End of Kindergarten

 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

My Kindhearted Girl

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

 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

 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

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

 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.