AmericaFest - Okinawan style

July 4th is right around the bend and to help celebrate Kadena Air Base had its annual AmericaFest.  This two day event is a kind of air show, minus any flight demonstrations (I guess we get those every day as we watch the planes flying over our heads!)  I took the kids with our friends, Krimp and Dima and little Zach and even though it was hotter than stink, we all enjoyed it.  The boys (ok, and Emmy) loved seeing the planes and actually getting inside them.  My favorite part?  Getting to drive on the runway!  (That's where we parked.)  About half way down I realized there was 1.) no speed limit, 2.) no obstacles and 3.) no police - so I floored it!

London was cracking me up as he had a detailed conversation with the crew in the AWACS about how to start the plane.  I think by the end the guys were a little concerned that he might go for a joy ride one day!

I told Emmy to look like she was hanging out of the helicopter - so she struck this pose for me!  I guess she's "hanging out".

Strapped in for takeoff!

Ready to fly.

And then we got to see some of the Japanese planes (of course, Stevie tells me they're the same as ours because they get them from us, but still...)

Emmy's favorite part by far was "KiddieLand".  She talked me into buying a ticket for this area and it was so much fun to see her enjoy being a little kid.  So often she plays so much older because of her brothers and the other kids around so I loved seeing her have a big time on the choo-choo train and the mini-plane rides.

I wasn't sure she was having a good time on this one until she asked to get back on it!

And of course, even though we were in the middle an American military base, there's always the subtle reminder that we're still in Japan.  All the shoes neatly lined up in front of the bouncy castle!  Only in Japan...