Goodbye on Christmas Eve
Wow-y wow wow wow. My mom, my sis Ashley + I packed in so many fun activities while they were visiting me in Vancouver!
Ash + mom were visiting Jeff + I for a mere short 8 days. But boy howdy, we packed it in!!!! I’ll give a brief preview of the past 5 days + elaborate on the highlights in later posts!
In the evenings during the visit, Ashley + I strung cranberry garlands, baked + stamped salt dough ornaments for my first official Vancouver Christmas tree. 
Lookit sweet Megumi sitting at the foot of Ashley’s chair – I’m so happy that we are reunited + that my mom + sis endured the stress of bringing her successfully across the border! So worth it!!!!!!!
The way I see it – why pay full price for Christmas ornaments??? Home-made ornaments are so charming!!!! Plus, you gotta wait for post Christmas sales to swoop up all the decorations!
I shan’t forget the carved wooden birds that me mums bought me this year to remember the first Christmas in our new Vancouver home!
Meanwhile, during the day we waited in the perpetual long line for Santouka Ramen on Robson…..
Enjoyed a unique, quaint French cafe experience at Le Marche St. George….
Majorly freaked out at the Lululemon Factory Outlet……there’s me teeny mum in the dressing room inquiring, “How does this look???”.
Setting the table for Japanese comfort food dinner in our wee abode…..
My Southern California family + my Vancouver family together enjoying food, drink + good conversation! The first reunion since the wedding!!!
Methinks Jeff + I need to invest in some more lighting in the living/dining room. Very dim!!!!
Yesterday was a subway trek to historic Gastown!
Walking the beat of the mean streets of East Vancouver….
And opening some REALLY choice Christmas presents!!!!!!! WHOAH MAMA!!!! Thanks mom + dad!!!! You guys MAJORLY ruuuuuule!!!!!!!!!
This afternoon we dropped mom + Ashley off at the Vancouver airport. My stoic Japanese mom was crying rare tears when we parted. I miss my California family so much already!!!! In the short time span that we had, we went on so many adventures + covered so much ground in Vancouver!!! I’ll think on the postitive side + make plans for when my mom, sister AND dad will all be here to visit me in the springtime when Vancouver will be in it’s full height of natural beauty!!! I’m so elated that they spontaneously made the trip up north to visit Jeff + I!!!! It was one of the best Christmas gifts I could have ever received!!!!!
I hope y’all are enjoying the most coziest + warm Christmas Eve with friends, family + loved ones as I write!!!!!! Happy Holidays!!!!
how's it going, eh? 
Your mom and sis look fantastic!! We got that same present this year, too. Can we facetime or something via these hi tech pieces of machinery????? Your tree and house look fantastic! Merry Christmas!
-the tech idiot!
xoxo
Is this who I think it is???? Do you have a blonde dog, a blonde baby + a blonde bun in the oven???? Your code names are hilarious!!! YES! We CAN Facetime on our new devices!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! MISS YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love the pic of the whole gang sitting at the table – we miss you all so much! Merry Christmas to you…xoxo
So glad we got to Facetime!!!! We miss you guys!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to be in California again to see you!
Thank you so much Shelli, Jeff, Tom, Deb, Matthew, Tobin, Benjamin and Neil to welcome I and Ashley to this beautiful snow filled Vancouver, Canada. I was so blessed to know this warm, kind, lovely,wonderful Fayle family and shelli is so blessed to have you all. Thank you Tom and Dev. invited us to the house for the dinner. We had a great time to visit Benjamin’s gorgeous house with the view of the mountain, ocean and town . Thank you so much.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Love you all and miss you already,
mommy Hiroko,
I miss you so much too,mom!!! And Megumi is definitely upset as well!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Ah, tis I. You guessed right. 🙂 Woo hoo that’s fantastic that we can arrange for some hi tech-ery interaction. I’ll email you right now! ta ta
Your sister and mom are so amazing Shelli!!!! Thank you for the great visits and the especially amazing dinner! You know its good when your child asks for a second helping of food after dessert:))) We all loved the wonderful food and company together! Look forward to your spring visit!!
love Deb
xoxo
A whole new set of adventures for spring!!! Thanks for having us over for dinner as well!!!! My family had so much fun!!!!
ALOHA, Nan, well obviously Mum’ie and Ash, had a wonderful
time with U, Jeff, and ur extended other family, Deb & Tom &
the boy’s, ”Gecko Whisperer & Tob’s”, and brother Benji, TOO!!!
man oh man i heard Rocky, rocked it with her nipponese grind’zee
huh huh, she never make’s me any … hehe…lol !!!!! ok, gotta run
Mum’s, is making ME, dinner, Take Care, best 2 Jeff, Mahalo Papi
Next time, YOU are coming up to visit!!! It’ll be so much fun! Maybe Vancouver has changed since last time you were here!!! Did mom tell you we tried to go to Vij’s + it was closed????