Brazil

Each month we focus our reading and playing efforts on a country.  April's country was Brazil.  The feature picture on our calendar is of the 'Christ the Redeemer' statue.  To conclude our studies today, Anna gave a country report on Brazil.  You can't see in the movie, but she drew pictures and wrote words on those pieces of paper and then I recorded her giving the report.  We also made cupcakes in and frosted them to look like Brazil's flag (sort of).  The goal was to make Quindinn (spelling?) but I ran out of coconut milk.  We ended the "party" by watching RIO the movie about the blue Macaw.  Of course anna loved that, actually we all did.  It would be cool to visit Brazil someday and see Rio, the Amazon and the rainforest.

budding ballerinas

We still do the ballet exercise video we got anna for Christmas.  Julia is a little more into it now though.

pictures off my phone

These pics are from the mermaid ballet.  Anna loved it.

 This is on the way to church on my birthday.  We try to walk, but sometimes we can't because we take too long at grandma Elaine's in the morning.  When we move we won't be able to go there anymore sunday mornings.  We will have to find a new time to go.

 Hopefully we can walk to our new ward building.  There are sidewalks EVERYWHERE over there, so I think we will be able to.

 More lovely poses from Miss Anna.

 I don't know where she got the idea of posing like this from.

 I do, however, know where this pose comes from (ballet).

 This is in Grandma Elaine's backyard.  Lynn Lane in Holladay.  Anna loves to swing back there.  I used to love swinging back there too.  My grandpa glenn would push me and I would feel like I could almost touch Mt Olympus.

 Speaking of Mt. Olympus, anna wanted to hike it.  We went up maybe 1/2 mile.  It's pretty steep and Anna hiked the whole way, she kept wanting to go further, but Miss Princess did not.

 Reading a sign.

 She's making a goofy face, but she kept saying "look how high we are mom!  look how far we have come!"  It makes my heart so happy when Anna enjoys hiking with me!

 I called rich and he came and helped us down.  Anna took him out to look over the world.  It was a beautiful day, but very cold!

 Although Julia took off her coat because it was covering up her princesses, I couldn't stop her from jumping in mud puddles.  I don't think there is anything I love more than hiking with my girls....oh wait...hiking with Richard - yeah that would top hiking with my girls.

 I needed to get some work done today, so I decided to take the girls out and wear them out.  We went to the library (anna went to the big kid storytime all by herself while I took Julia to the baby storytime).  Then we went to the Aviary.  We love to walk around and read the signs about the birds.  Julia is getting a bit too brave though, she wanders off on her own and I have to keep a close eye on her while anna takes her time reading ALL the signs.

Last time we came Anna couldn't read these signs, or didn't want to.  This time she read all of this "myth or fact" sign.  And then at lunch she told her dad all about it.  It's so much fun to take this girl places.  AND my plan worked.  Since we had such a busy morning, I was able to fit in 2 hours of uninterrupted work time at the computer. 

Rich and I took his scouts hiking up Neff's canyon when he got home from work.  It was a good day.  I wish I would have had my camera up there.  Anna and Julia climbed up this big rock and had big big smiles, they thought they were so tough climbing up this big rock. 

easter

I thought we had blogged these, but we didn't.  Joyce and Paul came out on the Saturday before easter to check out the house for us.  We also had the inspection that day.  so we spent the morning in Sandy looking at the house, then we went out to lunch at Frank Granatos near our house.

 Anna played with Ron's grandkids while Julia took a nap and Joyce and I went shopping.  When Julia got up we dyed eggs (why didn't we do that while Julia was asleep??).  The girls thought that was fun.

 Julia sure loves her grandma and grandpa!

 He's anna jumping with one of Ron's grandkids.  She really loves jumping on this thing!  She gets at least 30 minutes of exercise each day now - we must consider buying one!

 Julia loves the play house.  She likes to play pretend, so it's the perfect age for her.

 Easter morning I hid their baskets.  Anna was really excited to look for them.

 Julia looked so cute with her little bucket.

 Yikes!  Look at that smile!

 I stuck a picture of Jesus in there for good measure.

 I just like Julia's face in this pic.

Mouth full of chocolate, jelly beans on the floor, what more could a kid ask for?  Don't worry - we talked about Jesus for the whole month.  A few weeks later we were walking up some apartment stairs and anna saw apartment J.  She said "look mom!  J for Judas Iscariot - you know - Jesus' bad friend."  Yeah, she's got that story down I think.

Easter itself was very special.  My sister Amy had it at her house.  She decorated very nicely and we had a formal sit down dinner with ham and rolls and carrots.  Before dinner she has us watch one of the LDS.org bible videos about the resurrection and then she had an activity for the kids.  Anna loved the whole thing.  It's wonderful to have a kindred sister.

my birthday!

 We headed over to grandma Elaine's before church.  This is our new tradition.  We make them eggs with Chili sauce.  Anna and Julia color while they eat.  In the top pic Julia is playing peek a boo with grandma Elaine.  Grandpa has a large wound on his head from having cancer removed.

 dancing with Dorothy's portable boom-box.

 rich helped me teach primary at church and the girls were relatively good.  Julia is adorable in her new dress from uncle steven.  I could not, however, get a good shot of her.

 Then I tried to get some good pictures of anna in her beautiful dress from uncle steven.  She has decided lately that the most beautiful way to pose in a picture is in a dramatic pose (as seen above).  Wow.

 Let me in Julia says!  This is the playhouse ron made for his grandkids.  I contributed the flowers (from my mom, thanks!).

 Another dramatic pose with eyes half open (that's part of the beauty I guess).

 Okay, so the one above actually is really cute.

 Here we go again with the wackiness.

 And here she is so pretty.

 Julia wouldn't look at me, but insists on smelling these flowers over and over again

 Julia inside.  what a cute little pea head.

 Look at that straight hair!

The playhouse is sort of tree house.  how cool is that?  anyways, I don't like cake so we didn't have any.  mom brought me some fruit pizza (thanks mom).  rich made me burgers with mushrooms, avocado and spinach (yum) and cleaned up.  Actually, he's been cleaning up all week, thanks honey!  That's the best present ever.....that and a new house !!  I'm blessed with a beautiful family, I couldn't ask for more.