Warm winter

We've been experiencing a pretty warm winter. The weather has been really nice but it's also worrying... is this one of the effects of global warming?

Our coldest experience so far this season was the new year family holiday in Hirayu. Here are more photos from the skiing trip...We stayed in a ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel). Check out the bottom-right photo... the way the tea and utensils are laid out is so typically Japanese, meticulous and a lot of attention to detail.

Cousins are fun!

Finally M is at the age where she can play with her older cousins, Kanata and Mizuki! Look at how much fun they had during the new year.Cousin Kanata drew a masterpiece for Minori. He's such a sweet "big brother." It's now hanging in our study, awaiting for Kanata to become a famous artist in the future, so that it'll be worth a lot of yen!

Yee haaa!

During the annual new year Kageyama family ski trip, M came down the slopes for the first time in her life. In the last few years Daddy has always preferred to snowboard, but skied this time to give M the thrill of her life. She was a little apprehensive at first but very quickly got used to, and enjoyed, it.