Is it summer yet?

How is it possible that every time I turn around, two weeks have passed me by? Must be summer. That would be a good excuse except that it is not summer here, yet. Technically, my kids still have 3 weeks of school left before summer vacation. But we'll be visiting home and family in Colorado in just two weeks, so for my kids and I at least, summer is only 2 weeks away. Yipee!!

Yes, school years are long in Japan. The school year starts in April - the reason for this is so School Entrance Ceremony pictures can be taken under the Cherry Blossoms that inevitably stand in front of the school's gate. Tradition. The first trimester then carries on from April until about the 21st of July. Summer break traditionally ends on Aug 31st and kids go back to school on Sept 1st. The second and longest trimester runs from Sept until the end of the year with winter break starting somewhere around the 26th of December until about the 8th of January. The third and shortest trimester of the school year then lasts only from January until about the 25th of March. The typical Japanese student has only 5 weeks of summer vacation. You can see now why American summer vacations of nearly 2 1/2 months are unfathomable.

I've been scrapping quite a bit actually over the past few weeks. Mostly I'm using pictures of my precious nieces and nephews that I took last summer. It only took me nearly a year to use them. I think knowing that I get to see them all again very soon inspired me.

 all papers and elements from Family Affair and Family Affair Wordies by Alamama's Pressed Petals
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is 1942 Report

 papers and most elements from Chase Your Dreams by Bella Gypsy
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

 papers and elements from Fleur de Jardin by Mari Koegelenberg, Krystal Hartley, 

HeatherRosseli  and Jenn Barrette
font is Uncertain Tense by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

 papers and elements from Collect Moments by Bella Gypsy
page template by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is Uncertain Tense by Darcy Baldwin

 all papers and elements from Family Affair and Family Affair Wordies by Alamama's Pressed Petals
page template is from Sketchology: Spritely by Bella Gypsy
font is 1942 Report

 papers and elements from Collect Moments by Bella Gypsy
page template by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is Uncertain Tense by Darcy Baldwin

In other news, I'm thinking about buying an iPad. I'm at a loss as to whether I should buy the wifi-only version or get one with 3G as well. Most of my friends have the wifi only version and say its enough. And I know it would be mostly enough for me as well while here in Japan. But one of the main reasons why I want one is to use over summer break (of course that's not all) for myself (business responsibilities) and kids (homework, Japanese friends, etc). I'm 99% sure that my parents do not have wifi in their home so therein lies my dilemma. I definitely don't want a monthly payment hanging over my head for 3G though. I wonder if I can rent a mifi while in the states...

Okay, my rambling is done.

I thank you so very much for stopping by my little corner of the web and I hope you'll be back soon. I pray you are enjoying a happy, safe and fun summer wherever you are.

The best of both worlds. Kind of...

I've been living in Japan for 20 years now. That number astounds me. I know this can be seen as quite an accomplishment, but for me it makes me kind of sad. That's 20 years apart from my home, my family.

Don't get me wrong, I've said it before but life here isn't bad at all. It's safe. That's the best word I can use to describe living here. For the most part there is very little violence. Children grow up slowly without the threat of drugs, alcohol and other pressures that force kids to grow up all too soon.

Jobs are safe - at least I think they are. My husband works in political media and there will always be politics and media. I teach conversational English and Japan is just now finally grasping that being able to *speak* English as well as read and write it are important.

We have a very well balanced national/private health care system where no one has to go without insurance. Schools provide strong, albeit very standardized, education.

We are safe here. And I love that.

But every once in awhile I feel a longing for things that aren't here. I'm sure that is true of every human. Sometimes I miss open spaces. Sometimes I miss Walmart and Target. Most times I just miss my family.

Obviously, my children are both Japanese and American. We speak English in our home, but as soon as we step out of the front door we speak only Japanese 95% of the time. They go to local public schools. We are not ex-pats, we do not live a glamorous life downtown Tokyo. We live in the burbs - away from most things foreign. Other than looking part foreign part Japanese and being able to speak English, my babes are mostly Japanese.

This is a page I made for my daughter. I hope both of my children will always be proud of being bilingual and bicultural. Children of two worlds.

most papers and elements from World Beat by Studio ViVa Artistry
black oval frame from LeReve by Studio ViVa Artistry
metal alpha is from After the Rain by Jennifer Labre Designs
font is Mandy H Script by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

This is a page I made for the Scrap Challenge going on this week over at Tell Your Story Everyday. This one too has something to do with being a foreigner living in Japan. Just on a lighter topic.

papers and most elements from Summer Morning by the Digichick Designers
striped washi tape from The Daily Details by the Digichick Designers
journaling card is from Coming Home by Dawn by Design
clear alpha is Seeing Clearly by Etc by Danyale
mustard yellow alpha from Serenity also by Etc by Danyale
Four Square Storyboard by Charm Box Studio
font is Mandy H Script by Darcy Baldwin
hybrid cupcake liner is made from paper and candy holder template 

also in Summer Morning by the Digichick Designers

And these pages are me finally get around to scrapping some wonderful photos I took last summer. I thought I'd better get a start on them. Better late than never.

 all papers and elements from Serenity by Etc. by Danyale
font is I Love Me Some Tracy by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

all papers and elements from Love You More Than Icecream by Jenn Barrette
font is Uncertain Tense by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the web. I hope you'll be back again soon.

Ketchup Catch Up Post

I've done it again. Let my poor sweet blog go. Neglect. I'm sorry dear blog, and I'm sorry to my dear friends and family who read it. If there are any left.

What's been going on? Hmmm.... a whole lot of school events, lots of just everyday life. I do have several pages to share, but at the same time I really don't want my blog only to be another gallery for my pages. I like this to be a place where I can share a bit more of my world.

A friend of mine mentioned that she would like to know more about the Japanese events and customs that go on in my world. (Thank you lulutoo for your suggestion!) Sounds like a great idea to me too since my blog is supposedly about both Scrapbooking and Japan life.

So, for today I will talk about Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three). 7-5-3 is a celebration of the ages 7, 5 and 3. Sorry for restating the obvious. But its not each age for all children. Girls get to celebrate twice - at the ages of 3 and 7. Boys celebrate once at the age of 5. I do NOT know why it is this way. Like so many ancient Japanese customs, it just is. (ETA: I just found a wonderful article explaining in better detail all about SGS on Wikipedia. If you're interested, take a look here.)

The event takes place in early November each year. The children dress up in a child's kimono and go to a temple for blessings and get to eat traditional candy called Chitose Ame (chee-toe-say ah-may). SGS is a rite of passage for children.

Here I am rambling on about Shichi-Go-San and I just realized that the page I made for my daughter was not even about SGS. But she is wearing the kimono her Baba and Jiji (Japanese Grandma and Grandpa) bought for her 3-year-old celebration. This page is actually my daughter posing with her Hina Dolls.

So this is another Japanese celebration called Hina Matsuri, or sometimes referred to as Girl's Day. If you want the details, there is another wonderful page on Wikipedia talking about its history and meaning, etc. I even learned a thing or two!

papers and elements from Ureshii by Studio ViVa Artistry
leaves are from Spring Love and En Plein Air by Studio ViVa Artistry
clear alpha from Seeing Clearly by Etc by Danyale
page template is from Banner of Love 4 by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

The rest of my pages span many years and memories.

 Papers and elements from A Secret Garden by Kristin Cronin-Barrow
Page template from Solos Part 10 by Busy Bee Designs
Font is DJB Miss Jayne Aire by Darcy Baldwin

 papers and elements from Cherished by Kristin Cronin-Barrow and Penny Springmann
font is Ma's Handwriting by Darcy Baldwin
page template is from Ornately Framed by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
worn page overlay used on background paper is by Something Blue Studios

 papers and elements from Welcome to the World by Sugarplum Paperie and Jenn Barrette
font is So Much to Say by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Little Green Frog Designs

 most papers and elements from Hop, Skip, Jump by Jenn Barrette
some elements from various other kits
font is Sandra Dee by Darcy Baldwin
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
stamped alpha is by CD Muckosky

 papers and most elements from Storytime by Studio ViVa Artistry
wire alpha is from On My Desk by Studio ViVa Artistry and Etc by Danyale
page template is Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font is 1942

These last two pages are from Scrap Challenges over at Tell Your Story Everyday. 

 papers and elements from Summer Morning by The Digichick Designers
page template from Sketchology: While Supplies Last by Bella Gypsy
font is Miss Jinky Van Pelt by Darcy Baldwin

papers and elements from Roots and Wings by The Digichick Designers
background stamps are Birds On A Branch and Floral Collage both by Arty Pants
font is Mary Magpie Darcy Baldwin
background template is by Captivated Visions

If you want to read any of the pages' journaling, all of my pages can be found in my
Digichick Gallery.

Summer vacation will unofficially begin here in mid-July when my kids and I can go and visit my family in America. We are so excited. School isn't supposed to get out until late July, (we can't even begin to fathom the long summer vacations kids have in America) but we will be taking off a few days before the end of the semester. Summers are my favorite season because I get to see my family!!!

As always, thank you for stopping by my little corner of the web. I hope and pray all is well with you and yours. Please come again soon!