I have obviously been terrible about updating my blog, and I’m blaming it on winter, and still not having sold my house (which now I’m just plain sick of), and being busier than ever with a very active just-3 year old. So, I’ll try to do a little update now while I’m feeling ever-so-slightly inclined to do so.

I got a Nintendo Wii about three weeks ago, the sole purpose being to also get Wii Fit Plus, which I did. I’ve been using it a lot, I’ve only missed 3 days in the time I’ve had it. I actually enjoy exercising with this, which is weird for me. I’m glad, though, because obviously bike riding is out during the winter.

I also bought the Ni Hao Kai Lan game for Parker. I was really hesitant because I very closely screen what media Parker is exposed to. We don’t watch commercial television (except at Grandma’s house), and I severely limit toys and books that are tied to commercial things – like Disney, Nickelodeon, etc. I abhor how children are marketed to nowadays and how quickly companies try to get our kids to grow up – that doesn’t even touch on my dislike of how companies stereotype toys by gender, and by how extremely violent so many boys toys are. Sure, you can’t (and shouldn’t) protect your kid from every bad thing there is, but I think our society has gone too far the other way when it comes to toys and marketing, etc. Anyway, back to the game…we’ve played it twice, it’s fun and Parker enjoys it. Luckier I can play with him if you hook up both controllers. He enjoys the control over the character on screen. I totes wish they had something like this in Vietnamese!

Speaking of Vietnamese, it’s going well. I’m getting quite good at reading and comprehending what I read. I’m even getting a little better at understanding spoken Vietnamese. Earlier this week I was watching The Owl and The Sparrow with Parker…and wasn’t doing too bad following the story. That movie, by the way, is a cute film that I’d recommend to anyone. One note though, if you have children adopted from VietNam and they are old enough to remember the orphanage they lived in, you might want to screen it first…as some of the movie’s events take place in an orphanage in SaiGon – and it could trigger memories.

Parker’s grandparents are currently in the rainforests of Central America. They just went through the Panama Canal yesterday. Jealous? Yeah, me, too!

Later this year we’re heading to Seattle. My cousin, Lisa, is getting married and Parker An is in the wedding. It’ll be a fun trip. Trying to think of other places we could take a short vacation this year, as well.

Tet is coming up very soon, and I still haven’t decided what we’re doing…if we’ll stay here or go to another city that has a bigger celebration.

I’ve started playing a role playing game, a real tabletop role-playing game called Low Life, my cousin Andy wrote it. It’s a lot of fun, and I haven’t role played in years, so it’s nice that Parker An is now old enough to go over with me and play with his cousins/friends while I play the game with my cousins/friends!

This past weekend we had some friends over Saturday night to hang out and watch anime, which is always fun. Parker was hilarious – he is a show-boy sometimes! We also went to Vietnamese playgroup at the local Vietnamese church.

The picture quality is low b/c they’re taken with my phone, sorry!

Parker making a funny face (he’s into this at the moment)
 

“Playing” guitar
 

At playgroup (blurred faces for privacy of the other kids)