Exercise=study breaks

Here are some more pics from the hike we went on a couple of weeks ago...


Fall Colours!!!















View of the valley below...











...more fall colours...















That's me grilling yakisoba! (yes, with chopsticks)

















Here is Selah with one of her best friends, Konomi-chan, eating grilled meat and onigiri (rice wrapped in seaweed - they eat this in place of our sandwiches)



As for today...
Exercise 4/6: Cycling/Frisbee
Time: 1 hour

Until December 3rd I am buried in my Japanese books. So, I am going to use my exercise as study breaks. I think it will help me stay focussed (sp?) and alert. At the very least it will keep me from becoming fused with my desk!
This morning, the fam went for a bike ride to the castle and played frisbee. Great weather for it. Slightly overcast, not much of a breeze and about 12˚C. Lots of fun.





This is the view from where we play frisbee...

Thanksgiving #2!

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006
Exercise (3/6): Walking
Time: 1 hour

Okay, so I take it back...but I didn't understand how much walking we would be doing! Plus the "fitness trainer" said it definitely counted! ;-)
We had a great time in Nagoya and needed the walking cuz we ate WAY too much. We were planning to go the Hard Rock Cafe but it was closed that evening. :-P So, we walked to Sakae (the shopping district of Nagoya) and went to the restaurant we ate at last year on this holiday...The Outback Steakhouse and Grill. Now, this may not seem like a big deal to general western readers...but it has been a year since we have eaten like this! We shared an appy and and an entree and were still WAY too full. (I will take that as a good sign!) Lots of ribs...
Then we walked to the Apple store (for Macs....not fruit) and looked around. Cool shop! Then we had to take and hour and a half to walk, ride the subway, ride the train, walk to the car, and drive back to Ogaki. Back in our own town, we went to the late show...yea,...we were milkin' the babysitting for all it was worth! ;-)
Happy Thanksgiving...to Americans and Japanese...
Nagoya is all decorated for Christmas. It was very pretty at night, all lit up.
(Gasp!) A picture! On MY blog!

Time to Catch Up!

Sunday, Nov. 19th, 2006
Exercise 1/6: Karate
Time: 1:30

Due to the weather getting colder, the workouts are getting more intense as well as the warm-up time is getting longer. Can't stretch and work cold muscles hard. (There is no heating in the gym)

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006
Exercise 2/6: Tae Bo - 8 min Cardio + Abs workout
Time: 40 min

Wednesday, Nov 22, 2006
Exercise: Walking around Nagoya....(mmmm, doesn't count. :-P)

Tonight, Colin and I are going on a DATE! Now, this may seem like no big deal to y'all...BUT IT IS!
We haven't been out by ourselves (on a date) since we left Canada over a year and a half ago. The Japanese don't seem to have a concept of babysitting...or of married people actually spending free time together. :-/
Anyhow, some other JETs figured this out and have bent over backwards to make us arrange a time! (thanks, guys!) So, I am meeting Colin the the big city of Nagoya for supper tonight and we will do some Christmas shopping and see a movie! Woohoo! All while our children are having a blast with trusted friends, Josh and Miki.
(All this to say...I will have to find a time to do a make-up work-out for tonight...)

Studying my ?????? off!!

Saturday, Nov. 18th, 2006
Exercise 5/6: Frisbee with Colin
Time: 30 min

So I am a bookworm right now. I have a Japanese Language Proficiency Test on Dec. 3rd. I totally bombed level 4 (lowest) last year and so, logically, I enrolled in Level 3 this year! :-P
Anyhow, I am madly studying. But, for a study break, Colin and I went to the local shrine and played some frisbee. (that's just not something you hear everyday, eh? ;-) It is the largest space to play nearby. We were wondering how old the original structures are. They look real old and weather-worn. (Hey! Maybe we should ask a local or something...ya think?)

Sunday, Nov. 19th, 2006 - 2-3pm (deadline is 4pm...)
Exercise 6/6: Frisbee and Karate practice
Time: 1 hour

We enjoyed yesterday so much that we went back. :-)
Off to Karate later tonight.