ももぞう英語教室 -ALC KC -

These days, I am lacking some sleep and having stiff neck and shoulders.
The reason is above:

I am sewing various shapes in various colors with felt.
Circle, square, rectangle, heart, triangle, star, crescent, oval, etc...

I used them in a lesson today.
Kids LOVED them. Didn't want to stop that activities.

I still have to make them in 4 more colors and some shapes, cube, spiral, and cone!
Wish me luck.  

Finished reading this book. Took about a week.
Checked it on Amazon.com saying one of the bestsellers.

Easy to follow, easy to read. Enjoyed reading it.

The story goes like...
2 thirty- year-old girls from Indiana (I think) who now live in NYC.
They are best friends from elementary school.
One is getting married within 2 months. But the other slept with her best friend's fiance.
So which will she choose? Best friend or the guy?

Mo was eager to grab the book while I was reading, so it is terribly wrinkled.
Holly wanted to scratch off the shiny ring on the coverpage. (he loves rocks.)

OK. One is done. What should I read next???  

This morning, when we were tidying up around our house and garden in preparation for typhoon, I found this.
Is it a pumpkin? I think it is.

Out of our kitchen garbage, it came out without us realizing!

Some tomatoes and eggplants are growing as well.



(Yes, we need weeding the garden.)

Now it is pouring dogs and cats outside.
Hope the typhoon goes as quick as possible without any harm.
  

been to my first yoga lesson on Mon. night.
been to my first volleyball practice on Wed. night for this season.

loads of work and errands to run today....
but feels so out of energy and sleepy.

So, I couldn't resist junk food to ease my mental states...
Now I feel less stress but more fat around my waist.

Which is better?
  

I planned to have some fish for dinner tonight, however, it didn't work out....
So Plan B:

We had chicken soup and macaroni & cheese with some veggies.
The chicken soup I made from scratch 2 days ago. We have been eating it almost every meal since then.
One of our favorite recipe.

Macaroni & Cheese, I cooked it out of a box.
To make it healthier, I added some carrots, peas (picked from our own garden), and green peppers. Because the original cheese sauce is so thick, I didn't add any extra seasonings but came out just right.

Yum, yum, yum!  

Last Sunday, Panda was in crisis. He had a big delivery to make on Monday.
So he was stuck in his office working all day on Sunday.

Holly, Mo, and I went to Big 2 in the morning.
Holly made pancakes for lunch.


After lunch, three of us went to La Fonte.

Holly riding his red bicycle, Mo sitting in her baby car, we took a walk there.
It was such a nice and hot day. Perfect for gelato! As soon as we got there, Holly found a ladybug on the grass. He was so happy to catch one! He kept it in his hand.

Holly had chocolate and milk gelato. I had a cup of coffee in my own tunbler!
He insisted to eat it outside under the bright sun. Gelato started to melt so quick. He fought to eat it quicker.

And on Monday, Panda made his delivery. Alas, finally panda crisis is over now!!!!!  

Sometimes, one feels like got lost in the middle of a road.
I was feeling that way for a couple of months.
Trying to start something new, but somehow things came up and stopped me. In very strange ways, from different angles, and unexpected ways and times, so many things happened.
Felt like going round and round in the same spot.

On Sat. we went to see a shaman (not quite sure that this term would really suit...).
Our first time to see her. Talked for one hour.

We were very relieved after meeting her. What she told us were deeply valuable and hit our heart.

Sometimes, one just needs a little push on one's back to start new things or see things differently.
This Sat. was one of those days, I believe. We JUST needed a push.

Dr. Pausch's saying just popped in my head now as I was writing this post.

“Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things.”
(From Dr. Pausch's Last Lecture)  

10 to 4pm, got a call from nursery school.
This time, it was from Mo's teacher telling us Mo got a rash on her face.

She got hives after eating wafer for snack.
Her face turned red and swollen and had scatches all over.
Her eyes were red as well. She must had been feeling not well. She didn't move nor look at me when I held her.

It was her second time to have the wafer. First time, she didn't get any reaction. The wafer contained some milk. Mo hasn't tried milk yet.
Maybe she wasn't in a perfect condition so this time she got the hives.

All the teachers were worried sick about her and kept apologizing over and over.
Her teacher even gave us a call around 8 to check on Mo's condition.

Around 9pm, her face returned to normal. She was moving around and playing with toys.
Thank goodness, it wasn't severe. I am too tired to sleep..... I am so relieved she is fine now.

I will take her to get allergy test during next week....

  

make your heart warm....

This morning, I took kids to nursery school. It was windy and rainy.
In my right arm, Mo holding, In my left arm her basket hanging, and holding onto an umbrella....

I might have looked terrible! Almost dropping Mo on the ground. She was slowly slipping down....
A mom rushed to me and helped me with the basket even she was in a hurry to go to work.
A mom smiled at me and gave me some cheering.

I am small. about 5 feet. My arms are very short.
When I was taken my measurment for junior high uniform long, long time ago (gosh! how many years ago????? don't even ask!), the uniform maker measured my arms over and over to make sure the length coz they were so short!!!!
My fingers are short as well. Hard to reach C to C keys on the piano by one hand....

Sooooo, Mo is ALWAYS slipping out and down from my arm.....
And, there is ALWAYS somebody to help us out.　Bless them, indeed

I surely thank my uniqueness! Thanks for my short arms




  

I took Holly to a pediatrician to get diagnosed.
No fever, no ache, and good appetite....
He didn't have mumps after all!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were stuck at home all day on Sunday!!!!!
I was planning to go see surfing championship at Tebiro Beach.........

Well, what can I say....
At least, Holly is fine and back to school, and Mo won't be at risk of getting mumps.
Gotta see the bright side!

Cheer up myself!!!!!!!!!
  

Got a call from school around 1:30.
It was from Holly's teacher telling his right cheek seemed swelling.
When I saw him at school to pick up, I honestly couldn't tell whether it was swelling or not.
Well, he has chabby cheeks, so it is hard to tell.

I took him to a clinic in neighborfood. The doc thought it was swelling as well.
It seems he's got mumps. No fever, no ache, have a good appetite. But he has to stay home till swelling is gone.

We came home and he helped my work.
We made shapes with clays.


my shapes


Holly's

He is a great help!!!  

Panda & I went to Calypso today. It must have been more than 6 months since I went there last time.

Panda has too much work to do. Piled up so much. I have many errands to take care of.
But, the flow of work was deadly ceased this morning. We try and try to keep focus and concentrate with no luck.
We decided to take a break.

We chatted with the owner for almost 2 hours over crepe and coffee. It didn't feel that we haven't seen each other for a long time.

I was so proud of myselt to take a break. My heart is much lighter after talking to her.
I should go back there again shortly!!!!
  

Picked up Mo around noon from nursery school to go to the health center.
2nd Polio vaccination for Mo.
The center was packed with kids and moms. Took over 1 hour to get vaccinated.

After that, on the way home I stopped by at La Fonte.
To get gelato???? Not today.
To get a La Fonte tumbler!!!

Doesn't it look neat? I can go anywhere with coffee!!!!
Now we can get a tumbler for 850yen with coffee in it! Coffee tasted great, too.

At La Fonte, Holly's former teacher (not exactly a teacher, but she used to work in the nursery school's kitchen. 給食の先生) was in the kitchen today. We chatted a bit. She has a great smile

Now getting ready for one of my toughest class!!!!! Wish me luck!
  

I felt thirst for reading.
I picked up "対岸の彼女" by 角田光代 at Tsutaya on Sunday.
Started reading it on Mon., and couldn't put it down.
Read it through within 3 hrs.

Now in the middle of reading "Night" by Elie Wiesel.
As I was reading it, just realized I had read it before when I was in school.

Sometimes one needs nurturing for one's brain and mind, I suppose....

BTW, these are Holly's favorites:

He loves reading, too.
  

Tuesday morning, I went to get my body aligned and massage.
I went for a treatment, and came home with a tupperful of chicken curry.

The massager gave it for my lunch, but it was more than enough for 3 people. (I was home alone that day.)
I kept it for dinner, instead. Lucky me, didn't have to cook dinner!!!　
I even had it for today's lunch, too.

The massager always wonders why my body has to be straigten up so many times in a short period.

This time, he tried moxibustion. About 10 spots in total, he did it.
It was hot and hurt for 5 seconds each, but it seems it did the job.

Hope I don't have to go back to get another treatment soon.
(Oops, but I gotta return that tupperware, though!!!! )




  

This week, new semester starts for my school!
Trying to finish preparation for lessons.

After about 1 and a half year, finally I am having free time alone coz Mo is in school.
But I'm not so used to it, cannot schedule things well yet.... Aghh!
Though the semester has started, I am still taking new students. If anybody is interested in joining us, please feel free to contact us!!!

Today, I have a lesson with 5-6 year old kids. 2nd year of A course. I am very excited to open new activity books with them!!!!! Cannot wait!


BTW, Holly, Panda, and I shared Dr Pepper.
Holly claimed he doesn't like Coke. But after having a sip, he decided to keep it. He likes Dr. Pepper.

ALC Kiddy CAT English School の新学期が今日からスタートします！
新学期の準備に大忙しです。レッスンプランを書き出したり、道具の準備や作成にバタバタしております。
現在も、新学期に並行して体験レッスンも受け付けていますので、ご興味のある方はどうぞお気軽にお問い合わせください！お待ちしてます。  

We went to Nu-den market in Daikuma today.
It was sooooooo sticky!!! I mean the weather....
On the way before going through Yanyu tunnel, we couldn't see any montains because it was foggy.

Holly was excited to see some fish swimming underneath a ship in Daikuma port.
He also had fun walking on the river bank with daddy.

In the market, he had shredded ice with double berries syrup. (He is a big fan of berries, especially blueberry....)

I had homemade ginger ale from Mu tou Chai. It was spicy!! Accidentaly I dropped the cup on the ground and spilled a half of it....... What a bummer....

I bought root beer, Dr Pepper, and cocoa from iMPORTaNT. The cans are resting in my fridge right now.
I don't care much for root beer, but Panda likes it.

It was a good Sunday!
Now get back to normal week!!!!

  

I took Holly to a clinic this morning because he has been coughing for 3 days.
During day, not much cough, but he coughs when he is falling asleep and he wakes up.

The doc gave him 4 kinds of meds.
One is vivid red liquid cough syrup.
Holly loves that taste so much and he tried to drink it up at once!!!!

Very very strange boy, he is, He loves medicine.....
  

After school, Holly watching cartoon on TV and Mo moving around in the room.
Mo is always paying attention to whatever Holly is doing or wherever he is going.
She wants to bug him. She tries to pull his hair so hard, and he screams out "Ouch!!!"
Holly thinks he is lookng after Mo. But in fact, Mo is the boss and he is just making her tougher and stronger because of the way how he treats her roughly............


Mo is interested in Holly's button..... Trying to pull it hard.....
  

Finally GW is over.
Yesterday, MIL & FIL left Amami for their home.
When we took them to the airport, it was packed with people!!
I had never seen the airport so crowded (except the end of March for people tranferring back to Kagoshima....).

Inspite of the bad weather, I believe MIL & FIL had a great time. I mean, we did.
It has been very difficult for both ends to see each other for a couple of years.
With my pregnancy, I couldn't travel easily last year. And Mo being an infant, we couldn't travel easily either.

6 years after my FIL's first stroke, his health condition is now steady, it seems, MIL observes and knows well enough when his condition will be going down or up in advance. One concern is that docs couldn't find the cause of his conditions, though.....

I hope we will have more chance to see each other from now on.
Holly keeps saying "I miss them. When will we go see them???? 20th of this month????
Obviously he had a good time with them.