Guess Who's Four?

Well Emi had a big birthday today. Four years old!

We had just a small thing at home tonight. Emi got to choose dinner. Nope, not pizza or McDonalds. She wanted grilled cheese and alphabet soup.

Couldn't find the soup, so we made some homemade tomato soup with pasta in it.

The cake will wait until Saturday when Auntie Lisa and Baba (grandma) come over.


Emi got some books from her parents, some puppy dog slippers from her sister and some money from her grandpa and great grandma in the states. (better spend it quick, the dollars value goes lower every day!)

Preschool Cookies

At the girls' preschool they were making cookies today. Actually, the cookies were premade (at our house); they were really just decorating them.

So the younger kids (aged 6 months to 2 years) needed a lot of assistance.

The older kids could kind of do their own thing.




Was a fun day!

Day 17: Wrap, er, unwrap a present

Okay, so the original idea was to "Buy a present" on one day and then to "Wrap a present" on this day. However, this being Japan (the land where they overwrap everything) it was just more convenient to let the helpful store staff wrap for us.

So we changed tonight slightly: let's unwrap something instead.

Now before you jump to the conclusion that we have no self-control, an explanation.
Our church in Hawaii, Honolulu Christian Church, has been really, really supportive of us. They have visited us and continue to support us financially and in prayer.

Also, every year they are faithful to send a Christmas Package (known as THE Package). When the package arrives, it is an exciting time because we know that inside that package is lots of goodies from Hawaii (coffee, mac nuts, etc.)


So tonight was just a blessed time of enjoying opening and reminiscing about days gone by.
Thank you HCC!

Day 16: 星を作る・Make a Star

Tonight we made stars from origami paper.


The star has a prominent part in the Christmas Story.

It was the star that led the Magi to Bethlehem.



Of course, the true "star" of Christmas is Christ.

Day 15: Call Grandparents

Today was "Phone call to grandparents."

The Bible exhorts us to "honor our parents" and "respect our elders."

Being so far from family is difficult. So calling "grandpa" was nice.




Emi can converse a little, while Mika will repeat words.

Day 14: 年賀状・New Year's Cards

In Japan they don't make Christmas cards (well, some Christians do), but New Year's Cards are quite common.

You can buy them already made, or many people like to make them.

Tonight was "Make New Year's Cards."




The girls enjoyed drawing pictures and such. Emi's letters are getting pretty good, aren't they?

She drew a cow, as this is the Year of the Cow (or Bull, if you like).

Day 13: Christmas Cookies

Tonight was "Make Christmas Cookies."



Now Debe and I like to cook and bake, but we have not baked much with the girls.
We knew this would be a challenge (and it was!).



They turned out pretty good, though.


This was actually practice; Debe will be making and decorating cookies at preschool (good luck with that!)