Glenn in Print

In a Japanese newspaper, they wrote an article about Glenn and Cook, Japan.  It says Glenn is completely awesome and he owes everything to his charming wife and kids.  It also mentions how he has turned around the office and has greatly increased revenue for Cook, resulting in a million dollar base salary for the rest of his career.  In addition, the article suggests you get a translator if you really expect to know its contents.  

PS, I love the picture of Glenn.... he looks Japanese!!!

Shoeless Joe

Jonas needed new shoes desperately, but he kept saying he did not need them and  that his shoes fit fine.  Finally I took him  to the shoe store anyways and bought him new shoes.  From the back of my bike seat, I could tell he was crying.  I asked him why?  "Because I've had these shoes for so long and they are special"  (He's had them for a whole 7 months).  I reminded him that his shoes have holes in them and his toes are sticking out.  He said "Don't say that outloud".  I quickly got the message, that these shoes are "real" to him.  As a compromise, I told him he could keep both pair, but he had to wear the nice pair to school.  After a long pause, and a few more tears, he added,

"okay, but will you save them for my kids?"   Melt my heart.

 Grandkids... I've got some mighty special shoes for you.

I Heart Valentines Day

I absolutely love Valentine's day...

I love making heart pancakes and Valentines cards for my family

This year instead of a card, I made bookmarks

(thank you Jen for my laminator)

Jonas was so sweet, he realized that I did not have a bookmark for myself so Mr. Sensitive, with tears in his eyes, said "Mom, this is for you" and gave me his.

I also added chocolate fondue pot and strawberries to the breakfast...yum!

And I found these awesome OSENBE rice crackers in HEARTSHAPE

Vendors sell these year round in Asakusa near the Sansoji temple.

After I made my kids model them, the best part was eating them, yum!

(and all of this is to remind my family that their crabby, often intense, mother is also FUN....see kids?)

Milk Magazine

 Jonas had a fabulous shoot with Milk Magazine.  The set up and clothing designs were very artistic.

 I love my little boy's face... getting ready for hair and make.

They put crazy clips in his hair to give his hair some curl.

Love the director!... Isn't this how you would picture a Japanese art director?

 Jonas had to pose with a dinosaur cup... and then sometimes he BECAME the DINOSAUR

Mr. Goofball in his own world

Love the second outfit.... he looks like Ralphy from Christmas Story

Work it Jonas!

This is his French girlfriend from school, Apolene.

She just happened to be casted for the same shoot.

They had a lot of fun together...

...except she kept trying to kiss him, but Jonas seemed oblivious

Final Magazine shots

Ice Skate at Midtown

I took the Emma's Activity Day Girls to Ice Skate at Midtown

 It was so cool to ice skate in the middle of the city at night.

 Ptarmi is one of my absolute favorite friends in the entire world :)

A Japanese Ice Skate rink would not be complete without

an assortment of helmets and knee pads to your liking.

And yes, some people really wore them...

we laughed because we were surprised 

but really these girls were so cute!

 I love you Em!  So happy I got to be your Activity Day leader.

That's a Wrap

The Japanese are very neat and tidy. 

Everything gets wrapped up snug as a bug in a rug.

Grocery bags may appear like basic grocery bags, but look closely....

the top of the grocery bag is ALWAYS TAPED closed...

I never appreciated this, I found it to be annoying.

Osenbe Crackers, INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED

EGGS

Each egg has a STICKER, then they are SEALED in a carton with another STICKER,

and then put into a bag that gets knotted at the top...

these eggs aren't going anywhere!

Pumpkin Marshmellows, INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED

 Cookies, INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED

On rainy days, stores have cute little RAIN COVERS for all of your shopping bags
so your items don't get wet.

...and they never forget to TAPE the bag at the top!

Apples, INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED TWICE

first in bubble wrap, and then in a plastic container

(FYI this apple costs $2.00, thank you Bumble for modeling) 

Grapefruit INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED

And last, but not least, donuts INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED

These donuts are wrapped in wax paper and then INDIVIDUALLY BAGGED and CLOSED with TAPE.



And that's a WRAP!

Subway Runway

One of the best parts of living in Japan is the SUBWAY SYSTEM...

not only is it an incredible mode of transportation, 

but the subway atmosphere begs to release the inner model in you.

Moveover Heidi Klum, here come Tracey and Lisa

Browns Visit Japan

February 2010,

sister Lisa and husband Brent visited us in Japan

(this is what you call "behind in my posts" or "catching up")

Here are some of my favorite random pics from their trip!

Giant Naan bread, yum!

Glenn and I did a temple session with them. 

 Yummy snacks in a crowded marketplace = Japan

 Sansoji Temple

 Magic floating soba noodles

 Local Samurai

 Ichiku Kubota Art Museum

 Come on Lisa, show us your pregnant belly....

Uncle Brent and Jonas bonded

Thank you Brent, you are awesome!

 Swan Boat Rides around Lake Kawaguchiko

The girls and I raced Brent and Lisa... we were laughing SO hard!

Nihon Minka-en, in Kawasaki, Japan

This is a folk house museum.  One of the things I love about Japan, is that lawsuits are not a big part of the culture.  So you can go to a museum where your six year old can sit only a few inches from the fire so that he can blow into a tube to make the fire bigger.... awesome.

 At the same museum, your 6 year old can use a REAL SAW and cut wood to make a Japanese broom handle.... this would never be permitted in the USA.

 At Nihon Minka-en, we also got to tie-dye (shibori) a handkerchief

 We used clips, marbles, rubberbands, and old film containers to make patterns.

Now this was one project I wished a 6 year old could NOT do... bleech!

Our teacher models with our finished products!

Pretty Japanese Folk House

We love you Brent and Lisa! 

We had the best time ever!!