Tomo and Reo

On the evening of July 4 we picked up 2 Japanese exchange students that were to be ours for a couple of weeks. They are from Saitama, Japan and are both 19, almost 20. They came for an automotive program at UVU. It was our responsibility to show them what family life is like in America, to get them to and from school, and to feed the breakfast and dinner.

The boys spoke VERY LITTLE English, but we managed, especially after Allie started using google images. We would just show them pictures of things to see if they liked it or not or if they wanted to try it or not. Brooke Walker also downloaded an app on her phone that allowed her to speak in English and it translated what she said into Japanese. We used google translate a lot, too, just typing what we wanted to say and having them read it. Clark House, Kamiko's friend who served a mission in Japan, came over one night and that was great. He talked to them a bit, explaining that they could eat anything in the fridge, freezer, or pantry and that they didn't have to eat anything if they didn't want to.

We sure crammed a lot into the 13 days they were with us. We did the following:

JCW's burgers
BYU foods lab
Orem Owlz game
Tibble Fork in American Fork Canyon
Bridal Veil falls
Rockwell Ice Cream
Shave ice
Fireworks and BBQ on the 4th
Timpanogos cave
Temple Square (there was a Japanese sister who took them on a tour)
7 Peaks for a couple of hours
American Fork Antique Car Show
Winco
Walmart
Music and the Spoken Word
Church at our ward
Traverse Mountain Outlets
Carheads Automotive to meet our mechanics
Chick fil-A, it was cow appreciation day so we made them dress like cows to get a free entree
Ping pong and baseball at Watkins'
Lots of time with Kamiko, Allie, Brooke, Kobi, and other friends
Family bbq before they left with lots of Chileans invited

I would totally do it again. We had a great time. The boys were so nice and genuinely appreciative of what we did. I wrote a more detailed blog post about their visit. Here's the link: http://www.2womenofacertainage.com/how-to-host-short-term-exchange-students/

Highlights:

seeing Tomo put the brochure he got at Temple Square in his backpack
finding out that our boys scored #1 and #2 on their exam
watching them try root beer
seeing them enjoy the fresh smell of Provo Canyon
watching Reo sleep anywhere and everywhere
figuring out how to pull up hymns in Japanese so they would know what we were singing about
the kindness of the Watkins family (baseball, ping pong, dogs, video games, etc.)


Here are lots of pictures!

The apple pie I made for Tomo. Reo didn't like sweets much.

Reo and Tomo at Temple Square

Tomo and Reo with Keenan, watching antique cars cruise main st.

At Music and the Spoken Word. Reo slept.

Cow Appreciation Day. 

In a paddle boat at Tibble Fork with Starlyn

Playing video games at Watkins

Enjoying burgers at JCW's

Reo's farewell Instagram post

Brock Watkins was nice enough to give Tomo one of his bats. Tomo is a huge baseball fan. Brock and Tomo also threw a ball together and batted off their T in the garage. 

Reo hanging with Mitty. Both the boys loved the cat. Tomo has a cat at home.

Day #1 Hokulia Shave Ice. The boys were tired, but we needed to stay awake for fireworks.

Temple Square: Keenan, me, Allie, Reo, Tomo, Kobi, Brooke

Tibble Fork Gang: Erin, Starlyn, me, Keenan, Reo, Tomo, Kobi and Erin's roommate

Relaxing at Tibble Fork with Kob and Keenan

Just before we dropped OUR boys off. What a great time!

End of an Era

I've driven a minivan for about 20 years. I got new wheels. I still can't believe it. On Father's Day, I was bored and started looking at Subaru Foresters online. I've wanted one ever since we got one for the kids. I always said that's what I want to drive when I don't need a van anymore. Well, in a VERY roundabout way, I found a great deal on a 2005 Subaru Forester with only 75,000 miles on it. I bought it from Bob Sanders, who works at Brent Brown Toyota. He is a car salesman I worked for YEARS ago when I did follow-up mail for car salesmen. Bob took good care of me.

My biggest challenge...figuring out where to put my purse. I'm missing that empty space between the 2 front seats that minivans have. I'm sure I can adjust in exchange for better gas mileage, cute car, nicely tinted windows, and all wheel drive. Our mechanics bought the van. It was a crazy couple of weeks.

Me and Heather, our mechanic and friend.

Bye. 205,000 miles. You were good to us. Hard to believe we only had this one for 5 1/2 years. 

My new Subaru. Still considering names...Michelle, Syd, Hiro, Scout...

Milo Ryan Hunter

"Grandma Dana," Milo, and Rose

A new baby joined the Hunter clan on May 20. He was born in Santa Clarita, California, about 5 minutes from Derek and Rachel's house. Big sister Rose and big brother Charlie are going to have to step it up. Hahaha.

I was in the middle of teaching spring term, but as soon as the term ended, Allie and I drove out to California to offer help to the little family. We left on Monday and came home on Saturday. It was a great trip, with Cane's chicken strips in Vegas on the way to California and on our way home. YES!!!!!!!! I also drove the whole way to California. Allie helped me drive back to Utah.

Share a 4 piece meal and swap out the slaw for more toast. Each person gets 2 strips, 1 toast, and plenty of fries. Yes, please.

While there, we took Rose and Charlie to the beach, went with Derek and Rose and Charlie to Disneyland, folded laundry, held the baby, entertained Rose, listened to Rose entertain us, watched Rose at karate, played with Chars, got haircuts from Rachel, painted fingernails, etc. Allie even helped Rachel put together a trampoline. Derek and Rachel started on swing set assembly and finished after we left. We watched "Moana" and "Trolls." I paid Rose to help me clean the house and she took the money to pay for frozen yogurt for her mom and Allie.

Rose is great at mirrors. In her Home Depot work apron.

Went to this great beach that has a playground and FREE PARKING!

Playing so cute until Charlie knocked down Rose's sand pile. She went crazy on him. 

Beautiful slightly overcast day and not too crowded beach.

 Those kids are so cute. Rosie is busy and funny. She never slows down. I mean never. After a full day at Disneyland, she wouldn't slow down because she hadn't had a healthy dinner yet. I suggested we stop and grab fast food. She got a burrito and did fall asleep in the car. Thank goodness for Del Taco. Seriously, had we not stopped, I think she would have stayed awake because she told me she needed to eat dinner when she got home, even if she fell asleep on the way home.

Me and Charlie went on Luigi's ride while the big kids went on other rides.

Our favorite ride. Midway Mania

Snack time at Disneyland

I'm happy to take pictures of them on teacup ride

The Hunters have a new ride. A nice family in their ward gave them a minivan that they didn't need anymore. Isn't that nice? Wow!

This is a thank you picture they gave to the family.

Rachel, Milo, Derek, Charlie, Rose, and Allie

I would have been useless without Allie. That girl is so great with her little cousins. She called Rose "Home Girl." Rose called Allie "Outside girl." What great memories.

Charlie likes his sister's silky pj's. Don't judge!

Cousins.

Glamour pose!

Spa day for Rose

Rose took this picture of us. She even posed us.