The Great Wall and other pictures

Here are just a few miscellaneous photos. In the main one, Holt is chatting on the phone with his Anah (Aaron’s mother). Holt has been very talkative lately, and spent an hour on the phone yesterday, first with my mother and then with Aaron’s. His Japanese, like Ridge’s, is improving very quickly! (But he spoke English to Grandma and Anah)

A couple of weekends ago we went to a cool park in a two twenty minutes south of Nishiokoppe. The town is named Shimokawa and has spawned quite a surprising number of Olympic ski jumpers. The city is also home to the Great Wall Park. As you can see from the photos, there is a large (but yet small) replica of the Great Wall of China encircling the park grounds. It’s built to accommodate foot traffic and we had a lovely time walking the entire length. I’d say it was likely about half a mile or so. Also located in the park is this unusual tower with a city museum at its base.

View from a bridge
Boys running down the path
Unusual viewing tower
The boys on the wall


This is Holt showing off a paper purse his teacher made for him at pre-school.
Holt's paper purse and paper money

And here is the wooden rocking horse Aaron made at the Komu workshop a few weekends ago. They have projects each weekend and for a small fee you can join in and make the project-of-the-week.
Ridge and the rocking horse toy Aaron made