Christmas Suki Desu!

Watashi wa honto ni Christmas suki desu. My Oka-san decorates the whole house like crazy! Even our stair rails are wrapped up in garland. Last Christmas I was on a cruise with my Oto-san's family. It was fun at times, but mostly it was miserable. I will probably never do a cruise again.... anyways, I am super excited to be at home this Christmas! It is also my last Christmas as a single lady. Pretty crazy when I think about it to much.
I recently got back from Northern Utah where my fiance lives. In Salt Lake City down at temple square the lights are amazing! There was even a kokeshi doll Nativity scene!

I think that it would be so amazing to be able to visit Japan in the winter. I am not sure how they do Christmas there or how big of a thing it is. But in several drama's and anime's they always have a tree so I am guessing that at the very least it is a growing tradition especially with the growth of Christianity.

This is the Christmas Tree in the Joseph Smith building in SLC, Utah. It really is an amazing tree. Right behind it on the second floor is where I performed last Christmas season with the Orem Institute Choir. It really was an amazing experience.

 This Christmas tree is decorated in Japanese paper ornaments! I was so cute! I loved all the little Kimono girls and paper balls. I was so happy to see this tree at my new favorite restaurant East. I actually ate there two nights in a row haha. Was funny but a little embarassing for me. Still it was fun to speak even more Japanese. My oka-san told me today that she loves to hear me speak Japanese, but I have to translate everything that I say. Haha.

                                            MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Sushi Time!

If there is one thing that I am greatful to the Japanese for it would be Sushi. When made correctly, it is the most perfect food! It is so perfectly balanced in its many flavors. Oh man, my mouth is watering! I would have to say that my favorite rolls are the Catipiller Roll, Dragon Roll, Nantucket Roll, and all the pieces that I had in Japan. In all reality there is only so much that I can say about how much I love this Oishii treat.

This one had Tempura Lobster in it and row on top. I forgot the name of it but it was pretty good indeed.

This day was pretty dang fun. Was a girls day for sure. Tomoko, Daria, and I went to the onsen and ate sushi at this cute restaurant. It was pretty cool, because it was my first time at a conveyor belt sushi place. The other thing that was way different was that each of the plates was a certain price and the way they charge you is that when you are done you stack up your plates, and they scan the stack with a little laser gun. Each of the plates has a chip in it that is read, and tada! you know what you have to pay! Also about everyother seat had a spout next to it where you could make your own Ocha (tea)...I didn't like it much at all.

Ocha station and water spouts.

It was fun to see such different sushi rolls, and even more fun to eat them. Was also a trip to watch Daria when she tried some of the way weird Rolls.

These were are chefs. The one, whose face you can't see, was sooooo cute!!! I was to nervous to talk to him though, even when it was just to order food. Yes, you can order rolls if there is nothing you see that you want. I can not wait to relive these experinces!

Depression and Hope

I don't know why I have yet to learn that when you feel the spirit telling you to do something quick you had better do it quick. I had the feeling that I should take out my memory card from my pocket and I didn't. I consequently lost it.... it held all of my pictures from Japan.... Luckily I have a lot of pictures up on Facebook, but honestly I cried. I am trying not to panic, but there is nothing for it now. I am hoping that I saved them on my computer back home because I had to reformat my laptop where they currently had been stored....... I ask that whoever reads this prays for me haha.

I guess that I will have to go back and make even more memories eh? Haha. I hope that I will be able to make it out there again soon. I need a good does of Japan.

New Goals

I have been super busy this week with Engagement pictures and visiting with my main man, but talking about weddings also means that there is a lot of talk about life, and where we want to go together. A few things came up for me. I am a person that doesn't want to live an ordinary life in some aspects. Any time that I hear the words unrealistic it lights a nice little flame under my bum! I also had an instance where I struggled with actually pursuing my dreams, because I allowed the voice of other adults to sway me. No more I say!

Recent events that happened in Japan shook me so hard that I cried for almost a whole day. Seeing the destruction that swept through Sendai moved me and honestly scared me. Also scared me that I couldn't get a hold of my host mom for a few days. I know that we all go through days where we reflect on our mortal time on Earth. How beautiful life is. How blessed we all are, to love, to live, to experience pain, to grow, and to pass on our experiences with the next generation. Good and bad. Life is always worth living and giving. When you watch videos of volunteer trips and people giving to one another you get to witness the gratitude in another person's eyes...well I want to experience that first hand. I want to go and work hard. I want to help create smiles and moments worth living for others. I want to share what I have. So my new dream is to volunteer across seas.

Any time that there is a disaster it takes years to recover, but once the media is done show casing it people forget and go on with their lives. It's natural, but I wouldn't want people to forget me. There are still People all over that need help. Please take the time to find ways even local where you can find ways to help others that have less than you. Thanks ya'll.