We were invited to our dear friend Hanna and her brothers’ annual Christmas party this past Saturday, and we were so excited we could make it this year! (We’ve only been able to attend once before because we were always in California until right before Christmas.) We put Mio to bed and left her with my parents in case she woke up, and got to have a fun evening celebrating the holidays with friends!
With the lovely hostess Hanna! ♥
With beautiful ladies Liz and Luice!
Love these silly girls! 🙂
Dan and I by the Christmas tree.
It was a potluck, and there was SO much amazing food! I ate so much, and it showed. haha* I should think twice before wearing a bandage skirt if I know I’m going to be stuffing my face…
Having a piece of the cherry pie that I brought!
Ladies in red! Hanna with her girlfriends.
The highlight of this annual Christmas party is always the White Elephant gift exchange! There’s always lots of laughs and interesting gifts, and this year was no exception! This year there was everything from a knockoff Snuggie to a Kindle up for grabs!
Eric opened the S’mores kit we brought! (But it was eventually stolen by Sisi.)
My turn to open a present.
A lunch sack! (Which was eventually stolen a few times, so I got a travel cosmetic bag and a neat message-growing plant in the end.)
Us with our gifts!
Dan and I with our gifts. He got Ferrero Rocher – my favorite! 😉
Handsome Cider. I remember he was so tiny when Hanna first got him 5 and a half years ago while we were in college!
Reunited with gorgeous Sisi!
I’ve missed this girl! ♥
Playing Dance Central with Sisi!
Showing off our moves! lol… I’m an awful dancer, but it was fun!
Beautiful family picture 🙂 We love the Chang family!
Catching up with my former roomie and one of my best friends! Thank you Hanna for a wonderful party. 🙂
This past weekend was our last weekend of the year on this side of the country, as we’ll be leaving to go back East in a couple days. We spent it celebrating Christmas early with friends and family here in California.
On Saturday, we went to Megumi’s in San Francisco for a holiday party for the Nakayoshi core members. Megumi was a great hostess, preparing so many treats and goodies for everyone, and her apartment was sparkling with holiday decor.
Megumi's homemade cookies - too cute to eat!
The party was potluck-style, so everyone brought a dish and everything tasted amazing. It seems like everyone in Nakayoshi (especially the ladies) has such awesome cooking and baking skills! They put me to shame… haha* After eating, we had a white elephant gift exchange (accompanied by the characteristic silly gifts and lots of laughs), gingerbread house building, and board games! 🙂
cozy dinner conversations in Megumi's living room
more people crammed into the kitchen.
With my (almost) birthday twin, Emily! Her birthday is Christmas Eve, mine is Christmas Day.
Megumi starting the white elephant gift exchange.
Me with the lovely Miss Aileen!
Dan won some Jack Daniels... but it quickly got stolen away.
Dan and Aaron were really serious and intense about the building of the gingerbread house. Very exact and diligent...
Cyril, Megumi and I. Thanks for the great party, Megumi!
For more fun photos from the party, see the Flickr set.
On Sunday, Dan and I went to San Lorenzo to his parents’ house to celebrate and early Christmas and gift exchange with the Allens. We’re really grateful that they were flexible and moved Christmas up a little so that we could celebrate with them before we fly over to my family’s to spend actual Christmas Day with them.
Miwa with Choco
Dan's parents opening gifts
Dan and I at his parents' house
We’re leaving for Virginia early morning of the 24th, so we’re currently in a packing frenzy. Hopefully the weather will be kind and we will be able to get there safely and on time, with no complications. To our friends and family on the West Coast, thank you for a wonderful time, and to those on the East Coast… here we come!
