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Daddy got glasses!! Yep, it was the time for Aran to get glasses and look how handsome he looks.. I got a new husband!! Lilja thought it was really "cool" and wanted her own glasses. We went to see Rio 2 in 3D so she got her own.. Now it will be Momma's turn soon.

taking videos

such a big girl!!

Lilja is almost 4 1/2 and becoming such a big girl. We realized she is done coming to work with me as she is starting to lead the class or just getting bored with the same songs and activities for four year. I get it, she is ready for school!! It is a interesting position to be in as a previous preschool teacher and now a mom.. because the momma bear comes out when we were visiting the school. So interesting how you relate or gravitate to certain teachers who are so engaging with Lilja, or dismiss the teachers that don't even get up to say hi when she walks in their room. I wanted to shout at them.. "He!!! this is her first time at a school, her first teachers and her first time away from mom.. can you at least make me feel like you will take care of her?"!!! so I advocated to put lilja into the classroom with Ms Colleen and Ms Kari who took Lilja by the hand and showed her all that was in the classroom, Lilja was so excited when she saw caterpillars and can't stop talking about "her" school!! Lilja will only go twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays, full days.. and then we will still have some mommy/daughter time the rest of the time.. Next year she will go to Kindergarten, and that ill be a whole different story.. Ok enough about our big decisions.. :) you probably want to see some fun things and pictures.. here we go..

Yep, here is Lilja acting like a teacher with Avalina as her student in my Babyclass of Tumbling Tots

She is such a great helper

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going to visit Lilja's new Preschool. They love parents participation and even asked me already to set up some Tumbling Tots classes for the school. I fogot to take photos as I was just so excited to see Lilja experience a classroom

First time Lilja blew up a balloon, by the time I took the next picture the balloon was flying around the car.

On Sunday we had a little family day.. and ended up at the Rocky Mountain wildlife zoo in Pagosa Springs.There were not many animals (it is a rescue facility) but the animals there were, were interesting to say the least. This was gizmo the bearded something...

a land turtle that Lilja could hold

Look at the difference in hand prints

One elk, and it's sheds

they were so heavy Aran almost could not get them up high..

two wolves, this one was 14 years old and has been pretty sick.

Ofcourse some goats.. what is a wildlife sanctuary without goats ??

cheese, with a hot chocolate mustache. It was very windy and cold outside, so we warmed up with some hot chocolate. They did a feeding tour which was very interesting

Oh yes and Princess the grizzly bear, who did not like strawberries, but loves watermelon.

she was huge and had been here since she was 12 weeks old.

cold but interested

and two coyotes right there in the back. It was a cute adventure. definitely worth it to go through the feeding tour as the guide was very fun and had a lot of interesting things to talk about. There also was a bobcat and a mountain lion, which acted like a big cat wanted to be petted by the guide. However, the growling that came out of the mountain lion did not sound like a little pussycat . Overall, a fun day and ready for the working week.

massage, running and easter !! oh my...

It has been a long and exciting week.. still a sick momma, but the hot toddies helped ( Thanks Jacci)  We ended up going to Aran's best friend Matt and family for Easter. Their dog died and Aran helped Matt spread the ashes over a beautiful meadow nearby their house. It happened to be Easter weekend so we stayed to celebrate.  It is fun following someone else's traditions of Easter. Thanks Dare family , it was a very special time, reminiscing about Sandy and enjoying the magic of Easter through the eyes of the children.  The kids hid Easter baskets and then the Easter bunny left a basket full of chocolate filled eggs that we had to hid outside for the kids. Lilja was so excited about this holiday.. The older she gets the more fun it is.. until one day.... not thinking about that day yet though and enjoying the magic.

Lilja wanted to pretend to lead a massage class, She went with me last time and was very interested in it.. she has good form.

Lilja got this leather jacket from Oma last year, which was way to big then.. now you can see how much she has grown.. She LOVES this jacket and it fits perfect.

Swimming class again, this time solo.. that was a treat and Lilja did great.

She was excited to leap from lillypad to lilypad, focusing on balance

So much fun, relaxing in the water

Learning to float on her back, in the shallow pool and then they float slowly deeper and deeper

Beautiful old Maggie.. 11 years and getting prettied up by Lilja

Finding some eggs in the plants at the Dare's house.. so excited, she woke up at 5!!! at our house we would have been looking then, but we needed to wait for the girls to come down.. " Momma it is so hard to wait!!"

Lilja's Easter basket was in the pantry.. silly Easter Bunny!!

she got so window markers in her basket.. huge success!!

and bubbles.. love this picture s I made it a little bigger

outside blowing bubbles.. so much fun!!

and we colored some  real eggs too, these we could sparkle up.. Lilja's favorite thing to do, besides finding eggs..

apple blossoms, sailing hawks and the easter bunny!!

This week has been a busy one. Lilja and I have done a lo of mommy/daughter things and it is always so fun.. she is such a joy to be around.. Dreading the day of school, but she is so ready . I have been hiking with a good friend of mine, who is battling cancer and can walk just little hikes. Well, the hikes are getting bigger. Sailing Hawks is a very beautiful hike with rocky roads, trees for shade and rocks to boulder on. I think this was Lilja's favorite hike so far. She wants to do a different hike each walk.. very adventurous and oh so fun.  And then we met the Easter Bunny.. Lilja just told Aran there were two bunnies, one that was white with a pink bow and a purple dress ( ?? check the photos again) and a brown one ( that is true).  Maddie and her sister baby Kate joined us to find golden eggs in the Mall and when they found them all they got a prize. It was very well done, but way too much candy!!!

Our little mommy/daughter date.. Lilja asked to take pictures in the tree.. Yep, the smiles are getting better :)

she could see herself in my camera.

Sailing Hawks hike.. Lilja brought her backpack with some snacks in I.. We learned the hard way. Last week we did not know we would hike so far and Lilja just lost it.. Bad momma!!

Dikke Dik is a cartoon from land.. In English it would translate to Fatty Dick..Yep strange name..   

there were lots of boulders and caves Lilja could go in.. she really liked this hike.

so cute!!lok at those curls!!

Loves for the Easter Bunny. Lilja likes to dress herself...She wanted to wear a dress, and wondered if the Easter bunny would think she looked pretty..Oh is starts so early!!  

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Maddie and Baby Kate in awe of the Easter Bunny

Maddie girl!!

Peekaboo!

and yes, there is a golden egg.. they were everywhere.. it was a great adventure..

Let it go. !!!

Painting fairy houses

this week of fun

this week my work is closed so we can do a lot of fun stuff.. we walked the doggies on some great new trails, Lilja met a cactus ( auwee) we went to the Big Bounce place and made fairy hoses.. Oh what fun, and the week is not done yet..

This is lilja's first "real" sentence on our dishwasher.

Lilja is not afraid anymore to go down the biggest slides..

hitting the ball when it is floating in the air.. great job!! good eye-hand coordination Lilja!!

great air experiment.. the ball stays up in the air and then you have to hit with a bat

Great stands for a baseball pitcher... hmmm she might be a baseball player in the future

yep, frozen yogurt for a treat!! brainfreeze!!

My mom asked me if baby kate was as big as Lilja because of a previous picture.. Lilja is still a peanut ( at this point the is as big as a 3 1/2 year old).. but Baby Kate has not caught up ...yet

Today was a stay home day.. we made some fairy houses from birdhouses and are making a fairy garden in the back. .Lilja loves art, just like me.. I remember doing art with my mom when I was little.. funny how that stays with you..

First we painted them, then we added camouflage sticks and leaves so no one can see them.. but we had to add some sparkle so the fairies know they are for them..

Lilja's "fairy house". "Momma, this one if for a girl fairy because it has a purple flower on it".

Our two houses, more to come.. with a path to the playground..

I am so excited to do this with her.. It is so fun and imaginative..We will keep you posted on the expansion of Fairytown