The four happiest children on Earth are enjoying their first morning together.
Life is good friends! Let the Quon Family Adventure begin!
One of the things we've learned while in Japan is how to make do with what we have. It's been a wonderful lesson and forced us to be more creative at times~ especially when it comes to celebrations.
For the scallywags 3rd birthday, Eldest and I decided to create a big "3" out of construction paper. It would hang over his buffet of gifts and be the first thing he saw the morning of his birthday.
Here's the twist: we made it completely out of little circles.
Eldest traced the bottom of a glass on several sheets of colorful paper and cut them out.
Believe it or not, this only took her about 25 minutes!
While she cleaned up the scrap paper, I started on a loose template. The three had to resembled a three, yes?
It only took about a one or two tries before I began to tape the base for our giant 3 together.
With a little adjusting here and there, and a little help from the soon-to-be 3 year old, we heaped on the fun by adding more and more of the vividly colored circles to it.
It was so easy to do~and the end result?
Fab-u-lous.
We removed the botanical prints, hung the 3, then laid a tan pashmina atop the buffet.
The only thing left to do the night before the scallywags birthday was to arrange his presents from the family. (Totally keeping it real, yes, those are picture hooks on either side of the 3. The pictures would be going right back up and I did not remove them.).
On the morning of his birthday, the scallywag was floored by his birthday bounty. He didn't touch a thing for the longest time~he just stared in amazement. Finally, with a little encouragement he dove right in!
Can you tell what my son is most interested in these days? Thomas the Train and "Toy Story". Oh, yes, and a new favorite? "Kung Fu Panda". He adores that Dragon Warrior, Po the Panda.
He received many little gifts including several Melissa & Doug puzzle boards~which, in case you're interested, have to be the cutest puzzle boards ever. We love them!
As the scallywag is also really interested in bikes these days, we're planning on getting him one upon our arrival in our next destination. If we bought him one here, he'd be waiting weeks to ride it while being shipped from Tokyo to...well, you're going to have to wait just a bit longer to find out just where!
In any case, the little guy was so excited with his gifts! He's taken his time going through each one. It's funny to see him thoughtfully examine every present, choosing a few new ones to play with every day.
As we concluded his birthday morning, the little one and Eldest~my partner in creativity and biggest helper~indulged in a very sweet birthday breakfast: salted caramel donut sticks.
It makes the biggest mess, friends, but they are so delicious. And did I mention that the children love them?
We had one happy birthday boy on our hands, friends. There's much more to share, so please come back next week and see what else we did on the big day.
Right now I'm off to help our maid prepare for the most wonderful present ever: family!
They arrive tomorrow evening and we have quite a bit of fun and travelling planned. If I fall off the face of the planet for a few days, you'll understand why.
Many thanks to all of you who stop by to read, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment or two. It's so nice to hear your voices as well as your thoughts. They're much appreciated!
A lovely weekend to you all.
Today, someone very much in my heart turns three. He is a miracle in his own right, and every day I spend with him fills me with more laughter, more joy, and more peace than I knew possible.
Stubborn, clever, joyful, fierce, loud, sweet, hilarious, gentle, rough, boisterous, quiet, emotional, calm, loving, giving...These are words that are mere brushstrokes when it comes to describing my sweet scallywag.
And I wouldn't want anything to change.
Happy birthday, my son. We all love you so.
Good morning all!
We haven't had one of these posts in a while, but what can I say? It's been one of those weeks! I just can't get my act together blog-wise and this way I can put almost everything to paper...
So to speak.
~Last week began our summer vacation (though I'm very hesitant to use the word "vacation"). It's going to be an incredibly hectic summer. We'll be moving to our next location and we'll be doing it, plus choosing Eldest and the scallywag's school, in July. We won't have much time so...you can understand why there's reluctance to refer to any portion of the next three months as a vacation.
~I'm still having a hard time believing that both children will be attending school this Fall. Though it is a good thing, I am sad that my little one is ready for this transition. I will miss him very, very much.
~And he'll be 3 this Wednesday! How could three years pass so quickly? Did I blink?
~We're really looking forward to a visit from Husband's family this Saturday! We've missed them. They'll be staying with us for a few days, we'll visit Disney, then we'll head to China and Hong Kong. It will be nice to see familiar faces and watch the children play together~they always have the best time. Plus, it will be so nice to show them our Tokyo.
~With Husband finishing up a few things at the office, he's been working late, and in those evenings I find myself with an old friend from my childhood days: Angela Lansbury and the people of Cabot Cove, Maine.
Move aside, Harry Potter, this is the original trio: Jessica Fletcher, Doctor Seth Haslett, and Sheriff Amos Tupper with guest star John Astin.
I grew up watching the light mystery show, "Murder, She Wrote" with my Father. Every Sunday at 7 PM I could count on being entertained by the episodes as well as the characters. I never knew who the killer was, but Jessica Fletcher was one shrewed cookie! She always knew, no matter how obscure the clue or convoluted the plot. Of course, now that I'm older I have to wonder why people didn't run in the opposite direction when her character came to town. Didn't anyone ever wonder why people seemed to die around her all the time?
~Angela Lansbury remains one of my favorite actresses of all time. From her "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" days to Broadway, she remains the classiest dame around~and feisty as ever. Also amusing? She remains so in tune with pop culture, claiming Lady Gaga would make a marvelous Mame should she ever turn her eye to Broadway.
~I'm currently on the hunt for Season Three of "Murder, She Wrote" on DVD.
~I'm currently on the hunt for Blendy Aroma Blend coffee as well. Since our move to Tokyo, Husband and I have become huge fans of this Japanese coffee. And guess what? When I'm most in need of morning clarity the stores stop carrying it. We've hit the major markets and the smaller ones as well, hoping to find it. We do have one more, though, so our fingers are crossed!
~For now, Cafe du Monde is doing the trick (even if Husband doesn't like chicory).
~Here's a funny story: my husband begins to say something to our son and instead of listening, he turns around and laughs. "Daddy, I hear blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." Hilarious, and thank you "Tangled". I can look back at that moment and still laugh.
~I do have museum pictures from last week from a Rembrandt exhibit, and will share them with you this week!
~Even with the craziness involved with our upcoming move, I'm looking forward to decorating a new home. Preferably one that isn't so contemporary in design.
~Oh yes, and depending on the size of our home I'll be on the market for a bed for the little one. And perhaps eldest. We'll sell the twin beds we have now as they are incredible eye-sores, and find something more traditional. Of course, we won't know if we need one or two until we find our new home!
~I'm sorry for not revealing our next location in any of the posts regarding our move, but until things are finalized, Husband and I are keeping mum. Things can change rather quickly in this business, and we don't want to get hopes up or dashed.
~Would y'all mind sending a few prayers our way regarding the move? Peace of mind, an easy transition, locating a great school for the children, finding a wonderful new home...there's a lot that will happen very fast and we want to enjoy it, but make smart decisions. The two don't seem to go hand in hand, so you'll understand why a little spiritual guidance is appreciated!
~I cannot believe how many of y'all were in agreement with me about the last post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and offering your encouragement. It was heartwarming. Regarding girls clothing has always been a hot-button issue with me, and modern as I am, there is a very traditional, old-fashioned girl within that will not evolve with the times. Many may not be ok with that, but I am. What can I say? It's not easy when you feel like a Jackie girl living in a Kardashian world.
~Speaking of Jackie, my replacement "What Would Jackie Do?" arrived and has been a delicious nap-time treat every day since (as have a few cookbooks that arrived with it!)
~It recently occurred to me that my daughter will be in High School in 3 years. Oh my Lord. Really? I must have blinked again. Where is this sweet bebe?
How are my little children becoming bigger people? I'm so happy their thriving, happy individuals, but I do miss those baby days.
And now I'm going to stop before I make myself a teary-eyed mess. Like I said, it's been rather busy around here and much is on our minds. They're all good, for which we're blessed, but they can be trying. It's nothing to complain about~that time will come and be here soon enough. I'm just glad there are these wonderful people, moments, and opportunities we get to take part in.
So very glad.
A lovely week to you all~I'll be back soon with birthday boy celebrations!
One of the biggest complaints I've always had as a mother to a girl concerns clothing and its appropriateness.
For eleven years I've worried about my daughter's clothes. Why? Because more and more it seems the bigger girls get, the smaller the clothes become. Modesty, for the most part, has been thrown out the window in favor of "what's hot".
When did it become acceptable to let our little ones prance about with "Juicy" on their bottoms and shorts that showed everything their Mama's gave them? When did bare midriff's become de rigueur?
Understand I'm not talking about dress-up. Dressing up and using ones imagination is a wonderful thing. I'm not even referring to bathing suits~though I could. I'm talking about the clothing items that some young girls~and stores~consider to be acceptable for everyday wear.
Perhaps this a sign of the times, perhaps it's because this is all they see, and perhaps I'm a buttoned-up old prude who lives in a fantasy world. But when did it become uncool for young girls to dress like young girls?
I suppose I should be relieved that Eldest is a tomboy. We've never had to deal with a desire for lacy, sequined everyday wear that graced the aisles in many stores. But it's more readily available than the classic or less flashy girls wardrobe. Why? Probably because it's cheaper to mass manufacture as well as purchase. But what about the bottom line...What is the true cost of this mass affordability?
Target has been pretty safe, as have Gap and Old Navy. Even Crew Cuts provided us with some relief. All range from very affordable to a little bit of splurging.
But it's still pretty limiting. Thankfully, companies have caught on that some parents don't want their 7 year old's dressing like Miley Cyrus. Or in my case, 11 year old. More and more stores are expanding their clothing lines to include sensible, tasteful, and sometimes chic items for our daughters. And while they aren't always the cheapest, you're offering your child a little something that is completely priceless: a better sense of self-worth.
All mothers to daughters, I come bearing the most wonderful news! Brooks Brothers now carries a girls line and it is so fabulous I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am.
Let me show you a few things I would love for Eldest...
The Striped Oxford Dress
The Digital Print Dress
The Dot Print Blouse
Girls Gingham Blouse in Sheer Lilac
Terry Shawl Knit Cardigan
Girls Gingham Shorts
And were you all aware of how cute Lands End's girls clothing is? I had no idea! Not to mention it's very affordable.
Girls Tank Knit Dress in Golden Sun
Girls Woven Beach Skort in Navy
Girls Knit Ruffle Front Dress in Blue
And for the Fall...
Long Sleeve Knit Ruffle Front Dress in Red
Plaid Poplin Tuck Dress in Hunter/Classic Navy Plaid
Girls Pleated Skirt in Gray
Girls Tie-Front Ponte Skirt in Rich Red
I just want to do a little dance of joy! These clothes are darling. They aren't too young, nor are they too mature. And in no way are they age inappropriate. They're right where they need to be for a growing young lady.
Just a word of caution before you go shopping~if you're the online shopping type, of course. Make sure you know your daughter's measurements before any purchasing. Because when I took Eldest's, I discovered not only is she just shy of 5 feet and lankier than ever, but she's a size 14 and Large at Lands End, but a 14 and Extra Large at Brooks Brothers. It's all about how the stores size their clothes!
And now I'm done singing the praises of these two new discoveries. My heart and mind are filled with relief that stores are starting to understand that there are still parents out there that think like I do. It's nice to know that I'm not alone. Of course, I'm sure because I've been in Japan for the past year I'm the last to catch on to these two lovely discoveries, but aren't they wonderful?
A lovely weekend to you all, wherever you may be!
That the Queen from "Tangled" is his Mamam.
Photo courtesy of Disney
Yes, this was my reaction as well. Ha! Sweet, funny boy.
I still cannot believe he's going to be 3 next Wednesday. Times flies, friends, and so must I~lunch awaits.
A lovely day to you all!
Good morning from Tokyo all!
We had such a good run of fair weather, I think Mother Nature decided it was time for a few rainy days. So here we are, indoors, thanking God we at least had several consecutive days to go out and play~as well as Museum Hop.
Welcome to Week Two of Museum Week!
This one will be short and sweet simple because my time this morning is also short...due to a rather sweet boy.
Yesterday the wee one and I headed up to Ueno Park.
It's pretty far from where we live, but hosts many entertaining venues. They have a Zoo, a large playground, shrines, and of course, several museums.
Our goal yesterday was to visit The National Museum of Western Art and the Tokyo National Museum. Happily we were able to do both, but in between walking from one to another my son spotted something that had him jumping from the stroller.
His greatest passion right now, aside from all things Toy Story related, are trains. And right in front of the Tokyo National Museum of Science was this beautifully grand, black engine.
Unfortunately it didn't take long for the scallywag to realize something wasn't quite right: the gates were closed and sealed with locks.
It seemed the museum was being fumigated and wouldn't be open until next week. Total Science Museum fail. Thankfully the scallywag was happy to look at the train from behind the gates.
"Wow! It's beautiful!"
"Mamam, the train! Look, the train! Wow!"
He was so, so, so excited. We had hit a jackpot.
It was a moment of serendipity for us both.
But time was running short, and I had to gently encourage the little guy to sit back in his stroller so we could head to our next destination. We couldn't go further into Science Museum, could we?
No, he wasn't too happy, but he was okay until the train was out of sight. Then began the pitiful pleading.
"Oh Mamam, the train! Where'd it go? The train!"
Whoever said "out of sight, out of mind" clearly never met my son. I wished I could do something for him, but sometimes those moments of serendipity come with a twist. The best I could do was sing him a little song and offer him a snack as we strolled away.
Thankfully, he fully moved on after a crowd of pedestrians wandered with us towards our next location. People watching was just as fascinating.
And on a happier note, we will head back to his beloved train next week once the museum reopens.
That, plus a cheery scallywag, is definitely something to look forward to.
A lovely day to you all!
