Zhang Shan-Bo and the "Alpine Slide"

     This summer we decided to have a Chinese exchange student come stay with us.  The stay was 2 weeks and we thought it'd be a great opportunity since Keaton and Tate are in Chinese immersion programs at school. 
     We picked Zhao up from the bus in Lehi.  He'd been flying a long time so we followed the instructions to take him home, feed him and let him go to bed.  It's strange having someone you've just met sleep in your house and I didn't sleep well that night.  We felt bad because he seemed so uncomfortable, it's called culture shock.  But kids are resilient and soon he was goofing off with the boys, playing and being silly. 
     Zhao had "school" about four times a week through the program he came with so he was pretty busy with that.  I did want to plan some fun activities for when he was around.  The first thing we did was hike to the natural waterslide in Alpine.  It was a hot day and a popular thing to do so there were a lot of people there.  Zhao refused to wear a swimsuit....apparently he doesn't like water which narrowed my list of fun-things-to-do considerably.  The rest of us had a great time and Zhao took pictures. 
     We had a big wonderful family group.  My older three did the slide and loved it.  Avery wanted to do it so my Mom and I took her up and I told her I'd go down with her.  When we got up there ( a little rock climb/scramble ) she told us she wanted to do it herself.  The water is about four feet deep at the end of the slide so I went first while Avery waited with Grandma.  Then Avery went down.  She was by far the littlest kid to do it and got a pretty good applause when she came out of the water.  Grandma went down next and loved it too!

       A good part of our group

 

Avery, Me and my Mom ready to hike up to the slide

 

S'more of our group (Zhao on the side :)) 

 My cute parents

 

My Mom and Breck

 

 

McKay, Conner, Ethan, Keaton and Tate, going down the slide.