prezzies from J-pan...!

yes, my parents have returned form their trip to Japan and they brought back some goodies♥

since they took the train everywhere and checking in bags and carry ons are now strict and expensive, they couldn't bring back a whole lot of stuff.

check it out!

personalized chopsticks! this is so great!

she got one for my family: james, me and Kai.

(notice that they all have owls on them! apparently owls are really popular in Japan right now too)

Candy!!! there can never be enough candy for Ivy!!

seriously, i think i already ate about half of these...

this is cute, it's a Kokeshi nail-care set.

cute cute cute ♥

and lots of good food.

this was nostalgic:  

it's a sweet rice mochi snack. it's so yummy...

it comes pre-packed like this. comes with a wooden utensil too.

comes with a sweet sauce.

(i don't use the sauce since the mochi is already sweet.)

see! it's so cute!! even their tiny snacks are cute♥

and these were some gifts for baby Kai.

i wrote a short explanation of these on my other baby blog.

check it out if you'd like.

now i can't wait to go back to Japan with James and baby Kai.

the food, the toys, and omg...tokyo disneyland and disneysea. 

CAN'T . WAIT . 

oregon stuff...!

look what i got!! gifts from alon!
she was on a 1 week vacay cruising down the coast of oregon and north cali
i got stickers, sippy cup for baby AND no..that's not a bag of weed.
it's preggie tea! and it smells so good~ mmmm
thanks alon! ♥

xmas 2010..♥

*wow ladies and gentlemen...this is a super old photo of jamus.. circa 2002 ish?*

got so many awesome things this xmas♥♥
(the best one being my Jamus!)

super awesome! i got リラックマ＆小リラックマdolls/storage cases!
(it's creepy but their heads come off! and you can store stuff in it!)
i'm thinking of using them for my sewing supplies♥

ummm..a dwight bobblehead! i was definitely gonna be getting one at some point!
(we're currently in the middle of 'the office' marathon. we're on season3 right now)

i didn't bother taking a photo of EVERY gift i got, but i got great stuff♥
art books, movies, posters, clothes, new earphones, etc.
Jamus even donated $150.00 to 'benefit autism education' in my name! that was really cool of him

おかあちゃんからはDHCのセット！
これはすごく助かりました！DHCはかなり高めの商品なので、自分ではなかなか買えないけど、クリスマスに貰ってすごくうれしい★
お肌ツルツル！

おっ！部屋に飾れるキャンバス・アート！
最近フクロウにハマッてるのでMY部屋にピッたし！
みんなありがとう！

gift exchange...☆！

so alon likes gnomes♥
(i looked up her wishlist she sent out at work)
hee hee they're cute! they remind me of the movie "Amelie"
so i went out looking for gnomey stuff but i thought this was the best.
it's the ATTACK of the gnomes!
this book does not cutesify them--instead it talks about how you should protect yourself from gnomes attacking your home and garden!! but in a way, that's what makes this book so cute♥
hahahah i found it at the bookstore and HAD to get it for alon--quirky goodness

alon made me an earring pin-up board and 2 earrings♥
it's funny--when i hung out at her place i noticed in the bathroom how she pinned earrings on a cork board and i thought "what a neat idea!"
it's been on my mind for some time but i never tried it out
my earrings are still stashed in a wall pocket thingy...and they get tangled all the time :'(

voila!!
now i have my earrings paired up~!
she used a super antique art frame (circa 1970)
the date is still on the back so that's kinda cool!
this might be the oldest item i have in my new aparment♥

merry holidays ya'll....♥

awesome! erika totally got me the maru the cat book!

i'm hooked on maru♥

he's a quirky cat...and all i can say is check out his

youtube videos (that's how he got famous)

500 days of summer..bluray dvd...

joseph gordon-levitt omg!♥♥

so awesome

xmas dinner was interesting...

the gramps loves southern meaty food...so they baked in pot roast...

okapan made her tokugi no sashimi--ika style

we also had some crab legs...mmm! and matsumaezuke!!

little bit o this and that...buy yummy♥

gifts from the jamus♥

i got my top 2 movies on my "must have on blu-ray" list

a ds puzzle game! YESSSS

make up (ooo who knew he had the guts to purchase any?)

totoro art book! <--love this one!

probably the largest gift i'd ever wrapped o(^-^)o

this was for jamus and yes...it's a body pillow!

i'll probably be using it more than him...a gift for both of us!

other things he got: watchmen bluray...ps3 game...

o! and i think he really enjoyed the sf4 calendar!

yessss success!

single malt whisky -15 years- for the pops!

a little ivy drawing

kiki will be spending the rest of the year at the parents...

okaachan is on vacay til new years so it'll be fun for her too♥

so among many gifts, here were some notable moments:

electric toothbrush for the smith girls...awesome!

wii fit for okaachan...awesome!!

ipod nano, green, with video camera for okaachan... super awesome!!

2 bottles of whisky for the pops...he's stoked!!

a framed photo of the grandparents house they lived in for 34yrs...a very teary moment!

cute pj's for the girls...always awesome!!

the new michael crichton book for erika...bookworm awesomeness!!

and i will be framing one of erika's PJ posters as a gift...totally worth it!!

and now we say goodbye to xmas 2009...

365 more days til christmas ya'll!!

**o and did i mention all coffee shops were closed

on christmas?!? i didn't get my caffeine fix...argh!**

a pre xmas gift...!

i got a box o chocolates!

GODIVA chocolates, that is!

no, GODIVA TRUFFLES that is!

mmmmmm heaven♥

here's to jamus!

our 2 BEST photos eva!

he likes it:) YAY!

secret santa revealed...!

my secret santa was Xine♥ my 先輩！
check out my new sock monKEYS
i've always wanted one of these key covers...they're everywhere!
you can never go wrong with sock monkey chan

a to do tattoo♥
funny because she always makes fun of me for writing to do lists on my hand
hahahaha!!! i didn't even know this existed! awesome, i'll have to try it !

and finally, $20 on a starbucks card! wow! xine totally spoiled me...♥♥

up up and away!

lookie!

i got the newly released pixar film "UP" on blu ray♥

this came out last summer and i loved it !

(check my older post for the review..if you like^_^)

also i got a gift card for macy's!!! AWESOME!!!!

thanks jamus♥ you rock!

we were also planning to go to Diamond Knot for dinner but...it was pretty late and we know that place gets crowded on weekends... they're kinda small too so very limited space..

ugh..they need to get a bigger space!

birthday deliciousness...♥

tonight Erika-chan treated me with sushi!

so many delicious choices to choose from....

ikura-toro-salmon-seared salmon-hotate....♥♥

THANK YOU erika :)

amazing sister isn't she? *happy tears*

over at work, nicole (the cupcake queen) made me delicious chocolatey brownies !

these are to die for!

she asked what i liked and i said "just anything chocolate"

well...she totally did it! i was in chocolate heaven♥

*happy drools*

and finally, jon jon got me a bottle of Rangpur Tanqueray (with tonic) for my bday!

everyone at work wanted a drink! hahahaha

i've never had the Rangpur kind so i'm excited to try it♥

*happy drunk*

THANK YOU everyone ! awesome gifts this year!

o and did i mention my old co-workers in California sent me a birthday message this morning?

i was asleep so they left it in voicemail.. my old department called me up and sang me happy birthday.... this really made me want to cry! i miss them...

*happy bawling tears*