Family update

Hello everyone. Here are a few Mino family updates and pictures for you to enjoy. We're busy getting ready for the holiday season wrapping presents, putting up the tree and lights outside. We went Chirstmas shopping with the boys last week. It was quite the adventure, especially in the toy store. I now know why some parents do there shopping alone. :) A few weeks ago, Conan's day care had their annual talent show. Conan's one and two-year-old class did a couple of cute numbers, including this Mickey Mouse singing and dancing routine. It was very fun to watch.

Leif has now passed the 4 month mark, and is doing well. He's not quite ready to roll over yet, but he seems to prefer sitting up rather than lying down all the time.

As well, we got a new stove for the winter. As some of you know, Japanese mainly heat their homes with sophisticated forced-air space heaters that run on kerosene. However, with the price of oil so high and with our town making pressurized wood pellets and promoting the stoves that burn them, we took the plunge and bought one. The start-up cost (stove and installation) is fairly high, but we're already saving about $100 a month with the pellets being half the price of kerosene. It will likely pay for itself soon. Plus, it's nicer to look at anyway.