The fam in Japan posts keep coming!
Now up...our time in Osaka!! My brother, Russ, has friends who live in Osaka so we made it a point to go visit them in their city after our time in Kyoto. I had never been to Osaka before so I was so curious to finally see it all!!
Here was our Airbnb in Kyoto. It was so cozy and really fun to all stay at together.
REAL LIFE: waiting for the shinkansen with 6 adults, 5 kids and a LOT OF BAGS. hahaa...my siblings are all so chill though so it made traversing the public transit quite fun! Plus the kids are all amazing and the most fun travel buddies.
On the short shinkansen ride from KYOTO to OSAKA...we had the whole car basically to ourselves and Eden was really letting her personality shine!
Cam too! He has the sweetest smile.
I love this picture It is so real...and so US!! I love being with my family so much...this makes me really miss them!
My sissy and her three girls <3
After a short train ride...we arrived in OSAKA and were immediately greeted by the most amazing Osaka friends PLUS... sakura trees!!!!!!
We headed to a big park to meet up with my brother's friends to have enjoy HANAMI (sakura viewing!!) and I have to say...we were there on the most perfect day!
My brother Russ and his amazing friends Ai, Keiko and Mako!! He met them all over a decade ago when he came to Japan on a missions trip. They all attend a church in Osaka and are really the coolest, sweetest, friendliest ladies!
Shout out to my amazing sister-in-law and brother-in-law for being amazing parents!
I love these kids of sakura blooms...they are so delicate looking!
Off to our next destination...a boat ride to see more sakura!
This is just the best photo ever!!! Our kiddos plus Ai's two adorable boys...all hanging out in Osaka under the sakura trees!!! AHHHHHH....I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!!
OKAY OSAKA....YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.
Ai and Mako gave my sisters and I the cutest little gifts. There is nothing like Japanese hospitality.
I told Lenny here..."funny face!!" HAHAA..oh man, she is too cute.
HAHAHA I love this pic of Cam. I don't even know what he was doing... but I happened to snap this pic while we were on the boat! hahahaaa makes me laugh.
Hunter is really growing up so fast!! Love that kid.
Sweet father son hugs in Dotonbori...the most famous spot in Osaka.
Dotonbori is really a craaaazy place!! It has a totally different vibe from Tokyo, which is why most Tokyo and Osaka people really like to differentiate themselves. It's loud, fun, wild, humorous, and lively. WOW
While we were cruising the streets at night, I stopped when I saw this group of men standing outside this restaurant. To me, they really represent the quintessential Japanese business man lifestyle. The suits, the bags, the group mentality, the drinking parties...so Japan!
For dessert we stumbled upon a CREMIA bar to get the best icecream ever!! BUT...what was even more impressive was piece of paper the man was using to record his icecream sales. It was so oldschool and I absolutely loved it!
Our next day in OSAKA...
This was the view from out airbnb...can you believe it!!???? This is precisely why I am in love with Japan. The tiniest little street down a random alleyway in Osaka has THIS VIEW.
first stop...cruising the streets to Kuromon market. The kids are all at a perfect age to be carried on the shoulders of any willing (and gracious) adult. I love this picture because it is a moment in time I want to freeze forever! Cam, Eden and Lenny all being this size...with my brothers...on a street in Osaka...ahhhhhhh **tears**
First purchase at the market...these crazy "white strawberries" that were actually so sweet!
madness at the market.
I absolutely love this photo of Hunter. It might be one of my favorite shots of him. We were at ROUNDONE (arcade center) and he really wanted to play games. He was running around and saw this game and turned around right as I snapped this photo of him in pure 6-year-old excitement!! I love him.
It was really cool to spend some time with my bro D. Him and I share a love for fashion and style, so we got some creative shots while we were killing time waiting for the others.
This was inside our airbnb...and staying here really made me fall in love with a house with a city view. It is pretty magical. This place had floor to ceiling windows that offered views all around...amazing!
I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT.
Looking back at all these photos makes me even more thankful for the time I had with my siblings and their kiddos in Japan. What a crazy blessed life we get to live!