Crafty Valentines

Sometimes I feel like crying when I have to do something hard. Like make 20 valentines for everyone in my class. Mommy helped me out for this. I picked out pretty pictures on the computer. I picked out the type of letters to use in the writing. She printed a bunch of them out on paper and cut them out. Then I decorated them with homemade heart stickers that Mommy cut out. I wrote all the names on the happy green origami envelopes (also made by Mommy--she's crazy). I put more stickers on the envelopes. Then I put all the cards in the envelopes. Now they are ready to pass out at school tomorrow!

Countdown

Only 5 more days until Valentines!
And only 6 more days until Bean and Cheese burrito day for school lunch!

Halloween

Do you know what my most favorite part about Halloween is? I'll give you some hints.
It's not the candy.
It's not that dressing up.
It's not staying up late running around outside.

It's the pumpkin seeds! I love them. They are yummy with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Happy Father's Day!

I love you! I'm so happy you're my daddy.

Tomorrow is my last day...

...of first grade! I learned a lot. I read lots of chapter books now.


I know what 5 times 7 is. I know that germs on my hands can grow into many more germs in a Petri dish in one week.

I did so many fun things this school year.

Halloween school parade:


We built (and ate) Gingerbread houses:


I saw Chinese New Year lions dance at our school:


We had a Valentine's Day party!


A nice man from the Opera visited the class and helped us put on a show.



We learned about many countries for United Nations Day. It was actually two days! Our classroom was Ethiopia. They grow coffee there. Mommy and Daddy should visit Ethiopia since they love coffee so much.


Last week we had our Junior Olympics! I like the obstacle course. It's tricky!


On Tuesday my class spent the night at the Marin Headlands. We are the only first graders in the school to go on an overnight trip. Without parents! We hiked, learned new songs, and stayed up real late. I became a member of the Hard Core club. That's where you eat an entire apple -- including the core! There's a special way to do it. I can teach you if you ask nicely and bring me an apple.

And tomorrow we're going to have a party with the other first graders and kindergartners. And then after school the Taco Truck is going to come! And then after that I get to go get ice cream. With two scoops!

I had so much fun in first grade. I wonder if second grade will be just as fun. But I can wait. Because I want it to be summer vacation!

Valentine's Day

Sunday was Valentine's Day. I woke up to see a hanging paper heart with a lucky penny dangling down from the ceiling. Daddy made it for me. I love him.



Then I opened up a heart pop-up card that Mommy made me. I told her to make me a Valentine a few days before. Because I didn't know if she knew I wanted one.

Mommy made one of my favorite breakfastses. It's an apple pancake pie thing. So yummy! I set up my room for an indoor picnic. We only eat meals in my room on special days. Like my birthday. I made name cards so Mommy and Daddy would know where to sit.

Then we went on a hike with some of my school friends. We had lots of fun. The grownups could barely keep up with us. We walked two and a half miles! After that we ate ice cream and then went to a really neat playground made out of wood. Did you know that wood comes from trees? I just learned that.



Valentine's Day was also Lunar New Year. On the same day! Mommy cooked homemade potstickers that night. She wanted me to help, but I decided to say no thank you instead. They came out really yummy. They taste like the ones you buy at the store.

A great day for everyone! Especially me. I love my family.

Happy New Year from Ellie and me!

A Mother's Day video for Bachan!

I'm going to Seattle this weekend with Mommy and Daddy for a wedding. I won't be able to blog until after I get back so this video is a little early. Happy Mother's Day, Bachan! It's from me, Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Eric, Auntie Wendy, and baby Ellie.

Happy Easter!

Today is Easter. It's a day to celebrate spring. It's also about chocolate and eggs. And going to the park. First, we had an Easter Egg hunt in my backyard. Daddy wanted to know if the Easter Bunny should hide the eggs. I told him, "No, the Easter Bunny isn't real. You and Mommy hide the eggs!" The Easter Bunny isn't real like Santa Claus. Silly, Daddy should know that.

My little 2 year old neighbor Z had her first egg hunt. I hid the eggs for her and then she and her mommy looked for them. Z really liked pouring the eggs out of the basket and hearing them go Crack! Crack! Crack! I hope she washed the eggs off before she ate them.



Then Mommy and Daddy hid my eggs so I could find them. Some of them were easy to find. But I had a lot of green colored eggs that looked a lot like the color of the plants in our backyard. They were tricky to find. But I found them. Eventually.



After the egg hunt, we packed our lunch for the picnic at the big park by our house. The Sisters are there every Easter and host a big celebration. We went early for the Easter Egg Hunt. I didn't get any eggs there though because I was kind of nervous being with so many people and I couldn't see Mommy or Daddy. A little girl gave me two of her eggs when she saw I had none. She was very nice to do that. Inside the plastic eggs were chocolates! Yummy!



We set up our big blanket on the grass and sat with my friend Izzy and her family. They brought homemade Challah bread using Daddy's sourdough starter.



We had a great time eating, playing, and seeing all the Sisters. The Sisters are actually grown up boys dressed up as girls. They wear a lot of pretty dresses and fancy makeup.



Mommy said she wishes she was a guy so she could dress up like a girl. Mommy is so silly!



Izzy's auntie's friend James is a Sister. He made a special hat that looks like a big orange flower! With big bees that fly around his head! But they aren't real bees. Just stuffed animal ones. I wasn't afraid.



There were so many people at the park! It's nice to see everyone out on such a nice day.



Lots of people dressed up. Some people wore all pink! Pink is a good color. Maybe I'll dress up next time in my princess costume.



I can't wait until next Easter!

I love you egg!

Tomorrow is Easter. It's a day when you play hide-and-seek with colored eggs. The eggs hide, and then you go and find them. I colored eggs today with my neighbor who is 2 years old. She liked it but seemed to enjoy trying to drink the colored water more. I liked squeezing the food coloring out of the bottles and mix up different colors. But my favorite part is pulling out the eggs after they have been sitting in the colored vinegar-water for a couple minutes. I'm always surprised how pretty they are! Do you think rainbow chickens would lay rainbow eggs?

Hinamatsuri

Today is Hinamatsuri. That's Japanese for Festival of Dolls. But we call it Girls Day. It's when little girls like me get to do fun things like have little parties with friends for our special dolls. On Saturday, I dressed up in my yukata (cotton kimono) and walked to Izzy's house for an early Girls Day celebration. We ate lots of yummy Japanese goodies. Pink, green, and yellow manju with cute, little, happy decorations on top. We also had rice crackers, sushi, miso soup made by Izzy's Bachan, and nigiri (rice balls) shaped like stars, bears, and hearts!



For dessert we had a super cute Girls Day cake topped with candy versions of the Emperor and Empress. My friend Lily's Mommy and Izzy sang a Girls Day song in Japanese. We blew out the candles. Then we licked the frosting off the candles. Then we ate the cake. Because it's yummy!



Lily's Mommy shared her tiny Hina Doll set. There was a beautiful Emperor and the Empress. It's made out of glass and porcelain. So it's fragile. And fancy.



Mommy made a paper Hina doll set for each of us girls. I love Mommy, but sometimes she goes a little crazy with her crafts.



And the best thing about Girls Day? No boys allowed!

Happy Hinamasturi!

Holiday Wish List

Hello. This is Yoshi's mom writing a guest-blogger entry. I know that some of you want to give Yoshimi something to celebrate the holidays, and although it truly is not necessary, there will be some who insist on giving presents. So this post is about letting you know what would be welcome in our household.

First and foremost, Yoshimi loves experiences. She enjoys running around outside, playing at the park, cooking, and climbing things. She has gobs and gobs of "stuff" that eventually just gets overlooked and overcrowded in her room. She is a very creative child (as most kids are) and can create an imaginary world out of ordinary household objects like wooden spoons and a cardboard box, and actually seems to prefer this to a store bought toy. Seriously, she needs no more toys. And if you give her a toy it most likely will be donated.

Still, if you feel compelled to get her something, please follow these guidelines:

Please do NOT get her anything that...
-has licensed characters (including Disney, My Little Pony, etc)
-is electronic, makes a lot of sound or uses batteries
-is made in China (we've had to toss a lot of things due to lead recalls and just poor craftsmanship)
-is made with a lot of sugar (even the fake sugar) or artificial ingredients
-has a lot of plastic
-is arts/crafts related (she got a slew of crafty supplies for her birthday)
-is a video or computer game

Please DO consider:
-supporting local shops (not the big box stores) and artisans
-giving to a charity/non-profit (like Toys For Tots) in Yoshimi's name
-donating to her elementary school (email me for more info)
-giving something that has a lot of meaning
-donating to her college fund
-simply spending time with her


Further, there are some specific things we know she would enjoy:
-a visit or membership to the Academy of Sciences
-a visit or membership to the Exploratorium
-finis swimming goggles
-flowers
-art for her walls
-your favorite childhood book
-something hand made by you (art, baked goods, sewing, knitting, woodworking, etc.)


And although small, Yoshimi is a growing child. Clothing is always welcome.
-She wears a size 5
-Shoes (she plays hard, so durable shoes are much appreciated): kids size 10.5 or 11
-Socks that aren't thick. She's a fan of kneehighs in funky patterns.
-Underwear
-She doesn't wear jeans or clothes that are stiff ("crunchy" as she describes them) or scratchy.
-She likes skirts and dresses that flair out when she twirls around.

Her favorite clothing stores:
Tea Collection (this is a local SF-based company that I have done work for)
Zara Kids (there is a store located at 250 Post St, in Union Square in SF)
H&M Kids
Gap Kids

Believe me, I know it's hard not to get sucked in to the consumerism of the Holidays, but let's remember that this is not the season of celebrating stuff, but rather celebrating life and love. So think hard about the gifts you give. Not just for my daughter, but for everyone you give gifts to. They say it's the thought that counts, so let us all put thought into the gifts we give to represent the true holiday spirit.

Many thanks. And happy holidays to you all. May you and yours be healthy in mind, body, and soul.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mommy painted me a big heart for Valentine's! She says we can hang it up in my room. Yay!

Happy New Year!

It's a new year. The old year went away. It's now 2007. And what does that mean? I'm not sure. I can only count up to 13 before I start making up numbers. Eleventeen is my favorite. It comes after 19. Anyway, there was a holiday called Christmas where Santa breaks into our home and eats cookies and leaves presents in socks that hang up on the wall. Weird. He left me these funny little candy hamburgers. I wonder if Santa realizes that I can eat bigger burgers.



Mommy, Daddy and I went to visit Grandma and Alex. They live where it is very cold. I went sledding. Whee! All the way down a hill by myself going fast, fast, fast! The next day Daddy dug a big hole and buried me. Here I am eating my way out.

I hope I get a harmonica...

...on this lovely, lovely Hanukkah!

On Sunday I went to Ella's house for Hanukkah. It involved lighting candles and singing. But it wasn't for a birthday. Ella's mommy shared the story of Hanukkah as we lit the Hanukia (that's the Menorah, or the fancy candle holder). We ate yummy latkes. My friends Abe and Alma also were at the party. Ella happily shared some of her dreidles with me and I took home a blue one. Mommy and Daddy made chocolate covered apricots and wrapped them in shiny foil for gelt.

O Christmas Tree

How lovely are thy branches! Especially when they are cut off and made into a little Yoshi-sized wreath! Here I am with Daddy holding the tree that we cut down. Daddy tied the tree onto the car with string, but something happened when we got on the freeway. The tree flew off. Mommy carefully drove backwards on the side of the road and Daddy rescued the tree. I told Daddy that next time I will hold the string so the tree won't fall off again.

Every year Mommy makes wreaths using extra branches from the tree. She made a big one for our front door. Daddy made a small wreath that hangs on the door to my room. Yay! It smells good.