multicultural birthday party

Last Saturday, Maddy's friend Ayano turned 13.

Her parents had a party with her friends and their families.

I'm not sure I have ever had so much fun at a party.

Okay, I probably have, but it was simply fabulous!

Ayano and her parents are from Japan. Her dad works with something sort of like the Peace Corps. Their Spanish is really good (their Japanese is the best I have ever heard) and their English is coming, but slowly.

The three of them completely shattered every cultural stereotype I've ever had of Japanese people. They were wild, gregarious, animated and so, so, so much fun. I want them to be my new best friends.

Well, that might be a little extreme, but I would love to hang out with them more.

One of the other friends that was invited is Korean. Her name is Hi-leem. That is probably not how you spell her name but it is how it sounds.

Then there were three friends (and their families) all from the US.

I was telling our friends, who we got to know and love at language school, and who are missionary doctors in Shell, Ecuador (they were up visiting and taking care of business from Thursday to Saturday) about this party we were going to. They asked "No Ecuadorians?"

Nope, no Ecuadorians.

The whole thing was pretty comical. Japan, Korean and the United States (and Canada!!!) represented, at a bowling party, in Ecuador, with Spanish being the predominant language spoken (okay, there was plenty of English too).

The birthday girl, Ayano, with Megan (she was in school with Maddy in Costa Rica), and Maddy. Mia in the background with glowing eyes (shoulda done the red-eye remover thing....)

We had two rounds of bowling.

The first was two teams of the kids (picked numbers) and two teams of adults.

They had prizes for first place, thirteenth place (in honor of the birthday girl), and last place.

Ayano's parents (Rubriko and Sakari) were amazing!!!!

Is Japan a bowling hot-spot?

They killed us all - but were gracious enough to not take the first place prizes.

Cade got a prize. And I almost got a prize.

For last place.

Yup, I tied with my seven-year-old, very-small-for-his-age, could-hardly-find-a-ball-light-enough-for-him, son.

And I wasn't trying for the last place prize.

Then, since we tied for last place, we had to row-sham-bow (for some reason that didn't come up in spell check....) for the prize.

First three hits we did the same sign.

Fourth time he crushed my scissors.

I was the ultimate looser.

This is Cade getting his prize - a package of toilet paper!!

I thought he might cry about it - but he loved it!!!

Since then Eric has even offered to buy the toilet paper from him and he could pocket the cash (over $8) and he wants to keep the toilet paper!

The next round was the family round.

Each family bowled against each other, with the same number of times to bowl.

Even though we had the two previous losers on the same team

WE WON!

The Ackermann's rule!

Rubriko made some amazing food and fantastic cake.

There was quite a spread laid out for our constant enjoyment.

All the kids.

Guess what our kids want to do for their birthday parties now?