May

Sasha gave soccer another try this summer.  She was on a team with many of her classmates and really seemed to enjoy it more this time.

We enjoyed a Sunday afternoon baseball game in Albuquerque with some friends.

Sasha is a bookworm.  When she finds a book she likes she has a hard time putting it down.  Her favorite books to read this summer are the Wimpy Kid series.  She still loves having books read to her at night before bed though. She and Phil are making their way through the fourth Harry Potter book right now I am reading Island of the Blue Dolphins to her.

One weekend we found a trail that led to the Santa Fe River where a tire swing was hanging.  Sasha and Jack hadn't worn swimsuits so undies had to do.

Here Sasha is posing with the many gift bags and wrapped presents that she prepared for me for Mothers Day.  Each one contained some treasure from her room that she wanted me to have.  So sweet.

Phil's parents came for a visit in the middle of the month.

We toured Ghost Ranch where Georgia O'Keefe lived and painted.  It was very moving to see the actual landscapes that she painted.

Sasha caught a cool bug at the ranch.

Jack loves his gymnastics class. Here is receiving an award on the last day.

On Memorial Day weekend we went down to Albuquerque for a little staycation at Tamaya Resort.  We enjoyed hanging out in the pools, having smores at night, and biking on the trails.

For some reason the kids loved the "obstacle"/fitness course on site. 

And he's off!!  Jack learned how to ride a bike this month.  Green Lantern whizzing by on a purple bike with a butterfly basket.  What a sight!

Sasha has a knack for finding coins on the ground.  She keeps all of them in a bag by her bed and she's saved up a couple dollars by now. 

April

Shaving is a bath time ritual at our house.  Sasha feels the need to shave her whiskers too.

It always amazes me how the cheapest things thrill the kids and entertain for hours: bubbles, sparklers, Easter egg dye kits.  Hiding the eggs for the kids was so fun this year.  Sasha is pretty competitive by nature, but she did a good job of letting Jack get the obvious ones. 

Sasha helping me to make mango coconut rice pudding one Saturday afternoon.

The kids dressed up to go to our neighbor Hudson's "Backwards and Upside Down" birthday party. 

Sasha doing a landscape pastel painting of the view from our dining room.

We drove down to the botanical gardens on a weekend day for the spectacular show of spring blooms.

Sasha helped me decorate the bunny cake (Gingerich tradition) that we brought to Easter dinner at Aunt Irm and Uncle John's house.

Sasha wanted to repeat our little science experiment we did last year of ordering caterpillars through the mail, watching them transform in to crysalises, and later to butterflies.  She has one of the painted butterflies on her hand ready to release it.  I love the joy on her face!

An after school bike ride on the Santa Fe River path.

Sasha's biggest complaint about violin at times this last year is that she has to stand up, so I've decided to compromise and let her sit down every once in awhile.  She sees me sitting down when I play in orchestras, so I can see her point.

The kindergarten class performed several numbers from "The King and I" for their spring program.  It was really impressive.