"How to save money" Yuki's tip

This morning, I was talking to Yuki and Konan. Konan asked me what our house in Busan is like. I told him it's nice, but we used to live in a small apartment in Virginia. Then Yuki asked why we lived in a small place. I told her we didn't have enough money then. Of course I was joking. Yuki said she can rend me some money and showed her piggy bank. She keeps Japanese coins and one dollar bill which Avram gave her last January. I said "Thank you. I will save some money for our baby from now. But this is for you. Next time when I need it, please lend me." Yuki said she will.

Konan looked sad when Yuki and I were talking and said he didn't have enough money. He almost started crying. He was cute and I laughed at his words. Konan was upset and said, "I'm not kidding! I'm serious! Don't laugh!" Konan called Yuki to his room and asked how he can make some money. Yuki gave some tips about it. "You don't have to use all the money every time when you get. Save some into your piggy bank. Then you will see more money next time when you open the piggy bank and will be happy:)" Konan said he'll try, but I doubt it.

Three of us studied after talking about money. They do every morning during summer vacation. I gave them English practice notebooks. They loved them. Especially Konan practice counting numbers in English and writing them.

We talked to Avram on the phone this morning. I feel sorry to Avram because it's hard to understand them for him, but they enjoy talking to him very much and can't stop it.

After that they started helping their mother. Yuki washed dishes with me and Konan vacuumed rooms. I realized I could be more lazy if I train my husband and children with house work. It could help our children to be independent.

In the afternoon, we watched a Japanese cartoon by Hayao Miyazaki. Then they played outside and swam. They help their parents and also have a lot of fun. I can see how to raise children this summer and it's fun.

"We miss Avram!" and "Hello" to Mameko

My 7 year old niece Yuki and 5 year old nephew Konan were happy I came back to Japan, but they both asked where Avram is. I told them he's in the U.S.. Konan said "That's not fun! He might come later. Let's go to pick him up to the airport again." My family is disappointed that he couldn't come back with me.

Yuki and Konan touched my belly and talked to the baby. "Hello, I'm Konan." "Hi, Mameko. I'm Yuki. We're your cousins. Do you know that?" Then Yuki read a book for our baby and Konan.

Konan often comes to feel Mameko move inside me. I'm glad the two of them are so excited about their cousin.

Today Mameko was active to say good bye to her father Avram at the airport and to talk to her cousins. I guess she feels what's going on.

Mameko, my family and I all miss Avram in Japan.

Culture Shock in Japan

I hadn't been in Japan for seven months. I already got culture shock when I got to the Fukuoka airport today.

First bus drivers are so nice to people in the bus and drive very very safely.

Second when I used the bathroom, the toilet spoke. It says "If you touch the panel or if you open the door, it flushes automatically." Japanese women feel embarrassed to make noise when they pee, so the toilet plays sound of river to drown out the noise.

Third I missed Japanese food. I had tempura-soba for lunch. I was surprised at not red color food, not strong smell and not spicy food.

Fourth Japan Air Line lets people who need some help such as elderly people, handicapped people, children who travel by themselves, and pregnant women get rides first. I got the service today. A man led me to the airplane and made the way for me. He said "Excuse me, let us go please." I was a first person to get a ride. Then the flight attendant gave me a small magazine and a toy for my baby. That was an interesting experience in my country. I wonder what kind of experience Avram will have in his country for the next one month.

Nose Up Roller

The Dollar Store in Japan is called Daiso. Most of their cheap stuff comes from Korea, so it makes sense that Daiso opened some shops in Korea as well, even if most of their products are written in Japanese.

In the case of the Nose Up Roller pictured here, they were obviously aiming for an international audience. The name of the product is written in Japanese, English, French, Chinese, Korean, and Arabic.

I have not yet used it to "make my nose look better during the break time use." Nor have I tried to "enjoy your nose massage stimulating your skin." But, I plan to shortly.

We had two house-guests from Japan last weekend. They noticed our new matching pair of Nose Up Rollers and wondered why we need them. They said our noses are already good.

I did not really have a good explanation.

Urban Bike Repair

Every month or two, the bike shop truck parks downstairs. He has a full range of children's bikes, as well as repair facilities for bigger bikes. It looks like a great job to me.

Week 26 and all is well

We had another good visit to the doctor today. Rie drank some sweet orange liquid and then gave blood for the diabetes test. After that, the doctor made another baby video for us. All looks good.

Our family counselor Yuki

My mother loves to talk with her grandchildren on the phone. She enjoys the conversations much more than before these days because my niece and nephew talk a lot.

My seven year old niece,Yuki is our family counselor. When we have some problems in our family, we ask her what we can do. My mother often asks Yuki about her second daughter.

My 23 year-old younger sister Chikako always sleeps late. The other day my mother complained she doesn't help with the house work when she's at home, so I said "Ask Yuki to wake her up. " My mother called Yuki, "Please talk to Chikako and tell her she should help her mother." Yuki said ok. She talked to Chikako.

Yuki : "Chika-nechan, you should help your mother. Wake up now and help her. Let's make your day schedule! What time do you want to go to bed and wake up everyday? I usually go to bed around eight and wake up at six. Let's do it!"

Chikako : "No way! I go to school during daytime and then work at night. I come home late everyday. I can't do it."

Yuki : "I see. Then you can't do that. Let me talk to my grandma. I will talk it to her for you."

Yuki : "Grandma, she can't do that because she works hard. If you get tired from your house work, please work for ten minutes and have ten minutes rest. It could help you."

She is funny. She seems like she has thought deeply all the time and her words are like lessons for us, especially to Chikako. They are like just friends or Yuki is Chikako's senior.

Yuki wonders many things. Why her friends can be mean to their friends, why they are sometimes nice to her but sometimes are not, or why bears hibernate during the winter, but how about people etc... . Then she says, "Let's look it up in books!"

She also likes to ask about words from news on TV to her parents. Her parents have to explain all of her questions. My sister-in-law says it's sometimes very difficult to give her answers.

My mother and her husband talked after they talked with Yuki on the phone. "Yuki would be like Rie. She could fix our problems and control our family well."

I was a quiet girl. I mean I have been a quiet person. I didn't talk so much like Yuki, but I am good at working for making our family be closer.
I told my mother they need the one who works for the family in each generation. She agreed and she's happy about it.