Where Have I Been?

I've neglected my blog for almost two years now? Actually, I can't remember the last time I blogged or what it was about. How crazy is that? The demise of my blog began when I went back to work. Since then, its been family, church and work and no time for blogging. Oh, yeah and I also discovered Facebook and have been an addict for all this time. Even now I can't say if I'm going to keep my blog going. I only logged back on because I couldn't remember what my gmail account password was and resetting the password took me to my gmail profile which had a link to blogger. So here I am feeling obligated to explain my absence. Like anyone really cares but never the less I gave one. LOL So we'll see if I can pry myself away from Facebook to blog again. This could very well be the intervention that I need from FB.

The Need For Speed

Our plans for transportation, while in Japan, were going to be minimal. Our main destinations were Disneyland and Disney Sea. In order to get to those places, we just had to catch a Disney Crusier from our hotel to the monorail.

Aside from those two parks, we planned a day of sight seeing. We planned to rent a car for a day and just drive and get lost in Tokyo. We pretty much stuck to the Disney Cruiser and monorail plan but we never rented a car. Agustine's co-worker was also in Japan during the weekend and she suggested that we use public transportation. I immediately thought about what a hassle it would be to drag three kids around on the bus. However, she meant the train and not the bus. We decided to try out the trains one evening, after coming back from the park. Agustine was a little hesitant because he thought for sure we would get lost and not be able to find our way back. Usually Im the one who doesn't like to get lost but I was actually excited about riding the trains. Maysa was nervous about riding the train but Eva was excited like me.

We boarded the train at the JR Maihama station and rode over to Shin-Urayasu, which is the very next stop. The trip takes about 10 minutes. While we were on the train, another train passed going the opposite direction. When Eva saw the train zip by, she said "Wow, look at how fast that train is going. Is that how fast we are going?" I casually said "yeah." The look in her eyes was sheer amazement. She said excitedly "I like fast and I like this train." I should have known she would like speed. We got off the train and walked around the plaza and even found a McDonalds. We didn't eat there once, while we were in Japan. The kids didn't even ask to go inside. The best thing about this stop was that there is a 100 yen store inside the shopping plaza. We let the girls shop at the 100 yen store, which Maysa loved because she had been wanting to shop since we arrived in Japan. She had a great time pushing her cart up and down the narrow aisles and filling it with makeup, nail polish and hair accessories. It was also fun to watch bicycles being picked up and "towed" away. That first train ride hooked us and we never thought about renting a car during our stay. We rode the train to Tokyo and several times to our favorite stop Shin-Urayasu. Each time Eva was excited about how fast were traveling and watching trains zip by each other.

Summer Vacation

We planned to go home to Cali this summer but too many things were going on with Agustine's job that we decided to make a smaller trip. Going to Cali is actually a big trip for us. It would be a month or two stay and we just couldn't do that this time around. Agustine's work load just doubled and there was just no way we could make the trip worth it for him.

So we decided to take the kids to Japan to Disneyland and Disney Sea. The trip is about 3 1/2 hours direct flight from Guam. It would be like driving from Fontana to Las Vegas. A trip that we made frequently, when we lived in Cali. The kids were usually good on those drives so a plane trip in the same amount of time should be no problem for them.

The trip turned out better than we expected. Disneyland and Disney Sea were great. Our day trip to Tokyo Ueno district was just as good. We visited the zoo there and got to see some great temples/shrines. Agustine and I really wanted to make a trip to the Tokyo LDS temple but it was closed for maintenance. We had planned to take the train down with the kids but it didn't work out because we just had too much to do. That will be at the very top of our agenda on the next trip to Japan.

The girls had so much fun but they kept saying "this trip would be more fun if all our family could come." My girls don't know where the line is between immediate and extended family. Thats exactly how I want it. That is a part of their Tongan culture that I want them to accept and embrace. I will blog more on our trip later but I just wanted to catch everyone up on what we have been up to lately.

Thank You Mrs. Sayama

School officially broke for summer on May 28. This also ended Maysa's kindergarten year. Maysa started out the year a little shaky. She had good skills but they weren't where I would have liked them to be. However, she started of well considering she didn't have any preschooling. Maysa made significant progress as the school year went on. I worked with her at home and Mrs. Sayama did the rest at school. The school year was a success for her. She took first place at her school's science fair and won numerous awards for reading. Her work was entered in Island Wide events. Her shyness was replaced with confidence in herself and her school work. It was a blessing to have Mrs. Sayama as Maysa's kinder teacher. Maysa loves her and she is going to miss her in the first grade.

Food Trucks

Food trucks are rapidly becoming a trendy choice for diners all over the states. Food trucks are high tech food carts that rove all over busy metropolis'. In the West, especially in LA its always been popular. I've always associated food trucks with Mexican food. Just recently I was tellling my husband about an article that I had read about food trucks using twitter to alert their customers of their whereabouts. He says "You know we invented that food truck business and now everyone else is trying to bite it off us." Im just thinking...ok, whatever. Then he says "Somebody better give us our props"! So Im going to give him/them whoever he was refering to their props. I mean I feel bad that Mexican's have been getting bad publicity over the whole Swine Flu thing so I thought I'd give my husband one. Mexican's may not have thought up the idea of a food truck but they certainly had a hand in making it popular. Or at least the owners of the food trucks who were selling Mexican food. Bottom line...shout to the Mexicans y Viva La Raza!!

Its the 6 yr. olds turn

Q: Whats your name?
A: Maysa
Q: How old are you?
A: 6
Q: Whats your favorite color?
A: Pink
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: A Teacher
Q: Why do you want to be a teacher?
A: I want to be a teacher because you get to be smart.
Q: Who is your dad?
A: Agustine
Q: Do you like him?
A: Yes
Q: What do you like the most about him?
A: When he gets me what I want
Q: Who is your mom?
A: Line
Q: Is she nice?
A: Yes
Q: What do you like most about her?
A: She spends time with me
Q: What do you like about Eva?
A: What do I like about Eva, well, she is kind to me
Q: Is she always nice to you?
A: Yes
Q: What do you like about Kaylena
A: I like playing with her and she likes to play with me
Q: What is your favorite thing to do?
A: Play with my sisters
Q: If you had a million dollars how would spend it?
A: I would buy a hot pool (jacuzzi)
Q: Who is your best friend?
A: Makaila Madsen
Q: What do you want to do right now?
A: Get wet
Q: How do you know your parents love you?
A: Because they say that they love me

Interview with the 4 yr. old

Q: Whats your name?
A: Eva
Q: How old are you?
A: Um, 3
Q: Are you sure, your 3?
A: Yeah
Q: But you just had a birthday.
A: Mommy, 3 starts with birthday, so um, um, 7. Mom does 7 start with birthday? Ok, Im not gonna answer
Q: Whats your mom's name?
A: Um, Line
Q: Whats your dad's name?
A: Um, Naks
Q: What is Naks?
A: My dad, duh
Q: Do you have brothers and sisters?
A: Um, I don't a brother only 1 sister
Q: What's her name?
A: Ysa
Q: What about Kaylena?
A: Oh and Kayrena
Q: Does your mom love you?
A: Yes.
Q: Who do you miss?
A: Grandma and Papa.
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
A: Charlie and Lola
Q: What is your favorite thing to do?
A: Um, watch TV
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Egg on the top (eggs over easy).
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Purple
Q: Who is your favorite person?
A: Um, daddy
Q: Why?
A: Because I love him
Q: What is something do you not like to do?
A: Um, say that louder, mama, I don't like going to the bathroom