Singapore 2008

So the reason why posts have been sparse lately is this...

The day after we got back from Singapore, Evan started Japanese Kindergarten. I thought with Evan gone for 5 hours everyday I'd have more time on my hands to do things I want, but really I end up running errands and doing house work! I decided to walk Evan to school cause its only a 10 min walk and thought it would be good exercise. But, I'm more tired now then before Evan started school! I guess the best part is that I get more one on one time with Careese. I was feeling guilty that she kind of gets shafted on mommy attention.
Evan is cute in his uniform. He actually wants to wear it now. Unfortunately, he's in the class that wears the bright pink hats. At least they only wear those hats a recess. Just wait till they start wearing their winter uniforms. I swear it was designed for the girls and they added suspenders and shorts to make it for the boys. And his winter hat KILLS me! Its got a long flowing bow on it! I wonder if they'd notice if I cut it off. Well, for now Evan doesn't know the difference. Just wait till he's older and looks back on his pictures. heehee
The last two weeks have been hard on Evan. He had a hard time adjusting, and cried quite a bit that they recommended that he only do half days for a while. I felt bad for him because I totally understand how he feels about going to a school where he doesn't understand the language. People that have had their kids go to school there, that didn't speak Japanese, said that it takes a few months before they get adjusted.
Well, this week Evan has done amazingly. He hasn't cried at all! And when I drop him off at the front of the school, he walks to his class on his own!
I tell him what time I'm coming back and he actually keeps track of the time. He told me when I came to pick him up, "Mommy, you come get me at 2? There's five numbers on the clock!" He actually watched the hour hand and counted 5 hours! I didn't realize 3 yr olds could make conclusions like that. I never told him which hand on the clock was which.
Time does fly by, I didn't think we'd already be sending Evan to school. It sneaked up on me, that I didn't even get a picture of him going to school. Thats a pic of him leaving school.

*check me out, I typed in Japanese! Yeah without help from Mark either. :P (translation: Evan goes to kindergarten!)