In an instant

It's amazing how in an instant feelings that you thought were long gone/suppressed come flooding back. I don't know why or how but all I know is that it happened and in that instant I was a (literally) shivering mess. It passed, but i'm really confused as to why it happened in the first place. I have my theories, but none I am convinced of. The return (and departure) of all these forgotten feelings are like salt to a wound long scabbed over. I'm just out of place about it. I don't know why, what, how or when. I just know that they are still there. Need to find a distraction.

Musings from the week (actually weeks - plural)..

• spending time with people I don't often see was a great way to spend my Friday night at a friends birthday party. It was so refreshing to talk and get to know different people. Dinner wasn't too bad either!
• i'm really going to miss Japan and the life that I have created here. Knowing that I only have a few more months here is really playing on my emotions. The smallest, insignificant things set me off. I'm going to be a horrible emotional mess pre and post departure.
• it's ok to be scared. I'm really scared but excited at the same time about what the future holds for me. I need to stay focused on my goals and remember what I want. If I do this everything will work out. Keep the faith, keep the motivation, cultivate the motivation and push on.
• removing toxic things and people are essential to my growth and happiness. Surrounding myself with beautiful, positive people and things will in turn help me become a more beautiful, positive person. Remember to love myself.
• spoiling myself on valentines day is totally acceptable.
• being proud of myself is totally acceptable and necessary. 

being chased by small children wearing devil masks wielding newspaper batons, made strawberry and fig shortcake, made tiramisu, sat for two hours in a lecture all in Japanese to renew my license, drank delicious hot chocolate from Leina, played touch rugby - score 3 trys and our team won the tournament, drank a whole lot of red wine, two birthday dinners, a cherry dr. pepper addiction, went stir crazy from lack of exercise so went running, ate toffee strawberries at the oyster festival, had a revelation about a certain yankee.

hearts and hugs

xx 

Sunday Session (a bit late)

Happy New Year and all that jazz!

I've been trying to work on a new year post, but haven't quite got there yet - so will try and do that a bit later on..in the mean time my week in a pretty big nutshell.

Having been back in Japan for 1 week and 1 day I'm finally starting to get back into some form of my routine. I spent a nice month on vacation back home in NZ and I have come back feeling refreshed and with a nice healthy summer time glow!

Since I've been back, I've been pretty busy. Having a work conference for three days after I got back - and commuting to the city and back every day for it - that sure took it's toll. From my door to the conference took at least and hour and a half and included a car ride, walk, train ride and then a tram ride!

I had my first lesson of the year following the conference - so my first visit back to school. I really missed my kids and being in the class room. I realised that I only have one more class with my third graders until they graduate for high school - I think I'm going to be a mess in that class and at graduation. Waterproof mascara will be essential!! They were amazing for me this week. I didn't plan anything for their lesson and we ended up doing a reading test but they were so into it and amazing, I was smiling and laughing the whole way through the class as they tired to impress me with their reading and acting skills - great way to start back for the year. Oh my heart!

I also went snowboarding yesterday - I am a weak, aching mess today, but I had the most amazing time on the mountain yesterday. I haven't been boarding for a while so took a few runs down the beginners slope to get my back into the swing of things, and I have to give credit to my friend the Baller for teaching me a few things. I'm really happy at how much I have improved and how much more confidence I have now compared to last time! However the combination of getting up at 5am to be there by 8 boarding all day, falling over multiple times (smashing a knee and winding myself pretty bad twice) and them driving all the way home has taken its toll. I have had 3 baths today (one was at 6am this morning) and the voltaren gel is working in overdrive. I think I will call it a night pretty early!

Things that I loved this week...

• homemade bath soak - a few (OK about 15) drops of eucalyptus oil, a squirt of baby oil and the peel of a Japanese yuzu orange! I was given the orange a while back by a teacher who said to put it in the bath but I always forgot because I buy the most delsih salts from Muji. Anyway I was looking a little shrivelled on the window sill but it seemed OK, so I peeled it directly over the bath (don't want to waste and of the oil that comes from the skin) and then dropped it into the bath. It was amazing. I came out smelling lightly citrusy (not eucalyptusy) and my body was moisturised and soft by the baby oil. I'll be doing this more often! 
• making homemade pumpkin soup with brown buns.
• the new nail colour I got from skinfood. Its a glittery gold and looks really good over my other favorite tan colored polish. 
• Don Quijote. It's always full of super fun stuff and I always find great things. Before I went home for Christmas I went and did some last minute shopping there and doing these awesome My Melody World Series face packs...and they had a New Zealand one with My Melody wearing a puipui and pare! I bought all they had in a store that day for gifts, and I was delighted when i went again this week that they had more! I also got the Japanese and Spanish version for myself! I also got an interesting energy drink (but I didn't drink it - just taste) because the packaging was interesting - Lady Panther!! 
• being almost 2 months redbull (and other energy drinks) free!
• going to hot yoga. First time in a while and it was nice to flush out all the toxins from my holiday. Back to good eating habits and a regular running/exercise routine!

Nails of the week plus some

Pretty, bright nails that make me smile every time I look at them!

I did them while I was in the car waiting for my laundry to dry @ the cleaners.

I've been using the same colors for a while - I just love them so much. I put a little sparkly twist on this weeks.

The pink is by Skin Food, Pedicure Vita range - #8 Strawl Hot.

The nude is a Japanese brand Eternal Basic - Romance Luxury range & the color is ENL404 Romance Brown.

On the top of the nude brown I put a new one I picked up at Skinfood - Sparkle Gold (pedicure sparkle range).

What I'm watching this week:

Beside my usuals - Modern Family, New Girl, The New Normal etc. I've started watching Real Hollywood Husbands with Kevin Hart, Second Generation Wayans & I have no idea how I missed it but catching up on season 5 of Californication!

Kisses & sparkles
xx

Putting it out there

Met some friends for a bit of food and a drink on Thursday night before I left for my winter/summer holiday.

I drank a few Moscow mules, ate a fish taco & a chicken pizza pocket and then we checked out the Kure Xmas lights while waiting for the Architect to meet me after work.

I'm putting it out there..

Feeling like Christmas..

Went to the city tonight to do some last minute Christmas shopping, I also wanted to check out the Xmas illuminations. I thought about going on the weekend but lack of funds & rain kept me inside baking and watching a couple of new tv shows I found - switched at birth & the new normal.

Went to the new Don Quijote tonight and it's amazing! It's so much bigger and nicer then the one in Shibuya (where I first fell in love with the shop) and I found so many amaze things!!

Armed with my shopping I stopped at Starbucks to get a gingerbread latte and enjoyed a little flirting from the guy serving me - him complementing my Japanese skills and striking up a cute conversation, then I headed out to Peace Boulevard to check out the illuminations. They were great, and it was nice to walk around with my beats playing in my ear, sipping my latte and watching all the families, friends & couples enjoying the lights (oh & the creepy guy who set up a tripod and was taking pics of a doll in front of the displays....?!).

Warm Xmas fuzzies & fairy lights
exoh

Nails of the week

Pretty nails for the week...felt like something simple and i'm really loving this nude hue, with a little pop of color to match my super cute scarf from H&M on my whirlwind trip to Tokyo.

The pink is by Skin Food, Pedicure Vita range - #8 Strawl Hot.

The nude is a Japanese brand Eternal Basic - Romance Luxury range & the color is ENL404 Romance Brown.

exoh

Midweek randoms

Today was cold. Proper cold. Snow is coming cold. 

This winter is going to be my first full on winter in Japan - I usually sneak home to the southern hemisphere for three weeks over Christmas and New Years for some beautiful NZ summer time fun, but this year I'm staying put and the parents are coming to me...!

Just some things...

• I've had some interesting comments this week at school. Yesterday I wore my hair different - mainly because I got up late and didn't have time to do anything (and my go-to kawaii bun on the top of my head wasn't sitting right) so I swept it all around to the side of my head and put it in a messy bun under my left ear...one teacher said I "look like an adult" - not sure if that was a compliment? The vice principal said that I had changed my image - um not really buddy. Although I was wearing my glasses too which I don't too often..? and then another teacher said my face was more angular and asked if i had lost some weight - she then said to the teacher next to her "must be all that running she does" as if I wasn't there...weird. That's the one thing I don't think I'll ever get used to in Japan - people talking openly about other peoples bodies and appearance, even if it's rude. Slightly nicer today - a group of older lady teachers said that my skin was looking really nice - young and fresh. That's a compliment I'll take! And I have to agree with them on that one - although the Japanese winter is extremely dry my skin seems to agree with it and the new toner and moisturizer i'm using from Muji. 
• I have found the most delicious yogurt in all of Japan -Koku Rich. I was given a free pot after my 10km race and have been addicted ever since - which is better then my ice cream addiction which is on a hiatus due to these delicious bad boys. There are three flavors but I can only name two (my supermarket only stocks these two) - vanilla and banana maple, both of which are AMAZE.
• I finally went for a run tonight, haven't been out in a few weeks and it was good. I ran 4km and I probably could have done more, but that was the perfect amount to get back into it. I also got to test out the gloves Train Man got me for my birthday - not bad! This was our conversation - TM: "I got you a present" (hands me the present) Me: "ohhh" TM: "So I know you like running (i'm thinking in my head I don't like running, but yes I run), and it's getting cold right? And your favorite color recently is pink (it's more of an orangey/pink but hey who am I to question 1. his English skills when they're better then my Japanese and 2. getting a present!) because you bought pink rugby boots ne? Aaaand you run with your phone deshou?" Me: "yeeeeeees, can I open it?" (I open it - black and pink Nike running gloves with the tips of the fingers in special material so I can still use my phone!) TM: "nice right? I have good taste and see I know you so well!" Yes he has good taste although I don't know how well he knows me...?

It's almost Friday!! 

hearts and kisses x

super yummo yogurt in vanilla 

rugging up to go for a run

this was on my run - my neighbourhood is awesome! 

heading out in my gloves from TM