...and a happy new year!

To round up 2010...here's what we did.

A couple days before New Year's, we headed out to Diamond Head to do some tide pooling. Mitch keeps saying how he wanting to take the girls to go catch some hermit crabs and fish, so after checking the tide calendar, we headed out.

Lately, it seems low tide has been pretty late...and far from low at that...so it took a while for us to find the perfect time to go. BUT, miraculously, on Mitch's day off, the tide was low (and the evening light enough) for us to drive out to town for some evening hermit crab-hunting.
It took a while for the girls to gather the courage to stick their hands in the water...

But once they did...

They kept going back for more and more!

Even Jolee enjoyed catching the tiny ones...

*can you even see it?!


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Then on New Year's Eve, (even though Mitch was in Japan for work...) we gathered together at my sister Airi's house for a big family shindig.

Here's just some of the spread. After we started eating....since lately, I can barely remember to even take pictures at all, this is about as good as it's gonna get.

And...nothing like a little "All Dogs Go To Heaven" after dinner, right?

AND...my oldest nephew, Jonas turned 14 on December 31st.

Here's the yummy jello cake that Elika made.

Sheesh, all the cousins don't even fit in the picture!
Though, this time we had our good friends, the Ah Nees with us as well!

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And...you probably can't even tell, but this is New Year's Day.

Since we had celebrated the 1st with the (practically) the same people and at the same location.
And, of course, I didn't get a picture of the food.

Just a few of the kids chowing down on the good BBQ!

With the impending arrival of our #4...my Mom and Dad are both in town!

So, New Year's Day was a happy occasion for almost all of the Sakuma's to get together.

Next year...we need to convince my brother Makoto to visit as well, I think!

And here's all the little cousins sporting their cute pajamas that my Mom made for each and every little one of them!
Can you imagine sewing 18 pajamas?!

(*3 cousins are still in Seattle... )

Next year there will be 21 of 'em!

Sure hope you all had a safe and happy New Year's celebration!

And may 2011 be filled with lots of love and happiness and all that other good stuff!