Sunday, January 3, 2010

Happy New Year and Happy Anniversary!!!

Happy New Year!!!

On New Year's Eve day we got a little bit of snow. It stuck for a short period of time. Our neighbors were out playing in it, unfortunately though Ben slept through the whole thing. I think he needed a nap more than he needed to play. Hopefully we'll have a little bit more for him to play in this winter.

Happy 5th Anniversary Grant! Since we were married January 1st it is always hard to find somewhere open to celebrate. We had a babysitter and managed to find an Indian restaurant in the Ginza that was open. I can't believe we have achieved a move to Hawaii, a move to Japan, several major trips and three kids in five years!!! Here's to many more adventures together!!!

We have talked quite a bit about a banana and donut sign that you see on your way out of town. The signed has been moved a little closer to the road and I was finally able to get a halfway decent picture of it on our way to dinner. As you have probably seen in previous posts - Asia has "interesting" hotels advertised all over the place. Well if you look very closely at the donut and banana in the upper right corner you can once again see this is an "interesting" hotel advertisement.

Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu! Happy New Year! New Years is one of the most important Japanese Holidays. It is a holiday to get together with family and eat and look forward to leaving their worries and troubles of the last year behind them. They send postcards out to family and friends wishing them a happy new year and children get money. Another tradition is the bamboo arrangement in the above picture called a kadomatsu. You see them all over town and they are traditionally put out on New Year's Day.

This is another traditional decoration called Shimekezari. It is twisted straw rope with fern and an orange hanging from it.

Kadomatsu in front of Huis Ten Bosch.

We have once again started feeding the babies solids. Piper is so funny during feeding - she is soooo messy!!

Nate is just like his big brother - he opens wide and chows down!