Fishing

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

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....

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

Dino-mite!!!

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!~

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

Little Hiker

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"

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

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

We had an awesome Christmas!!!

The Nutcracker Ballet

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~

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

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

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

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!

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.