This picture was taken the day after Christmas. It was pretty warm out and Sean suggested filling up the sandbox/pool. After thinking “you’ve got to be kidding” I went ahead and filled it up and they had a great time. We definitely have to get a pool vs a sandbox in the spring though, they are just getting to big! I couldn’t find Catie’s swimsuit, so I had to improvise. She was very upset that she had to wear a shirt and Sean didn’t.

And Christmas was a success, even is Santa didn’t bring the squirt gun that Sean wanted. Sean had only told Santa that he wanted a squirt gun on Friday, and there just wasn’t enough time for the elves to get it made. But there were more than enough presents that they enjoyed opening, and we went over to a friends house for Christmas dinner. And although Sean and Catie ended up only eating dessert, it was delicious.

And that last picture is Sean picking up Daddy’s new kettle bell. It weighs as much as he does!
For Christmas eve, we went out to the local sushi go round. It’s one of the easiest places to eat with the kids, since you don’t have to order food and wait for it (most of the time), although we do usually have to order the inari for the kids, but they make it pretty quick. Sean sticks to the egg custard (tamago) Catie will eat the egg and eel (it’s cooked with a tasty sauce on it), and both will eat the inari (sweet pockets of fried tofu stuffed with rice). I’ve even been brave enough to take them there myself twice. Once at home, the kids had dessert, got into PJ’s and then got to open one present. We’re trying to combine what family traditions we can. In the Sprout house, presents were NEVER opened before Christmas, that’s why they are called Christmas presents. But the Reagan’s have presents on Christmas Eve, so everyone got to open a present.

Okay, so it’s 84 degrees here today, not exactly snow weather, but the snow boots and bibs arrived today and the kids just had to try them on…

‘Snow stuff?’ you’re asking? Well, I am very excited that we will be going to Sapporo in February for the snow festival this year, and Aunt Rebecca did our shopping for the kids and everything fits!

http://www.welcome.city.sapporo.jp/english/snowfestival/index.html

Yes, that’s in caps because I’m shouting it, HE’S DANCING and SINGING! It’s taken a few months, but he’s finally doing it. His teacher told me quietly when I was picking him up earlier this week that he was dancing, and he told me that when the other kids were playing outside that his teacher taught him how to dance. On Thursday they had the school Christmas party. Previously he would just stand there as all kids were in line singing and dancing, and now he’s doing part of it. The standard greeting song they always do, dancing with his friend, and performing up on stage. He was great! So now I’ll just inundate you with pictures….

There was also a wonderful Santa, who spoke English and Japanese. The kids had a gift exchange and received a toy from Santa. Even Catie got a present!

I’m glad that Sean hasn’t learned to put his fingers in his nose for pictures!

Last weekend we went to the III MEF Band Christmas concert. They have a free concert on two nights. We went to the second night. Even though it was a late night for Sean and Catie, they did great and enjoyed most of the music. It helped that there were free cookies at the beginning and intermission of the concert.

We were trying to do a Christmas cards with the kids and no matter how hard we try, which always makes it worse, we have not been able to get a good clean picture of them together for a card. Looking back over the past year, there are very few pictures of them together compared to last year. So here are some pictures from our last day of trying..

Sean’s school has a family day every month and December was no exception. I am posting this way after the fact, but since there are pictures to go along and we had a good time, here it is…

We started with a lump of clay, separated it into 1/3, 2/3 turned the larger portion into the bottom and then turned the smaller portion into a long snake which we then flattened and turned into the sides of the dish. Catie kept smooshing her’s, so we’ll have to see how it comes out. I also got some pictures of the school, the great playground

and the lunch display case

that we check out each day to see what was for lunch and for snack.
Yesterday was a volunteer day at the school. We washed windows, screens and painted the the long wooden risers that line the outside of the school where you change from outdoor shoes to indoor shoes. Then we all sat outside and ate great yakisoba that the lunch ladies prepared. This Thursday there is a Christmas party at school. We have to bring a small gift for a gift exchange, and they are providing small presents for siblings. I had been worried that Catie would be left out and I asked if I could bring a gift for her, and then found out that they had already thought about it. I can’t wait until Catie is old enough to go to school there, she already loves playing there and the sensai’s are all great with her. And she already has the Sayonara touch down pat!

Jeff has been gone for two weeks now and I really feel like the kids and I are in the groove. Yeah, Sean is getting to school a few minutes later than previously, but still on time. The kids are sleeping until nearly 7 or after every morning. The bedtime routine is the same everynight. There hasn’t been too many blow ups, arguements or terrible days. I’ve accomplished alot around the house. Pictures and wall hangings that have been waiting for months have been hung. The tree is up and decorated. The kitchen has been painted and I even mixed the paint myself. Now all that is about to change again. Jeff will be home soon and I dread the next week. I really notice that the week Jeff leaves and the week he comes back are really tough on the kids because of the change between having one parent and two. The tantrums and bad behaviour just escalate. It’s great that he’s coming home, we miss him, and Catie really has a tough time missing her Daddy, but with the frequent coming and going, it seems like we’re really never in the groove for very long these days.