Not to be confused with new year resolutions (bit late for those) , I took a long hard look at myself and the life I lived in 2017 and I've set myself a pretty big list of goals to achieve in 2018. I wanted to share them here so it makes me feel more accountable and so I can track them as the year goes on.

2018 is a huge year for us as a family because E started prep - I know, PREP! And this means we are going to have more to juggle, more to organise so I really want to be the best possible mum I can this year and get the most out of the journey ahead for us all.

Stay tuned, its a long one:


Personal

Pray more and worry less - I don't want to waste minutes and hours on things that may never happen so I'm going let go of the outcomes I can't control and not waste my time.

Say yes and be slow to anger - I notice when we are all rushing and so busy and especially during the last part of the year when we are all tired out, I'm quick to shoot things down because they just seem too hard or like too much effort  or I snap instead of pausing to gain patience. Is it really the end of the world if we leave the washing on Saturday's to go to the beach instead or if the boys stay up an extra 5 minutes for a dance party?

Less phone/social media time - one I'm sure we all relate to. My phone time got especially excessive in Oct/Nov when the Queensland election campaign was called. In fairness, it was my job to be on and available 24/7 but once it was over, I found it hard to break the habit and put my phone down. This year I'm going to save as much of the screen time as possible till when the boys are sleeping and only allow myself a short time at night without encroaching on time to catch-up with S.

Beauty time - I rarely spent anytime in 2017 painting my nails or having mini spa sessions with face masks and treatments. This year instead of spending time on my phone, I'm going to spend time on me and my skin - I'm not getting any younger so its probably a good idea.

Reading - I love to read and devour books by my favourite authors in one sitting (I read Gone with the Wind in 6 hours as a teen) but this year I think I managed 2 books in 12 months. I find reading so relaxing and therapeutic so I need to make time for it. This year I'm going to read at least 1 book per month and I'll do a post on a few I've picked so far for my list.

Blogging - I love blogging but I've kind of lost my mojo as its become such a big business industry now and I'm guilty of comparing myself to those who blog as a job ... this is purely a fun creative outlet for me but I often don't hit publish on a post because I feel like my photos aren't right or slick enough etc. I need to push those thoughts away and remind myself that I do this for me ... and because I like interacting with like-minded people out there.

Holidays - After 2 overseas trips with the boys in 2 years, I really want to do more with them. Yes they are exhausting but I want to make memories and show them the world while they are young (and actually want to holiday with us). Time goes way too fast and I don't want to miss the opportunities to see different places through their eyes.



House

Finances - organise our finances better to make sure they are working at their best for us and our needs. A quick search found we can very easily get a significantly better rate on our mortgage so I'm going to spend some time checking all of our services and products to get the best deals and save money.

Backyard - as far as house goes, there are a million small (and big) jobs to do but this year we want to landscape our backyard now S has almost cleared it to a blank canvas. But in even bigger (and more exciting) goals, we want to put a pool in over Winter. I've already started getting quotes and fingers crossed we can get the go ahead in April.


Health & Fitness

Drink more water - I really do need to remind myself of this because when I do, I feel so much better. I've started drinking 1 litre first thing in the morning for around 2 weeks now and I'm already noticing a difference in my skin as well as feeling less bloated.

Eat more whole foods - we eat quite well (the boys eat extremely well) but S and I don't eat as many whole foods as I think we need to. We both love vegetables and salads but are guilty of not eating much fruit despite chopping up mountains of it a day for the boys. We I also want to eat more pulse and legume based meals, simply because I don't particularly like the taste of red meat for the most part, its cheaper and better for us.

Go to bed earlier - I'm a night owl, I could sit up till 1am watching tv or on social media most nights and then get up at 6:30/7am and function. It does take its toll eventually though and it does affect my motivation, attitude and all round well-being.

Exercise - it makes me happier and I feel better, stronger and more confident. Its hard to motivate somedays but I'm aiming for a minimum or 4 workouts a week - a combination of walking/running and Kayla Itsines Sweat workouts.

After our Tokyo area, Japan family holiday last year, it really woke me up to how much I miss travelling (we I haven't been overseas since E was born in 2012) and what a short time with have with our boys to see other parts of the World through their eyes and make those precious memories.

While there were plenty of exhausting and tricky moments, the experiences we shared and the sights we saw were that much more memorable for having the boys with us. We saw sights we've seen on past trips to Japan that seemed so much different with E & C by our sides exclaiming and pointing ... a simple metro trip had us engaging with Japanese commuters as our boys engaged with their young children - lots of smiles and nodding.
Godzilla over the buildings in Shinjuku was the biggest deal and incited long tales from Ethan about dinosaurs living in Japan hiding among the tall buildings ... magic. The boys also got to make new friends with some of our old Japanese friends and I loved watching them learn from the different customs and mannerisms.

The trip put a few things into perspective for us. We bought a renovator house 2 and a bit years ago that needs a lot of work. We've done a lot of work and continue to, think new bathroom and laundry, painting, landscaping ... but it needs a new kitchen, I hate the tiles and we want a new patio just to name a few items. It all adds up to money and all our spare $$$ go into its improvement.

While we want to continue to tackle the items we can do ourselves or with family like painting and gardening and odd jobs, for the next few years,  we want to save whatever we can not to replace the kitchen etc but to spend on travelling with our boys and making more of these magical memories for our family to share. We won't appreciate a kitchen in 30 years time as much as we will be grateful for these experiences.

We have a Pacific Seas cruise booked for August this year and I am looking forward to the relaxing family break that is cruising. I'm also excited for us to get a very small taste of Island life with the cruise taking in Noumea, Vanuatu and Lifou. We plan on skipping the shore tours and spending some time exploring with the other family we are travelling with as S and I have visited these places previously. A great chance for the boys to get a very small glimpse of the culture and lifestyle that is so different to their own.

Beyond our cruise, I think the boys will be old enough to venture a little further afield (read we are more game to fly with them) and we are in the process of locking down a trip to America in 2019 - June/July or September. My parents would like our whole family to spend a week in Hawaii for my dad's 60th and we figure you can't go to the USA and not visit Disneyland! So the plan is to tack a week on to Hawaii either before or after with my siblings and our families to go to DL. And not just for the children ... S is possibly more excited as Star Wars land/world is scheduled for opening in 2019. I visited DL almost 10 years ago, its still one of my favourite trips ever and I can't wait to share the Disney magic with my little and greater family.

We are also busy planning another trip back to Japan - our fourth, the boys second. Its just too amazing a destination not to visit over and over with so much to see and do each time. We have been 3 times and there is still so much we haven't even done yet and the beauty of the people and the scenery just keeps calling us back. Plus Jetstar offers such good flights and deals that its a cheaper holiday than going most places in Australia.
We would love to visit in Nov 2018 although it may be a little close finance wise to our USA trip so I am looking at April 2020 too - just before the Olympics.
As the boys will be a little older, we want to take them South this time down to Osaka and take in the historic areas of Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima and Fukuoka - a seaside town I only recently discovered but am committed to visiting as its one of the most stunning places I've ever seen in print.

We also want to do some short visits to Sydney and Melbourne and probably another 7 day cruise somewhere in the next three to four years ... ambitious and expensive but pushing our renovations back for these experiences will be well worth it in the long run and we can't wait to get adventuring with our boys.

Any great family friendly places we should get on our 5 year plan list?

This is my story and my thoughts alone. There is no judgement or censure on others choices, my motto where parenting is concerned, do what works for your family.

Like many mothers nowadays, I work full time and for a variety of reasons. I love my job, it stimulates and balances me allowing me to be present and in the moment for my boys when I am with them. Financially it allows us a small amount of freedom to have holidays, renovate our home (slowly), buy treats and pay for private schooling. I also love that it sets a good example for our boys and shows them how capable women are and can be in and out of the home.

But ... my goodness, everyday is a juggle and at least two mornings a week are scheduled to the minute with a random sleep in or slight deviation from the schedule sending the whole first half of the day into meltdown. Like this morning when CB decided to have a sleep-in after partying till 10pm ... of course today S had an 8am meeting, I had a media issue present and both boys had to get to kinder & daycare. Luckily E was a Saint (for a change) and even tried to help me by getting his brother dressed while I showered - think left arm and head through the neck hole, no pull-up and one shoe.

We are so lucky in that one day a week, the boys go to my mums, one day a week to my mother in laws and S is home every Friday with them but those 2 mornings rushing to make lunches, bags packed, get everyone fed and cleaned up and dressed and the kitchen clean and the washing hung out is just frantic - I'm dreading 5 days once they start school and I can't just drop C off in undies, one shoe and a backpack crammed with cutlery rather than face another epic battle about the necessity of clothes.

True story, this week I had to drop E at kindergarten without shoes as I asked him repeatedly to put them on and he told me they were in the car. Cue to us being on the highway and him calling out that nope, they weren't in the car grrrr. Lucky they actually encourage bare feet and the pavement wasn't too hot for the walk to his classroom.

One of our major keys to morning organisation are the tall Kmart lockers I bought last year. If you don't have them, go and get them!
S was skeptical when I bought them home but after 1 week, he was sold and the boys even love them as much as we do.
The boys each have a locker and we use them as follows:

Top Shelf
- lunchboxes, hats, cooler bags

Middle shelf
- school bag, sleeping gear

Bottom shelf
- shoes


On the outside we use magnets to stick newsletters, their artworks and awards.


These are a serious organisational game changer as S knows where everything is at all times (instead of asking me every 2 seconds), the boys are learning responsibility as we encourage them to put their shoes and bags away each afternoon and for me, its all contained behind a closed door. Everyone's happy, and organised!

Right now, drop offs and pickups are probably the biggest juggle and we will be in all new territory once again next year when E starts school.
At the moment, I work 8am to 4pm with some flexibility from a fantastic boss while S works 9 till 5:30pm. Both of us work around 30 mins from home.
CB goes to long daycare near home while E does 8:30-2:30pm on a 5 day fortnight about 15 mins out of the way so we have a mixed schedule of pick ups and drop offs that currently involve me, S, my dad and my in-laws.
I am not looking forward to figuring out how the heck we are going to schedule next year but that's a job for October (I like to plan ahead).

Finally catching up on my posts from last November that I started writing but never finished or published.

These are a few of the items we traveled with to Japan that I couldn't live without.

1. The boys had a full luggage allowance but given they weren't going to be lugging around their own luggage, it seemed crazy to take 4 suitcases, 4 carryons and the pram in its wheel bag to Japan.
Instead, we borrowed these amazing huge duffle bags from my sister that she got in the US. They are on wheels and zip down into a small flat square that fit in our suitcases.
We always planned to use them coming home - plan was to stuff all excess luggage and shopping in the pram wheel bag then at the airport, put it into these bags and the pram in its bag at check in so we didn't have more to juggle for long. This worked exactly as I imagined but we also used one of these bags to take our requirements for the 2 nights at Fuji and the 3 nights at Disney so we could avoid big suitcases.
These are just amazing and so convenient.

2. With my total dedication to organisation, packing cubes were a logical choice for our suitcases. E and I shared a suitcase and S and C shared one so to keep things organised, I bought us each a set of packing cubes in a different colour. From there, I went slightly overboard (I do not regret this at all), and packed the boys an entire outfit for each day in a large Ikea ziplock bag including socks and singlets/thermals. I packed 4 extra days worth of outfits for C (so 14 total) and 12 days for E. This was the best timesaver each morning when we were trying to get out the door to start exploring, especially for E as he could just grab a bag and dress himself. It also made packing for our short trips a breeze as I just threw the number of days and a spare in the duffle and was done.
The ziplocks also were a spacesaver as I could squeeze out the air and layer.
I definitely overpacked as we had a laundry in our apartment and also a laundromat at Disneyland but I really didn't know what to expect so better safe than sorry in my opinion.
I only bought cheap cube sets from eBay as I wasn't sure if they would be worth it but having used them, I'll invest in some good qualities ones for our next big OS trip.

3. The cutest ever Kikki K children's travel journal. I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it and bought one for E and another to store for a future family trip. I love the idea of recording their knowledge of where they are travelling to as well as their thoughts and experiences while travelling. Such a great keepsake to look back on when they are older.

4. A Trunki. Before we left, I started to get worried about how we would juggle the boys and all our luggage through the airport and trains/train stations. I had heard of Trunki's so did some research and decided they would be the solution to our problem.The boys absolutely loved riding them around, they were something to play on in the quieter parts of the airport, something to sit on in Customs queues and freed up our hands getting through terminals.
Lightweight, they are able to be carryon luggage and we just clipped them onto our luggage and tugged the boys along with us ... or they tugged them along themselves - meaning we didn't have then complaining about it being too heavy to carry.
As they were carryon, I filled them up with a pair of pjs, the boys' coats, a change of clothes, a book, some small toys and extra snacks to cover us for anything unexpected.

5. I debated about the necessity of a carrier as obviously CB is long out of the Baby Bjorn but everything I knew already and read about Japan with children recommended one. I looked into carriers for toddlers and obviously didn't want to spend a fortune but figured it could be handy to have one so I bought a Manducca. Lightweight and easy to pack, it easily carried the weight of both boys for medium periods of time. I found it alot more comfortable than S did. E loved it and went it a few times comfortably,  C on the other hand didn't like being restricted and only went in it 5 times max - 2 times under extreme protest.

6. I am a total Bugaboo disciple ... I had a Cameleon with E, upgraded to a Donkey when CB came along and with Japan in mind and then booked, downsized to a Bee and comfort board. Best investment ever! I weighed up getting a Yoyo or similar but in the end, couldn't go past the addition of the comfort board for E.
Having a good quality pram over an umbrella stroller meant that CB could comfortably nap (or E on occasion) while we were on the go instead of heading back to the apartment and it came in handy most days for this. The comfort board also meant that we didn't have E getting tired out from walking and from a safety aspect, it was great to have them both contained from getting lost in a crowd.
The Bee has a decent basket which was handy for storing coats, snacks, water bottles etc, is lightweight, a big factor as Tokyo is not pram friendly and S had to carry it up a million flights of stairs, and it also folds in half easily and quickly.

7. Uniqlo puffer jackets. A must for all the family if you're traveling to cold climates. With low temperatures predicted for Fuji and Tokyo while we were there, I worried about keeping the boys warm and not being used to freezing weather, I wasn't sure how they would cope with heavy layers and big coats.
Uniqlo jackets are ultra light, they weigh next to nothing so the don't inhibit movement and you forget you're even wearing one. I got the boys one each and a vest and they lived in them. They found them easy to put on, not bulky, warm but not hot and at night, they wore their vests over their jackets.
Bonus, they're waterproof too.
I got one also,the longer line one and like the boys, lived in it.

And of course, snacks, lots and lots and lots of snacks!

One of our favourite days in Tokyo was our last full day before heading home.

We started out in the morning heading to Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine via metro. I had planned this adventure for a Saturday having read it was the best day to see the young and old who congregate in and around the park, dressed up and at play.

Walking into the Torii gate up to Meiji Shrine was amazing. It was hard to believe inside this thick tranquil forest, we were still standing within the World's busiest most populated city. It was silent and peaceful and even the boys spoke in hushed tones realising this place was special... admittedly though, they loved the open space and did do some running on the gravel.

In a stroke of luck, I hadn't realised when planning, that day, was part of Shichi-Go-San festival , a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys, held annually on November 15 to celebrate the growth and well-being of young children. As it is not a national holiday, it is generally observed on the nearest weekend which was the Saturday we were there so we were lucky enough to see the children being brought to Temple in their beautiful traditional dress for blessings. 

The children were completely adorable, very excited and their costumes stunning. I managed to snap some photos of the outfits but avoided faces as it didn't seem appropriate given the ages and special occasion.

Our boys loved watching the Japanese children and thought the girls looked 'so pretty'. Their highlight was completing the bowing and clapping ritual before throwing money into the Emperor's Shrine and they helped me write down our family wishes.


Just when we were about to leave, as if the experience could get better, a wedding procession came through the grounds and we got to witness (behind a small low fence) the ceremony. E especially was full of curiosity and questions about the clothes and rituals.








I would definitely recommend Yoyogi Park on any day for children, if only for them to have space to burn some energy. I would also say Meiji Shrine is a must and suggest a Saturday so you can get the most of the traditional experience.

We had decided on Harajuku next so took the short walk to Takeshita Dori from the park and shrine. The pram was a bit tricky down Takeshita Dori just because of the volume of people in such a narrow space but we managed without too much fuss - although had to leave the pram outside if we went into any shops.

S had promised to take the boys to an animal cafe before we went home and we quickly came across a combination Cat Owl cafe right on Takeshita Dori. Not being a cat person, I was happy to sit this one out and let S take the boys while I went souvenir shopping. We agreed to meet back at the entrance in 45 minutes so I headed up the street to the huge Daiso to pick up some inexpensive gifts to take home for the boys' friends.
I think the Daiso was 4 or 5 floors and 45 minutes passed quickly ... definitely worth visiting for small souvenirs like rising sun ninja headbands, erasers shaped like sushi, pretty glass Chrsitmas decorations, stickers and stationery, bento box bits & bobs etc.
I met the boys back at the cafe and they were on a huge high having had a great time with the cats. S filled me in that he just had to pay an entry fee for himself and buy the boys each a juice drink. He said the place was very clean and the cats were pretty relaxed and happy to be patted but moved away to their hidey holes or up high when they had had enough.

Random place we stopped for a beer & cheeseburgers in a laneway

Next up was Kiddy Land toy store, a short walk from Takeshita Dori - be warned, to cross the street in the midsection to get to the store, you need to use the pedestrian overpass and there are only stairs. We all enjoyed browsing the toy store, they had great Disney and Star Wars sections and the prices were mid to high range. We bought a few things here for the boys including Toy Story cars and merchandise for C and Star Wars cutlery and Pokemon figures for E. We also bought our nieces some beautiful little Japanese mini dolls and spent a lot of time browsing.

We wanted to see the Shibuya crossing again and I wanted to check out the Disney Store there so as it was late afternoon and starting to get dark , we set off by foot. We walked, it wasn't a long journey and we wanted C would nap in the pram, but I'd recommend taking the metro otherwise for convenience.


The Disney Store was easy to find with ts themed entrance but be warned, its cramped and very busy with a narrow winding staircase and a ticket booth on the top floor where you can purchase tickets to Disneyland but the line is long and snakes around the floor.
I honestly found the Disney Store really disappointing as I was looking for Princess items for my nieces (dress-ups and dolls) and costumes and toys for the boys but there were no costumes at all, only a few dolls - Tinkerbell and Alice - and little in the way of toys. There was a whole floor of jewelry though. E and I left with only a handful of things and nothing that was actually on my list (or his).
We also managed to catch the busy rush of the Shibuya Crossing at dusk and it was crazy chaos but honestly, E wasn't at all interested so its not something I'd bother specifically seeing kids unless you're in the area for other sites..

Our last day in Tokyo before flying out in the evening, we set off from Shinjuku to Ikeburo and the Sunshine City mall, specifically to visit the Pokemon Store and the rooftop aquarium.
Ikeburo was bustling with crowds and was a maze underground of metro and trains ... super easy to get lost. We actually couldn't pinpoint the mall as it is set back from the main area and looks like an office building from the outside. We ended up running out of time after spending too long looking for it so had to give the aquarium a miss. We did stop in at the Pokemon store and E spent ages with the crowds looking at stuffed Pokemon toys. I would recommend coming back here but allow yourself more than a few hours so you can see the aquarium and other attractions.

There is so much I haven't included now that I read back so if you have any questions on places to visit with children in Tokyo, please leave a comment ... I love Japan and love to share our amazing experiences there with anyone and everyone - Everyone has to visit Japan!

Quick and easy being very much the key in our menu planning of course, it became a bit dull and uninspiring for awhile so in the interests of getting motivated to cook again, I hit up Pinterest.

I have something like 67 boards with a hundred pins each including a quite comprehensive 'Ready Steady Cook' board of recipes that I've never actually cooked from so I decided to  start giving them ago.

One of my absolute favourites so far would have to be the mushroom, rocket and walnut pesto pan fried gnocchi. Completely delicious and pretty simple too thanks to the Thermi.

I also tried out this Mongolian slow cooker beef served with fried rice. It was super easy and tasty plus handy for leftovers for lunches.
Ideal for a Sunday dinner as you can set it and forget.

I'm a researcher and a planner... it makes me feel comfortable and safe ha.

I spent hours - and hours and days and weeks - on researching and planning our trip to Japan in November. So much so I even had a display folder crammed with itineraries, directions, shortlists of food and restaurants for every occasion - teppanyaki, tempura, sushi, korean bbq, burgers and everything in between - and of course, the best things to do and see with children.
S laughed at the folder but he found it pretty handy while we were there - so who had the last laugh ;)

So to recap, we arrived in Tokyo on a Thursday night, traveled by highway bus to Fuji-kyu and Lake Kawaguchiko for two nights, back to Shinjuku for 1 night then Tokyo Disneyland for 3 nights before back to Shinjuku for our last 3 nights.

While in Tokyo, I wanted to keep the travel minimal for the boys' sake so unlike last time when it was just S and I and we flitted from place to place via metro, unconcerned about times and the number of trains, I actually grouped attractions together and planned our days around neighbouring suburbs. This worked for the most part and the efficiency of the Tokyo rail network was a Godsend.

Our first day in Tokyo was only a few hours in the morning before we headed to Fuji-kyu so we made the most of our apartment surroundings and took a short walk to the Tokyo Metropolitan Building observation deck. S and I had visited it previously so knew it to be a good observation deck to show our friend who was traveling with us - his first time in Japan. We also thought it would be fun for the boys to see the City sprawled out before them.
Entry is free and we were there just before the 9:30am opening on a Friday morning and managed to be first in line. The queue quickly grew at 9:30am and there was a fair wait when we left.
Having visited at dusk previously, it was a beautiful crystal clear sight first thing in the morning and we even spied Mount Fuji afar. The boys enjoyed seeing the tall building all around and E (age 4.5) particularly enjoyed us pointing out landmarks and funny buildings.
We probably spent about 30 minutes here and that was more than enough.
Given it is free, I'd say its a must do with or without children, just try to keep them away from the giftshop/souvenir stand.

After a few days out at the Fuji lakes, we arrived back in Shinjuku on Sunday afternoon, ready to start exploring Tokyo. We spent the afternoon around Shinjuku just taking in the atmosphere and the neon lights before catching the metro to Roppongi.
It was dark early and by the time we got to Roppongi at around 5pm, night had fallen so we walked towards Tokyo Tower to show the boys it all lit up. We didn't want to go up the Tower as we had done so on a previous trip and were planning to visit the Sky Tree the following day.
We grabbed dinner at the very safe TGIFridays as we all felt like burgers and salads after some adventurous eating and the boys were desperate for a milkshake - which proved impossible to get anywhere other than an American eatery.
After dinner, we had a look around at the Winter Illuminations and elaborate Christmas decorations which E really enjoyed - C fell asleep in the pram.

The following day was Monday and our day started with a small earthquake around 6am - E was fascinated and I thankfully kept my cool.
Our local friend we met on our previous travels met us at our apartment to guide us on a day of exploring Sumida, Asakusa and more.
First stop was Sky Tree Town in Sumida and the boys were amazed at how tall the Sky Tree Tower was. We decided S and our friends would go up to the observation deck given wait times, cost and the fact the boys were much more interested in running around the Christmas 'village' set up outside the entrance.



So while we waited, the boys and I played at the entrance which was actually a large rooftop area with gardens and seating, before heading into the shopping complex which featured E's highlight, a dedicated Pokemon store!
It was packed with foreigners frantically grabbing merchandise and filling up carts with stuffed toys and really wasn't that big but the boys happily spent about 45 minutes browsing and exclaiming over the characters.
I then took them over to the Sky Tree lobby and our exploring lead us to an Asahi shop that featured a toy and character section and the boys just loved browsing and exclaiming over everything they saw.
There was plenty to do around the Sky Tree complex if you decide not to take children up to the observation deck or if one of you is going and the other needs to entertain them.
We had planned to take them to the aquarium but we really ran out of time after our browsing.
Note (there is a McDonalds near the Asahi shop if your kids are as fussy as mine).

Once S and our friends came down, we walked over to Asakusa - maybe a 25 minute walk over the bridge. It was a pleasant walk and we passed a great looking playground and park just over the bridge on the Asakusa side that we would have stopped at if C wasn't already asleep in the pram.
We entered at Sensoji Temple and took the boys straight to the incense where its believed you will gain wisdom from wafting the smoke over you - here's hoping.
C was still asleep and the area was teeming with tourists and locals alike (late afternoon) so E went with the big boys up into the Temple while I waited below. He loved the small rituals involved, like the money offering and of course seeing the carved Gods and Buddhas everywhere.
We took a walk around the gardens and shrines and E had fun throwing money in the ponds filled with huge Koi.


We strolled the Nakamise shopping street which was filled with kitschy tourist souvenirs before we found a wonderful tiny little place offering just pan fried gyoza and karage chicken so we sat for awhile feasting on delicious food and drinking beer.


After eating our fill, we headed towards Shin-Nakamise shopping street where our Japanese friend arranged for the boys to enjoy a traditional game played in Summer by local children for a small fee.
It involved using rice paper nets to catch as many goldfish as possible from a small pool with extra points for catching the black fish and put them in your bowl filled with water. The nets broke easily so the idea was to be gentle and delicate and once the game was up, the goldfish were put back in the pond. They played for around 25 minutes and the proprietor was very friendly and helpful (but spoke no English).
The boys absolutely loved this game and still talk about it.

S was desperate to visit Tokyo Dome City so we decided to do that on the way back to Shinjuku despite it being around 5pm and dark.
Not great on a cold wet night, I think this would be fun to take children to during the day with Sega World, amusement park rides and a shopping centre. Easily accessible by metro and with lots of food options and restaurants (Japanese and American).
We didn't go on anything as most of the rides were closed due to the rain but the rollercoaster looked fun.

On Tuesday we were due to set out for three nights at Disneyland - and I was more than a little excited! We had booked 3 nights at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel so I will dedicate a whole post to this part of the trip.

After 3 nights at Tokyo Disneyland, it was time to leave the happiest place on earth and return to reality. We got back to Shinjuku around 10:30am on the Friday morning and set out to look around Shinjuku and find a burger place to eat at. We were determined to find one we had eaten at in a back street on our last visit and after a lot of walking, spotting Godzilla peering at us over a building (much to Es delight) and a walk through the amazing Takayama department store basement foodhall, we finally found it - JS Burgers. A great pitstop with kids as they loved the fries and there was a salad bar included with some cold pasta salads the boys enjoyed.
After eating our fill, we caught the metro to Ginza with a promise to the boys of visiting a big big toy store. We arrived and strolled up the streets taking in the sights of Tokyo's answer to Fifth Ave and Rodeo Drive. There wasn't much chance for browsing with the boys in tow so we pretty much headed straight to Hakuhinkan Toy Park. If you get stuck, head to the Tourist Information and they will give you a map with it clearly marked.
As one of the biggest toy stores in Tokyo, we adults were a little underwhelmed simply because the entrance seemed to be for a discount store and while there were some greats toys, different toys and fun displays on offer, the 5 floors are small and cramped - although well laid out by genre/age.
The boys however were in heaven and I'm sure we spent at least an hour and a half there browsing and playing.
We headed back to Shinjuku late afternoon so S could take E to play in a Sega World - E loved the skill testers and the games - while I took C back to rest, play and shower ahead of dinner.
Our local friend met us around 6pma nd we set off for dinner at a well-known Yakiniku Japanese BBQ he had booked. JoJoen was a  highlight for us all with the grown-ups loving the food (I stuck to the sirloin type pieces while S was more adventurous with tongue and offal) and the boys loving 'helping' us cook the food at the table. It kept them entertained and occupied the entire time.
The restaurant itself was beautiful, high up on the 9th floor with private tables and typical amazing Japanese service. The boys were each bought their own child friendly bowl, cutlery and bib and were made most welcome for dinner.
We went with ordering individual plates of meat and vegetables off the menu as most of the sets included offal which I refused to have.



It is on the higher end price was but entirely worth it - this is definitely on the list for a family or date meal on any future visits.
We finished up our night in Shinjuku on the skill testers where our friend won (paid through the nose) for a Ted for CB - that traveled home with us and now sleeps in CBs cot and is affectionately known as 'Club Elaine' which is CBs pronunciation of 'Clubber Lang' (as per the Ted movie).

I'll continue with part 2 in another post...

... well, barely.

The flight there was the worst I'd say. We departed at 10:30am and landed after 8-9 hours in Narita just outside Tokyo at 6:30pm with a one hour time difference.

We got to the airport early (I would always do this with children so you have plenty of time for any surprises) and spent lots of time walking around exploring, watching the planes land and take off etc.

They both slept well thankfully and E was fine by morning much to our relief.


The flight home was an overnight one, leaving at 8:30pm and arriving home at 6:30am.
This is the one that had me worrying the most because the good thing about day flights is that people don't NEED to sleep apart from to kill time so if your children do act up, its really not the end of the world. A screaming toddler at 3am on the other hand is hideous for everyone.

We set off for the airport early and lucky we did as check in and immigration/screening took forever ... we had just 30 minutes before our plane boarded by the time we got to the gate.
At the gate, we changed the boys into pjs (Bonds zippies are ideal for travelling) and encouraged the boys to run around and pretend to be different animals, do little jump skip hop obstacle courses etc - anything to tire them out.

Again, we waited to board last and I highly recommend this if you are flying with kids - minimise your time on that plane!

Once seated, things looked grim for the flight ahead with CB ... he was overtired and not happy to  be on the plane. He spent the first 90 minutes carrying on and pushing boundaries while E watched a movie. Then suddenly, he took himself to the floor, grabbed his bunny and blankie, and WENT TO SLEEP! I couldn't believe it. E was out too and while I tried to rest, even managing a few fitful hours, every time one of them moved, I stopped breathing, terrified they would wake.
I finally relaxed when there was an hour and a half till landing - I realised we were going to make it unscathed without everyone on the flight hating us.
As it was, the boys slept right up until we were making the descent, so 45 minutes before landing. I seriously couldn't believe how lucky I was, a dream come true.
The flight home was a breeze, especially compared to the trip there.



What worked from my carry-on
If you've been following along, I packed a pretty extensive carry-on and there were a few things that worked really well with the boys.

• triangular crayons (they don't roll off the table) and small colouring books
• snacks, lots and lots of snacks ... try to go easy on the sugary ones but the biggest hits were Shapes biscuits, mini Oreos, pre-cooked Barilla tortellini, blueberries/grapes/strawbs/mandarin segments, le snacs, fruit cereal bars, yoghurt squeezies (frozen prior) and lollipops for take-off and landing
• mini Star Wars micro machine playset - kept E busy for hours
• Blind bags - Thomas mini's, The Good Dinosaur, Mash-Ems ... I had a few of these and they definitely entertained 
• Blankie & bunny - both boys used these as comforters 
• Large ziplock bags and  2 packs of wipes - story above, enough said
• Ipads, wireless hardrive and kids headphones - we loaded the hardrive up with the boys shows and movies plus a few they haven't seen 
• plasticine - CB loved this stuff and spent a good ten minutes at a time playing with it
• The fruit pouches - a must! Flying can play with bowel movements and I think these really helped the boys (take a few to have once at your destination also - CB really needed them).