fukuoka date!

Work takes Mitch to Fukuoka 3-4 times a month, where I usually send him off with a laundry list of snacks and household items I'd like for him to buy and bring home.

This time, however...I got to go with him!

This is only the THIRD time I've ever joined Mitch on one of his trips...but the previous 2 times, I brought along Kaden with us because he was still a baby.

For the very first time ever, it was just me and Mitch.

With Mitch's parents visiting for the Summer, we took advantage of grandma and grandpa's kindness and dropped all 4 kids off for 2 nights while Mitch and I got a mini-vacation to Japan!

I was SO nervous...but equally thrilled to have this short getaway trip with Mitch.

Here's my ticket and passport!  

Super excited!

Oh look! Caught Mitch doing his pre-flight check of the plane!

He looks so tiny next to the Boeing 767...

So very happy that I got to sit in 1st class on the way there!

The flight attendants knew I was traveling with Mitch so were very nice and accommodating to me. 

Sure does pay to know the pilot!  hehe.

We didn't get to sit together during his break, but he stopped by my seat to say HI.

Upon first arriving in Fukuoka, we off-loaded our stuff in the hotel and set out to eat!

Mitch kindly mapped out our entire 2 day stay from what to eat and what to see.  Since he travels here SO often (4-5 times a month!), he was the perfect tour guide.

First stop was eating some tonkatsu at Hamakatsu.  This would be Mitch's FAVORITE tonkatsu place.  And it was super yummy!  We ran into a friend of Mitch's (who happened to be vacationing in Fukuoka with his family! Talk about coincidence!) and ate with them. They were lively and fun and good company while we shared our tonkatsu dinner plate.  

Yes, we shared one plate of tonkatsu because we knew that we were headed to a SECOND dinner right after that!  Which was, of course, ramen.  Seriously, the BEST ramen I've ever eaten.  This was Mitch's favorite ramen spot and it was delicious!  We also shared this bowl and a plate of gyoza, which filled our bellies just right for the night.  And then after a beautiful walk back to the hotel, we were pretty wiped out and ready for bed.

 Day 2 of our trip was pretty much our final day.  We filled it to the MAX with loads of biking, jogging around Ohori park, Mister Donuts for breakfast, and lots more biking.  

My butt was sore from all the biking...but it was SO much fun!  Brought back so many memories from my mission!

After all that exercising and biking, we headed back to the hotel to shower and change...and then headed right back out to do some serious shopping.  And eating.

We had sushi at a super yummy sushi spot where the wait line was about a half hour! But definitely worth the wait since the sushi was delicious!  (That's me with my uni!)

We also ate at Mos Burger with a side of melon soda (a staple, really), and ate the BEST Baumkuchen cake at a restaurant that ONLY sells Baumkuchen!  Seriously-that's the ONLY THING ON THE MENU!!  you can see the bakers in the window making them on huge spits right in the restaurant...and it was divine!

We also rode the trains and did a LOT of shopping.  

All to soon, it was time to say goodbye to our Fukuoka trip.

We swung by a small pasta restaurant and ate some spaghetti before heading back to the airport.  I also got to eat some custard pudding because Japanese custard pudding is my absolute favorite.

I didn't get to sit in 1st class on our way back home because the ticketing agents in Japan are much more strict with dress codes than the US agents...which was such a bummer!  BUT, lucky for me, I got to sit in an exit row with no one next to me so I had some peace and quiet on the 7 hour flight home.  OH, and fancy our timing, but Kiyomi happened to be working our flight there and back!  It was nice seeing a familiar face on our trip and I thought it so fun to see her in action at work! :)

I am SO very grateful for Mitch's parents for allowing us to take this little trip!  

We were reassured that the kids did great, and gave them little trouble while we were gone.  The kids didn't seem to miss us too much since they already love their grandma and grandpa, and we were comforted in the knowledge that they are so good with our children.

There was a little part of me that felt a bit guilty for taking a vacation without the kids...but I hope they understand that we love them and missed them terribly the entire time!  

It will probably be many years until we can take a similar trip without the kids so we definitely made the most of every minute we were in Fukuoka!  I feel so very blessed to have had this opportunity to get away, even if it was only for 2 nights.