Lehi Days

When I was 5 we had an exchange student from Japan named Noriaki. I still remember what a good sport he was when my sisters made him play school with us. And not just school, but we were playing Japanese school. He had a hard time speaking pretend Japanese with us since he could only speak real Japanese. So we let him ask his questions in real Japanese and the teacher (my Big Sis was always the teacher. So unfair) would answer in pretend Japanese.

For some reason he couldn't understand what we were saying in pretend Japanese. 

He also didn't understand why we were so excited to play in the rain. You would think rain is an every day occasion in Japan, not the event of the summer like it is for a desert child.

He really was the nicest 17 year old boy you could ask for. I thought he lived with us forever. My Big Sis swore it was for 6 months. 

It was actually 1 month.

I had seen him about 10 years ago when I visited Japan. We actually stayed in his sister's apartment in Tokyo. Since then he has gotten married and now has a 4 year old boy. He had a business trip in Minneapolis and we are facebook friends so I convinced him to come to AZ and defrost for a weekend. 

While he was here, we decided a rodeo would be a good Arizona experience and Lehi Days was just the thing.

I mean, do kids try and put bloomers on goats in Japan?

And do three people ride a horse while trying holding an egg, cup of water, and a watermelon anywhere else?

And who could miss the army of children chasing goats to grab the money stuck to them?

 J was more interesting in applying sunscreen and eating discarded snack from under the bleachers.

This is actually a snack we brought, but it was a constant battle trying to keep her from eating stuff off the ground.

Nori even found J when she disappeared on me in the pony ride line. This little girl is a bit obsessed with horses since we live next to horse training stable and she LOVED getting to ride one. She may get to take lessons someday since it is a 3 minute walk from our house.

Her cousins liked it too.

J just fell in love with Nori and snuck onto his lap when she was supposed to be napping. Nori couldn't believe how different little girls are since his son always vaults onto his lap at a full speed run.

We had so much fun having him here and can't wait for our kids to go on exchanges someday. Or at very least have an awesome family vacation.