January 15, 2014

Writer’s Workshop : I Currently Like

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Thoughts alpha thursday, mama kat's writers workshop

Persian Salad with tomatoes

There are many different things that I like at the moment. I’ve started a few changes to my routines this January and am loving seeing how the changes have benefited me so far.

Here is a list of 5 of the things that I currently like.

1. Eating more salads.
I make salad a twice a week and incorporate more varied vegetables into our family diet since starting menu planning. I simply love the Persian Salad with tomatoes which is really easy to make. I found this recipe from the book on Tomatoes and tomato dishes which I borrowed from the library.

The kids on the swing at the playground

2. Playing with the kids.

It is fun having them around and we can go crazy on the swings and slides in the park or even playing catch. Sometimes when it is raining and we have to stay indoors it is fun having a race with the remote control cars or playing dress up or dollhouse.

CNBlue

3. Listening to my favourite KPop groups.

CNBlue, Shinee, Super Junior are on my playlist and are the boy band groups which the kids and I love listening to.

4.Watching Korean Drama online.

The Korean Drama- You who came from the stars staring Kim Soo Hyun is one of my current favourite show. The other Korean drama which I am watching is The Prime Minister and I. Both these shows are really addictive.

Books to read

5.Reading Photography and cookbooks

I’m actively pursing my interest in photography and polishing up my cooking skills. The three books above are the latest addition to the stash of books which I am slowly making my way through.

What are the things you currently like?

What would your recommend ?

January 13, 2014

10 Pictures taken at Poppo Town

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Thoughts, Travel Monday Listicles, trains

The kids and me

In December last year we visited a Train Museum while on vacations in Japan. Poppo Town is located at Annaka City near the Nagano border. As we stayed in Karuizawa it only took about an hour’s drive to the museum. The place was old as compared to the other museum that we have been however the kids did had fun trying out the different rides and viewing the different steam engines.

Doggie boy in a Shinkansen

The kids playground area with the mini train rides were the main attraction in the museum for the kids. As we were there near to closing time the place was nearly deserted and there wasn’t any one manning the rides. The kids decided to take pictures of the trains instead.

Tiny Steam engine

This must be the tiniest steam engine which we saw that day. It ran on charcoal and you could even sit on it and go for a short ride around the track. We gave it a pass at 200 yen a person it would come up to quite a hefty sum if the kids and I rode on it.

A similar black steam engine

This black steam engine was one of those on display . It wasn’t open for viewing so we could only walk around and admire it from the sides.

A people mover train

There was a mini train which would take visitors around the area. However as the area wasn’t that big we decided to take a walk instead.

An orange steam engine

This steam engine which we spotted reminded me of the Thomas and Train engines which the boys loved playing with when they were much younger.

A light green steam engine

This steam engine had coaches and must have been used to transport passengers across towns back then when it was functioning.

Other passenger trains

We saw quite a few different colored passenger trains in the train yard. Some of them looked as it they were about 40-50 years old.

Monkey boy trying to work the levers

We managed to enter one of the cabins of the train and boys had fun pretending to be train drivers. There were many different switches and levers on the control panel of a train.

The boys having fun

The boys had fun on this ride. they had to pull the levers down to get the platform to move in the direction of their choice. It was certainly an unusual mode of transportation.

Dominique's Desk

Thoughts

Writer’s Workshop : I Currently Like

What are the things you currently like?

What would your recommend ?

10 Pictures taken at Poppo Town

Have you been to a train museum lately?