Christmas in Pictures

decorating the tree!

she loves to stick out her tongue in pictures :)

she also loves to wear her Christmas dress

I always like an angel on the top of the tree. Violet wanted a star this year though. She calls it the Jesus Star

I told her about how my Kitty used to sleep under the tree. So she is pretending to be Snowball

a trip to the park with friends

new friends from the US

Our Thanksgiving dinner. We had our Thanksgiving dinner the Saturday after Thanksgiving. So the tree was already up. We don't decorate until Advent begins.

This year my family will celebrate it's first holiday season without our dear Grandparents. I know it will be a season filled with many tears but I hope that we will also be able to be thankful for what we have and for each other. I am thankful for the memories of Thanksgivings past... Filling up the kitchen and living room of Mamo and Papo's house when I was so little. The family outgrowing the space in the house and moving into the garage for the big meal. The grandkids school artwork decorating the walls with hand-print turkeys. Playing football in the backyard and sometimes it being too cold too have the garage door open. Then in years to follow, the family got so big we had to rent out a church rec hall (the same place I had my wedding reception) so that we could all eat in the same room. Playing basketball inside or outside and tossing the football around. Everyone bringing their favorite dish to share and too many pies to even count. I am so thankful for each and everyone of you. I am so thankful that Mamo and Papo taught us the importance of family and being there for each other. They knew we would need each other to lean on after they were gone.

We won a drawing for a free Thanksgiving meal from FBC (the Foreign Buyers Club)

She loved the stuffing!

One of my student's father made these. They were lit up on the school grounds and then moved to our housing grounds! They were so pretty!

Tokyo Tower

snow at Jiji and Baba's house

She loves that snow!

she seems to be teaching me something here.

we had a Christmas Party at the home shrine of my friend Keiko.

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the kids table

I love these women!

Violet and Auntie cutting the Christmas cake

so good to laugh with my dear friends

Violet adored playing with the Onechans (Big Sisters)

Those big boys in the back were 3 and 4 years old when I first came to Japan. My how they have grown!

silly faces!

Violet putting her babies to bed at Jiji and Baba's house. She told them, "I will never leave you at home. Except when I have to go to school. I love you!"

writing a memo

This was our Christmas Eve on Dec. 22

Sukiyaki

setting up the beds

 Baba's Christmas Cake

facetimeing to Hokkaido

My Okaasan

Violet sandwich

pretending to be asleep

I love the decorations at Jiji and Baba's house

cutting the Christmas cake with Baba

tea time

Violet announces that it is time to open the presents

Our yearly family photo

snowing in O'Town

Daddy getting ready for Christmas Eve service

dancing by the tree

Silly times with Aunt Teresa

Amazing boiled eggs brought by some church members visiting from China

Gabe and Ryo

We opened some gifts on Christmas day after I got home from work

the magnetic anatomy book

art supplies! She wanted to paint right then and there

KITTY!!!!!!!!!!

she loves to play with kitties and she loves to take care of them.

And a new bed for Baby Mei

Quilts I made last year for her baby doll

When I was a little girl I got a nightgown or pjs every year for Christmas. We have carried on the tradition. Here is Violet in her new nightgown. Ballerinas dancing on ponies.