Christmas 2007

We are back from our Christmas trip to Fremont. Here are some pictures to recap our fun time with family. Mom immediately had a Christmas rawhide card ready for Nalu. Can you read what it says?

The three sisters together at Erin's place. Notice the nice new Ikea cabinetry in the background?

Here is my lovely wife decorating some Christmas cookies. She is so good at this. She also got her wish to eat at The Country Way. Their French Toast was on our list of things to eat while in Fremont.

Merry Christmas!

The Yoshida family is gearing up for Christmas = 4 days and counting! We rejoice in celebrating the birth of our Saviour…and in the chance to get some much needed relaxation, away from busy Orange County life.

Nalu is ready to go as well, as you can see here in this picture. The scarf and collar have bells. It’s adorable! I love it! Plus I can hear him now around the house, sneaking into areas he shouldn’t be in, letting us know where he is at all times…but he sure gave me the evil eye when I dressed him up in his Santa outfit. Oh and I didn’t even put the elastic “ruffs” with bells on them, on each of his 4 paws, yet…but don’t you worry, they will make their appearance, and I can only guess how thrilled Nalu and Landon will be with that.

Work is busy. I can hardly believe it is almost 2008. So here’s to a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2008. Wishing you all the very best this holiday season.

Aloha!-‘da Yosh fam

Hello Everybody!

First of all, did you see the picture of my gorgeous wife? We should have more company Christmas parties to go to!

I am back after a hiatus from blogspot. I have a good excuse. I have been yelping! Check it out. I have been racing with my friend Henry (aka Krispy Kreme) for food review supremacy. Y'all remember Henry right? He's made an appearance on this blog once before.

Here is a link to my Yelp.com reviews.
http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=hSvOzd80ylR6tm5vdJagyA
Read Henry's too. I must say that his are much more entertaining than mine. You'll see...
http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=PGvqumnMVo-WcDM4Nqztlg

Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the Christmas season.

Blessings, Landon

Whew…what a weekend!

The holiday party was fantastic! I posted some pics here for you all to see. I got Landon on the dance floor for 10 whole minutes! One for the record books!

On Sunday, a friend and I hit up Knott’s Berry Farm. I hadn’t been there since high school, and it sure has changed. It was a nice day to be there. The weather was great and it was Toys for Tots day so, with the purchase of a toy valued $10 or more, one gains free entry to the park. Yay Marines!

I love roller coasters. I always have. Landon’s not such a fan, so I usually don’t get to ride them but this time, I took full advantage of the fact that my friend is all for roller coasters. We did get to ride a few there, but one in particular was the highlight of the day. It’s called the X-celerator and let me tell you, I feared for my life, for just a few seconds of that ride. I went and looked up the specs on the internet: I had to know. So it goes from 0 to 82 mph in 2.3 seconds. And that’s how the ride starts. Right from the get-go you are essentially catapulted forward up 20 stories, only to fall straight down those same 20 stories. In all the ride was 23 seconds long, but it was for sure the most exciting 23 seconds I’ve experienced in a long time. I put a picture here so you all can see just how tall that first loop is.

We also got to see Snoopy on Ice…loved it. I'm a kid a heart, what can I say? Those ice skaters in that show are GREAT! All I can say is WOW.

That was enough roller-coaster riding to last me a while. I was so exhausted from the day trip that I fell asleep at 8pm, a rare event for me. Hope you all had a great weekend…

Aloha
-miko

The holiday season...

So, I have this nifty “countdown to Christmas” Santa that someone gave me a few years back. Today it showed that there are only 18 days until Christmas. WOW. I feel like it was just Halloween and I was hoping Nalu wouldn’t tear his hot dog costume apart until I’d had the chance to show him off.

I actually did most of my shopping online this year. It’s worked pretty well, considering that I only have 2 more gifts to buy. We will be making the trip to see my parents via car, so that will give me plenty of room to fit all of the family presents, our luggage, and Nalu.

I love Christmas. Of course, it is the birth of our Savior, and that is the ultimate reason to celebrate, but I love seeing houses lit up with twinkling lights, decorating our own house, hearing Christmas music, receiving Christmas photos and letters, buying gifts for those I love, and of course, holiday parties! Tomorrow is my company’s big annual party. I am very excited. Those of you who know me, know I rarely get dressed up, rarely wear my hair in anything other than a ponytail, and am not one for fancy schmancy gatherings…so I bet it will be a complete shock to Landon to see me break out the good makeup and the flat iron. The company springs for a full bar, a mini-casino, and an extravagant raffle complete with prizes such as plasma TVs and around-the-world trip vouchers. Personally, I’m pulling for the free voucher for the day spa. Let’s just say, it’s one fun event, and we are looking forward to it.

I WILL send out my Christmas cards this weekend. I ordered them early to get a head start on the season and they’ve just been sitting on my counter. Be on the lookout for yours. =0)

Aloha
-miko

Life...the good, and the bad...

It has been a difficult weekend for the Yoshida family. I can hardly believe it already is Sunday night, almost Monday morning…when most people return back to work, and to what most know as everyday life…

We attended a memorial service for my dear friend Tina and her husband Jason, whose son Ari was delivered stillborn a week ago. The turnout was amazing…a true testament to the love and support they have in their lives…especially when they are going through what must be the most difficult experience ever. Their pastor shared some words and read from the Bible, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

On the same day we attended a going-away party for friends leaving for Shanghai, and also a retirement party for a friend. Both filled with happy moments, and some tears, but happy tears. Much different that the tears we had seen at Tina and Jason’s house.

Though we ourselves had not experienced such a loss, or are leaving for China, or are retiring, when we do celebrate or grieve with those we love, it is as though we are experiencing the event, the loss, the moment, ourselves. We feel what they feel, good or bad. Perhaps that is why it’s been such a tough weekend. From the experience of such joy in achieving a milestone such as retirement…to experiencing devastating loss, of a newborn child....the highs and the lows....the extremes of emotions...hard to go through all in a short period of time...

As I thought about what it would be like to experience something like Tina and Jason’s loss, I find it hard to imagine how in the world anyone could endure this kind of heartbreak without knowing Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, how could anyone make sense of a loss like this? Thinking bigger picture, how could we go through anything in life without Jesus? I can only pray God will comfort their entire family at this time, and that we, as those that love them, can continue to support them in all ways possible…for truly God will see them through this, and his joy and love will shine through, in the end. I do believe that.

-miko