The Bear Dance it

Lilja's favorite weekend of the year is here. It is the Bear Dance weekend. She has gotten a , ribbon dress, ascarf and a new brooch this year to add to her beautiful shawl. and she seems to have gained a lot of self-confidence already within one day of dancing. the bear dance is a celebration of life and is honoring the women of the tribe the women are the ones choosing the men to dance with them and the men cannot refuse. I am just so impressed and proud of our little girl. She carries herself with such poise and grace. So little and yet so grown up already.

Day one of the bear dance, wearing her pretty shawl and pin. And pigtails !

Day two. New dress, new pin and scarf . And momma made braids !! Just so beautiful ! And finally so put together . Next year moccasins !! 

Field day and mothers day

This field day was last week, but I had to share this day. I am very lucky that i have a wonderful husband who knows the importance of us being involved in lilja's school ( so i do not have to work full time ) and lucky that I have great bosses that understand when I need to be a part of lilja's fun experience . I ended up joining lilja's field trip to the durango nature studies . We had so much fun learning about nature, cecadas, ants and Pinon trees . The kids were so fun, interested and well behaved and our guide was great . Then it was Mother's day. , I call it the most important day of the year. For me personally I always thank Jasmin for chosing and trusting me to become lilja's mom. I do not take it for granted and feel so lucky to have such a sweet, funny smart little daughter. Then I thank my mom, as she is the one I look up to as a mom. We are always her priority, she is always there when we need her and is the best Oma ever.. lastly I look around me and feel so lucky to have strong mothers around me, giving support, encouragement and love . Family,friends , co workers ..even " non moms"..feeling very lucky to have such support system around us..it takes a village !!

Ceceda life cycle.  This is just a shell

My little group I was responsible for . Sometimes I miss being a full time teacher..sometimes..and then I realize..I have the best of both worlds.. Tumbling Tots ckasses, 30 minutes at a time .. no miss behaving kiddos, no long days.. and dancing galore !

Lilja and shaandin in a grandma Pinon tree 

True cycle of life of a cecadas ..a shell, neew cecadas and fully grown. All in one day 

Finding a water spider 

Horse and carriage for morher's day at a winery fundraiser. Oh how I love that face !

My day is complete.. yummy breakfast with my two loves ! 

Graduation from first grade !!

I just can't believe it, but lilja just graduated from 1st grade. Next year she is going to the "big" school. The class did a wonderful play of the three little pigs and the kids got awards . Lilja got the award of "twirling around with grace doing her work and she got best reader with three other girls . It was so fun to see her with her classmates. This class seemed such a great, sweet and fun class . She needed this experience of a great teacher and class and so did I .

Mrs daigle .. the best teacher ever !

All being silly. I wanted just a picture of lilja and her teacher, but we got photobombed ..so here is the end result 

Brooklyn, lilja and jodacie. Hope they are in the same class next year. Great girls, great friends 

Lilja was the narwator of the play, she did a great job !

Best reader awards !

Twirling with grace award !  She git twizzlers as a fun award 

Picking up Oma in denver

Lilja and I went to pick up Oma in denver this weekend . We stayed at my friend shawdell's ranch and lilja got to love up all the animals. Chickens, ducks, horses and lilja's favorite, a little mini pony named aspen. I think I am losing lilja to the love of horses . In three days time she trotted, brushed and mucked ..and bareback ed at the end . Who wants to set up a horse fund for us ?? We tell lilja,, you can work for riding a horse ..I am putting feelers out already !!

This little 12 year old taught lilja a lot this weekend . Painting aspen's, nails, braiding her hair and ponying lilja on Aspen through the park. What and experienc

Love this laugh . I want to see that ever day !!

She is in love 

Mucking for the privelidge to ride the horses !

Chickens are her friends too. 

Meagan guiding lilja in the little pen 

And in the big field . They also road through suburbia..to a park..on the roads amidst the cars..crazy !!

This was her favorite thing to do 

Finally, a day late, Oma is here getting some yummy eggs to bring home 

And loving up babies 

Such a big girl !she just wanted to trot the whole time. Faster, faster !!

Always brush aspen after she is done. Shawdell taught her great values .

Lilja and pip

Just want to give you an little insight into lilja and pip's love for eachother . I think after 3 months of having this little puo, he is everything I wanted him to be for lilja . They play together, he follows her around everywhere, she teaches him tricks and she truly cares for him. So glad he is now part of our little family .

Rollerblading with pip. . Her new blades for the summer.. 

Lilja wants to become an inventor of dog toys. This was her interpretation of a doggie train . Daddy was a good assistent in helping make her train happen.

It was no screen week this week. So she decided to read to pip . And he really seems to listen. 

Just catching the sweet interaction between the two besties

The pipster

Jumping on her beanbag to get her attention 

And his new swimming pool . He actually loves the water.. luckily because this summer he will be in it a lot with lilja :)

Lilja's ballet performance

Lilja had a ballet performance this weekend. This time it is focused on ballet and luckily the night was only 2 hours long . Lilja did her best and had a blast.. so lucky grandma and grandpa came over to watch her dance and we celebrated with a wonderful dinner at east by southwest afterwards. So much fun, so precious !

Grandma and grandpa and lilja . Such a fun weekend !

Lilja specifically asked for roses. With some different flowers..

This is by far my favorite picture of lilja !!

She loved that she could wear makeup

Feeling so lucky to have this little family !!