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Thank you for journeying with us. It has been a great three years with this blog!

We invite you yet again to make a chocolatey journey with us in our new site – atsushiandmarjorie.com

Happy (little) feet: Yui’s first Mother’s Day gift

Her teachers made it. Nevertheless, it’s still heartwarming. Her mark is on it, after all.

Tugs at the heartstrings alright. Makes my eyes water thinking the owner of this little feet is my daughter. And the words, though very simple and written by the teachers, touched me deep.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY fellow moms!! 🙂

———-
a translation on the note written

Mommy,
I love you.
Thank you.
Yui

daycare preps

Towels, gauzes, drawstring bags for Yui’s shoes and pajama set. And other stuff besides. I’ll be putting Yui’s name on these before handing it over to Yui’s nurse sensei.

It’s almost unbelievable that it’s actually already almost three decades when my own mother also put my name on my stuff for my first day in kindergarten. I remember being very proud seeing my name on my place mat and sleeping mat; could still remember the proud sense of ownership seeing my name on my stuff and that my classmates could see it too.

And now it’s my baby girl’s turn. She’s still very young though to feel the excitement for herself. But soon baby, you’ll get to understand and get excited too. For now, Mommy will try to document as much as she can.

the baby’s first hanami (cherry blossoms viewing)

A spring-y outfit for…

…Yui’s first hanami!

This variant blooms days earlier than the white variant so they’re in full bloom earlier this week whilst the white ones will be in full bloom this weekend or early next week.

With the Sakura frenzy, everything now is sakura-inspired. From food products to wines, to toiletries to home cleaning agents. And we try everything too, not only for the novelty of it but because it tastes good (food and wine). Our favourite so far is sakura yogurt.

And look there’s sakura udon too!

The taste? Very very slight sakura taste discerned only by an udon lover.

Japan Spring, you’re so lovely it’s such a waste to while the day inside the house!

Yui’s first Hinamatsuri

Yui’s first (beautiful) Hina ningyo set, courtesy of her Obaachan! 🙂

The Emperor and Empress and the Sannin Kanjo (three court ladies) up close.

With the celebrant! Happy first Hinamatsuri Yui! 🙂 Everyone is so beautifully round-faced. hehe!

I especially love the sakura designed black lacquer screen and box/stand of this Mataro collectible. .

Setting up was very interesting and enjoyable what with the little parts of the set. We also have to read a bit to know what goes where and to make sure we had the pieces positioned just where they should be (I was particularly proud that I positioned the cherry tree and mandarin orange tree at their right positions without reading first. Teehee). We had to wear gloves while setting it up to avoid leaving marks on the beautiful lacquer.

Much as I want to keep this beautiful Mataro collectible. on display for most of the year, we have to keep with the tradition and store it before March 4 ends. We of course want to wish Yui a family of her own in the far future hence we abide with tradition.

Thankfully, her Obaachan thoughtfully chose a set that comes with a box with which we can store the dolls after the festival and set it aside for next year.

It came with a brush set as well.

I bought these for storing the dolls as well.

Ja, time to store the dolls now!

what Valentines is in Japan

My 71 year old sensei was quite surprised when we told her that in the Philippines, and the rest of the world for that matter, it is the men who make the effort on Valentine’s Day. Said she wants to experience that kind of Valentine’s. My sis in law was quite surprised too and asked if the reason for the reverse is religion – to which I said no. Because yes, in Japan, it’s the women who make the effort during V-day; thinking of creative ways to show their affection to the men of their lives. Chocolate displays on the malls are quite a treat to the eyes as well!

Hubs and I have been teasing each other on who will give to whom during vday this year and he told me teasingly that “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. I actually planned to go out on Feb 14, to buy Hubs a gift plant (he has a green thumb) and chocolates just like the previous years. But Yui had colds for a couple of days (dear Ward office, please install humidifier and air purifier on the children’s/babies’ floor) and I myself had caught her colds today so no outing for us for the last couple of days. I had to say sorry to Hubs.

When he came home however, I was pleasantly surprised.

Since I have colds, he bought vitamin C as well.

A. Thank you for the love, the happiness and kindness. Love you.

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I was showing Moirraine the bouquet and was telling her that “this was given by Daddy”. At the mention of daddy, she turned her head and looked at her dad as if confirming. Could it be she already understands?

She finally did rollover

This post is for Feb 1.

Was about to pick up Moirraine since she was starting to fuss after a few minutes on her tummy.

Thankfully, I delayed for a minute. She finally rolled over after a couple of weeks of teetering and almost rolling over. 🙂

Manno Koen

The whole park, illumined. Sugoi. Took 500,000 lights. Sugoi.

Happy New Year! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

Here’s to a great year ahead! Thank you Lord, for the blessings that we are about to receive. So excited for them! 🙂

—–
Akemashite Omedetou gozaimasu is the Japanese greeting for when the new year has finally unfolded.

Thankful, mindful, purposeful. Yoi Otoshi Wo!

And so we’re down to the last day of the year; now just hours away from heralding a new year in, again with Hubs’ family whom I’d always be thankful for, for being always kind to me. It has been a BIG year for us in so many ways. Yes, 2012 is an unforgettable year in so many ways.

This year brought us a Big blessing from above. First month of the year we learned that I was with child (well honestly, first week of the year and first week of my pregnancy I already knew that I was expecting). Quite a very exciting way to start the year, right? And so because of how nature does things, within the year, we were already able to hold our big (very pretty) blessing in our arms and had her blessed by the Church as well.

In which within the year I finally knew how it feels to be a mother. The love, the joy, the worries, the tenderness I feel for my daughter is almost indescribable. We couldn’t be thankful enough to have had this blessing. As the new year buds, we are filled with much happy excitement as we look forward to seeing her grow and reaching milestones by the day.

The year brought me new friendships as well. Some can be said highly unlikely had circumstances been different. But it weren’t and I am so glad and thankful for the gift of friendship. Here’s a cheer to deeper and stronger friendships this coming new year!

And there’s work of course; in which I have reached some personal milestones. 🙂 🙂

Late this year however brought us Big sadness as well. My admirable paternal grandmother Lola Basing left us back in November and a dear selfless friend, Joms, silently and unexpectedly left us just days ago. Till now, I’m still unbelieving with their passing away; that somehow, part of me still thinks I’d get to see them the next time we visit Philippines or Singapore/Houston for Joms’ case. Their passing had left a chip in my heart that can never be filled again. But we have to learn to accept that their time has come and I do believe that their last wishes had been granted and that they’re happy in heaven now.

But still quite a very sad yearender, yes. So when we had flurries of snow earlier whilst the sun was setting, with it’s glorious orange glow, somehow, it comforted me and made me smile and made me even more hopeful for the new year ahead.
We have things planned at the start of the year and I couldn’t wait to get started on it. We’re looking forward to more happy firsts with Moirraine. Indeed, many happy moments/things to look forward to, with God’s grace. We may be heralding the new year in with a grieving heart but still, we have to remind ourselves of happy things and blessings to look forward to.

Yoi Otoshi Wo!

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Yoi Otoshi Wo is what the Japanese say when wishing one another a happy new year before the new year has unfolded.

The toshikoshi soba in above photo is the Japanese traditional yearender meal.