Spending time in CA part 1

Since I have been off for my surgery recup, we figured it would be the perfect opportunity to head to California to spend time with family (and friends)! Seemed perfect since I needed the extra help and with two extra sets of hands (plus Daddy is off when we go away - so there was really three extra sets of hands) I would get more rest there than if we stayed home. So we packed up and headed to California for a couple of weeks. Dean did lots of stuff for his parents to help get the house ready to list for sale so they can move here, and I got to lay around on the couch eating bon-bons (well not really, but I did get lots more rest there) while Bachan cooked delicious food for us! I'm sure I gained weight being gone, I guess that's a downfall of going to see Dean's parents - Bachan is a wonderful cook! We got in a few visits too - which is always nice for me and Sakura! This is Part 1 of our trip...to be continued :)

As soon as we arrived, Sakura spotted her little pony - Bachan has different toys at her house, so it's always exciting!

Sakura riding her pony through the kitchen

Playing the piano is now #1 favorite thing to do (besides explore outside!)

Japanese style as Bachan says - LOL! Sakura does pretty well, she never bangs the keys she gently plays a few notes here and there, Bachan was impressed!

Our favorite little froggy -

Sakura has taken to this pose, I think it's because she is imitating me, I get down squatting to take pics of her so I'm at her level...so now she does this ALL the time when I have the camera out. Here we were headed to lunch at our favorite - Taro's!

While I was playing with settings on the camera, Sakura was playing with Daddy's old toys!

Dean's cousin Greg came up for a visit, along with is son Freddie - so we headed for a walk around the County Fair that happened to be in town - boy am I glad we have our fair during the spring when it's nice outside. I thought we would MELT - it was SO incredibly hot that day!

Looking at the baby goats...so cute!

and the cows...

Can you say H-O-T? Check out poor Sakura!

Playing in the bubbles was her favorite part of the fair!

Like I said earlier, Sakura loves exploring and being outside. It was so nice in the mornings that we went out in the backyard and walked around every day...Sakura loved 'exploring' and looks SO serious looking at everything.

What makes Sakura have a huge belly laugh? What else, the dogs playing :)

More exploration outside

Another froggy shot - LOL!

We got a brief visit with Dean's sister Linda and her family too - we all met in Sacramento for dinner to celebrate Jichan's 88th birthday which is a big deal in Japan. We went to PF Changs and had a yummy dinner together, not enough time, but we will take any time we get!

Jess, Sakura, Jichan, Bachan and Steph

The girls

Anytime Daddy is near, Sakura isn't far away....she is a Daddy's girl through and through!

Here is a sequence of pics I took while Dean was 'tossing' Sakura - as you can tell by the look on her face, she LOVES it!

Getting started....

Flying.....

Higher...

Sakura loved that she got Miso soup and gohan (rice) LOTS at Bachan's!

My new name for her is Gohan Akachan (aka: rice baby)...This child ♥s her rice!

We also got to see the Cech's - well Eryn and Miya...sadly we didn't get to see Gregor, Nikko, or Emi this trip they had company :( We always love getting together with them when we are in town! Here is a pic of Miya and Sakura - Sakura wasn't cooperative with the picture, so this was the best I could get :(

Sakura and Miya

I took Bachan to deliver some sekihan (I have NO clue how to spell that!), to Auntie Iku who was at Sharman and Joe's house that evening. We got in a visit with them which was so nice!

Molly, Sakura and Me

A play date too! Margaret invited us over for a play date and lunch. The salad was delicious and so was the company, I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Margaret while the girls got to play. We were ELATED that we got to see Ivy's first few steps while we were there - she just might have been inspired by watching Sakura march all over the place? What a special day for us!

Sakura and Ivy - our first few mintues there.

This picture cracked me up -

looks like Ivy is at the end of her rope and Sakura is bossing her...not the case at all, I'm not even sure what they were doing, just playing, but this was too funny not to share :)

having lunch together outside

Sakura is very close to Jichan - he plays with her all the time, they cannot communicate since Jichan is deaf, but you would never know it by the fun they have. Jichan plays "Inai Inai Baa" with Sakura - here with his jacket.

Sakura took a liking to colored pencils on our trip - she loved coloring (scribbling)!

One of the most challenging parts about visiting is keeping everyone quiet so that Sakura can sleep - like I said, Dean was working, painting, etc, so we put Sakura's pack-n-play in Bachan and Jichan's bedroom so she would be 'alone' to sleep....well one day I saw the bedroom door opened and I remembered specifially pulling it shut and it latched...I walked by and there was Jichan peering into the pack-n-play making faces at Sakura - argh - I had JUST laid her down and with Sakura if you bug her, she's NOT going to sleep...I complained to Dean - so Bachan made a note for the door - not sure exactly what it says, but in some fashion -

KEEP OUT!

Off to dinner we go - Sakura all dressed in her sweet little dress.

Daddy and his girl

Sakura waiting outside with Mommy while Jichan has his Dr. appt.

If I ever move to Sacramento I want to live on this lane - we ran across it when we went to have Japanese ramen in Sacramento - :)

Sakura Lane!