Thailand 2012

I finally finished the photo book for our trip to Thailand. Approximately, 1,500 pictures have been compiled into 60 pages.

Thailand 2012

Click on the link above to see the album.

Photo Book

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Lego Organization

Thanks to the ideas that I found on pinterest, the LEGOs are now organized and ready to be made into new creations.  In the fall we spent one Saturday morning sorting the LEGOs by color.  The original idea was to put all the sets back together.  That seemed like a daunting task and one that the kids could not do by themselves.  The containers that we used for our impromptu sort were of all sizes and shapes.  They were stored in the drawers and were not easy for the kids to use.

My goal was for the kids to be able to play with the LEGOs sooner rather than later because it felt like a waste of money to have LEGOs that the kids could not use.  The day after Christmas I made a trip to The Container Store to buy 20 of their shoe boxes.  I dumped all the colors into different boxes.

This weekend, I finally got around to putting the labels on the boxes deciding to go with color organization rather than set organization.  The deal is that the LEGOs can be played with all week and stored in the right drawer of the LEGO table, but, every Sunday, the "projects" will be resorted by color.  The left drawer is for LEGO magazines and instruction manual which are in a binder with clear plastic sleeves.  Our LEGO table is a garage sale find in our neighborhood.

Thank you to heatherjslife.blogspot.com for the box labels, and alison.knitsmiths.us for the idea to use the same containers so they stack.  iheartorgainzing.blogspot.com also had a really cool IKEA shelving unit that she used for LEGO storage by color; but I did not find that idea until after I had bought the shoe boxes.





So Hard to Be a Group of Three

Reese wanted her friend from next door to come over and play.  The problem is that friend is also her brother's friend.  Most of the time they all play together, but sometimes, it is just the girls or just the older two and one of them feels left out.  It is inevitable; I have heard it since I was young, three is not a good number of playmates.  I have seen it time and time again with different groupings and pairings of kids.  I know that it is hard to share a friend, and I also know that Riley needs one probably more than Reese.  He wants friends to come and play at our house, but he does not like for Reese to tag along.  I told him that maybe in a few weeks, we would go and visit our friends who have boys his age and a girl Reese's age so that he would get some play time with just boys and his sister not bothering him.

Father/Son & Mother/Daughter Time

Resse and I were invited by one of my friends to go and see a play today.  She only had two tickets, so I arranged for Daddy to take Riley somewhere.  Riley and Daddy went to see a movie that Riley has been wanting to see.  This is good for both of them because we have been having trouble with Riley because he does not feel that he gets enough attention and has been acting out to get attention.  Reese likes to spend time with Mommy by herself also.

The play that Reese and I went to see performed by CATCO.

The movie that Riley chose to see.



Reese's "Projects"

Today Reese printed out the Mad Hatter's Hat from the game The Wonder Pets: Adventures in Wonderland.  This was definitely more of an adult project to put together than a five year old project.  I put the paper hat together using a glue stick because we have no scotch tape right now.  It turned out pretty well.

E is for Explore

Our next project together will be more handprints.  I found another idea from Pinterest, an alphabet handprint with each letter a different handprint item.  I am thinking about making this an 8 by 8 scrapbook with a page for each letter.  Then, I may use it as a Mother's Day gift for YaiYai.



iPod touch v. Samsung Galaxy Tablet

We actually own both of these pieces of technology. I decided this year that I was not investing in any more kid specific technology. They both are old enough to use the adult items. I wanted the iPod touch for our travels so that the kids can play games and videos. There are many apps that are only available on iTunes so I wanted access to both the Android Market And iTunes. I have gotten lucky in that Reese seems to prefer the iPod touch and Riley prefers the tablet. Reese enjoys many apps and I actually bought my first app tonight for her, Diego's Magical Adventure. Riley likes to play Angry Birds on the tablet.

Reese's First Gymnastics Class

Reese took her first gymnastics class this fall.  She wanted to take something because her brother is now involved in Archery.  I signed her up for the second fall session.  She was really shy for the first few classes.  She invited her grandpa to come and see her and then did not do anything of the exercises while he was there.  The first time her dad went to see her, she did not do anything either.  As time went on, she did get better and become less shy.  I have to remember also that she just turned five, and she was in a five year old class, but some of those students could actually be closer to six so, as in school, she would be one of the youngest in the class.

These are some pictures from her last class.

The first picture is Reese on the balance beam in the big gym.  The second picture is Reese on the rings in the little gym.  The third picture is Reese receiving her certificate for completing the class.



The Many Faces of Reese

This is Reese at her best.  When I bought her the trunk of costumes, they had Disney Princesses, Disney Fairies, Superheroes, and The Pirates of the Caribbean.  Since The Pirates of the Caribbean trunk did not have costumes, just props, it was perfect for Riley.  I knew that the Superheroes trunk was perfect for Reese, and she loved it.



Riley's Friends

This year Riley made a new friend.  As is typical with him, it is a girl in his class.  He sits next to her in reading/writing class in the afternoon.  Today, she told him that she wanted to take a break, and he is just crushed.  Riley can get really close to someone really fast and although, he does not tire of them, they sometimes tire of him.  This has happened a few times especially with his "girl" friends.  He has trouble playing with boys his age because he does not like the games that they play at school.  I keep telling him that eventually he will find his niche and find friends that share his common interests.  I also tell him that sometimes, he needs to play what other people want to play also; it can't be his choice all the time.  I hope that I am right, and his innocence and kindness will be returned by someone who understand him and will want to be his friend forever.

Reese's Nicknames

Reese has many nicknames.  Sister, Sissy, Reesie (which is how she refers to herself), MooMoo (because of her love of chocolate milk), Tink Tink, and Stinky (because she can up so stubborn in getting her own way).  I am sure I am missing a few, but Stinky is the one that I want to talk about today.  Reese now actually has an understanding of what Stinky means.  She cries now if we call her Stinky and asked not to be called Stinky.  Now, she refers to herself as Stinky if she is not able to do something the right way such as fold paper so that it will fit into the envelope.  When she says it, it sounds so sad.  I pep her up and try very hard to not call her Stinky anymore.  I want her to have a positive image of herself and not have her give up on something because she thinks that she is stinky at it.  If she want to do it, I want her to believe in herself and not think that she will always be stinky!  The other nicknames, she does not mind, and we will continue to use them as terms of endearment, but we need to let this one go so that she can believe in herself.

Mild Winter

The weather has been in the high 40s and 50s this weekend.  It has been mild enough that we have gone outside to play both days this weekend, and Riley has had time to try out the new Genesis bow that he got for his birthday.  It is amazing how much the practice between Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as having the right bow has improved his archery abilities.  We can set out his target now without the backboard, and he does not miss that often.  He can still hit the balloons on the target as they sway in the wind.  I told him it is like a moving animal.

As I was reading my AAA magazine, Home and Away, I found out that the Arnold Sports Festival has an archery component.  I was going to enter Riley just so he could see what others can do, but the competition is only open to students who are part of Ohio's Archery in the Schools Program.  We are part of a program through Columbus Parks and Recreation, but it is not competition based.  The program concentrates on learning skills.  It is close to home and the archery barn is relatively new and just right for Riley's skill level in Archery right now.  Down the road I may have to find him another program if he decides that he wants to compete in Archery. 

Kung Fu Panda 2

Tonight, for Family Night, Reese picked Kung Fu Panda 2 to watch.  We all enjoyed the movie, but Reese was also the one to get the most upset over the movie.  She would not tell us why, but I suspect that she did not like the part of the movie where Po realizes what happened to him was that his mother left him in the radish crate.  I think that she think that it might happen to her and does not like the thought of being without her mom.  I reassured her that we would never do that to her.  She says it was because of some comment that her brother said about the gorilla in the movie.

Reese-isms

Tonight, as I was driving the van into the garage, Reese says, "Ooh, I have never done this before."  When I thought about it, she is right.  I don't think that in her whole lifetime we have parked cars in the garage.  It has always been a storage unit for mostly restaurant things including a 6 foot grill with a trailer hitch.  Even though we have not had the grill in the garage for awhile now, the garage still never got clean enough to put a vehicle in last year.  2012 is the year we finally accomplished what was for many years impossible.

Hot Cold Tickle Water

We went camping for the first time last spring. When we got to the restroom,I realized we have a problem. How is Reese going to get a bath. I finally broke it to her and told her she would have to take a shower. We found one stall, the handicap one that had a shower head that came off the wall. We always used that one, and she never forgot to tell me that she wanted, "hot cold tickle water". We survived another camping trip, and now I hear it when she showers at home also.

Book Club Babies

I have been part of my book club since before either of you were born.  When you were babies, I would sometimes take you with me.  As you got older, someone would watch you while I went.  In the past few years on the night that I host book club at home I have let you stay home with me to see what goes on.  For years, Riley has wanted to be in a book club also, but I have not found one for him.  His interest in books has led to his interest in my book club.  Reese would just like to be where Mommy is, so if I am going to book club, then she wants to go also.  Next month is their lucky month; it is once again my book club hosting month!

Christmas Day

Santa and all were very good to Riley and Reese this year.  From Santa Reese got Bullseye from Toy Story 3 and Riley got a Nerf Rifle.  The favorite game for the Wii that everyone got into playing was Top Shot Arcade, and everyone also loved Reese's stuffed animal, Dewdrop.

Cookies for Santa

Reese decided that she wanted to leave a card for Santa this year.  We didn't have any cookies on hand so we left Santa white chocolate pretzels and Rice Krispies Treats.  Santa are half of one Rice Krispies Treat and most of the pretzels.  He also took the beautiful card that Reese made.

Let Them Be Little

As I was going through my planner on this first day of the year, I found the lyrics to Let Them Be Little by Billy Dean.  They played this song at Kindergarten Screening while we watched the slide show of what kindergarten is all about.  The song made me teary-eyed as I really listened to the lyrics and thought of Reese in kindergarten.  Reese is doing really well in kindergarten and is looking forward to going back to school in the new year.  She has made friends and likes her teacher which is the same one that Riley did not like in kindergarten.

I can remember when you fit in the palm of my hand.
You felt so good in it; no bigger than a minute.
How it amazes me you're changin' with every blink.
Faster than a flower blooms, they grow up all too soon.

So let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give 'em hope, give them praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let 'em sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.

I never felt so much in one little tender touch.
I live for those kisses, your prayers an' your wishes.
An' now you're teachin' me how only a child can see.
Tonight, while we're on our knees, all I ask is:

Please, let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give them praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,Let 'em sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.

The so innocent, precious soul:
You turn around, an' it's time to let them go.

So let them be little,
'Cause they're only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give 'em praise,
Give them love every day.
Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle,
Let them sleep in the middle,
Oh, but let them be little.

Let them be little.