Sakura's Baptism!!!

Finally the day arrived last Sunday for Sakura's Baptism!!!
Actually it was her birthday too, we had the birthday party the day before.
I has been a long road with lots of lessons and prayer and it was all worth it!!! Although she didn't talk during her interview, they had to have her write down all her answers, she did what she needed to do!

And now Sakura is an official member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!!! YAY Sakura!!!

In Vancouver....

Well, it has been ages since I have written anything here!!
I have been in Canada for 2 weeks now with 2 weeks to go. I just finished watching a TV show on about an American woman traveling around and trying to understand the real Japan. Her name is Karin Muller and the shows homepage is www.japanlandonline.com. She has made me very homesick!!!!
I have decided that I want to learn more about the country I call my home. Of course I know about sumo, calligraphy, koto, etc. but do I really "know" about these Japanese things....I don't fell that I do and I want to. I want to know everything!!!

Anyway....it is 1am here and I am exhausted so it is off to bed I go.

Until next time.....おやすみなさい。。。

Filipino Inmates Pay Tribute to Jackson Again

Filipino Inmates Pay Tribute to Jackson Again

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桜のバレー！ Sakura's Ballet!

Sakura started taking ballet only a couple short months ago. She LOVES it!!!
On July 26th, (two days before we go to Canada!!! Yay!!) she will have her first ballet recital. Here is a video of the practice.....(you can't hear the music because I am on the other side of the glass.) Enjoy!!!

KIX-PVG-YVR!!!!

The tickets are bought, vacation time is booked and passports are ready!!!!
We are flying to Vancouver for the whole month of August!!!!

I am always the first to say that I love Japan and this is our "home", but after four years of being land-locked, I need a vacation where I can fly over some water.

And that vacation is coming in 50 short days!!! YAY!!!!

So...Sakura and I have confirmed our tickets. Normally I would fly Air Canada but since they don't fly direct from Kansai anymore (grrr), that would mean connecting through Narita. Well, putting off buying the tickets for a few weeks until my mom got back from Hawaii ensured that all Air Canada flights were full. And since price is the most important thing for my wallet the next option was China Eastern Airlines with a connection in Shanghai. A couple extra hours, a few hundred dollars less and a wonderful mommy with a credit card and it's off to China we go!!!

So the next few weeks will be busy...working, getting my re-entry permit (gotta figure out where that new immigration office is!!), un-packing Sakura's suitcase, making sure all the bills are paid for the month we are not here, un-packing Sakura's suitcase again (because she is that excited and trying to pack everything she owns!!), cleaning house because who wants to come home from vacation to a messy house and finally packing for real!!!!

And one of the best things about the vacation....I won't be here for 1/2 of Osaka's hot and sticky summer!!!

50 days...the countdown begins!!!!

PANIC!!!!!!

Everyday Sakura goes to the ikiiki after school until about 6pm or maybe a bit earlier if I decide to pick her up early. She NEVER goes home alone since sometimes I am working late. There wouldn't be anyone home and besides she doesn't take her house key to school.

Today was ballet day, so I always pick up Sakura from her ikiiki at 4:30 and then we are off to her ballet class.
I was relaxing in front of the computer about 3:45pm I get a phone call from my friend , who is the number 1 emergency contact for Sakura's school. This is nothing that should alarm me since she is my friend and we often talk on the phone.
Until I hear the panic in her voice...it went something like this.....

Friend: TARA!! IS SAKURA AT HOME???
Me: Ummm...no. Why??
Friend:YOU HAVE TO FIND HER!!!! SHE IS COMING HOME ALONE!!!
Me: What??!! What are you taking about??
Friend: SHE IS COMING HOME ALONE!!! SHE IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND HOME!!! FIND HER!!! click.....

Me: (running out the door half dressed trying to put my clothes on and lock the door)

So...now I am in a panic trying to peddle my bike as fast as i can and trying ti look for Sakura as I am going.

I get to the school...no one around. My phone rings...

Friend: DID YOU FIND HER???
Me: No...I am going to the ikiiki to check there.
Friend: OK!! I AM ALMOST THERE!! click....

So, I arrive at the ikiiki and look through the open door and there is Sakura playing with her friends like normal. Huffing and puffing I ask her what is going on?? What's wrong?? She looks at me like I'm crazy and has no idea what I am talking about!!

My friends shows up and I tell her Sakura is fine and she doesn't know what is going on so we all head to the school in search for Sakura's teacher.

Now I find out the story....

Sakura apparently had a sore tummy so she went to the nurses room a bit before school let out for the day. While there she had her temperature taken and it was 36.8. Now to me 36.8 is normal, maybe if it was 37.8 or higher I would think, OK...maybe she has a bit of a fever. The nurse however, thought her "fever" was too high so she shouldn't go to ikiiki, she should go home. The nurse told Sakura teacher this and he proceeded to tell Sakura to go home. About 15 minutes after she left, her teacher called my friend to see if she got home ok since he sent her home alone with a fever. Then I got the phone call.....

Anyway, after my friend yelled at the teacher (understandable, but a bit harshly in my opinion. I actually felt sorry for him and a bit embarrassed by it) we left the school. I asked Sakura if her teacher told her to go home and she said yes, but she knows she can't go home by herself so she thought he meant go to the ikiiki. I have such a smart girl!!!

While I was getting the bike loaded and my friend had already left, the teacher came out again to apologize not just to me but to Sakura and she said to him...Well, you're my teacher so I forgive you. ^^

So....everything turned out OK in the end and although some adults don't have common sense at least I know my 8 year old little girl has some!!!

Chocolate Fountain!!! YUMMY!!!

Sakura and I went to a buffet restaurant called Country Kitchen out at Rinku and one of the desserts they had was a chocolate fountain where you could dip things like bananas, marshmallows, bread sticks, etc.



Here is the result……

さんかんび!!! Parent's Visiting Day!!!

Last week was Sakura’s first parent’s visiting day for grade 3!!

Every year the parents can go to the school and watch a class as the teacher is teaching. This years class was art!!!! YAY!!! I don’t think I can sit through another hour long class of elementary school level math all in Japanese.

Sakura’s school is huge!! More than 1000 students with five grade 3 classes this year. Grade 1 has 6 classes and grade 2 is the biggest group with 8 classes!!!

So…I finished work for the day, went home to pick up my name tag and slippers and off I went!!


Sakura had a female teacher in grade 1, Iwatani Sensei, until the teacher had a nervous breakdown mid-year and was replaced with a 26 year old “boy”. Grade 2 was followed by a due to retire any time now male teacher, Nagamatsu Sensei. She REALLY wanted a female teacher this year and with 4 out of five teachers being female we thought she has a good chance!! We thought wrong…. everyone please meet SUGIMOTO SENSEI!!!! (a bit of a class clown)



The following pictures are during her art class...



....and at the end when the kids are packing up....




And finally here is Sakura with her friends Rin....



....and best friend Misaki!!



Until next time....さよなら！！(Goodbye)

SWINE FLU!!!!!

Here in Japan, Swine flu has reared it's ugly head!!

Quotes from Japan Today news site....

"A total of 4,043 schools in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures had decided on temporary closures or are considering such closures to prevent further spread of the disease as of 5 p.m., according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The number includes elementary, junior high and high schools, as well as universities and kindergartens."

Now anyone who knows me will know that my job is teaching at kindergartens and an elementary school in Osaka. I guess for me, that doesn't really make a huge difference since Sakura's school is closed for the week which means I can't work anyway. I'm all for getting a vacation but not really a forced vacation!!

Hopefully all will blow over quickly so we can all get back to living our normal daily lives!!!

Mormon Mommy Blogs May Giveaway!!!!

The Mormon Mommy Blog has a monthly giveaway!!!
This month they have over $700 of goods and services
in donations and you have a chance to win!!!

All of these prizes are great and I would love to win
any one of them!!!

Just click on this blog title for your chance to win!!!

First Blog!!!!

おたんじょうびおめでとう！！！！
That means Happy Birthday in Japanese!!!
And today is the official birthday of my blog!!

As I am sure you can tell by my name I am a Mormon mommy living in Japan.
I am originally from Calgary Canada but have been living here in Osaka for most of my adult life. I love Japan and I especially love Osaka!!!

My blog will not be about Japan and it will not be about being a Mormon mom. It will be about both of those things and everything else!!!
I may have interesting, boring, happy, sad, strange, funny,angry or silly things to say. I guess it will all depend on what is happening in my life at the moment.

I have a daughter who is 8 years old and in grade 3 at a public elementary school here in Osaka.
Her name is Sakura and she takes ballet.
She is crazy and funny and lovely but I'm sure some post will be venting a bit when she drives me nuts!!

Anyway....I hope you enjoy!!!