Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  SMS and I had an amazing day filled with food, friends and presents.  It was a little light on family unfortunately, but that happens when living in Japan where our Christmas Day is their Christmas Eve!  We did talk to SMS' family on Skype- sister, brother-in-law, Mom, Dad, Grandfather and Pam- and we will see my family in a few short days!  I'm super-excited.  Christmas was so much fun and I feel very lucky to have such a wonderful husband and life in Japan.

SMS and I had a really nice day.  We exchanged presents in the morning and I got an awesome Fuji Instamax camera.  It takes little Polaroids and is very kawaii (cute in Japanese).  It was fun b/c it was like getting a toy on Christmas, even at my age!  I opened Dad's present which said "calendar" on the customs slip.   It was an advent calendar...oops.  I wasn't sure if it was misdirection on the customs label so I kept it unwrapped.  Maybe save it for next year?  I think the chocolate is 50% plastic anyway so it might work.

Brunch Party, featuring lots of eating and our Christmas wine delivery!

  Then we went to two parties, a brunch and a dinner.  I ate a lot although I'm not sure if I was ever really hungry.  We watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at the brunch party and received a case of wine that three of my friends and I had ordered a few days prior at a wine bar in Motomachi, Yokohama.  Santa's sleigh is real!

Dinner Party at Brooke and Aaron's house

  Next, we went to a friend's house.  It's a couple and I've known Brooke since the very beginning of my time in San Diego and her husband Aaron for the last few years.  The dinner was great and we walked to a nearby park and saw a light display- the Japanese are very into "illuminations" around the Christmas holiday.  I made an awesome peanut butter frosting chocolate cake (I feel I can say this b/c it's not my recipe, I just followed someone's instructions).  The cake layers were a little soft so a small portion of it experienced a cake landslide.  Although it wasn't the prettiest, it was pretty tasty.  I know think I've gotten my sugar fill for the next week.  

Merry Christmas at the Japanese Illuminations

My favorite Reindeer