Flying bullets

And we made it home, back to beautiful OC. Such a great vacation!

The resort checkout time was 10am, but we had made the decision to stick around the whole day and get on the night flight, in hope of that the kids would sleep (especially our son)the whole 5 hours.

And I really, really do not like flying. It goes against my slightly controlling nature to go sit in something where I have zero chance of survival if it goes down. So when I saw that the window on our row of seats was slightly crooked with the shade stuck all the way up in there, and old glue peeling from the side like someones already tried to fix it, I got.. ehrrr…a little uncomfortable you could say. So of course I start looking around and notice that there’s stuff looking a little off and crooked and worn all over. To the point I had to tell the flight attendant that “eh excuse me…that window is a bit..off? Is that..like eh..safe?!”

She insured me it was only “cosmetic”…oookey I said and pictured myself being sucked out of the same window after it fell out at 10.000feet.

I wanted a glass of wine but apparently the flight was full of boozers, since the wine was sold out, already 20 minutes after take off, and I was offered 3 kinds of soda instead, but that doesn’t have the same effect on shaky nerves so I asked if they had Valium..I was joking but at the same time I was hoping she’d slip me one. She didn’t.

But we landed safe and the kids slept, a perfect flight.

We had parked our car in one of those long-term parking lots close to the airport and when picking it up it took a while, so we were just hanging around waiting. One of the girls working there came driving down in a beat up white car and she parked it right in front of us. Not just that it was falling apart it had about 20 bullet holes on its right side. I said to my husband “…wow..I wanna see who’s picking this car up…” 

I chitchatted a little with the girl, all while I’m snapping pictures of the bullet holes like I was working a crime scene. Turns out, she was getting off her shift, she said bye, got her jacket then got back in to the bullet ridden car and drove off…..

Ooohh…

#suburbanhousewifemoment

 

 

 

 

Home sweet dusty home

Our life in the week that has passed..

In two days we packed 17 moving boxes and bags, filled with clothes, toys and every nick back we might want or need during our summer at home. 17 is insane! and record for us, I don’t know how it ended up being so much…but oh well.

I cleaned and mopped the apartment, put all spices in the refrigerator, cleaned all the bed sheets and put them and all duvets and pillows in sealed bags. When we get back to Tokyo in August it’s gonna be crazy hot and humid and I have learned through the years that you really don’t want to leave anything out for that long.

It’s nice, the flight from Japan to LAX is a straight shot, no layovers with long waiting and the fact that I really don’t like flying, the less take offs and landings, the better. With lives on two continents and my family in Sweden, we do quite a lot of traveling so our daughter is a pro, no craziness or meltdowns. Our son on the other hand….it THAT child. He threw fits and wanted to go to the bathroom every five minutes throughout the flight, he’s the type that would be better off sedated while flying. Either that or sedate the rest of the passengers, for their own comfort..

Coming home on the other hand is great as always, the house was insanely dusty but I was so happy to be home again after 9 months!  I plowed through it the same day we got back, with mop in hand, and now it’s back to its normal state of everyday mess. And the joy of sleeping in my own bed! Now I just wish that my kids could get over this jet lag…it’s 2.20am and I’ve been up with the kids for an hour already..

….I’m….so…tired!

 

Boxes after boxes…

The tedious thing about living in two places is all the packing. Since we live here in Japan most part of the year we always ship about 10 boxes with shoes, clothes and toys and what ever we might need from our home in California. Then all of it of course have to come back with us home again, plus the stuff we accumulated during our 9 months here. Everything in the boxes have to be counted and listed in invoices for customs.

We’ve lived in the same apartment in Tokyo for the past 8 years and we leave tons of stuff behind every time we leave for the summer, but I’m gonna have to sort a lot of stuff out this year, it’s just getting to be too much and too cramped. Do some serious spring cleaning before we leave.

 

 

 

Merry 24th!

I started off Christmas with a banging headache, damn that glass of wine, and thank God for Advil! I should start binge drinking maybe, so then I can handle a glass of wine now and then…

Other than my brain trying to break its way out of my skull, the morning was great, just snuggling with my precious two. Chocolate milk and sandwiches and getting the last piece of chocolate out of the calendar. (Last piece, 24th….) By 9am I had finished vacuuming and mopping the floors, folded the laundry and the house was shining. By 09.10am my son had staged another break in. Oh well…

Tomorrow I’m roasting a chicken, making a sweet potato casserole, macaronies and cheese, salad and some other bits and pieces. Nothing crazy. And we’re having a guest, the kids babysitter Nancy is coming to eat with us. Her brother is having a house party and kicked her out of the house, Oh Christmas spirit! Hanna and Micah could not be happier, they love her.

I miss spending Christmas with my family though. I know what they’re doing in a few hours. It’s pitch black in Sweden at 8am, and my mom is a candle light freak, so the kitchen will be lit up like a cathedral at mass. Big breakfast set up, Christmas music on the radio, my stepdad walking around humming along to the music, coffee. Warm and cozy. Then in the afternoon they’ll have late lunch with friends and family. Glögg, ham, meatballs, sausage, purple cabbage, potatoes, cured salmon, pickled herring……I’m not jealous…

One of these years, we will be there, all of us together.

Getting there..

Ooh ho ho! I’m spending my last night before hubby comes home, in the company of Orville Redenbacher and a glass of red wine. I’m actually starting to feel a little Christmasy, finally. Could be the wine..or it could be that I got something done today.

We got out early this morning and went to the crafts store where I bought some fabric and lace. I made a quick version of a runner for the table..It actually helped a lot to cover up our hideous table.

getting there..

The kids are sleeping and I’m wrapping presents, candles lit. I’m feeling quite cozy actually. I like it I like it…

And of course, knowing that my husband is coming home tomorrow evening makes everything feel so much better. It’s lonely when you’re by yourself. I know I have two kids but once they go down, it’s just me. No one to talk to about how was your day and stuff, it kind of sucks…

but anyways..so I’m wrapping these gifts for the kids. I’m gonna let them open one each in the morning tomorrow, since us Swedes celebrate on the 24th. My husband still does not want to acknowledge  that a big part of the word do celebrate on the 24th and it’s “legit!” It’s been 7 years people…we’re still having debates about it. But hey, just look at the kids chocolate calendars, they only go up to 24…heeeey! I rest my case.

I hope you guys will have a great Christmas, in the company of  your loved ones! Goodnite!…this Santa need some sleep!

Anticlimax

Today has been the second most stressful day this year I think. Nr 1 was the 3/11, earthquake. And then today, my green card interview. 6 years our case has been in process, 6 long years. Tons of documents and signings and picture takings and now last, medical exams for me and my daughter and then today finally the interview. I’ve been so nervous, mostly about not being on time or getting there and there would be some paper or document missing. Our appointment was at 9.30 and I asked my husband to drive us so we wouldn’t have to get on the train in morning rush hour. Rush hour is insane in Tokyo.

So off we went, on schedule and the traffic wasn’t too bad. But then Micah decides to poop while we’re on the highway so we had to pull over and change him. Almost at the Embassy Hanna whose been watching the iPad in the back, gets car sick and vomits all over the back seat. The real sour disgusting vomit that makes you wanna throw up yourself. So we had to speed clean the backseat, all while Micah is screaming in his seat, strip Hanna of her vomited sweater and t-shirt, wipe what ever vomit I can off her jeans, and put Micah’s t-shirt on Hanna, cuz he was going back home again with my husband.

So, great great start! My daughter was feeling much better but was reeking. But we were there and there was nothing we could do but to make our appointment. I thought the interview was gonna be held in a small room, with just us and some embassy employee  but it was tons of people just sitting in a big waiting area with number tickets. And you just got called up to different counters. One to drop off your documents, then wait, then next counter for finger printing, then wait again, then the infamous “interview”. A real nice man behind the counter, just asking me a couple of questions about my husband, and then stamp stamp. That was it. We were legal.

What…? Where was my interrogation I’d been waiting and preparing for, for so long!? Hey dude, ask me something! Anything, what type of underwear my husband wears or what his childhood favorite pet fish’s name was! Something! Pretend you think it’s a sham marriage, cuz I can prove to you it’s not! …..

oh well.. Finally we don’t have to worry about flying here and there just cuz I have to leave the country every 3 months. We can just enjoy being at home!

So after spending all morning at the embassy, with my stinky but happy super trooper Hanna. We treated ourselves to some Starbucks and then headed home. I was so excited and I told my husband first thing, “yay baby! All we have to do is be back home till April 17th!! “(That’s when the medical report expires) 

April 17th?! The season isn’t over till the 24th!

What?! (A long fuuuuuuuuuuuck went through my head) I’d totally miscalculated the 6 months and now me and the kids would have to leave for the states before the season was over! We’d miss the final games and I’d have to fly with two kids by myself. (cry cry panic, sweat, crap!)My husband’s team is doing so good this season, they have a great shot at winning the championship. I wouldn’t wanna miss that and the kids would be so disappointed!

No way! I threw myself on the train again and went all the way back to the embassy, although the Visa section was closed they had me waiting and then I got to speak to a nice woman. She told me I had two options, do a new medical (means a new fee of $$$$) or go to Guam for a couple of days and get my stamp there. Guam is 4 hours from Japan. So tomorrow I’m making some phone calls to see, will it be medical or will it be Guam.

So what ever it ends up being, two things are for sure. This summer I will get my license and then I will enroll in preschool summer class, so that I can get my basic counting skills in check. Other than that, Thank you America, I won’t disappoint you….

yes sir!

The third wheel mommy

Can someone tell me why it is that although I’m vacuuming at least twice a day, mop the floors twice a week and always walking double folded picking up after everybody, it still looks like I haven’t lifted a finger? It is quite frustrating at times actually. Hanna is sick so I took her to the doctor this morning and when I come back my husband had left for practice already and the house was shining! What the?…… What I can’t accomplish in a day he does in 30 minutes! I’m not liking it. Or I am liking it, but you know what I mean…

Some times I enjoy a day by myself and my husband takes the kids. I’m thinking it’s good for my hubby to spend sometime with them alone and let him handle kids, cleaning and all that. I’m thinking I’ll be coming home and he’ll be “oh baby I know how much work it is being home with them” …bla bla..

But instead I come home to a shining house, laundry done and folded, groceries shopped, kids happy. Whaaat?! Does the maid brigade come over when I’m not here? Or am I just that useless? Why am I even here? Is it the “smooshing”…?

But he’s a Virgo, just like my sister, so I know, it’s hard to live up to the Virgo’s excellency in cleaning and sorting. My sister’s closet looks like a display shelve at “Benetton”….

He’s the better cook too, he reads the recipes and doesn’t throw a hissyfit when the dish doesn’t come out as in the picture. I mean I know, he’s awesome, that’s why I married him. But give a girl a break, I know I’m not a neat freak, and I have walked by the ironing board with my pile of wrinkly clothed on, for 2 days now. My closet looks like the Goodwill drop off container. I’m feeling just a tad useless. I’m trying. I really am. But I’m sweet! I’m kind….I’d do anything for you!? Don’t replace me please!

...maaaybe I could fold something...

The beanie turd

Had to get a new cover yesterday, for our bean bag. The old ones are getting too worn, actually I threw the gray one out and the red one is on its last breath.

My daughter absolutely wanted a pink cover but I vetoed her and thought the dark brown was the obvious choice. They also had green and white, so….brown of course…

Now looking at it, I’m trying to decide if I think it looks more like a piece of chocolate on the floor or a big turd….

I’m thinking maybe we should have gone with the pink…..

...niiice...

Sofa loving!

I’m in love with this sofa! If I had the money I’d buy it and then take the fight for it with my husband. He’d say something along the line with “NEVER!”

But then I’d secretly tow the sofa we have (that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with) and replace it with LOVE sofa over here. Fuck it, I’d buy two of these, so you could sit on one while you look at the other. GIVE ME!

from "Dwell Studio furniture"

My “sigh”-projects….

I’m such a horrible procrastinator when it comes to certain things. Like cleaning the balcony. That’s project nr 1. The kids old pool from last summer that I really should have brought in last fall and cleaned out so they could have used it this summer. The christmas trees from last year, the box of fire wood that’s been moved from one corner to another for the past year and a half. Plastic bags, slippers, old hangers and what else is hiding out there, I don’t even know.

...sigh...

...ghaaa....

....what a sad sight...

Project nr 2.

The “crap hole”, the little nook that always fills up with papers, bills, money…and it’s our main dumping place for all sorts of crap. Why is it that every flat surface in this house accumulates so much of nothings?!

ignore ignore ignore....

But I think tomorrow will have to be the day. Tackle day! I’m gonna do it!  Yu…p!….sigh….