Your NBA sticker album in 2013-14

Today's entry is less a memory than a marking of where you are today - because later in life it will be a memory!

One of your favorite activities this winter is collecting stickers of sportstars in sticker albums. I've already written about the NFL sticker album. Now that the football season is winding down, though, you're getting interested in basketball - and so you've been collecting NBA stickers!

You have the "2013-14 Official Panini NBA Sticker Collection Sticker Album". I mention the official name because I know that years later remembering the title of something, even of a really important book in one's life, can be difficult.

You've also told me that your favorite teams are the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Oklahoma Tornado!

Two years ago today: Ghost town!

Two years today we went to Calico Ghost Town bear Barstow, Calif.!

I remember that at the time you were really into cowboys and the Old West. So going to the Old West mining town turned tourist attraction only made sense!

We went on a small train ride, toured a mine shaft, panned for gold, and looked in various shops for cool cowboy stuff. We also enjoyed an ice cream cone!

Here's a whole bunch of pictures from our adventure!

Three years ago today: in Ojai, Calif.

At Libbey Park in Ojai, Calif., Jan. 6, 2011.

Three years ago today, we spent part of the day in my favorite town, Ojai, Calif.!

It was late afternoon, and we drove out to Lake Casitas for a bit. We didn't stay long, though, and from there drove to downtown. After a quick stop at Serendipity Toys where we bought some toy (I don't remember what, though!), we spent most of our time at Libbey Park before grabbing dinenr at Ojai Pizza Co.

We've made several visits during our time in southern California to Ojai. I always loved the small town but upscale feel of the town; it bridges my small town past to my aspirations for the future.

Here are some photos from our adventure!

Our day at Disneyland!

In front of Sleeping Beauty's castle, Jan. 5, 2011.

Three years ago today, we went to Disneyland together! We began the morning with a look at the bronze sculptures on the campus in Pomona and then drove on over to Anaheim.

We began our day at Disney with a ride on Buzz Ligthyear and then a quick stop at Star Traders (the Star Wars store), where you got a stuffed Yoda. We then went over to Fantasyland, which include a run on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

After that, we headed over to Adventure to do Tarzan's Treehouse, one of your favorite stops, and then to Critter Country for the Winnie the Pooh ride!

Here's a whole bunch of pictures from our adventure!

Your Don't Rock the Boat game

For Christmas 2013, Uncle Chris and Aunt Susie got you the Don't Rock the Boat game. We played it for the first time during our visiton Dec. 28!

The game was a pirate ship that balanced on a stand; each player in turn placed a penguin (dressed in pirate garb) on the ship. The object of the game was to not have all of the penguins spill off the boat. It was sort of like the Don't Spill the Beans game we once had.

I remember that you weren't too excited about the game on Christmas Day, but you sure had fun playing it on Dec. 28 (And I did, too!).

Recall your City Vehicle Action Set?

Do you remember your City Vehicle Action Set? We bought it at Walmart when you were a preschooler and we lived at the green house in Lancaster.

You may not remember the action set but you probably recall pieces of it - that's because I tossed it in the tote with all of your airplane toys! Most of the pieces in the action set seemed to involve airports, so that only made sense!

Among the pieces in the set were fake wall fronts for an airplane terminal and a gas station/car wash. There are were airport signs and a delivery van.

When snow fell at our SoCal house

Jan. 2, 2011

Three years ago today, we got to enjoy a rare afternoon snow fall at the green house in Lancaster, California! It was the first day our part of the desert had received snow in five years!

I remember that when the snow started falling, I had come over to the window and look with me, and then I asked you if you'd like to outside and play in it. You got superexcited and said "Yes!"

One bad thing about the snow fall was the freezing rain knocked down our apple tree in the backyard. It was the biggest tree in our yard and in the corner.

Here's a bunch of pictures of you enjoying the snow that day!