Summer with a BANG! JAPAN TRIP: Lots of pictures!

We started our summer with quite the trip to Japan. Chase had some conferences and workshops there as well as a work assignment so Alvin and I decided not to let him have all the fun! We were in Japan for 3 weeks! It was quite the experience. 

Before heading we planted our garden and Alvin helped out a bit. We also put in a sprinkler system to keep things alive. It was a big job for Chase and he did great! 

The following pictures are not in any specific order but I hope you enjoy them! 

Alvin enjoying being the center of attention at a traditional Japanese meal. The first conference Chase attended had a partner program for spouse where they took us on tours and such. It was great! 

All throughout Japan, especially in the country you see this...Rice fields galore! 

Chase loved the Japanese Pajamas that were included in every hotel visit. 

Traditional Japanese women in Kimonos. 

Tokyo Temple. 

Alvin loved the train rides! We traveled a bit because of the different conferences/workshops and so we stayed in 5 different cities total. 

The Japanese gardens were amazing!

There were a lot of Japanese temples, shrines and good luck favors everywhere. 

Alvin loved Japan! 

A nice Japanese man made these for Alvin out of grass. Pretty amazing. 

Alvin enjoying modern art!

We also experience dying/painting silk handkerchiefs in the Japanese style. 

These trees were awesome! The branches had to be supported by poles. 

Chase enjoying another pair of Pjs!

Looks yummy eh?!

Outdoor fish/ food market! Pretty interesting. 

Toyama Castle

Enjoying a stroll in a beautiful little park. 

Painting ceramics. 

A Japanese cemetery. 

500 Hundred Buddhas in Toyama!

Playing with friends in Japan. 

Enjoying an aquarium.

Visiting the monkey park in Arashiyama, Kyoto. They are wild monkeys but they are everywhere on this mountain and do not care if there are visitors! We were able to feed them from within a cage!

Overlooking the city!

A turtle we spotted on a walk.

beautiful poppy field. 

A tour Alvin and I visited in Mito. 

At the top looking down. 

Tokyo. 

This was our first night in Japan. It was rough! 

One of the tours with the companions group. 

Eating gold specked ice cream! Quite decadent eh?! Kanazawa is known for their gold leafing. 

Making gold leafed chop sticks. 

The end result. 

Visiting a monastery in Kanazawa. 

Really cool!

We even saw practicing monks while there. 

Alvin got quite tired out from all the traveling. 

He loved to look out the windows for cars, buses, trains etc. 

Indoor playground.

Watching the trains at a locomotive museum. 

Playing with Japanese trains! It was a gift from our friends' parents. So kind. 

Enjoying Japanese BBQ. 

An emergency toilet in the elevator. Cool idea. 

We both got pretty tired out! 

Alvin got a lot of attention while there. Everyone loved his blue eyes and blonde hair. Pictures and touching! He was like a movie star. 

One of the LDS churches we attended while there. Everyone was always so nice and helpful!

Some festival right by our hotel. 

Chase's lovely conference meal. 

A sink on the toilet? Who would have thought?

The traditional squatter toilets. 

One of our rooms was right across from the train station. Alvin was in heaven and would look out the window every morning and night to see the trains! "Bye bye trains" he would say. 

Some really cool shrines. 

Monkey park again. 

Alvin enjoying church! 

Another LDS building where we attended church. 

A walk in the park and we saw this!

Going home... It was quite the adventure! We learned a lot while there and met some wonderful people. We loved the culture and all that we experienced. 

The next day after we got home we had a wonderful surprise and found out that we are having another BOY!!!