Christmas 2009

Its impossible to get everyone to smile when you are on a camera timer.... so for what it is worth... this is this year's christmas picture.
REED- is growing like wildfire (not a term taken lightly in So. California). He is nearly as tall as me and is turning into a teenager. He is involved in scouts and has started his first year in Jr. High. His life is consumed with homework and more homework. In his spare time he likes to read, build things, play computer games, and play with the dog and chickens. He is evidently liked by the ladies as well. ( Being surrounded by 3 sisters your entire life MAY have one perk.) He has 8th grade girls coming up to him at school telling him " I like your hair" or asking randomly for hugs. Recently he went to a birthday party at a Mini Golf Amusement park and picked up on 2 girls.....(which I am not ok with, yet) complete with getting their phone numbers. When I asked where the $10 spending cash was that I gave him for the night, he said he was out because he bought the girls popcorn! ( Then had to teach him the little life lesson that girls will like you if you buy them things..... not like you, for you.) For the next few weeks he begged for a cell phone. Oh HELL! What are we in for?
ASHLEY- Spends most of her time with her two best friends. They play the Wii and "hang out" making strange retarded sounds from her room. (I really don't want to know what is going on up there... I am sure it is not improving their intellect.) I had to instigate "no-friend" days because I litterally had extra children at all times in the house. They are good kids and when I watch them play I laugh my head off... I just go insane after prolonged exposure to lots of children. Ashley is in her second year of piano and despite her lack of practice, she plays really good. Every week she can" pull one over" on her teacher who thinks she put in hours of practice and absolutely adores her. She must have a real talent for it, because no one should sound that good hardly ever practicing. In school, Ashley made Honor Roll this year and has straight A's. A Klein Family first! She is very sweet, responsible and mature for her age. (When not with her friends.)

EMILY- Loves all things paper. When not in school, she is playing school with Heidi. Teaching her all sorts of things. (Heidi told me that a Fag was "a boy and a girl that were naked in bed with each other") So evidently, Emily also includes Sex Ed in her curriculum. Emily can draw, color and staple for hours. She hoards paper to make books, and even goes through the trash in her classroom to get "valuable items" useful in her school at home. She is our sweetest, quietest, most low maintenance child and is content just playing or drawing. She loves outfits and fashion and I have noticed this year she has a very contemporary style. (not from me) She is learning her times tables in school and reading really well.

HEIDI- Is in preschool again this year. She is the tallest girl in her school. She is writing letters and is far more advance than my other kids were at her age. (Probably from all of those school lessons Emily teaches.) She is still an obsessive complusive cleaner. (With the exception of her own room). I was cleaning the chicken coop and she said " I'm glad chickens are messy because when we are bored we can come out and clean up after them."?? What kind of kid says that? She is ready for school and SUPER bored when the kids are gone. Her preschool is only 2 days a week and she will be ready for kindergarten next year. She literrally chews me out if she can't have a playdate with one of her friends. (I hate formal playdates.) She thinks she is a princess and thanks to Ashley and her friends... she thinks she is betrothed to a guy named "Prince Eric" who has sent her gowns and crowns and letters vowing his love to her. She is so cute flitting around the house and she is always happy. I is sad to think that she is growing up and I will not have that sweet little innocence in the house in a few years.