American Summer in Review

Well after 8 weeks in the United States, we are back home safe and sound. Well sound is a relative term, right? I mean really how sound can one be after traveling across the world with 3 kids alone with 8 suitcases containing 408 pounds of junk (yes those were exact weights upon boarding the airplane) and 4 carry-ons?

We had a busy, but wonderful summer. I won’t bore you with all the details, but some of the highlights include:

Two weeks in North Carolina (One week at our old house and one week at our annual beach trip with college friends.)

Four and a half weeks in Ohio swimming, shopping, family gatherings, camping, meeting with friends, a little get-a-way for Matt and I, running a 5 mile race and just spending time with our family. We have to make up for the 10 months we have been gone right?

Five days in Illinois spending time with friends, lots of shopping and helping one of my close friend’s pack for their family’s big move to Omaha, Nebraska.

And finally five days in Hawaii, just me and the kids. It was nice to have some downtime from such a crazy and wild summer before heading back to Japan. I hope the last few days were ones my kids will always remember. I know I will.

(Click on any link above to see many more pictures)

Being back with friends, family and American shopping and food was wonderful. But it was different, very different. I didn't realize how much this move has changed my perspective on things until I went back “home”. But that is a totally different blog post.

So bear with me a few days to unpack and get over my jet lag and I will be back in blogging (and reading!) action. I am sure with my rusty Japanese and lack of driving on the left side I will have some great “Yes, Alexis really did that” stories to tell.

Merry Belated Christmas

So I am two weeks late, but better late than never, right? Here is a little peek into Christmas 2008 –– our Christmas spent in Ohio.

Every year my mom buys Emily a porcelain doll for her collection. This year she found an American and a Japanese doll. Too perfect, right?

The kids sat at the top of the steps on Christmas morning waiting to see if Santa had come. These are the exact same steps my brother and I waited on every Christmas day.

Sami showing off her High School Musical Dolls. (Yes she is still HSM obsessed)

My parents had asked what they could get the kids that would be hard to find in Japan. Of course I said cereal. The kids cracked up as they opened a box full of Frosted Flakes. My kids don't get excited about fine things like Audemars Piguet(not that they would ever get them) but they get excited over cereal.

My dad is always the honorary trash man on Christmas morning. Somehow I think most dads/grandpa's get this job.

Sami loved this book that her Aunt Becky found her with a character named Samantha Jacobs.

My nephew opening is John Deere wagon. Don't worry we also got him a Caterpillar dozer.

My niece Allysa.



Us and Matt's grandma... AKA Gram.

Sami giving her cousin Allysa kisses.

You can see some more pictures from our Christmas adventure here.

Home Sweet Home

We have returned from our almost 2 week visit back in Ohio. It was a great visit, getting to spend time with family and friends before the move in 14 days. My mom drove back with us and will be spending some extra time here for the next week.

I am working to upload some pics from the past few weeks, including Christmas, our trip to Illinois, New Years Eve and from packing day. So be on a look out!

Done, done, done

All my shopping is done! And all the presents are wrapped! I am done, done done!

Slowly but surely things are getting crossed of my to-do list. Tomorrow afternoon we are leaving for our drive to Ohio. Fingers crossed for good weather and little traffic.

My next post will be from Ohio!

A Little Bit of This and Some of That

• We went back to Ohio this past weekend for a quick 3 day visit. I'll have a whole separate post on that but here are a few teasers.

• One thing that is just not the same in the South as in the Midwest is the sweet corn. The season down here is much shorter and honestly the corn isn't as good. So while back in Ohio we bought almost 4 dozen of corn and spent last night cooking and freezing it.

• We hosted a BBQ for Matt's team at work last Thursday. His boss's boss was in town from Japan so we offered to have the "gathering" here. It went very well, especially considering we had 25 people and kids here and Matt didn't let me have anything to do with the cooking or planning. As a thank you gift for hosting I was given a beautiful piece of handmade pottery brought from Kobe, Japan (this pic just doesn't do it justice). The wrapping paper was so cool that I had to keep that as well. I hinted to Matt that maybe he can get me a matching piece when he goes next month, but all I got was a look.

• Last night, 32-year old, SAHM of 5 boys, Melissa Lawson won Nashville Star. I have to say it brought a smile to my face, even though I was rooting for Gabe Garcia. Regardless, I think both will do awesome. (Yes I am a reality TV junkie)

• Speaking of reality TV, only 12 days...

• For the first time ever we let Chris stay back in Ohio to spend some extra alone time with the grandparents. I know Chris was very excited to work on FILs farm and go to the movies and hang with my parents, without his sisters are parents hanging around. He will be riding back this way with Shannon on Sunday and I'll meet them somewhere to pick him up. I know he is having a blast, but the house seems so quiet without my boy around.

• Sami mastered swimming alone yesterday at the pool. Matt took some vacation time and we spent the afternoon at the pool. Sami can't wait to show our neighbor Miss Keri her latest milestone when we go today. (Hey need to do something to keep us cool in this heat)
• Life get going to get crazier before it gets calmer, with the start of school coming up, football starting, gymnastics practices, my work and Matt traveling. Good thing we also got 4 bottles of wine at the party last week.
• Only 3 more days until the start of the Olympics. I cannot wait!
• I have finally decided against Lasik surgery and am looking at a new service my eye doctor offers called GVSS. It was founded at Ohio State so it has to be good, right?
  
• Still working on that patience thing. It's not going so good.
  

Drive-By Post

Sorry I have been so in and out the past month. Between our Thailand trip, watching my neighbors 3 kids for 6 days, going to Myrtle Beach the last weekend of April, then to Ohio this past weekend and now getting ready for a trip to Illinois this Wednesday I have been a bit scatterbrained, swamped and well a bit overwhelmed.

After this weekend I should be back in action... I hope. Matt leaves Sunday for the start of 4 weeks of traveling so I will have lots of time on my hands.

I have uploaded some pics from the past few weekends (Sorry still not my Thailand pics–– soon I promise. ) I apologize for funky lighting in some of them. We really are not in need of an acne treatment.

The Myrtle Beach pictures are from two weekends ago with Matt's best friend and his wife (Matt & Kate). They flew in from Ohio and we went for for my Matt's 33rd birthday and Kate's 30th birthday. It was fun getting to see them without all our kids and just spending some relaxing time together.
Matt and I on our balcony at the condo.

The Ohio pictures are from this past weekend when Sami and I flew to see my new niece and for my nephew's 5th b-day party. My parents also drove to Columbus to meet Sami and I. We walked with them all around Ohio State's campus showing Sami where Matt and I went to school. Sami got to spend some fun time with all of her cousins (Matt's side of the family) and meet our newest cousin, Alissa.

Sami and Alissa.

Back from MIA

Saturday the whole family flew from NC to Ohio to visit family and friends until Tuesday. Sunday Jamie and her two girls drove from Illinois to Ohio to stay overnight with me and the girls in a hotel. A fun "girls only" shopping and overnighter. On the way her youngest (Hannah) got "car sick" once and that was it. But no big deal.

Fast forward to Monday. We had an awesome trip thus far. It was 8:30 pm and we were getting ready to leave my SIL house and head back to Matt and Kate's house (where we were staying). Sam had been laying all over me and refused to play with her cousins. When I told her to go play and stop being such a whiner she started saying her tummy hurt. Whatever Sam. Go play. Two minutes later she came up to me, took one look and projectile vomited all over me, the floor, the couch, herself, everything. I felt like such a bad mom. I asked her why she didn't tell me she wasn't feeling good and she reminded me that she did and I just said "go play".

She puked 6 more times between midnight and when our flight took off at 6 am. Then she puked again in the plane. At 4 am Emily started puking. She also puked on the plane. Jamie told me Tuesday that her oldest kid started puking in full force on their drive back and the lead story on the news is the flu in Illinois.

Since then I got sick as well. And the lead story today on the NC news was the flu epidemic. Apparently this strain was not part of the flu shot and it is everywhere.

Chris and Matt so far are fine. Thank goodness because Matt leaves with the chickens on Saturday for Japan. The girls are much better and back at school. And I think I am finally coming off my Imodium overdose. Lots of Lysol, antibacterial gel and air cleaners going on here.

I hope to get caught up with everyone's blogs soon. I promise.

More Cool Gifts

We made the long drive back to Ohio on Tuesday to visit for the holidays. We are having such a good time visiting family and friends. Last night we sat and played Mexican train dominoes with my brother and sister-in-law and it was fun to get to hang out with them. My mom and I spent yesterday doing after-holiday shopping. It was craziness, but worth it. I miss not living closer to my family.

I want to share two really cool gifts I got.

I am really in the technology world now. My mom was concerned about the traveling I do and talking on the cell phone. So she gave me a Bluetooth for my cell phone! Now if I could just figure out how to use it...

Shannon got me these kick-arse Ohio State Crocs. Aren't they cool!!??!! I have to say they are like walking on air. I am needing to buy myself a neutral pair now.