OSAKA, JAPAN: Dotonbori is not for pansies

The view from the canal located directly across the street from the "Yamatoya Honten Ryokan" where we stayed 

There is no way to capture the sights, sounds, and tastes of Japan in a way that does it justice. What an incredible life changing experience! Flying into Osaka all lit up looked like a digitally enhanced backdrop. Walking through the city was no different. It was unreal. See for yourself:

OSAKA- DOTONBORI

"Sex Machine": A Yakiniku joint where you grill the most pristine cuts of meat at your own table

The most flavorful happy noodles in the world. After all, this is the place described as Kuidaore which is literally translated "to ruin oneself by extravagance in food"

The legendary Glico man at the heart of Dotonbori 

UMEDA SKY BUILDING

An escalator leading to the top of the building 

At the top (over 567 feet of awesomeness) 

NAMBA STATION

Traveling in Osaka is the real deal. Like traffic jams only with people instead of cars and we loved every minute of it

Kyoto, Japan

KYOTO, JAPAN: (ARASHIYAMA)

Mt. Arashi

BAMBOO FOREST

IWATAYAMA MONKEY PARK

Parenting, BS, & Grace

Recently, I read a blog about no BS friendships and it rang so true to me. As women, as wives, as moms and whatever hats we may be wearing, we.... I ...don't have time for BS. On top of the PILES of daily to do's, we don't have time to care if our house is clean when a friend comes over (if we let a friend come over). It's not stuck-up to be hermits and have pj days with our children. To let them crawl out of bed with their Tina Turner hair and let them just BE without a clock around their neck and without a clock around ours. To be in the moment even if it means letting the house go for one more week day.

We may not call back right away. We read a text and forget to right back. We write "right" instead of "write". In certain seasons, we are so engulfed in schedule and life and at times just keeping afloat that we are too busy for cultivating deep relationships even if we do want them and that is O.K. We don't have time to care wether you think our child should not be eating mac and cheese for lunch for the zillionth time. We don't have time to compare as to why you look like you have it more together than we do or why seeing your well behaved children next to ours make our kids look like the purple minions from Despicable Me 2... so you must be a better mom right? Because bottom line- it's exhausting.

SOOOO sometimes social interaction throughout the cray cray, especially when we are raising awesome humans, may simply be "liking" the latest photo of you with a coffee cup in hand, celebrating with you a seemingly chill moment that you got to yourself (what the pic may not show is that you still have a small pint size human attached to your leg or calling in the background to help you wipe their tush). Regardless, somehow I feel connected to you and a part of what is going on in the grown-up world even if it is in fact through cyber space. 

Let's lavish each other with grace. Let's encourage each other rather than pretend that we don't have hard days too. If it's one thing I've figured out from being a mom of three is that it keeps me humbled. Whenever I think that I've got this parenting thing down and they are on a schedule and there are no power struggles and we went to the store five times in a row without someone saying "IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL"....well...very quickly, I'm humbled once again. 

Fairy Garden Party

Here are some fun highlights from Ruby Rox's 4th birthday party!  Better late than never right?

We made scroll invitations with card stock and twine and Ruby was stoked on being able to hand them out by herself. It was a BIG deal in her world. Like "I'm almost a teenage because I get to hand out invitations by myself" big deal.

The part-ay started with the kiddos decorating wooden houses with markers.  The miniature vials of glitter were supposed to be for nail decorations but I knew that they were really meant to be pixie dust (and they were sold in packages of 8 for a buck)!!!! Some chose to sprinkle them over their fairy gardens when they were done, others chose to save them unopened.

Each kiddo then got a basket filled with soil and a cute plant to imagine up their own fairy garden...

 The craft table had everything from rocks to moss, to craft diamonds and jewels, and a welcome stone (thank you dollar store once again). The kids went for it and in no time each had a paper plate heaped up with supplies.

 

The "jewels" were quite the hit. Maybe because the girls said that they reminded them of the movie frozen?

How cute is this crew?

Even little sis Jasmine had fun and made her own garden (this pic was after shaking off ALL of the dirt she was covered in)! She got appointed as a guardian of their tiny village lol 

Ruby Rue- We love you so much, our passionate, spunky, heart overflowing girly girl! 

P.S. You are not allowed to grow any older

Sailor Party

We planned this Sailor party for Jasmine's 1st bday long before she started staggering around the house looking like a drunken sailor, practicing her first steps. It started with an adorable sailor dress I found when she was just a few months old. How is that for being neurotic?

But it ended up just being perfect for her one year-old crazy cool, eating chunks out of toilet paper, best slobber kisses ever- self. 

Adorbs.

For goodies and snacks, we went matchy matchy tongue-and-cheek-themed. Or what I would call pinteresty. Thank you oriental trading company!

For entertainment, we built a cardboard boat from gigantic fridge boxes for the kids to play in and filled the bottom with small plastic balls. Jasmine's own mini ball pit =)

They colored cloth sailor hats as well as the boat and their cardboard spyglasses (from paper towel rolls). Jasmine loved the boat and all of the balls so much so that we kept it in our living room for a few weeks!

Can you tell who is burnt out on pictures? Sorry Miss J!
Happy birthday little sailor. We love you so immensely and celebrate the miracle you are!