April!

What a busy month! Nate came home, we had many fun times with the girls and their friends, we celebrated Easter, built a castle in the backyard, bought a car...the list goes on. Here are a few (ha!) photos in completely random order--as I still cannot manipulate the blogger photo system.

Emiko, with our great friend Abby, at an Easter Egg hunt at Rachel's home. Below that, Mayumi's and her best friend Juliette.

Mayumi and Aiden, hunting for eggs.

My two beautiful girls--I can't help taking pictures of them at the most random of times.

Emi has taken after her sister in wanting to wipe off all wet/dirty surfaces. She took the towel from the kitchen and wiped off the bike seat on her own initiative.

Mayumi LOVES babies. Loves them. Here she is, 'nuggling' my friend Nicolina's daughter, Baby Mary.

Once again, with cute Abby at her home. Her family (the Wilsons) spent nearly every Monday evening with me when Nate was gone. I love these guys.

Mayumi's betrothed, Wyatt. Can you believe this photo? We did not set this up--this is exactly how she looked on the back of his battery-powered bike.

The kids table (General Conference brunch). Apparently Emi wasn't old enough to merit her own plate....

Mayumi's darling friend Juliette invited us to her 3rd birthday party. None of us thought in advance how hard it might be for Yumi to watch a peer receive a bunch of presents...and not receive any of her own. I was proud of both girls and how they handled it. Here is Mayumi, trying hard to be brave and share in her friend's joy in receiving a princess outfit.

These girls really do love each other.

Same pair, different day--enjoying a dress-up trade. Mayumi is wearing the above-mentioned princess outfit and Juliette is wearing Mayumi's fairy costume. Happy as can be.

Mayumi, Wyatt, and future sister-in-law Bekah.

I have cute nieces and nephews!

So, Nate came home! Yay! We enjoyed a get-away to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

Reunion with the girls.

The new car!

The 'castle' (as Yumi calls it) that Nate built (from his own design) in our backyard. Amazing, isn't it??

My friend Stephanie (the seamstress that coached me through the quilt and quiet book adventures) is ALSO an amazing dance teacher and owner of her own studio. Mayumi is own of her students and these are a few photos I took on 'parent appreciation day.'

Westward Ho!

We took a fabulous trip to New Mexico (to visit Nate's family), Arizona (to visit my sister Lindsay), and Utah (to visit my sister Monique). Here are a few photos from this fabulous trip. Those who scroll to the bottom will be 'rewarded' with a little video clip. Note: most of these fabulous photos were taken by my sister Lindsay and my father-in-law Karl--both of them amazing photographers.

Emi, busy at Lindsay's house. Homemade lemonade, not from concentrate. Fresh squeezed, straight from trees...it's really really great. Yumi with her 'mimi' (Nate's mother), sliding down the sand at White Sands, NM. Mayumi at a bouncing place in New Mexico. Emi the Good! Emi with her papa Karl.

My new darling nephew Niels.

Mayumi wrestling with her papa Karl.

Emi impressed with her uncle Nolan and his trumpet.

Yumi with her great-grandma Gloria.

Emi and her Mimi.

Cousins!

Yumi and her great-grandma Tonie.

At the Alamogordo Train.

To Dada, with love

This video clip was made for Nate, just so he could see a slice of his daughter's life while he is away. Any other viewers might question why I posted it, but Nate will understand. All of you, however, will hopefully understand the cuteness behind this photo of my bedroom as I found it one day after leaving Mayumi playing unattended therein. From left to right: Barbie and Teddy.

Emi uses a spoon

Warning: this clip violates my 'no-pictures-of-children-with-food-on-face' policy.

Emi the Sad

Cuteness (and water) Strikes Again

I think these pictures speak for themselves, so I won't say much. Only that we've just experienced Flood Number Three (the water heater decided to leak last night, dumping who knows how many gallons of water into our downstairs basement). What ELSE can possibly leak and require us to replace our basement carpet/padding? This is the THIRD TIME. :-) But on a happier note...look at these cute girls:

A Holly Jolly Christmas

Christmas 2010--loads of fun!

Here--fondue and a "Little People" nativity with our great friends The Lisles' (Brittany, Mark, Juliette, and Baby Vienna). The tutu that I made for Mayumi:

Mayumi opening said tutu:

Both girls, enjoying some of their gifts: