December is always my favorite month each year- it's cooler, there's more family time, and lots of activities. Even though our son is a soon to be tween, this year was no exception...yet. ;-) I suspect he will soon start to protest arts/crafts activities and parades any day now, however.
We had a spa day with the nieces. Let's just say my very willing participants were over their mask session about thirty seconds into it. Apparently, looking like a potential serial killer was not all that fun for them.
We had not one, but two different gingerbread house making sessions this season, with his two close friends. We've done one every season since he's been 2-3, and it's still something he enjoys.
Because I suspect the days of being a semi-willing participant in his goofball parents activities is rapidly dwindling...I went for full-blown cheesiness this holiday season! Mission accomplished after ten failed family selfies taken by Rich's iphone precariously placed atop a tower of pillows. W(e are pretty high tech around here.)
Ah, perhaps the most enjoyable day of the season...the Christmas parade! Ryan and his cousins were invited to participate in the annual Christmas parade by his Japanese teacher's social group. They were so lucky to be able to help hand out origami ornaments to the crowd.
If you look very closes, you can see me next to Ryan and Momo, his friend in the red yukata! The girls had abandoned us to sit on Megumi sensei's lap, Ryan's teacher. ;-)
Since the girl's own a number of Disney-inspired gowns, we took them to see Frozen II, for a second round. All three kids had seen it once, so we were excited for them to see it again.
Aunty may have gone overboard...we bought a few more sets of these matching, Frozen inspired dresses in December...both Anna and Elsa! The girls have a love for Frozen, that's for sure.
Ryan (that's cousin Kenichi, one of his instructors) continues to go to karate through the holidays. Here he is getting heaved by his amazing teacher, Sempai Jenna. This girl could wipe out our entire family with one arm tied behind her back. We worship her.
A new family tradition at the new year, thanks to Ryan's taiko classes...mochi making! All the mochi that is made is sold to the community to help benefit the temple. The kids help (that's Ryan in the cap and white shirt third from the front, on the left side of the table, I'm the second to the last), as they're allowed to practice/store their drums on the temple grounds year round. It's been such an enriching cultural experience to be immersed in the culture of the Buddhist faith. I was raised Christian, so it's very different, and yet the same- the members come together to celebrate, to mourn and to support each other in a positive environment. I'm glad Ryan has some exposure to a faith, since Rich and I are not easily definable in our beliefs.
The mochi we bought from the church was shared with our friends/family. But we also made our own for the first time to share with friends and family as well.
Here's Ryan marbleizing our blueberry mochi. We also made pumpkin mochi, and chi chi dango.
And last but not least, for the family New Years party, we made inari sushi filled with poke, tuna and corn sarada. So reminiscent of our time in Japan at the kaiten sushi restaurants, but with a Hawaiian twist here and there.
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