Bento Thursday - Ohanami

Right now is my favorite season in Japan - the cherry blossoms, sakura, are out! During cherry blossom time, we often have Ohanami, picnics under the flowering trees. One of the room mothers for K's kindergarten suggested we get together for Ohanami on Monday. I asked K what kind of bento he wanted - Dr. Yellow, naturally. This time, to mix it up a bit, I boiled an egg, took out the yolk, mashed it up and mixed it into his rice to make it yellow. I love how it turned out. Then I added the standard nori windows and stripes. He also requested cucumbers, carrots, green peppers and teriyaki chicken. I got it all ready, showed it to him and he was bummed that the stripes on Dr. Yellow weren't blue like they are supposed to be. I have never done them blue. I ended up getting out my food markers and drawing blue stripes on it. He was so pleased.

My bento was the same as K's, except for the onigiri. I wanted a sesame onigiri, so I made it into a bear. 

Since I was making bentos for K and I, I figured I might as well make one for Y. I left out the cucumbers from his and instead added cheesy salmon and tomatoes. Also, no onigiri - just rice with furikake.

K had such a fun time with his school friends. Only about 10 of them showed up, but a few of them were his best friends. In the morning it was a tad chilly, but it ended up getting quite hot.

Unfortunately, we had to leave a bit early. T was getting restless, we had to get to the bank by 3, and I wanted to pick up Y's birthday present. K was cool with leaving, but asked if we could go back one day.

Just before T was born, I had this huge urge to take K out and do as many fun things with him as possible, while it was just the two of us. Now that we leave in less than a month (probably), I am feeling the same way. During the time we have left, I want to do as many fun things in Japan as possible. So this morning, I made K and I some sandwiches, cut up some carrots and apples, and packed a lunch for T. We stopped by the convini to pick up some treats for after lunch, then we popped on the train, and headed back to the park we went to on Monday. We got there just after 11 and the place was packed. Luckily we found a nice spot in the shade. T tried to eat everything he saw.

K stuck to his sandwich, carrots and apples.

After lunch, we took a walk around. K played at one of the playgrounds, but then he spotted the gigantic bouncy castle. He always asks to play in it, but we always have some excuse. Not today! In the spirit of making his last month in Japan epic, I bought him a ticket. He was on cloud 9. Kids go in for 15 minute shifts. He made the most of his time in there - climbing the walls, running and jumping off of the tubes, going down the slides, and jumping as high as he could propel his little body. He came out glowing (maybe from sweat, but likely from the amazing 15 minutes he spent in there).

He was really hot at that point, so I suggested we get some ice cream - also, to be honest, I can't go to this park during cherry blossom season and not get a cherry blossom ice cream. Ugh. It's amazing.

K took ages to eat his ice cream. Usually I would try to hurry him up, but why? I had to get home to make dinner, but tonight was mostly left overs anyway. K took so long eating it that T fell asleep.

As we were walking to the station, K looked up and said, "Look, mama! We are in a tunnel of sakura!" We were. And it was beautiful.

K had such a fun day and I am so happy. Yesterday we walked out to the gardening store near our house and K fed the fish. Tomorrow his friend from school is coming over. He has been asking to go to a professional soccer game, and I think there is one this weekend. I am debating taking him. It starts at 4, so it will mess up T's bedtime, but part of me wants to just not worry about that and take them anyway. Afterall, I want K to have wonderful memories of Japan. I know we will be back, but not for a few years.