Sunday, November 29, 2009

Boo!

Eiko says...

I haven't posted in 4 days, NOT because I died, but because our INTERNET CONNECTION died! Actually, it's still dead, so it's really just a miracle that I'm able to blog right now.

Update on life:

*PIZZA!
A.Yuka, THANK YOU! You are truely an amazing person. Snacks are not a problem anymore. You are amazing!

*Dad and Mom are back from Jamaica!
Seiko had the perfect wedding, and Dad and Mom were able to put all the financial issues, the stress of moving, and just life in general aside, and relax! The Mom and Dad that came back were a whole five years younger! It was kinda like a honeymoon that they never had the opportunity to have.

*Yasu and Dawn will be moving tomorrow
...to UNO Home. (with Kiyona, of course). Life without them is not something I'm looking forward to. I'm going to miss them terribly.

*We are aiming to move on the 15th the of December
I hope we'll be able to move out by then. That way, we'll be able to celebrate Christmas in our New House, (Still a nameless home. Have any ideas?) and start the New Years in a New Location!

And that's it for now. Will blog more later.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

rabu rabu actually

Eiko says...

Okay, our Internet connection sucks BIG TIME!

I couldn't go to sleep (most likely because of the huge mug of green tea I drank down after dinner) and so instead of wasting time tossing and turning in bed, I decided to catch up on some blogging, but I ended up wasting 10 minutes loading and reloading this page!! It's driving me coo-coo! I'm seriously considering a Home change to that Home in Taiwan where Hiki used to live before going to Canada. Apparently, they can download a movie in less then 10 minutes! O.M.G! Kill me!

Anyway, that's not exactly what I had in mind to blog about.

What I was originally thinking of blogging about was, ...well, love!

Love is Actually all around us!

Don't you just LOVE that movie? Love Actually is my favorite Christmas movie, and the best part of the whole movie is without a doubt, Hugh Grant's irresistible hip thrusts! Being able to move your hips in such an attractive manner, and with such gusto and pride is not a talent just anyone has. Oh, and not to forget that song the skinny, perverted looking old man was singing with such enthusiasm and soul throughout the entire movie! I know it's your #1 favorite Christmas song! Don't worry. It's mine too. (Not...really... but wtv)

"I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my t-o-e-s
...."

Anyway, Dawn and Yasu, the teens, Yuriko and I watched Love Actually in a well cushioned 4th floor lounge (blankets, couches, cushions, the whole deal), over some thick, hot chocolate and marshmallows. We also recently got a new projector, so we didn't have to be crouched over any one's small lap top screen either. It was a first timer for all of the younger teens, and they loved it. Who wouldn't? That movie was a master piece. It shows human love in it's many forms. I think I liked the writer's story best. And also the little boy's love story with the little girl singer.

And all of a sudden I'm getting a neck cramp, and the depressing state of this Home's internet connection has gotten me tired. I think I'm ready for sleep now.
This post is so not finished, and is 100% stupid, but I'm gunna post it anyway, just to make this neck cramp worth it.

Will blog more laterz.

Merry Christmas.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Puppies!!

Nozomi says...

Just recently, Dad, Chibs, Akari, Jun-kun and I went to see puppies that were born to one of Dad's friend's dog. (The puppies we went to see will be trained to be guide dogs for the blind.)
Those puppies were just soooo.....CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!
There were 8 puppies, 4 of them were black, and the other 4 white. We got permission to hold one puppy each, after we disinfected our hands. I think that was the first time I held a dog just by myself. As you can see in the pictures, I was quite happy and pleased to get to hold a puppy on the day of my birthday. I always wanted a dog, but with the financial state of the home, and knowing how expensive a dog is, the fact that I got to hold a puppy dog was quite special. :)




Saturday, November 21, 2009

I sorta bake

Eiko says...

I baked a chocolate chiffon cake and a macha chiffon cake today for a birthday party.
I love the way they rose so high!

Moving DAY1

Eiko says...

It has begun!!



The great and mighty exodus!!

The two pictures above show the state of my room before our first "moving of the stuff" trip to the New House. I was reunited with many long-lost items of clothing and nick-nacks that were trapped under our bunk bed, for which I was very thankful for.

And yes, indeed, it has begun!!


Dad, Yasu, Yuya, Ai-chan and I went to the House with our first batch of stuff, mainly big furniture like beds, desks, shelves, cupboards, etc. It was one hectic day of cleaning, scrubbing, unloading, lifting and other kinds of muscle work.

PICTURES!


As you can see, our house is extremely woody.... we should be the Woody Home or something.


I mean, our kitchen is all wood, and believe it or not, so is our ofuro!!


This is how the house looked like right after dumping the furniture into the house. Grossness!


Go, go, Yasu! That's what muscles are for!


The younger teens will be having the loft. It's smaller than it looks...


Yukadanbou daisuki!


We stayed a night there, and got home the next day at 5:30 AM!! It's more like the next NEXT day. Maji tsukareta yo! I was Dad's rider, and he kept falling asleep on the wheel! It wasn't even funny! Well, I must admit that at first I did think it was funny, but that was before he started swerving from side to side like he was a snake or something! That's when my life flashed before my eyes, and I somehow got dad to rest at a rest stop. When Dad woke up from his nap, he jumped, and kept asking what he was doing and where he was. Dad is the cutest...really.

The whole trip was worth it though. The night skies at Nasu are BEAUTIFUL! Call me a sentimental idiot or whatever, but I LOVE star gazing, and it's not something you can do in Tokyo. I got lucky and saw 2 shooting stars, and those two stars owe me 2 wishes.
Kurisumasu made ni yoroshiku!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

What I'm up to...

Akari says...

This is what I do for my spare time. Making decorations, cards, and socks. I shouldn't have so much free time (because of all the moving), but somehow I do.




高認テスト

Eiko says...

I hate biology.


It's no wonder that I didn't pass on the first round. No worries though. Because despite my hatred for biology, unlike last year, I studied hard for this test, and although I barely understood 70% of what the test questions were about, I have confidence that my hard work paid off.

It was interesting though. I was in a class room, taking a high school test full of people of all shapes and sizes, and from every walk of life! There were the school-drop-outs, who slept through every test (most likely their 3rd or 4th time there), there were middle aged men in suits, business women, the nerds with thick glasses, and also teens dressed like they just came back from modeling for the latest fashion magazine! And although few, there were those who were ACTUALLY STUDYING, with their noses glued to their text books till the very last minute! A very impressive sight indeed! I wasn't in this class of people though. I was in the I-have-confidence-that-I-will-pass category--the same category I was in last year when I flunked in biology--and was happily sketching silly illustrations of the overseers, and making silly comments about them with Yuriko, while waiting for the test to begin.

"Crazy-tops alert!!"
"That teacher over there looks like he's high."
"I betcha 10 brownies that that teacher is thinking about sex."

etc.

But I'm 100% sure that I passed my biology test. Can't wait for the test results to arrive and confirm my victory.

This is me impatiently waiting for the test. Being that it was a beautiful, sunny, warm blue-skyed autumn day, I wanted nothing more than to roll over and start napping. Wouldn't you if you had just eaten a KFC twister-potato-set lunch to your stomach's content, and you were outside soaking up the sun on a perfect autumn day, waiting for a not-so-inspiring-test?



Friday, November 13, 2009

niteru nitenai whatev

Eiko says...

"O.M.G! You two are totally related, aren't you?"
An older man who had just finished eating the omuraisu I made for him said as he came to return his tray to our shop. Yuriko and I looked at each other as we rolled our eyes.
"That's right," I said, with a here-goes-again-shrug, "we're sisters."
"I KNEW IT! You two are twins, right? You look like twins..." He said, all bright and chirpy.
"No, sir. We're NOT twins. Just sisters." I replied as I mentally calculated that this would be the 3rd time someone commented on how Yuriko and I looked so much alike. (Not including our co-workers, mind you, who see us every time we go for work!)
"Kidding me? You two have got to be twins." He insisted.
"Yeah, we get that a lot," I said as I took his tray from him and started working the washer.
"Nah....you two .... you've gotta be twins..." The old man mumbled to himself as he thanked us for the omuraisu and walked away.
I mumbled, "whatever."

The above conversation happened as often as the customers came when Yuriko and I used to work together at our old work place.

OKAY! I got your point! NOT!

Yeah, we're sisters, but we DON'T look alike.

None of us Matsuokas do... Not to the point that you should mistake one for the other.

But neither of us mind people thinking we look alike despite the facts that we don't. We're sisters, after all, and it's nothing out of the ordinary. 'Sides, Yuriko is awful cute, and looking like her is not a problem. :)

Commonly, people say I look like Yuriko. It's the happy rare occasion when people say that I look like Seiko. But I was down right disturbed when somebody said I looked like Sam!!! I think I lost some sleep over that one. Heh, heh!

Anyhow, POINT BEING, we don't look alike, but it's okay if you think we do. We'll just roll our eyes and say 'whatever'. And if you love me, then you'll keep comments like, "Woah, you look like your brother Sam!" to yourself. Like I said, I lose precious sleep over it. I happen to love my sleep very much.

Okay, well, I found these two photos of us where we're both sorta making the same face, and we even sorta look a like. Sorta...




Coming to think of it, I am now further convinced that God knew exactly what He was doing when He made Yuri and I look so different. I mean, imagine the naughty tricks we could play on unsuspecting victims if we looked alike. We would use our similar looks fully to our advantage... oh no...

Mental note to self:

Stupid blog post.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

ohmygaddo!! kurisumasu daisuki!

Ppls, it's the 12th of November.
This leaves you with only 43 days till Christmas season is OVER!!

Here's a to-do list for all of you who aren't sure how to make the most of these last 43 days.

*Start listening to your favorite Christmas music!

*Start sipping hot chocolate!

*Pull out the Christmas tree and give it life!

*Read some good 'ol Christmas in the Hearts!

*Bake cookies, or anything chocolaty.

*Make breakfast in bed for someone important to you with a Christmas card!

*Watch Love Actually, A White Christmas, Scrooged, --any of your favorite Christmas movies!

*Write Santa Clause a freakin' love letter!

*Make onigiris and pass them out to the homeless. (something I used to do with my Dad on the Holidays.)

*Go caroling!

*Share the love!

*SMILE more!

*LAUGH more!

*HUG more!

*And please, DON'T BE DEPRESSED!

I'm sure you have a pretty good reason or excuse as to why you're depressed, but for every reason/excuse you can come up for being depressed, there's a reason for you to be happy and joyful!!

Scrooge-like people are real wet blankets and no body likes them, esp. during Christmas.

Don't be a Scrooge-like-person! Just don't.

And have a very, Merry Christmas. :)

Sunday, November 8, 2009

No inspiration, no can do!

Eiko says...

Check out my new art project! I was going to post the picture once I've finished it, but I highly doubt that I'll ever get around to finishing this one, as my INSPIRATION for the picture has up and died, and has left me with ZERO feelings for the picture whatsoever! (other then feelings like, 'woah, Jim Caviezel is hot!')

In these two pictures, you can see the progress I've made...and how in the first picture, the girl's ear and hair line is not in the right place BIG TIME!!


I know a lot of people who just don't understand how I can start an art project, (and it's going perfectly well, with everything in the right places,) but just...not finish it. Well, my dear friend, I simply cannot finish something that I don't have the inspiration for. I may originally have had inspiration for the picture, but if I get board of the picture I'm drawing, or lose the vision, then inspiration fizzles out, and I simply cannot finish it. Sure, I could always push onward even when I'm low on inspiration, just like Thomas Edison advises, but when you compare that 'no-inspiration' art project with the 'lot's of inspiration' art project, the contrast is frightening!

And I think I'm not the only one with this, 'no-inspiration-no-can-do' problem. Leonardo da Vinci is a classic example of this. In fact, so is my whole family.

There is, of course, the rare occasion when I pick up an old, unfinished sketch, and regain inspiration for it, and if that's the case with this art project, and I end up finishing this picture, I'll be sure to post it here, and then you all can congratulate me, yeah?

Xtreme Quote!

Eiko says...

Okay, all you Xtreme Disciples out there, this quote is for YOU!!!
(I found this quote while I was reading an XD article.)

Dad: This carnal world MAKES ME SICK because I know the purity and beauty of Heaven. You want an OPEN MIND? You want to really be COOL? Then reject the sickening puke of man's ways and embrace the pure, powerful, liquor of Heaven! It'll knock your socks off. Are you man or woman enough to take it? Can you handle the power of the Spirit? Or are you going to settle for the milk toast of this world?--Worse than that, the poison of this world? Me, I can't stand the filth of this world! Give me those who are free enough to live in the spirit! God give me those who are radical enough to reject the world and all its vile corruptions! Spit out the poison of the world and drink in the power of Heaven! Be an intoxicated "spirit-bibber"!

The Family is going through a lot of changes, and we're learning to be much more inclusive, which I believe will really help us along the lines of winning the world for Jesus. But learning to be in the world but not of it is a key to remaining a disciple at heart.

ちなみに、ちゃんとXDやってる? あたしね、XDのギャラリーをよく見てて、誰がどのレベルか、そしてアサインメントを誰がどれだけしてるかなどを鋭い目で追ってるんだ~。
マッ、あたしだってもっといっぱいXDを進めてもいいとは思ってるよ。ただね、一人でがんばってもツマンナイからさ。みんな一緒にがんばろうゼ!!
CORE行く行かないぜんぜん関係ないよ!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Early Christmas morning...

Akari says...

Eiko came up, one day with a grand idea. It wasn't any ordinary idea that never came to life, but it happened the next morning. Seems like Eiko was really serious about this one.

Well, the idea was to have a christmas morning with cookies,pancakes,and hot cocoa and those old 'christmas in the heart' stories that we love. Also, we were going to make a list of what Jesus wants for his birthday, while Eiko read. Well, I had so much fun making those lists, and I was surprised that it helped me concentrate more on the word... I don't have the slightest clue why, but it just helped me alot.

The cookies that Eiko made tasted heavenly. What I liked about them most, was that it was a bit chewy in the insides. You should really taste them some time.

Anyway, it's time to sleep and my eye lids are getting rather heavy. So I have to finish this post now. Goodnight.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Check out da house!

Eiko says...

Last Tuesday, Mom and Dad and the teens went to the new house to start bringing our stuff over and also to tidy things up a bit. I was appalled to hear that there were, big, fat rats, and was equally disturbed to hear that my Dad stomped a baby rodent to death!!! Actually, I wasn't really disturbed. My Dad's known to have very little mercy on the like of rats, roaches, and mosquitoes. It was to be expected.

Well, Akari was going to take a picture of the rat Dad stopmed on for all you blood-thirsty readers, but unfortunately Dad didn't let her. But she did manage to photograph something else, which may not match up to a stomped-to-death-baby-rat, but which is equally disgusting in my books. Check out the picture below! See all that black weirdness on the floor? That, my dear friends, are dead ants!! Ew!!


Nande~? Kimochiwarui wa~!

We're going to have to do something about all this before we move in!

But what do you think of the house??




I was hoping for a few more good pictures to post, but Mom likes 'close ups'...and close ups aren't too helpful when you want to get a good idea of how the structure of the house is like. PTL! We'll try to get more for you laterz, but to give you a general idea of how the house is like, it's small, and very woody.

And I've gotta study now. My last Kousotsunintei test is coming up soon.
Mata atode ne!

Monday, November 2, 2009

EAT SHOOFLY PIE!!!

Eiko says...

O.M.G!!

You haven't even begun to live until you've tasted shoofly pie! It is my #1 favorite pie EVER!! It's so good it's sinful!! Unfortunately, molasses-the main ingredient for the filling-is difficult to come by in Japan and is outrageously expensive. This makes it very difficult for me to have a slice of heaven as often as I would like(EVERYDAY), but the happy news is that before leaving Japan, Lixy left Mom a bottle of molasses as a bye bye present, and Mom had agreed to let me use some to make a shoofly pie! Woo hoooooo! And that's exactly what I did today. It turned out wonderfully, and was the perfect touch to my Free night and I was able to thoroughly relax and wind down.

Now, I was going to take pictures of the pie, just like any good blogger would, but during the process of slicing and distributing the pie to everyone, I had snitched a tiny, innocent looking little crumb, and all thoughts of picture taking left me. Within seconds, the slice of pie that I was saving for the pictures was in my stomach!!

Have you been feeling a bit low recently? Have you been arguing a lot with your spouse these days? Did you look into the mirror this morning and realized that you were going to have a nasty bad hair day? Have you been struggling with your Home's finances and been losing lot's of hair over it? Well, the answer is simple, really: EAT SHOOFLY PIE!!

And spend good, quality time with Jesus, and in His Word.

Life is meant to be LIVED, and you haven't yet lived until you've tasted this pie, and of course, Jesus. They're both a slice of Heaven and they'll have you coming back for more and more. You'll never grow sick of either.

Ima sugu ni shinasai!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok?

.