Post Christmas Organization

We picked up a toy organizer for Rai's new toys and donated whatever didn't fit. I'm so glad we did this. Rai has already started combining toys (i.e. I found Spider Man in Cinderella's carriage), but thus definitely helps!

Christmas -Part Two

Christmas -Part One

Fwd: Being Silly

-MaryAnn 

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "MaryAnn Young" <maryann.akimoto.young@hotmail.com>
To: "MaryAnn Young" <maryann.akimoto.young@hotmail.com>
Subject: Being Silly

Star Wars

I feel very safe knowing we have a Star Wars Stormtrooper in the house. :-)

Santa's Workshop - Part 2

Rai helped make letters to Santa. :-)

Santa's Workshop - Part 1

There is a contest every year for the best decorated floor. We didn't win this year, but I wanted to share.

Rai's Holiday Party at School

Rai is the reindeer with the black Mickey Mouse shirt. :-)

Enjoying a nice day in the backyard

Last weekend, we spent the afternoon in the backyard. Rai is starting to get the hang of tee-ball, and our cat, Kobe, let Rai push him in the dump truck to get the tee-balls scattered in the yard.

Thanksgiving Part Two

After our Thanksgiving meal, we celebrated Rai's birthday with the family. Rai ended up with a play grill, Dallas Cowboys football gear, a big Star Wars ship, a scooter, and a neat puzzle that teaches you how to read.

Thanksgiving Part One

This was Tony and my first Thanksgiving together. Tony thinks holidays where families feel obligated to see each other are overrated, so it was amusing that we had both sets of families over at our house ... at one time. To accommodate the 12 people we had over, we decided to make two turkeys. Tony used his new grill to smoke a turkey, and I made my usual turkey in a bag (which doesn't always look as pretty but it cooks quickly and is always tender). Everything went well for the most part. Rai and Tony's niece both woke up early to help, so I had plenty of help in the kitchen (as you can see from the scattered potato peels). Everyone got along just fine and we managed not to burn anything. Overall, it wasn't so bad. :-)

Mixed Emotion About ICE

Every year, a large hotel in the area has a popular holiday exhibit called "ICE!" where they bring in an entire team of ice carvers from China to carve characters for the year's theme. It is based Ina popular Chinese festival where prolonged freezing temperatures and an abundance of ice lends itself to a spectacular art. Unfortunately, Texas doesn't have either, so this hotel spends an enormous amount of money to have ice of different colors made, delivered to a temperature-controlled tent, and carved by men who travel from China to use their craft to sculpt famous children's characters.

It initially sounds like a great way to learn about a Chinese tradition, but I couldn't wonder if this exhibit was worth supporting. Not only were we viewing cartoon characters rather than the traditional characters one might find in the ice festival in China, but I couldn't believe how much money we spend on this spectacle. In the midst of an economic recession that has families struggling to pay their bills and put food on the table, those of us who do have the extra $35 per person are putting it towards this? Think of how much money it is costing the hotel to keep the temperature in this tent at 4 degrees? And it's electricity, a valuable resource which produces waste our children will have to deal with later, and all for a popular holiday exhibit. Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to be a scrooge. I enjoy holiday carols and holiday lights like anyone else, but I think there are far too many wasted resources here. I just feel like a hypocrit explaining to Rai why we don't waste water and then taking him to a gigantic fake ice festival held in a temperature-colored tent inside a hotel.

Holiday Lights

Rai and I had a great dinner with his best friend, Christopher, and his parents. We met for dinner and watched the boys play at the indoor playground. Afterwards, I took Rai by one of the popular neighborhoods in the area for holiday lights. What started as a simple drive through an amazing neighborhood ended with all kinds of questions about the Star of David, manger scenes, and then the religions that went with them. If anyone has a recommendation for great children's books on religion that do not push or judge any particular religion, please let me know!