Our Noche Buena

Here's our Christmas eve dinner that I prepared ( except for the cake ) last year and even though we had plan of going to Nagano next day to celebrate Christmas there, I prepared something for us to celebrate Christmas eve at home. The kids doesn't have an idea that we're going somewhere on Christmas Day while me and my husband were pretty excited about the Nagano trip because the trip is our Christmas gift to them^_^

Well anyway, here's our Noche Buena:

Bruschetta

Medium Rare Beef Steak with Mashed Potato on the side

Japanese Style Caprese

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2011 Christmas Stage Play

I remember saying Haruka chan that she likes the role Mother Mary the time we attended her big sissy Wakaba's Christmas Stage Play during her kindergarten years. Haruka chan did her part of her role as 'The star' during her 2010 Christmas Stage Play and she did an excellent performance but I remember her still wanting the role Mother Mary. Mid-October of last year she said she passed the audition for the role mother Mary - finally! She was so exited and I can't remember for how many times she practiced the lines, singing in the bathroom room, singing while walking on our way home, whenever she's doing something, sometimes she'll hum the song lol!
I adviced her to make her voice louder when singing onstage so that the audience could hear her but she said 'Mother Mary is the chosen one so her voice must be soft not loud.' LOL!

Well anyway here's the photos and video of her as mother Mary during the Christmas stage play in yochien. A very proud moment of her that made my heart swell with pride (o^∀^o)

Haruka chan as Mother Mary

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Food Trip Friday--Noche Buena

I hope your holidays have been filled with loved ones, all of your favourite things and foodies. Our Merry Christmas festive was celebrated with the family, with smiles and giggles^_^

Chocolate Tart from REPACO Garden that I ordered online--ornament and party candle included

Our Noche Buena

Beef Pastrami Garden Salad-- rocket ( arugula), romaine lettuce, mizuna, tomato with our favourite salad dressing

Chicken Namban--deep fried chicken seasoned with soysauce, mirin, vinegar and sugar accompanied with tartar sauce

Japanese style Caprese--Mozzarella cheese, tomato and shiso (japanese herb) wrapped with Prosciutto, sprinkled with ground black pepper

Tomato sauce Pasta

A glass of fruity Beaujolais-Village Nouveau red wine and piece of Chocolate Tart for you ^_^

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

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!

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

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---

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