2016 update

It's been about 4 years since I tried to post last. How is everyone? We are still surviving our Hamamatsu Life, the kids are getting big, and I have been busy with work!

Ken has been playing soccer with a local team since the last year of Kindergarten. He joined the team Formiga which is based in the next town to us. His kindergarten was a bit far from home, so it was a good way to stay in contact with his old friends from kindy and have fun. He is fast and has a hard shot, but is still learning some of the fundamentals of the game.

Mona is in the first grade of elementary school from this year. She is still making her new friends and we are interested in finding piano lessons for her but the tough point is when can we take her? Soccer takes up most of our weekends and I work in the evening and Ritsy gets home at different times each day. We need to find a solution soon.

That's all for now. I will try to post more again if I can!

We are here!

It's been a while! How is everyone? I am glad they made an iPhone app for Blogger- it was getting too tough to spend free time with the PC.

We are getting by- Ken is 4 now and in a couple of months will enter 2nd year of Kindergarten. That means he can change his cap to Blue I believe...

Mona is 2 and seemed to start her terrible 2s right on her birthday. Meaning some moments of cute and sweet and some of absolute terror. Ahhh... 2 kids is enough...

Foreigner fun for Easter

  Back in April a number of us families of Japanese/outside country people mix variety got together to have a bit of fun. The event was organized by Warwick, another teacher who works the same times as us in the mornings named Matt and I. Hopefully the first of many for the kids to get together and communicate in English and get to know some other kids like them. It was easy for the 3 of us to put together as we are all on the same schedule, though we'd like to extend that to more participants in the future.

 All the young'uns like Mona in the foreground, and Oto and Ume in the back seemed to be on their own missions.

 Ken was hamming it up as usual with Matt and his son Oto.

 Marty and his daughter came out too and enjoyed the Egg coloring activity.

 Marty enjoyed a beer too.

 Tyler was eating something, hopefully not a rock.

 Next we scattered a bunch of candies about and the Easter hunt was on.

 The kids searched earnestly and it quickly turned into a cut throat competition. 

Ken managed only a few items, though he proclaimed himself the winner- I think Tyler actually was...

It was a good time, even after the crazy ANZAC'S took out the Cricket bat and lobbed a ball into the mat where all the mothers and kids were sitting. Looking forward to more such outings.

Mastery of the tricycle- Ken

We bought a tricycle for the little guy last birthday, and he often enjoyed going out and taking the trike for a spin. But he couldn't fingure out how to use the pedals- finally around April 16, 2011 he managed to do it. 'jouzu'- means great btw....

Mona is developing her personality

 Really in the absence of my blog posting, Mona's character has really been filling in. While she is much more stubborn than Ken was at such a young age- she also has a golden heart and often has us laughing or smiling happily.

 She loves to make different poses and from early on enjoyed looking out between her legs (after making a mess of our living room as you can see)

 She also loves drawing- she is often found lying on the floor or sitting on the couch with her magnetic drawing board- drawing Arfie, Mommy or her favorite, Anpanman.

She seems to have a more artistic side indeed- she also loves songs and is starting to fill out her repertoire.