Growing up

January2012

2012-02-10T20:00:00.004-08:00

They made masks at cousin Jaime's 5th bday party Shadow box project

Starting out with sewingMaking naans

December 2011

2012-01-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

Airdrie Festival of Lights

Mexican restaurant

Orange clove decorating

Making brownie bake pops

Making a birdhouse

Highschool play: Peter Pan

Girl Guide craft

Hallellujah for not much snow in December!

Christmas Eve at the Desruisseaux's

Christmas morning

Lost her first tooth on Christmas Eve!

November 2011

2011-12-02T12:48:00.000-08:00

Alice's 6th Birthday at Chuck E Cheese!

presents Ticket Blaster! Water color tatoos Rheanna's princess party! Vet clinic tour

Gabrielle's bday/costume party! She loves art time with Daddy

Weekly Girl Guide get togethers are her favorite! They play games, do projects, eat snacks, and made a portfolio, and their group went on an outing to Heritage Park for "Once Upon a Christmas"!

October 2011

2011-11-01T12:40:00.001-07:00

Busy October
Here's pumpkin carving with Dad. They made a Frankenstein. Cousin Marcus 6 months old

Calgary Corn Maze

Enrollment ceremony/celebration into Girl Guides: Sparks

Halloween Girl Guide party

Alice got to participate at a dress rehearsal for a play: Lost

Sowing up Barry the Bear

Projects

Halloween time

Trick or treating at the mall with A. Crystal and cousin Marcus.

Spider cupcakes for relatives and neighbors

Swimming class

My Little Pony show

I can tell Alice is almost 6. The My Little Pony show was a bit too babyish, according to her. Her dance classes for up to 5 yr. olds, are too babyish. She's ready for 6 yr. old stuff. So, we just have to wait till she turns 6!

September 2011

2011-10-08T20:02:00.001-07:00

Wildlife Discovery Park

Alice took this pic while at a Greek restaurant. Fish Creek Park with friends

Bendaroos art

Largest teepee in the world in Medicine Hat

Canadian Coat of Arms

August 2011

2011-09-09T20:07:00.001-07:00

Shaker's Fun Centre
Thanks for the tickets Mom and Dad!

We made our own butter!

Prairie Winds Park

Latin Festival at Prince's Island

Eating Columbian food

Downtown art

A rainbow we snapped a picture of one evening

At the movies

July 2011

2011-08-04T12:11:00.001-07:00

Back yard pool Visiting. Alice loved the beautiful flowers!

And this awesome talking bird

Cousin Marcus

Hailey stayed over

Visting friends

Stampede fire truck

Prairie Winds Park with friends

Petting zoo

Riley park with friends

We call this her angry wig (Rumplestiltskin)

Skinny tall people while out on Canada Day

Sicome lake with friends

June 2011

2011-07-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

A. Beth and cousin Bryan came for a visit!

Early morning travel to Edmonton. The trip took 4 hours. Edmonton mall is the second largest mall in the world. The sea lion show was exciting Then on to the Sea Caverns

Penguins Underwater aquarium with turtles and fish and sharks

We touched manta rays and sea anemones in the shallow pools. We spent an afternoon at the water park in the mall which was so much fun!

Big wave poolAfter such a big day we slept at a hotel, and then had brunch at Denny's before heading back to Calgary the next day.

We went to CrossIron Mills mall which included a visit to Big Bass Pro and the arcade.

Frozen yogurt snack

A few pictures of the Calgary Zoo:

We watched the elephants eat and play. We were there for gorilla lunch time!The Conservatory had quite a few beautiful butterflies.

Out for Indian buffet

We had so much fun with you Beth and Bryan! We'll miss you!

Dad's special dinner at Red Lobster for Father's Day! We love you Daddy!

Daddy opening his birthday present

May 2011

2011-06-02T14:16:00.001-07:00

Nose Creek Valley Museum

Alice got a haircut this month. This was after a day in braids.

New baby cousin, Marcus

Picnic by the lake

These glasses are not because she needs glasses. They are her new craze. She wants to be like Velma on the Scooby Doo cartoons. That's also why she wanted her hair cut.

Arcade

We spend most Friday afternoons out in Airdrie with Gabrielle, Alice's friend

Swimming lessons

Petland is always a fun place to go where the kids get to interact with the animals.

Optometrist check up this month. All is well.

Alice was showing her little friend her legos. Her friend is a boy, so she was trying to show him all her boy stuff. She said, "I have a skeleton and a mummy. Not the kind of mummy with boobies; the kind that's wrapped up."

April 2011

2011-05-07T17:20:00.001-07:00

First play: The Dragon Knight The trampoline always does this to her hair!

A class on the Life Cycle of Bees

Making strawberry filling for tarts

Easter picnic and egg hunt at Grandma's with cousin Jaime

Out to dinner with the whole Desruisseaux family for Grandpa's birthday

March 2011

2011-04-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

We moved into a basement suite this month. The family upstairs have become good friends.

Jaime's sleep over at our house.
Art class
Mom's birthday/housewarming party
I was fixing Alice's hair, and she said "Mom, you are pulling my hair out of its socket!"

February 2011

2011-03-04T13:15:00.001-08:00

Megan's bday party! They had a magician, which Alice thought was awesome! She got to be a helper, and pet a dove.

Valentine gift from little cousin Jaime

Another Art Class masterpiece

Evan's bday party!

January 2011

2011-02-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

North Mount Pleasant Centre Art classes. She made and painted this bird out of clay. Cousin Jamie's 4rth birthday party!

December 2010

2011-01-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

Playdate Alice's lego collection (just started)

Christmas morning

Christmas Eve

Airdrie Festival of Lights

Presents and cookies for birthday girl Helanna and her family. Playdate with Chloe. They made an awesome gingerbread house together. We made this little manger scene out of construction paper.

November 2010

2010-12-01T21:38:00.001-08:00

Rheanna's birthday party!

Check out the three same little girls in this photo, vs. the one below.

(3 years ago)

Graduation Day for the Tiny Ballerinas

Stir Crazy Family Fun Centre

Alice's 5th birthday!

My favorite picture of her opening a present. She was so excited with every present and kept saying "HOW DID YOU KNOW I WANTED THIS?"

A make-your-own crown craft table.

Pin the lips on the frog.

Making and decorating Christmas cookies.

October 2010

2010-11-01T16:12:00.001-07:00

My Halloween pictures are all mixed up. Alice was Snow White. We went trick or treating at a nearby mall, then went to a community center that was doing activities and fun stuff.
Of course her wig fell off on the inflatable obstacle course thingie. But thankfully, it was the end of the day.

She said, "Mom, am I holding up a peace sign?"

Trick or treating with a friend.

Yearly pumpkin carving with Dad.

Alice looves her 'Daddy time'.

Eagle pose from a kiddie yoga video we are borrowing from the library.

This month I took a train trip with Alice to the Calgary Zoo. It's such an awesome zoo!

She got to pet a blue-tongued skink.

She loved the gardens!

Dress up

She always talks about being a big sister, and LOVES babies! This one is 2 weeks old.

Her aunties do some very pretty Indian dances. They gave Alice this costume, and we all went out to eat Indian food!

Playing in the fall leaves.

We usually take the bus to/from her weekly ballet class.

September 2010

2010-09-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Bowness Park outing with Gma, Gpa, and A. robin

This was a cute little grass-growing guy

We had fun making this variety of pumpkin faces

The only pic I got of a little girls' night out to the theater.

We started going weekly to a play place with other homeschool kids Alice's age.

In the car with Grandma

Straw Art

August 2010

2010-09-02T20:50:00.001-07:00

Calgary Zoo
They had a whole section on dinosaurs, which was really cool!

It was such a treat to see this hippo so close

Baking. We are really into making muffins these days.

At the park

She loves to wrestle and sword fight with Dad. She's such a toughie.

A summer birthday BBQ

Our awesomely fruitful crab apple tree
She participated in a library Summer Reading Program this summer, which she loved.
We started her 2nd grade A Beka books at the end of this month.

July 2010

2010-08-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

This month we celebrated Canada Day. Then came the Calgary Stampede celebrations

We saw a great show about the different Indian dances

The Skylift.

Taking the train downtown and back for the Stampede.

Camping in the backyard for a few nights.

A little summer splashing with Jaime

Alice's neighbor and new friend.

Alice finished 1st grade this month!

She has no fear of heights or fast rides.

June 2010

2010-07-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

At Fishing Creek Story time with U. Vijay

Planting veggies with U. Art

Community Center Event

Painting:

Fishing:

Princess Castle Craft

Petland visit. She LOVED this ragdoll kitten

Carnival!

This was a pretty fast ride, and Alice Loved it!

First time on a Ferris Wheel

Kite flying

We've enjoyed the 3D kids movies in theater

Military Museums:

Navy:

Army:

Airforce:

Alice can swing herself. She can shower herself. She brushes her own teeth. She's becoming a lot more independant, and I don't have to be there so much for all the little things I used to.

May 2010

2010-05-30T18:44:00.001-07:00

I love to look at Grandma's shell collection from all over the world. Swimming class

CrossIron Mills

Shriner's Circus. I got to ride an elephant!

Hockey with U. Art

Projects

April 2010

2010-05-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

Putting up some shelves with Dad. First bicycle!

Jungle gym

Swimming class 2x a week.

Alice's favorite restaurant: Wendy's

First paint by numbers

After a fun day at the mall where Dad works.

Painting eggs for Easter

Picnic and egg hunt at Nose Hill Park

Alice's stash

Alice also started a weekly science class at the Village Square Leisure Center. It will last 2 months.

March 2010

2010-04-05T18:54:00.001-07:00

This was the little ending show and celebration for their dance class.

Ice skating

Thai restaurant for Mom's birthday.

February 2010

2010-03-01T20:22:00.001-08:00

January 2010

2010-02-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Cousin Jaime's 3rd birthday! Here they are making a homemade pinata! Ready for the special birthday outing as princesses.

We saw "Princess and the Frog" in theater!

File Folder Games

I recently got a Kumon's Easy Crafts. It's such a good book, and doesn't require you buying anything else to make the crafts like A Beka does, and the creations are much cooler.

Greek pizza restaurant

First snowman ever!

To grandmother's house we go.

Cross Iron Mills mall

We have a library nearby, so we go once a week and bring back books that are easy to read. Alice has taken off with reading this month! She used to just see it as a school thing to do, but now she is seeing that it is fun and interesting and the progress is amazing!

Alice started a once a week dance class with Jaime. They really enjoy themselves! They have a bubbly black teacher with extensions. That night at dinner Alice said "The teacher had instincts in her hair, and they kept falling out!"

Alice told me she has a baby angel helper, and her name is Arjelita.

One night Alice woke me up by crying in her sleep repeating over and over again, "Jaime, you look so ooogly with that brown stuff all over you!" I had to laugh.

December 2009

2010-01-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

This was my first time out for Indian Food! Yum! This was my first snow angel.

I got my ears pierced. They had two guns and made both holes at the same time. It hurt, but not too much.

My pretty coat.

Decorating the tree

Some fun dress up!

We caroled for our neighbors and gave them homemade cards and cookies!

Here's the gingerbread house I made with Dad.

Christmas morning finally came!

Some present pictures.

Alice said “Mom, there’s a black squirrel outside hibernating a nut!” It was eating a nut in a tree in the snow.
We were playing doggies, and her doggie dramatically says to mine, “ I don’t want you around here anymore, so, be gone!”
Her little cousin got a pretty ring, and Alice wanted to wear it, so she said, "Jaime, you look SO pretty WiThOUT the ring!"

4rth Birthday

2009-12-01T20:32:00.001-08:00

I'm growing up! 4 years old!

We had a very small party a few days early because we only had a couple of days to pack and move after that. Awesome A. Priya made all the food!

Then, the day after we arrived in Canada, her birthday, the 20th, her grandma made her another cake and she got more presents! What a blessed, loved little girl.

November 2009

2009-12-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Calgary (Canada) this month. It was a long travel, but we made it just fine.
This was the only pic I took. We were at one of the airports along the way. Grandpa and Grandma got the girls some wings and funny hair for dress up.

Alice's first snowfall

Alice has always been so into her art project walls.

Caro stayed over for a couple days for some great fun! Here they are sleeping in a home made tent.

Julian and Janine's birthday party!

Pinata spoils

Two little cousin cuties!

After a shower one night, Alice looked at herself in the mirror with her PJs on and said, “Where are the sparkles? How come I don’t have sparkles?” I said “What do you mean? Why would you have sparkles?” She said, “In the videos, after they get clean, they always sparkle!”

October 2009

2009-11-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

Daddy made a little lean to in the yard for the girls. I snuck to take this picture. It's a little ladybug family!

Alice loves Baby Russell!

After eating tamales, the girls played at the little park out back for a couple of hours.

We found this great place for the little girls to play. It has a bunch of play stuff, jungle gym stuff, and a dress up corner.

Costume party for Halloween

Bobbing for apples was a firstPumpkin carving with Dad.He loved that beard!

One night Alice says to me: "Mom, I don't know the name of my guardian angel." I said, "Well, close your eyes, and ask Jesus to tell you." So she scrunched up her little face, closed her eyes, and got real quiet for about a minute. Then she opens her eyes and says, "Magnificent, that's the name of my guardian angel. She's a girl. And I also have another angel named Relax. He helps me to relax."

I thought that was so precious!

When saying the names of the twelve disciples, she always laughs when we say Thaddaeus, because she's convinced his name is Fattiest (you know how kids say f for th).
Alice is really artsy. She can never even just color a simple little picture. She has to get all intricate and add all her own imaginary stuff to it.

September 2009

2009-10-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

Well, Alice started her first grade this month. We got A Beka books. We also got Carson Dellosa and File Folder GAMES for first grade.

One of our dogs had 8 puppies! We loved them till we had to give them away.

I've been helping mom make pizza sometimes.

Here is new baby Russel. I'm a good helper and I love to hold him!

Here is one of the many many art projects we've done with A. Priya. She is awesome!

Random ballet class shot.

First time out to an ice cream store! I have a classy mess on my face.

Carolina's birthday party! She's still my best friend. I love Caro!

We played Freeze Dance and when we froze we had to freeze like a certain animal. What am I?

Swinging with my daddy.

Dress up time! One of our crazy faces.

Squaws no dance. Squaws gettum firewood.

One day cousin Jaime got a new little rabbit toy. Alice already had one, but wanted to play with both. So A. Priya said "Alice, you & Jaime each get to be happy playing with one." Alice said "How about I get to be happy playing with both, and Jaime gets to be happy to share!"

Baby Russel needed a diaper change, so I said "Let's go upstairs to change his diaper." Alice said "Someone has a stinky bum, and I'm not going to mention any names!"

I was singing "I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand...." Alice interrupts with, "Why can't we hold God's left hand?"

One morning Alice comes up to me and says, "Mom, why is Uncle Art's name in the Bible?" I said, "Oh? Where does it say his name?" She starts singing, "Our Father which ART in heaven.."

She still has the hardest time saying the word 'cushion'. What comes out is always 'quishton'.

July 2009

2009-09-19T20:09:00.001-07:00

August 2009

2009-09-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

Party time!

In addition to Pineapple (our beta fish), we now have a turtle to care for. Mommy is feeling overwhelmed, ha! A froggie morning. Good thing boys can touch frogs.

Upcoming painters

Good ol' Carls Jr.

Plaza Sesamo: Aqua World

A little friendly persuasion

Making pizza!

The kids found an empty nest, so they painted some eggs, and did a study on eggs and baby birds.

I'm on another push to teach Alice Spanish. Now that she goes to dance class twice a week, she is a bit more interested. I'm also going through some Spanish flashcards with her. One day I ask if she can say 'calcetines' (socks). She says, "Of course I can say that! I'm just not interested in saying it right now."

She is very artsy and loves to do intricate coloring and dot to dots and drawing and projects.

She is also a very good big sister type and helps with the younger ones, has a lot of patience with them. She is very sweet and likes to help in any way she can.

July 2009

2009-07-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

Potato Monsters! Alice made the middle one.

Water park outing with cousin Jaime

Rainstorm

A random Alice drawing

Alice took a summer dance course where they learned ballet, jazz, polynesian and latin dancing.

Hair clip crazy

Discovering a Preying Mantis

"Pregnant Alice"

Alice made special pancakes for Dad.

At night Alice likes me to massage her back. She is very particular and says things like "A little bit shallower... a little bit deeper... a little bit lower... a little bit upper..."

Family Reunion in Canada - June 2009 pt.3 The Cottage

2009-06-30T14:03:00.001-07:00

Family Reunion in Canada -July 2009 pt.2

2009-06-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

Marmora's Summer Festival Jamboree

Moose Pie!

Family Reunion in Canada -July 2009

2009-06-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

En Route to Canada

At the mall, we went into a Disney store. She saw a Daisy Duck stuffed animal and said, "Look! McDonald's honey!"

At the airport she would call the airplanes long necks, and when she's see them take off she'd say, "Bye bye long neck!"

Whenever we'd take off in an airplane she'd say "Up, up, and away!"

When we were high up in the airplane she said, "We're up to God!"

May 2009- 3 and a half years old!

2009-05-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

Showing off her art project wall.

Shishkabobs and swimming with friends.

Zoo outing. I will attach her dictated report on it below.

We have a large property in need of painting, so Alice went straight to work. Ha!

A place mat and simple snow globe we made. Snow globes are actually simple to make! Alice is great at cutting!

April does one special art project with the kids once a week. Alice really looks forward to them. Here is a super cool robot they made one week.

The Zoo
By Alice Desruisseaux (3)

First, we saw the peacocks.
Then we saw the hippos. They were out of the water. There was a mama and a baby. They were leaning forward on their short legs. Their bodies look like logs. They duck their heads under the water.
A crocodile was sleeping with his mouth open.
The ocelot was eating some meat.
The snakes were shaking off their old skin. That was my favorite part. One snake was like a statue, staying still on the wall.
There was a family of monkeys. They were green and brown and white. The baby had a white tummy.
We only saw the mommy lion.
We saw two camels, the mom and the dad. The mom was with two goats and two peacocks.
We saw water buffalo eating hay. The mommy was taking a bath and the father was watching over her. We saw a kangaroo lying down to have her babies.
A bird gave some poop on my arm and my dad’s arm.
Then we drove home.

She had a bad dream in the night and was crying. I woke her up and she was so afraid, crying, "My dad's feet were turning red. I tried to warn him! But I couldn't stop them!"

Recently Chad was on the computer, and Alice wanted to spend time with him. She said, "Turn it off, Dad! That'd be an easy job for ya!"

Bowen and Alice wanted to sit together on a chair to watch a video. Alice says, "Bowen, you are scrawny, so you can sit on the edge."

One night while putting her to bed, I said, "Alice, I'm so proud of you!" She said, "I'm proud of you too!"

I was on my way up the stairs with Alice, and I stopped for a couple of minutes to talk to someone. She starts poking me in the back, saying, "Move it prisoner, we're losing daylight!" I found out later she got it from some cartoon.

Zeph, Alice, and Bowen were playing that they were a family. Bowen was supposed to be the baby. Alice and Zeph started play wrestling, and fell on top of Bowen. He started crying. Alice says, "Yep, that's how a baby cries."

April 2009

2009-04-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

My little Princess Alice recorded her very own song! I'm one proud mama!

Easter egg painting and coloring. We did have a great day at Fundidora park with activities, and all our friends from town, but, I forgot my camera.

March 2009

2009-03-31T19:07:00.001-07:00

A couple of pages of Alice's recent school work.

Friends

More pets for our house

Eating out

Playmates

Party Time

While drawing suns: "I'm drawing the razors (rays) of the sun!"

While laying down for bed, "Alice passes gas (prrrrrr). She says "Excuse me! I did a lawnmower gas!"

At night, sometimes we let Alice watch some of a video while she's eating a snack. Tonight, while she was eating and watching her video, she cheerfully says, "Well, I don't want to waste a movie, so I'd better keep eating!"

Alice has learned to use the mouse on the computer, and is very much into little kid computer games right now, llike paint, dressing up dolls, designing rooms, and "baking" things.

February 2009

2009-03-05T19:35:00.002-08:00

Hightlight of the month was a visit from U. Arthur, A. Priya, and cousin Jaime! She is the cutest, sweetest little thing. The girls had so much fun and loved being together! Here are pictures of just some of the things they did together.

Carousel

Pizza

Zoo trip

Underground tunnels

Picnic at the park

Ready to party Tolteca Park

Little house for Zan.

Here is a steamroller rolling and rolling...

They helped bake these cookies and wrote sweet little messages on a paper for everyone in the home to go with them for Valentines day. And a littleValentine for Alice

Homemade swing

Alice's first fish. She named it Pineapple.
One night Alice was fooling around in bed. Dad said, "Get to bed." She said in a whiney voice, "Papa!" He said, "Don't use that Papa line with me!" She said "Papa lion? didn't call you Papa Lion."

While doing an art project, Alice asked if Dad was going to make her name big. He said, "You bet you're bum it's big!" She said, "What! My bum's big?!"

Dec/January 2009

2009-01-24T13:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning presents

It's not a good picture, but it's the only one I have of U. Vijay's visit for Christmas.

Dress up at a friend's house.

PJ party & sleep over!

Happy New Year! Alice had a great time! We invited over some families, and BBQ'd and let off fireworks, and made a bonfire to roast marshmallows over.

Fundidora Fun Alice Desruisseaux draws a family portrait!Another party!

Buddha shot
Evan is 1 and a half. Alice loves him like a little brother. While having a picnic at a park one day, Evan kept going for her food, and she was feeling helpless to stop him. Once while I was looking the other way, she shouts, “He’s heading for my tomatoes!”
She has been having very sad nightmares where she’s crying and saying things like, “The house is burning!” and “My daddy doesn’t have legs anymore!”
Alice telling her dream: “There were all these bags falling down from heaven. God was sending all these bags down from heaven, and uncle Vijay was shooting the bags, and (claps hands together, like exploding), and then, they were gone.”
One night her foot kept itching, and she was scratching and scratching. Then she turns to me in frustration and says, “How do you un-itch this thing?!”
While praising the Lord for different things, she says, "Thank you Jesus for my shaking bottoms!"
I was singing a song about Mr. Gladstone, and Alice asked me what the song was about. So I told her the story about how Mr. Gladstone had a very important meeting, but a little boy who was dying, asked Mr. Gladstone to come get him into heaven. And he did. “So, the dying boy was singing that song?” I said yes. So, Alice’s mind was just thinking really hard about something, and she finally asked me, “So, was he a stone before?” I said I didn’t understand what she meant. “Was he a stone before? Mr. GladSTONE?”
“Can you scratch me? In my knee pit” (she meant arm pit).

We were going to lunch, and I said, "Go to the kitchen Alice. I just need to go to the bathroom real quick." After about a few seconds, I hear Alice at the door saying, "Mom! Are you ok alone here?

Alice's Dream: "There were lots of ghostes in the room, but some of them were bookmarks..."

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2009-01-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's so late

December 08

2009-01-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

Bowen's mom took these two pics. Adorable! When Alice sees it now, she says "That's when me and Bo-Bo were married."

I'm wouldn't normally put a toilet shot, but she was just sitting there all bored and it was so cute!

We had a Christmas party for friends, and it was Alice's first time to perform for strangers. I wondered how she would do, if she would get shy and run off, or forget everything. But she was so thrilled about it and sang her heart out. She was the only one we could hear singing, in Spanish too!

She also loved her skirt!

They are so proud of their project.

We all went to see a Christmas play downtown. Alice even got to pet a live little lamb.

Little Miss Fix-it

We had an iguana in the house for a bit. Interesting little pet.

One day while having a French Fry snack she says, "The French Fries are crying for joy." I asked, "Why?" She says, "Because they love to be aten."

While watering the plants with a water gun: "I'm watering the plants just like Jesus waters us." I ask, "What does Jesus water us with?" She says, "Love, joy, and happiness!"

3 years old!

2008-11-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

Highlight this month was Alice's 3rd birthday! She helped to make and then decorate her cake. It was a strawberry shortcake/Cinderella/fairy cake.
Alice is still so into cats, and so was thrilled when she got a cat suit that meows!

small ballerina

On Day of the Dead, one of our friends brought over these traditional skulls. We explained to Alice that that's how everyone's head looks on the inside.

On a trip to the nearby zoo: El Pastor

She loves her dress up.

I noticed she can whistle this month.

One day she asked me, "What is glass made of?" I answered, "Sand". She said, "I can't believe it!"

34 months

2008-10-21T19:47:00.000-07:00

Two little puppies.
Ballerina sweet stuff.

We found a ginormous caterpillar one day, which was great fun to study.

Best buddy Carolina turned four. Here are some of the party pics.

Hyaaaaaah!!

Painting cookies with Q-tips.

Who's the silliest of them all?

These two are always so happy to see each other. When we first got to the house, they started jumping up and down hugging each other and giggling with joy.

Some in the car fun. We were being lions in hoodies.

Alice and little buddy Bo-Bo.

I've noticed that Alice always needs to have everything closed, like the doors, the drawers, the toilet seat.

One morning she was being very grumpy while still sleeping. I asked, "Can I hug you?". She said, "Hug your own self!"

33 months

2008-09-23T14:56:00.001-07:00

We spent the day at some friends' house. We swam and bounced on a bouncy castle, and played toys together.

Trying on the fan hat that Grandma Joy sent from the Philippines.

September 16th! Mexican Independence Day. We celebrated with many others downtown.

A kids party we were invited to in the neighborhood.

They had a couple of cool clown shows.

Mama Kanga

Sometimes she "shaves" with Dad.

Washing dishes with Mommy

My dolly

Another kids party this month!

Daddy loves pirate ships!

Dress up fun with friends

What? There was no hot water.

Posing in the rain

Peek a boo

You may have noticed, she got her first real haircut this month.

I was wiping her one day, and I was more like dabbing, and she laughs and says "Mommy, you are drawing polka dots on my pum!"

She has had tic tacs before, and thinks they are called contacts. She had always used kid's toothpaste, so the first time Dad put regular toothpaste on her toothbrush, and brushed her teeth with it, she took a couple of very deep breaths. Dad said "Do you like it?" She said "Yes! It has a lot of contacts in it!

Juliet's variety

2008-08-24T14:06:00.001-07:00

These are some of the pics Juliet's taken over the months. She is a wonderful photographer! We love you Juliet, and will really miss you! You were so good with Alice!

Finished K4!

2008-08-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

This happened in July. I'm just having a problem editing posts. Anyway, isn't that exciting?

32 months

2008-08-23T21:29:00.000-07:00

Dancing around her first campfire. Eric & Donna (us mom's nicknamed them that from that 70s show.)

A ride on Happy Feet!

This was a very exciting ride!

My pretty princess in the hammock.

The other night she was hugging me, and then she said "Mommy, I blessed you, by God's command!" "Thank you!", I said.

Today she was playing with one of her friend's and she said "I'm very mad! Look at my eyebrows!"

The other night Alice was hugging me. Then she said "Mommy, I blessed you, as God commanded."

31 months

2008-07-22T19:34:00.001-07:00

We got to go to Corpus Christi, Texas f0r a few days. It was the first time for Alice at the beach!

We also went to a Ringling Brother circus. Here she is with her friend and their souvenirs.

Intermission

She also got to watch Wall-E at the theater!
At the hotel

A funny little fairy

swimming at the pool

Bungee jumping
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30 months

2008-06-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

My first carnival. It was so exciting!

My new rabbit Hutch Dressing up! -in Mom's shirt

Bye bye Emily

My art project wall I'll just help Dad wash the car.

Water fight!

Cooling off with a drink in the pool.

My colorful snake

She says “I better go pee” instead of "I need to go pee". We were pretending to be going out, and she had a “purse” with her. She asks me “Do you want some vu-keenee(zuchinni) for a snack?” She says things like "I'm so excited!" and "I'm so bored!" "It's my cutest bunny ever!" "I ever seen that before!"

29 months

2008-05-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

John & Tara came for another fun-filled visit. Thanks so much for everything guys! We love you!
Here we are stuffing ourselves with food and beer. Arrg, this little guy just wanted that raw steak!

The cousins at Playland

At the mall

Little Princess Brookie's birthday party!

This month Alice weighs 38 pounds, and when I weighed her over a month ago, she was one inch shy of being 3 feet tall! While out everyone thinks she is a 4 yr. old. She is really into being polite, and will talk so nicely and then say, "Mommy, I was polite!"

She says "orengense" (oranges). She is so into being a cat. She tries to lick me for a kiss, and the past few days she has been feeling sick and at night when she is crying in pain, the only thing that will comfort her is me singing a "cat song", which is any tune with the words "Meow meow meow" over and over again.

28 months

2008-04-22T16:17:00.001-07:00

I love to bake! These are banana muffins. Alice is very much into pretending to be a cat these days.

We had a sleep over at our friend's house and had lots of fun.

More Easter eggs!

Mommy and me dressed for dinner.

27 months

2008-03-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

I painted my egg orange and then ate it for breakfast.

Here's my class planting seedlings.

Playing piano

I wrote my own name all by myself when Mommy wasn't looking.

One day we found these horses and we brought them into our yard for a few days and fed them till their owners came.

Happy/sad

We made these cookies! I'm cowboy Pup! (From one of her books)

This is my little chick Daddy bought me for a day. I call him Chirpy.

Riding a tricycle

Happy birthday Mommy! Look what I made for a present!

I just need to get a little more work done on my laptop before bed.

I always tell Alice “You’re my angel”. Now she says to me, “Mommy, you’re my angelfish.” She pretends her hands and feet are babies, and they are always saying having conversations with my hands and feet, which are the mommy and daddy feet. She knows her right and left/hands & feet. She can write her own name, sort of(see pic above) One morning I woke her up saying “It’s morning time!” She said, ”You kidding me?” Another time she was playing with her doll, and I said, “Is that you’re dolly?” She said “No, it’s my perfect baby.” Today we went upstairs where all the lights were on. She said, “All this light is beautiful!”

26 months old

2008-02-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

Puppy love

Another kitty picture

U.John and A.Tara visited with cousins Evan and Martin. Here we are at the zoo.

Rock art

Rent-a-cars Alice with friends

2008-01-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

We went to Bio Parque Estrella this month. There were parks, animals to pet, boat rides, fish to feed, and even a safari park where you ride around and the animals come up to your car to be fed!

Pirate Alice ...argg..

She loves to play those bongos

K4 school books

Our kitten Jo Jo

Alice thought it was so fun to suck on the pacifier that she got for her baby doll at Christmas.

While I was taking pictures of people on Christmas, Alice was walking around "taking pictures" of people with a tripod too.

Christmas breakfast

Alice has 20 teeth. We stopped letting her nap because she was going to sleep at 11:30 or so. Now she’s asleep by 9:30. She is very much into calling me Mother right now. Stopped peeing her diapers at night.

Better late than never

2007-12-29T13:14:00.000-08:00

This is the best family picture I have. Alice was not in the mood for pictures that day. Chad got a broken nose the night before Christmas when a beam fell on him. Someone was building a loft in our house, and they asked him to come help for a second, but they hadn't nailed the beam in, so it feel straight on Chad's nose. It was scary, but didn't turn out nearly as bad as we expected, and is healing well. Thank the Lord!

24 months

2007-12-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

This project took her and daddy three nights to make

ballerina Alice

She's wearing the crown she made on her bday

In the "jungle" of our back yard

Alice started K4 this month. It's way too easy for her, but it's fun anyway. Some of the cute things I remember she said to me this month are:

“Too too others, he will, too too you. That’s what Jesus says.” (Do unto others what you would have them do to you)
She told me “Read God’s Bible every day for life”
"Beware of dogs, that’s what the Bible says."

One day, we were outside and she was looking up at the sun, and I said, "What are you looking at?" She says, "I'm looking at God."

We have a big picture of Jesus on our wall, and I've caught her a few times, kneeling on the bed, looking up at the picture saying, "Jesus, you're my best friend" or "Jesus I love you" or "Jesus thank you for all my friends."

I think she gets most of this stuff from Cherub Wings.

When I ask her if she's happy, she'll say "No, I'm sad". I ask "Why are you sad?" She says, "Because the people are so selfish." (The Rock in the Road story)

Thinking back

2007-12-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, one year ago

Nov.20 - Alice's 2nd Birthday

2007-12-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

presents

diggin' in

I'm so happy! This is the best birthday ever!

pin the tail on the donkey (daddy drew it)

princess crown cake

We had a "decorate it yourself" cupcake buffet, as well as a "make your own crown" craft table.
She had a wonderful and happy birthday! So many kids came over, and it was so much fun! She loved her presents. Thanks everyone!

23 months

2007-11-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

Bug classes:
Grasshoper
There's one in the jar

Butterfly

Practical life skills:

raking

cooking pancakes

Art projects:

painting fiasco

shoebox ocean project

Milk carton Dora hand puppet

She's really into drawing "her family"

Queen dress up

She's also very much into the whole shepherd and sheep scene. Her favorite stories are: Snowflake & Wolf Wolf

Visiting puppies

An adorable picture of Alice and Bowen

messy hair/nightie pic

swinging in the cold

Someone loves her daddy

This month Alice has been reading (sounding out) three-letter words, and has read her first two Peter & Jane sight readers. The trick is keeping her interested and continuously thinking of new way to make it fun. She reads to dollies and toys, I give her a peanut or raisin/grape/bite of cheese/for reading. Any other tips?

When I do something she likes, she says "Good girl mommy!", and when she's been trying to get me to do something and I'm not quite understanding, and then I finally get it she says "That's better". When I suggest something she wants to do she says "That'd be great!" She likes Dora the Explorer, and when she doesn't quite know how to do something, she'll say "Let's stop and think".

22 months

2007-10-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

Fun with paint

My happy bumpkin

She's so proud of herself because she wrapped her towel around herself like a big kid Big shoes

Fundidora park with Dad

Mommy time

New friends

Alice loves cats. We have three.

I got Alice some preschool books which she has been doing for the last few months. She knows how to cut with scissors on her own. She knows her alphabet and has this month started blends and doing flashcards for and reading the first Peter and Jane and Early Bird readers.

Plaza Sesamo outing

People tell me Alice talks like a 3 year old. She is expressive, sweet, smart, animated, friendly and polite. She is also very strong willed and independent.

21 months

2007-10-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

She loves to carry around her backpack herself.
Her first planting project: garlic

I don't have many pictures or much to say this month. We moved to a new home out in the country. A week after we moved in, I had to go for 3 weeks, leaving my poor husband and baby to adjust to the new place without me. I'm so glad to be back!

20 months

2007-08-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Booger king..uh..queen
You should be wearing this hat great grandpa. Happy belated birthday on August 13th. We love you!

Visiting daddy at his workplace

Yeehaw! Ride'm cowgirl!

Nutty girl

Borrowing Mr. Potato Head's glasses

Alice's first recognizable happy face. She drew it all by herself!

Our little family went to the states for the weekend. It was Alice's first stay in a hotel. They had a pool, and a mall and stores close by. She had a lot of fun!

Building a tower

Showing off a little arts & crafts project for her daddy.

Alice loves the Shrek cartoons, and calls herself Princess Fiona.

Gal pals

The baby boys in Alice's life
She says “Te amo Mommy”. She can answer when people ask her in Spanish what her name is and how old she is. She also understands when people ask for a kiss in Spanish She’s learning cutting and short vowel sounds. She learned the days of the week. She can read all the letters of the alphabet. She can pinch clothespins and is learning numbers. She clears and likes to wash dishes and wipe the table. She’s starting to sing and talk randomly a lot. It’s cute to hear. All her stories start with: “One day…” She also likes to make up words and babble. I noticed she can jump this month. She tells me stories while “drawing” on the chalkboard, like I do when I tell her stories. She also likes to “read” books that she knows, and points out letters everywhere. She sings “I’d like to be a Christmas tree” and “Baby Jesus” word for word all the way through.

19 months

2007-07-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

I got my babyschool diploma!

My teacher is so proud of me

Now I sleep in a big girl bed (that's what she says)

Playing dress up with Julian

My best friend

My first wedding!
Here I am with Elena and Mommy

A lovely family portrait

Alice loves stickers! She is really into the story of Henny Penny. She puts on her own sandals. She calls me "Mommy Mia" and her dad "Daddy Chad". She recognizes almost half the letters in the alphabet. She loves to draw, write, and color. We got a stand up chalkboard that she likes. She likes the show "Dora the Explorer". One day I sing, "Who Built the Ark?" and she's supposed to say "Noah, Noah", but instead she says "Dora, Dora". She thinks it's funny to change the words to songs like that; like she'll sing "Baby Raffy went to sleep on a bed of Baby Roddy." She used to say "move" and just shove you or the thing out of the way, so I've been teaching her to say "Excuse me". The other day, I see her pushing her chalkboard out of the way, still plowing her way through, but this time saying "Excuse me table, excuse me table". One day, she was playing pretend eating, and she says "Here, blackberries Mommy". I say "Thank you". She comes back "Blueberries for you Mommy". I say "Mmm, thank you." She comes back "Here Mommy, pink berries"! She likes to make baby sounds for fun. She thinks she's so grown up and babies are so little. She says "Peep-a-doo!" (Peek-a-boo).

alphabet on potty

2007-06-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

18 months

2007-06-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

KFC playplace

Playland at a mall

My big dolly

Looking goofy and cute in her little bathrobe

We made clay letters and painted them and made a sign for our door

Alice weighs 36 pounds.
When I say "Who wants to go to the park/eat food/go potty/have snack? If she wants to, she'll say "I do!" If she doesn't, she'll say "Nobody!"
She scribbles and think she's writing something, for example she'll scribble, show it to me and say, "I love Jesus!" or "Grandma and Grandpa!", something like that. For her daddy's birthday she took a piece of paper, scribbled on it, and said, "Happy Birthday to Daddy!", we glued some pictures on it and gave it to daddy as a birthday card. She says "Mommy/Daddy, I love you too!" or "Mommy/Daddy, pat you." or "Mommy/Daddy, carry you."(meaning to say "me" instead of "you", of course).
She points to anyone she doesn't know (or does), and says "Who dat?"
She also sees pictures in the bedroom ceiling, and will out of the blue yell out something random that she sees in it.

17 months

2007-05-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day family photo

First potato man she made all by herself!

Alice with best friend Carolina(who is one year and two months older than her).

Look how tall she is now.

This month was a tough one for Alice. There was lots of teething(14 teeth now). She got this horrible cough that lasts for four weeks, that is comparable to whooping cough. At the end of the month she was weaned. She lost a lot of weight. She's been more difficult to handle through all of this, but she's still my little angel. She loves everybody in the house, and says morning to them all calling them by name, and says hi to everyone she sees and calls them by name. She loves going to the park! She loves being with the other kids and will just go up to them to say I love you, and kiss them. She doesn't wear diapers during the day, except sometimes when we go out, and for the night. Most often she stays dry during those times too, but I don't want to risk it yet. So, she's really growing up! I can't really call her my baby anymore. Sniff...wonderful babyhood...I'll miss it.
Hello terrible 2s!

15 months-potty shiner

2007-05-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

14 months-dance in shopping cart

2007-05-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Safari zoo

2007-05-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

First pony ride!

Petting zoo

These pics were taken on the safari ride

Going to this zoo was the highlight of Alice's whole life! She talked about it for days, and even in her sleep. She was so excited!

16 months

2007-04-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

Our Easter bunny

Alice loves to count, play hide and seek, sing the ABC song, and "Old McDonald". She knows quite a few words in Spanish. And I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I BELIEVE she is potty trained! Even at night! I hope this isn't just a good phase...She says words so adorably like noonles(noodles),epeesize(exercise),otay(okay),maam(yes maam), mumic(music),beep(sheep and sleep) etc...
And she is getting so good at coloring!

a few months ago-too dark

2007-04-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

13/14 months?

2007-04-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is too hilarious! For me...

request for family

2007-04-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

As a little reminder, I still don't have any of the Christmas/family reunion pictures. Would someone like to send them to me? Sam? Carole? Anyone.....? Pleease?

Happy Birthday!

2007-04-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

This is for Grandma Fountain with lots of love! Here's Alice singing and dancing Happy Birthday to you!

Here she's showing off her fun school

This is the most of the great grandkids that I have in one picture.

It was GREAT to be able to see you for the holidays! We pray that you have a wonderful year.
Hugs and Kisses, Maria and Alice

Dolly to sleep-also Christmas

2007-04-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

first Christmas

2007-04-01T13:07:00.001-07:00

15 months

2007-03-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...fresh out of the shower

Blowing dandelions

Party time!

Park time with daddy

Alice and her hats:

A budding artist hard at work

Progress! Alice asks to go poop on the potty! YEAY!
This month she got sick for the first time. It last almost a week.
Seems to always be getting more teeth. I feel so sorry for her. It looks so painful. She's progressing wonderfully in her school with lots of art projects,flashcards, reading etc..

Alice

2007-02-23T19:55:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the month, Alice weighed 38 and a half pounds.
She blows kisses.
Loves to play with dolls: feed them, dress them, make the crying sound for them etc..
The only Spanish word she says is "agua". I guess it's easier to say than "water"?
She loves little motion songs that she can participate in with actions and words here and there like "It's Bubbling" "If You're Happy and you Know it", "The People on the Bus" "Head and Shoulders"...
She's always saying "Help me" when she needs help with something, and "Oh no!" whenever the littlest thing goes wrong, and "Oh well" when something can't be fixed.
Strangers are always ga ga ing over her. They've called her Strawberry Shortcake, Precious Moments doll, or mostly they say she looks like a Cabbage Patch doll.
She can count to five. She's always singing the alphabet song, well, what she knows: "A B D A B E C J Y Z" or whatever random order she can remember. She likes to sweep and wear necklaces. Getting a pre molar. Grouchy!

14 months - School pics

2007-02-18T20:03:00.000-08:00

Baby Alice laughing - 5 months old

2007-02-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

3 month old Alice taking a bath

2007-02-13T20:57:00.000-08:00