s. valentine

Today is S. Valentine, really we do not celebrate it but it is true every occasion is good to eat a cake so as this morning we were at our preferred coffee shop for breakfast and we saw one, we did not care about the heart shape but we bought because it didn't have special phrases on it but it was covered by strawberries and Momochan loves strawberries ;) After breakfast I went home and Sampei to work. During afternoon I went kindergarden to take Momochan and as snack at home I gave her a slice of cake, granny too cameto stay withh her niece and she also had a slice of cake, Momo said it was really delicious, this child is really becoming a sweet teeth HAHAHA

san valentine

girichokotte nan desuka ? (what does giri choko means ?) with that phrase Sampei and I always joke on S.Valentine day exchanging choko treats since we went Japan ^O^

Valentine's Day おめでとう !

Differently from Italy in Japan this day is not only for lovers.

Girichoko義理チョコ is more like showing gratitude, and giving chocolate to boss, coworkers and friends are very popular thing. Giving chocolate to someone you like to say `thank you' is Japanese Valentine's Day. It seems exchanging chocolate or small gift on the day between friends or families are getting popular.

Valentine's Day does not have a long history in Japan and people said this has been planned by chocolate companies but it seems people are enjoying and using the day to show their gratitude to the people they feel grateful.

Actually one third of sales of chocolate companies are made on Valentine's Day each year.

a funny day ;)

Today wee have gone McDonalds for lunch, Momochan likes to eat nuggets andshe can also eat fruit, as soon as the season changes and summer arrives, inside the store she can have ananas, apple or kiwi togatherr with her nugget and fries so even if she has fries eating fresh fruit balances a little. After lunch, as it is a sunny day, wee didn't want to go home so wee thought to take Momochan to a near garden center, she loves flowers and animals and inside the store sells fishes, birds, mices, other strange animals and in the garden, afyet plants, trees and flowers there is a space with deers and sheeps ;)

The earth is humid as has recently fallen rain and deers can stay quiet.
The garden center has also some free birds like peacoks jumping inside the area where clients can sit and have a coffee or rest a while, the owner's house is attached to the store so the peacoks jump freely here and there ;)

carnival time

At the end of february starts the Carnival Week in which every kid will mask and go around the main plaza throwing confettis around, Momo loves this periodbecause she loves masking and playing pretending to be some funny characther ;)
Innside kindergarden kids have decorated the ceiling with coloured paper stripes and when I go to take Momo home in the afternoon I bring a confettis bag so that she will throw around laughing and jumping ;)

socks for Befana's day

For the Befana Day, Ikea stores have organized some activities so I have thought to take Momochan to the store near our house to let her play.
The activity for today isto make a special sock into which Befana will put some sweets in the night of the 5th.
Momochan is really happy about this idea and she starts to choose the fabric with which to realize the socks.
I help Momo with the decoration and in the meantime daddy and I can also have a quick snack: for the occasion Ikea store have suggested until 6th january, a special snack with cake and hot chokolate at a very low price ;)
As soon as Momochan has finished her sock she tell me in an ear she wants to come also tomorrow because she has amused so much ; )

31 december: S. Sylvester

The last evening of the year we had invited granny to stay with us some days so that Momochan could have her company.
We prepared some salami and appetizers and as main dish, cotechino with mashed potatoes ;)
As aunt called us to say she has some fireworks, we decided that, as Momochan loves fireworks and we also had bought some, best was to get out before midnight and reach aunt at her house to explode fireworks togather ;)
So we did, aunt lives near but the evening was really cold, Momochan had a thick coat and a berret.
She amused so much and continuously said: more more, I want to see more !!!
HAHAHAHA
When we finally got home later it was already past 01:00 AM and once she had her pijama and milk she fall asleep in a few seconds ; )

going Ikea to make decorations

Today we take Momochan to Ikea store because they have organized an activity to make decorations for the last year dinner table.
Salt dough, xmas decorations, glitter paints, little stars, small round golden balls, coloured glitter glue,  Momochan has to choose how to decorate her special salt dough shapes: a star, a xmas tree and a candle holder ; )
There arre many kids waiting their turns to make creations for last of the year dinner, really every kid has to do just one creation but Momochan has arrived in a moment in which kids weere less so she makes three because she has time ; )

Momochan loves to decorate and play and while she is busy to use salt dough and colours Sampei and I will have a chocolate and a piece of cake at a special price and to celebrate her creations nothing better than an ice cream for Momochan ;)

opening the presents

X'mas morning, Momochan is so happy she cannot wait to open her presents so she calls us quick because she wants to know what Santa Clauus has brought to her.
In a big big bag, there is Sullivan, a big pelouche from Monsters University, another big packet contains a wooden little bed for her doll, a small one reveals new coloured felt pens and last one contains a little tape to play with her old computer :) Mum and dad just have a new Ikea book each ;) This evening we all will go to aunts house to have Xmas dinner alltogather and Momochan will wear her new elegant dress ;)

decorations

X'Mas is coming soon, at home we have already made the Tree and today I have added the Epifany socks.
We hang at home before X'Mas so that if during this period some little treat or sourprise comes out I put inside the socks waiting for the 6 january and nobody is allowed to peep inside ; )

kids day ; )

Today in Italy is Kids Day ; )
Inside kindergarden kids have made many images of schools and kids trying to explain the right of the kids to learn, to be loved, to be cared of, to be free, to have the right to play, sleep well and live in peace ; ) Momochan too has made a little image which togather with all the other made by her mates has been hanged at the entrance of the kindergarden ; )

5th bday Momochan ; )))

Since a few weeks we were organizing to preapare a celebration for Momochan's birthday today, the choice is simple because on monday daddy is free from work and relatives could come on visit for dinner, so daddy has prepared a list of ingredients to prepare sushi as our relatives like sushi so much.
My duty is to prepare and cook the roasted meat and veggies and decorate the house, balloons, flags and others, order, buy and wrap in a cute paper our presents ;) So it has been established that relatives shoud arrive around 20.00.
Before that, daddy in the kitchen prepares sushi, roasted meat is already cooking with veggies in the oven, I have prepared decorations and table and Momochan is preparing designs to give to the uncles and cousins as a memory of the day and as a "thank" for the presents ;) 19:40, the bell rings, some of the relatives are already arrived, oncle, aunt and the cousin, in a half an hour time also granny and the last cousin with wife and baby arrive.

In the kitchen daddy is cooking and moving quickly to prepare sushi, gyoza, veggies and other foods.
Well this time Momochan has a tons of presents, there is a packet from granny, one from me, one from daddy, one from aunt and oncle, one from cousin and anothering from the other cousin and family, she has plenty this year HEHEHE
Momochan plays around and shows her room to the aunt and cousins while the other look around and peep in the kitchen to see what daddy is preparing. Soon is time to sit at the table and starting from salami and wrapped grissini with ham, wee jump at sushi rolls and vegetable and chicken grilled gyoza.
In the meantime I have to wash dishes to prepare for roasted meat and cake, I do not have many dishes and to make 9 people eat I have put togather two different set od dishes, tools and glasses !!!
As the dishes are clean,  daddy cut the roasted meat and put veggies while granny takes dishes to the table, Momochan is nearly full, she has eaten salami and ham and after she has had gyoza and also asked for more, she has eaten 6 !!!
So she says she doesn't like so much the arrosto, she is used to eat another type made like a big meatball but in special occasion we cannot serve ;)
The evening goes on, parents talk, Momochan plays with baby cousin Camilla who also is celebrating 6 months togather with Momo, daddy goes in and out of the kitchen, I wash dishes and organize, until comes the moment to eat the cake ;)
Table is cleaned and new dishes and high glasses for champagne are taken, inside the kitchen wee light the special 5 year old candle and take in the livingroom for Momochan to blow.
I thought Momochan was joking when she asked daddy to give her an enormous slice duble than the one I received but really she did eat it all !!!! : O GOSH !!!
After the cake Momo opens the presents, each present opened she gives the correspondant design she has prepared: granny packet contains a Peppa Pig plush which lights and sound, oncle and aunt packet contains a pink cute Peppa Pig sweater, counsin packet contain a 100 pices puzzle, my packet contains a Ikea plush, daddy packet contains a Nikon camera and the other cousin packet contains a little kichen to play "chef" ;) he starts to assemple it togather with Momochan who wants to play and pretends to serve coffee to everybody ;)
Nearly midnight, is time for "sayonara" as baby Camilla is not yet used to go bed so late. Soon everybody has gone, Momochan has totally disappeared when I relalized when I realized she hass already washed and put pijamas, jumped in our bed holding her new dreaming Peppa ;)
A kiss from granny and after while daddy takes trash downstairs and accompany granny to her car, I start cleanings. Momochan is already sleeping hard but I will need a couple of hours more to finish all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MOMOCHAN !!!

present for Momochan ;)

This evening we have connected to internet to buy the special present for Momochan who will have birthday next week.
This year we are not reserving a special party but we will have a special dinner with the family and relatives so we can but the camera for Momochan who likes it a lot ;)
She has been a good girl so this is the best present, she loves making fotos and with this NIKON COOLPIX S 31 camera she can also decorate her fotos ;)