Yakisoba

Akikosan meets with us weekly. The purpose is to tutor us in Japanese and Japanese culture. I think we're doing well with culture...not so well with the language...to much fun. Arielle is doing well. She actually took the time to learn to READ the alphabet as Akikosan instructed at the start...so she's making good progress. 


As I had an accident on Thursday, Akiko suggested she come to our home Friday at lunch and teach us to make yakisoba. She gave us directions in Japanese and we had to respond to her in Japanese...and we learned how to make Yakisoba - with the spice packets included. LOL 

These yakisoba packages are available at Universe - Akiko recommends the ones with the powdered spice mixture

Stacia peels an onion 

Arielle chopped the carrots - and Zander did the cabbage

Add some oil and saute

Add 1/2 lb - 3/4 pound of "pork" (we'll skip this in the future)

brown meat.....add salt and pepper as desired

Add yakisoba noodles and mix - chopsticks seem to work best for this

Add a bit of water - cover and let simmer for about 5 min? 

Add spice mixture and stir

I've made this twice more and we love it - even with just veggies and no meat. I think it would be fine with turkey or chicken or fish - but "that's not the Japanese way."

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Ode to Twyla

OK - I know the saying - smile at the memories instead of crying that it's over or some such thing. Right? But goodbyes are HARD and they STINK!  Marvie blessed PWOC and Twyla Misawa by opening her home for a farewell luncheon. We had the yummiest LUMPIA, great conversations, laughter, gifts - it was perfect.

Twyla's leaving brings a precious season of my life to an end. When I first moved to Misawa, 3 ladies invited me to go to an onsen - I'd been here about a week. Deb T, Twyla, Renee C and I were onsen buddies...and became dear friends. Deb moved to Yokosuka after a year. Renee and hubs PCSd to Kansas this summer. Twyla moved the first week of November. I miss her dearly. It isn't only the onsen...she was a friend who loved me enough to stick with me when I was NASTY.....to confront me when I needed it....to tell on my kids when I needed to know what they were up to...to pray with me regardless....to be there after we worked through the hard things....to allow me to confront her when needed....a true friend.  We also worked together for two years in our local PWOC. Twyla was our outreach....followed me into many projects bigger than either of us realized...and we both grew! 

We worked in as many onsen trips as we could before she moved. 

Precious Ladies

I left the party deep in thought....teary and a bit melancholy. I was glad that I knew the week after Twyla left would be incredibly busy - I'd leave for conference shortly after she moved.  I'd keep my mind occupied......

On the way home I tail ended this car.....my story was quite different from his...mine agreed with the witnesses' but we're out $2,600.00 in repairs. No one was hurt. 

I have really missed Twyla since coming home from Conference. We used to make it a point to go to the onsen when I got home from a trip and soak and share....I miss her...but I'm happy for the time we had together...and realize that I'm now one of the old timers around here....been here 2 1/2 years...more and more friends will be moving. 

YES, I AM keeping my eyes open for new dinner/onsen partners....Misawa just isn't the same without at least a monthly girls night out. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fun Feathers

When we got our last haircuts, Arielle and I agreed to try something new and fun! Feathers.  Mine is pink and we have no good photos of it. Arielle's was much more noticeable - I think I'll go with PWOC Turquoise next time. 

This was a season where the two of us wanted to do something FUN together as my focus was increasingly becoming absorbed by conference. I think I'll try some dye next. LOL

The only down side of this is that Stacia has been begging for her own feather now.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lovely Fall Days

Ah - proof that priorities were still in place 2 weeks before conference! This makes me feel better. We only lost two weeks of school the week before and the week of conference. 

I LOVE THE FALL IN NORTHERN JAPAN! I love the colors, the crisp feel of the mornings, the shortening days and the LACK of sweaty HEAT. LOL 

Harvest has hit the field outside our patio.....

We spent extra time on Egypt but finally finished this section. We plan to add pages to our notebook throughout the year. 

We made cookies for a friend. 

Emily brought a copy of this to Bible Study and I decided to take the idea and run with it for a conference favor.....we made verses centered on The Lord's Prayer to give out. 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

YUMMO

When friends PCS (move) we get to try odds and ends of new delights. This raw honey was one such find thanks to Rick and Jan Utecht! 

The first jar went QUICK...so I ordered a few more from Vita Cost. 

GROCERIES.....er "vitamins". 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Oriase Gorge - Love it!

Michael took his day off this week and we headed for the Gorge - October 20th. We knew it would be one of the last few chances for family fun until after Regional Conference. I struggled to maintain boundaries and priorities and did pretty well until the final two weeks before conference. 


We love Lake Towada and the Oriase Gorge. This day we decided to drive around the lake on our way home. We discovered  a campground, a gorgeous view, Mt Hakodda and more.

Beautiful Lake Towada in the Fall 

Family Fun - watching everyone watch us as Mike sets the timer and runs! 

At the shrine

Magicians are drawn to the kids....and this day was no different....actually as I was buying food I heard, "mom, MOM...all the grandmas are taking our pictures!"  I turned around and sure enough about six grannies "discreetly" snapping photos, and rubbing Stacia and Zander's heads. 

Who can blame them....Food on a stick

More food on a stick - its a tradition to feed the vending machine at the lake - Hagen Daas in Japan. 

Adding to today's excitement - we had to find someone to jump us as our battery was dead. It appears this gentleman had never done a thing under his hood....but he let us hook up. 

New views - merged with favorite views

Up by Tsugaru....a spot we've wanted to visit but didn't expect to find this day! ::snort:: 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fun with Friends

Poor neglected family journal. Wow. I don't know that I've ever gone a month without posting since the start of  "Choosing Joy".   The past month has been busy, busy, busy planning the inaugural Asia Region Conference.  I'll write more about that later. I must blog in order - it's the way I am. For now - God showed up. It was ALL God.  Last minute changes caused us to seek God's face constantly on behalf of conference. I believe we were right where He wanted us.  LOL

In the midst of the planning and shopping and skyping....I deliberately took time out to play with the kids. The photo library tells me this was Oct 19th.  I remember it as a beautiful fall day - enjoyed with a young homeschooling family.

Big brothers are such great fun!

Lady Liberty sporting fall colors

Love this young man!

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...