The Thompson Family

HOPSCOTCH!
(if you haven't seen the movie, you won't get it)

Like mother (2005), like daughter (2007). Nora found my Corpse Bride costume in the "Boo Box" and wanted to wear it. So we stitched some elastic to hold it up around the neck. We fashioned a bone arm out of an old pair of tights and an undershirt. The remaining part of the tights went to the bone leg. The rest was straight from my version of the costume. A little blue skin makeup and some attitude... and there you have it! View a few more photos on Flickr.

This is the gratitude dance. Be grateful and have some fun.
Every morning when you wake up, follow this three step process:
1. Think of what you're grateful for at that moment,
2. Watch the Video, and...
3. DO THE DANCE!

Nora's mermaid party was a smashing success! View the photos on Flickr.

(click to enlarge photo)

Nora's JBBP had a huge "sports day" festival called Undokai, and I took the day off to attend and volunteer. The teachers said "if you are going to go to only one of your child's Japanese celebrations this year, this is the one to go to... it truly is a spectacle." I couldn't agree more! Here is a video of Nora and Ketarie at Undokai doing the ball rolling race - it was great fun for the kindergarteners. The music was actually playing in the background over the loudspeaker, and it was strangely like a Japanese cartoon or a video game or something! View more photos on Flickr.



UNDOKAI: This electrifying annual event is held in schools throughout Japan—elementary through high school. The Undokai event stems from Taiku no hi (Health and Sports Day), an official nationally recognized holiday in Japan that commemorates the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo. Undokai combines the Japanese word undo, meaning exercise, and kai, gathering. Throughout Japan, schools, cities, and other organizations promote unity, team work and friendship through the Undokai. In this same spirit, the Japanese school divides into teams and holds a series of competitions such as bean toss (bean bags into a basket high up on a bamboo pole), races and team relays, dancing displays, obstacle course, and the classic tug-of-war.

These two videos have been floating around and I have had about 10 people tell me to watch them... So, I finally did, and I had to share them with you. Enjoy!

All the things a mom says in a day condensed down to 3 minutes, set to the William Tell overture.



A dad's sweetly hilarious bedtime song set to Pachebel's Canon in D.

Freakin' amazing...