Trick or Treat!

We love Halloween around here, can you tell?

I made Cupcake's ladybug costume, using the Bubble Dress Tutorial from My Mama Made It. It was easy peasy.

Pretty much the perfect Sunday morning

About 8 years ago, Big Fish watched a tv programme that followed a little red wagon going around Victoria, BC. He loved it. To him, the luxury of just wandering around with a wagon (something he never had or would have been able to get in his childhood, living in a one-room apartment in Tokyo without even a bath) was the ultimate dream. It's been on as a repeat twice that we have seen, and each time he sighs over it.
My parents bought Little Fish a wagon for Christmas last year and the first time Big Fish took him out they only lasted two minutes until someone toppled (jumped) out onto his head and came back home. I've been out with Little Fish and the wagon, using it to take home the shopping or to drop packages off at the post office, and it's really only been the last 3 months or so that he has calmed down enough to actually ride in the wagon without rushing out to climb or go on his own somewhere. This is the kid who never rode in strollers or carts until we went to Costco this summer and he could share with Cupcake. But he's growing up and less likely to jump out of moving objects (also much more susceptible to bribes).
Since Cupcake has been sitting on her own for about a month and also has not developed the climbing skills her brother had at her age (she has to concentrate more on escaping), we realized that it was finally time for her to have a wagon ride.

Big Fish took them out to give me some time on my own. I expected them back in about 15 minutes but they were out for 3 hours! No one fell or jumped out, which was more than I was hoping for. Lots of time for me to go shopping and browse house and craft magazines without anyone escaping or eating the merchandise. They came back and were so happy with their little adventure. I think there will be quite a few more red wagon journeys in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We didn't have turkey or pie, but we had a pumpkin cake and lots of Canadian wine to celebrate.



We have lots to be thankful for. It's been a good year. Cupcake has enriched our lives so much. We had a fabulous trip to Canada and I have been lucky to have a long vacation from work, and a job to go back to. We have a lot of great friends and family and although some of them are far away the internet age makes it easy to connect. I love video chat. ;)

What are you thankful for?

A giveaway and a deal

After my sudden chattiness in September, I have retreated to my normal non-blogginess. Things have picked up around here and we are super busy. Luckily it's Sports Day tomorrow so Big Fish gets a day off. The Fishes are out at a playground right now and Cupcake is napping so I am supposed to be painting a new shelf, marking off the fabric for the carseat cover I am making, and packing for our night away. Going to nice hotel or onsen, you ask? Nope, we're going to stay over in a showhome. It's the builder we will use if we build a house here in Japan, a Canadian import housing company. They've been bugging us to stay in their showhome for a while and now we have a chance. Hope Little Fish doesn't break anything.

We'll have our Thanksgiving feast there. Our roast chicken is in the oven and my pumpkin pie cake is cooling and waiting for the icing.


In honour of Thanksgiving, I have an awesome deal for you. Meeabee, the lovely Japan-based business which focuses on awesome bags for kids, has free worldwide shipping this weekend only. Somebody needs to buy this awesome Egyptian Adventure bag. Lots of other bags to choose from too!

You might know that I am a big fan of the Australian blogger from Childhood 101. That's where I got the idea for Little Fish's box kitchen. She is having a giveaway on her blog of a $50AUD gift certificate for fabric from The Oz Material Girls. That's open to international dwellers as well!

Capturing the moment

I can't quite believe it has taken me so long to write this post. It might have to do with the fact that I cannot quite decide what photos to post with it. I don't want to overload you, but I have so many good photos to go with it.

In July, at home in Edmonton, a bloggy friend and professional photographer took photos of my kids. It was a lovely morning. It felt so natural to meet up and talk with her and her fabulous daughter. My son absolutely fell in love with her daughter, and asked numerous times over the past months when K&J are coming over to play! We went down to the lake, chatted and hung around. Oh, and she took some absolutely fantastic photos. Just as a bonus!

Little Fish has had his photograph taken by pros in Japan, but that is a totally different style. Even the little bit of modeling he has done has been studio photography. It just doesn't feel natural. K's pics are not at all like this. She captured the essence of both of my kids.

See for yourself.









So if you are looking for the best Edmonton photographer, head to www.blueflowerphotography.ca. Not only is she the best photographer, she also is such a fabulous person to spend an afternoon with. Oh, did I mention that her rates are the most reasonable I have ever seen for a pro photographer? Because they are. She gives you digital copies so you can blog your photos or print them or send them to every single friend and relative you have anywhere in the world. In short: Blue Flower Photography = awesome.