Mio

Post-Thanksgiving Fun

November 28, 2012 By Misono in Family and Friends, Foodie Love, Local Gems Tags: Aiko, Akiho, Anthony, Black Friday, Borge Street Park, Centreville, Clara, holiday, Honey Pig, Joelle, Liz, Mio, Oakton, playdate, post-Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, weekend

Instead of hitting the malls and going shopping on Black Friday, we spent the day meeting up with friends who were in the area! It was food-and-fun-filled holiday weekend — this is what the holidays are all about! 😀

Lunch date with Akiho at Sushi Yoshi. She has just finished her PhD and is now a licensed psychologist!

It was great seeing Aiko and Anthony! — We met up with Aiko, my friend of 25 years, and her husband Anthony. They were visiting from Boston and got to meet Mio for the first time.

Aiko and Mio — Hanging out at the park. I’ve known Aiko since we were 5 – I can’t believe how much time has passed since then!

Honey Pig! — Later in the evening, we went to Honey Pig in Centreville to celebrate Liz’s birthday!

Luice and Jeremy at Honey Pig — It was our first time seeing newlyweds Luice and Jeremy since they tied the knot in August. They’re the cutest couple!

Playdate with Joelle and Clara — On Saturday, Mio had a playdate with Joelle and Clara. Here are the cuties together!

And I shall conclude with our adorable burrito Mio!

Thanksgiving in Virginia

November 23, 2012 By Misono in Family and Friends, Foodie Love, Seasonal Celebrations Tags: family, Mio, Thanksgiving, Virginia

This was our second Thanksgiving as a family, and the first time in six years that I got to spend it with my family in Virginia. It was all the more enjoyable because I’d missed celebrating with my family so much!

Thanksgiving family photo — First Thanksgiving in Virginia for our family!

Mio pointing at the turkey. She was excited about the “big bird.”

Already getting a head start on dinner... — Already getting a head start on dinner…

With Auntie Miwa! — Pretty girls! Mio with Auntie Miwa.

Excited about dinner! — Mio and Mama, both excited about Thanksgiving dinner!

My brother Ted jumping into the picture.

Can't wait to dig in! — Can’t wait to dig in! We all worked together to make such an amazing meal!

Dan is a pro at carving the turkey. — Dan is a pro at carving the turkey!

Dan made delicious skin-on mashed potatoes! — Dan made the most delicious skin-on mashed potatoes!

Running around the kitchen. — Getting piggy-backed by Uncle Ted, running around the house!

After stuffing ourselves like the turkey that we ate, we spent the rest of the evening playing board games and spending quality time together with the whole family! 🙂

Stacking blocks. — AMio and I stacking blocks together.

Mio was so cautious... — Mio was so cautious…

She did such a great job stacking them high!

Clapping about the blocks she's built. — Clapping at herself for doing a great job building her block tower. 🙂

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, full of laughter and love shared with family and friends! I love this time of year! 🙂

National Harbor

November 21, 2012 By Misono in Family and Friends, Local Gems Tags: Dad, Maryland, Mio, Miwa, National Harbor

My father, sister, and I took a trip out to National Harbor on Wednesday and we had lunch together and strolled around the harbor and stores. The weather was beautiful!

The Awakening statue at National Harbor — There is a sculpture at National Harbor called “The Awakening,” of a 70-foot (21 m) statue of a giant embedded in the earth, struggling to free himself. It’s a little unnerving to look at.

Fearless. — Fearlessly climbing into the giant’s mouth.

We are loving being near our family and getting to spend so much time together during this holiday season! 🙂

Meadow Lane Park

November 20, 2012 By Misono in Family and Friends, Local Gems, Mio Tags: Meadow Lane Park, Mio, Miwa, Mom, Vienna, Virginia

On Tuesday, the girls in the family went on an outing to Meadow Lane Park in Vienna! Mio loves this park because there are so many fun things to ride and play with. It was extra fun for her that day because her Auntie Miwa and Obaachan (grandmother) came along!

Posing with Auntie Miwa in the car, on the way to the park.

Mio is so happy to be on the swing! — The swing is always one of Mio’s favorites.

On the slide with Obaachan. — Getting some help from Obaachan on the slide.

It's definitely autumn at Meadow Lane Park — It’s definitely autumn here!

Cowgirl Mio — Mio was so excited about the rocking horse!

Stylin' in her jean jacket. — This was Mio’s first time on this spinning ride.

Mio was having so much fun at the park that we knew it was going to be an ordeal to wrench her away when it was eventually time for her to go home. Sure enough…

This is what they call "the ugly cry." — If there was ever something called the “ugly cry,” this would be it.

Sweetheart. — But then, she quickly forgot about why she was so upset and started posing for the camera.

Now you're just being silly... — Now you’re just being silly…

Thank you Obaachan and Auntie Miwa for coming along with us to the park! 😀

é¢¨ã®å: Child of the Wind

November 16, 2012 By Misono in Mio Tags: afternoon, autumn, backyard, fall, foliage, leaves, Mio

It’s been getting pretty chilly lately that I find myself dragging my feet to go outdoors, but Mio doesn’t seem to mind the cold temperatures and enjoys every chance to get out! There’s a Japanese saying, ã€Œåä¾›ã¯é¢¨ã®åã€(kodomo wa kaze no ko) which literally translates to “Children are children of the wind.” It means that kids are openâ€air creatures, and that they are happy to be outdoors regardless of what the weather is like. Mio is definitely a living example!

Below are some pictures I snapped the other day on a brisk autumn afternoon in the backyard…