Mama's Birthday, Costco, and River's arrival!!!

Ok, here is my second post. I still wont be up to date, but I will try to get them all out for you guys! Thanks for your patience!

After my Saitama internship, I returned to Tokyo to business as usual. I was not to excited to see the tall buildings pavement again, but it was good to be back. On March 5th was my host Mom's birthday! She just turned 33 (young, huh?) like... a little more than 10 years older than me!!! Anyways, we all headed out to Red Lobster (I know how that sounds but it is a classier restaurant here in Japan), which is one of their favorite places to eat. It was really fun! Tsuki-chan brought his new favorite toy, Satan beatle. Host Mom isn't really into the whole bug thing, but she finds it very amusing that Tsuki-chan is so in love with such an ugly toy. Tsuki-chan doesn't normally pose for pictures, but was happy to this time....as long as satan beatle was in the shot as well. It was very amusing to say the least! Photo, taken by Tsuki-chan. Papa, Mama, me, and Satan Beatle

Satan Beatle, taken by Tsuki-chan. (he took like 6 of these!

The Red Lobster people even brought out a special cake for Mama (I couldn't eat it, being on lent and all.....) The Red Lobster person also took a complimentary photo of us, but kept having to take more and more because Tsuki-chan kept making funny faces.


Poor Red Lobster people! Tsuki-chan.....

After that day, I caught a small cold, and I rested at home. I had started getting a sore throat in Saitama, and now I was sneezy and tired. But it didn't get that bad, which is good.:)

I hung out with Asuka next, and as usual, had a fun time. We saw that new disney movie that just came out with real people which we found funny. A lot better than our last picture, Bridge to Teribitia, which was good, but left us in a really sad mood. (If that movie doesn't make you cry, you are not human!)

Next we did our usual Karaoke, which is always fun. Asuka is such a good singer! She deserves a prize! After that, I had a little time before dinner, and we went to Asuka's house and played the new smash brothers game. Asuka won, of course. :P

The day after than, my host mom asked me if I wanted to go to kosta-ko. I had no idea what that was, but I agreed. After a little while of explaining it to me, I realized we were going to none other than COSTCO!!! I was so happy, and did not know it existed in Japan. People here mostly uy groceries daily... not monthly. So I was interested to see what Japan costco had to offer.

It was quite a long drive there, but we entertained ourselves watching Tsuki-chan's english learning tapes. I also took a movie of Tsuki-chan in the car on the way there...very funny. There is a comedian in Japan who everyone loves and I just don't get, and Tsuki-chan is doing his famous skit. I have seen everyone-five year olds, college students, the elderly...emulate this move.

In Japan, if you sit in the backseat, you are not require to use a seat belt. But I think Tsuki chan should use one....

We had a little trouble getting to Costco as the area where costco was wasn't really on Papa's car navigation thing. It took us up thiswindy road up a hill, which just seemed to end out of nowhere when it said we arrived at costco. We found it amusing, but soon spotted costco on the hill opposite of ours. Thats why you have to be careful with those navigation thingys...

Costco was the usual size. They had cool escalators down from the parking area (on the roof) that you can drive shopping carts on. Once inside, I was greeted to the usual site of costco! So refreshing!!! I think the H fam was a little overwhelmed, but I was so excited! For the most part, the goods were the same, with a few differences:


Bulk Sushi


Bulk Octopus

I bought myself my usual ceasar salad, Kirkland signature brand raisen brand, and a huge bag of pretzals. SO HAPPY!

The next day, little brother come to Tokyo!!! I picked him up at the airport and he was his usual River self, which was refreshing. I was so excited I almost forgot to exchange his money!


river, just arrived.

We took the long train back to my house (about 2 hrs!!!) and finally arrived at home. Host Family was out and about, so he settled in and he gave me presents! (magazines, jewlery, peanut butter, fruit leather) which was a delight!

Tsuki-chan and Mama arrived home, and Tsuki-chan instantly took to river as he gave him some pokemon cards. Tsuki-chan calls river "otouto" (little brother), even though river is most definately older! Very cute. Tsuki-chan also loved River's nintendo DS, and especially the pokemon game. Tsuki-chan loved sitting in River's lap and playing it. :)


Tsuki-chan is a River fan! (Or a nintendo fan?)

The next day we went to Disneyland with Asuka. This may have been a bit overwhelming for him on his first day here, but we went anyways. Now, I have written many a post about Disneyland, so I will not go into too much detail. We had a good time, but it was super crowded and river began to fade toward the end.


Me and Riv at D land!


River and Asuka :)

Luckily, especially because river was so tired, Asuka had planned for us to stay at her house for the night. Asuka's house is the best! River was out pretty quick!
The next day we took river to Karaoke, which I think he really enjoyed. (who wouldn't like it???)

The next day was not a delight, as it was pouring rain and kind of cold. And incidently, some sort of holiday. I took riv on a campus tour with my friend Lynnette, but nothing was open and the day was not fun. We decided to spend the rest of the day at an art museum to be out of the rain!!!

That night, we also made dinner for the host family. We made the Ramuglia standard curry chicken! As Usual, Host mom got the video camera out, and riv and I made the curry. I am sure they thought the dish interesting, because it requires fruit to be put on top of both curry and the chicken. fruit in Japan is really a very desserty item. Tsuki-chan, however, was beside himself that he could eat apples for dinner! unheard of!

Curry Chicken...a taste of home!

Tsuki-chan had his own separate red curry because he can't really handle spicy things, but that didn't stop him from putting fruit on his curry too!!!


FRUIT for DINNER?!?!

The next day we went down to Kyushu....which I will continue in the next post!!!!!