Opps...

Sorry that it's been almost a year since the last post in English.

The Japanese page is frequently updated so take a look there.
http://tokyomommies.blogspot.com/

Recommended toys

With everything happening and the rainy days, we've been indoors alot. So I pulled out a few new things we can do around the house.

1.
Nendo (ねんDo), which is just like play-dough made of flour is 630 Yen for 12 colors. It's soft and easy to play with for kids.



2.
Sota's loved coloring for awhile now

but lately he's into the Hiragana coloring book. But rather than the coloring, he grabs his pencil and tells me he's studying.

Hiragana is still too early for him but since he's showing interest, I've gradually been teaching him how to write his name. They have an ABC version of this so if you're kid like Anpanman, it might be good to grab their interest with Anpanman.


3.
Everytime I stand in the kitchen, Sota drags the dining room chair to the kitchen and says he wants to help. So I decided to buy him his own knife. There are plastic kinds, or knives with animation but since it's not a toy I bought one looking like the real thing...Kai Jirushi is the brand sold for about 600Yen. He's very careful when he uses it and helps me cut veggies for dinner, so it's actually quite helpful.



If you're interested, all this stuff can be bought at Akachan Honpo.

Watching the news 24/7 and reading all the information on the internet has been pretty stressful and confusing for alot of people in Tokyo. Even though my husband needed to stay in Tokyo to work and my parents were here in Tokyo, I was ready to escape to be in a safer place...wherever that may be.

The planned power outage, trains stopping and the shortage of certain foods, baby diapers and other select items when you go to the grocery store (either due to the people paniking & buying the shelves out or cause the deliveries where not possible or cause factories are closed down for now). These things were worrying people but to be honest life in Tokyo is fine. And as I realized that, Sota and I started to get back to our daily routine (going to the pool, seeing neighborhood friends) and living our normal life again.

Now that my mind is clearer from all the worries, I was able to think about the people in the Tohoku area and how we can help...manpower seems to be what is lacking most at the moment so I hope to volunteer from Tokyo (perhaps at the evacuation centers or even just sorting donated supplies...which I need to look into) but other than that EVERYONE needs to continue to save power, donate money/relief supplies and the easiest thing for all of us to do is to simply keep our positive vibes.

Easy explanation of the Nuclear power plant situation

There is a video that will help you or your child to understand what is going on with the Fukushima Nuclear power plant now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nbEFhPVM_k&NR=1

Pray for Japan

Lot's of prayers from all over the world
http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2129985372846288901

Here's a list of ways you can help:
http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/11/6246445-japans-earthquake-how-to-help

or a link to Lady Gaga Japan Earthquake Relief Wristband
http://ladygaga.shop.bravadousa.com/Product.aspx?cp=14781_42444&pc=BGAMLG88

Deco Choco

We made a box of Deco Choco for White Day! These Chiroru Choco's are a famous chocolate in Japan and they let you customize the wrapping.

You can easily design your chocolate wrapper from the website.

A box comes with 45 chocolates and you can design up to 3 different patterns for 2362 Yen + shipping.

But after eating the chocolates, you're gonna want to save the wrapping so check out the other merch they sell, like magnets, straps and plastic cases (fitting 9 or 10 chocolates) to give as a gift.

If you're out of present ideas, why not create a box of chocolates with your photo or a sweet message.

http://www.decocho.com/

(Only in Japanese)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

In Japan, boys recieve chocolates/sweets from the girls...

and Sota got his 1st valentine's gift from his girlfriend today!

It was so yummy that he finished it all in seconds!

Useless fun facts for mommies

Did you know?...

that today is Anpanman's birthday?

We had no idea til g-pa called us to tell us.

Happy Birthday Anpanman!

It seems that when kids asked the creator, Takashi Yanase, about Anpanman's b-day, he didn't know what to answer so he told them it was Feb. 6, which is actually the same day as his own birthday.

Bean-throwing Festival

Happy Bean-throwing Festival (Setsubu no Hi)!

Have you done the traditional beans throwing (Mamemaki)

to drive away the evil

and to bring in the good luck?

Don't forget to eat the sushi rolls(Ehou-Maki) for good luck too.

BTW, this is Sota, 2 years ago, celebrating with the same friends.

Eneloop

Things have finally settled down for us.

Ever since the holidays, kaito(mommy & daddy too)came down w/ a cold and from the start of 2011, kaito fell from a chair and broke his collarbone.

But luckily he's been occupied with all the new and old(hand-me-down) plarail trains he has now and can pretty much say the names to all of them.

We have so many trains that we've switched our batteries to Eneloop(rechargable batteries).
Another environmentally friendly year!

Happy 2011!!

trick or treat

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Sota & kaito went trick or treating for the first time!

Sota-man and kaitobug

It was actually the first time for the daddies too.

We trick or treated til it became dark.

Some houses were pretty scary and the neighbohood's Halloween vibe was just like the states!

Can't wait til next year...

Happy 2nd Birthday, Sota!!

Sota's B-day party today was an Anpanman themed party!

Handmade invitations,

decorations,

drawings on the shoji door,

and ice cream cake.


Funfilled day of splashing around in the pool,

eating lunch,

singing Happy Birthday & eating cake,

opening presents,


blowing bubbles, playing outside and lots more!

A day of laughter totally worth mommies hardwork preparing.
Happy Birthday, Sota!

Happy Birthday to you!!

Here's Sota singing Happy Birthday to Anpanman and Melonpanna!

Yippee!!!!

Congratulations Japan!!!!
for qualifying into the last 16 in the WORLD CUP!!!

What an exciting match!


↓future soccer player?? (LOL)↓

Happy Birthday!!

Kaito & Sota's good friend Zenkichi turns 2 this weekend so

we threw him a little surprise party!

Happy 2nd Birthday Zenkichi!!!


BTW, Zenkichi's blog is...

http://zenkichitachikawafamily.blogspot.com/

1st sleepover!

Last night Kaito and Sota had their 1st sleepover!

They were both excited and full of energy that even after bedtime they were running around chasing after each other.

Thinking they'd be grumpy without the full night's rest, they were in a great mood and so happy to see each other in the morning!

We gotta do it again!

Kaito's mommy...Thanks for cooking all the delicious food!

Thank you mommy!

To all the mommies out there...