Merry Christmas 2010

We celebrate our Christmas Day with joy like we always did to our past Christmases although Christmas here in Japan ain't a holiday---my husband went to his work first thing in the morning then me and my kids went to the nearby chapel coz we were invited for a candleservice at the school where Haruka is currently in( Wakaba's former school in kindergarten, too). Heard the gospel, prayer of thanks and praise and sung christmas carols. We had some banana cake and tea after together with the kids and mums. Wakaba was glad for most of her former classmates were there and played with them till noon.

I always do look forward to having my family all together just how much as I do the holiday itself and I'm glad my husband came earlier for our festive on Christmas eve and the kids opened their gifts that they received from us. Their Daddy was grinning coz he always loved to play Santa to our kids while the kids is tucked to bed and surprise them with pressies on the morning of Christmas Day.

Wakaba and former classmates and friends

My Girls, happy with their presents for Christmas

Me and Yochan

Merry Family Pic

Our Christmas festive

Here's my girls singing a Christmas carols for you all--in japanese of course^_^

Hope you all had a blast on Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas!!

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS, WE WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!

Food Trip Friday---Sisig

I owe Kaye of the BeautyQueenGene (please check out her chic blog designs at WAHMaholic Blog Designs,too) for the recipe of sisig which I have been dying to cook for. She's a heavent sent to me! Some of the ingredients are not available here so I used pork offal, chicken cartillage ( that is finely chopped ) and pork belly instead and it went well. Thank you dear K!! The best talaga to as pulutan!! Sisig are best with beer but it went well with white wine,too ( I guess it's just me lol ) ^_^
If you want to cook sisig the original way, here's the recipe of Kaye's father. Try 'em!

INGREDIENTS:

1kilo maskara (mukha ng baboy)
1/4 kilo liver (or liver spread)
1/4 kilo utak (optional)
3 cloves bawang
1/2 kilo sibuyas
1/4 kilo chili fingers (sibuyas na panigang/green)
1 tbsp. seasoning (maggi or knorr or kung anong available)
1/4 cup soy sauce
cooking oil

HOW TO:

1.boil pork face/maskara until tender. drain then fry until crunchy.
2.tadtarin yung pork face then set aside
3.chop bawang sibuyas liver into fine pieces
4.slice chili fingers pa-slant thinly.
5.igisa ang bawang. when golden brown, lagay n ung maskara at liver.
6.saute for a couple of minutes then ilagay ang sili.saute for another couple of minutes
7.ilagay ang soy sauce & seasoning.
8.ilagay ang sibuyas.
9.saute until sibuyas is cooked.
10.serve hot. top with an egg or mayonnaise.

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/

Nostalgia--Birthday Celebration

My husband will be celebrating his birthday on the 30th--most of his birthday is celebrated at a restaurant and or sometimes it is celebrated on the New Year. As much as possible, I wanted to cook for him on the day of his birthday and bake a cake for him to make it extra special at home. Even if we dine outside, we still prepare for an extension party at home even if it calls for a popcorn and beer lol! He don't want me to give him a birthday present but since it's been ages, I'm gonna give him a surprise! I've been browsing on-line of what to give him and finally found one! ^_^
My homemade Chocolate cake for him
Yochan's birthday celebration year 2007
Yochan's birthday celebration at home year 2008
Celebrated his birthday months after moving to our apartment
Homemade Gateau Chocolate Cake for him

Isn't it so much fun to go back and just yank them all out and just sit there and reminisce? ^_^

*Nostalgia is a weekly Thursday meme hosted by Ate Rose--please play with us by clicking the linky badge.*

Haruka's Christmas Play

Haruka's Christmas Play was held at Alios Iwaki Performing Arts Center last weekend and was a huge success and the kids performance was spectacular! It was a first for Haruka to be on the stage and was kind-a nervous but when she started to play her role, she was great! Wakaba was beside me and almost memorized all the lines and some of the songs coz she had performed the same twice. Her first was here and her second was here on her kindergarten days. If you're a reader of Kizuna, you might have read and seen her performance on my post ^_^
Well anyway, before starting each scene, the Principal/Director of the school explained the background of the story about celebrating the birth of Jesus for some Japanese audiences aren't Christian and so that everyone will have an introduction of every scene is all about. What I love about Christmas plays is that everyone gets a part--full scene by the manger, three kings, star, sheperds attending to their sheeps, the herald angel, inn keepers, the kids singing Christmas carols with handbells and some cutie lil Santa Claus costume. Nevertheless, the children were fabulous and we had so much fun! During the the Finale, yours trully and some of the Japanese mums were on stage,too and sung Christmas songs together with the kids. DVD will be given from the school and hope to share them to you one of these days. Here's some of the photos and videos to share, hope you'll enjoy watching ^_^
The kids in their class uniform
Haruka playing the " Star "Singing a Christmas Carol
Handbell ringing
Mommies joined the Finale song
Awesome kids! They did a great job!

An entry for

Food Trip Friday---Zuwai Crab Cream Croquette

Dinner last night: Veggie Salad, Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry and Cream Croquette with zuwai gani ( snow crab ) meat and Tofu Miso soup ( photo not included ).

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/

Mommy Moments--Little Christmas Tree

Our simple Christmas tree is ain't up yet but I'll be putting up them soon! I have ordered a Christmas cake from Repaco Garden , noche buena menu is prepared, wine is set already ( my SIL gave the wine as a birthday present for me on my birthday last month ), presents for the kids are ready to be given on Christmas but I haven't thought of putting up our Christmas tree first lol! Well anyway, I'm sharing our simple Christmas tree of last year that was put up with the help of Wakaba and Haruka--at first the motiff was only blue ( which is my fave color )but Wakaba insisted to put some pink ornaments to go with our not so big Christmas tree. Last year, I put up the cards that I received from friends and loved ones to our giant cork board which was Wakaba' s art work display supposedly.
I'm planning of putting up our Christmas tree next week--well, I need few new ornaments and yes, a space! Wakaba's study desk occupied the space for our tree--well, I'll see what more I can do for it. Good luck to me then ^_^

--before--

---after---
---Wakaba's project at school---

Share your story here at and join us! We' d love to hear from you!

Nostalgia-- Hoshi

I'd like to share my daughter Wakaba's performance on stage playing the Hoshi ( Star ) at the schools Christmas show during her kindergarten days . You can find my post about her Christmas show at school here and here. Haruka will be performing the same part this weekend at her school and her big sister is teaching her songs during their bath time at the warm ofuro. Sometimes I would hear echoes of them from the kitchen performing all the characters played by the two of them lol! I dunno why but they don't want us see them rehearsing. And maybe you're wondering why I'm in and out of blogosphere again, it's because mums will be on stage too and was busy practicing songs to be sang on Saturday. So wish us luck! ^_^

Isn't it so much fun to go back and just yank them all out and just sit there and reminisce? ^_^

*Nostalgia is a weekly Thursday meme hosted by Ate Rose--please play with us by clicking the linky badge.*

All About Wakaba At School

Any other updates? Wakaba's Observation Day at Japan school is way behind--I haven't blogged for it for awhile and attended twice already and some parent-teacher one-on one meeting. Too much of being left out...

They were doing their art class when I entered the room with some of the parents as well. I was amazed how creative they are when the kids made out of something from materials that they brought from home--some paper plates, paper cups, plastics, ribbons,etc. It was fun watching the kids most especially my Wakaba working on her masterpiece and being so creative. She's having so much fun on her favorite subject at school which is art.

I'm so grateful that Japan school invite us parents to observe and see how our children are being taught at school. Wakaba made a giraffe and a week after she brought home her masterpiece and displayed at home with delight and proudly show off her hard work and of course I'm thankful for awesome pics of her artwork that is now being transferred to our hard drive to keep. ^_^ Well anyway here's some of my Wakaba's observation day in a photos showing off what she's doing in the class.
Showing off her work of art
Shoukai card, Kaiketsu Sorori--it's a some like a review on a book that she was reading at school
Ochiba de dress---they made a dress ( using a large plastic ) from fallen leaves when they had their class outdoor.
Another master piece^_^


Things are going good here and the kids are still playing with their friends in the neighborhood a lot ^_^

Hoping everyone's in pink of health and good spirits. Thank you very much for dropping by!