Here in Tokyo, our family drinks a lot of tea—green tea, barley tea, and herbal tea. There are so many different types and flavors of tea! So, when one of our mentors used the analogy of a tea bag to describe a person’s heart, it really stuck with me. He said that when exposed to hot... Continue Reading →
It is no secret that our family loves board games. Any time we are at home whether on a rainy weekend or during a holiday, you will find us gathered around the table with our cards, tokens and dice in hand. During the fall, I am always on the lookout for another new family game... Continue Reading →
Oh no! I missed something again! I experience that sinking feeling as I once again realized I had misunderstood instructions. I squinted as I looked down the street for the yōchien (Japanese kindergarten) bus which would pick up my daughter. The sun also shone in the eyes of other moms with me, but they were holding... Continue Reading →
Sharing another booklist from our after school adventures! These books focus on the theme of communication. We have really enjoyed reading these books together as a family. Since our girls are currently learning to communicate in Japanese and English, this theme was really relevant to us and prompted a lot of good conversations. Hope you... Continue Reading →
We had just finished up some last minute Christmas shopping and were headed home. My eldest daughter was on her bicycle, and I followed behind on my bike with my youngest strapped in a bike seat. It had gotten dark and cold, but my eldest knew the way. So she led us down the narrow... Continue Reading →
One aspect that I really love about living in Tokyo is having fresh fish available daily at the grocery store. It has been quite the adventure figuring out all the different kinds of fish and how to cook them. Today, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite recipes for Swordfish (メカジキ).... Continue Reading →
Do you ever feel like your family is in a children's book rut? Do you ever struggle hunting for good, thought provoking books to read to your children? I know I have! The struggle is real! So, I wanted to share our new book list focusing on Caring for Others. Our children attend local Japanese... Continue Reading →
Since moving to Tokyo, I have really enjoyed learning how to cook all sorts of new foods. This recipe is one of our family's favorites and is a great way to use up leftover vegetables on a busy weeknight. In Japanese it's called Yasai Itame and there are many variations of it. This dish can... Continue Reading →
“When you lose someone or when people steal something of you, you’re left trying to find yourself again.” Ann Voskamp in A Broken Way: A Daring Path Into the Abundant Life. I put the book down in my lap and stare out the window to process what I just read. I had never connected these... Continue Reading →
“Mommy, what is the pink candle?” asked my inquisitive eight-year-old as we gathered around the table with our advent wreath and liturgy. We had just finished reading Scripture and were preparing to light the next candle. “It’s the candle of Joy, Sweetie.” I answered eager to explain the tradition. “We light the candles of hope,... Continue Reading →
Trimmed Tales 