Category Archives: Life

Life

Swimming

Settling back into real life following our trip to Australia has been a challenge. We’re back to juggling work and childcare and household chores and I feel as though I’m swimming in circles, just trying to stay afloat.

It’s been hot this week – hundred degree days followed by 80 degree nights. It’s not the heat that bothers me so much, it’s the sleep deprivation which is exacerbated by my neighbor who insists on running his noisy sprinkler outside our bedroom window until 1 in the morning.

But that doesn’t explain all of my crankiness. I blame it on simply being overwhelmed by change – hiring a nanny for the first time over the Summer, returning to work with a new boss and big changes to my team, mentally preparing myself for Samuel’s first day of school (and the crazy childcare logistics that go along with it). While the majority of these changes have been good, adjusting to them all at once has been a challenge.

I’m afraid this weekend isn’t going to provide much time for contemplation and recharging.

  • Tonight – we have a couple of extra kids for a sleepover, Kei is taking the older kids to a soccer game while I’m planning a movie night with the two younger ones.
  • Saturday – Kei is taking the boys to his company picnic (Superhero themed) while I prepare to take photos at a friends’ wedding. They’ll then meet me at the church for the wedding later in the day. All this will be followed by a BBQ with friends who are celebrating their birthdays this weekend.
  • Sunday – We’ll all attend a kids birthday party in the morning and then Kei is driving the boys down to Salem to see a baseball game.

And amidst all of that I need to find time for grocery shopping, laundry, sleeping and eating. Phew!

I think I may need to borrow Samuel’s outfit just to make it few the next 48 hours. It might help me stay afloat.

Bringing Some Aussie Home With Us

After a marathon 26 hour trip and a couple of days recovering from jetlag I feel like we’re finally settling in at home.

Let’s not underestimate the destructive power of jetlag shall we. We walked in the door at about 8pm on Wednesday night after the kids had both taken a two hour nap on the final flight from LA. They went to bed at about 10pm, which is about 3pm Aussie time and therefore a good time for a nap, so at 1am both boys were awake and ready to play. I think the boys and I finally managed to get back to sleep at 3am but Samuel jumped into our bed shortly thereafter and proceded to sleep on me for the rest of the night. Thursday night was pretty much the same story but it looked like we may have turned a corner on Friday – not a day too soon.

So, as you can imagine, I’m a little bleary eyed and cranky and hoping that good night’s sleep tonight will go a long way toward helping me feel more relaxed and patient before I start work on Monday.

Not that we haven’t had our moments of fun. The boys wanted to do some painting in the backyard today and somehow it turned into an Aboriginal Corroboree. I am incredibly grateful that I had the foresight to buy washable paint.

I have more photos and stories to share from Australia and plan to do so as soon as I have the ability to string together a few more coherent sentences. Back soon.

Enjoying Life in Australia

Wow – we have been incredibly busy over the past couple of weeks. We’ve visited zoos and aquariums and historic aboriginal sites and there’s still more on the agenda. I may even try to squeeze a little shopping in amongst all the kid-related activities.

But, despite the desire to find activities that will make the kids as exhausted as possible, I think the best moments have been those when we’ve been able to sit back and just enjoy each other – including time with Uncles and Aunts and Grandparents and Brothers.

Needless to say, these two have been spending a LOT of time together. They’ve had their fair share of fights but I am pleased to say that at least 70% of their time together looks like this…

Back soon with photos from our visits to Scienceworks museum and the zoo – and for everyone that has been waiting so patiently, I may throw in a photo of a Koala or two for good measure. It’s a cliche that I appreciate so much more now that I live on the other side of the world.

Photo Challenge Submission

Around Here…

Craziness abounds at the Ishida house as we near the end of the year for school, sports and, well, patios.

A quick peek at what we’ve been up to…

The last T-Ball game of the season narrowly avoided a washout. In fact the baseball diamond was covered in so many puddles that the game was moved to the middle of the field.

Samuel showed his support with a big hug – while Thomas was trying to throw his glove my way.

Bear hug!

After the game, the team gathered for a BBQ and the all-important trophy presentation. While introducing Thomas, his coach said he’s surprised he’s not playing in the majors already.

Thomas spent the rest of the weekend carrying around his trophy (but without the fake grin).

Of course everyone is winner in T-Ball.

Samuel was there too. Here’s proof.

Recent weekends have also consisted of multiple trips to rock and paver stores, Home Depot and, by default, mall wastelands. This one is currently “under construction” which means they’re in the process of demolishing and rebuilding the entire thing. It’s a rather depressing sight. Also depressing? Those dark clouds that have hovered over Portland pretty constantly for the past 6 months.

And here’s the paving in action. Just a few more to lay and we have a mud-free and very pretty solution for our backyard. Step number 2 in our 20 year plan to get it exactly how we want it. And when I say “we” I must admit that Kei has been doing most of the work. I’ve been lending support by fetching glasses of water, cooking meals and taking the kids with me to the grocery store, hardware store and shoe store.

So, as you can see, our weekends have been incredibly exciting recently. I’m looking forward to a change in scenery over the next few weeks, even if it means I have to put up with some more rain.

Scenes from Weekends Past

Happy Friday! As we begin our well-deserved long weekend, I thought I’d share a few photographs from weekends past. Here’s what we’ve been doing between work and travel (I think they call it living).

1. The last piece of my birthday puzzle was a wonderful night out with my husband while the kids enjoyed a sleepover. We had delicious cocktails and enjoyed some live Jazz at The Secret Society while we waited 90 minutes for a table at Toro Bravo (totally worth the wait). Then we went to see the Avengers. We were running a little late so we sat in the front row which sometimes made for challenging viewing. There’s a lot of action in that movie. Well worth seeing though, even when sitting just a few feet from the screen.

The Bees Knees cocktail was…well…the bees knees. I may have had more than one.

2. The occasional sunny day has allowed us more time outside. A trip to the local farmer’s market means a side visit to the playground. Both of the boys are working on their Ninja Warrior training.

Don’t know who the other kids is in this picture. Friendships come and go quickly on the playground.

3. Speaking of Ninja Warriors, Thomas earned his yellow belt in Karate which is good for two reasons – yellow is his favorite color and a new belt equals renewed passion for Karate.

4. Practicing for a yellow belt has the side effect of little brother wanting to get in on the action.

5. Spring at a Japanese school means it’s time for Spring Festival. Thomas was joined by 109 of his Kindergaten classmates to sing about 20 songs (only a slight exaggeration) in English and Japanese. Thomas is the blurry one walking across stage in his blue Hapi coat – one of the few who dressed up for the festival. It apparently made him hot so he took it off before he even walked off stage.

I assure you that he was more excited than he looks in this picture.

With limited space, it’s a wonder no one lost an eye during this song.

Of course there are more photos – of neighborhood bike rides, jumping castles and dunking machines – but they will have to wait for another time. Right now, the weekend – and the sunshine – is calling my name.

Plans for this weekend include a few boring things like renewing car registrations and organizing my US residency paperwork. But thankfully also a ton a fun activities such a riding the “bat bike” (pictures of that impressive Kei creation coming soon!) and hosting about 15 four year olds at a Ninja Warrior birthday party.  Wish me luck with that one.

Signing off with one final picture of Batman/Ninja Warrior/Birthday Boy.

He’s Four!

My baby turned four on Saturday. FOUR!

I say this every single year, but I’m just not sure how this happened. How did that teeny tiny little boy turn into a four-year old?

We celebrated quietly with birthday cake, hot dogs (birthday boy’s choice for dinner) and, of course, a few presents which included a new backpack and a batman lunchbox that he’ll use when he starts Pre-K in September. We’re hosting a larger party with his friends next weekend.

At four, Samuel…

  • Still gives the best hugs and kisses on the planet (and becomes extremely upset if he doesn’t get a hug and kiss goodbye).
  • Can be the most stubborn person I know (wonder where he gets that from?…)
  • Is incredibly observant, pointing out almost everything he sees in the world around him – and has a million questions for us to answer.
  • Still wants to hold my hand.
  • Is currently all about the sounds that letters make and words that rhyme.
  • Is obsessed with ninjas, superheroes and pretty much anything that his big brother is interested in.
  • Would rather play with his brother than do just about anything else.
  • Is sweet, frustrating, loving, smart, wonderful, angry and happy – sometimes all within the same 5 minute period.

While I miss my baby, watching him grow up is a wonderful adventure.

Karaoke is Good for the Soul

I am convinced that there is nothing quite as good for the soul as gathering a bunch of girlfriends to sing at the top of their lungs, have a few drinks and enjoy a lot of laughs.

I have loved Karaoke since that very first time I went out partying with a group of Japanese Mailmen after my day as the honorary Postmaster General of Sukagawa Japan. (A very long story that I may share on the blog one day). I remember at one point during that evening many (many!) years ago, and likely after more than a few sakes, it suddenly occurred to me that no one cared if I sang out of tune. What they cared about was that we were all having a good time and, for this frustrated High School-musical-star-wanna-be, it was wonderful to feel free enough to sing at the top of my lungs with no judgement. The only danger was that I wouldn’t have enough fun, and that was entirely up to me.

So, when my friends at work look at me like I’m insane every time I tell them I am out for another night of Karaoke, I try to explain that you don’t have to be a great (or even a good) singer to enjoy it. You just need to make sure you’re with great friends who are willing to let go of their fears and inhibitions as much as you are.

And if you have some reservations, a little jalapeno sake can always help get you through the first couple of songs…

Side note: I’m pretty sure this next photo was taken during one of the many Beastie Boys tributes of the evening.

And this next song had a line about tears… or crying. Our performances tend to get more literal as the night goes on.

Thanks for a wonderful night ladies and my apologies for keeping you all out so late. Who knew that a three hour Karaoke session could turn into five hours so easily? I guess that’s what happens when you’re having just TOO much fun.

When Life Gives You Birthday Rain, Make Rainbows

I had big plans for my birthday. I took a couple of days off work to enjoy some relaxation, photography and a little alone time. I mean, it worked last year so why not?

Torrential Portland rain, that’s why not.

So, instead, I worked around the rain and made the best of it. I still managed to do a few things on my checklist (Powells, a brief photo walk, karaoke) and also received a few unexpected surprises (cake!).

Here is my (very long) birthday weekend in photos – part 1.

THURSDAY (my birthday)

9am. Amazing Mexican Mocha Coffee with a ham and cheese croissant. Also managed to read an entire Willamette Week article from beginning to end.

11:00am. Head downtown to return some items at Banana Republic. Contemplate parking at Pioneer Place and consider walking around but decide against when a hurricane begins to blow in (only a slight exaggeration).

12:00pm. Settle for lunch at Violetta which was decadent and delicious. Grateful for my Kindle which enabled me to read and eat at the same time without the pages turning with each gust of wind.

Took a few stealth photos of the city while I protected my camera from the elements.

1:15pm. Drove to the Pearl District with one goal – to browse the Photo book section of Powells. Managed to leave having spent only $13 total for two second hand pocket-sized books. Must be a record of some sort.

2:00pm. Rain stopped for a short while, allowing me to walk around a little. It wasn’t part of the plan, but I decided to step inside Cargo Imports for the very first time. (Look at me being all spontaneous).

A friend mentioned to me a long time ago and, OMG, why didn’t I check it out sooner? Oh, right, probably because it would be a lot less fun saying “don’t touch that” and “stop running” and “look out” every 10 seconds while trying to take in the goodies around every corner. Seeing it on my own was the perfect thing to do and something I plan to relive when I have more than 20 minutes left on the meter.

2:50pm. Made it back to the car with minutes to spare before I was forced to donate to the Portland Parking fund. Headed home for a little downtime (like my entire day hasn’t been downtime).

4:30pm. Collected one of the children from daycare and then kept an eye on him through the door while he watched the neighbor kids throw a ball around in their front yard. Birthday dinner consisted of whatever I could find in the fridge (for me) and canned pasta (for him). I was pacing myself for a big weekend.

Deepest apologies to the neighbors who’s flowers also became a gift for me on the weekend. We put a stop to it as soon as we knew where they came from.

I asked Samuel to let me take his photo as a birthday present to me (I’m not afraid to play it). He gave me this. Love that kid.

Kei and Thomas arrived home a couple of hours later – bringing cake and the promise that I could open the birthday present that the UPS man kindly delivered to my door the previous evening.

Hello, my precious…

FRIDAY (day after my birthday but stopping before Karaoke because it needs a post of its’ own)

I don’t have many photos of Friday because, well, it wasn’t very exciting. It was raining again so I made the most of it with some indoor activities. Yoga in the morning followed by a couple of hours of catching up on some TV and then a lot of tidying up the house before my cleaners arrived.

4:00pm Left the house in the midst of a crazy downpour to pick up one child and then drive to meet the other.

1.5 hours later – finally arrived at the dinner destination about 10 miles away from our house. Thank you Portland traffic that can’t deal with rain even though we drive through it EVERY DAY.

Dinner consisted of reasonably priced, yet delicious, gourmet hot dogs.

After dinner we stopped by a special Art Show for Thomas’ after school program.

Kei took the kids on a (very quick) tour of the candy bus while I quickly headed home to be there in time for my Karaoke carpool.

Apparently I missed seeing the Llama and still only made it back about 10 minutes before the rest of the family. I’m a little sad about that. A Llama would have been a good addition to my birthday story.

OK – even I’m getting tired of the photos at this point so I’ll come back tomorrow to share some more highlights from the weekend. Hint: it includes a lot of singing, a delicious dinner and watching some heroes save the world (or New York, at least) from the front row of a movie theater.

Here’s a sneak peek.

Back soon.

Sunshine and Sing-a-longs

What began on on Thursday as a rainy (torrential) birthday, developed into a long weekend of celebration – filled with fun time with friends (5 hours of Karaoke), loads of family time, a night out with the husband and way too much chocolate cake.

I’m still working on the photos so look for a full report in the next couple of days. In the meantime, I’ll share a quick iphone pic of the cake that single handedly set me back on my goal to lose weight before summer, a fabulous cocktail that I hope to recreate, and a classic video clip of one the songs that kept the Karaoke party going until the wee hours of Saturday morning. The song also seems appropriate for a sunny start to the week (this one’s for you LeeAnn).

Happy Monday!


Wednesday Ramblings

I know everyone’s getting very tired of hearing about how busy I am, so I’m not going to talk about it.

…

OK, because I’m not going to talk about that-thing-I’m-not-going-to-talk-about, instead I’ll share a few random thoughts, musings, updates, photos.

  • Today is Wednesday and I stayed up way too late last night so I’m tired. The kind of tired that makes you drive past Starbucks in auto mode on your way to work and then turn around and head back even though you’re nearly at the office because the thing you really need this morning is coffee.
  • I stayed up late watching Glee with girlfriends whilst drinking glasses of red wine, so don’t feel too bad for me.

 

 

  • Tomorrow is my birthday. I’m going to be… wait for it… 37. Although I have to keep reminding myself of that because I have been thinking that this will be my 36th birthday for some time now. It took the guy at the grocery store who checked my ID (and was born in the same year) to wish me a happy upcoming 37th. I corrected him and then realized my mistake.
  • I don’t feel a day over 35.
  • I think I may have unconsciously given myself a fringe (that’s “bangs” for my American readers), in an effort to hold onto my youth.
  • I’m telling myself that I did it to give myself an edgier look before my upcoming work trip to New York.

  • Speaking of New York. I have about 24 hours of “free” time. Suggestions for how to narrow down a big long list of things I want to do to fill in that time are gladly accepted. There’s a lot to do in NYC.
  • Speaking of flying places, I took this photo with my iphone during my flight home from Seattle last week.

 

  • And speaking of my trip to Seattle, this is the view from one side of our office in Bellevue. The other side has views of the Seattle skyline.

  • My office in Portland has a view of a gold statue on the top of the Mormon temple. Just saying…
  • Thomas found a 1936 penny in our backyard last week. Our house was built in 1923 so it now has me wondering what other treasures might be buried back there. We could be living on a gold mine of worthless (but very interesting) pennies.

 

  • Starting to get very excited about our trip to Australia. It’s only a few weeks away now and I’m trying not to focus too much on all the work I have to do between now and then.
  • I’m taking tomorrow and Friday off so I can have a relaxing and very LONG birthday weekend. On the agenda: A solo photo walk around the city (praying it doesn’t rain too much), an hour or so to browse the photography section of Powells, at least one yoga class and maybe another trip to the gym, getting my house cleaned (by someone else :)), Karaoke with the girls, dinner with my husband while some very kind friends take our kids for the night… and LOTS of time to just relax.

  • 37!