Party Like It's 2009!

Although we found it hard to believe it's 10 years past Prince's futuristic song (Party like it's) 1999, Brian and I weren't sure we could keep up with our crazier friends on New Year's Eve in 2009. And by "keep up," I mean "stay up."

We are, after all, getting old--I more so than he, as he likes to remind me in this, the "blackout period" between my birthday in November and his in February. (For 3 months and 10 days, I am one year older than he, so as such I have mandated that no important events are supposed to occur in this period. However, Miranda, arriving 4 days late, was born one day into this blackout period, making me one year older than I'd planned to be when I had her! But she's forgiven. And I digress...)

We rang in the New Year at the countdown party at the New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo with our friends the Watts and the Nelsons. But I guess Tokyo wasn't a big enough draw, so we were transported to spend an "Evening in Venice," this year's theme...hence the masks, which came in handy when we wanted to dance anonymously.

Kathleen had rearranged all the masks at each place setting in our favor before we arrived--and more importantly--before the four remaining strangers sat at our table. Three out of four of those unlucky people had to sport this chicken mask. (I love how Brian pretends to be shocked that I would don this thing in public. Or in his presence. But in my defense, this was towards the end of the party.)

So was this. Kathleen was fighting me for our pretend karaoke mic, which was, in fact, a noisemaker.

But that was not the end of the night! We left the party around 1am and made our way to the Absolut IceBar in Tokyo, where a mere ~$30 allows you to buy one beverage, wear borrowed coats and mittens and put your bum on ice for 45 minutes, after which you are kicked out--not that you'd want to stay much longer anyway. (I'd say "only in Japan," but they're not.)

Alas, the bar was closed, as Brian had suspected! Turns out, the IceBar Tokyo website explains this in English very clearly, if only we'd checked. In Japan, New Year's is more of a family holiday, one of the most important ones of the year. So, most restaurants and businesses are closed.

That didn't stop us. We kept on going till 3:30am actually! We connected with some other people we knew and a while later, here we are, pretty tired. We partied like it was 2009--which is to say we felt every one of the 1999 plus 10 years. But we had fun and we're still smiling! Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas Eve

The highlight of our morning was playing at the park with our friends Kathleen, Sydney and Julia.

Then Sydney and I put together a gingerbread house from a kit (that Mommy never got around to opening last year) and decorated some last-minute cookies for Santa. Needless to say, we didn't eat the gingerbread house. But I hope the icing was still good, since Sydney ate her weight's worth.

Can you guess which side of the house is Sydney's brainchild and which is mine?

Then we wrapped up (heh) the evening with our friends the Ahlgrims and the Millers for dinner. We brought this delicious and traditional Japanese Christmas cake from our local bakery. Maybe next year Sydney and I will be ready to attempt this. Well, we'll have to since we won't be in Japan anymore.

Only a Japanese Bowl Could Have Such Serendipidous Foresight

Our Japanese neighbors the Takahashis had a baby about four months ago, so one month ago I finally brought them a big gift bag full of things: namely two soft blankets, several onesies and about four (I told them they were used) American freecycled baby toys that friends didn't need anymore and I thought they'd enjoy.


Yesterday, in true Japanese fashion, they rang the door bell bearing reciprocal Christmas gifts for my girls. These cute Christmas washcloths rolled to look like lollipops, two little gift bags full of fancy chocolates, and these cute bowls.


The bowl on the right is my favorite, even though its accurate prediction hits a little too close to home this season, our last Christmas in Japan: "The house is filled with piles of boxes in preparation for moving." Nothing like a Japanese bowl to tell it like it will be. I only hope it survives the move this summer, because it sure does sum up the life I have to look forward to in the Navy and I would like to keep it among our worldly possessions.

Merry Christmas to Me

I went to my second Yamato shrine sale today with the mentality of someone packing out next week--even though I'm not. After three short hours of perusing the treasures (or one person's trash), I came around a bend to see before me a fabulous tea tansu. It's a small two-piece stacking chest traditionally used to house prized tea cups and all things used in the preparation of Japanese green tea. Of course, I plan to put my tea cups in there--along with all the Japanese pottery I've collected, plates, bowls, sake sets, etc. They usually have asymmetrical shelves and sliding glass doors, as does this one. But this one is unique with two little silk prints (of a drum and a person) on two of the small cabinet doors. It's a little rough around the edges, but that's my kind of furniture. And nothing an obi-turned-table-runner can't cover up on top...


Don't forget to notice the fabric in each photo. With obi and kimono priced at 3 for $10, the crafty (novice) sewer in me had to stock up on these.

I also bought this interesting square spindle to use as a shelf for my sake set from Nikko. I figured I can place it on a table top or hang it on a wall.

These little leaf plates make me happy. Darlene agreed they are adorable, and was pretty sure I needed a few more little plates. And what the heck, another bowl.

Happy Holidays Indeed!

It's Christmas, Sydney's Merry! And although she couldn't say it (only "Happy Holidays,") you can see the sheer merriment in her holiday preschool class performance of Jingle Bells.

Ichi, Ni, Santa

Sydney has had the pleasure of taking not one, but three (san) photos with Santa this season. It's nice that I can say it's a "pleasure" now. It took her three years, but she finally doesn't cry. Of course, she also finally gets that he'll bring her the toys she wants: a train (the power of my suggestion) and a pretty dress (her idea).

Sydney's first encounter with Santa this season was when we happened on Santa at the Navy Exchange and they printed out the photo on a demo printer. (Brian didn't want me to force Miranda to sit with Santa, so it was just Sydney. She smiled. But she wasn't wearing anything special.)

Then this is the second photo op, when Santa visited her preschool. Although she ran up to him and told him what she wanted, you'll notice she's not quite smiling...

...at least until she sees her sister screaming when placed on Santa's lap, at which point a sly little smirk slowly spreads across her face. Or maybe she was just happy Santa gave her that candy cane she's gripping for dear life.

Then the girls saw Santa again at the USNH children's Christmas party yesterday, in full (Christmas) dress. Sydney's much more amenable to Santa by now (her third and, I promise, final photo op this year). But despite the fact that I tried to get Miranda to warm up to Santa by taking her to see him twice, Miranda's even less amenable to Santa this time, as you can see.

Perhaps the third time she would've smiled, too. Either that or Santa would've dropped her.

But I suppose it's more of a family tradition not to smile at this age (I realize this also explains where Miranda got all her hair):

Sydney (13 months)
December 2006

Laura (4 years) and Diane (13 months),

December 1975

Jingle Bells

Mitchy smells.
Sydney peed her pants.
Miranda fell,
Diane's hearing bells,
and Brian ran away! Hey!

I spontaneously penned this little ditty during our normal bedtime routine about a week ago. (Think "wrestling alligators into 'jamasons.'") It explains mostly what I've been up to better than anything else could. Well, maybe this undecorated Christmas tree is also representative of what I haven't been doing. Of course, you know bedtime routine isn't the best (positive) reflection of my day, since by then, I usually feel like "decking the halls" in a different way.


But I settle for some Christmas crafting in some of my childfree time, so don't worry, I haven't lost my Christmas spirit! Here's a lined--and zippered--pencil case I made as my first ever sewing project (outside of home ec class, that is). Good thing it came out okay, since it's for Sydney's preschool teacher. (Their class mascot is a frog.) Now I just have two more to make for the teacher's assistants, right after I finish decorating the tree.


But my second ever sewing project (well, I started it first, but finished it second) is sure to be my favorite of all time--a hanging Christmas decoration, two "reindeers" (as Sydney says) made of Sydney and Miranda's handprints and footprints. And Sydney even helped, saying "Let's do crafts!" every day until we were done. I know the bedtime routines won't always be so challenging, but I'll always have my cute reindeers for decking the halls and reminding me of my most precious gifts.

Miranda's First Haircut

This photo doesn't do it justice, but Miranda had a mullet by some people's standards. So, I couldn't put it off any longer, I had to trim my baby's long locks. We trimmed at least 3 inches just off the back, cutting away the last of the dark ends and evening it up with the sides. All the while with her cheek pressed against me. Needless to say, I had to attempt to straighten the ends myself when I got home. But it's all better now!

Quality (Perfection) Versus Quantity

The other day I was shopping at the Navy Exchange on base. Surprisingly, the cashier was a Japanese man who had a cheery disposition and great customer service. (It was a surprise that he had great custumer service in the NEX, not that he was Japanese.)

Towards the end of our brief encounter, I expressed my appreciation with an emphatic "arigato gozaimasu," (thank you very much) in Japanese.

The cashier, looking pleasantly surprised, asked in English, "Ohhh! Do you speak Japanese?"

Quickly, I laughed slightly, shook my head almost apologetically, as I blurted out in English, "Ohhh, nooo! I only know a few words."

Then he said, "Oh, really?! You have perfect pronunciation!"

Not wanting to ruin the moment, I beamed, and said, "Really?! Thank you!" in English...and consciously forced myself not to say it again in Japanese. I'm almost certain he misheard me, but I didn't want to confirm it one way or the other. Nevertheless, it made my day to think I might have mastered at least one phrase of Japanese perfectly. And it's only taken me 2 1/2 years.

I never knew my general "quality versus quantity" philosphy would apply to foreign language, but it seems it unwittingly has. That's what I tell myself anyway, so I don't feel bad I haven't taken the time to learn more. But I still maintain that "arigato gozaimasu" and "gomen nasai" (I'm sorry) will get you very far in Japan. Then if you have perfect pronunciation like me, just interject with a quick "wakarimasen" (I don't understand) to head off any further conversation, i.e., awkward misunderstandings and wasted breath.

Come to think of it, I've been having to do this more and more.

Hello Again!

It's been a month since my last blog entry! We've been very busy. If anyone's still out there, I'll be catching you up this week. Keep scrolling...I've got about 10 posts in the works.