Just a quick "catch up"....

Okay...so really...this has nothing to do with anything...I just think it is really funny!! The "Wireless" catalogue has this on a t-shirt and, seriously, if I win the lottery, I am buying so many of my friends (you know who you are!!) one so we can all wear them together!!!

So, it has come to my attention that I need to let people know that *yes, Lila got here. (but her luggage took the scenic route and arrived 2 days later!!) *yes, we had a great Christmas. The boys got too much stuff, but isn't that really how it usually goes!! *no, I'm not really getting to rest YET during the holiday as, we have been going pretty strong since Lila landed!! People to meet, places to visit, omiyage ("souveniers"...how the heck do you spell that?? the spellchecker won't work!! sorry!!) she has to buy...there are just not enough hours in a day!!

I promise to post some pictures as soon as "the K-man" can get them downloaded....I depend on him to do that as our camera is Japanese and my computer is a "native speaker of English"!!

I hope that you, wherever you are, are having a great day! It's now 1:05 am and time for this camper to be "hitting the hay". *** Good night to you all..."and have a pleasant tomorrow"!!

Have a wonderful holiday...family and friends...

From the Kuroiwa Family to all of you....we wish you a very happy and safe Christmas! We hope that you all have at least one of those "Oh my gosh....this is JUST what I wanted" kind of moments on Christmas morning!! May you surround yourselves with love and happiness and laughter.
God Bless you all....lot's of hugs and kisses being sent your way from us!!

A white Christmas in Colorado!!

Here is a picture my mom sent today...Colorado got "dumped on" a few days ago & Mom said it didn't look like it would melt off any time soon!! This is Mom's patio, where many a "Patio Time" has been spent...of course, it was in the summer and much warmer and not as white!!
But...after so many years of not really getting snow like this, I have to admit, it looks really nice!! I can sing the song till the proverbial "cows come home", but unless I come "home", I don't think I will have a "White Christmas"...must be content to having them "in my dreams"!!

Good night everyone....sweet dreams to you all!!

It's just so darn confusing sometimes...

So...yesterday, my friend Kana and I were at a trendy little cake shop that is actually really good and when I got my little bag of goodies, I couldn't help but notice the English on the bag. Now...because my English is quite good, I recognize when strange words or phrases are used., but can't always figure out what they might possibly want to say. (Last year, Issei and I both laughed at the sign that said,"We wish you a happy Christmas story." Okay....and so I can have my own story?!?!?!)

Anyway...yesterday's "contribution" to the on-going "What do you suppose they meant by that?" silly English competition is:

" A gift has no great meaning. Its only object is to express a caring heart."

And so with that, I will say....... Smiles and hugs to you all! Hope you had a good weekend.

A bit of sadness today....

Probably one of my all-time favorite movies is Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein"...it is a classic that if you haven't seen, and you enjoy really good comedy, you need to watch this movie!!

Peter Boyle, who played Frankenstein, and did a really funny tap dance scene as the monstor to "Puttin' on the Ritz" with Gene Wilder, passed away today. He spent 10 years doing and saying things that made me laugh oh so very hard on "Everyone Loves Raymond"...the man was perfect in the role of Frank Barone!

As someone put up on the web..."The world is a little less funny today."

Happy Birthday Bo and Todd!!

(These are my nephews.)
As Todd's birthday is Dec. 1 and Bo's is Dec. 15, today (the 8th) I will send them our birthday 'good wishes' (you know, that ole "2 birds, one stone" idea!!)
This picture was taken by Kiyoshi, the first time he went to America. Bo (in the hat!) was 2 and a few, Todd (the 'peeker') was 1 and a few. I think that even though they are now 13 and 14, this is the image that Uncle Kiyoshi will always have of them!! Having not ever been around kids, he wasn't really sure what to do with them...but...they got along just great!!

So....from your family in Japan...Happy Birthdays, boys!!
We love ya!!


*A note....this is one of those "one of my favorites" and I am sure that there will be many more of "my favorites" to pop up on this blog. But...I come by this naturally...one of my favorite days with my mom has to be watching the "Elvis....Aloha From Hawaii" concert....before almost every song, she would (sometimes clutching her heart) say, "Oh....this is my favorite." Then....the next song..."Oh my...THIS is my favorite song." ....and on and on it went!!! You gotta love a woman who loves Elvis!! Thanks for the memory, Linda!! Love ya!! (...and yes, I love him too!! *smile*)

..a newer version of the boys...

These are the faces we know and love!! In August, 2005, when we went to the States with our Japanese friends, the boys treated us to a 'mini-concert' on the patio after dinner. Bo, on sax, and Todd on guitar entertained the Japanese guests and the rest of the family. It was a great night!! Uncle Kiyoshi, being the "music man" that he is, was so disappointed we didn't get a video.....next time!!!

"Debbie"...on a keychain...

What does ones keychain say about that person?
Not something you think about very often is it...but, after seeing what some of my students have on theirs, I started thinking about how much of ourselves we hang our keys on....I find myself contemplating a variety of topics as I sit in traffic!!

So...my keychain....let's see...well first of all, I have less keys than keychains!! So, from the top....A replica of the Colorado car tag (the newer version...still prefer the older version...just the mountains, man, just the mountains)....then a Gap one with palm trees and ocean...next is my favorite..actually when I got this particular keychain over 17 years ago, I thought it was just hilarious...still do!! It says "Lenny's Keys"... "Who is Lenny?", you ask. I have no clue....but the friends who gave it to me for my birthday (Sue and "Whatta"Robb Peterson from Weslaco Texas) thought it was funny too....they couldn't find "Debbie", so figured that "Lenny" would do!!! And it has...for all these years!! There is my all-time favorite bird...the flamingo....And then, the newest keychain has a dove and says "faith"....it reminds me to have faith in myself and in a higher being, even when times are hard....someone once told me that "what you are doing right now is what you are supposed to be doing"....I guess I have to have faith that everything will all work out.

So....what's on your keychain?

Have a nice weekend....

Whether we are ready or not....'Tis the season.....

And...yes, it is the Christmas season over here too!!
Last night, we went to a "light up" ceremony at a seaside park....and it was really nice! A bit chilly and windy, but still....nice. There was Christmas music, lots of decorations and even a Santa Claus...a bit lacking on the "ho-ho-ho's", but...probably I am the only one that noticed.
This is the picture we took in front of the tree....the snowman-looking things in the back were part of a contest for the kids....not sure what they were made of, but even up close, they looked like marshmallows! Issei made a comment about needing "alot of hot chocolate"!! Funny kid!!
*Special note...just in case anyone was wondering...
"Winter Debbie" hair plus wind equals Big Hair all over the place...*sigh*.

Christmas is always so....surreal almost, over here. I hear people in the States saying how it gets more and more commercial there every
year....well..."commercial" is about 90% of it here.
Yes, we have the trees, the music in every store, the decorations, the lights and everything that goes with the holiday....but, it never ceases to amaze me that, how more often than not, in the midst of all that, in a store when you get your change back how a "Thank you. Merry Christmas!" will get you one of those 'deer caught in the headlights' kind of look from the person at the register!!
And if you get a "Huh?" along with it....well...that's just a bonus!! I think that this year I will keep a count of "the looks" and the "huh's?".....the results may be scary!!

One other thing that cracks me up.... someone planted the idea that westerners, on Christmas Eve, celebrate by eating chicken....not just any chicken, mind you...but...Kentucky Fried Chicken!! You can buy these lavishly decorated buckets....that many people 'pre-order', to make sure that they celebrate in a "traditional" way. Someone at KFC earned their bonus that year!!!
There are always a few students every year that are so surprised that this is not the case....my job here will never be done...this may be more that I can handle alone!!


Anyway...we will try to get the tree and decorations of our own out sometime in the next week or so...and then I will try to convince Kiyoshi that, yes, we do need to hang the outdoor lights up this year....he grumbles every damn year, and tells people that he does it for me...but, I know that he actually likes doing it....the grumbling is all just part of the dance we do every December...Music, please!!! *smile*
(Lila coming is going to be my "secret weapon"....we need to put them up for her and I think that even though she is Jewish, the girl will like the lights!!!......and now there are only 16 days until she is here...I better get busy!!!)

Good night everyone....sweet dreams...muchos o'smooches to you all!!