Reeves Family Portrait - First one with all 7 of us!

Special Olympics Iowa

Here are videos I made for each of the Special Olympics Young Athletes Play Days. They started when Shea was 3 and his last one was at the age of 7. After that, he got to be in the "big boy" Special Olmpics! He always competes with his 2 little buddies - Tyler and Hannah. It's so fun to watch these and see how much they've grown!

Special Olympics Play Day 2006 - Hannah, Tyler & Shea were 3 years old http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=b821cc6215cd3a5d8ad198&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Special Olympics National Games Young Athletes Program Demonstration July 2006 at Hilton in Ames
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=b82344ac475ddc1621df28&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Special Olympics Play Day 2007 - Hannah, Tyler & Shea were 4 years old
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=23ec3bf51ae770527b58be&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Special Olympics Play Day 2008 - Hannah, Tyler & Shea were 5 years old
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=510c7475d495fb50919899&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Special Olympics Play Day 2009 - Hannah, Tyler & Shea were 6 years old
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=87a6ec6f02ae615b6d4294&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Special Olympics Play Day 2010 - Last One! Hannah, Tyler & Shea were 7 years old
http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=b822a78908d83d67d67068&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Grace's Fall Soccer

Video tour of Grace's new room. Already outdated though - we've changed a couple things :)

And the Bed...

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We spray painted the white day bed purple. We added Turquoise Glitter Balls for the two front posts. Grace wanted the purple glittery peacock feather on the wall above the bed - nice touch! The floor lamp has been bedazzled with a sequin tree, can you see it on top? It bounces! The window valance is the back side of the bed skirt that I cut off. I took a video the other day before we made some of the changes, I'll post it even though it's not current anymore :)

The first "After" Picture...

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Grace was the designer for most things. She painted a lot of the items and had some great ideas.
The big purple bean bag chair has a name - "Big Joe." He's a dorm chair with pockets on the sides.
Of course she swears that she will keep her new room clean....

The BEFORE Picture...

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Grace had decided she was done with "Pink!" She picked the colors and the items for her new room and we finished this week.

Shaun Thomas

Last but not least - Here's Shaun.

He is the baby of the family...

He is 45 1/2 inches tall which is in the 90th% for his age and he weighs 41 pounds which is in the 50% for his age. There is not fat on this little man! He's the most competitive, the most athletic and the first to master the bike without training wheels.

He loves to skateboard and ride his scotter - he does tricks on them both. He'd much rather be running around and playing outside than doing anything that requires sitting still inside. He is always moving!

He adores basketball! He wants to sign up for Upward basketball, so we'll see how he does. The other two had no interest.

He likes for me to call him "squirrel boy!"

Alec Lee

Here's Alec, the "middle" triplet. All three of them are in the same kindergarten class. It's been great! Alec's stats: He's 44 inches tall (3'6") which is in the 90th % for his age, and he's 42 pounds which is in the 75th% for his age.

Alec rides his bike without training wheels, he loves to climb trees and be chased by girls. Typical boy!

He is very into video games and has a very long attention span for anything that interests him. He can occupy himself with toys, books, coloring, Nintendo,... Very easy. His favorite superhero is Batman and his FAVORITE toy/animal is a leopard.

He also has to control the remote on the tv. No one else. I guess he'll be a typical man too!

Brett Donovan

Here's Brett - He is in Kindergarten this year all day long! It's great! He was at the doctor this fall for his physical: He's 46 inches (3 ' 8 " tall) which is in the 97th% for his age. He weighs 50 pounds which is also in the 97th%.

Brett loves toys! Any and all toys. He loves to say "This is the best day ever!" He is very artistic and likes to color and draw. He is quite good at making up elaborate stories that all start with ONCE UPON A TIME...

He has no interest right now in riding his bike without the training wheels. He tried a couple times and got scared. So that's that! He is no longer shy, he will talk the ear off of anyone and everyone.

He did have some trouble the first couple weeks
of school "focusing" and sitting still. He has come around and it is no longer an issue. Very proud of him for that!

Shea Richard

This is Shea, our second child, and he is 9 years old. This is his 3rd grade school picture. He is 4 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 60 pounds. He plays baseball on the Miracle League team, the Cardinals. He also bowls in the Special Olympics and has become quite the horseback rider! He has a bowling event coming up next week and he will also compete in the equestrian event next fall on his horse from Wesley Woods - "Greenie." Shea's teacher says he has amazing artistic ability and the boy could seriously draw all day long! He loves music and loves to dance - his favorite song right now is "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5. He has THE BEST dance moves! We love you Shea Shea!

Grace Lynn

Here is our oldest, Gracie, She is almost 12 years old. She had her physical a couple weeks ago. She is 64" (5 ' 3 ") and she's 99 pounds. Her height is in the 100% for her age and her weight is in the 75th %. She's in 6 grade, middle school, and loves it. The only thing she's not loving about school is Spanish class. She is struggling with hearning a second language. Maybe I should learn along with her so I can help :)

Made a "Task Manager"

I made this "Task Manager" for Shea to use at school. His speech therapist uses something similar to get him to work. I used juice can lids and magnetic wooden numbers for the tokens. The last token is blank with just a piece of velcro on it. So when his teacher needs to get him to work, she can get 3 good items done and he then gets his reward. The "Reward" page has the images on a laminated sheet with the same image piece velcro'd to it. Shea would get to choose his reward - what he's working toward. He works best when he knows there is an end in sight. So he needs to focus on whatever the 3 things his teacher wants him to do, and then he knows he gets a break to do something he wants. A lot of the rewards are still educational or therapeutic in nature. Scissors, puzzles, painting and silly putty are great for occupational therapy (fine motor skills.) The computer games and music can be educational too. The recess reward would be great to use if the teacher times it right before regular recess time!

Alec, Alec, Alec

Alec came to me to tattle on Shaun.
He said Shaun is saying, "Boom boom boom and then he's saying everything I say and he's annoying me."
I said he should tell Shaun to please stop. I could tell he really wasn't satisfied with that advice. So I said, "No wait! What will really annoy him back is if you ignore him and pretend it doesn't bother you. It's called reverse psychology."
He smiled and nodded like I let him in on a sneaky secret.
He walked away and then turned his head back and said, "After that can I hit him in the face?"

Down syndrome Awareness Day

AUGUST 27th, 2011 will be Down syndrome awareness day for Iowa.
Here we are at the state capital with Governor Branstad. He gave each of my kids a special Governor's pen.

P R O C L A M A T I O N


WHEREAS, One in every 733 babies is born with Down syndrome, representing approximately 6,000 births per year in the United States; and

WHEREAS, People with Down syndrome possess a wide range of abilities and are active participants in educational, occupational, social and recreational community activities; and

WHEREAS, Recent advancements in Down syndrome research have proven that early intervention, education, social support, therapeutic care and positive public attitudes improve each individual’s chances of living an independent, productive and satisfying life; and

WHEREAS, Gigi’s Playhouse Des Moines and the Up With Down Support Group advocates for individuals and families who have children with Down syndrome and their educators and caregivers in Central Iowa and surrounding areas through educational programs and materials, social events and other support activities; and

WHEREAS, Individuals with Down syndrome should have equal opportunity to achieve the universally desired goals of self-fulfillment, pride in their achievements, inclusion in their community and reaching their fullest potential:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Terry E. Branstad, Governor of the State of Iowa, do hereby proclaim August, 27,2011 all Iowans join me in

DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS DAY

AND ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE RESPECT AND INCLUSION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNRDROME ASSOCIATIONS THAT WORK WITH FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND GOVERNMENTS TO HELP CREATE OPPORTUNITIES, RAISE AWARENESS AND FACILITATE SOLUTIONS FOR THESE VALUED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I HAVE HERE­UNTO SUBSCRIBED MY NAME AND CAUSED THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF IOWA TO BE AFFIXED. DONE AT DES MOINES THIS ____ DAY OF AUGUST IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN.

__________________________________
TERRY E. BRANSTAD
GOVERNOR OF IOWA
ATTEST:

_________________________________
MATT SCHULTZ
SECRETARY OF STATE

Train going across Kate Shelly Bridge - Disregard my ANNOYING voice!

Video of kids running through stream

Kate Shelly Bridge

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Ever Prepared Gracie

Open Air Train Car

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The train seemed to go so much faster while on the open air car. Going over the Des Moines River bridges was very fun! It's so far below!

All Aboard!

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We had two options while on the 1 hour and 45 minute train ride. We could sit inside the passenger car (there were several and it was fun walking between the cars,) or we could sit on an open air train car. These pictures are from the regualar passenger car. The seats were cool. You could move the back of the seat to make it face the opposite direction!

Silly Shaun

Waitin on the train

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Boone Scenic Railroad Station. We were playing on the trains while waiting for the, "ALL ABOARD!"

Picnic in the woods (by the cars :)

Playin in the stream

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More of our hike by the stream

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No Big Vacations This Year

It just wasn't in the budget for the family to take a vacation this summer. We did do a "staycation" a few weeks ago. We went to Ledges State Park in Boone, Iowa. We hiked down the the winding steep trail to the valley between the sandstone outcroppings. We played in the little babbling brooke. We had a picnic. We wend on a train ride. We saw the Kate Shelly Bridge.
I am posting the pictures from our little trip.

August 5th, 2011 Hiking in Boone Iowa

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