Hanukkah 2010

Here are Tony and Maiya making a homemade candle after reading the Hanukkah book "One Candle."  The book is about the story of two sisters who made their own secret Hanukkah candle out of potato, butter and twisted threads while WW2 prisoners.  They then make the candle and share the story with their grandchildren every year at Hanukkah.

Opening Hanukkah presents from Bubbe Fran and Zeyde Don from Idaho.

Holiday Crazies

Happy New Year 2009. We managed to light Hanukkah candles on the 1st, 3rd and 8th night, and made do with only 12 candles. Christmas came and went without me ever stepping foot in a mall, but going to J-town twice and Target once. We've been consumed with escrow, trying to get our house rented, figuring out renovations for old and new houses, taking care of Tony's dad, and waiting to close escrow so we can start moving. Mike came over yesterday and put in new bathroom medicine cabinet for New Year's Eve, and tomorrow we're painting Maiya's room, and the den, which is miraculously, completely emptied out.

My parents took Maiya to our family Oshogatsu today, and Tony and I spent our New Year's Day at Ikea, Home Depot and Lowe's, all of which were terrific shopping days in terms of no crowds. Here are a few pictures to share.

First night of Hanukkah with DaddyMaiya's Oseibo (End of Year) performance for preschool
(she's in the back in royal blue)Maiya with friends (Ba-Narnia the lion is her new favorite)

First shoes with shoelaces from mommy & daddy

Mommy & Maiya on Christmas morning.

Ok, got to get back to the business of clearing out Maiya's room. Happy New Year.