tie dYe

We were invited up to the college (not small children) to an AMAZING dinner with all city officials, Japanese Airline executives, exchange students & parents. The meal was delicious! The company was fun! And fun times & laughter were all around! Yuhei kept asking about a barbecue potty! He has a hard time saying r's. We tried to explain that a potty was the toilet - but he just didn't get it. So funny, laughed till we cried!

the Japanese city officials kept handing out beer like it was candy. We were busting up because Amanda (yes, she is drinking water) had all of these bottles & cans of beer in front of her. I don't think the Japanese officials knew that Amanda, Steve, Jacy & I didn't drink. Too funny!

The kids had to put together these solar panel cars & race them. I have a picture of Yuhei & Jacy racing against each other, but it must be here somewhere - cannot find it at this time. Jacy's car did really bad & Yuhei's car didn't do so hot! But, it was a fun time learning about solar energy from the company REC Silicon.

the kids tie dYed some shirts & cannot believe the MESS they made! Yuhei kept kneeling in the dYe and then getting it on his clothes. We kept saying "VErY GooD! Yuhei!" All of their shirts turned out fabulous!

the kids stained fingers!

having a BLasT!

Rhio -

Cannot even remember what evening we tie dyed. I think it was monday evening & then we took Yuhei home & he played Wii all night with Trent & Trevor. Laughed & laughed all night watching Yuhei play Wii. So cute!

soCCer & smOreS!

Okay, so by this point we are all so exhausted we cannot think properly. Steve would hang out after work with Yuhei till midnight or later, then get up at 5:30 a.m. & go to work all day. It was exhausting. So much FUN, but oh so exhausting.

Yuhei LOVED LOVED LOVED his smores. We had a blast teaching Yuhei about smores, He was so curious & asked so many questions. What a great exchange student. So full of curosity! Love ya Yuhei!
Yuhei had a total of FOUR smores & countless roasted marshmellows. He had a blast roasting the marshmellows. We all LOVE smores! Many summer nights are spent at our fire pit roasting & stuffing our tummies with smores! YUM!

Yuhei plays on a soccer team in Japan and was so excited to get up early & go to soccer with Jacy, Rhio & Amanda. He got nailed in the face with the soccer ball & got a bloody nose, but still could not contain his excitement about soccer practice!

barbeCue & boatinG!

So - Sat. after yard time we all headed over to another host's parents home & proceeded to have a yummy barbecue with all of the American trimmings. Yummy! Then BOATING! Steve had their annual Walmart softball game against Othello store (steve's team lost) so he missed out on the boating - it was a BLAST! Trent & trevor I think loved it as much as Yuhei. Such a fun adventure!
trent

Jacy & Yuhei - the look on his face tells the whole boating story. Our favorite part of boating was the beautiful weather & Yuhei asking if there were sharks in Moses Lake! HA!! Cute Yuhei!

jacy lacy

trevor had so much fun just hanging out in the boat. We had three boats hauling all of the kids around the lake. Such an amazing day to go boating. Near perfect weather. Beautiful sunset & fun people!

Amanda, Jacy & trent - getting ready for tubing

i LOVE this shot of Jacy & trent. Skinny little trent who is almost as tall as me now! Ugh! He is growing up so fast!

Jacy & trent on the tube

all of the boats

on the dunes, messing around

Yuhei running down the dunes straight into the water - he is CraZy!

the whole beach area was packed with boats & people everywhere, enjoying the lake

another one of my favorite pictures - having so much fun!

Full of boaters & four wheelers & motorcycles. What a fun place to hang out on a hot summer day!

the boys chillin

What a fabulous afternoon of FuN!

bOWling.

We took Yuhei bowling - not sure what night, I was exhausted!

HE LOVED IT! It was his first time bowling.

Loved his bowling shoes! He also bought a bowing pin & we all signed it. I should have gotten a picture of it signed (jacy did such a cute job drawing stick figures on the bowling ball) but, we were doing good to get Yuhei packed (after the demo derby & fair & one last trip to Wal Mart) so I missed the pin picture. It was so cute though.

Yuhei somehow hurt his thumb & got a cut on it. He was such a little booB! We could not figure out how he cut himself BOWLING! Such a character! Cutie pie!

We Were able to print out some Kids Bowl for Free coupons for Yuhei.
LOVE a great free coupon! In Yuhei's farewell speech - he stated that he loved boating & bowling. I have to agree with Yuhei - he LOVED bowling!

Yard pLay!

We did EveryTHing with Yuhei, Soccer, baseball, basketball, Wii, Playstation, DS's, etc. He LOVED everything! & we laughed & giggled along with him, discovering so many new & interesting things with Yuhei made all of us more aware of how truley blessed we are as a family to live in such a great City, State, Country! We LOVEd having Yuhei show us how much we LOVE our freedom & our country!

Jerry the cat just hanging out in the cool shade!

We LOVE our Jerry!

Yuhei is a black Belt. He is so athletic & full of EnerGY!!! Such a crazy kid!
He has some made soccer ball skills!

CUTE Jerry!

Cute Trevor!

the PoOL!

the LaZy river - treVor

Swimming was a BLASt with Yuhei! He broke every rule at the pool & we were just rolling around laughing watching Jacy try to keep up with him. jacy would just look at the lifeguards (her last day of lifeguarding at the pool was the Fri. that Yuhei came into town) that were working & apologize. It was so funny! Then Yuhei was off to another part of the pool. The flow rider was so funny! Yuhei didn't like the crashing on the flow rider. He loved the lazy river & high dive. Loved playing in the pool with the boys & had such a fun time. It was near 100 degree's the whole time Yuhei was here. So hot, but perfect weather for all of the fun things we did. Fun TIMES & great memories!

Flowrider Jacy!

Yuhei wiping out!

the boys

Jacy's good friend Abby (also on the soccer team with JACY was the lifeguard at the top of the slides - Yuhei just took off down the slide! Jacy just looked at Abby (who was laughing) & then raced down the slide after Yuhei!

Trent on the diving boards

Trevor LOVES the diving boards

Farmer's MarkeT!

Trying some Hawaiian shaved ice. Yuhei loved every tiny bit of food he tried. ATe everything in Site!

The whole group at the farmer's market.

After our evening of McDonald's (trying every sauce McDonald's has for Yuhei's chicken nuggets - he tried a Big Mac later in the week!) & diving into Wal Mart for shopping we made our way home & opened a whole suitcase of gifts from the Suzuki family. Oh My! Today, I finally purchased a gold chain for my pendants & pearl that we received. The boys received some really fun t-shirts & bags from the professional baseball team in Japan. We also received beautiful chop sticks, paper, fans, cds, coin collections, family photo's, adorable notes from Yuhei's family & etc. It was like Christmas time. So much FUN! Thank you Yuhei for all of your wonderful family presents!

After an interesting night of touring our house with Yuhei & explaining all of the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, laundry room, etc. to him he finally went to bed! But, I don't think he got much sleep because it was the middle of the day in Japan! Funny! We went to our local Farmer's market the next morning & had a blast showing Yuhei all of the different booths at the market. He loved everything & was asking questions & questions. Cute BOy!! After hitting the farmers market we made our way to the aquatic cntr for some major swimming. What a HOOT!! Pictures coming up!

WeLCOme!

Jacy's kimona from Yuhei's family. It is beautiful.
The exchange students, chaperones & Mr. Seino.

Yuhei & Jacy! It was a long 35 hour trip to get to Moses Lake! But, Yuhei was not tired at ALL! Wanted to go to McDonalds & then Wal Mart! I don't think anything slowed this kid down at all. He was a tornado!! We lOVE it!

Trent, STeve & Trevor waiting for Yuhei!

So, time to catch up a little bit, oK a LOT! Working my way through loads of pictures from the middle of Aug.

HERE we GO!

This was Yuhei's welcoming party. They group of exchange students arrived at the hotel in Moses Lake on a Fri. late afternoon. We sure enjoyed waiting for them & exchanging getting ready stories. Our kids were so excited to see their friends from Japan.

Such a great week of activities & memories. Hopefully, I can get most of these pictures posted on the FIRST DAY OF SchOOL! Yipee. Except - got a pedicure earlier today to celebrate back to school for ME! Hurray!