Nope, No Resolution For Me.

I haven't been on here much. Lots of family time and keeping busy with the kids. The end of the year ALWAYS seems to fly by. I swear it was just Halloween and now I sit here writing January 1, 2014! As with the last 3 years, Zack and I didn't spend New Year Eve together due to him being on a night shift. But last night I was able to hang out with a few of my friends to ring in the New Year! When you are thousands of miles from "home" its nice to have a few quality friends who you can share holidays with.
When Zack got home this morning he said "Ok, what's your resolution?" I responded with "I don't make those." And he was slightly shocked but here is why I am not a Resolution setter:

First off I'd rather not feel like a failure. I've done it before - set a goal that I failed to reach. Really it doesn't make you want to try harder it makes you feel like your terrible for not being able to reach it. All these "I'm getting to the gym EVERYDAY" resolutions, let's be honest half of those people wont do it, maybe for January but not for 12 whole months.

Second, People aim TOO high. I'm not saying that everyone who makes New Years Resolutions make unrealistic goals but a lot of people fall into the trend of making big generic goals that aren't personal enough to cater to themselves.

Third, This ties into my first two reason: I don't feel like there should be a "holiday" in which we set goals. I am a fan of setting smaller goals throughout the year. For myself its easier to take a look at what has happened the prior month and make a smaller goal to help make adjustments. Setting a goal that is too high makes it easier to fail. A huge generic goal for me does little good because I need it to feel personal to work on accomplishing it.

Zack had told me he will make me stick to mine and I said No. But with that I haven't thought of what my next smaller goals are yet. Right now the only thing on my mind is making it through our States Trip. As I will be flying internationally with both kids BY MYSELF! Once that stress and fun is over then I will buckle down a little more on goals. I do need to get better about setting and accomplishing goals.

For ALL of you who do make New Years Resolutions, I wish you the best! Just because I don't set them doesn't mean I don't support those who do.

2014 will be more than interesting for our family. We have an international trip coming up, we will be without The Man of the house for a bit, and we are coming up on our halfway mark here in Japan! I know the year will be full of stressful times and happy times but plan to make the best of it. And I hope you will do the same.

Here is our 2013 in Review:

 

Until Next Time
XOXOXO

Two Kids, No Stroller and Panda Bears, OH MY!

We decided on taking a family day trip so I looked at my JBL (Japan Bucket List), see it here, and decided with the awesome fall weather it was a good time to go check out Ueno Zoo! Ueno Zoo is the oldest Zoo in Tokyo and totally worth the trip.
After reading the site and seeing the zoo has no official parking we decided we would brave the trains with the two kids. Two kids under 3 and no stroller, needless to say I was prepared for misery but was pleasantly surprised how well they both did today! With a heads up of getting there early to see the Panda's awake we left our house around 7:30am. We caught the Commuter Special Rapid train (makes WAY less stops) and got stuck standing until some nice people let Sawyer and I sit, the 60min train ride to Kanda(one stop before Tokyo Station!) was no the most fun thing but we survived- Sawyer was pretty antsy to get off and see animals. 

Not only Bristol's First train ride,

but our first train ride with all four of us!

 

We had to switch trains and with the packed train to Kanda I was scared our next train would be packed too, but once we got on the line headed to Ueno, there was barely any people on it! We made it to the zoo entrance about 5 min before they opened so I'd say it was perfect timing!

So many school kids on field trips!

 

No doubt Ueno is an AMAZING place to stroll through Cherry Blossoms in spring, the fall colors were just as gorgeous. The 600Yen (about $6) entrance fee for adults is more than reasonable in my opinion, with kids under 12 being FREE it makes the deal even sweeter. As soon as you walk in you are greeted by tons of panda statues and picture opportunities as the Giant Panda exhibit is the first thing you see to your right. The two Giant Pandas, Ri Ri and Shin Shin, were enjoying a delicious breakfast of bamboo and watching all the crazy people take their picture. Very thankful we went and saw them first because on the way out we peaked into their exhibit and they had their backs to the glass.  

 

 

Ri Ri

 

Shin Shin

 

 

While walking through the first part of the Zoo, you almost forget you are pretty much in downtown Tokyo. We got to watch an Elephant drink and splash around, Zack claims it was the first time he had seen an Elephant and Sawyer was in awe and kept making Elephant noises!

 

 

I have to give major props to the Lion and Tiger habitats they had created! The tiger had a nice waterfall and little stream. Since we got there at opening a lot of the animals were eating their breakfast and not giving the best picture opportunities but it was fun to watch!

Pretty Tiger Area, Tiger was down over by the feeding area see next picture!

Pacing while waiting for breakfast

 
You can see many monkeys and gorillas through out the park. Sawyer liked watching him eat his leaves, check out all the kids at the window across from us!

Gorilla

 

 Pandas aren't the only bears you can see while visiting Ueno! They also have a Hokkaido Brown Bear, Japanese Black Bear, Malayan Sun Bear and a POLAR BEAR! Near the polar bear exhibit was the seals and sea lions which have a water arch you can walk through and they swim above and below you (a lot like the Shark Experience at Six Flags in Vallejo but with seals). Sawyer got a huge kick out of watching the seals and sea lions swim around.  

Polar Bear being cute!

 
Ueno Zoo is split into two areas you have the East Area (the area that you are in when you enter the main gate) and the West Area. A list of which animals are where can be found on the Ueno Zoo link which I have included above. We opted not to take the monorail and to walk, the view coming over the bridge was awesome, it was a crazy reminder that you are at a Zoo amidst all the skyscrapers.







 

 

My favorites in the East Area were the Children's Zoo (aka lots of goats and sheep free roaming you walked around and touched), Hippo, Giraffes and the huge Galapagos Tortoise! I took over 100 pictures so I will upload more to my Facebook but have to share the few of my favorites on here.

Getting eaten by Bristol in front of the Hippo

 

Look how HUGE this beauty is!

 

Giraffes with Skyscrapers in the background

 

Galapagos Tortoise.

 

Sawyer playing with a goat. He kept getting right in their face talking to them.

 

The farm animal whisperer! HAHA

 

If you would of asked me if I thought Sawyer could walk around the whole zoo without throwing fits I would of said No Way and been proved wrong. Both kids did AMAZING! Bristol slept majority of the day and handled being in the carrier like a champ! It took us about 2.5 hours to do the major portions of the Zoo and most of the houses, with Sawyers lack of interest in smaller exhibits and how tired we were after getting up at 4am with Bristol we did miss the one corner of the Zoo which had the five-story pagoda but no animal exhibits. We ate lunch inside the Zoo at one of the small cafés by the lake. I enjoyed some yummy Yakisoba while the boys ate pizza, hot dogs and fries. The food was yummy and not over priced (like most Zoo/Park food is in the States). Before heading back to the train station Zack and I got Starbucks to give us some energy to make the journey back. Sawyer played at the park behind Starbucks while we drank our coffees and Bristol ate. My hope of wearing Sawyer out so he was well behaved on the train back was a major success! We were able to catch a Rapid train from Kanda back where we all got seats, it helped leaving before people were off work and out of school! We were back home by about 3:30pm.

 

Ueno Zoo is a great day trip. Which you could do and see more than we did, but with it being our first outing without a stroller and our first journey into Tokyo as a family I am more than pleased with what we accomplished today! I'm sure we will go back again before we leave, I now we will be revisiting Ueno Park to go to a few museums.  I'd love to see Ueno Park in the spring with the Cherry Blossoms. Ueno Park has a couple museums which are before/around the Zoo entrance: Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum for Western Art, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and the National Science Museum. All of which would be interesting to visit. I also wouldn't mind checking out the Michelangelo exhibit at the National Museum of Western Art (Exhibit Info), but since it is only here until November 17th, I don't see myself making it down there with Zack's crazy work schedule and appointments these next two weeks. I will be keeping an eye on happenings the museums put on from here on out, so I don't miss anything crazy awesome!

 

Bottom line: If you haven't been to Ueno Zoo and you live here in Japan, GO!

Successful day at the Zoo!!!

 

Until Next Time

XOXO

Jenn

 

Finally Got a Touch of Downtown Tokyo!

We have now lived here for just over 13 months and have yet to see any shrines/temples and downtown Tokyo (we did dinner in Shibuya and that's about it). But October 5th the hubby and I took a trip into Tokyo through the base (ITT's Tokyo Culture Tour). A friend watched the kiddos for us so we could enjoy a much needed day together! Of course it decided to rain but I was able to cross some things off my Japan Bucket List!

Our first stop was the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emporer Meiji and his wife. We were even able to see traditional wedding being taking place with the Priests and Maidens in traditional clothing!

The Hubby in front of the HUGE Torii

 

Cleansing the hands before going into pray 

 

I didn't want to be all up in the wedding parties personal business,

so I zoomed in as best as possible and the rain didn't help.

I even bought an Omamori (or charm) for the protection of the kids! A picture can be found on my Instagram: See the pic here! I really want to go back and check things out when its not rainy and chilly!
Our next stop was the Tsukiji Fish Market, here is where they auction HUGE tuna and sell seafood, the auction happens very early in the morning but vendors are set up selling meals, raw seafood, veggies and more. It reminded me a lot of a farmers market. This was our lunch stop and we choose Sushi- by far the freshest and best seafood we have had yet! There were other small Ramen shops but we couldn't visit the bay and not eat Sushi, that's like going to the movies and not getting popcorn!

Some of these crabs were SEVERAL hundred dollars a piece!

That's some Fresh Fish!

Onigiri (Rice balls with seaweed & fililngs) 

Each awning was a little shop,

some were food places with only 1-2 chairs and some had goods

Big ole pot of seafood soup

Zack enjoying a $6 plate of Tuna (he had 3 of those!)

This delicious California Roll had Raw Tuna, Avocado, Crab, and it was rolled in Salmon Eggs.

I could have eaten like 4 of these!

My dessert was Asian Pears on a Stick

If you haven't had an Asian Pear you are missing out!!!

SOOOO many people!!!

 

After lunch we headed over to Hama Rikyu, a beautiful park with seawater ponds, flowers, and teahouses all tuck away between skyscrapers and the Tokyo Bay! I MUST HAVE OUR FAMILY PICTURES TAKEN HERE!!!! Tokyo Travel has a good article on it here. Even through the rain and mist it was gorgeous!

 300 year old Pine Tree!

One of the LARGEST Black Pines in Tokyo!

The Rainbow Bridge is over there

<3

Love the ponds with Skyscrapers in the background

Rain Chain, I want one before we leave

Crazy big Aloe plant in the middle of the flowers

Former Inabu Shrine

 

From the Gardens we hopped on the water bus and took a river cruise through the bay up to Akasuka.

Even though it was a drizzly day it was still fun to take the cruise, although the guide did say on a clear day you can see a lot.

Back of the Tsukiji Fish Market!

Where all the seafood gets unloaded for the auctions.

Crazy little island with skyscrapers!

Pulling a barge in.

 

 

Once the cruise was over we walked over to see the main attractions of Akasuka, Tokyo! Sensō-ji Temple, a Buddhist temple which is also Tokyo's oldest Temple! There are tons of small shops with candy, food, swords, fans, and many other knick-knacks, definitely a place I will have to come back to for Christmas gifts. We weren't given a whole lot of time and so I felt a tad rushed to see it all and check stuff out, on a nicer weather day this maybe a good destination to head back too! There is also a smaller Shinto shrine on the temple grounds so it was cool to go from seeing the huge Meiji Shrine to the smaller Akasuka Shrine. We did get to try some amazingly delicious treats! One was a rice cracker they dip in warm soy sauce and wrap a piece of sea around it, and the other was a small deep fried ball of heaven! This ball of goodness I think is Deep Fried Manju, its a warm doughy ball stuffed with filling, Zack got the original which had anko (sweet bean paste- they put it in everything here) but mine was Pumpkin *just looking at the picture below and typing is making my mouth water and making me want to go back for more!!!* 

 

Sensō-ji Temple

 

 Sea of Umbrellas around the incense

 



Incense

The Temple

 

 Inside the Temple

 

 

I received a bad fortune so I tied it up to stay there.

 

Five Story Pagoda

 

A shop with swords

 

The Rice Cracker Vendor dunking it before the nori is wrapped

 

 The reason I gave up using an umbrella, cause everyone else was and I was tired of getting stabbed in the face!

 



SWEET HEAVEN *drool*

 

 

 

Akasuka Shrine:

 

 
 

 


Overall it was a great trip! I would definitely recommend that ITT tour, and now I am more confident is where things are if people come visit us we have some cool things to show them!