Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Christmas 2013

What an amazing Christmas - we sure love every age and every stage of Sakura and Christmas is especially special now that we see it through the eyes of our daughter!  

The ONLY thing Sakura said she wanted every time we would ask, or Santa would ask was 
"A Make-Up Place" ...  Sakura must have been a very good girl again this year, as Santa delivered exactly what she asked for.  We also woke up to a sweet final message from JingleBelle, I think she even posed for one final picture before flying off with Santa as we found this on the camera after she was gone.  What a sweet little elf.  

Well Said JingleBelle.  
Looks like Sakura was a very good girl!
Sakura woke up a little later than usual, and Mommy was already up and getting in the shower - Sakura apparently came out as she exclaimed upon her arrival in the bathroom that "SANTA BROUGHT MY MAKE UP PLACE!" ... Yep, we all missed her first reaction!  Ugh!!!  As you'll be able to tell, she was quite pleased with Santa's gifts and got right down to business doing her hair.

Santa even left clippies just for Sakura! 
Flower ones and Hello Kitty to be exact.
And a little train case with make up!

Admiring her handy work
Over and over again she did her hair!
Rudolph got a new brush!  So Sakura did his hair too!
SO much fun!
Mommy was MOST excited with the gifts Sakura made at Preschool
A beautiful wreath made from painted puzzle pieces will hang on our tree every year!
Sakura is CRAZY for hospital/doctor stuff ... she got her own emergency room!
Sakura was SO excited to see that Clarice came to be with Rudolph, she's been talking about wanting her every since we were at Build-A-Bear - Thank You Greema and Papa!!!
She had them hugging and kissing as soon as she opened her - she sensed that Rudolph missed his girlfriend I think!


Greema's turn to open a gift ... wonder what she got?  Why pictures of Sakura of course!
Sakura had MANY beautiful red packages from Auntie Linda, Uncle Mark, Jessamine and Stephanie to open!
She LOVED every single one of them ... what's inside this one?
A CAR SEAT for Baby Yuko!!!  YAY!
Sakura was thrilled with all of her things for Baby Yuko!
Baby Yuko and Baby Emma got a crib too!
Doesn't get much cuter than a Hello Kitty airplane!!!
A diaper bag for her babies too!
Papa's turn ..... wonder what he got?
Daddy got to open the card Sakura made
Sakura was very excited to watch us open her gifts ... we were just as excited to open them!
Another package for Greema .... with a little help from her friend :)
Once we finished opening packages at home, we headed down to spend a little time with Baachan, Jiichan and Auntie Fumiyo who graciously came to spend a couple of weeks helping Baachan out to give us a break - can't even describe our gratitude to Auntie - it's been VERY hectic this last month!  We can't ever repay her for relieving us a bit.  

Naturally Sakura had to take Baby Yuko and Baby Emma down to show everyone her things 

Auntie and Sakura have a special relationship ... Sakura LOVES her Auntie Fumiyo!
Baachan looking at the fun Auntie and Sakura are having
Helping Baachan open her gifts, she only has one working arm, the other is in a sling so she needed lots of help, Sakura was happy to oblige.

What a wonderful Christmas, spent with those we love.  We are SO blessed and our lives are full.  Merry Christmas from our family to yours. 

Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Eve .... Our 1st Gingerbread house!

Christmas Eve ... we waited for Greema and Papa to come to do our very first Gingerbread House and people ... what FUN!  I think this will be a new family tradition, I think we all loved doing it!  

Sakura adding pieces ... she helped with every step even though she was TIRED!  We got a late start!

So much fun!
OF course we had to get the Disney version!!!  
I also bought some Gingerbread people to decorate

Daddy named them

Saying goodnight to JingleBell - gosh we will sure miss her!!  She had a tea party last night with Pooh and friends!

Sakura's class made some magic reindeer food - so we sprinkled it on the sidewalk so the reindeer could find us, we also left some carrots knowing how hungry they would be and how tired, hope it gives them energy to make it all around the world tonight.

Sakura was quite excited to sprinkle the magic reindeer food!
And carrots!

Cookies and milk for Santa Claus ... and cheese for Santa Mouse!

Goodnight to all - and Merry Christmas Eve from our family to yours!

Friday, December 14, 2012

Christmas Program for Preschool

We were super excited to go watch Sakura perform with her classmates.  What an amazing job she did (along with all of the other kids).  Each class sang (and danced) two songs - Sakura's class did 
Rockin Around the Christmas Tree and The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Christmas).  
The curtain opened and there stood our little girl waving away .... (Didn't know it at the time, but she didn't know where we were sitting so she kept waving to make sure we saw her - how could we miss her, the most adorable little girl on the stage?!).  She knew every word (I WiSH Blogger allowed video's but apparently they don't load anymore for some reason?) .... so you'll just have to visualize a slide show below with the many photos I (we) took.  Greema and Papa attended, along with Jiichan - Baachan still in the Rehab facility so she got to watch the video.  We were all beaming and SO excited!

Looking like a princess and ready to go
Beautiful Sakura

Yes it was a little chilly outside, but she looked SO cute!
Ready to start!  Miss Clarissa had to position a few kiddos.



Hand motions to go with each song and verse

And dancing - Sakura danced with Amora





There she is waving for us again :)
ALLLLLVIN!!!
That's our girl!!!  Signature Sakura style
Mistletoe hung where you can see ... 


CUTEST Christmas program ever!  Cornerstone teachers did an amazing job getting the kids ready for their show, they ALL shined!  We were bursting at the seams watching with pride at our little girl.