Posted by Jess
31 December 2010

As the year ends today, I think back about the amazing places I've been fortunate to visit in 2010 for my job and for fun.  I flew over 150,000 miles (which is 6x around the world), visited many different countries (many of them multiple times), and saw countless sights that help me to better understand how the world works and my place in it.

Here's a quick list of countries (and territories) that I was able to go to this year (I may have forgotten a few)...

Bahamas
Italy
Switzerland
Spain
France
Netherlands
Germany
Guam, U.S.
Japan (of course!)

And some other fun cities in the US too...
San Francisco
San Diego
Miami
Madison
Chicago

And 2011 promises new places to see and explore as well.  Already in the hopper are San Jose, San Antonio, Honolulu, Shanghai (China) and wherever else the wind takes us...

I complain about the travel as it takes me away from family and regular life, but do realize that I am only able to see these new places and do these great things because I am fortunate enough to have a great job, an amazing husband, two great little girls and a wonderful support system of family and friends for all of us that  is there in a second when we need them. 

Happy New Year to all of you!
We hope your 2010 was as happy and healthy and we look forward to sharing more adventures with you in 2011.

Kanpai!
Jess

Posted by Jess
20 December 2010

Over the weekend Jason and I were able to leave the girls with my mom and dad and head to Chicago for a little getaway with our favorite people, Eric and Katie.  Thanks to our wonderful hosts for showing us a good time.  On Thursday night when we arrived, we had some wonderful Chicago style pizza and caught up on what's been going on in life.  Friday was spent with a little work and a lot of play.  We headed into downtown to the German Christmas market.  We ate yummy German food (potato pancakes, brats with kraut, traditional pretzels), we did some shopping, and drank some mulled wine.  This was an outdoor market so we did our best to stay warm with the hot wine and hot chocolate.  We did some window shopping (well mostly just window shopping) on Michigan Avenue and checked out the decorations before heading to the Lincoln Park area for dinner.  Eric and Katie hosted us at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, a tapas bar with some really great choices!  We all picked 2 items off the menu and shared it around the table.  We also enjoyed a pitcher of blackberry sangria and were given some extra desserts.  Dinner was delicious! 

On Saturday the guys got in a little video game time and I got a little bit of work done.  Then we dragged the guys out into the cold to go see a movie.  We saw a new romantic comedy and although it wasn't the "best movie ever!" I really enjoyed just sitting in the theater and the show not being animated.  Katie made us all chicken pot pie for dinner that was amazing and we watched another movie that night. 

On Sunday morning, Jason and I headed back to Green Bay for more festivities on Sunday evening (a fun reunion with some old friends) and the Christmas festivities start up soon.  We had a fantastic time in Chicago as always and loved the quality time with our friends.  I'm so glad we were able to find the time to visit and that we had people to watch the girls. 

Hope you are all staying warm and safe with more snow coming!  We are looking forward to more family joining us in the Midwest over the next few days.




Kanpai!
Jess

Posted by Jess
18 December 2010

• Being the first guests to arrive to the church, even though we were five minutes late for the ceremony start
• Leaving the kids back at the hotel with a friend's sister (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!) in an attempt to making it to the ceremony
• Running through 3 foot snowdrifts in high heels and nylons
• Pushing the pastor's car out from a snow bank
• Shoveling and snowblowing the church parking lot so the dozen or so guests can make their way back to the hotel (in tuxes and dress shoes of course!)
• Eating two entrees for dinner because there was so much extra food that was going to be wasted

The bride and groom were wonderful sports about it all, the day was beautiful and definitely unforgettable!  We are so glad we were all able to a part of it.  
 
 
Here are some photos from the day - my ceremony pictures aren't so great, but wanted to post the lovely bride and groom anyway!! 






My shoes were a little wet when I got to church so I put on Jay's extra pair



SHOUT!



Resting up for more!

making new friends

  

Abby at 11:25

Ella at 11:25pm

Posted by Jess
8 December 2010

Our ride arrives in about an hour to take us to the airport for our holiday/wedding/midwest tour extravaganza!  I can't believe how much stuff we have since we're packing for every possible occasion.  The girls are excited and Jason and I are as ready as we can be for the 11 hour plan ride.  We'll see you all soon!

Kanpai!
Jess

Lambie demonstrating that there is only one link left in the 30 link countdown chain!

Ella doing the same demonstration

all our bags are packed and ready to go...

We're ready!  Are you ready for us?

Kanpai!
Jess

07 December 2010
Posted by Jay

On Sunday we went to the Swedish Embassy which was holding a Christmas Bazaar.  We were turned on to this by one of the other gents in my Stay at Home Dads group.  It was only 500yen (~$6) to get in and all proceeds went to the Swedish Womens Educational Association.  It was not very big, but it had a bunch of booths with both traditional Swedish fare and Japanese fare.  Ella and Abby enjoyed the Swedish hot dogs (not really Swedish).  They had pastries, meatballs, mulled wine, snaps with a song, and a gingerbread house.  The girls did not want to see Santa, but he was there.  Ella went fishing and caught a bag of Lilo and Stitch pens and suckers.  We also met up with a couple of the other guys in my group and some of their kids and significant others.  There was also some traditional music and dancing that the girls enjoyed watching.  Overall we had a really good time, ate some food and enjoyed some Scandinavian culture.








Kanpai!
Jay

06 December 2010
Posted by Ella

Last night before Abby and I went to bed Mommy and Daddy made sure our stockings were hung on the window.  Mommy said that since I have been pretty good that Saint Nick might come and fill my stocking with fun stuff.  I was so excited I had trouble falling asleep, and I had taken a nap earlier so my eyes were not tired.




I must have fallen asleep because Mommy, Daddy and Abby came in my room this morning and woke me up and said that Saint Nick had come while we were asleep!  I was still really tired, but then I got excited and went out to the living room. There were two stockings on the couch.  One for me and one for Abby.  My stocking had lots of fun stuff!  There were toys, a car, some candy, colored gold fish, animal crackers, and Llama Llama and the Holiday Drama book!  I then helped Abby with her stocking which was very much the same except she got a new Elmo Christmas book.  Saint Nick knows us pretty well!

Mommy took some pictures to share!

 
We can't wait until Christmas!

Love,

Ella

Posted by Jess
5 December 2010

Today we mark the end of month 4 in Japan!  This time is flying by.  For our month-anniversary posts, I try to write about life in Japan in general...sort of the every day things or just to give people an idea of what life is like.  I thought today I'd write a little about going to the doctor.

We go to an English speaking clinic here in Azabu Juban, just across from the Tokyo Tower, called the Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic.  The clinic has 6 doctors or so and we see a British family practice doctor named Dr. Lomax.  Dr.Lomax has lived in Japan for 17 years or so and has kids just a bit older than ours (I think his youngest is 5), so again we get to enjoy the fact that our "pediatrician" is also a parent of small kids and can relate.  The clinic and this doctor were recommended to us when we got here and he's been great.

Our first visit to Dr. Lomax was for Abby's regular check-up.  The clinic process is a little different and we weren't quite sure what we were doing at first.  We checked in at the desk (no problem there), filled out the patient registration information and then sat down.  There are about 16 numbered rooms down the hallways of the clinic.  Suddenly from the loudspeaker we hear "Abigail Woehrle to Room 15 please".  So we go to Room 15, open the door and there is Dr. Lomax, who was also the one who called us over the loudspeaker.   The doctor did all of Abby's measurements and then talked to us a bit about her history.  We discussed immunizations and her ear tubes of course.  It was strange not to have a nurse do the medical history or her vitals.  When it was time for immunizations, Dr. Lomax put an order in the computer and a few minutes later a nurse came in with the tray.  As soon as the band-aid was on, she left again and that was the only time we saw the nurse.  It seems a bit opposite of how it is in the U.S., where you mostly see a nurse and then get a little time with the doctor.  Dr. Lomax wrote a note in his journal to send us an email in December to remind us of Abby's next check up and then talked to us about flu shots (more on that later).

We left the appointment and took the paperwork back out to the desk.  Here's where we had no clue what we were doing!  In Japan, everyone is on National Health Insurance and pays a 30% copay on all services.  Our clinic is for ex-pats like us and doesn't take the National Health Insurance.  However, they don't process any paperwork for your insurance either.  So luckily I had printed the form I needed and brought it along.  We paid cash for the entire visit costs and then we submit to insurance.  I just submitted the forms for all our visits this fall so I certainly hope I filled them out correctly.  And I don't really know how much we'll get reimbursed but I hope its a good portion because doctors aren't cheap and nothing in Japan is cheap so the combination is a bit tough to swallow!

We've been back a few times since then.  We had a follow-up visit for Abby 1 month later to check her ears out because when we went before the doctor had noticed something he wanted to keep an eye on (just some more healing from her surgery in July).  At that time, Abby also got a bad cold, her first since tubes, so it was nice to get them all checked out.  We were all clear and Abby just had a cold.  But, in Japan for a cold, they prescribe a steroid patch for kids with colds.  You put it on their skin and it helps to open their airways like it would for an asthmatic.  I was skeptical at first since in the States if your child has a cold, they just say too bad!  Dr. Lomax said he was skeptical at first too when parents asked for it, but that many parents ask for it repeatedly so he thinks they are valuable.  We got the little patches for Abby from the pharmacy downstairs and they seemed to work pretty well.  The patch is for 24 hours and we used it for about 5 days until Abby started to cough a lot less at night.

We went back at the end of October for the girls flu shots.  Because of their ages, it required a doctor consultation so we saw the doctor again.  He informed us that the girls needed to come back to the office in 1-4 weeks to get their second dose.  What?!  Two shots?  I thought that was just for the first one they get in life.  Abby didn't even notice the shot, but Ella was beside herself.  And Jason and I left thinking, "how will we ever survive a second one of these?"  But what do you do?  So 2 weeks later we went back and got the second shot.  Jason and I didn't want two shots, so he got his while he was in the US and I was supposed to get mine on my last trip home, but ended up coming down with something and couldn't.  It will be one of our first stops this week for me - the Target Clinic!  Here's hoping I don't catch the flu on the flight home.

So that's the story of the doctor...all cash up front and the doctor does a lot more than in the States.  The clinic has worked well for us even though  its not quite what we're used to (as everything here).
If you are heading to Japan or living in Japan as an expat, I hope this information helps you to know what to expect when you head to a clinic for the first time.

Kanpai!
Jess

Posted by Jess
4 December 2010

It was a beautiful day here in Tokyo - 60 degrees and sunny!  We took advantage of the weather and during the day today Jason and I each got in running time and we took the girls to the big park for over an hour.  Tonight we decided to head out for dinner and check out the Christmas decorations in the neighborhood.  It got chilly quickly and although this afternoon we were running in t-shirts, tonight the girls needed hats and mittens with their fleece jackets!   Its strange to be out in t-shirts during the day and then looking at Christmas lights at night.

 Here are some pictures of what we were able to find in our neighborhood tonight.

On Aoyama-dori

Same tree, but this angle reminds me that we're in Japan!

On Omotesando, the street Ella's school is on

Not Christmas decor, but found these next to our dinner tonight.  All "pies" made out of different types of fruit.   These were amazing!!  I can't imagine how much one of these would cost though, since I've seen one cantaloupe that was $50 at the grocery store.

The Folie Folie building on Aoyama-Dori

The Christmas decor on the Folie Folie Building on Aoyama-dori

Francfranc store on Aoyama-dori

not a good shot, but our street - Gaienishi-Dori

The tree in our lobby.  The girls helped decorate it last weekend.

Ella is drinking hot chocolate now and watching Wonder Pets Save the Nutcracker.  We're definitely working on getting in the mood around here even without the cold weather.  But we'll get plenty of that starting later this week in Minneapolis.  We are so not ready for that! 

Kanpai!
Jess