We won all the games!!Hep hep,Hurrayyy!

Yes we did!Our last set was kinda moving…I thought we could not make it…The score was 13-8,our opponent got the higher one,2 scores remaining to defeat us.All of us started to cheer up each other in a loud voice(mine was the loudest?hahaha!Well,I was sooo HOT and I couldn`t bear a silent,lousy play!)Go figure!

HUbby was the MVP! He was a big help and it was funny when everyone started to call him in his first name!(We usually refer to someone through the last name,unless we are just close to each other.)

After a couple of days of muscle pain and exhaustion,here I am,finally back on my feet again! Aren`t they lucky to have me and my hubby this year?hehe…We didn`t make it to the final set for the 1st and the 2nd placer,but our team won a 3rd place this year!Not bad to break the record at all.

Volleyball Tournament was done at noon,after taking our sumptuos lunch(oh the food was great after your hard work!),we had to go the Dept. Store to purchase a gift for my father in law for Father`s Day,and by a chance,we saw a Sneakers Festive!Huh,buying 4 pair of sneakers at once wasn`t my idea,no no,I haven`t done that!But hubby was in a very good mood so he bought them all!Me,Haru and Ally have the same size!Ally was only 9 yrs.old so I wonder how bigger she could be in the near future.

Alright,Ghee,rainy season is almost over so it`s time for you to move your boot,go walk or run!
 

We deserve a Job-Well-Done party at night(Uchiyage)!I know they are checking my blog so I can`t show their clear faces here.

Yes!How I missed cocktails!This one,Last Samurai was non-alcohol,but after taking it,I enjoyed Umeshu(Plum with Shochu) on the rock!Sarrraaap!!

Uh-ohh,I forgot to take pics of the classy,delicious Japanese food on our table!I was really starving but at least,I managed to take a pic of this chicken menu.

After that,we went to a very cozy Karaoke House next to Izakaya until midnight!I tried to sing some Japanese songs at first,for their sake,but well,how could I resist to belt some of Madonna`s songs,Bonnie Tyler`s,Avril Lavygne and so on before the night was over?! haha!

What a day!I want to play volleyball more!

June 25th,2009,Michael Jackson passed away…I hope you rest in peace,MJ…I am one of your Billion fans,in fact,Ben was the first English song I had ever learned(aside from the nursery songs).I was only 3 or 4 yrs.old when my brother taught me this song.My empathy to your children and family…

Most of the people here gain weight after summer or on winter time.We have an expression,Shokuyoku no Aki, which means a season of hearty appetites that refers to Autumn or Aki.The food that are responsible for this are the new rice,mushrooms which include matsutake and shimeji,fishes and one of them is sanma/autumn sword fish,veggies(sweet potatoes,taro potatoes and so on),and fruits(grapes,persimmons,pears,chestnuts and more!).Oh just thinking about them makes my tummy growls…

Well,after pampering yourselves with these kinds of food,you might regret the result.The next thing on your mind would be weight loss.If you would just keep on having heavy exercises daily,avoiding food would not be necessary,in fact,it is easier to get a rebound from it.What if it didn`t work at all?Time for supplements?I don`t know…see Liporexall and find out if it would give you any good effect.

I really want to purchase some patio furniture sets but hey,I don`t have that huge patio!LOL!My friends suggested to put some benches and a big umbrella in my tiny backyard,but well,I don`t think it would be a good idea.I don`t want it to become so narrow,and in fact,summer is very short compare to some regions.We could at least have a BBQ party in here this year,if we will have a chance. It`s getting hotter everyday!Yesterday was the hottest day this year,so humid in 32 C!Summer Festival are in the air!Time to take out our Yukatas!But…do I really want to wear Yukata again this year?

Ughhh…my whole body sores…I`m so tired and sleepy…Though I miss Vsen so much and I miss blogging as well…

A once a year event in our area had just begun.Volleyball,FYI. Yeah,it`s a recreation project of the Parents-Children Associations in our Division,which consists 12 teams,P.T.A and School Teachers` team included.Only two consecutive days of rehearsals(Monday and Wednesday) and the competition will be held this Sat.morning,June 20th,excluding the children.

According to the history of our PCA events,ours is such a weak team with no-winning games.(Last year,we won only one game and that was the first).I joined the team only last year(of course,we had just moved in here) and yes,I had so much fun!Our members encouraged me to entice my husband to join(we need at least 2 vigorous dads)and so did I. I dragged hubby with me last Monday night and thank God,he didn`t fail their expectations!Whew! Actually,this is the very first time that my hubs participate in this kind of event.He`s just too busy with his work though I did my best to lure him in this time.

Our children were cheering for us while we played with the other teams.Ally was too proud to hear the feedback and the recognition that her friends have shown…”Your mom was great and your dad was a hero!” haha! Well,I was really impressed with my hubs` performance.The fact that he wasn`t active at any sports for the past 20 yrs(he plays golf sometimes),he still has the ability to gain an applause.On the other hand,he had the chance to see me play for the first time and he himself rewarded me with a good remark.

Now,everyone starts to dream..,each and one of us hopes to make it to the final round.That means,we have to win 4 games at least to compete for the higher level.Well,its only a “recreational” standard so we should enjoy it to the max!!Wish us luck tomorrow!

Anyway,I`d like to share you my “new babies” this year. My blog is a journal so for the record,allow me to post these photos…

Let me start with my indoor plants…

I had fun coordinating these tiny plants in a pot!

I wonder how does Pachira braid herself?Do I need to braid her if she`s gone bigger or can she do it by herself? hmmmm…

It`s still cold so I have to keep her inside…

Poor shot,I know…

I like them all,they`re just so cute…

Seeing her new leaves and flowers everyday makes my mind and body very healthy.

My fortune plant grew bigger!I hope I could see her flowering one day!

Now is the right time to take some pics of them…Gazania,commonly known as Mexican Daisies…

Looks so lovely in any angle…

Can`t take my eyes off them!

My Mari Golds are very healthy and proud…

Yellow and red…My favorite color!!

The red ones are called “Impatience“?? That`s how its Japanese name sounded…hehe

I played bubbles by means of Hibiscus when I was a kid.It still remains special in my heart.Next to it is called “Fairy Star”(pardon me if I`m wrong,that`s the label I`ve seen.) and it will grow bigger and will produce a lot of tiny,starry flowers one day!(I hope so…)

I have to put it/them in a big planter and put them inside the house before winter.One day,our house will become a jungle!haha!

My oldie neighbor gave me these flowers(those in 2 pots),how nice of her eh? And,I need to cut my bermuda grasses at the back.Gee,never ending weeding huh?

There was nothing in here last year and it`s so rewarding to see them grow! Mari told me to plant veggies too so me and hubs planted Okra,eggplants,green pepper,paprika(yellow pepper),Togarashi(red chili pepper)petite tomatoes,and Malabar Night Shade or alugbati in Tagalog on the other side of our house.How I wish I could plant some Swamp Cabbage or Kangkong in my yard! I will definitely plant Bitter Melon(Ampalaya) next year and will make a curtain vine!

This is my real contribution to Eco-Week…Let`s help our Mother Earth revive her beauty and life.Aren`t you afraid of her punishment?

Are there any best weight loss supplements?

Dieting..,
Some people succeed but some people failed.I think our Metabolic system has something to do with it.Challenging yourself with various way of proper diet is a good advice.Nevertheless,it`s all the matter of discipline and a good healthy,environment.The best way to start with is at your own homes.Make sure you should be out of stresses so give yourselves a break from time to time.

Well,one of the best thing to relax is to watch a movie(especially in a wide TV screen,hehe) while sipping your favorite tea.

I miss those times that I walked my babies out pushing their strollers,that were very similar to Bob stroller.I miss babies in general,a matter of fact.How I loved their smell,their smile and laughters that melted my heart and gave my life all the meaning that I`ve been looking for,their cries that made me stronger and matured,their sickness that rattled me but made me embrace my faith more,the glow of their eyes that showed me my own reflection to let me realize my own identity,and a lot more that is so hard to put in words.They are now the silhouette of my past…One thing is for sure…I would experience the same again in the future..,through the babies of my babies.

I`d like to dedicate this post of mine to one of my good friends who`s celebrating her Birthday today, June 6th….

Happy Happy Birthday,Nona!!

I chose this pic of yours coz you might not like to be exposed. I am not capable to draw you nor paint you,just like you did on my Bday,but still,I`d like to extend my greetings,with hugs,through this entry!! Probably you`re in the Philippines right now so I hope you`re having a BLAST on your special day!! Love you,Nona!

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I`m into gardening right now.It is planting season anyhow.Through the help of my friends who are good at it and taking care of various plants/flowers indoor and outdoor,I am learning little by little.I am surprised to see myself very domesticated nowadays though having a good time in everything I do.Everyone noticed the changes of the ambiance of our home,in and out.Hubby helped me planting(25) Red Robins,which is commonly named as Christmas Berry.How I adore its glossy Red and green leaves on Spring time.It will take a year or two for them to grow bigger that will allow us a bit privacy.

My Gazanias or Mexican Daisies are blooming so lovely.I have no enough knowledge regarding plants and flowers.I meant I don`t know their names in English(those I own)so I better share their photos next time.

Meanwhile,let me share these pics I`ve taken at Niigata,my husband`s hometown,during our walk on a great sunny day.

WEEDS do bloom…
(Feel the hidden message I`d like to convey in every shot…)

It`s ECO-Week(World Environmental Week) so this is my blog contribution…

They`re tulips,I know.They looked so lovely despite of its environment.

I love this shot…can you relate why?

I`d like to thank Tikey for this pretty and original header that she made for me last year.I finally learned how to change my header!Yay!

Last Saturday,May 23rd,was Ally`s Sports Day at school!

It was cloudy and oh so windy!!But I`m glad that it didn`t rain until the last portion of the event.

I`ve just found out that we can upload videos at Flickr nowadays!Wow!It`s a great help!Let me share you how Ally`s 100 m dash went on…

Pls. minimize the volume of your computers coz you can actually hear me cheering and shouting at the end of the video.

Well done,Ally!

She was the first in her group!She deserved a rice ball! haha!

Haru joined us on that day.We shared a lot of laughters that we caught people`s attention!

Still,she`s a camera shy!

The usual peace!haha!

Finding Ally…

Finding Ghee…

Not much of food this year…I don`t know why it`s so yummy to eat rice balls and Japanese Fried Chicken(Karaage)during this day.Or maybe becoz of a complete family you have,among other people.And it`s so tiring coz you have to chase your child to take pics and videos in a very huge school ground,standing a lot to view the children`s participation,and so on and so forth..,but it`all worth it!

Haru and Ally are so busy eating now…

Happy faces after eating!haha!

The 6th graders are the main and special ones on this day coz it will be their last Sports Day.So,here`s the finale of the exhibition this year.

And she is closing this post,haha!This was taken outside the school.See how rural our area is?But it`s kewl coz it`s just 10min. away(by train) from the city.

I know I`m still round,but it`s ok so far.

Me and my niece chatted last night for almost 2 hours.She updates me the what-about of the family in my hometown.I noticed that she is such a grown up girl now in her age(22yo).Gosh,she was only 16 when she came here to visit.She got 2 big good news for me;that their petition in Hawaii was granted already and that she went on a diet,succeeded without the help of any weight loss pills.I`m so happy for her!Her grandmom(my mom) used to tell her that she was fat(not at all actually),it became a big challenge for her!I can see so much changes in her personal appearance recently and I think she gained a lot more confidence.I asked her permission if I could introduce her to my husband`s nephew who`s very cute,silent,tall and kind,hehe.She said…why not?LOL!I`m too excited to be a match-maker(again!).I so love the idea that she could live here in Japan.

I`m keeping my fingers crossed!

I thought all life insurances are no exam life insurance,which means you do not have to undergo some medical examinations to be granted your application.Well,this is the kind of life insurances my family has,all of us a matter of fact.It would be a time consuming to have medical tests and wait for 1-3 months processing.I can`t tell the comparison coz we only have one agency that we trust.But if we really want to expand our knowledge about it,the internet can provide us the details to comprehend more.

3 years ago,I was rattled by my husband`s words that he had to go to a site which was surrounded with asbestos.Fortunately,nothing happened to him and his men,but I was really worried on that time.Why didn`t I?There`s a case in Osaka,wherein the residents gained mesothelioma out of this particular long Bridge in an urban place,that is really closed to residential premises.A lot of people had died already,but some of them are still suffering from it,inner and outer actually.The last time I saw them appealed on Television was 3 yrs. ago,which was exactly before my husband`s revelation.I hope the victims could get a lot more benefits from the government which they definitely deserve.

Hi guys!How`s everyone doing?

Here I am again,poppin up to let you know that I am still alive and kicking!
I wanna share you some pics and tidbits of my “what-so-ever-happenings” in life recently…

This is a scene behind Matsushima…Our first “clam-digging“ experience.

In some part of Japan,the beach managements actually scatter clams around the sea shore during low tide season so people can find them easily and pay according to the amount of their harvest(e.g.500 yen/kilo).It is indeed a good family recreation coz children do enjoy the digging and it doesn`t matter if they love clams or not.

We were lucky to find a place that we could dig clams naturally,without paying for them.We harvested only a few(we spent only 2 hours though) while some families,along with their grandpops and grandmoms got a load of them!It was really fun!We got excited every time we found one.

Instead of going to Hanami,we preferred to dig clams,haha!Well,we had Hanami fun annually while Shiohigari(Clam Digging) was our first!

This year,I was chosen to be the Vice Chairman of Parents-Children Association in our area.I couldnt say NO coz there were only a few members,yeah,surprisingly,there are only 22 children this year,6 sixth grader had graduated last March and there were no 1st graders who joined the group.This association is connected to the Elementary School.Officers are responsible to take care of the children(events,monthly meetings,and so on and so forth),to remind the parents `bout their tasks(securities at school premises during summer with “swimming pool days”,patrol,etc.),Summer Sports Festival(oh,I enjoyed our Volleyball last year,even though we had a very weak team!hehe)and a lot more activities for one whole year.So,April was the busiest month,then from June up to summer vacation on August,we are all gonna be toxic especially the officers.I used to be an officer in our former place and it was terrible!Too much work and time that would hit you physically and psychologically.I realized that it is one of the difference in living apart from Tokyo area.

Well,I know that these things won`t arouse your interest.Nevertheless,I just want to share you our lifestyle and culture here in Japan.

Our first event this year was the “Haru Matsuri” or Spring Festival.

This is our Omikoshi or Shinto Shrine.Children are supposed to bear this on their shoulders.As I have mentioned a while ago,we only have a few children here so Mikoshi was put in a truck during the parade.

Through this parade,I had a chance to explore the neighborhood.What amazed me most was the fact that the residents here(mostly locals)had prepared their donations and waited for our arrival in the street.They do it annually to support the area and they say that this event solicits a lot of dough.They love matsuri(festival)here,big or small.I should share you the coming festives this summer.

Thank you for the greetings,guys!Here,at friendster and FB!Gomennasai for not sending you any replies.I am not that Tsumetai,I was just a bit busy.

Hope you are all well!!