I got to the school, went upstairs and found some friends right away. I was sitting near Noriko-san and Rieko-san. They are both really friendly, very talkative and I always have a good time and a good laugh when ever I am around them! They are both really outgoing and really fun to be around. I speak Japanese with Rieko-san and I speak English with Noriko-san, because she speaks great English. They're nice! The kids all came in. And all the lights went out and we started lighting candles. Each of us mother's held our own little candle, during 90% of the ceremony. And we sang and had prayer. And the kids also sang and prayed as well. And then candles were all laid near the baby Jesus and it was so bright by all the candle light. It was just glowing and gorgeous. And there was one song in particular, that this yochien seems to sing a bunch around Christmas time, and it is so beautiful, it's not like jingle bells or anything else I have ever heard of. I think it is a Japanese Christmas song and it's lovely. I am going to try and learn how to sing this in Japanese for next year, that way I can follow along next year and sing, this song with them! I just had a really fantastic time, really and truly. Next thing I knew it was over and they were turning the lights on.
We all helped folding the chairs and put them away. I think I put away 5 chairs and then by that time everyone had all the rest of the chairs in their hands as well. So, I said good bye. And I headed downstairs. Took off my slippers. Which I bring my own slippers now. ha! I finally mastered the bringing my own slippers thing. Phew! : ) Ha ha ha. And I folded my slippers into my bag and slipped my ballet flats on and went our the door, waited near Branden's class. Meanwhile my girlfriend Kaya-san came and said hello. She is leaving to Malaysia December 25th. Because her Japanese husband is on assignment for his work in Malaysia for a few years. She's been there once before, this past summer, she says it is a wonderful gorgeous place. I really wanna go there someday now. So we talked about her trip to Malaysia a bit and then before you know it, Branden and the rest of his class came out. And Branden and I hopped into the car and we headed home. It was a very nice Thursday. We did finish off the lasagna for supper that night. And had a nice salad with Italian dressing. And garlic bread. It was nice. And with dinner made from the night before, I enjoyed just relaxing at home a bunch more that evening. Things are starting to wind down, I can really feel Christmas break coming even more so now.
Friday. Our family of 4 all woke, up. And we all sorta got ready really slowly for the day. Considering the practice for Christmas recital #3 didn't start until 11:30 and only runs for 1 hour. We had decided, just one of us would take Branden and the other would stay at home with Noah. I had planned to go, I even was dressed and had my keys in my hand, about to walk out the door with Branden and Noboru said at the last second. Let me go instead. He had been mentioning he should go instead of me all morning long actually, but I continued to get ready. Let him relax, I thought. Meanwhile he thought the same for me. So anyways, he really wanted to go with B, I asked him why? He said, because you have been so busy this week. You should use the hour to relax a bit. Ahh, he does notice how crazy busy I have been lately, I thought, he he. To me, that meant more to me, then anything, just the fact that he appreciates how busy I have been. Sometimes to be acknowledged is all I need and I do the same. Good husband, I thought! I told him, no I am fine with going. And I headed towards the door, geeze it was only an hour, no biggie. And he insisted some more. So, since he was dressed since early that morning, he and Branden headed out the door and I stayed home. Meanwhile there I sat in my jeans and pepto pink wool sweater. LOL. And tortoise shell headband. Thinking, okay, now what? Ha ha ha! So, I went upstairs and changed into some gray yoga pants and a black sweatshirt and threw my hair into a pony tail instead. Geeze, I wasn't expecting staying home. So, I sat on the couch and had a nice hot cup of hot caramel machiatto. And watched some CNN, Larry King, I think. And then I started thinking if I could just finish the house cleaning for the week, then I could rest afterwards, besides it wouldn't take too long. And then my house would be clean for the weekend. Besides I do bits and pieces all throughout the week anyway, it was nearly done anyways.
I vacuumed the entire downstairs, again. Under the couch, corners, cervices, you name it, I vacuumed it. Even the genkan, ha ha ha. The carpeting on our stairs. The upstairs, the closets. Then I put Noah dressed in the bath tub and he sat and watched me scour down the shower area, the walls, and then I rinsed it and then I cleaned the tub but I moved Noah to the laundry room part of our washroom first. And then I washed the toilets again second time for the week. And before you know it, the hour was up, I was done. Noboru phoned me and said they were on their way home. Ahh, no more house cleaning or thinking of house cleaning until Monday. Yahoo! And with the weekend being here! I am ready! And Christmas break is *so* almost here. Just Christmas recital #3 this Sunday and then it's in the bag! I will be on Christmas vacation/break. Whoops I meant Branden will be on Christmas vacation/break. Ha ha ha! : )
Friday after an hour or two of watching some afternoon TV and lazing on the couch with the kiddos. I got up and prepared some butter cookie dough. I bought 3 boxes of butter the other day while I was at the store. And 2 bags of flour and 2 bags of sugar. So, I can make heaps of cookies if I want to now. ha ha ha. But this is our 3rd batch so far this year and we are still enjoying them. When we get sick of them, we can whip up something else! But as for now, we are still **really** enjoying these a bunch! I made the dough ahead of time and let the dough chill in the fridge for a few hours.
Meanwhile while the cookie dough was getting cold and firm in the fridge, I got dinner prepped a bit. Ginger pork tonight. I like this miso based ginger pork sauce a bunch. And it's easy to make and prepare, so it's busy mommy friendly, so I find I make this about once a month.
Put the pork into a big gallon type freezer bag, all separated of course, so each piece can get marinated. Pour the one bottle in there, I wash my hands really good with soap and water and ziploc the plastic and then I marinated and massage the meat from the outside of the bag, if that makes sense. I do that, so I know the sauce hits every part of the pork. Then I put this into the fridge for a while to get a deep marinate. Washed my hands again. And then I start making the rice. And I went to the living room for another hour and watched cartoons with my kids and laughed and just spent time together. Felt really nicely rested. Rice was all nicely cooked by now. And I went into the kitchen, steamed some broccoli in one tiny pot. Meanwhile I started frying up the pork, in a frying pan with no/zero oil. There's enough oil from the pork anyways so it doesn't need any extra.
The boys and I each had our own plate of this for dinner. It was quite good, I must say. Pretty easy, really simple meal. And then I threw my dishes into the dish washer. And we started in on the cookies. 
Noah made all the red ones. And Branden made all the green ones tonight! : )
See that cookie in the lower left corner? It has the most sprinkles? Well, Noah, my 2 year old, decided he wants to put all the sprinkles on just that one cookie alone. Ha ha ha. Sure he eventually added a few to the other cookies, but he really concentrated most of his time and effort and sprinkles towards that particular cookie! However I think for him being just a little 2 year old, he did great! And heck, he tried his best!
Don't ask about this one! Ha ha ha! Do, you see how this star is errr, umm. Slightly decapitated? Noah did that, it was an accident! Good thing he didn't do that to a gingerbread man cookie huh? Ha ha ha! : )
And what did Branden think about the cookies Noah made? He thought they were fantastic! What a supportive brother! Ha ha ha! Next was B's turn and he did wonderfully, but again he's older though.
Their finished product! Beautiful and delicious cookies made by the hands of some mighty happy children! Meanwhile, we have seen the movie Home Alone twice since Wednesday. And the boys love it! They laugh hysterically every time they see it! I am so happy, we bought that! It was a good buy. Also, it has honestly felt like Christmas since the day after Thanksgiving,at our house, seems we have been having Christmas for over a month now at our house! I guess I just really love this time of year, all of us do at our house though. : ) I hope wherever you all are, you are all feeling that holiday cheer! Good night! : )
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