I have spent quite abit of time trying to get SSRS up and running on my local laptop but running into a wall here. 

I reinstalled SQL Server 2012 on my laptop and paid close attention to clicking the SSRS checkbox (or at least I think that I clicked the box - alot of options).  When I click on the Start menu @ Microsoft SQL Server 2012 I see the following options:

• SQL Server Management Studio
  Analysis Services
  Configuration Tools
    Reporting Services Configuration
    SQL Server Configuration Manager
    SQL Server Error and Usage Report
    SQL Server Installation Center
  Integration Services
  Performance Tools

One of the Server Team staff has created a ReportServer database on the connected server.  However, I can't seem to get SSRS to show on my menu like SSMS is showing. 

Note the following:
  Report Server Database Name: ReportServerCDW
  Report Service Mode: Native 
  Report Service Status: Started

I am able to pull up the SSRS Configuration Mgr and see the connect steps but not sure how to process this.

SSRS is a web application, therefore you can't find as an app. Open Reporting Service Configuration Manager and setup SSRS, there you will also find the URL for Report Manager web site.

Olaf,

It has been a few years since I have used this software but I seem to remember pulling up the application from the menu in order to design some reports and then deploying them to a site.  Any ideas on a 'Setting up SSRS For Dummies' type of link?

I guess you mean the Report Builder to create report? You can install / start it from the mentioned Report Manager URL

Hi, 

According to your description, when reinstalling SQL Server 2012, you want to know how to start SQL Server Reporting Services, right? 

Based on my understanding, you want to design a Reporting Services report. In Reporting Services, we can create and design a report in Report Builder or Report Designer (like SQL Server Data Tools or Business Intelligence Development Studio). Since you have installed SQL Server 2012, you can download the Report Builder 3.0 in this link: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29072. After installed it, you can open Report Builder under "C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\Web Server Extensions\14\WebServices\Reporting\ReportBuilder" or on Report Manager. 

If you want to design a report with full features, you need to download SQL Server Data Tools for Visual Studio. Then you can create a report server project to design the report. 

If you have any other question, please feel free to ask. 

Regards,
Shrek Li