Christmas Day 2009

Thanks to my wonderful family and friends, Christmas was a really good one this year, both in terms of presents for the kids, and time together!

Jordan loves his super duper train set...

Christmas morning with all the kids

Jordan's Bob the Builder book set from Yuji

Jason and his Yoshi doll. The story is, I got it for him 2 years ago for his birthday, and hid it away in the closet, and lost it! Then I found it last year and was going to give it to him, but lost it again. I found it this year and put it somewhere I wouldn't lose, and he finally got it!

Jason's loot from Renee...

After Jordan colored the turtle from Renee, he went on to color his cheeks and hands

Eating candy, yum!!

My new sunglasses...

Two teens waiting for another present!

Janina got a soft pillow from Mom

Jordan and his train set again!

Juli's lip gloss from Auty, Trinity and James

Jason in Mom's glasses!

Juli decked out in her Christmas clothing, hat from Nikki, boots from Mom and dad

Jason got a tennis racket grip from his sisters, and a red ADIDAS sweatshirt from Mom and Dad

A few gifts from each other to each other

Chester wanted in on the action too!

Juli's game from her family

Christmas Eve, on my way to bed

Janina got an ipod from her family

The Christmas spread

Jerry is visiting from Hawaii, he's almost as tall as Dad now

Ken and Jo having a (small!!!) bite of dinner...

Ooops, Juli's going to hate this one!

Dad and Shuko had dinner with us too

I tried for a group self-portrait, but we missed a few people

The Super Duper Train Set

Jordan got a super-duper train set from his entire family for Christmas. Here's dad and Jason setting it up the night before.

Putting up the last little pieces

The finished product!

Holiday Baking

A plate of cookies made from our new cookie cutters from Grandma! Thanks Mom!

Lovely snowflakes!Jam filled starsGingerbread people

In the making process

Middle of decorating

The girls really got into it this year

The Christmas beast, pre-roasting--close to 6 kilos, 13 lbs, took about 4 hours

The stuffing, handmade and delicious

The finished turkey
Gravy made from drippings

Cranberry sauce, made from a can, it's close to impossible to find fresh or frozen berries here

Apple pie, YUM! There was pumpkin pie too

Baked carrots and onions

Pre-Christmas party

Patti invited us over to her place for a Christmas Eve Party! Lots of food, lots of people, lots of fun!

Yuji and I in a self-portrait

The holiday toast!

Patti, the party host!

Emma and Julia in a quiet corner

Jordan loves his 'Nee

Yuji, the goofball and entertainment!

Daddy enjoying some different types of food

Claire and her boy Yuji, whom I greatly look up to as it gives me hope for Jordan!

Jordan eats best when it's off of other people's plates

Patti's mega-delicious cookies!

Some of Patti's Christmas decor!

More snax!

The main spread, it was a potluck...

The foreign ladies of Hashimoto!

Renee, who is leaving us for Australia in a few weeks!

Roy and Kaz, long-time residents of Hashimoto, leaving for Hawaii next year

A self-portrait that lopped off Patti's head

And here we are, the greater foreign/mixed population of Hashimoto, minus a few members...

And 3 of the ladies...somewhere there's one of all of us..i'll have to find it.