As many of you know, we haven’t gone a year without building and decorating a gingerbread house (see exhibits here, here, here, and here, and we weren’t about to skip it this year. We found something a little different this time, though – a gingerbread turkey kit from Trader Joe’s! We thought it was a fun departure from the usual house, and it also gave us an excuse to exercise our decorating skills a little early, around Thanksgiving time instead of Christmas!
Mio examining the parts of the gingerbread turkey Mirei watches with interest… Piping the icing onto the base…
Mirei decorating the gingerbread turkey It was Mirei’s first year actively participating! Mio piping more icing on.
Gingerbread turkey complete!
Mio couldn’t wait to take a bite! Mirei joined in, too… lol The turkey did not survive long!
Thanksgiving is much anticipated in our household, and this year Dan took the reigns and handled most of the cooking, while I helped out here and there as sous chef. My mom didn’t have to lift a finger, and we got a delicious Thanksgiving dinner on the table for all to enjoy!
Our Thanksgiving dinner! And this doesn’t even include dessert…
The amazing spread
Mirei’s first Thanksgiving
Mio with Auntie Miwa on Thanksgiving
Mio with Daddy on Thanksgiving
post-Thanksgiving dinner selfies with Mio
I’m so thankful that these girls are healthy. That as a family, we laugh often. That despite all the ways I stumble along, they make me feel like I matter. That my husband is gentle, loving, and patient. That we have friends to love, who also care about us. That we have food on the table and a safe place to fall asleep each night. It makes me wonder how I’m worthy of so much. I still don’t have the answer, but oh, my heart could burst with gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Our family had a very delicious and relaxing Thanksgiving weekend! Here are some pictures from the past few days…
Our little cutie on Thanksgiving, with the painting she made at preschool.
We brined the turkey this year! 21 lbs of moist deliciousness!
Complete with sides, many of which the hubby prepared…
Great job Dan and Mio on the pumpkin pie!
So much to be thankful for…
…especially these two. They are my world!
Mio and I, stuffed after Thanksgiving dinner.
The day after Thanksgiving brought a lot more hustle and bustle to the house. My brother Ted and Elisa had spent Thanksgiving Day in New Jersey, but came to join us for dinner on Friday, as well as Dan’s sister who visited us from New York.
The Yokoyama day-after-Thanksgiving dinner. Gotta have our sashimi fix!
Spending the weekend with Hyo. It was so nice having her visit! Chicken masala pasty from The Pure Pasty for lunch on Sunday. Delicious!
“All aboard!” Mio playing at the red caboose train that I used to play at as a child in Old Town Vienna.
Some more photos of our little cutie…Â When I put her hair in a milkmaid braid, she pulled on my bathrobe and called herself “Queen Mio.” 😛
Mio can’t contain her excitement about Thanksgiving turkey this year! She’s been making turkey crafts and paintings all month long at preschool, and she always shows me when I pick her up by exclaiming “gobble gobble!”
She got to see the turkey yesterday while I was preparing to brine the turkey, and she got so excited! Watch below for an adorable video full of “Turkey! Gobble gobble!” (She called the brine “soup.”)
She was also in for a treat with preparing pumpkin pies with Daddy later that night!
Pouring the condensed milk in.
Mixing the egg into the batter.
Mio was very interested in every step.
She loved participating!
Mio loved being a part of Thanksgiving preparation!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! We’re so grateful to be blessed with such a sweet, beautiful, and healthy little girl, and of course another one on the way. 🙂 We’re also thankful for all of our loved ones, near and far!
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! 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. Hanging out at the park. I’ve known Aiko since we were 5 – I can’t believe how much time has passed since then! Later in the evening, we went to Honey Pig in Centreville to celebrate Liz’s birthday! With the birthday girl! It was our first time seeing newlyweds Luice and Jeremy since they tied the knot in August. They’re the cutest couple! Dan and Mio chowing down So much good food! On Saturday, Mio had a playdate with Joelle and Clara. Here are the cuties together!
And I shall conclude with our adorable burrito Mio!
