Having fun as a family

I got these lights for Dru for Christmas. He finally put them on last weekend. Now before you start thinking that I'm awesome, I got the idea from his brother Ryan. Turns out it was a great idea and he loves them. It's just lights to me, but you should've seen Dru when he got them all hooked up, he was so happy. I guess brother knows best right? What do I know.




Takeshi's latest lego build. None of the kids are as good as Masaru but they're trying. Here Takeshi made sure that he put safety first and put some chains between the trailer and the truck.

Dru got us tickets to the steelheads game the other night. It was in the box up the top too with food and sweet seats.
It was so much fun and we all had a blast AND the game was sooooo close and soooooo good and we won in a shootout man. Talk about a nail biter.



It was a really great night together.

Sunday's together lately have been awesome. It's been a great hang out time. Last Sunday we pulled out the volleyball/badminton set and have some fun. Turns out no one is very good hahahaha

Dru's been working on the Landcruiser these past few weekends cause we don't have any sports on Saturday's which is going to change here in a couple of weeks, but it's been great for Dru to put some TLC into her.

She was leaking pretty bad and changed the radiator as well as some other stuff and it was still leaking so it turned out it was this little tube in the end. Who'd know man right? He sent it to the shop for it to be flushed out since he couldn't do that himself and now she's good as new. So that's nice. Now he's working on the camping gears and boxes etc so we can camp more efficiently.

The other day we were at Costco and this is what Takeshi decided to wear. What a kiwi kid right? Singlet and gumboots. All he needs is stubbie shorts and he'd be golden. He doesn't own any, so it wasn't meant to be I guess.

 Then my mate Jessica had her babyshower which she invited me too. Everyone was busy so I ended up taking Emiko out with me as well. She was pretty pumped about that. It was all the way out in Nampa man, talk about forever away. But I had a wonderful time celebrating with her and was glad I went.
I even won a game. It was the chocolate in the nappy game. I tell you man, I know my chocolate.
We then took these fun pic's.

I'm really happy for her. Billy is a great guy and they're happy and they both deserve it.
Here's a video of one of the games I played.


It was nice to catch up and have some fun.

I'm telling you man, you need to read this book. It's awesome. If you wanna borrow it then let me know. It's inspirational. Here's some of my thoughts on the whole thing.

 This chapter was amazing. It talked about how when we are under loads of pressure we don't see clear and re-act with limited clarity and how we can train ourselves to be clear through pressure and some steps we can take. It's so awesome man. I love this quote too cause I think it's really true, especially with Masaru and his name and belonging to something and how that grounds us out in the world. So cool.

 How awesome is this quote and so true you know. When I am silent I hear, clearly what I'm suppose to do.
I'm training myself to stay in the blue and it's tough, but I can do it if I ground myself.

 It's true right?

So I'm trying this with the kids. I tell you what, on Saturday it was all I could do to keep my temper controlled. It's been the same way for years now and STILL the kids fight chores. Well I shouldn't say kids. Yuki is GREAT, Masaru is average and needs to be kept ontop of BUT Takeshi and Emiko are nightmares man. Seriously sometimes I could slap Takeshi, but instead I take deep breaths and try to figure out a way to no lose it with that kid. Emiko isn't much better, but once she gets on point, she's pretty amazing.
I've never seen Takeshi on point with his chores, it's always a pretty bad experience. He's a good kid though and that's what makes me want to really try to figure it out with him, cause in other area's he's so great. So he needs to do hard things he doesn't like and it's good for him and just so happens to be a punishment for me as well. Oh well.

It was my dad's birthday the other day as well. He would've been 70!! Can you believe that? So crazy man. So it would've been a big party you know since it's such a big age. Maybe, I dunno. We didn't celebrate Dru's parent's 70th so who knows. Anyway sometimes I'm ok and other times I'm not. This day I wasn't ok.
I did yoga and cried for a couple of hours and then the rest of the day was too busy for me to feel sorry for myself. But I wrote something on instagram that I'll put up here.

Happy birthday to my Dad. Time has never healed the wound his death has made in my heart. I will always have a piece of me that is missing while we’re apart for this short time. I long for his embrace and celebrate this day he was born to be my Dad. #hurtingtoday#dreamedabouthimlastnight#thealarmtookhimfromme#whydoesitstillhurtsobad 
#hedbe70#gratefulforthetimeihad#nevertakethingsforgranted

I had a dream about him the night before and told my siblings and this is what I wrote:

 I just had a dream last night about dad. It was really strange. He was with us but I was really upset cause he’d committed suicide again and I was angry at him. I was crying uncontrollably in my dream telling him it was hard enough once so why would he do it again to us and I was trying to get meaning out of it while talking to him cause he’d come back to us only to leave us again the same way. While we were talking the alarm went off and I lost him. I’m not sure what that all meant but it sucked. I will never understand the constant pain of death you know. I miss him so much. It was good to see him last night but now I regret getting mad at him. I should’ve just hugged him and smelled him but instead I got upset that he hurt us and me and wanted him to help explain the why. I’m sure to him he’s only been gone an hour in the lords time so it’s not as big of a deal to him but the emptiness sucks. I just miss him and wish he was around. I can’t wait to see him. I always think if I was more righteous or in tune it wouldn’t hurt as much cause I’d have more understanding. Then I get busy with life and all seems well for a while. Then I have a dream and realize I’m still upset about it all. I think I’m mental.

It's always surreal not having Dad around sometimes, and other times it feels like a lifetime ago.

 Then I put my blanket on hold to knit this up for a friend who's bday it is this week.
It's the first thing I've made where I can use my little labels. I think it's cute.
I had to get Dru to try it on so I could make sure it'd fit our mate.
I chose the pattern and colour specifically for him. I hope he likes it.

 These two had a playdate the other night and we noticed they both had the same front tooth missing.
And they were both wearing the same kindve pants.
They don't get to see each other as much anymore, but when they do get together, they still have a great time.

The kids start running club today, which I'm helping to coach. So we'll see how that goes. I'm already regretting signing up to coach. But I'll fulfill my obligation the best I can then make sure I don't sign up for it again.

The tough thing is that Masaru starts rugby this week as well as the kids are starting up soccer, so it's kinda crunch time in the spring sports.

I'm gonna miss our free time and the afternoons we had together, but while I was meditating the other day and considering taking the kids out of everything, I realized that it's gonna be ok, it's good for the kids, we can do it as a family, it's for a short time only, and it's for a great reason.

So I need to remember that when things get a little stressful over the next 6-8 weeks!!

Wish us luck!!

Some other stuff

So I've been thinking for a while that I should get myself some labels for my knitting you know. So I saw these online and figured I'd order them.
I had no idea they were coming from Russia and so they took a while, but they finally made it here, safe and sound and I'm pretty happy with them.

They should be perfect for all and any knitting projects I'm doing this year. I only ordered 10 as I can't see myself doing more than that for the year.
I'm knitting Dior and Bevin something and then I'm gonna knit our mate Keith something and then I'm going to knit our family something and then I need to look at Christmas knitting. Crazy right?
My goal is to knit just a little bit daily. If I only do a little bit then it doesn't seem so bad you know.
I like creating, I think we all do but we all do it in different ways. Knitting is mine.



Mum had this up on the back of the toilet door most of my teen life. After Masaru turning into a teen I figured I'd get it up on the wall right where he sits on the toilet, just to stare at it day after day after day.
Hey man, it worked for me and my 6 siblings. We're all functioning successful citizens. Maybe it'll work for my kids too, amongst other things I'm sure.

I'm reading this sweet book written about the Allblacks and it's inspirational to say the least.
I love it. Here's a quote about the Haka that's done. The thing I like to most about it is the last sentence. 'This is our time.'
That really hits me when I read it. This IS our time, what are we gonna do with it?

I highly suggest reading it and I'm not even finished.

This is what's left of Totoro.

All good things come to an end eventually right?

Takeshi made this mess, for whatever reason, and explained to me that he was going to clean it up. I'm trying to think of what on earth this mess was all about. Was it a car track? Obstacle course? Who knows man.
He takes off to cubscouts and then when he gets home I'm like 'Soooooooooo you gonna clean this up mate?'
He starts laughing and cleans it up straight away.
He's a good kid.

Things are going better this week. I've set some goals and feel good about things. I'm glad.

Masaru turns 13

So when Masaru woke up we had this as his first gift to give to him.
When Dru and I had just had him and he was still a baby, we went to the U of U for a Japanese display and programme. There was a Japanese calligrapher there who talked about everything that they had to do in order to become a calligrapher and gain that little red stamp you see there at the bottom of the page.
Then he did something special, he asked anyone if they wanted to come down and have him do something on rice paper for them.
Dru and I looked at each other and knew we had to get Masaru's name done for him. So we did.
I wish we'd known our other three kids names at the time so we could've taken advantage of that, but that was an impossible task that just wasn't gonna happen.
We've carried that rice paper around with us for almost 13 years with the intent of getting a mat for it and framing it.
For whatever reason it never happened. Then we decided that his 13th birthday was gonna be it, that was gonna be the time that we finally gave it to him. So we did and the timing couldn't be more perfect. It was awesome.
I think it turned out really well and Masaru loves it and hung it up in his room straight away. We've run out of wall space now, so I guess we'll have to figure something out when Takeshi get's his.
Masaru's been pushing the boundaries lately and it's just been since we got back from NZ and since he's started a new semester and new classes.
Dru and I have been working hard to help steer him in the right direction and we've quickly realized we're outt've our comfort zone with this new 'teen' behaviour and need to take things one day at a time and really work hard on helping him assert himself and make his own decisions but face consequences to silly behaviour.
It's been a tough transition as we don't wanna strip him of all of his 'social' and 'physical' privileges. But through study and prayer I've quickly realized that we don't owe our children anything more than food, shelter, love, direction and clothing. Everything else is a bonus.
I think of my life and how little I had and I'm reassured that our children will be just fine with whatever we choose to give or not give them due to their behaviour. Just because we can, doesn't make it a right, which I think our kids forget, due to Dru and I being softies.
We'd planned a party with a few of his friends that we canceled due to his behaviour. We had a long talk to him about it and are working through things together in love and understanding.
I've realized that we need to be a team with Masaru and allow him the right to voice his opinion and we need to discipline in love and without emotion, the emotion part is basically me since I'm a highly emotional kinda girl.
Dru is a master at it and I don't know what I'd do without Dru at my side.
I watched him take Masaru under his arm the other night and was in absolute awe of his ability to love Masaru and talk to him about things without getting upset.
It kinda feels like I'm passing the torch onto Dru in a way because I don't know what it's like to be a 13 year old boy.
I asked Dru "Is this normal?" He said "Yes" and I answered back with "Well I don't like it" hahahahaha
I think Masaru is just a boy with the whole frontal lobe thing going on you know. The whole 'if I do this then this will happen' is not really connecting and probably won't for a few years.
What a blessing it is to have Dru in the YM's programme at church so he can be with Masaru for the next few years there.
I think boys need their Dad's and I'm started to really see that through all of this.
Masaru is very lucky to have Dru and so am I and our whole family. #teamdru


So I was thinking and thinking and came up with an idea to go along with his kanji.
I think that Masaru needs to know WHO he is and WHERE he came from and that he's loved and supported, not by us but by all the great men in his life past and present.
I think it's so important for him to have a sense of self you know, for him to be grateful and proud of who he is because of his roots. I think it'll help him.
So I wrote this for him and framed it to go with his Kanji and gave it to him as his second gift when we took him out to lunch.



We chose a place that had the biggest cinnamon rolls ever. He wanted a massive cinnamon roll instead of a cake and this place had it. They were HUGE.
We told the lady that it was his birthday and we were here for this cinnamon roll and they gave it to us for free. How awesome is that?
Here's Masaru reading about his name and where it came from.

He gave us a hug and dug into his roll and loved it. It was a very good roll man. I'm glad we went there. I also gave him a t-shirt which says "Stay Humble" like in the last part of his name letter and then some jogging pants to remind him to work hard for everything he does.

Here we all are.
I look at my face and I'm getting old guys and I think it's due to the mental exhaustion that children are in my life. I'm so glad I'm healthy or this would be even harder.
We took him back to school and said we'd see him later on.

When I got home I had a couple of gift waiting for ME, because, you know, I have a son who's turning 13, I need to be lifted up by mates about that right? Know I'm not alone, that I have people all around who love me and are there for me.
So  my mate Rachelle gave me these flowers and some chocolate xx

Then I happened to get this t-shirt in the mail from Stacey which I love and am grateful for. I wore it to lunch and celebrated in style.  Thanks Stacey xx
I then took a brief nap on the couch.
My kitchen needed to be cleaned and I needed to shower but I chose to sit down on the couch and get warm and not even take my jacket off and catch a little sleep.
I got maybe 20 mins until Masaru came back home and tried to push through it but then the other kids came home and .............well.................we know kids....................they can't let their parents sleep. So I got up and started on the whole HW cooking dinner part of the day.

We'd made Masaru a Korean? Thailand? skirt thing that he wanted and gave that to him. We made it a little small though, so I think he's only going to be able to fit it for this next year then we'll be passing it down to Takeshi.

I got in contact with my mate Matt who gave me his buffalo wings recipe that Masaru absolutely loves, and made that for him and the rest of the family for dinner.
I had no idea what went into making these, so I just had one and I'll leave it at that.

After dinner Dru brought out a Baja t-shirt that he'd be saving for Masaru's birthday and gave it to him. He was really happy with that.
We then brought out his last gift which was a cheap version of a gopro camera with all the accessories. He was SUPER happy about that and sat there looking at everything with Dru for a while.
Then while he was looking at that Cesha came over and gave him a fun gift.
Cesha always does so great with her gifts man. We're grateful to her.


We stayed and chatted for a while then put a movie on for the littles downstairs and the three of us watched the new Thor movie.

It was pretty awesome and I really like it. It had a kiwi flare, which I loved, and it was pretty funny.
We stayed up and talked about it for a while and hung out, then he went to bed.
It was a really good day and we love Masaru so much. He made us parents, and we didn't know what we were doing back then either!!

I hope that we can do a good job with our children in their teens. Time will tell I guess.
It's like you're constantly reflecting on who you are and how you need to change for the better.
It's a good thing that is forced on you because of your love of your children.
I'm grateful for it, in a way, but man it is hard as well.
Hopefully we can all learn together how to tackle the next few years and learn and grow and progress as team Nakaya.
Wish us luck.

Emikokolocopops 6th birthday

So my baby is 6!!
Crazy to me man, but true. With her turning 6 and Masaru turning 13, it's been a reflective time for me.
She wanted a Totoro party and cake. So between me and Yuki we did an awesome job I reckon.
I took care of the cake, and Yuki took care of the party games. Bless Yuki.
So here's the cake.
Totally got the idea and recipe from pinterest. Bless pinterest.



See the cute soot sprite down there?




Aaaaaaand here's a video of it, if you already didn't get enough.




She had three friends over and they watched parts of the Totoro movie and then Yuki did one of her games with them. She was really good.
I wasn't going to do anything and Yuki made it awesome.
Here she is opening her presents.

Yuki made this Totoro with legos for Emiko.



Gift from Aria

Socks and a sweet T-shirt. Just what she needed.

Gift from Pearl.

Lots of money. Just what all 6 year olds need right?

Gift from Bryan and Claire.

How cute is this birthday wish from Claire?


Emiko loves this soft toy. It's name is Dart and she thinks it's quite amazing. Great gift.
None of the kids had seen the movie Totoro before so they were fascinated.
The first game was going around the house trying to find soot sprites. The kids loved it.
We watched the movie until the soot-sprites were introduced then played that game.

We then watched the movie till Totoro was introduced then played this game where you pin the smile on Totoro. Yuki is a great party host.



The kids had a great time together playing games eating GREAT cake and watching Totoro.
The party was easy, low key and mostly done by Yuki.
Dru's been busy fixing cars and getting them road ready and so I couldn't count on him for the cake. That's why this cake was so perfect. I'm happy with how it all turned out.
Once her friends went home Emiko Aria and Yuki played outside in the snow and made this Totoro snowman.
Check it out.

Didn't it turn out so cute? Hahahah I love it.






Her actual birthday wasn't until Tuesday this week.
She was excited to open her gifts from us.







She loved all her gifts that morning. She doesn't need anything so getting her little totoro things is all we came up with.

We asked her what she wanted for lunch and she said she wanted a sandwhich. She ate about half of it and a few chips. She loved her blue drink though.
Takeshi was really happy to eat her leftovers after school.


She loves her Dad so much. I'm grateful for Dru and him being so different in personality from me. It works out really well for our parenting and our children having two different parents they can count on in different ways.
I made dessert for her later on that night and cupcakes for her class which her teacher was not happy about. Oh well.
I considered keeping her home for her birthday but decided to take her to school. She's already had so many days off cause of the NZ trip you know.
Plus she said she had a great time at school and she loved being with her friends on her special day.
The teacher still gave the cupcakes out to the kids. So that was nice of her.
I think the fact that I volunteer in there and know her well, helped me out a ton.

When she came home from school I'd gotten the kids all a chocolate egg to make it special. {side tangent} So the cadbury cream eggs where my favourite as a kid. They were better than the ones here before you start judging me. We hardly ever got them because they were too expensive and mum and dad had seven kids man. So whenever I got one it was like I was Charlie finding the golden ticket. I savored that chocolate egg like nobody's business.
My kids don't appreciate the eggs like I did, but that's because they're spoilt in comparison.
Hence the reason I got them a cadbury's egg, they're special to me. Maybe I should tell my kids that story so they know.
We got homework out of the way and piano and then got making our home made pizza's, just like Emiko wanted. She told me her favourite food is pizza. So that's great.

All the kids made their own pizza's. Emiko made cheese, she likes it simple. Masaru made Hawaiian, Yuki wanted cubed ham and cheese. She was very specific about her ham being cubed. Takeshi wanted his pizza to be the same pizza we had the other day at the restaurant. So him and I talked about everything that we figured was on the pizza, then we made it. His pizza tasted the best out of everyones'. It was shredded chicken, fresh basil, BBQ sauce, caramelized onions and mozzarella cheese. I just made Hawaiian and Dru made fresh mozzarella and tomato and basil. I had a little of everyone's and there was A LOT of pizza left over. We've been eating it all week. It's been kinda great actually.


Then we whipped out the lolly cake that I made for dessert and Masaru cut it up for us.
I tried to get a picture of all the kids but it didn't work out as you can see.





Emiko is my only consistent smiler man. She knows when the camera is out that's for sure.

Lolly cake.
Then Cesha came over to visit and give Emiko a gift. She got her a Totoro backpack just like her pencilcase. Then she also got her a little blue totoro crochet toy. Let me find a pic so you can see.
Cesha always hooks out kids up man. I can't even believe it. She's amazing.
I visited with her for a while while the rest of the family watched the movie "Coco" .
What a cute movie.





She had a great day and we love her.

Birthday's are always a time of reflection for me and with Emiko's birthday, it's a simple reminder that my family are growing up and closer to leaving the nest.
Time waits for no one man, and I think I'm finally getting that concept.
It helps me to be grateful for all the little moments and grateful for my children and who they are are where they've come in life.
I'm about to lose Emiko to the public school system theis next school year and it makes me sad.
She's been a good little companion and is easy peasy for me.
I love Emiko and I'm glad she's a part of our family.
It's nice to celebrate her for a day.