and on these hot summer day, there's nothing quite as refreshing as going for a swim in a nice, cool mountain river.

We like to come out here to the Nakatsu River for some fun with family and friends.

The shallow water and strong current make for perfect playing conditions.

I feel like there's huge rocks in here!

There goes Joshua! Whoa Dude!

What a spin, that was awesome.

Here they come.

How's the river, girls?

Cold. Cold and fun!

Yes, there's lot of fun to be had in the summer, but sometimes the fun you find is the form of an adventure.

Take driving in Japan, for example.

You never know what kind of situation you may find yourself in, or if you'll get your car out unscratched.

In Japan, of course they have main roads,

But as soon as you get off the main roads, you can get into some really interesting situations fast.

Let me show you.

Is that a tree in the road?!

Let's just squeeze on by here.

But what happens when you meet another vehicle on these tight streets only wide enough for one car?

Well, something's gotta give, and usually the vehicle with the best option to get off the road will take it,

in this case the other truck, as I had no where to go but back up a steep hill.

Did you see what I mean? Holy cow!

These streets are so tight

You have trees in the middle of them, you have trucks coming up,

One way and hills and corners and drop offs on the other side

You have to back up, you have to squeeze into little angles.

So if you're driving in Japan, you've gotta be ready for this kind of stuff.

Summer is also a time for us to try out some new items for our online store.

Ah! It's the best!

OK let's open this. OK Momma chan, what do we have here?

We have new Life in Japan merchandise!

Wait, that's a bag Mommy!

Look, it's a picnic [bag]

Oh and these we have very limited quantities,

I think we only have five to sell on the website.

So if you want one, rush there and buy it!

Aww!

This is also a thermal bag.

I can take it grocery shopping, it fits in my basket. Wow!

Oh my goodness, look at that!

This is our "Patch" series.

Oh, this is another thermal! Wow.

Oh, those are beautiful.

A new Life in Japan bag.

Black! Wow.

Oh, and we have these with red on the bottom or black on the bottom.

This is Joshua's new sweatshirt

That is a red dude!

That's a yellow [sweatshirt] Sarah wanted yellow!

That is yellow!

Anna got a blue!

And Becca got the brown.

Oo, Becca.

Oh nice. I'm wearing it, I'm wearing it!

And then three-quarters. Ooo, I likey.

I think that's yours Daddy. Oh good!

These are all our Patch series.

Oo la la

And this is your Hoodie.

Oooo Ooo, that's nice!

Oh I got this nice jacket for you!

Oh, that's nice!

Very nice Daddy chan! That's cool.

Oh, but Cammie's so cute.

It's a cutie pie.

Anna, and there's Becca

And there's Joshua.

And Mommy that loves sleeping in.

Look at my new camera operator! Good job Sarah.

Japan really swelters in the summertime, but that doesn't mean that life has to suffer too.

The summertime is actually the best time in Japan for a lot of things,

one of which is certainly getting away into the cooler mountains.

We've come out to a beautiful campground,

We're having a camp here this weekend,

It's always an amazing time when you're able to get away from the busy life of the city and take a break.

Super refreshing time, it's exciting to be out here today.

Whew! Doing it!

Hosting a camp weekend is a lot of work, but it's work that always pays off in the end.

This weekend we're hosting an Encounter Retreat

so the team is busy prepping the campground before all the participants come.

Setup looking nice!

Yeah!

Look at these rooms here

They just have like a pastoral scene outside

How beautiful is that?!

If you don't ever stop and take a moment just to get away for a weekend

Think about life — how it's going —

You need these times to be able to keep perspective on life.

And that's one of the big things we like to do

During Covid we weren't able to do events like this

So it's really good to be able to get back and do this again.

Oh wow! Dining in paradise tonight, guys!

Or in quarantine. Ha ha! Or in quarantine.

It's quarantine paradise.

Oh yea!

After dinner we finished up the preparations

and had a moment to enjoy the beautiful surroundings before all participants would come.

But the camp was not the only place where preparations for a big event were underway.

Back home Ruth was busy with a big project of her own.

We're having a birthday party for Sarah and it's going to be princess tea party.

Well, not really princess, just fancy because she's not really into princesses anymore.

But look, sugar cookie flowers,

Real flowers — and she loves yellow and purple.

We have more cookies...

A unicorn, she still loves unicorns,

More cookies

There's my helper!

We're working on it!

It's progress, but we're getting there.

I like that rainbow.

You like the rainbow? Yeah.

Back at camp, the participants were arriving.

The first night was almost done, but the next day would be full.

Session were packed in tight, and back home Sarah was getting ready for her big day.

We're getting ready to celebrate Sarah's 9th birthday

Here's her birthday cake and cookies.

Her favorite colors are... Yellow and purple.

So we have lots of yellow and purple.

And like very girly.

And look at those cookies,

And her unicorn balloon

Aww, so beautiful.

OK Yudai's showing us the obstacle course here.

Ben, you got this? Yea, let's do it!

OK, here we go.

Back at camp, we had a break and took a moment to try out the obstacle course.

It really challenged our sense of balance!

Toshio, be especially careful of that tree!

Get it?

Get it?

(Lame Japanese pun Dad joke)

Next part is hard — oh great!

OK

These move.

This one doesn't move, I don't think.

Yeah, I don't think this one does either.

What about this next one though?

What is this?

You're supposed to go up there.

Oh, he's going up! He's doing it!

Did Yudai take a little shortcut?

I don't know what to do here.

But I don't trust this! I was going to say...

Alright alright.

What?!

You can't — you can't do it!

Oh look at that, oh!

These guys — you guys are killing it!

Oh, mask comes off. Things are getting serious.

Whoa yea, look at that.

Oh you got it Yudai, no problem.

Which one is harder, I wonder.

I don't know.

It's thin, isn't it? Yeah!

What, it's still going?!

How long is this thing?

You're halfway.

Oh Yudai did it.

Yudai's the pro, he's already done this.

This is the longest obstacle course I've ever done.

If you fall, you have to go back!

Yea!

You finished! Congradulations! Well done!

Happy birthday Sarah!

It might have been hot in the mountain, but it was broiling back home for Sarah's party.

It's so hot!

Are you ready?

You want to go sit down?

I gotta take a picture of this real quick!

Oh my goodness, look at this!

We're just following Yudai

Going, going down. Yeah, wherever you go Yudai!

Make it good!

Don't fail us now!

We're going... We're going!

Put our lives in Yudai's hands.

So that was the easy part. We still have to go back up!

Wow!

This is nice. Just watch your step.

You get down by the river and it immediately gets cooler. Oh it feels good.

This is great!

Dude, it's so much cooler down here!

So cool.

Much much cooler, isn't it?

Ben's like "It's picture time, let's do it!"

[Singing Happy Birthday]

The next day was an early start.

We had to get back in time for the culmination of encounter weekend at Paz Church on Sunday morning,

and we couldn't be late.

I'm on my way to get my first cup of coffee here this morning.

And wouldn't you know it, it's sold out.

Sold out.

I'm going to have to go with one of these, but they're cold, oh.

Yes, summertime is the time for camps,

and this years' Encounter retreat did not disappoint.

Oh it's festive here today at Paz Church!

We have the Encounter coming back,

One minute to go, it's going to be party time!

Yea!!! Here we go!

[Singing]

With the weekend retreat done, it was time to celebrate Sarah's birthday together as a family.

Since it was blazing hot outside, we went to a nearby park to play in the water.

Are you videoing me?

Yep! Alright, let's see!

Oh nice!

3, 2, 1 !

Whoa, very fun!

Whose birthday is today? Sarah's!

Sarah-Beara! Oh my goodness Sarah!

Becca's walking with Lulu there.

Huh Becca?

Sweltering and summertime are two words that just go together in Japan,

but fortunately we have plenty of good activities to keep us busy inside.

Sarah, what did we get for our birthday?

Berenstain Bears.

Berestain Bears! Some of your favorite books, huh?

Oh wow.

I like to read them to you.

"Happy birthday brother!" shouted the birthday guests as Momma brought in the cake.

Then they all sang the birthday song.

It is hot, hot, hot, hot, hot.

Summer is here.

We're going for a walk.

We have been enjoying our walks

And when it's so hot outside, let the sun be low on the horizon.

A couple paddle-borders out there.

It would be nice to be in the water. Yeah.

Well on the super hot days or the rain days, it's the Daddy taxi.

No 45-minute walk today!

Only 5 minute walk!

Sarah, what are we up to over here?

Um, I'm looking at all my presents.

All your presents?! What is this from?

This is from Sofia.

Oh wow.

I got lots of presents.

That's special. How nice.

I hear somebody cranking on the piano.

Who might it be? Beccster Booster!

That sounded awesome Becca, way to go!

I'm trying to wink.

We'll have a stare fest.

I will win.

Oh, probably.

Anna, what are you working on? Oh!

You scared me! I scared you?

Duolingo. Duolingo?!

That's what Daddy uses to learn some Japanese. What are you learning?