Christmas 2012

We had a busy Christmas season. We went to a potluck at our friend Diane's house and saw Santa. The holidays were fun, except for the last week before winter break I got Chicken Pox and was in bed for a week. I don't remember feeling so sick. Anyway, Santa came. Hana got a pogo stick and Rika got a pretty jewelry and treasure box.

 

Peanut Picking

At the end of November 2012, the girls wen to Grandpa and Grandma's house to pick peanuts, sweet potatoes, and other things. Most kids never have the chance to see where peanuts come from. I was absent, but they all had fun.

 

Rika's Birthday 2012

Rika turned a spunky 5 this year on November 21st. Mommy made an incredible home made cheesecake and Rika got a Cinderella castle with Cinderella and Snow White.

 

 

Winter's Halloween 2012

Ok, it's late but I'm catching up on my posting pics from 2012. We are always busy around Halloween with my school's parties,  our neighborhood event, and the big foreigner's party for adults. I counted about 6 parties this year. I love Halloween, but after the last one, I was ready for it to be over. Hana was Spider Girl, Rika was a pink Spider Girl and Princess Aurora. Junko had a pumpkin head and I was Grendel from Dark Horse Comics. Enjoy.

Our Jack-O-Lantern

Small Animal Zoo

On August 8th, we visited the Small Animal Zoo exhibit in Sakaiminato at Yumeminato tower. It's the same place where they had the New Caledonia Aquarium a couple of years ago and the Hikari(light) museum earlier this year. The animals were interesting. The sloth really seemed to like Junko. The meerkats were cute. They had a beaver and a capebara. The best was petting a giant tortoise. It was pretty cool, but I was expecting more petting zoo stuff where you can touch the animals, but only the tortoise. Afterward, of course we had soft serve ice cream, vanilla and pear. We passed on the haunted house upstairs in spite of Junko's persistence. Maybe next time.

 

Thomas and Company

This summer, Hana had a special visitor in her 2nd grade class at school. Thomas McKenna from America. His Father's American and Mommy's Japanese. They live in Boston, but come here to visit every couple of years. He and his sister 4th grade Alicia stayed about 1 month during America's Summer vacation. Japanese schools have about one month summer break in August. We all got together at Mr. Donuts right before they left, great family. Too bad I couldn't meet daddy. Hana and Thomas became good friends. They were constantly hamming it up. And Alicia took a real liking to Rika(who can blame her!)

Hana's Piano Recital

On July 16th, the day before Farrah and Jared came, Hana had her first piano recital at Bunka Hall in Yonago. Grandma and Grandpa came, too. She played the theme from, "My Neighbor, Tottoro with Rina-Sensei. She was a little nervous, but she did a great job. Next year, she'll try for a solo performance, and maybe it'll be time for Rika's recital, too.