Alexa's World

Juicing

2012-01-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

Robert and Alexa are quite a team. He is such a good dad and they always do fun things together.

Here they are making some fresh squeezed orange juice that was super yummy!

Good job guys!

Christmas Day

2011-12-27T15:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning ( early!) sitting on her new beanbag. I managed to get up before her but she admitted she peeked at the tree when she had to go potty, therefore missing the authentic first look reaction.

Opening up her mermaid fins for the pool. She has been really wanting this for two summers and her feet finally fit in it.

A dual gift for daddy and Alexa. They have gotten much enjoyment out of this already. Check out the hat too...he has been wearing continuously since Sunday morning...guess he likes it. : )

Dressed up before heading out to my sister-in-law's house for Christmas dinner.

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-27T05:24:00.000-08:00

Alexa's gift to her Elf on the Shelf Daisy, a book she made about unicorns.

Love my cheeky girl!

At my folk's house for Christmas Eve dinner.

Opening gifts. As requested, lots of horse toys on the list this year.

Santa's cookies and note as well as some carrots for the reindeer.

Christmas Eve night after Santa has delivered his gifts. I love when all is quiet, everyone is sleeping ( except this hard working elf) and all the preparations are done. The excitement and joy my girl feels the whole season is so infectious and it really is a wonderful time of the year.

Down on the Farm

2011-10-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we spent a gorgeous sunny day down on Schnepf Farms with our favorite friends www.joyofgeorgea.blogspot.com.

Aren't the two little pumpkins cute? Love them! Alexa adores Georgea and loves to take her hand. She says "They have many things in common and are just like sisters." They are very sweet together and it always warms my heart.

The girls. We had a really fun day and enjoyed a train ride, corn maze, petting zoo, and of course picking pumpkins.

So many choices. It was the highlight for both the girls.

Alexa giving Georgea a helping hand.

Can't forget about the carousel.

A day on the farm is not complete with out sitting on a tractor. What a great day!

Good Ol' County Fun

2011-09-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

Alexa took this shot. She is actually a very good photographer. She brings her camera everywhere and captures some really cool things.

Love her smile. She loves being out on the quad. Our girl has a need for speed just like her parents.

She loves her daddy, that's for sure!

Alexa told her daddy that I was 99% city and 1% Indian the other day which cracked me up. I am actually 50% Polish, 12% American Indian and the rest Irish. I do consider myself a city girl at heart and have been "converted" into a quasi-country girl. I love to get dressed up and go out for sure, but I sure do enjoy my country life out here in the desert. I love that my daughter can grow up learning all that the outdoors has to offer..now I just need to get that girl to the city more often! ; )

Picture Day

2011-09-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Finally...

2011-09-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

It's finally under 100 degrees!!! Yipeeeeeeeeee! Seriously, I think we had like 30 days in a row over 100 degrees..some days were like 116. It's been HOT! I love AZ weather and the heat really doesn't bother me but being stuck in the house does. My favorite thing is to have the house all opened up and the breeze blowing through it. I hate air conditioning but the hubby loves it cold in the house and it really is a necessity.

When we woke up and felt how "cool" it was we got our early and took a long quad ride. It was fun and so nice to be out in nature. After lunch we even spent some good ole' family time lounging on the patio together. Bliss....this is why we live in AZ!!

Looking back....Summer 2011

2011-08-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

The summer started off with my birthday. I turned 43 this year which I am really okay with, really truly, I love aging. ; ) My forties thus far have been good. I feel like I have come into my own and know myself a lot better now. When I hit 45 though, I am officially going to have the breakdown.

Next was dance recital weekend. Alexa took Ballet and Jazz last year and had two performances.

I think her favorite part of it all is wearing makeup.

My favorite photo of daddy and daughter...love!

We had a big first in June.....the lost tooth! Very exciting stuff. The Tooth Fairy came and left $3.00 and it even had her fairy glitter on it.

Look at the cute smile!! Must bust out a ballet move to celebrate!

This is what happens when the mama is not looking. Daddy loves to take Alexa up the narrow winding road up to the top of the mountain. She loves it!

We did lots of swimming. The summer started out with Alexa being a bit hesitant in the water. I kept waiting for that "moment" when it just clicked and she gained her confidence and dove right in. Well, it didn't happen until late July but boy is she a fish now....she will swim for HOURS nonstop! We're so happy that it finally happened!

This is what real life looks like around here. When it's 112 degrees out and you've been up since 5 a.m and the clock only says 12:00 noon, you just want to lay your head down and take a nap.

So, what do you do when you want to beat the summer heat? Head up North about two hours and rent a boat on a cool lake. We did this twice this summer and it was really fun.

Are we not two of the goofiest looking sailors you ever saw? So cheesy!

Alexa is a good fishergirl. She can really cast but will not touch the bait. I caught her talking to the worms in their little styrofoam cup and telling them that she would set them free. That's my girl. The next trip she just wanted to use rubber worms! No bites though. ; (

The girls liked to drive while Daddy fished. It was all good until I ran us into some rocks and nearly broke the motor. I lost my driving job after that . ; (

Our last big outing of the summer was to head to Flagstaff ( hence the greenery!) and go to the Grand Canyon. This was the one thing that Alexa really wanted to do this summer. I have never been so was really excited too. Alexa loves to run in the grass. Because we live in the desert this is a rare opportunity. Ever since she was just walking, if we would pass grass anywhere she would take off running in it.

At the hotel pool. This was where she discovered that she was a fish!

Checking out the grounds. The smell of the pine forest is so nice and we love the cooler air! Please note how darn big my girl is getting...scary.

Heading into Grand Canyon National Park. I have to say it really blew me away. It is enormous. Check out Alexa with the map. She held on to that thing all day long. It had pictures of the animals that live in the park and she was on the lookout.

No sooner did we arrive when this buck literally came right up to Alexa. Notice her identifying it on the map. What a hoot! It was really surreal and reminded me of those moving statue things at Disney. It was a cool beginning to the day!

It's very interesting at the Canyon. At some lookouts they have these railings and others nothing, just off you could go. Needless to say I had the "deathgrip" on Alexa every single moment!

What a fun day of exploring and seeing an amazing wonder of the world! We also went to the IMAX movie that National Geographic puts on at the visitor center. It was really awesome!

We caught this amazing storm out in the canyon.

Looking back it was a great summer. We made some great family memories and hope to top them next summer!!!

First Grade

2011-08-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

First day of First Grade.

Looking so grown up...guess she is ready.

She was so excited, I love her enthusiasm!

Every year we take a photo sitting right here on the first day of school. It's fun to look back at how we have changed.

Love that smile!

With her teacher and buddy! It's going to be a great year!

Mama was excited too!

Heading off...so much to look forward to and learn......

End of Kindergarten

2011-05-20T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today was Alexa's last day of Kindergarten. I just cannot believe that she is going to be a first grader in August. Truth be told, I have not been handling this well. On Wednesday they held this celebration and it was so emotional. They showed a video of the kids from the year with some song about staying 5 years old and never growing up...gads, there was not a dry eye in the room. Her teacher was crying, the kids were crying, the moms were crying and even some dads were crying. So, I guess I'm not the only one who is having a hard time!

Receiving her trophy for completing Kindergarten and doing so well.

With her teacher, Mrs. C. You can tell she by how red her eyes are that she'd been crying all morning. Check out the little girl in the back...she's crying too!!

So proud of our girl. She is a hard worker and always does her best. She really loves school.

Now on to the big time....first grade.

Much Love

2011-05-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

My Kindhearted Girl

2011-05-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

Ever since our dear Georgie died last year, Alexa and I have had many conversations about heaven, death and the afterlife. Alexa is pretty philosophical and asks me things like "Do people take on their human form in heaven?" "Is there gravity in heaven?" "Do people stay together as families in heaven?" etc... So when a friend of hers in school lost his grandma it was no surprise to me that she told me that they had many conversations about the death of this boy's grandmother. She relayed some to me and it sounded like she was counseling him. She wrote him this card and put it in his cubby at school. His mother actually contacted me and thanked me as it meant something to her as well and was meaningful to her son. I love the heart of my daughter. I hope as she gets older, she never loses that sensitivity towards others. I teach her to help others when they need it, be kind and think about how other's are feeling but her sense of compassion is not something that is taught by me. She is intrinsically kind and I love that about her. I hope she grows up to help one day remind the world that our pain is all the same and we need to love one another. She amazes me. : )

Spring Hoedown

2011-05-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

Alexa's school had a Hoedown Fundraiser. The cotton candy was a BIG treat. She went straight for it. I cringed every time I looked at her eating it. I'm not big on giving Alexa junk like that but once in awhile I give in. We made her throw it out after she ate half of it, she started getting whacky and way too sticky!!

She had fun playing the carnival games.

She is quite good on the monkey bars. : )

Easter Day

2011-05-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Easter 2011

Decorating cupcakes a few days before Easter. Alexa loves to help in the kitchen and I always appreciate it.

My mom made her that apron. I think she looks like a little lady in it. : )

Alexa has an interest in cooking and we finally let her make something on the stove. Of course I was standing right there to supervise. She says when she is nine she is going to start cooking dinners for us. Both my mom and I love to cook so I'm happy to see her following in our footsteps!

Easter morning just getting out of bed.

Love the smile on her face!

This photo cracks me up...sort of sums up our life....whacky and nothing near perfect, just as we like it!

Ready to go over to my parent's house for breakfast and the Easter Egg Hunt.

Looking so grown up....

Having fun collecting the eggs. My dad aka Easter Bunny made it quite the challenge this year.

Easter Dinner

2011-05-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

This is The Chief's family on Easter evening. He's taking the photo and his youngest sister and her family is not present but I thought this was a good shot of us all laughing. : )

Swim Lessons

2011-05-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Alexa started swim lessons for the summer. She is at a swim school near us and in a group class of 4. Previously she has taken private lessons here at the house but even though she learned some skills, she has not been swimming independently. This session is only 8 classes ( 2x week) but she has really learned a lot. She is diving off the side of the pool and really enjoying it.

We really don't start swimming here at our house until late June because our pool is so cold which is hard to believe for AZ, but we live at a higher elevation and the water just does not warm up quickly. Once it is warm, we swim about every day. I'm more of a "floater" and love to get a tan ( yes, I wear sunscreen!) so we really do enjoy our pool days. I hope that this is the summer that Alexa really becomes a fish in the water. I even told her that I would get some goggles too and swim under water with her like mermaids.

A Special Weekend Guest

2011-04-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

Alexa brought home a special friend from school on Friday. Corduroy was going to spend the weekend with us and she was to journal their activities together. The first night he got to sleep in a fancy American Girl bed.

The second day Corduroy spent the day at the Grandparent's house. Boy, was he tired from all that playing!

On the Sunday we had a special treat for him and we went to the Desert Botanical Gardens. Here they are in the Butterfly Exhibit. It was fun to have the little guy over for the weekend. : )

Zoo Day

2011-04-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

Off to the zoo for the day. Alexa was on Spring Break two weeks ago and we filled it with lots of fun activities.

My favorite photo of the day. This lovely fellow came over and sat on the other side of the window and kept stealing a peek at Alexa when she wasn't looking. Just a fyi...no there is not soda in that cup. ; ) My girl has never even tried a soda and I'd like to keep it that way. She gets a half water- half lemonade...I know, I'm no fun.

Off on her ( and my ) first paddle boat ride. The Chief took us around the lake and she thought it was pretty cool.

The Chief and Alexa at the Petting Zoo area. Phoenix zoo is actually a pretty good zoo for kids. It's been voted in the top 5 zoo for kids. I'm not a big zoo lover but I know Alexa really loves animals and enjoys it so we take her. It pains me to see the animals pacing or just plain bored in their enclosures.

She loved the Reptile House and seeing some familiar faces that we encounter here at home. I'd much rather see them in a zoo than at my house!!

Alexa's favorite was the Komodo Dragon. There were two of them, each in a separate area. Alexa thought it fascinating that they would kill each other if together and that they eat the "occasional human" as the sign stated. She loves facts about animals and thought was the coolest one of the day.

Itty Bitty Update

2011-03-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is Alexa on St. Patrick's Day. It was a busy day. First it started out with me going to school with her to present her science experiment with her. She was the "Scientist of the Week" and had to apply the scientific method with an experiment. She chose to do it on "How Sunscreen works". It was fun because we prepared two skits to do in front of the class along with explaining her experiment. The kids were so funny. After we were done they said "Do it again, do it again!" I love seeing Alexa in her classroom. It was fun for me too. I taught school for 15 years and really miss being with the kids. I love the energy in a class full of Kindergartners!

After school it was time for 3rd quarter conferences. This was our first one since we started at this school in February. They are student led which was interesting. The kids practiced and prepared and were in charge of their own conference. She presented her portfolio to us, shared her accomplishments and goals for the remainder of the year. Then she showed us around her classroom and the different areas that she works at during the day. Afterwards we got her report card and talked a bit with her teacher. We are very proud of Alexa and her achievements at school. We recently got some good news regarding her abilities and what the future will hold for her in the coming years.

Here are some photos from last month's Father/Daughter dance. Alexa was so excited to have a special night with her daddy. Don't they look sweet? : )

My two loves!!!

Picture Day

2011-03-04T17:53:00.000-08:00

Today was picture day at school. I cannot even believe how old Alexa looks in these photos. She is my blossoming flower. Sometimes I look into the future and try to imagine what she will be like when she is 9, 12, 15, etc.. She is just an amazing kid and I love spending every minute with her. I hope we will always cuddle, pinky swear, share secrets, and hold hands as we get older. She is my lovebug, partner in crime and right-hand girl!

FCC-AZ Chinese New Year

2011-02-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

~Be Mine~

2011-02-15T07:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Birthday Baby...well you're not a baby anymore, but still. : )

2011-02-07T16:04:00.000-08:00

It's our family tradition that if it's your birthday you get a homemade cake. No fancy store bought extravaganza for us. It may not be the best looking but it is made of pure love and tastes yummy!!

Opening up some gifts. Alexa was very patient all day and opened up two before the party started. I found these great paper dolls at B&N.

Alexa REALLY wanted a watch for her birthday. As you can see from her expression she was really excited to get it. She has been telling us what time it is ever since...

How cute is this? I love that Alexa gets excited about the simplest things. It is such a joy to watch her and know that all she is really interested in is being together and having a good time.

Making a wish!

It wouldn't be a party without PohPoh and Papa!

The Chief getting some cherries on top of that cake. Alexa decided she had to have cherries on top.

Happy 6th Birthday Alexa! We are so proud of you. You make each day full of wonder, laughter and love. You are the best daughter in the world!!!!

I heart February~ and a little update

2011-02-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

I think February is my favorite month of the year. We traveled in February of 2006 to China to adopt Alexa, her birthday is the day before our Gotcha Day ( tomorrow..my baby is 6!), I love Valentine's Day, all things lovey dovey, girly and pink.

Alexa started a new school last month and we are loving it! It was a difficult decision to initially make. All year long my gut has been telling me something was just not right about her old school. I wasn't confident leaving her there like I used to and just could not put my finger on it. Well,we left just in time. The school sadly is falling apart ( thanks to the owner) and her Kindergarten teacher actually just left midyear. They were having lots of financial troubles and it just was trickling down to the kids not getting a proper education. So we made a big leap from Montessori to public and she is doing fantastic. Every day she says her day was "incredible!" She has learned more in the few weeks she has been there than in the 6 months she spent at the old school. Here she is on her second day at the new school. We all could not be happier!!

My smiley girl. Alexa is a ball of energy 24/7. Talks nonstop, is constantly busy and laughs all day. She is infectious! We laugh all day too. She is turning 6 tomorrow. I'm sure 6 will be even more fun than 5 was.

"Before" photo of 8 month Tika below...please someone help this dog...what a mess!!! I brush her every single day and 5 minutes later, this is what she looks like.

"After" photo of Tika....yea!!! Isn't she so cute?! It's like having a brand new puppy. She is so soft and cuddly...love my little teddy bear.

My bloggy friend Deb sent Alexa a cute little package all the way from Scotland. She really enjoyed sewing this puppet. Thanks Deb. I have to say, I love how blogs have opened up literally a world of friendships. Deb had been following my blog and then we started emailing. I feel like I have known her for years and we have never met ( hopefully we will someday). I feel like people come into our lives for a reason and we just never know where they are going to come from. : )

Hope you all are enjoying your February so far. We have Alexa's family birthdayparty tomorrow, a father/daughter dance at her school next weekend, her friend party/luau here at the house and FCC Chinese New Year still on our calendar. I will try and take lots of photos this month...gotta get back on my camera!!

Papa's B-day Lunch

2011-01-25T07:16:00.000-08:00

Every year for my dad's birthday we go out to lunch to celebrate. It was a gorgeous sunny day to enjoy lunch out on the patio.

Alexa chose her outfit and jewels. She wore her Chinese dress that we bought in Chicago's Chinatown last summer and lots of accessories. She loves to get gussied up and hit the town!

Checking out the turtles in the pond. There was the funniest turtle sitting on top of another just basking in the sun. I just crack up every time I see his legs...how did he get up there?

My mom and me. I thought this photo was interesting that our bodies are positioned exactly the same way...like mother like daughter. : )

Laughing at those silly turtles!

Happy Birthday Dad. We are so lucky to have a great guy for a Papa and dad!

~When the Sun Shines, I Must Face It~

2011-01-16T18:02:00.000-08:00

I've been the worst blogger lately...sometimes when so much is going on it's hard to sit down and digest it all and put it into words. I'll be back soon....for now, enjoy some sunshine! : )

Our Best One Yet

2010-12-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas Eve at my parent's house. Alexa chose her outfit and Elizabeth's. I just loved the way she looked that night. We had a delicious ham dinner and then opened gifts by the fire.

Alexa with her Poh Poh. You can see that our weather was beautiful.

Alexa and PaPa.

I love the look on both of their faces. Sort of cheeky.

I was having a bad hair day this night. I thought we were supposed to be at their house at 5:00 and instead I got a phone call at 4:00 saying "Where are you guys?" Oops..we rushed to head over, hence the dorky hairdo.

This photo makes me laugh because it looks nothing like any of us. The Chief has some weird silly grin on his face, Alexa looks 20 pounds heavier, and I have some sort of deer in the headlights look. My dad was taking the photo ( big mistake) and I think the 46 flashes coming at us had us all acting strange. All 46 photos had our heads cut off, so my mom had to take over on this one.

Alexa opening her riding outfit for Elizabeth from American Girl. She really loved it.

Christmas morning. Here are two of her favorite gifts. The horse in the background is for Elizabeth to ride and she got the bed from American Girl. I was really happy with how beautiful it was. Alexa put it next to her own bed.

Her other favorite gift was her scooter. This was a last minute decision on my part. I found it at Target on clearance and thought great! Turns out it was missing the tassels and front plate but Alexa never noticed. She is getting better every day on it and seems to really enjoy it.

We had a wonderful Christmas weekend. I really think it was our best one yet.

~Tis the season...

2010-12-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

In our town they have a snow morning with Santa. Alexa's school goes every year before school starts and enjoys the festivities.

We are convinced this is the REAL Santa. ; )

Alexa enjoying hot cocoa with one of her friends.

This is how we roll after a long day of Christmas shopping.

On the last day of school before break.

We are really enjoying getting ready for Christmas this year and have been really busy with parties, shopping, wrapping, and baking. On Tuesday we are going to the Nutcracker Ballet again. Hope everyone is enjoying the season!

Fairy Friends

2010-12-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Here is Alexa with her best friend Claudia. Cluadia came over today to play and the weather was gorgeous . They found two of Alexa's summer dresses and adorned them with wings. They truly are the best of friends. This year they are at different schools and after they kept asking for each other we connected again and now make it a point to get them together at least once a month. Kindred spirits. : )

Love

2010-12-07T06:46:00.000-08:00

World's Fastest Snowball Fight

2010-12-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

The other morning we got snow! Not the normal occurrence here in AZ. About once a winter we do get this nice surprise living here in the high desert but it was really early this year and we were not expecting it. When we saw it coming down, we bundled up, though still in our pj's, and ran outside. Alexa and the Chief had a quick snowball fight with the smallest snowballs possible, and the dogs danced a little jig to join in the fun! Thirty minutes later it was melted and the sun was shining again!

The Thanksgiving Sleepover

2010-11-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

We started a new tradition this year. On the night after Thanksgiving Alexa and I will do a sleepover in her bedroom. The plan was a movie and to stay up late. We even hung some pink X-mas lights for the occasion. We chose the movie, A Christmas Story because neither of us had seen it and we had won it in a raffle a couple of years ago so we thought we would give it a try. You can see the box on the bedside table. We hated it...I am pretty strict about what Alexa watches and this was not on the list but I thought, okay she is getting older so we'll just see how it goes. Swear words galore, meanness, just awful. It's funny because Alexa does not even know any bad words so every time they would say one I would sort of gasp a little and she would say "what mom?" Thank goodness for her innocence. So after 98 long minutes, Alexa was pretty sleepy at the late hour of 8:20 so she fell asleep. The deal was I would sleep in her bed all night which normally is okay with me as her bed is super comfy. But once the post nasal drip coughing started every 15 seconds from my little one, I was wide awake and wondering how I was going to fulfill that promise. I snuck out to the couch but a few hours later, she awoke and realized I was not in the bed. Needless to say it was a long night...but fun anyway. Here we are all snuggled up with Tika ready for the movie.

The Chief says he will start a tradition with her for the night after Christmas. Wonder what their night will be like?

We are thankful.....

2010-11-27T18:26:00.000-08:00

We are thankful that our paths have been chosen by God to be a family. We live, learn and laugh together always remembering how truly blessed we are to have each other.

We are thankful for the sunshine that lights up our days just about every day here in our beautiful home.

We are thankful to raise this amazing child who teaches us everyday that we really aren't as smart as we thought we were. ; )

We are thankful for our pets, those who have just joined our family and those we have lost. They teach us so many things about caring, patience, silliness and responsibility.

We are thankful for the beauty that surrounds us. Everyday we find the wonder in the sunrise, mountains and landscape, never forgetting how blessed we are.

We are thankful for our health, even though we have known struggles, we continue to go forward with a positive spirit.

We are thankful to share and enjoy good food with each other. I am thankful my daughter will eat anything I put on the table ( with gusto) and The Chief has embraced gluten free cooking. It's a blessing to have eager mouths to feed when you love to cook! ; )

We are thankful for our family. We are blessed to have my parents so close by and active in Alexa's life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Musical

2010-11-24T15:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of today. Alexa had a little Thanksgiving musical at school. She did not want to wear her Thanksgiving dress and chose this one which we have gotten tons of wear out of. I'll take some photos tomorrow of her in her smocked dress. I have realized that if I wait to edit my photos, they will never get on the blog so here they are unedited. Alexa wanted her hair to be down today and curled like the girls on "Dancing with the Stars". I'm not used to even seeing her much with her hair down. Almost every single day it is up in some style and off her face. She insists on keeping her long hair which is fine with me as long as it is not hanging in her face all the time. We are looking forward to tomorrow. We have so much to be thankful for!

~My New Business~

2010-11-11T07:25:00.000-08:00

Stella and Dot

Independent Stylist

I am so excited to launch my new business as a Stella and Dot Independent Stylist. If you have not yet heard of this amazing jewelry line, then you are in for a surprise. Stella and Dot is a new exciting company that sells celebrity coveted, on-trend, irresistible jewelry at in-home trunk shows.

I have been feeling the urge to go "back to work" for a few months and really wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I enjoyed a successful career as a teacher before becoming a full time mother and really enjoyed it. I attended a trunk show that a friend was having and absolutely fell in love with this jewelry. I placed an order that day and kept perusing the website. I was hooked. Soon after, I decided that this was an opportunity to set my own hours and do something fun and make money. Plus, wearing all this amazing jewelry every day is a added bonus!

If you love jewelry, take a peek at my website at www.stelladot.com/suekroger. I know you will fall in love with it too!!

My Halloween Honey!

2010-10-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love my little honey! We are gearing up for Halloween around here, decorating pumpkins, wearing festive outfits, and lining up our weekend activities. First we'll have a Pumpkin Fest at school with games and Trunk or Treat, then it's into town the next day for some good ole' Western Ghoulish fun, then off to Trick or Treat on the big day. This will be Alexa's first time Trick or Treating at night as we have always had our neighborhood/Fire dept. party on Halloween. She is really excited for all the fun!! We are too!

Halloween's a Hoot!

2010-10-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

What a hoot! It's Tika's first Halloween and she's a Big Horned Sheep!!

Off to party!

2010-10-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

We have been busy beavers here at the ranch! Today we went to a fabulous girly party for one of Alexa's good friends from dance class. I am loving those glasses with that dress!

Life around here has been a warp speed since school started. We have been attempting to accommodate 3 extra curricular activities in the addition to full time school. Alexa goes to Chinese School, Karate and Dance and finally something had to give. We decided to give Karate a break for a couple of months then resume after the holidays. I really want to be careful about burning Alexa out. So now we just have two late days a week. Our weekends have been totally booked with birthday parties and playdates. I cannot believe sometimes the social life of a 5 year old. Wears me out!

~Like Mother like Daughter~

2010-09-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

Bundle of Joy

2010-08-22T18:20:00.001-07:00

With all the excitement of back to school, I forgot to introduce our newest bundle of joy! Her name is Tika ( some of you may recognize that name from a certain Barbie movie) and she is a miniature Brussels Griffon. We got her on July 31 from a breeder here in AZ. She is beyond scrumptious. Right now she weighs about 4 lbs and will get to be about 9 lbs. She is silly and loves to cuddle. Our other two dogs have accepted her into the pack although they tire sometimes of her endless shenanigans. She is tons of fun ( and lots of work) and is a great addition to the brood!!

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-17T17:31:00.001-07:00

It's official, my baby is all grown up. Nope, no more baby. Just a big girl going to Kindergarten. I'm sad.

She is beautiful inside and out.

So excited about the backpack! The thing almost tipped her over but she was determined to wear it. So cute!

Sassy pants with the equally sassy Chief.

Family photo...shoot, out of focus but still a keeper.

Wearing her "Tea" dress. One of our favorites for dresses. I love the quality and look of these dresses.

Starting the day out on the swings.

With her Kindergarten teacher Ms. Le Ellyn. We are at the same Montessori school as last year but they have a new location so there are many "firsts". Alexa was really excited to get back to school and her routine. She is a really social girl so I am sure she was bored of me and The Chief and ready to get back to it! We are all looking forward to a great year!

~The Farm Part 3~

2010-08-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

My parents are the BEST grandparents. Alexa has a great relationship with both of them. We are lucky to have them!!!!!!!!!!

Alexa and Chippy, aka Brittany. Whenever we travel, Alexa can choose one small stuffed animal to bring along in her backpack. Chippy provided lots of entertainment. The whole trip Alexa had 2 books, Chippy, and her wordsearch book. She was so content to be outside in nature with no toys or other stimulus. She has an amazing imagination so she can come up with lots to play and do with just about anything. I personally like the feeling of being stripped of all your "stuff" and just being with yourself.

Love the barn.

Alexa had a blast getting squirted with the hose. It was really hot out so she was having a good time running around the house then getting shot with hose. She also loves hanging out in her underwear. : )

Great memories this year on the farm!!!!

~The Farm Part 3 ~

2010-08-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

They're here! Alexa was sooooo excited to see her cousins Jacob and Alex. My brother and sister-in-law were in town for the week and spent 2 days at the farm.

Even though Jacob and Alex are 13 and 11, they played with Alexa and never tired ( well at least showed it) of her games and attention.

Hide and seek was her favorite.

We even put up a tent which was quite hilarious to watch. I took photos and stayed out of it!

Picking flowers with Alex. He is so sweet and she loved hanging out with him.

Alexa with my brother's family. I love the look on her face. : )

Family photo, just missing The Chief. We missed him those 10 days and made him promise he would come for part of the trip next summer.

Later that week it was off to visit my Grandma, cousins and this new cutie. Kaylee is my cousin's new daughter. Isn't she yummy? So cute.

My grandma, Aunt Deb, Alexa and Kaylee on the stoop. It was really good to see family this trip. It really meant a lot to Alexa to spend time with her cousins. They made good memories. : )

The Farm Part 2

2010-07-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Day three of our trip we headed downtown to Chicago. First stop, Chinatown. This was not a big hit with Alexa. Honestly, I think it was just overwhelming for her. It was super hot and humid that day. It was loud and crowded. We talked a lot about Chinatown before our trip but I just think she was not comfortable so we made it short. We went to a few shops and bought some dresses and shoes and of course the pink parasol which she carried for rest of the day.

After Chinatown, we headed to Oak Street for lunch at Bistro 110. We had a super delicious lunch and got some energy for the rest of the day.

Loving the bandaid and the purple flower she picked somewhere on Michigan Ave.

Of course the big event of the day was this place. Alexa had been looking at the catalog for a year and had her mind set on which doll she wanted.

She made a beeline for Elizabeth and there was no turning back.

After shopping, the big yawn is a sign of a successful mission.

Next over to Water Tower Place where Papa was patiently waiting for us to return. I actually went to college right there at Loyola University so it was fun to show Alexa that as well.

Moving on to see the lake. Alexa was super excited to see the "big lake". Off to Lakeshore drive and hopefully a cool breeze.

Thanks Papa for carrying that heavy bag all day. : )

My city girl. The day was almost entirely a success and we had a wonderful time. I really miss the city and I loved showing Alexa a part of my past. She tells me she is a half city, half country girl. Me too!

Back to the farm and time to show Elizabeth around.

I love how she is holding her in this photo.

Feeding Elizabeth chips at her picnic. The funniest was that for the first two days, she kept asking me, "Mom, what's her name again?"

Across the street, life goes on and hay must be gathered.

Hey, Skokie needs chips too!

The Farm Part 1

2010-07-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

Come on in....

Alexa and I recently spent 10 days at my parent's farm in Western Illinois. I am originally from the suburbs of Chicago. I lived there for 27 years, then finally got fed up with the gray skies and headed West for wide open spaces and sunshine. I love living in AZ but will always be a Midwestern girl from Chicago. I love going home once a year, it's all about comfort and seeing Alexa experience a slice of some good old Midwest summer fun!

Here's Skokie the gate keeper. She is super sweet but hates having her photo taken which is a shame because she is really photogenic.

The first day started with boomerang fun in the field out back. Alexa spotted my dad's boomerang and had to try it out. They did not have much success but had fun trying.

Alexa loved hanging around the front gate and it's the perfect place for photos. Here she is in this year's favorite summer dress.

This is looking out back to the neighbor's soybean fields. It really is so beautiful there. Coming from Arizona's high desert we crave the greenery and lushness of it all.

So many places to explore or just steal a quiet moment away.

Prayers needed for a friend

2010-07-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

My friend over at http://joyofgeorgea.blogspot.com needs some help for her good friends. I have copied and pasted her original post below.

This is our sweet friend Olivia. Olivia is adopted from China just like Georgea. She and her family have been friends of ours for many years. They live in Cincinnati. Olivia has had symptoms similar to those related to tonsillitis, discomfort, swelling, difficulty breathing & swallowing. She had a school physical and as a result her Dr. recommended Olivia have her tonsils removed. Upon further investigation her Dr. shared a concern that Olivia may have Lymphoma in her tonsils. Olivia will have the tonsillectomy on July 29 and then a definitive diagnosis can be made. We are asking for your prayers during this difficult time. We are praying specifically that the diagnosis would not be lymphoma and that Olivia would be completely free of cancer of any type. Thank you so much for your support!

Happy 4th!

2010-07-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

We had a fun 4th of July. We hung out at home, barbecued, then went into town to watch the fireworks. : )

Dance Recital 2010

2010-06-06T15:44:00.001-07:00

Dress rehearsal day. Alexa's class is a ballet/tap combo. The girls did a tap number to Stray Cats. She loved getting to wear makeup and dressing up.

The recital was two days ( hence my different outfits). We were not allowed to video tape or take photos of the actual recital so that is why I have none. : (

They have a professional videographer and photographer who charge outrageous prices and have us all at their mercy. Lots of parents are not happy about this policy.

After the show on Saturday. I was feeling so crummy but had to suck it up and rally. There was no way I was going to spoil Alexa's big day or miss it.

She did really well. I think she enjoys being onstage but did tell us she had a little stage fright.

With her dancer friends, Amalia and Sydney. They have been dancing together for two years and it makes it more fun when you are with your friends. It's been fun for us moms too! Lots of laughs on all those Saturday mornings while the girls are in class.

The outfit was really cute!

So proud of our girl!

High-five!

Afterwards we went for frozen yogurt to celebrate!

My Karate Kid

2010-06-03T18:52:00.001-07:00

Alexa started karate this week and LOVES it. She earned her white belt the first class by reciting her name, address and phone number. She is on her way already to earning her stripes by already practicing and learning how to count to 10 in Japanese. I think she is a real natural and we are really excited that she has found something that she really enjoys. Alexa is pretty high energy ( which we love about her) and karate will give her an outlet to use her energy and also learn how to focus that energy more. She will go twice a week all summer and the plan is to continue once school starts once a week. I love watching her in class. I am proud that she has tried something new and as always, watching our little one blossom is pure joy.

Stay tuned for dance photos...the big recital is this weekend!

Summer playdate

2010-05-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Alexa had her friend Sara over for the day. They go to the same school and actually met when they were just three at a different school where they both attended preschool a couple days a week. They had a blast playing together. Alexa is a very social kid which sometimes as an only is tough on her. She thrives on conversation and action. From the moment Sara arrived it was non-stop activity. They played princess, painted, did Shrinkydinks ( loved these as a kid), did sidewalk chalk, had lunch, watched a movie, and played some more. The day flew by for me. Amazing how much can get done when the little one is otherwise occupied. ; ) We look forward to more fun playdates with Sara. : )

Quiet Moment

2010-05-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

Preschool was cool!

2010-05-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

On the last day of school the kids get awards for their accomplishments and successes over the year. Alexa won 3, Math Whiz, an Artist award and one for Reading. She had a good year and we were pleased with how much she learned, especially how well she can read. She is in a Montessori school which we love, but the kids are encouraged to learn at their own pace, our little social butterfly apparently spent most of the year socializing and not applying herself to the best of her personal abilities. Our hopes and goals for next year in Kindergarten is for her to find her "focus" and apply herself more. She is extremely curious and capable and we are hoping next year she "hits the books" and gets down to business! I love her enthusiasm and energy but at some point she will have to learn to use these attributes to foster her love of learning instead of impeding it.

Here she is with her BFF at the Mad Hatters Mother's Day breakfast. These two cuties together are a bundle of energy and fun!

Here she is performing at the school talent show. She performed a Fairy/ribbon dance that she choreographed. She was really something to watch. Her joy really shines from her smile.

School's out!

2010-05-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

Let's get crazy! Summer vacation has officially started. Time to lay around by the pool, go to the movies, sleep in ( haha, that's a good one!), stay up late, go on day trips, eat Popsicles, and have picnics.

For activities, Alexa is going to dance camp, trying karate, and heading to the farm for some good ol' Midwest fun.

Enjoy your summer break!

Aloha

2010-04-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Last week we spent a wonderful week on Kauai. About a year ago our friends, http://www.joyofgeorgea.blogspot.com/ asked us if we would like to join them in Hawaii this April. I have always wanted to take Alexa there as I had spent quite a bit of time there myself as a child and I was excited about showing her island life. Coincidentally, the week feel right on our 10 year wedding anniversary and we actually eloped in Kauai so it was all a perfect scenario. We spent the first 5 days in Poipu at the Marriott with our friends, then moved on to Hanalei Bay to stay the last 2 nights. We had a wonderful time with lots of amazing memories!

On the beach with cutie Georgea, her daddy and Alexa building sandcastles.

On our way out to dinner. We shared lots of laughs, good food and lots of ice cream!

We took Alexa to a fabulous Luau. We took a train ride around the plantation, learned lots about Kauai's history, fed some wild pigs, then returned for a fabulous traditional Luau show and a great Hawaiian feast.

Pineapple grove

Alexa LOVED the beach. This was a great little cove that was protected so the kids could go in the water by themselves and play. Alexa sort of tried snorkeling ( got the mask on, waded out, then said, "nope" and back she came). She spent lots of time in the water and made some local friends at the beach.

With Georgea hanging out in the morning. Love the matching pjs

Our island princess. She loved wearing the leis and was mesmerized by all the beautiful flowers

The girls before a night out.

Love this photo. It was so cute seeing the girls together. Alexa enjoyed being a "big sis" to Georgea and Georgea loved following Alexa around and "checking her out.

View from our condo in Hanalei. It was absolutely amazing. No televisions, radios or computers. Just the sound of the ocean. I could have stayed there for a long time!

Alexa and I spent a lot of time exploring and finding coral, shells and even a coconut, which the Chief actually opened for us.

Got to get some pool time in!

We took Alexa to the beach where we were married on. It was a really special morning. We spent time writing in the sand, taking photos and reminiscing. We even all held hands and reaffirmed our vows to each other as a family this time. It was really neat!

The Chief and his princess.

Just about the exact spot we stood ten years ago and promised our love to each other. It was a great trip with many wonderful family memories to last a lifetime. We loved spending time with our friends and look forward to more memories with them too. We love Hawaii as it holds so many special lifetime memories for both of us. I love now that Alexa can share that too.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

Wishing everyone a happy Easter!

~Best Buddies~

2010-03-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

This is Alexa with her best friend Claudia. Boy, are these girls two peas in a pod. They hang out every day at school and Alexa talks about Claudia constantly. She says " she knows Claudia's brain very well." I believe it! I'm not sure who is sillier but I sure know that they are the cutest best friends ever!

At school they had a "twins day" where they were supposed to find a friend and dress alike for the day. Well, you can imagine that was an easy task! : )

2nd Hubei Family Reunion

2010-03-23T12:20:00.001-07:00

In Austin Texas at Ray and Angel's house the first night. A couple of the girls weren't there yet, so are not in the photo. Big Emma and little Alex are siblings of two of the girls. We had a great Chinese dinner and we all enjoyed catching up with each other. The girls weren't shy and immediately were best friends again. They had so much fun playing together!

In downtown Austin the next morning by the river.

All the girls at the Austin Children's Museum where we celebrated all their birthdays together and exchanged gifts. We all had a blast!

Outside the museum. We caused quite a stir wherever we went. We are a crazy bunch!

Next, off to some good ole' Texas barbecue. The girls were super silly after dinner and oh so tired!

The party didn't end there. It was back to the hotel for a quick stop to get into our pj's and back we went to Ray and Angel's for a pj party. The plan was to stay over but the girls ( and moms) were wiped out so we left a bit before midnight to get the girls in bed. The guys had a boys night out so the came in soon after us. We were wiped out from the day!

The last day of the reunion was a farewell Dim Sum brunch. All the girls wore their traditional dresses and looked so pretty. They sure do know how to pose!

Next, the moms and then the dads. We are picture happy bunch!

We had a wonderful time! It is always sad to say goodbye. This group is like family and we enjoy getting to know each family better each time we reunite. The girls love being together and we hope they form lifelong bonds and friendships with each other as the years go on.

The final stop before we headed home was a stop at our adoption agency Great Wall China, which is located in Austin. We were very lucky to have a chance meeting with Ms. Snow Wu. She was super nice and accomodating, taking time from her morning to talk with us and take photos. It was great to show Alexa where it all started.

The Long Goodbye

2010-03-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

My beloved Georgie lost her battle with Lymphoma early Tuesday morning. This photo was taken last March and shows my baby healthy, the way I need to remember her. She was diagnosed in July 2009 and was only given 6 months to live with aggressive chemo. She was stage v at that point but we had so much hope. She defied us all and lived 9 full months. Her spirit never wavered and every week we went to chemo her doctors called her "the wonder dog". She was a fighter and we truly cherished every moment of the past nine months. She certainly got spoiled, getting a scrambled egg every Sunday and as many treats as she wanted. She and I spent many quiet moments sitting in the sun together. She lived 10.5 years and I know she was happy for all of them. She was like a child to me and was my constant companion, never leaving my side. The void I feel right now is immense. When you experience anticipatory grief, it is such a long goodbye. Even though I feel blessed to have had her for an extra 9 months, I feel so robbed because had she not gotten cancer, she would have lived until she was 18. Her spirit was that great! I will always miss my sweet girl.

Today's Adventure

2010-03-06T16:40:00.001-08:00

We live right on the edge of the Tonto National Forest. About 5 minutes from our house is a place called Sears Kay. Hundreds of years ago the Hohakam Indians lived on this land and we have quite a few intact Indian ruins around where we live. We hiked up today and checked out some really great ones that we had yet to discover. Alexa brings her walking stick on all hikes and was the self designated leader.

Here she is entering some ruins of the structures that the Indians used as rooms.

There is Weaver's Needle in the background. The views are amazing up there. We've had a lot of rain, so the desert is very green..not the usual but very pretty.

That's Four Peaks with snow still on it in the background. It was a beautiful day and a great family hike!

Mary Poppins

2010-02-21T16:32:00.000-08:00

Today we went to see Mary Poppins. It was really great. We went with our friends from dance class that we have been friends with for a couple of years. All three girls are 5 years old and they all looked so cute dressed up for the theatre. I wish I could have gotten a photo with all three of them but I didn't want to lug my big camera in when I knew I really couldn't take photos anyway. I was glad that Alexa had seen the original movie once so she could follow along with the story. The music and dancing were fantastic. I love taking Alexa to different types of shows so she can get a taste of everything. She loves plays, ballets and musicals so far. She also enjoys live music and this week for school we have a field trip to the Symphony. I think she will really enjoy that as well. All this exposure to culture and she'll probably leave home at 17 to join a punk rock band!

Traditional Chinese Brush Painting

2010-02-16T16:52:00.000-08:00

One of the gifts that The Chief got Alexa for Valentine's Day was a traditional Chinese brush painting kit. It is meant for adults and is quite involved but you know dads, they don't know or care, so we opened it up and she gave it a whirl. You paint using watercolors with these beautiful brushes and you also use an ink stone. It is actually something that I would also like to try as well. Kids are much better at just diving in and trying it with no fear of failure like adults do. This is Alexa's painting of two little birds. I just love it. I plan on framing it and hanging it in our bedroom.

Fishing

2010-02-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

On Monday we went fishing. We went to a lake ( there aren't many around in AZ) about 45 minutes from our house. The weather was beautiful and we were ready to catch the big one! Well no bites, but a good time was had! Alexa loved using her fishing pole. After The Chief baited her hook he cast it out and then it was all about waiting, and waiting, and waiting. So much waiting that it was a lot more fun to run around the park! She did learn to cast though and in true Alexa fashion, stayed with it until she got it right. The pole only took one dunk in the lake. Afterwards she fed the ducks which I think was way more fun anyway!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-13T14:01:00.001-08:00

We've been having fun celebrating Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year. We have the house decorated for both, with hearts and lanterns! Friday, Alexa had her school party and loved handing out her homemade cards and receiving a box full from her friends. Today we had a little family picnic and tomorrow we are going fishing! Oh boy! For Alexa's birthday we got her a fishing pole and tackle box. She has wanted us to take her fishing for some time...should be an adventure!

Fours Years Ago Today....

2010-02-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

Four years ago today you became our daughter, but your story began before that...

Dino-mite!!!

2010-02-07T13:35:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Alexa had her birthday party at the Museum of Natural History. The theme was dinosaurs of course in pink and purple. The party was held in a private room then the kids got to tour the museum with their families. She had 19 friends attend. She really wanted a big party this year for her 5th!

This is not a very good shot of Alexa but I had to show the dress!

I loved when everyone joined in and sang "Happy Birthday" to her. Those little moments always get me! It was a great group of friends from her school, dance and old friends.

Enjoying the cupcakes and fruit.

The goody bags we made had a dinosaur craft in them, playdough, a healthy treat and those old dot candies. It was so funny because I had so many kids come up to me and ask "Is this candy?" I guess they aren't used to "old school" candy.

Opening gifts with her friends all around her. It was a super fun birthday!!!

~Happy Birthday Baby!~

2010-02-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

Happy 5th Birthday!!!! May all your dreams come true!

Little Hiker

2010-02-02T18:15:00.001-08:00

The Chief loves to take Alexa out on nature walks through the desert. She usually comes back with some sort of treasure that she has found like a cool rock and tales of deer she has spotted. I love how she is looking up at her daddy in this photo. It speaks volumes of how she feels about the time they spend together.

"Your Curly Locks"

2010-01-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

I've created a curl monster! Oh how she loves the curls!! Here she is this morning before school reading one of her favorite books. If you don't already have this book, it is surely one to get. It is a silly Rapunzel story and oh so fitting for my girl and her curls!

The Simple Things

2010-01-07T18:02:00.000-08:00

There is something so innocent and lovely about a little girl in pink sponge rollers. I just love all these moments...she is my joy!

Christmas Collage

2009-12-29T06:48:00.000-08:00

We had an awesome Christmas!!!

The Nutcracker Ballet

2009-12-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Alexa, my mom and I attended the Nutcracker Ballet. It was the first ballet for all of us and we loved it! I can't believe I have never been to the ballet before. What a shame. Alexa really enjoyed it and was mesmerized the first act. The second act she was getting a little tired and ansy but overall she thought it was great. The costumes and sets were so beautiful and much more elaborate than I expected. Alexa has been in ballet for 2 years and seeing the professionals was quite a treat for her. Another great memory created this holiday!

~Baking~

2009-12-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

The best part! Friday afternoon my mom, Alexa and I had a marathon of baking. It was really fun. Alexa enjoyed making the sugar cookies with Poh Poh, who is a very patient teacher. ; )

She is a serious baker. She worked really hard at rolling the dough and making the cutouts.

Decorating and licking the icing is worth all the hard work!

With my mom, loading up some sprinkles on the one she made for Santa.

Motherhood

2009-12-19T06:29:00.000-08:00

Are you ever overwhelmed by the love you have for your child? I'm certainly not surprised how much I love her but how pure and full and true it is. It is different than any other relationship. It just makes me a better person too in so many ways. Being a mother was always in my heart from a very early age. When people would ask me what I wanted to be I would say "a mom". My nickname in high school was "mom". I guess I was a natural at taking care of my friends so they felt it fitting. I also know that is one of the reasons why I became a teacher. I just really loved all my students like they were my own. But motherhood is for me is like the calm in the storm. It is what makes me feel whole and worthy and capable. It is one thing for sure that I know I'm good at. I cannot imagine going through this life without this experience.

Christmas Pageant

2009-12-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

Last night Alexa had her Christmas Pageant for school. She looks like a little opera singer in the last two photos. She really loves to sing and knew all the words to the songs. She loves being on stage and is not shy. A couple of times she wanted include some dance moves but the two girls on either side of her gave her some looks like "Don't try it girl, there's not enough room." She even curtsied at the end. I true diva in the making. My folks came too of course and we all really enjoyed watching her. She looked beautiful in her dress and enjoyed getting her hair curled and a little makeup on before the show. I love that she is so girly and enjoys all the foo foo stuff. We have so much fun getting ready together! It was a great night!

Memories

2009-12-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we put up the Christmas tree and the outside lights. It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas out here in the desert. When I was growing up it was always my job to set up the Nativity set under the tree. I still have the old set that was actually my grandparents but it is missing a few key players like Joseph and a wise man. I bought Alexa a new set last year and she loves setting it up just like I did. The funny thing is that now she combines both sets and has two baby Jesus' and it is quite the lot of characters to set up and make sense of.

Besides the big tree and her pink tree in her room, Alexa has always enjoyed decorating this little tree when I am getting the big one ready. She really takes her time and loads it up. She also loves snow globes ( I'm thinking of maybe starting a collection for her and getting her one every year).

After a day of decorating and baking we bundled up ( it was 40 degrees here last night!) and headed out to a Christmas pageant that is literally put on in the middle of the desert. It was really cool. You follow the luminaries out to the spot and our local theatre troop puts on the story of the birth of Jesus including a live donkey and the wise men riding in on horses! They had an angel ( who must have been freezing) up on the mountain and they would light her up along with the North Star. It was narrated and also sung by a choir. It was really something. This morning Alexa and I reenacted it( with our respective sets). I think it was a wonderful way for her to relearn the story of Christmas.

Pink is pretty darn great!

2009-12-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

What girl doesn't like a pink tree with lights in her bedroom? I ran around all over town today while Alexa was at school looking for a pink tree. Every store was sold out! Finally after picking her up we tried our trusty Targ*t and sure enough Alexa spotted one...the last one they had. She really is into pink and purple right now so we snagged some purple and silver ornaments. She could not wait to get home and get right to work setting it up. I had found the cutest little pink sequined tree skirt( at K*hls) and we got it all ready for decorating. She didn't want any help or suggestions and even though it is quite bottom heavy it looks super and she LOVES it!! She actually made a little bed next to it with her pillow and blankets and is sleeping on the floor next to it. So darn cute!!! I love the simple things like this that make Christmas time so special.

Back at it!

2009-11-23T13:18:00.000-08:00

Alexa went back to school today for a few hours in the morning. She and I both were happy to get back to our routines. I was able to get my groceries for Thanksgiving, hit T*arget and work out. Her friends were really glad to see her and she was happy to be back. : ) !!!! Excuse the horrible quality of this photo. We were running late and I took some really fast crummy photos outside before we left.

Up and running...literally!

2009-11-22T07:10:00.001-08:00

We are over the hump! Finally...whew what a long week. Yesterday was day 9 after surgery and Alexa was mostly back to her old self. Her energy was up and her throat only seems to hurt sporadically. She is still having a few troubles eating but that is subsiding too each day. She lost a bit of weight which was something we did not want to happen but she certainly was not eating much all week so I think it was to be expected. Now, we need to fatten the girl up!

She is sleeping like a dream except when she wakes up 3 times in the night wanting the mama! When she was a baby she would wake up every night at 10:00, 12:00 and 3:00 and cry for me. Well, can you guess what is going on now...yep same schedule. She wakes up crying because her throat hurts and then I go in and comfort her and then back to bed she goes. Needless to say, I have not had much sleep in the past 9 days. I think once she is back to feeling 100% she will sleep even better. It is still so odd because she is so quiet when she is sleeping. This was our goal and it is really amazing.

So, now that she is on the mend it is time to focus on Thanksgiving...yikes only 4 days away! We certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year. : )

The Road to Recovery

2009-11-13T17:31:00.000-08:00

We are doing well! Alexa was an absolute champ today and is home doing very well.

Our morning started at 6:15 check-in at the surgery center. Alexa was very relaxed and in good spirits. I really think the tour on Wednesday helped her so she knew what to expect. After some paperwork and waiting we were called back to get ready. Alexa was given a "relaxer" medicine which made her all loopy so she wouldn't have a tough time leaving us and getting started. This was a difficult time for me because I did not like seeing her all spacey and out of it. I was starting to get anxious so I was sort of glad when they told us it was time to go. I wanted to get the show on the road! All the anxiety leading up to it was killing me! We gave her kisses and told her we loved her than went back to the waiting room ( well, I went outside for a moment to "gather" myself) and then it was only like a 30 minute wait until her surgeon came out to tell us she was finished and in recovery. He also said her tonsil were "HUGE".

We were allowed to go back into recovery after a few moments ( this photo above is from there). This was heart wrenching for a bit as she was just waking up and crying. She was telling me "her throat hurt" and I kept saying "I know honey, just rest your throat and don't talk." She finally fell back asleep and stayed comfortable the rest of the hour. Here is the amazing part for me. After she fell asleep, I realized, "Oh my goodness, she is quiet...no snoring or difficulty breathing!" I almost started crying! It was amazing to me after so many years to see her finally resting peacefully. When she napped at home later, I kept going in to check on her because I could not hear her breathing! Very odd for me.

We are so thankful for all the wonderful nurses and doctors today and the excellent care she received and the compassion for her and us too. We are also thankful for all your well wishes and prayers. It really means a lot.

Alexa is feeling much better than we expected. She was eating Jello and scrambled eggs only a few hours after we were home. She is keeping busy watching movies and sleeping. She is on pain meds and an antibiotic. She is talking and moving around. Here is another really strange thing. Her voice is totally different!! Kinda freaking me out. We're not sure yet if it is from her throat being sore of this is what is really should sound like without the "frog" in her throat. Time will tell.

So, we are so glad that we pusued this and got it done. For all the worry leading up to it and the anxiety, it is nothing compared to the peace of mind that she will feel better now without them.

She is our little trooper..she never ceases to amaze us what she can handle!! We love her so!

They're coming out!

2009-11-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

Alexa is having surgery next Friday. She is having her tonsils and adenoids removed as well as having her nose cauterized. I found a fabulous ENT who finally sees what we see....a otherwise healthy vibrant 4 year old with huge tonsils that are affecting her life in negative ways. He said that he would be shocked if she did not currently have sleep apnea, considering the size of her tonsils. They are also affecting her speech. She sounds like she has a frog in her throat and quite frankly I'm sure she feels like she does! He was appalled as I was that for over two years, 4 different doctors have told me that this was no big deal. I have stood over her bed almost every night listening to her fitfully sleeping, waking every few minutes to get more oxygen in. I have gone to bed most nights wondering if she will continue to breath through the night. That might sound mellodramatic to some but as a mother, my instincts told me that this was not right and that I should push to pursue a solution.

So now we have finally scheduled the surgery and I am terrified!! I have not really let myself "go there" with my worry but I'm scared. I'm scared of her being under anethesia, being on an antibiotic for the first time in her life and having a reaction, and having post-surgery bleeding ( which is rare but does happpen). A week ago Alexa had a horrendous nosebleed in the night that scared the crap out of me and the chief. We both thought that we were not going to get this one to stop. It was like a faucet just running, down her throat, in her mouth...just horrible. The ENT said that she has huge blood vessels and that is why she keeps getting bloody noses ( for years). She has had her nose cauterized twice and he will only be able to do one nostril during surgery but we are hoping that will eliminate the episodes for the winter at the very least.

So,

on Wedensday we are going for a pre-surgery tour which will makes us and Alexa more comfortable for what will happen on Friday morning. I would welcome any feedback from anyone who has already gone through this. I have done lots of research and am prepared for a pretty rough few weeks of healing.

I am also asking for any prayers next week for our sweet little girl. I have always believed in the power of prayer and our family would deeply appreciate your help in that respect.

I will try and post an update after the surgery after we are home and settled. : )

Halloween Wrap-Up

2009-11-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

The festivities started on Thursday with some pumpkin carving. My mom and dad came over to help out and join in the fun. After we did our pumpkins we roasted marshmallows in our outdoor fireplace ( it was the perfect rare cold night in AZ). Alexa loves using the stick she whittled to roast her own marshmallows.

The next morning it was off to school for the Harvest party and parade. Alexa kindly asked if I would dress up as Sleeping Beauty's queen mother so I had to oblige. For two days before she would read her princess books and inform me of my "royal duties" to be polite ( as if I wouldn't!) and mind my manners. She was so cute when I was helping her get her "jewels" on. I let her wear a pair of my drop earrings and pearls and she was loving that!

The Queen and her princess. Yee gads, I could not wait to get that thing off once the day was over. I volunteered at her school for the party and was in charge of leading 3 groups of trick or treaters through the complex where the school is located....yikes, in heels!! A Queen just does not wear gym shoes under her gown...imagine!

She really loved this dress.

The following morning at Ballet class they were allowed to dress in costume. She is wearing a different princess dress because her other one was just filthy from dragging on the ground. Here she is with her friend Sydney

This is not the best photo because it was taken through glass but I like it anyway. She was doing her solo with the scarves. She loves that part. : )

Halloween night at our annual Fire Dept. neighborhood party. Here she is with the Chief. I love how she has her arm around him...so precious. We did a trunk or treat and she got lots of candy which she was so sweet to share with everyone in her family.

It was a fun filled weekend of activities and fun memories!!

Fancy Nancy

2009-11-01T07:14:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to a Fancy Nancy party at our local library. This lady was a hoot and was so entertaining. All the girls dressed up in their fanciest outfits and listened to stories, ate little cupcakes and enjoyed being "fancy".

As you can see, Alexa loves getting dressed up in all her jewels and fancy accessories.

She is so darn cute in all her bling.

Got some attitude going on here!

The other day Alexa says to me, "Mom, sometimes people tell me that I'm beautiful and I'm just not that interested in hearing that." Must be rough!

I told her that what matters most is her beautiful heart!

Our favorite friends came to visit!

2009-10-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

Today we had a visit from our favorite friends Amy and Georgea http://joyofgeorgea.blogspot.com/. It is so cute to see the girls together. Georgea is an absolute sweetie pie. My mom is in town for the winter so she came over too. She has been following Amy's blog and was really excited to meet the "newest princess". Love you guys!

Editing help needed!

2009-10-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Me and my camera are friends again..we've been estranged for some time. With most things I enjoy I go through phases and only seem to concentrate on one thing at a time. Lately it's been sewing and exercise so photography has taken a back seat. This morning I took some really great photos of Alexa but when I was editing ( I just use Picnik, nothing fancy) I noticed that she had those darn tattoos on her arm. I hate those things! I had tried twice to scrub those darn things off and just forgot about them this morning when we ran outside to take a few shots before school.

Two questions: How do you get those darn things off her skin? and How do you edit it off the photos? I tried the "blemish" feature and "airbrush" feature and neither worked.

Any suggestions out there? A couple of the photos are Christmas card worthy but not with a dolphin tattoo and Barbie on her arm!! : (

That smile!

2009-10-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Your joy is contagious. You make us laugh every day with your grown up expressions and your silly jokes. That smile means the world to me!

I love how you find the wonder in everything. You feel things deeply and see the beauty in the smallest things. Your curiosity and energy keep me young!

Your independence amazes me sometimes but you still "need the mama". I will always be here for you and will do my best to let you walk uphill on your own. You are one amazing girl!

Cute little mommy

2009-09-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here is Alexa the other night after her bath ironing on her new ironing board. Isn't that thing the cutest?! I bought it the other day at T*rget and had intended to keep it for Christmas but I couldn't resist. Alexa has been home with a cold for 3 days so it was the perfect time. She got out all her doll clothes and it kept her busy for some time.

Update: Her hair is wet in this photo but the haircut update is...just a trim. My friend cut it and really only took like an inch off but it really made a difference in how healthy it looks.

~Cheaper than therapy~

2009-09-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

This morning on my hour walk I decided to take some photos with my phone. I figured maybe if I can multitask the time will go faster. Truly I love (well "love" might be a little strong) my solitary walks in the desert. It is my time to be one with nature, suck up tons of dust in my lungs and burn off some snacks from the night before. Today I faced 25 mile an hour winds pushing against me which increased the dust particles I actually breathed in and produced an additional 500 calories burned! I wish!

This is how I start out, down a nice hill, gorgeous views and peace and quiet. I am actually enjoying myself at this point, planning my day and doing some self-reflection.

About a mile into it I, round this corner and get a great view of the Tonto National Forest that we live next to. A this point I am scouting for bobcats and mountain lions and hoping no snakes slither in front of me as I take my eyes off the road. I'm working up a sweat now and feeling good!

After about 2.5 miles, here I am about to tackle this little hill. It is one that I actually like since the view is incredible and I know I am past the half way point. I am thinking about my blessings and how I am thankful that I am healthy and can make this walk without passing out.

And then....I get to the bottom of this beast. I hate this hill!!! It is at the near end of my walk and I have lost my sense of humor at this point. I am sweaty and want to go home and have some coffee!!! And then I think, "Hey, I'll check my emails!" I have to take my phone with me in case of "an emergency" Wow, what a great idea. It is really the only way I can get up this hill. If my mind is otherwise occupied I can't think about the fact that I am dizzy and about to drop. It works! Up I go.

I turn around and look back at what I just did and feel pretty good. I've tackled the beast and am almost back home. The rest is a breeze.

I love and hate my walks. I feel nauseous for about 3 hours after I get home ( not sure why) but feel an accomplishment and more energy for doing it. The Chief says I am releasing 40 years of toxins, and that is why I don't feel well. Nice. I guess my walks are a little like therapy. I have a quiet place to think, I can leave my worries in the dirt, I can overcome hills and appreciate the beauty all around me . Works for me!

" I did It!"

2009-09-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Alexa ran into our bedroom this morning with her shoes tied. She said, "Mom, I did it!" How exciting! I still remember the first time I learned how to tie. I was 7 and I learned on a Dressy Bessy doll. Alexa and I have been casually working on it but I was pretty surprised when she surprised me this morning. What a great way to start the day! She was really proud of herself!!

Is It Time?

2009-09-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Well, even though it is still a lovely 100 degrees here in the desert, I guess it is Fall...is it? I have started to slowly add some Fall elements to our home. If I do it all at once, by the end of October I am ready to chuck it all in the garbage..it gives me nightmares to have all that "stuff" in the house. Even though our leaves don't change, the colors of the desert I guess lend themselves to the colors we think of when Autumn approaches. Certainly the colors of my house do, especially with the Satillo tile we have throughout. I have struggled with this "sort" of house since I moved out here from the Midwest. If I could choose any style home it would probably be a cottage style with beadboard walls and white slipcovered furniture. Out here it is all about the "Southwest vibe". I just cannot go there in my mind, so have tried to find some sort of happy medium with my style. I like all sorts of things and try to shy away from anything "mass produced". I have several paintings in the house that my mom has done, including the two on the background walls. I love to decorate and spend many nights trying to fall asleep wondering what else I can accomplish in the house. Does anyone else do this? What I really want to accomplish is a home that when one enters they feel comfortable and instantly at home. I also love looking at other people's spaces. I am addicted to decorating blogs now and could spend hours getting inspired. Enjoy your Fall decorating ( and your leaves changing!: )

The Hair

2009-09-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's talk about the hair. I need some ideas. This is what Alexa's hair looks like in the morning uncombed. It is knotty and unruly. Her hair has always had quite a bit of wave to it but now it is like the under layer has wave and the layer of hair on top is straight. Everyday I put it in a pony tail or braids which we both like and she doesn't mind me doing it. Alexa is four and a half years old and has had one hair cut. I am not kidding, her hair grows soooo slow.

On Thursday a friend of mine who is a hair stylist is going to cut it. My problem is I don't know what to do!! She likes it long and crazy and in her face. I love it all pulled back off her face. I do not want to do bangs because we will never keep up with them. Any ideas??? Also, if anyone has any advice on how to get her hair shiny I would really appreciate it. We have really hard water and it is impossible for it to look shiny and I have tried every product out there. Help!!

Not My Idea of Fun

2009-09-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

This is what "some people" think is fun to do on a Saturday afternoon. A neighbor of ours found a Mojave Rattlesnake and brought it over so The Chief could skin it. Here's the kicker...it is the most deadly venomous snake in North America! No anti-venom is available...instant death!! Yes, good times.

The Chief's B-day!

2009-09-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Honey! You are Alexa's and my hero.
We appreciate all you do for our family. You are Alexa's everything, her daddy can do no wrong!

Thanks for being a great husband. You juggle many roles, wear many hats but will always be my BFF. You make our lives complete, challenging at times ; ) and never boring! Love ya!

Homework

2009-08-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

Now that Alexa is a reader she gets to bring home her Reading Folder every other night from school to practice her sight words and her reading words. She loves to read but getting her to sit down and do her homework can sometimes be a challenge. I said to the Chief "If this is any indication of what homework time will be like for the next 12 years we are in big trouble." She is excited though and is doing a great job! One of her favorite things to read is the newspaper section which tells the weather report. She will read it while she is eating breakfast and tell me the weather forcast for the week. : )

Back to School

2009-08-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Alexa was so excited to go back to school this morning. We are so happy that she loves school!

I just love her smile!

We always take photos in the front of our house on the first day. We were running sort of late so we didn't have time to set up the tripod and get all three of us.

The look!

Alexa with one of her teachers, Ms. Renee.

Straight to it! She couldn't get rid of us fast enough. Here she is with one of her friends and they got right to work. : )

~Happy days ahead!~

2009-08-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

As much as I love summer, I am so glad that school is about to start. This has undoubtedly been the worst summer and I will happily bid it farewell. Don't get me wrong, there have been some fun times but it was not the stress free, lounge by the pool sort of few months. Alexa will be starting the school year on Monday and will be going 5 days a week this year. She is really excited to get back to her routine and see her friends and teachers. At the very end of the last school year she learned to read so I cannot wait to see her progress this year. I think this year will be different for her in so many ways. She is comfortable there now and more confident. I think we will really see her blossom this year. I will treasure her last year of preschool before "real" school starts. I am going to miss her tremendously as we are pretty much attached at the hip but I am not going to lie....I am ready for some "me" time. I have had only about 20 hours of that this summer and I have a ton of projects, goals, and changes that I want to tackle. I am ready to get back to walking my mountain hills every morning, delve into some sewing, complete some house projects, read some books, and maybe sell some more stuff on Eb*y. I know that I am not the only mom feeling this way, I envision mom's everywhere getting in the car after drop off or bus pick up and giving a little giggle of joy or even a "yahoo!" So, let's all take some time for ourselves so we can be the best for our families and kids. I think we deserve it!!! : )

~Just what we needed~

2009-08-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

This week we had a much needed visit from my folks. Because I had to cancel our trip out to Chicago and they weren't going to wait another 3 months to see Alexa they made the trip out. The timing was perfect as the stress of everything going on with Georgie was about to whoop my behind. We have had quite a past two weeks with her. She finally went into remission from the Lymphoma and we were so excited only to rush two days later to the Opthamalogist to find out we needed to have her right eye removed, immediately or she would have to be put down. Needless to say it was intensely stressful day and few days to follow. So, when my folks said they were coming out it was a blessing. They actually have a house in our neighborhood so Alexa is able to stay at their house and we go back and forth with ease. It was a much needed break for me to have a few hours to myself and continue giving Georgie the attention she needed.

We had lots of fun too. On Wednesday it was my mom's birthday and we celebrated buy going out to lunch then coming back to our house for cake. Alexa also enjoyed hours of playing with her Papa and as usual she had endless and boundless energy which both my folks keep up with just fine, although I think they slept pretty well at night! We also enjoyed the pool and went out for barbecue. It was a really nice visit for everyone and should get us all through to October when they come out for the whole winter. Thanks Mom and Dad for making the trip, all three of us really appreciate you both and love you!!

Georgie Update

2009-07-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

First I would like to thank everyone who has been praying for Georgie. It really has brought me comfort and hope. : )

Here is Georgie at the Oncologist today before her first chemo treatment ( sorry quality is cruddy, I took it on my BB). She was in really good spirits, actually the most peppy I have seen her all week. She was totally pimping for treats and I think she went home with about 7 in her tummy. Whatever makes her happy! Her eyesight has improved but her right eye has a lot of blood in in caused by the Lymphoma, so we are back to the Opthamologist tomorrow morning to have that looked at again.

I will continue her chemo at home for the next 3 days, then we are back again next Wednesday for another round. The plan is to do this for 12 weeks. She will go into remission ( hopefully) soon and should be back to her old self in no time. She has maintained her weight, thanks to some new things in her diet like cottage cheese and sardines, although she has lost a lot of muscle. I plan on adding flax oil, kelp and some other goodies to help her along the chemo road.

The Chief has been a dear throughout this. I asked him today if I should go back to work once Alexa is back in school to help pay for this ( it's that much!). He said no, not to worry about it. I told him I will cut back on all spending and be as thrifty as I can be, which I'm actually good at. My biggest worry is that we will pay all this money and she will only live 6 months. Well, that is my worry anyway, but I will feel guilty about it from a financial standpoint if that happens. It is so hard to put a price on someone you love. We want to do everything we can. I am not ready to say good bye to her. Is that selfish?

Today was the day Alexa and I were supposed to fly to Chicago to spend 10 days with my folks. Of course that had to be canceled. There was no way the Chief could handle all of this on his own and I could not bear to be away from her during this difficult time. So, I had to break the news to Alexa last week and she burst into tears which made me feel horrible. I told her that sometimes responsibilities in families cause you to make hard decisions. All of us were disappointed on all ends but I guess life does that to you sometimes.

So, for now I count my blessings each day for my child's health, my husband's, my own and my family's. I am enjoying every moment with my sweet Georgie and trying to be strong. I said to myself tonight after all the pets were fed, Alexa was bathed, the house was straightened up, and it was finally quiet...."Hey, I should really take care of myself too and go get a massage". Then I laughed and thought, "Hey great idea but you can't even afford it now!" So, I think I'll settle for a hot shower!

Need Prayers Please

2009-07-07T19:21:00.001-07:00

My sweet sweet Georgie...how can I find the words to write this? Yesterday you were diagnosed with Lymphoma and we need some prayers. I believe with all my heart that they help so if you are reading this, please just say a little prayer for Georgie to get better.

Her diagnoses was a shock but not a total surprise to me. Georgie came into my life 10 years ago, right before I met the Chief. I was single and it was was me and Georgie against the world. She has been the most loyal loving dog I have ever had. She is a Schnoodle and when I first laid eyes on her she was just about the ugliest thing I had ever seen. It was love at first site. Georgie loves to swim and play Frisbee. She has been my companion and loyal friend. Anyone who knows me, knows of the bond I have with her. I have always been super instinctive with her and usually know the first sign when something is not right. About 4 months ago I just knew something was amiss. I would hold Georgie and she would lay her head on my shoulder and I just knew she was telling me something. I remember calling my mom and telling her that I was so sad because I just knew something was not right with Georgie. Not long after that she developed a sore leg on one of our walks. I ended up taking her to the vet when it did not improve and from that visit the vet talked to us about getting her teeth cleaned. We did this ( they needed it) and also had two benign growths taken off her rear leg. We also had an extensive geriatric blood panel done and everything came back normal. So, I thought " Great, she's in good health, her teeth are clean, we are set for another great 10 years!" Well, here we are 2 months later and yesterday I noticed that she was having trouble seeing and was bumping into things. I immediately took her into the vet and they said she has Glaucoma in one eye and then came the bomb of cancer. Her lymph nodes are enlarged and she has lymphoma.

We are set to take her to the Oncologist on Thursday to start her chemotherapy. She started Prednisone tonight to start shrinking the cancer. We need your prayers so she will go into remission. Realistically we are looking at extending her life by a year at most. I am devastated to say the least. I cannot even say I am hopeful at this point because I still do not have all the details of how bad this is. I will fight tooth and nail to give her extra quality time with our family. She has been such a huge part of my life and I cannot imagine my life without her. Even as I write this I am crying. I am crushed and so sad. Georgie has never left my side when I needed her and I will not leave hers.

Happy 4th of July*

2009-07-05T18:52:00.001-07:00

Lots of fun this past weekend! Will post more later..these are all for my folks who haven't seen Alexa in two months! We'll be there soon!!!

Thelma and Louise

2009-06-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

"One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats." Chris Murdoch

Some times you just have to jump in a Bug and get out of dodge! This morning my "small treat" was coffee with my girl Tina at 6:00 a.m. It is always a sure thing that we will be laughing the whole way down the road!

Alexa's World

Juicing

Christmas Day

Christmas Eve 2011

Down on the Farm

Good Ol' County Fun

Picture Day

Finally...

Looking back....Summer 2011

First Grade

End of Kindergarten

Much Love

My Kindhearted Girl

Spring Hoedown

Easter Day

Easter Dinner

Swim Lessons

A Special Weekend Guest

Zoo Day

Itty Bitty Update

Picture Day

FCC-AZ Chinese New Year

~Be Mine~

Happy Birthday Baby...well you're not a baby anymore, but still. : )

I heart February~ and a little update

Papa's B-day Lunch

~When the Sun Shines, I Must Face It~

Our Best One Yet

~Tis the season...

Fairy Friends

Love

World's Fastest Snowball Fight

The Thanksgiving Sleepover

We are thankful.....

Fall Musical

~My New Business~

My Halloween Honey!

Halloween's a Hoot!

Off to party!

~Like Mother like Daughter~

Bundle of Joy

First Day of Kindergarten

~The Farm Part 3~

~The Farm Part 3 ~

~~The Farm Part 2~~

~~The Farm Part 1~~

Prayers needed for a friend

Happy 4th!

Dance Recital 2010

My Karate Kid

Summer playdate

Quiet Moment

Preschool was cool!

School's out!

~~Aloha~~

Happy Easter!

~Best Buddies~

2nd Hubei Family Reunion

The Long Goodbye

Today's Adventure

Mary Poppins

Traditional Chinese Brush Painting

Fishing

Happy Valentine's Day

Fours Years Ago Today....

Dino-mite!!!

~Happy Birthday Baby!~

Little Hiker

"Your Curly Locks"

The Simple Things

Christmas Collage

The Nutcracker Ballet

~Baking~

Motherhood

Christmas Pageant

Memories

Pink is pretty darn great!

Back at it!

Up and running...literally!

The Road to Recovery

The Farm Part 2

The Farm Part 1

Aloha

Happy 4th of July*