Spontaneous Sake

I really wish you could plan spontaneous adventures.

They seem to be just a little more exciting than the, "We'll meet you 3 weeks from now at 6pm". 

Last night, we met Maya's cousins (and my sister and brother-in-law!) for a spur of the moment dinner outing to Osaka.  It was the little one's initiation trip to a Hibachi grill....otherwise known as "those places that bang on the grill, light big fires and throw food at you in hopes you'll catch that little piece of broccoli in your mouth restaurants". 

I'd planned for a night of leftovers that were getting a little stale in the fridge, some comfy sweats and had high hopes for a new 20/20 or Dateline episode.  Little did I know that a night filled with laughter, hugs, good conversation and love was in store for us.

We caught shrimp that were flung our way, took Sake shots from the crazy chef, ate so much we won't need breakfast tomorrow and loved up each-others kids. 

(***Please meet the new 2012 Sake Swallowing Champion.  He wears the title with pride.)

My leftovers in the fridge had nothing on this feast.  (Brooke said it was her new favorite restaurant ever....well, except, of course, for Noodles.  Little in life has as much pull as good mac and cheese.)

And no 20/20 episode, even in my sweats, could have topped this night.

 

There's something really unique about cousins.  They're a built-in playmate that over the years, develops into a friend.  A friend you get to see every holiday, for family dinners, for spontaneous sake adventures and for planned events.

I feel so lucky Maya will have 2 cousins that are going to love her to pieces...and her, right back at those little girls.  It literally makes my heart so happy to see their joy to see Maya. 

Growing up, I felt so excited to see our cousins on holidays and special get-togethers, especially the cousins that were younger than us.  We would cart them around like dolls and be the teacher, or the doctor or the mom and they had to be the student or the sick kid or the baby.  They'd always go along with it and do whatever we told them to do....I think Heather and I kind of liked being in charge and bossing them around.  I wish for these cousins that same excitement and love for seeing each other.....get ready Maya, I have a feeling they'll be dressing you up in Princess dresses and carting you around soon!