[Story] The Great Christmas Card Migration

Mommy: "Are you almost done with your cards Tama-chan?"

Tamayuki: "Yah, I just want to put on just one more sticker."

Tamayuki: "And maybe this one too..."

Mommy: "Ok, but no more after that. We need to get these mailed before 2014!"

Tamayuki: *scratches his head*

Tamayuki: "Um... little birdie, where did you go?"

Mommy: *giggles* "Its in your hair silly boy."

Tamayuki: "You're not supposed to sit in my hair sticker birdie even though you are really cute. You can sit right here on this sticker cookie house so you can munch on it if you get hungry."

Tamayuki: *drops the whole pile of cards on the bed* "Whew, those are heavy."

Tamayuki: "Naiomi, could you help me put these in the envelopes? Mommy went to get them because she already wrote the addresses on them. I'm glad I didn't have to do that part."

Naiomi: "Wow! That's a lot of cards. I didn't know you had so many to make. Sure I'll help you stuff them in the envelopes."

Tamayuki: *whispers* "But there is one more thing we have to do."

Tamayuki: "Each one has to have a hug squeezed into it to make sure it has lots of love in it."

*Naiomi bites her lip so she doesn't giggle at her adorable brother and make him feel bad*

Naiomi: "Sure Tama-chan, that's a very important thing to do. We want all of our friends to be happy and feel very loved."

Mommy: "Rainie, are you ready to help open our Christmas cards from the card exchange?"

Rainie: "I'm not Rainie."

Rainie: "I'm Harvard, the Christmas Elf!"

*Naiomi snickers at her little sister*

Mommy: "What??"

Naiomi: "She is trying to work on her spy disguises."

Yuriko: "Me first Mama! I got this great hat and scarf. Don't I look stylish? How did Amara77 know what Daddy's favorite color is? She even sent me some sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles!"

Naiomi: "Miss Kale sent us the leaf hair clip and this adorable strawberry necklace. I really like it but I already have my favorite necklace. Is it alright if we just put it in my costume trunk for now Mama?"

Mommy: "That's fine. I'm sure you'll find a perfect use for it later. It is very cute."

Rainie: *attempts to speak in as manly of a voice as a little girl can manage* "Ah, I like this flower very much. It matches my elf hat. Er... my hat."

*Dolly starts cracking up at Rainie's voice and the wiggling mustache*

Tamayuki: "Mommy here are the two cards from Nyanko Sensei, the Boys Club, and HON, but you forgot the box they came in."

Mommy: "I didn't forget. They are being saved so you can open them Christmas morning."

Naiomi: "Mama, can we ask miss Archangeli for this dress pattern? I want to make one like that."

Mommy: "Not everyone sews Naiomi but I'm sure you could figure out how to make it if she doesn't."

Yuriko: "Hey Naiomi, Manami wants more pretty pictures of you! Let's get right on that!"

Dolly: "Stupid pin! Give... me... my... hat!" *yanks on the hat trying to disconnect it from the pin unsuccessfully, kicking over DefectiveAngel's card*

Rainie: "Commander Rainie isn't available for comment at the moment, but I will convey your message miss Littlebearries."

Tamayuki: "Look at the cute little tree hiding inside! I like the button ornaments because they are little too! Thank you Nyanko Sensei and everyone!"

Yuriko: "Oh goody! More fashion accessories! RedLion knows how to find pictures of cute girls too!" *claps happily*

Naiomi: "She has a darling face Mama. Do you think PlasticFantastic would let her act in my theater troupe?"

Mommy: "Naiomi, you need to have a theater first...  and besides I don't think she would want to move to the states."

Dolly: "Why is there a bunch of pics of girls in these cards?"

Rainie: "Hello Averis' girls. And what do you want for Christmas?"

Naiomi: *whispers* "Rainie, you sound like a creepy old man."

Tamayuki: *giggles* "Tee hee hee. Sticker Santa is reading all the letter's that Vegablack's girls wrote to him."

*Perry quietly pulls out the strawberry necklace and looks at how sparkly it is*

Yuriko: "Mama, these are cookie trees. We need more of them."

Naiomi: "There are also pictures of sweets on the wonderful letter that Aquilla429 wrote."

Dolly: "Dude, this cat is even bigger than Mr. MooseMoose! I think he ate Luminei."

Rainie: *talks quietly in her own voice* "Miss Nekopon sent a snowflake necklace?"

Tamayuki: "Look Mommy, Jezrah sent me tons of stickers!"

*Perry gently hugs the 'I believe in Santa' pin*

Yuriko: "This had Tama-chan's name on it, but I think SakuraSylph & DJStarStryker would like how it looks better with my yukata." *giggles*

Naiomi: "What a wonderful picture on AerisAquata's card! Maybe Papa will let me hang it  in my room next Christmas."

Rainie: "Now I have a necklace just like my big sisters." *sniff*

Dollie: *quietly talks to himself* "I'll give this one to Rainie. She can add it to her spy files, and what Innocentsake doesn't know won't hurt her. Tama would give it to her anyways."

Tamayuki: "This one can go right here..."

*Perry puts some little presents under the tiny tree*

Daddy: "Um Harvard, you have the wrong card. That's Rainie's card." *chuckles*

Rainie: *talking in her manly elf voice again* "Uh... I'm keeping it safe until Commander Rainie can retrieve it." *hugs the card*

Yuriko: "I'll just put my card in my new bag with my other goodies..."

Naiomi: "Papa, look at the cards Shinegamix sent us! We each have our own and then one for the whole family. They are all so pretty!"

Tamayuki: "A cute baby kitty! He's so cute and fuzzy so I have to give him a hug!"

Dolly: "And this must be mine..." *RIP*

*Perry sets out sugary sweets for Santa*

Dolly: "Santa decided coal was too expensive and gives scum instead!" *snickers*

Yuriko: "If its candy, it's mine!!"

Rainie: "What? I never got that memo."

Tamayuki: "Mommy, I don't think this is Japanese..."

Mommy: "You're right it isn't. Coffee & Migon sent it all the way from Sweden."

*Hello Kitty sneaks in to see what Perry is up to*

Naiomi: "Thank you to all of our wonderful friends around the world who sent us a card or gifts. Each one of you have given us the best Christmas we could have asked for. This hasn't been an easy year for Mama and Papa so looking at all of these cards and photos make them very happy. And to all of our friends on the forums, thank you for helping make everyday something to look forward to this last year. We love all of you."

Dolly: "Fleece Navi's Dad!"

Rainie: "Merry Christmas!"

Tamayuki: "Happy Holidays!"

Yuriko: "Pleasant Yuletide!"

Naiomi: "Joyeux Noel!"

[Story] Many Thanks

(Originally posted Nov 24, 2012 on the Dollfie Dreams forums)

Mommy: "Are you guys ready for Thanksgiving? Daddy had to work last night so we will have dinner when he wakes up."

Tamayuki: "Can I help cook?" *claps his hands excitedly*

Rainie: "Yuriko and me are going to have a video game tournament. Daddy said we could."

Yuriko: "Do we get snacks? I want snacks with lots of sugar. And maybe some popcorn because Native Americans used to eat that. How about caramel corn? Nah, just skip the popcorn and give me the caramels."

Naiomi: "What is there to do now that the Thanksgiving Day parade is over?"

Dolly: *Whispers to Iron Man* "Ready... aim..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  A little while later...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tamayuki: "There, that looks like it is mixed enough."

Naiomi: "What are you up to Tama-chan?"

Tamayuki: "I'm helping make a pie. It will be little just for us! Mommy said I'm old enough to learn to cook. When she was my age, Grammy Pammy had her doing lots of cooking."

Tamayuki: "Mommy even started decorating cakes when she was as little as me and Rainie. She said that they weren't very good, but it was still fun. Are you going to help cook Naiomi?"

Naiomi: "Papa told me to be a big help to Mama today, and I asked her if I could do anything. She had me open a can of olives. After my cooking at Halloween she doesn't want to trust me in the kitchen with a spoon."

Tamayuki: "Yay I did it and it didn't rip!"

Naiomi: "Good job Tama-chan!"

*Somewhere in the background shouts erupted*

Yuriko: "Rainie, quit playing sniper on me! We are supposed to be on the same team since we are both stormtroopers!"

Rainie: "You only think I'm a stormtrooper when I am really part of the rebel forces. My disguise is flawlwss!"

Dolly: "Hurry and grab that frag grenade Rainie! Chuck it at her before she can run away."

*a loud boom proceeds the two young combatants fit of giggling*

Naiomi: "Are you supposed to poke holes in the crust? Won't the filling leak out and make a mess?"

Tamayuki: "If you don't poke holes it will get bubbles under it and spill out all the filling. Pie crusts are kinda silly that way."

Yuriko: "If THAT'S how your gonna play... Take this!"

Dolly: "Incoming!"

*another loud boom sounds*

Rainie: "Medic! Where's my medic pack?"

Naiomi: "Here is the rubber scraper."

Tamayuki: "Thanks. What kind of pie do you like best Naiomi?"

Naiomi: "Hmmm... well on Thanksgiving it would have to be pumpkin. But if it wasn't a special holiday it would be lemon meringue. Or maybe cherry, but then there is peach too... and rhubarb! But how about Mama's chocolate peanut butter pie..."

Tamayuki: "Grammy Pammy made a thirty-two pickle pie once."

Naiomi: "Pickle pie? Ewww..."

Tamayuki: "She made it for Grandpa Day and he liked it because she used sweet pickles. Sounds like something Rainie would want. She put pickles on her pizza last week."

Naiomi: "I don't know what is wrong with that girl. The only thing that makes her seem like a girl is her long hair and she wears skirts sometimes. What little girl doesn't like dresses and frilly things but instead would rather play in the dirt? Once I found her digging up worms and asked her if she was going fishing. She said that she was relocating them to a safer location so they wouldn't be hurt during her spy troop training."

Tamayuki: "I bet that didn't make the worms happy that they had to find new homes." *takes a deep breath to yell into the kitchen with his tiny voice* "Mommy, I'm done making the pie!"

Mommy: "Ok dearheart, I'll get it in just a minute."

~~~~~~~~~
  Dinnertime
~~~~~~~~~

Mommy: "Rainie, you need to eat some veggies. Ask Yuriko to pass you the peas."

Rainie: *talks with a mouth full of food* "But Mama, I have pumpkin rolls and olives. They are veggies. And there is apples in my cider so I have fruit too."

Yuriko: "All that cranberry sauce is mine! I'm a sweet-atarian so I have to eat all the good stuff."

Dolly: "Gimmie lots of that turkey!"

Tamayuki: "That's not turkey, Dolly. Mommy and Daddy are vegetarians. It's pretend meat that Mommy made from garbanzo beans and some wheat stuff. I like it a lot because it is yummy."

Dolly: "What's Thanksgiving without meat? And leftover turkey sandwiches with lots of mayo?"

Naiomi: "Don't worry Dolly, I can make us some hamburgers or turkeyburgers tomorrow."

Tamayuki: "My favorite leftovers are smashed potatoes, pumpkin rolls and cranberry butter!"

Daddy: "The best Thanksgiving dinner is fake meat sandwiches on pumpkin rolls dripping with gravy!"

Dolly: "Whoever attacks the pie first gets the biggest piece!"

Tamayuki: "Wait, I have to take a picture of my pie first!"

Daddy: "What kind do you want Rainie?"

Rainie: "Um... I want both."

Naiomi: "Do I eat pecan pie now and save some pumpkin for tomorrow? If I do will Yuriko eat it all before I get any? Pumpkin pie is better the second day but it doesn't quite feel like Thanksgiving without it."

Yuriko: *chuckles to herself* "I have the first course of my dessert right here..."

Daddy: "And here is my piece of pie..." *takes the whole people sized pumpkin pie*

Mommy: "Hey, I wanted a piece of that too you know!"

~~~~~
I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. I had such fun doing this photo story, especially knowing that I'd be able to share it with all of you. Originally I had planned on doing a more extensive Tamayuki and Naiomi cooking show style of story, but my back problems really started to act up. I'm sorry that Rainie looks weird without a faceup or a mouth. She has technically been around since Tamayuki got here. Since she had to miss out on Halloween (because of her face) she wasn't going to tolerate missing another holiday, especially one that is all about family. I thought it might be interesting for those who don't celebrate the holiday to see a little of what Thanksgiving can be like. There is so many little things in here that remind me what it was like when I was a kid. I was always helping my mom with small cooking chores (never pie crust though), me and my siblings tried to stay out of the kitchen because we would almost always be in the way, until mom hollered at us to help. Every holiday after my brother got his NES he was constantly playing it in the background, often me being the backseat gamer because he wouldn't let me touch it.

A lot of work was put into getting this done and still being able to celebrate the holiday, yet even days later my heart is still full of happiness. I was really unsure what it would be like spending Thanksgiving with our DD instead of my rowdy family (I just couldn't deal with people after stress from school.) It was so much fun that I don't regret it at all. I had hoped to get more of a complete story in, but it just gives me more to look forward to next year when I will have a better idea of what I'm doing and more space. Every time I do these stories I find out more about my kids, and see how each one of them reacts. For way too many years, any holidays seemed to be more effort than they were worth, but now with our DD I have a reason to care. Never before have I found such a rewarding and worthwhile hobby. <3

[Story] A Special Present for Baldylox

(Originally posted Sep 01, 2012 on the Dollfie Dreams forums)

Mommy: "Tamayuki, what's the matter babe?"

Tamayuki: "I missed Uncle Billybear's birthday. I don't even have a present for him or anything!" *tears stream down the the distraught boys cheeks*
Mommy: "Hmm... how about we take some pictures for him? He seems to like them a lot and it won't clutter up his house."

Mommy: "Go and get the special project we have been working on, I'm sure he would like that a lot."
Tamayuki: "Really??" *the suggestion surprised him so much that his tears stopped.*

Mommy: "Are you two ready?"
Yuriko & Tamayuki: "Ready!"

Yuriko: "Meeyoww..."

Tamayuki: "Mao!"

Yuriko: "You aren't supposed to say mao Tamayuki. Cats say meow."

Tamayuki: "Mr. MooseMoose says mao and he's a cat. So it must be girl kitties that say meow and boy kitties say mao."
*Yuriko tries to be sneaky and tickle her brother with her fuzzy tail*

Tamayuki: "No tickling!"
Yuriko: "Why?"
Tamayuki: "Because... it tickles."

Yuriko: "Look Uncle Billy, I even have a kitty bell around my neck!"
Tamayuki: "I could use one right here too."

Yuriko: "Do you like the kitty outfit that Mama and Daddy made for me?"
Tamayuki: *quietly talks to himself* "Mine is better because I got white kitty ears with pink middles."

Yuriko: "Tama, go get all the other kitties so they can be in a picture with us."
Tamayuki: "All of them?"
Yuriko: "Sure, whatever. Just go get them, shoo!"

Yuriko: "WER R U GOIN YARN? IM NOT DUN PLAYIN WIF U!"

Tamayuki: "You can have Orange kitty and I will hold Ernest because he is chubby like MooseMoose. I found Crookshanks too, but I don't think he wanted to wake up."
*Crookshanks hisses at Yuriko*

Tamayuki: "If I was a real kitty, I would spend my time hunting down the hard to find... lasagna steamed buns."
Yuriko: "Cats don't eat stuff like that. You spend too much time with Dolly and he's filling your head with stupid ideas. Cats eat fish and canned cat food."
Tamayuki: "I don't want to eat fish or cat food. For dessert I would eat mint ice cream with cookie sprinkles."
Yuriko: "Tama-chan, you can be really strange sometimes."

Tamayuki: "Do your ears get itchy on the back right here? Mine do."
Yuriko: *mumbles* "They aren't even attached to your head.."

Tamayuki: "Happy Birthday Uncle Billybear! I hope you had lots of fun and I'm sorry my present was so late." *whispers* "Mommy, what are we going to do for my Halloween costume now?"

Mommy: "Don't worry, I have more tricks up my sleeve!"

Tamayuki: "I love my new kitty tail." *Kissu*
~~~~~
Happy (belated) Birthday Baldylox from all of us.

Poor Tama-chan was so distraught over missing your birthday that he wasn't even snuggling with his own blanket, but my baby blanket my mom made for me when I was born. He is so happy with his tail and ears that he has not wanted to take them off yet. I wonder if they may need to eventually be surgically removed. ;)

~Sister Kyoya

[Story] Birthday Surprise

(Originally posted September 20th, 2012 on the Dollfie Dreams forums)

Yuriko: "Ok, we have the cake but I couldn't find any candles so we will just go without it. Did the present get wrapped?"

Tamayuki: "Mommy said she would do it."

Dolly: "What, no candles? How are we going to light it on fire?"

Yuriko: "Don't forget that we are going to sing Happy Birthday."

Tamayuki: "Can I pretend I'm singing it on Lego Rock Band? I don't get so nervous that way."

Yuriko: "That's fine Tama-chan, but you don't have to raise your hand, you're not in school."

Dolly: "The Dudester is gonna be so impressed with my manly voice he will give me a metal or something."

Everyone: "SURPRISE!" *the whole family sings Happy Birthday*

Naiomi: "Oh my!"

Naiomi: "It even has a rose on it in my favorite color. It is so pretty! thank you everyone. I was just going to watch old movies today, I wan't expecting a cake or anything."

Yuriko: "Do you really think we wouldn't do anything for your birthday? Silly girl."

Tamayuki: "It's even a special store bought cake!"

Dolly: *whispers to Tama* "When do we get to eat it?"

Naiomi: "Even a present? It's huge! The fabric is really pretty and I can think of a few costumes to make with it..."

Yuriko: *quietly chants* "Open, open, open..."

Dolly: "I can help you open it really fast!"

Tamayuki: "Dolly, it's not your present, and I think she would like to see what it is before you do."

Naiomi: "What in the world is this..."

Yuriko & Tamayuki: *giggle*

Dolly: "I know! I could make a big parachute out of it and..."

Naiomi: "A sewing machine? I've never had one that was just for me!"

Mommy: "I have been saving it for quite a while now. It came from one of Grandma's friends that she has known since she was Tamayuki's age and they found it when she moved. It was made in 1953 so it should last you a long time."

Daddy: "Maybe you can even help me learn to sew when Mommy is busy with her classes." *laughs*

Yuriko: "There is an instruction book in here with some other stuff..."

Tamayuki: "Yay!" *claps happily*

Dolly: *muffled shouts come from the pile of fabric as tiny legs flail around.*

Naiomi: "I'm so happy I don't know what to say." *starts to tear up*

Yuriko: "Your not supposed to cry on your birthday little Sis. Trust me, you'll get used to being adopted because we all love you and know how special you are." *hugs*

Tamayuki: "Dolly, are you getting into trouble again?"

Dolly: "Get me out before the fabric eats me!"

Yuriko: "And besides, with Mama going back to school next week, I'll need someone around to make me more clothes. Daddy is getting much better but there is lots of things he can't do yet. I'm sure Mama would let you use some of the fabric she has."

Dolly: "And someone needs to make me something that can actually be called pants. These things are puketastic."

Naiomi: "So many costumes I can make..." *gets a goofy wistful grin spreading across her face*

Tamayuki: "Dolly, we didn't give Naiomi her present so she can make things for everyone else."

Yuriko: "Let's see... We can start on a few more shirts before starting in to my winter wardrobe. I totally have to have an adorable snow bunny outfit! Sure I don't know how to ski, but I would be too cute! Then there is a sleigh ride outfit if I ever get invited to one. My Christmas dress is going to need a ton of fabric, something that I could also wear to the Oscars. For New Years, let's see... ohmygosh, I can finally have a dress to die for! But then what do I wear for Valentines Day? Would Sprout like me better in red and pink, red and white, or white and pink? Oh no, what do I wear for Thanksgiving? I'm surely not going to wear anything out of Daddy's turkey fabrics or anything that makes me look like a pilgrim. I think Mama still has some cranberry colored fabric stashed away..."

Tamayuki: *starts to get upset* "Yuriko, Naiomi should get to make some stuff she wants to, not having you demanding she make you stuff. You are just being a big meanie! You're supposed to be nice on people's birthday."

Naiomi: "It's alright Tama-chan and thank you for caring so much. Yuroko isn't trying to be mean and I know that."

Dolly: "Now, how does this thing work?"

Yuriko: "Does she have orange trim? I think so. Cranberries and oranges, yum... I'm getting hungry. Silly me, I totally forgot that we made hamburgers for dinner! I better go and finish getting that ready."

Tamayuki: "I just want you to have a really great birthday Naiomi. I even saved a special hug just for you."

Naiomi: "A Tama-chan hug? That's my second favorite present right after Tama snuggles!" *giggles* "It makes me really happy that anyone remembered my birthday. And even if Yuriko does get overexcited, she still knows that I still go to high school and will have homework just like Mama. At least I think Yuriko remembers..."

Dolly: "This doohickey is connected to this other one..."

Dolly: "Hey wait carrot top, do we get real hamburgers, not those soy encrusted mushroom and grain things your parents think are edible? A real man like me has to eat meat!"

Yuriko: "Naiomi and I are going to eat all the hamburgers ourselves Stumpy McAcornbrains. Everyone else has veggie patties to eat. You're Tama's friend, you should know he doesn't like hamburgers."

Mommy: "Yuriko, there is plenty enough hamburgers to share with Dolly if he wants them. I think you girls would get sick if you ate all of them in a single meal anyways."

*Dolly grins triumphantly at Yuriko*

Tamayuki: "...and then just fold it one more time and it will be all nice again."

Naiomi: "Mama, could we send a thank you to the two little elves on the forums who helped me get home in time for my birthday? Being a foreign exchange student was loads of fun and I really loved London, but it doesn't beat being home."

Mommy: "I'm sure they would like that."


*Later that evening...*

Naiomi: "Let's watch White Christmas next. It has Rosemary Clooney and Danny Kaye in it and I like them a lot. It also has Bing Crosby in it too but I don't like him as well because he's kinda boring."

Tamayuki: "Can we watch Christmas movies in September?"

Naiomi: "Yes, because it's my birthday." *laughs*

Dolly: "BING? That can't be his real name. Who would be daft enough to name a kid BING??"

*Yuriko grew tired of the marathon of musicals and fell asleep.*