I recommend cream of asparagus soup, or I like lentil curry soup but I’m not sure what spices are available to you there. I love my winter veggie soups! ooh and Vietnamese soups though I’ve never made any at home xxx

I personally think pureed soups tend to freeze better than ones with chunky veg etc but I think that’s just me…I’m weird about textures of things… Any pasta might be a bit mushy second time around too. I always make sure it’s completely cool before freezing, and leave a gap between the top of the soup and the lid to allow for any expansion. This week I am going to make a broccoli and blue cheese soup as it was only 98yen for a big bunch at the supermarket the other day, yay.

I had a private student come to my house when Luka was about 2 months old. She came three times a week for two hour lessons. I sat Luka in the bouncy chair and rocked him while I taught. He is such a Mummy’s boy, but as long as he was facing me, he was calm. At times he did niggle a bit though. After the first hour, I used to go off to feed him, and my student reviewed her first lesson and had a cuppa. I’m not sure it would work now though, with him being so clingy, but I would say the “newer born” the better.

I also taught in youchien and hoikuen when Hannah was around one year old. They took care of her in the baby class (一時保育) while I taught for two hours. I had to pay 1500 yen though..

That’s great news about your SIL. I am a bit sad that L won’t have much cousin interaction in Japan. Hub has an older sister who went of the rails when she was younger (and even now really!) and has a 17 year old son! They live in Kumamoto so we only see them a couple of times a year but the age difference is a bit much anyway. My brother did get married this year and I think him and his wife are keen to start trying so hopefully L and baby no. 2 will have some little cousins to play with in Australia in the not so distant future.

I make soup a lot and usually eat them all week until they run out but have frozen them in the past with ok results. I am pretty sure I have frozen minestrone and pumpkin before and they were fine.

I have been enjoying tea recently too, although I was never a big tea drinker. I recently discovered our local expat shop carries Celestial Seasonings teas and they’re great. They have a tea called Red Berry Zinger that I’ve been loving. Rasberry Leaf tea is supposed to tone your uterus and make labor easier too, so yay for that.

The quilt is great. I have a quilt still that my grandmother made for me when I was born. I don’t have a crafty bone in my body so DS doesn’t have any handmade stuff from me, but I’ve handed that quilt on to him. I am sure that will be a great keepsake for Goma-chan to hang onto when he grows up even.

I am loving the look of your quilt!! It’s very cute! Mum is bringing over some sesame street material that we are going to make into a quilt cover for Baby N’s bed! We have a few other sewing projects organised as well which I am looking foward to!!

Congrats to your BIL & SIL – that’s fantastic news!!

Good luck to your sister in law! How exciting for her! Just like Sarah (except not quite as close in age)… I don’t think ANYONE in my family, not even my cousins will have kids anytime soon, poor Missha. Fingers crossed for Tetsu’s older sister who also got married last year!

Hope you are finding settling into the cold after 3? continuous summers? alright! Haha I love a hot cup of tea in the evenings too (vanilla or mint for me) I’ll let you know when I’m free next, not sure because of anniversary, visa and canada prep but hopefully I can go out and see you before we leave ><

Take care