Last day

 Today is Masaru's last day of school.
I'm SO HAPPY to have summer with my kids.  I LOVE it man.
Goodbye school...........hello summer.
It's gonna be awesome.
I THINK I have it all figured out, so we'll see how it all goes.
Basically the kids are going to be doing H/W and chores/exercising all morning then have 'free time' in the afternoon.  Should be awesome.
It'll be busier probably for me but having Masaru home full time is great.  Really that's the only thing that's changing and I like that change.

 So they 'dump' all of their work off this last week of school.
Here are some of my favourites from the piles and piles of papers that Masaru brought home with him this week.
If I record it on the blog, technically I can throw them out right?

Cute story about his sister Emiko not Emeko.  I'll have to talk to him about that!!!

The picture on this one {above} cracks me up.  Cause I ask him to help me bring the shopping in you know.  I didn't realize that he didn't like it.  I don't like it either though, so it makes sense.

Story about a wolf that stands up on the table.

This story cracks me up cause it has the one dog that Masaru knows well and that's Lando our mates dog.  I thought that was pretty cute.

I like Masaru's advice in the end.  His teacher was semi strict with the kids, which I'm semi ok with.
For the most part I think Masaru had a great year and had a great teacher.
We 'butted' heads a couple of times 'so to speak' but it was the WAY they test.  I disagree with it completely and don't feel it shows a true perspective of how the child is doing.  BUT I DID think the teacher had my son's best interests at heart and cared for his education, so I can see past the public schools totally flawed system for the fact that her hearts in the right place.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, if we expect the public schools alone to educate our kids then we are sadly mistaken and are wrong to put all our eggs in that basket.  It's flawed in so many ways. We have to take an active role in educating our kids ourselves or they'll never learn what they need to know for their lives.
I DO, however, appreciate a public school system that is 'free' for my kids to attend and the school my kids are in is just wonderful.
I mean Masaru has 16 in his class!!!!  Can't ask for much better than that.  Another reason I love SE Boise!!
I hope his next teacher is a good one and I won't have to be 'that' parent when fighting for Masaru's best education.
I'll worry about that later I guess and just enjoy the next 3 months with Masaru at home and the freedom to parent and live with ZERO SCHOOL.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Feeling good

I'm now officially in the 170's and I'm loving it.
I pulled out the next size DOWN pants cause the size I WAS in were too big.  So I'm down a size and down in the scales.
I believe my pants MORE than those damn scales.  I have a hate hate relationship with them and therefore will only weigh myself maybe once a month when Chris wants to measure me.
I'm glad I don't own scales and don't have them in my house.
I don't know about other women, but I get slightly obsessive with it which is why I've learned to keep them far from reach, they're addictive and emotionally draining and no good for my self esteem.
It's like I have bi-polar when they're around me and it's not fair on my family.
I also refuse to have them around my girls in case they suffer the same 'disease' that I have with them.
I've been working hard in the gym but even harder on my food and this is the reason for my success.
Healthy eating will do it every time.  It's so, so hard though.........like SO hard.
I also get SO SO bored with the SAME HEALTH foods as well.

So my far and few readers I need some HEALTHY recipes that are TRIED AND TRUE. 
Don't send me to some site thanks, send me to a recipe that you've tried and LIKED.
Cause last week I tried this smoothie from this website and almost threw up gagging it down.  I'm not sure who tried that smoothie but they've got more guts than me man cause that was grossness...........

So the equation to weight loss?
Eating healthy and exersizing.  Go figure right?  I also think my hormones are getting into balance a little better since Emiko is 15 months.  My body always takes around a year or so to figure itself out after a baby mentally, emotionally and physically as well.
Still wrapped that I'm done with kids people, will that change?  For now I'm excited to be TOTALLY DONE.  It's been a long and 'overweight' road with little successes in between, now I realize that what I lose I'm going to have lost forever.  I can't tell you what a great feeling that is to me being overweight for almost 8 years now give or take a few months.
To be brutally honest with all of you if I could lose weight easily after having children I'd MAYBE consider having more, but I still dunno man, babies are hard work no matter what size you are. 
I struggle SO BAD with my weight and it's like a heavy burden I carry with me over and over and over again and I'm SO OVER IT.
So my first goal is to get to where I was before I got pregnant with Emiko.  That's around 160 ish pounds.  Then my goal after that is 19% body fat and whatever weight I am I don't care cause 19% body fat is pretty freak'n awesome.  Once I'm there, I'll re-assess my goals.  It seems so far away, however I need to keep it to simple goals that I can see and attain.
For now it's reaching that 160lbs and I can see it................finally I can see it, if I run long enough down the tunnel feeding my body well I'll reach the light, do a Rocky dance, then head down the next tunnel to reach that light.....................

Why we wear helmets...........

 I left my kids with my good mate and I came home and saw this on Takeshi's head.
She said she put ice on it and he sat for a while and had a little nap.
She's a nurse so I always feel a little safer when my kids are with her, she also was an ER nurse so pretty awesome in my books for a babysitter.

 Anyway this is what we like to officially call a goose egg.
Look at that bad boy............
It was WAY bigger than this as well.

 He fell off his bike WITHOUT A HELMET.
He's been wearing one all day since, outside on his bike.
I tell my kids to wear it but sometimes they forget.
We had a talk that this wouldn't have happened had he been wearing one.
Hopefully he's learned a lesson.

I'm so glad it's not worse since none of us have any insurance............
Yuki put the embellishment on his hair......pretty cute right?
Sorry Dru (shifty eyes side to side..........slowly fading into the background)

The Hiding Place

So I'm sure many of you have read this book.
It's been on my list to read for a couple of years now and FINALLY I've read it.
I wish I'd read it sooner.
It'll be getting 5 stars from me and a raving review at book club tonight.
I'll also be purchasing it to own so my children will read it as well.
Her testimony is contagious and so inspiring that my faith has been renewed in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and who they are to me and what they are in my life.
I have to admit that I wasn't excited to read it due to not being in the mood for a 'depressing Holocaust' book.
Bad, I know, I've repented.
Such is not the case with this book.  Sure I cried about 4 times but I definitely don't feel depressed after reading it.
I'd recommend this to all.
I read the 1 star people and their comments before reading this book as well and now I've finished reading this I now know they're all false opinions from messed up people, in my humble opinion.  I'd listen to the 5 star people as they have it right.
So get this book out from the library and start reading.......you won't regret it.
Oh and after you've finished reading it......................you're welcome ;)

The End

 It's the end of soccer and I'm not sad.
Listen I'm fine with my kids playing it and enduring the 6 weeks and I'm happy they're happy but I'm glad to have my weeknights back as well as my Saturday's.
So here are the last pictures of the last game that both the kids played.

 Masaru had little energy for this game as he spent the night throwing up before.
I'm surprized he played to be honest and am pleased with his efforts.
This summer we're going to work on his fitness.

 At least it was a beautiful day.

 We also need to work on his kick and making it stronger.
He had a great season and if he wants to we'll keep letting him play.

 No shots of Yuki playing.  But some shots of her posing.

 I've yet to see a 5 year old cuter.

 Here's her team and coach.
Bunch of great girls and the coach was awesome.
I hope they can stay together.

We had a end of season soccer party at one of the parents places.  It was really a nice night with a bunch of good/fun people.  I'm glad we went.  Here's all the girls partying and one more.
I'm proud of both the kids for all their efforts this last 6 weeks.
It was a blast to watch them play and develop. {But I'm still glad it's over}
Love you guys.
Mum xox

Talk

 On Sunday Masaru was asked to do a talk at church explaining about his baptism in NZ.
We printed off these two pictures and he displayed them and talked a little bit about his special day and how it is a little different from his classmates baptism here in Boise.

 On the back of this picture I wrote how it's a little different {below}

 My birthday was on a Friday I think and so I had my baptism the next day on the 11th because Saturday was easier for my parents.
Masaru's birthday was the weekend before but due to family being able to be there we had it the next Friday night.

 He did a really great job presenting it to the class.  He's finally becoming a better and more confident reader in just this last month.  It's pretty amazing.
These are all his words.
He did sneeze a lot back home!!

The 'show highlighter' part he actually bought a highlighter to church and explained to the kids what Uncle Haydn did to him to them.  The kids thought it was pretty awesome.
When he'd finished he asked the kids if they had any questions and then sat down.
He did really well.  He seemed confident and not fussed about speaking to the group.
Doctrine aside, the church is a good place to get people to practice their public speaking from an early age.  Some of us have always loved it {me} and others will do it but I don't think will ever love it {Dru} but all the same it's good for us to learn that skill and I appreciate these opportunities the church and school give Masaru to practice his public speaking skills.
He did great and I'm pleased with his efforts.

Painting

Yuki asked if I'd paint her nails.
So eventually I did.
Takeshi wanted his done as well.  The rule in our house is if you're a boy and want your nails painted you can have your thumbs and toes done.  I dunno why I made up that rule, I think Dru said he didn't want the boys nails painted so I compromised with thumbs and toes and Dru seems fine with it and it keeps Takeshi happy.
Is that right babe?
Maybe I'm making stuff up..............I might be losing it..........
Masaru never wanted his nails done I don't think............hmmmmmm did he?  I can't remember.
Anyway Yuki's turned out awesome and they're going strong.
Alright this simple post has all of a sudden turned long and a ramble.
The End........

Tired

 This is what happens when you've been throwing up for 2 days straight and all your bedding is still in the dryer because your parents are exhausted as well and have forgotten to make your bed but have told you to get to bed anyway................
You just kinda collapse anywhere you feel like it and get some shut eye.
Poor kid.........

Mother's Day

Mothers Day was pretty good. Takeshi decided that he was gonna be up all night spewing the night before so Dru was up for the majority of the night dealing with all kinds of stuff.
So I let him sleep in while I got up and tended the kids.
That was MORE than enough of a 'happy mothers day' for me.
 I don't do spew man.
Here's some things that Yuki did for me.  She got me a chocolate muffin (which I split with the kids) and gave me a cute poem and some other stuff.
Thanks bub.

She does these cards herself with very little help.  I'm proud of her efforts.

When she reads them back to me she realizes that she's made a grammatical mistake and wants to fix it.  But I just tell her it's fine.

'Dear Mum
I love you more than anybody'
Cute but does she realize that Dad is part of anybody?  I don't think so people, otherwise this note may be different ;)
I'll take it though and run with it.

Look at that cute pose.
Yuki cracks me up man.

 Then this is what Masaru made for me.  Thank-you public school system.
Pretty cute.

 I like this teacher ;)

It's a pity I think hershy's kisses and hugs are super gross.  But on the flip side it's a great gift cause I won't eat it and since I'm trying to lose weight it actually worked out great cause the kids ate them and I got to keep the awesome box which I'll have forever.
I gotta figure out what to keep in it.
My mother has things displayed all over her house that we gave her from our childhood.  I LOVE it and no matter how flash of a house Dru wants to build it'll still have all that stuff displayed through out whether he likes it or not...............which he may like......................we haven't discussed it.

Dru made me this 'nest' necklace that I've always wanted.  It represents my kids and I love it.  So I'm going to find some pearl earrings to go with it since I can only find one of my wedding earrings. {so sad :( }
Dru said to me 'I'm glad you mostly sit on the nest so I don't have to'
I'm like 'Er thanks............I think...........'

 Then my mate Shannon who happens to be my most awesome neighbour as well brought over my birthday gift which was just wonderful.
I totally need gloves {especially this weekend in our yard in utah} and this headband is suppose to NEVER slip off of your head.
I didn't believe it but I worked out this morning and it's still in the SAME SPOT................I might've just found my new best friend.

She also gave me this WONDERFUL pot full of BEAUTIFUL flowers.  I mean how awesome is she right people?
These flowers in the middle are the flowers that line my mothers driveway at home and so made me feel warm inside.
I'm going to make these flowers LOVE ME.
Between me teaching at church and Dru doing an awesome talk and the kids being sick and Emiko's moodiness the day went surprisingly well.
I love being a mother and know I'm no where near being close to getting the mother of the year award if I compare myself to others.
BUT ...................... in my old age I've realized that comparing is Satan's tool and we're not to use it.
So .......................... I love being a mother and I'm doing my best and as I pray and study I'm motivated to do better and Heavenly Father loves me and my efforts and is always there to delicately tell me to do better and that I'm loved for the efforts I HAVE ALREADY put in.
I've noticed as I stay close to Him, I have less guilt and more positivity to be the best mother I can be.

I hope all you awesome mother's out there had a good day and know you're loved.