補助輪なし！！！No training wheels!

ゆきねがついに補助輪取ったー！長かった。。。。（涙）
いやいや、一時はどうなるかと思ったけど、大人までそのまんまかと思ったけど、
よーやった！！！！！

乗れた日にはみんなでちょっと遠くの図書館までサイクリング、軽く片道１時間かかりましたわ。
母、競歩ペースでついてくの疲れましたわ。。（私も自転車に乗ってしまうと、いざというとき、助けられないので。）

最近、ちょっとシアトルは春らしい天気になってきた今日この頃。　
といって、明日からまた雨らしいけど。

Yukine finally could get how to ride a bicycle without training wheels!!! Hooray :D :D:D She didn't want to try it before, I think because I pushed her to ride a bicycle too much and she fell down, after that she felt scary to ride it without training wheels.... I know it was my fault.
BUT she did it!!!
Once she got it, like other kids, she wants to ride a bicycle everyday :) We went to one of the library, which has 60 blocks away from our place, by bicycle. ( I walked and ran since I needed to help both Yukine and Kanata.)

After all, spring is almost coming to Seattle. It's been nice weather during kids spring break. Though it will be raining again from tomorrow...... :(

奏大、プリスクールへ行く。Kanata is a preschooler!

たまには奏大のことも書かなアカン、圧倒的に喜音のことが多いし。かわいそうに、二人目。

奏大は、３歳３ヶ月。ずっと迷っていたプリスクール。喜音が３歳になったら絶対に保育園に入れる！働く！って思っていた私。
でも二人目、奏大になると、家にいるのが当たり前だし、アメリカのプリスクールじゃ２時間か３時間しか預かってくれない。一日にすると高くって働く意味ないし、二人目だし、一緒に居られるのもこれで最後だしな。、別に家で見られるし、お金かかんないし。。。とか、うだうだ考えててなあなあになってた。

でも、お金は別として、日本に行く前までは結構どこに預けても大丈夫だった、奏大。日本に行ってから、どうもさらに増して甘えん坊に。しかもママといっしょじゃなきゃなんでも嫌！みたいな感じ。
これはいかん！！！日本男児たるもの、親が死んでも泣いてはいかん！！

じゃないけど、ある日、あまりにも手のかかる奏大に疲れて、勢いで、喜音の行っていたプリスクールにサインアップしてきた。笑　

で、今週火曜日が初日だったわけ。

行く前から、「ママも一緒にいて。おいていかないで。」と奏大。
まあ、一日目だしと、ほぼ一緒にいた。最後にちょっとだけ大急ぎでスーパーへ２０分。
まぁ泣かなかったみたいだし、よくやったかな？？

このプリスクールに喜音と一緒に来たとき、奏大は、９ヶ月の赤ちゃん。いやいや、もう奏大が行く番とはね。本当に時がたつのは早いな。。。

Sometimes, I'd better write about Kanata.　Kanata started going to a preschool from last week. He was pretty good at staying by himself till we went visit to Japan. After we came back to Seattle, He must have been spoiled by his grandparents over there, he hasn't wanted to stay by himself anymore, which is too bad for us. But, on the other hand, he is a second child, I would feel lonely after he started school, I don't work so far anyway, so I just had him at home. It was ok, but he was getting needy more than before, wanted more attention, I thought it's time for school for him! I put him in the preschool Yukine went, so he knows the teacher and he likes her, familiar with the place, I thought it would help for him to get used to be. And I was right. He went to there twice. On the first day of his preschool, he couldn't let me go most of time only last 20 minutes. But on the second time, he has been able to stay there by himself for 1hour and half!! A Big Boy Kanata!

I can't believe when we went to the preschool, Kanata was only 9 months old baby! He couldn"t even walk!!! I put him in the sling and went to there 3 days a week for 2 years! Now that, HE is going to the preschool!!!! Gosh, time flies.

３月１１日

子供の誕生日パーティを楽しくやったと思ったら、まさかこんなことが起こるなんて。。。。

３月１１日、絶対に忘れてはいけない、忘れられない日になってしまいました。

東北地方太平洋沖地震
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/flower-wing

この上のリンクは被災地の様子がすごくわかるBlogです。


この地震が起きてから、ちょっと自分の中でも人生が変わった気がします。　日本にいたからってなにができるわけではないけど、こんな遠くにいて、なにもできない、自分の小ささをさらに感じた。
できることは、なるべく義援金を集めることだけ。多分それが変に素人の私が手を出すよりは一番力になると思って。

シアトルでは、日本人の人を中心にチャリティーセールや、チャリティーイベントが開かれ、同じように、母国を思う人がたくさんいることを感じました。

私たちも、Bake Sale を一度開き、義援金を集めて、全額７００ドルを集めることに成功。
それを、Matｃｈといって、企業が二倍にしてくれるシステムを使い、１４００ドル募金しました。

復興には長い年月と資金がかかります。今はまだ記憶に新しいので、集まる義援金も時間が経つにつれて、忘れ去られていく。こうした義援金活動を、定期的に行っていって、コンスタントに続けて行きたいと思っています。

Thank you all for your concerns about Japan earthquake. My family, friends in Japan are all fine. You know, there are still a lot of problems there, radioactive issue, could be another quake ...... I always feel so pain for my country, but even though I sit in front of TV or radio, and feel sad, nothing will change. All I can do is donating money, stuffs or finding volunteering I can do from here and I think it's most important for them for now.
We had a bake sale for Japan other day. I and my friend wanted to move some action for our country and we decided we had a fund raising event, and did a bake sale with Thistle Theatre who had a puppet show about Japanese folk tale "Momo taro( peach boy)".
It was a huge success! We raised about $ 700, and Brit's company matched it, so we donated $1400 to U.S red cross!!! We'd like to keep doing events like that and raising money for Japan. It is hard to raising money after people forget about the sad news.... but still need a lot of help for recover from the suffering. I can't forget March 11th forever.

お誕生日会 Birthday bash!

無事、今年も誕生日会終了。今回はおまけで奏大も便乗。あまりになにもしないのはかわいそうなので。本人はやる気満々やったし。だからケーキも二つ。消防車とくるみ割り人形。
今年は喜音のブームの「くるみ割り人形」パーティ。　ピザも作ったんだけど、子供たちにさせたものだからどのピザがだれだか、焼けるのが待てないやらでちょっとした混乱になってしまった。来年はもっと考えないとな~。残ってくれたママたちにたいぶ助けてもらっちゃった。ありがとう！

The kids birthday party this year is all done! Good job, mom ;) I was not planing to it for Kanata, but feel bad for him, so I made a cake for him too. Yukine wanted to do The nutcracker party this year, so I made, of course, The nutcracker cake and a mouse king pinata. Kids made their own pizza, but it was kinda ciaos , there were too many kids ( I think about 20 kids there.) too many pizzas, some kids ate someone else's pizza ... things like that. It was mess. However many moms stayed and helped me a lot, so I could went over it. Thank them so much!

今回はPinataという、張りぼて？みたいなのもやってみました。もともとメキシコからきたものらしいけど、アメリカの誕生日パーティではとても人気。子供たちが棒で張りぼてを壊して、その中のキャンディやらおみやげを拾うというゲーム。
このPinataはくるみ割り人形に出てくるねずみのおばけ王子（のつもり。）
This was the first time I made a pinata by myself. It's not very hard, but it's not tough enough for all kids to hit it. I guess they didn't care so much as long as they could get goodies tho :p

くるみ割り人形の福笑いもしてみた。楽しんでた子は楽しんでたかな。
（パーティの時に時間がなくて写真取れなかったので後日。）→

I made a game, I don't know there are similar game in America too, but a player covered with eyes has the face parts. and build up the face without looking.

　

ケーキはいつものごとく、こっちのフロスティングというクリーム　
と着色料をなるべく使いたくないので、いちご、ブルーベリー、りんごでデコレーション。
くるみ割り人形の顔、消防車の窓、タイヤだけ、チョコに色つけました。
今回はケーキ自体も日本のレシピでロールケーキにしたので、甘くなくって若干ヘルシー？？笑
アメリカ人の子たちには甘くなくって好きじゃないかな？と思ったけど結構みんなバクバク食べていた♪

ｓ

ケーキ焼くの苦手だけど、デコレーションとアイデアを考えるのは大好き♪
自分のイメージしたとおりになるとすっごくきもちいい~♪

As last every year,I wanted to avoid using frosting and food coloring as much as possible (since I don't like the taste personally ), so I used strawberry for the color, whipped cream for a glue and nutcracker's hair and bread. The fire windows and nutcracker's face parts are chocolates. It's always fun to think how to make cakes the kids requested me,and when they came up like real one as much as possible, I felt soooo good :) :) I think I succeeded in it this year!

歌手ゆきね A singer Yukine

二日間吐きまくって（汚くてすみません。）寝込んでいたゆきね。
今朝まで元気なかったくせに、午後から踊って歌いまくっている。。。

作詞作曲も自作で。

さっき、椅子から落ちたかなたへの一曲

「つよくなりなさーい♪　つよくなりなさーーーい♪　つよく！つよく、つよく！！！！」

なんてひどい姉。



Since two days ago, Yukine has been sick. She kept barfing and I was so worried her. ( Since I read a article about Myocarditis.) She was sick till this morning, but she is very fine now. What was it????
Anyway, so she gets back to usual Yukine. Singing, dancing, keeps asking to play with her.
She even made up her song for Kanata who fell down from a chair and cried.

"Be~ Stro~ng♪ Be strong~ ♪　Strong! strong! more more more~~~!!!!!!"

What a cold sister....

Unbelievable!!!

ありえませんって！

庭の木の枝が落ちてきて、私とブリ豚の部屋の窓ガラスが粉々に。。。しかもこれ、今回初めてでなく、この１ヶ月半の間の二回目。。。。。こんな確率の運、いりません。宝くじなみだと思うんだけど、宝くじだったらいいのに。。。。

一回目は私と子供が日本にいる間、ブリ豚から連絡が。それ聞いたときもありえない！と思ったけど。
今回は、私と子供は子供部屋。私が昼寝をしている間、子供立ちは部屋の中で遊んでいたとき。私が起きて、お風呂場を掃除してるといきなり、「ぱりーん！！！！！」とな。

もし、もし！！私が私の部屋で昼寝をしていたら、きっと子供は私の部屋で遊んでいたはず。そしたら・・・きっと落ちてきた枝にぶつかり、粉々のガラスの雨が降っていたはず。。。。
ああ、こわっ。。。

私たちの家でなくて貸家なので大家さんがすっとんできて掃除してくれて修理やさんも呼んでくれて、いろんなことが不幸中の幸い。

しかし、もう二度とこんなこと起こらなくていいです。。。（涙）
２回あったし、３回あるやろうか？？

お祓い行こうかな？？



Another branch hit our window again!! It happened once when I and the kids was in Japan. I thought I was glad that we weren't there when it happened :p However, I had same experience as Brit at last. Who thought there are so many houses around here and there are so many trees around there, and only our house got the attack, and twice in one and half month???? It's unbelievable!!!!!!!!
We all are fine. It could be worse. This time, Only I and the kids were in kids room, I was taking a nap, the kids were playing in the room. If, IF we were in our bed room, and I was taking a nap, the kids would play in our room and maybe would be hit by the branch and tons of glasses..... Oh, it's scary.....
Glad that we didn't get any hurts.

I'm just hoping it won't happen forever....

ゆきね６歳、かなた３歳 Yukine 6, Kanata 3

そう、今日喜音がこの世に生を受けてから６年が経ちました。
ちなみに奏大は日本にいる間１月７日に３歳に。
日本ではばたばたしてて、暇だと思いきや、あっという間の一ヶ月。また追ってアップする予定。

奏大の誕生日は日本でちゅうばあ、じいじ、おおばあ、おにいも共にやったので、
書くタイミングを逃した。プラス　ケーキとかしなかったので、ささやかながら今日喜音と一緒に小さなお祝いをしました。（かわいそうな二人目？？やっぱり？？笑）

後日喜音の誕生日パーティもしようと思ってるので本来今日はなにもしないつもりだったけど、やっぱり当日だし、ってことで急遽すごく即席。でも二人とも思いのほかすごく喜んでいて、素直に育ってくれている（今のうちだけ？？苦笑）ことが母としても嬉しく思える日でした。

6年が経ち、バースディカードを日本語、英語両方自分で理解できるようになった喜音。誇りに思います。

口こそは生意気で殴りたくなるけど、でもやっぱりいいお姉さん、責任感があって、やさしい子。たまに無理しすぎるところ、ちょっと自分に自信がないところなんかも。


かなたはその点、すごくマイペースであきらかに二人目男の子といった感じ。うまいこと世渡りしてってる。（喜音が怒られていることを見て、しない。もしくは親の前ではしない。）

よーしゃべるようになりました。英語も日本語も。日本語は、やっぱり日本から帰ってきたばかりなこともあって、語彙が増えた。たまに「そんなこともいえるの？」と驚かさせる母。

ちょっと背も伸びたかな？幾分冬太り感が解消されてきたような？？笑

なによりも本当にこの二人は仲がいい。もちろん喧嘩もするけれど、お互いのことをよく考え合えてて、お互いがすごく好きなのが嬉しい。どうかこのまま仲良い姉弟でいてほしいものです。

私も母親6年記念。うーんまだまだやっぱり母として悩む日々だけど、余裕を持って、流されず、どんと構えられるかあちゃんになるべくまた精進していきます。

おめでとう、喜音、そして奏大！

We came back from Japan a week ago. I couldn't update my blog even once while we were there! It was busy last two weeks since we went visit back and forth between Kyoto and Nagano. Though other than that, I was supposed to have a lots of time in Nagano. Now that we are already in Seattle. Time flies.
On the other hand, I feel like I have come back from Japan since it's been for a year or something. It took for a while for me to adjust to Seattle life again.
I'll update Japan trip as soon as I can. Hopefully...:p
Anyway, Yukine had her birthday today. She turned 6 year-old. Kanata tuned 3 year old when we were in Japan, right after new year, On 7th Jan. We had a party for my mom who had her birthday on 7th Feb, Yukine and Kanata in Japan, though No cake and no birthday song. So Today we had a small birthday party for two of them. Yukine will have a party with her friends sometime soon (Awwww I have to think about it....) So it was a really really small one. I and Brit wrote their birthday cards and baked an instant cake, put candles on it. It was not fancy at all, but the kids were still very happy about it. I was glad that they are very sweet kids when I saw their faces :-)

Is Yukine already 6? I can't believe it! She is a happy, sweet, kind, has responsibility, good kid. And she also has very sensitive part, sometimes she doesn't know how great she is, worry how her friends think about her. I understand that since I am too. I mean I can't be confident either. Some point, that's why she can be very kind tho, in my opinion. Good and bad.
Her dad never care about anyone else. And he is always almost very happy. So I hope that she will get some way to think thing from her dad. In addition, I feel that she is getting closer and closer to teenage girl..... I fear it.

As for Kanata, he is going to his very way. He still loves trucks and cars, not much trains according to him.He loves fighting, kicking, punching right now, by which his mom is not appreciated . I have no idea how he got the idea. He didn't see TV much, especially, I didn't let him witch fighting scene or games tho. I seriously want to put him in Karate club or something so that he can kick and punch without my stopping :p He is a big boy, he is strong. He usually doesn't listen to his mom and just run away. I chase him a lot recently.... He speaks a lot both in English and Japanese. Thanks to his my Kirino family and Japanese friends, his Japanese vocabulary is increasing a lot. His English sounds like very Yukine :p
And I have been a mom for 6 years. Still there are so many things I don't know, I bump the wall. Raising kids job is always challenging for me. I'm trying to ,at least, remember not to compare with other people, tell my kids how much I love them, have leeway.

Merry Christmas!

メリークリスマス！！　サンタさんが無事来てくれた様子。
Merry Christmas, HOHOHO!
Santa apparently came to us too :-)

Exciting kids bofore 7am....

喜音は念願のくるみ割り人形。
奏大はLego

Yukine got a Nutcracker that she had been wanting and wanting.
Kanata got Legos!

ああ。。。やばかった。ほんまに美味しすぎた。すべてが。
今年はIdahoに行かなかったので家で友達とパーティ。

Aa... It was sooooooooooo yummy foods.
We had a Christmas party with our friends this year.
It was delicious. Oh, so delicious......

クリスマス前。チャリティーでデパートの庭に特設メリーゴーランドが。

シアトルだけかアメリカか。クリスマスといえば、メリーゴーランド。

@ Downtown westlake.

@ Seattle center.

クリスマスなのでクリスマスリースのパン。

Wreath bread

I hope everyone has a wonderful holidays!

Chiristmas is coming

そういえば、もうクリスマスも間近。クリスマスツリーも実はサンクスギビングの後すぐに飾ったのにアップする時間がなく。。＾＾：

サンクスギビングが終わると人はクリスマスツリー、ライトをつけ始めます。街は一気にクリスマス一色！　生のクリスマスツリー屋さんも一斉に軒を並べ始めます。アメリカ人は結局、生のクリスマスツリーを買う人が多いのじゃないかな？やっぱりその方が雰囲気が出るのか、匂いはすごくいいみたい。一度私も試してみたいな。人生で一度も生のクリスマスツリーなんて持ったことないし。来年かな？　こんなに木を切って環境に悪くないのかと思うけど、やっぱりそれなりに考えていて、その木はクリスマスツリー用にちゃんと養殖してる木であって、その中でも木その物を切ってしまうのでなく、太い枝を切ってクリスマスツリーにしてる店や、この前、なにかの新聞でツリーのレンタルってのも読んだな〜。使った後にもう一度植え直すらしい。実は作り物よりも環境にいいらしい。でも人工も便利なんだよね。片付けとか、あの針葉が落ちてこないとか。

I forgot to write about putting up Christmas tree. It was end of last month. Awww... Time flies...
Anyway, we have only artificial tree at our home. So we use it this year too. I want to try buying fresh tree next time. I read the article about renting Christmas trees. It costs same price as buying one, but I think it's a good idea. After people use the trees, the trees will plant on the forest ground again or something like that. Or I have heard that Christmas tree shop try to sell brunches not tree it selves. Fresh one has a good smell and better atmosphere, I read actually environment friendly more than artificial since the artificial has PVC. Artificial one is easier to put it up and clean it up. I don't have to sweep needles either though. But I never had a real tree in my life, so maybe next year.　

喜音のくるみ割り人形 Yukine's first nutcracker

衣装合わせとリハーサル風景

Costume rehearsal

初日公演が終わって。ちょっとメイクもしてみました。
雰囲気変わるね。

After the first show. She got make up on a little. looks different :-)

私の使えない携帯で。画像わるっ！苦笑
こんな晴れ舞台にカメラを3日間続けて忘れる両親。＾＾：

喜音、念願のバレエ『くるみ割り人形』に出演。（といっても全員が出られる。）バレエの中では？アメリカ、西洋では？クリスマスシーズンになるとくるみ割り人形のバレエが話題になります。クリスマスの一つの楽しみとして。去年、喜音もそういう影響を受けて、バレエに興味をもち、くるみ割り人形に出たいと。
初めてだったし、小さいのでほんの一瞬の役だけど、本人はすごく嬉しかったようす。初めて化粧できたのもね。
私の小さいころ、バレエをしていたから自分のやっていた時のことをよく思い出しました。
その週はリハーサルが毎日のように入って、学校も、他の習い事もで私が死ぬかと思ったけど、親子共々いい経験になりました。子供のおかげでいろんなアメリカの文化を知ることができるね。ありがたい。素敵だったよ、喜音　＾＾

Yukine could be in Nutcracker!! She was so excited and did a great job :-) She was soooooo cute. She was a gumdrop and it's a small role but still she had a great time. There were 5 shows through the last weekend. It was too much for small ones. but Yukine made it and she enjoyed it entire time, especially make up time ! I'm proud of her. I was so exhausted in that week. She got 3 or 4 times rehearsals and a regular ballet class,a school, another classes.... ha... Mom is actually a taxi driver..... I did volunteer once for Nutcracker, which made me tired a lot too :-p But It was a good experience for both I and Yukine. I had done a ballet when I was a little, so it reminded me that time a lot! I wish I could dance again :-)
Kanata and Brit will watch a monster truck show someday in the future, so I and Yukine will go to watch a nutcracker or other ballet in the same day ;-) That would be "everyone is happy"

Thanksgiving

今年のセンクスギビングはたくさんお呼ばれしてなんとも嬉しい楽しいイベントでした。
アメリカ人はセンクスギビングホリディの間に平均（なにからの平均かよくわからんけど　。）５ｋｇ太るらしい。　こわっ！！

ま、そんくらいおいしい食べ物とパーティがあるということですね。

私たちもセンクスギビング当日は３つのパーティをはしご。その次の日からIdahoのBoise 市
に出かけてブリ豚家族と一緒にお祝いもしました。
ブリ豚の両親はIdaho Fallsというところに住んでいるのだけど、Boiseにはブリ豚の妹、一番下の弟が住んでいて、そっちへ行くほうがシアトルからは若干近いので、今回はそこで集合ということに。
行き帰りといつものごとく、（冬にアイダホに行くときはいつも嵐にあう私たい道は最悪で、あやうく私たちも大きな事故に巻き込まれるところだったかも知れないという苦境を乗り越え、無事にいって帰ってきました。

家族で集まるのはやっぱり嬉しいもの。
喜音も奏大もあまり会えない従兄弟と再会できて、おもいっきり雪の中遊んでました。
いつまでも、みんな仲良しだといいな。
素敵な家族の一員であることに感謝。

Oh, Finally I am going to write about Thanksgiving holiday....almost Christmas though.

We had a great thanksgiving holiday!!! We had total three party, we enjoyed all of them. Good foods, good friends, good family :-)
We went to the church party at the noon on Thanksgiving day, there were lots of delicious foods as usual. That was our last party at Greenwood ward since we moved to Shoreline, which is next ward and uses same building, so we can still see the people in Greenwood ward. We loves Greenwood ward, their foods too ;-) So we misses them a lot!
And after that, we went to Brit's grad friends house like last year. It was fun too! We were full, but still kept eating and munching. It's a holiday :-p
Then next day, we headed to Idaho, Boise to see our family. It was a terrible storm on the way, we couldn't arrive at there after all, there were a big trucks accident and they stacked, so we had to stay a night in Oregon. Finally, we got there noonish. I'm so glad that we finally got together. (I'm so sorry for Dad though....:-( We had a great time, I had a great time! Thanks to Tiz, I could go in My favorite ashtanga yoga class too! I enjoyed the class so much!!! It was a wonderful. Thank you so much, Tiz!!
The kids had a wonderful time with their cousins too! They are so good friends :-) I'm very very thankful for our fantastic friends and family!!!!

Pics will be later.

New house

新しい家に引っ越して早３週間。。
まだ片付いてません。なぜって？大家さんがまだ色々カーペットの掃除をしてくれないので、家具をまだ置けないのです。。－－；
シアトルの人といってもあなた、あまりにも動かなすぎでしょう。
もう３週間ですよ？？

ま、それをおいておけば、家は快適です。下やら上やら気にしなくていいし、キッチンも広いし、部屋もちょっと広くなりました。　なんといっても庭があるのが嬉しい！夏が楽しみ♪
寒いけど。


It's still big chaos here though, we finally started living in the new house. Good things are more space, our own laundry, the kids can run and make big noise compared with the apartment. ( Still sometimes we have to say be quiet.) , have to less care about neighbors, less stress for us :) And I enjoys decorating and coordinating the interior with a limited budget. It's fun, I love it! Bad things are Brit takes more time to commute, that means leave earlier and get home later. I expected, but a house is very cold :( in this season, there are many many pine needles in our yard, so we have to clean everywhere inside and outside of the house. And!! I can't believe though, our landlord isn't done all the cleaning yet!! We cannot put all furniture and stuffs in our master bed room till he is done his work. Uwwwwwwwww....we don't have to pay for utilities bill either till he is done tho.
I hope he will come tomorrow and done with all the work!!Please move, the seattle guy!!!

Here is the pictures of the house :-) Please come visit us someday, everyone!!

誕生日 My birthday

２９歳、最後の２０代となりました。

誕生日に引越しでなんだか誕生日ってもんがどうでもよくなった感の一日だったけど
一年をだいじにしななーと翌日を迎えて慕っているところ。

思えば、２０代はあまりにもいろんなことがありすぎて、
２３で母になり、そのままわけもわからず突っ走って子育て生活。
２年前にアメリカ移住。
周りの人に恵まれて、どうにかこうにかやってきたけど、
自分というものに自信が持てない、なにもできていないんじゃないかって
そればっかりを思う日々でした。ｎ
２９歳は最後の２０代ってこともあるし、自分がしてみたかったってことを
この一年こそ有言実行しよう！

いろんな人に誕生日のコメントをもらって本当に嬉しかったです。
ありがとう。本当にみなさんありがとう！！

I turned 29 year-old yesterday. It was a busy moving day, thanks to many people's help, we finally moved all furniture out. One of our friends invited us for dinner after the moving since when her family moved, it was hard to think of dinner. I'm thankful for her kindness.
And I got lots lots o f birthday wishes on FB and Japanese SNW. Thank you all for your birthday wishes! I didn't do anything like birthday, but it was a nice day :)

Well, it will be my last 20's. I got a pregnant when I was 23. then I've been just handful with taking care of the kids, being mom. tired, couldn't think about myself. I always feel that I don't have any career, won't get a job again. But one of most problem, I think, I never moved. So this year, I will do something!! Before 30!

Go for it!

お引越しです。 Mo~ving!

子供部屋になる部屋。
should be kids room

ゆきねのバレエ。
普段は見れないだけど、Parents watching day　参観日のようなのがありました。

Ballet Yukine.
She loves a ballet so far.

Pumpkin patch　かぼちゃ狩り？に行ってきました。
また詳細は後ほど。

ハロウィン仮装。絵里も一緒に。

Halloween

絵里到着。誕生日おめでとう！！

My best friend Eri came visit us. It was sooo much fun!

はろうぃ〜ん

ハロウィンシーズンで近くの植木やさんにはわらの迷路があったり。
しかもタダ！めっちゃ通いましたわ。笑

The nursery had a hey maze for kids, in addition, it was free!!
How nice!! I and Kanata visited there so many times. haha~

ああ、忙しい。。。

日本からベトナム帰りの絵里が遊びに来てくれたこと。
ハロウィン
喜音のバレエの参観日？があったこと。
奏大の日本語サークルのこと。
遂にお引越しをすること。

色々書きたいことはあるのに、引越しやら風邪やらなかなか更新できてませんな。

とりあえず今はちょこちょこダンボールを新しい家に運んでます。

今週末に大きな家具を動かす予定。
また落ち着いたら色々UPしていきます。



Oh... So busy busy...We are going to move!!We are carrying boxes every day. We are going to move big stuffs, furnitures, in this weekend.
I didn't write about Halloween, having my collage friend Eri, Yukine and Kanata's update yet.... Almost it's Thanksgiving season. OMG.
I hope it will be clam down next week.

I'll update our new house as well.

喜音の学校 Yukine's school

キンダーガーテンなるものが始まって2ヶ月。

今、私は週１、クラスのボランティアをしています。

なにをするかって、先生が少人数の子供たちに教えている間、わたしらが先生のかわりに、クラスを歩き回って励まし、席に戻し、やる気を起こす。。。。いわゆるモンキーパークの飼育係です。笑

いやいや、これは結構カルチャーショックを未だ受ける。わたしにとっても新鮮な貴重な時間。
アメリカは自由ですな〜。


日本のように「前ならえ！」とか「起立！」とか「先生さようなら、みなさんさようなら」
ありません。ありえません。

一応並ぶけど、バラバラ。廊下を歩くときは先生筆頭に歌を歌って踊りながらいっちゃいます。

よくわけのわからん子供が授業中にうろうろ。

授業中もかなり自由。ボランティアの保護者がいないければ成り立たないと思う。

でも喜音のクラスは、保護者がとても協力的だし、先生もかなりおもしろい人。
よ〜踊って歌ってはります。お色気満々です。

すでにだいぶ分も読めるようになってきているし、それは本当にすごいなと感心！

私もかなりお勉強になっています。（アメリカンカルチャーを。）


It's been for two months since Yukine started her kindergarten.
I'm volunteering once a week to help their literacy class. It's very interesting for me. I'm having culture shock every time at the class :p So much different from Japanese school, at least my school. Maybe that's because it's kindergarten. not sure.

As I thought, American schools are so much liberal than Japanese school. However, when I saw it with my own eyes, it's overwhelming!!

Kids are roaming during classes, maybe only Yukine's school??

Each class room have each character, Yukine's has a cozy relax area.

Kids and teacher sing a song when they walk the hall way.

There are some purple hair girl there, pink, green!!!

Just so different. You know, Japanese school are so like army :-p
Everyone does same thing, don't talk, don't run, don't put cute bow. don't don't don't.....

Though I love Yukine's teacher, MS. Jones, she is awesome!!! She is sooooo fashionable and elegant, but sooo funny. She is always dancing and singing.( Not kids song! Very funky groovy song.) But she is teaching them very very well. They already can read some words and sentences! How cool!

I'm glad she has the class.

松茸ご飯 Pine mushroom rice

近所の八百屋さんで松茸を発見！日本の松茸と違って、大きな笠だったので初めなんの茸かわからなかったけど、ふと匂いをかいだらあの素敵な香りが。そして「Pine mushroom」と。Pine。。。ってまつたけやん！！！

日本のより香りが弱いかな〜と思ったけど、お酒をふりかけて置いておくこと３０分、なかなか負けず劣らずのいい香り。
とりあえずやっぱり松茸ご飯とお吸い物を作りました。（本当は土瓶蒸しがよかったけど、さすがに土瓶は持ってない。）

日本の秋の味覚をシアトルでも楽しめるなんて嬉しい♪　ご馳走様でした！


Pine mushroom, I'm not sure how many people know about the mushroom. But it's very very expensive, fancy food in Japan. It has really wonderful flavor. My dad used to pick these mushroom from a forest every Autumn mushroom season. If you bought a pine mushroom, it would cost like 30 bucks and so on! So expensive! The other day, I found the mushroom at one of my favorite veggies and fruits shop in our neighbor, and it was not terribly expensive. Of course, I got them.

I made 松茸ご飯, Pine mushroom rice, and お吸い物 Pine mushroom soup. It was delicious. In addition, I'm so thankful that we can get Japanese autumn foods and taste them here in Seattle :-) That's one of the reason I like Seattle. NOt only foods, we can have many Japanese experience and culture like festivals and
things like that.

Kindargartener Yukine

学校は家から徒歩3分。毎日歩いていきます。
Yukine's school is very close. We always walk to there. Takes only 3 mins.

朝集合する、コートヤードという場所。中庭。
In front of a court yard.

毎朝、こんな感じで整列して、みんなでいっしょに教室に入っていきます。
親が送るのはここまで。

Yukine's class mates.

And we found the bicycle at a garbage site. It's still so clean, almost brand new. so I removed the pedals and make it balancing bicycle, which recently very popular and very expensive even if it's used only between tricycle and real bike. It's FREE~♪

そして、こっちで最近流行っている、（日本にもあるのかな？）ペダルなしの自転車。これでバランスを養うと早く自転車に乗れるらしい。いまだ自転車に乗れないゆきね。でもこの自転車、使う時期は短いくせになかなか高い！

てことで、自分でペダル外しちゃいました。しかもこの自転車ゴミ置き場から拾ったもの！イエーイ!　フリー♪

喜音、入学。 Kindergartener Yukine :)

こっちアメリカでは新学期は9月から。　

喜音は小学校一年生の一個下、キンダーガーテンというのに行き始めました。
キンダーは一応義務教育ではないらしい。でも、小学校の一角に配置されていて、一応、8時半から2時半まで学校のカリキュラムでお勉強をします。
日本のように入学式とかあるわけでもないのでどうも、ピシッとしない。

ちょっと長く喜音が家にいなくて不自然なのと、朝が早いのがしんどい、あとはお弁当毎日。
（一応、カフェテリアで買うことはできるけど。。。どうも。ねぇ。毎日、洋食ってかファストフードみたいのはねぇ。）

そんなんで、初めて登校の日もカメラ忘れるし、もう3日めだというのに今日も写真を撮り忘れた。（苦笑）
はい、やる気のない親です。

とりあえず今のところ、楽しんでいる様子。　
私は幼いころ、早く学校に行きたくて仕方なかった。お兄のように勉強したくて。
でも、いったん勉強を始めてしまうと一生勉強。
そう思うともう喜音の遊びが仕事の時期も終わりを迎えたんだな〜としみじみ。。。
この前、生まれたばっかりでこの前、話し始めたと思ったのに。

ほとんどの子はキンダーが始まると初めの月くらいはヘトヘトに疲れるとのこと。
私も喜音が疲れてるかも？とちょっとスローな生活をと構えていたのに

うちの子に関してはそういう心配はなさそうです。帰ってきてもまだまだ体力ありあまってるんですけど？？？　
まだまだ動き、しゃべり足りないそうです。。。ーー：

奏大はというと、ちょっとさみしそうだけど、でも喜音のように学校に自分もいくのを楽しみにしてる様子。彼もそろそろおにいさんの準備ができてきた感じ！

Yukine started going to a kindergarten last week. It's a very special for our life. End of an era! BUT, on the very first day, we all did overslept even Brit set the alarm. We were about to be late for school :-p And I forgot bring a camera, In fact, I didn't think about it at all. How awesome parents we are!! hehe.

Even it was such a bad starting, Yukine enjoys the school for now. She also has gymnastic class, ballet class and Japanese class too. Such a busy girl. I thought it's too much for her, especially, for the first school year. But she seems to be fine, enjoying all of activities so far, which is good :-) She is so tough! I expected she was gonna be so tired after the school for first few days, but she hasn't acted like that. She was whining on the first day, but I think it's as usual, she is a whiner. Am I a coldest mom in the world?? :-p

As for our (I and Kanata) life after Yukine is gone most of the day, We are not changing so much, actually. Kanata misses her a bit, but he thinks more that he is also going to move to next big stage like her :-) He is excited that he is going to be a big school boy! He has Japanese play group in this year, which is exciting! It's like co-op preschool style. So It's a little bit pain....well, a lot of work :p, but It's really good for him. I should hang in there somehow. We will see! And I think we will put him in Yukine's last preschool after Christmas.

Exciting new school year!!

Camp, Bbq...summer is almost gone...

もうシアトルは夏も終わり。。。というか今年はずっと夏らしい！という感じでもなかったのだけれども。日本が猛暑で死にそうだというのにね。

It's hard to catch up all summer events on the blog...:p Summer is almost over here in Seattle, which is too bad....Well, I wonder if there was a summer in here?? It's so wired summer in this year, so cold and wetty. However, there is still a crazy hot hot summer in Japan.


さてさて、この夏はキャンプデビューです。有名なアウトドアの本社がたくさんあるシアトルだけに人は夏になるとキャンプ、BBQやらと勤しみます。ずっとやってみたかったキャンプ。キャンプ用品もついに人から安く売っていただき、ほとんど揃いました！てことで最後の夏を楽しむべく、さっそくWidby Island という一番お手軽にいけそうなところへ。

But, we did summer fun stuffs in all summer :-) I did BBQ almost every weekends. And we did camping too!!! It was sooooo much fun! Now that I'm a BIG fan of camping :D We went to the church camp out for our first time, which was so nice to start camping. I learned lots of things there. It was so cold, I didn't think it would be so cold in August, but here in Seattle, I should have prepare stuffs for cold weather all year long.
After the camp out, we got most of camp gear. So we did it again next weekend with our friend family, Cheneys :)



いっしょに行ったお友達ファミリーも料理好きってことで、なんだか料理メインのキャンプとなりました。
夜はなんだかんだで遅くなってしまったから結構てきとーだったけど、朝食に4時間かけた私たち。笑　
We both families love cooking, so it was like cooking camp. And Cheneys brought tons of foods, which was very very thankful! so we made bunch of food there.
Hobo dinner, salmon burger, eggs, bacon, potatoes, S'more.......;) Yummmmm...



上の写真が、Hobo dinnerといって、まぁいったらホイルの包み焼きですな。中は、おいしいウィンナーとじゃがいも。おいしかった〜♪
私たちはサーモンを持っていって、グリルサーモン、サルサ、チーズでサーモンのメキシカン風サンドイッチを作りました。（レタスがあればよかったけど忘れたので。w)


そしてベーコン、卵にハッシュブラウン、とても食べきれる量じゃなかった。笑

近くのビーチまでハイキングをしたり、

ハイキングスティックを持って、

子を背負って近くのビーチまでハイキング（はいいすぎか）したり

Also, we did light hiking to the ocean. We saw jelly fish and dead Halibut, lots of shells, crab shells.

いやいや、やっぱりキャンプ楽しい♪♪
今度はテントの中の写真撮らないと！




これは教会でのキャンプのときからの写真。このキャンプによって私のキャンプ魂に火がついた。でもこの日は寒くて寒くて、、、ほとんど寝れなかった。。。
この教訓もあって、今回は、めっちゃ着込んで毛布も何枚も持っていった。おかげでだいぶ快適に。

These Yukine's pioneer costume came from the church camp out. We went to the bishop's parent property, which was a super huge farm. And the bishop's mom made all of costume!!!! Is it amazing????





喜音はパイオニアの格好をしています。その時のキャンプは教会の人のご両親の敷地でしました。それが、ものすごくお金持ちで、普通に農場をお持ちです。笑　家の敷地に大きな池があり、馬、羊、牛、鶏、白鳥。。。などなどいて、６０人くらいの教会の人が来たのだけれど余裕でみんな入れて、まだまだ広く感じるくらい。それをそこのお母さんと家族がすべてを手入れしています。
すごすぎ。。。

そしてこのパイオニアの服はそのお母さんが作ったもの。趣味で。それもすごすぎ。。。。世の中信じられない人がいるものです。


















この写真はわれらBBQお友達（失礼？）Marikoとの最後のBBQの時。
彼女はブリトンと同じ大学の友達で今は日本の筑波でお勉強中。
This pic came from last bbq with Mariko. She was one with perfect attendance of our summer bbq event. She is in Japan to study for a year. Good luck and see you in Japan next time!