New life

I think we are getting used to our new life now. Yes, we moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Because my only internet connection works well for emails only, I decided to blog again, just to shout out what I feel and think (Facebook, whatsapp, line, Google+ don't work well, sadly).

We have an amazing cook and a kind driver. The cook keeps feeding me a lot of yummy food, but surprisingly I can't eat a lot anymore here. Perhaps because my body cries for exercise haha. I like Ethiopian music, and I want to learn the dance. We think we will enjoy our new life here!

Autumn

It's getting colder and colder. The leaves changed color, the day got shorter. But it's beautiful. I always love Autumn!

(^ ^)

It's been a while. Well, a year...? More than a year!!

Thanks to my friend, Za, who just started blogging again today. And that inspired me to write again.

I spent my day of re-read my old posts. My precious memories, thanks to blogger :))

Anyway, welcome me back!

Mother's day

I am a blessed mom!!!!

I got this beautiful red carnations from Iki, because he said that I love red roses (!)



He also prepared the dinner tonight :)



And took a bath with me instead of his favorite bath-mate, papa! He scrubbed my back and wrote : "thanks, mom" on my back using his finger. He told me that he felt thankful to have me as his mommy, that I looked tired doing all the house chores, that my food is the yummiest in the whole world, that he loved me so much.

How can I not burst into tears...?

I am thankful to have such a sweet boy!

This is a beautiful mother's day. Happy mother's day to all mothers in the world. Hope yours are as beautiful as mine too!

Wednesday Bento: Super Mario Bro

So...! Here the Wednesday bento started again after the long winter holiday! Today was iki's request, super Mario bro's obento



Inside:
Rice with umeboshi furikake
Mario's face: sliced cheese, kanikama, nori
Tempe goreng
Mandarin orange
Mini tomatoes
Steamed spinach
Stars: sliced cheese and black sesame seed

He looked very happy this morning!


He will graduate from Yochien in march, ... Somewhat I will miss this Wednesday bento!

From Evernote:

Best sushi!!

 Hiro took holiday today. Iki has to go to school, so it was only me and him, the two of us, YAY!

I Couldn't think of any other place to have our brunch date than Tsukiji Fish Market. Fish market for a date? Well yeah I love it!

We went into the same restaurant we visited on our anniversary two years ago. Because it was not as crowded as the other restaurants (hiro hates crowd!), and because the sushi there was my best sushi ever two years ago. And still is.

I love sushi and sashimi, and going to Tsukiji will always be a special treat for me. I really want to bring iki there someday!

From Evernote:

パーラー江古田

We went to the elementary school this morning to submit some documents and on the way back home a friend brought us to a small cafe for coffee.

パーラー江古田, is what its called. A small small cafe and pattiserie nearby ekoda station. It was so small that we were so lucky we could sit on the only table available! (others had to sit on the counter, enough for 3 persons only).

I ordered cappucino, and this is it!

   

There were some selection of home made bread too. I had this blue cheese and nuts bread to accompany my cappucino. It was so good that i bought more to bring home for tomorrow breakfast! 

I want to bring hiro here someday for a lazy yummy breakfast or brunch. Unfortunately it's not a place for kids.........

Happy birthday, iki!

Iki was six yesterday! I can't believe that super tiny red baby has
grown up that much.
I'm a very proud mom, iki. Keep your cheeky smile, and be yourself.
Happy birthday, my boy ...

Shierly Motulo
Sent from my iPhone

November flower arrangement

Kamen Rider Fourze

It's way too late, but here it is anyway, iki's Halloween costume!

He wanted to be a Kamen rider Fourze, his fave superhero character so we made this costume together!

Iki made the mask, belt and switches from paper craft. I made the costume from 100 yen raincoat with black thick tape and red marker!

Visiting ASIMO

We went to the science and future museum, Miraikan this afternoon.
Actually I brought iki once last summer holiday but he wanted to visit
it again with papa!

The first visit to that museum opened his eyes about robot and future
science. He is in love with robot making and plamodel since then.

Today he got a very rare chance to do short demonstration with ASIMO
robot. His favorite ever robot.

He really enjoyed the visit. We stayed until closing time, and he was
very satisfied!
Later at home he told us that he will study hard and learn how to make
a robot. He will make a saru (monkey) robot who can climb a tree. Good
luck, iki!

Sweet potatoes party

Early this month we had school trip (ensoku) to saitama area for sweet
potatoes picking (imohori)

We brought home soooo many sweet potatoes. I sent obaachan 8 potatoes,
gave away some more to friends and neighbor, put a bit of it on our
meal every day, but still had some left!

So yesterday I had sweet potatoes party at home with some friends.
Everyone should bring in one sweet potatoes meal!

It was a good party! A lot of variety of sweet potatoes meal, to my surprise!

We even had small birthday celebration for a friend, with sweet potato cake!

And I closed the day finishing the left over wine. Ah.... What a life!

My first handmade tempe

So at last I made my own Tempe, million thanks to nova!!

It's actually not difficult to make, but takes time and a lot of patience. Especially during this peeling the beans' skins process!!



Then it takes about 36 hours of patience 



But here it is :)



So my lunch was this super spicy Tempe penyet. Ahhhh life is beautiful

Tahu tek tek

It's my favorite hawker's food back in Surabaya, and i'm very very
happy to make it myself today!

Big thanks to mbak Maria and nova, for all the inputs to make the
lontong. It made my simple tahu tek tek perfect. Yummy!!!!

Visiting nova

We went to shin misato to visit nova. Kimi is much bigger now, a very brave and independent little girl!!

Iki, kiyo and rui now can play together. They fought sometimes  but surely had a very good time!

It's like the end of summer, but it was still warm so the kids hit the pool. What a fun afternoon ( with fabulous lunch)!!!

Yes!!!

So starting today, I'm officially a permanent resident holder in Japan (^O^)／

No more visits to Japanese embassy abroad for applying Japanese visa
from now on. YAY!!!

Sent from my iPhone

First TAMIYA kit

So iki chose this Amphibious vehicle kit from TAMIYA shop yesterday.
Well, he actually wanted to build a robot but we think it's way too
difficult for him!

He started right away once we arrived home and really got into it.
It's his first time to build this kind of plamodel. He has to work
with tiny parts, motor and even grease. Not easy but he enjoys it so
much that I think he could manage to finish it.

Ganbatte iki-chan!! This will make him busy for a few days during this
very long summer holiday (^_^)

Science museum

Iki was obsessed with robot since he visited the Miraikan! Last Sunday
he asked papa-chan to bring him to other science museum in Tokyo.

He enjoyed it. So much that it was difficult to drag him out of the
museum. Papa-chan was tired and I could hardly walk when finally he
grumpily stepped out of the building (´･_･`), asking papa-chan to buy
him a robot making set so he can make his own robot.

Brand minded papa-chan didn't want to buy him one from the museum
shop, but brought him to tamiya shop in shinbashi instead. There you
go!! Iki found a new hobby again! ！(◎_◎;)

Tantanmen

We went to roponggi hills last weekend to watch cars 2 and I had this for lunch.

It was said as Japan's spiciest Tanya men so I ordered it. Too much
expectation!!! It was not spicy at all. What a dissapointing lunch
haha!

Bye bye Kaho....

I held a make it yourself sandwich brunch party as a farewel to iki's
dear classmate, Kaho.

Again, life is just about hello and goodbye. Wish you the best in Jakarta.......