Maroon Bells.

On the way home from Colorado we stopped in Aspen for a couple of days.  What a great town, kind of like Park City but bigger with a great downtown filled with festivals, restuarants, and parks.

Chris took us on a hike at the base of the Maroon Bells mountains.  The girls enjoyed a hike around a mountain lake, a stream, and a few rocks and bridges.  What beautiful scenery!

I have to say one thing--my girls cannot stop collecting rocks and sticks every where we go and we have a truck bed full to prove it!  Oh, and I am constantly pulling rocks out of the dryer (that can't be good).

Despite a rought first night at the hotel (Stella is sooooo squirmy and couldn't fall alseep despite being so tired) we stayed another day and spent time at the pool and downtown eating at the Red Onion, riding the gondola, and playing at mountain parks.  I think Chris was in heaven!

Endings.

We've been lucky to have Chris's Grandma Jo in our lives for so long.  But we all knew that gandma's time with us was coming to an end soon.  Grandma Jo passed away on Saturday night, June 2nd and we will miss her very much.

Josephine loved bright colors--pink, orange, and yellow.

Her timing was perfect and not only was all the family in town but everyone was able to take a little road trip to bury grandma Jo in Sanford, CO where she grew up.  Grandma Jo was buried next to her son James and only a few spots over from her parents.

As Grandma Jo would have said, "We had an adventure!"---our trip to Colorado was filled with family, memories of grandma, and new adventures together.

Kindergarten is Over.

I can't believe it.  Finishing kindergarten was definitely harder than it was to start--Presley has grown so much, learned so much, and made so many friends.  Presley had an emotional last day of school, she was all tears before we even left for the bus--she is really going to miss school, her teacher, friends, and riding the bus this summer.

This face says it all--eventually we got smiles but I think the transition to summer might be hard.

Presley and her dear friend Makayla--always together, always smiling--inseparable.  I am worried about the fact they won't be in the same class next year.

Stella really wants to be part of the twosome.

What a fabulous teacher Mrs. Kohler was for Presley!


Flowers.

I bought these fun yellow pots at Ikea and filled them with hanging baskets full of petunias.  I hope I can keep them green and flowering . . . the wind sure does its part to undermine my attempts.  Someday I would like to have a greener thumb.

Pretty soon Stella won't be the only one home all day--Presley finishes up her year of kindergarten in a couple weeks!

I can see all of us spending a lot more time out on the deck as the weather warms up.  I am looking forward to breakfast and dinner on the deck!

Fire Dancer Ballet.

Presley's ballet class was also in the "Aladdin" production.  Her class had a fire dancing number and with their sparkly outfits they loved every minute of their stage time.

Presley and Gabrielle.

Throw on some sparkles and give them room to dance and these girls sure can have a fun time!

Golden Beetle Ballet.

Stella spent her first year at ballet in constant movement and with a darling class that at times could be a handful.  With her first year wrapping up, I think Stella realized how much fun it was to dance and play with all her friends.  Miss Trisha was also Presley's first teacher and we have loved her every year--hoping we get her again next year for Stella.

The class in their ballet pink tutus.

For the recital the dance center put on "Aladdin" for the spring recital.  Stella's class opened the show as the golden beetles that lead to the Cave of Wonders.  They had the cutest outfits and really played their part well.

Stella and Tabitha.

I need to get a digital copy of the professional photos--Stella has the happiest, goofiest grin and I love it!

Costumes.

Here are the girls all dressed up in their ballet costumes--ready for posing!

And the outakes . . .

Later this week, the dress rehearsal and the performace.

She's F-O-U-R!

Stella made it--after all of Presley's birthday celebrations and then the birthday party where they celebrataed together, it was finally Stella's real birthday!  We started the day with a mom and dad breakfast date at Kneaders (who can resist the french toast, and perfect for my sweet tooth Stella).

Classic Stella--underbite smile and NOT looking at the camera!  Such a good breakfast.

So intense!  She ate up all her french toast with caramel syrup.

Later, we celebrated again with a dinner date for the whole family at Costa Vida with quesadillas, rice and beans, and a little bowling.

Another Stella favorite--rice & beans (and another chance to blow out her candle).

Bowling is so slow with kids--I think the top speed was 4 mph--but they love it!

At the end of the day Stella had fun but did ask where her cake was . . . . oops!

Park, Scooters, and Dandelions.

The weather is beautiful, and although I know it could snow again before we actually get spring/summer weather--we have sure enjoyed afternoons at the park.

We have especially had fun meeting up with friends (on purpose and accident) all over town.  Our small mountain town is a fun place to be.  Please don't blame my girls for all the dandelions next year--but they can't stop blowing the seeds everywhere!

Birthday Party.

This year I decided to let the girls have a shared birthday party with friends--we tried to keep it small and simple, but you know that's not how it went.  Everyone had such a fun time!  Everything was butterfly themed--the decoration, the cake, the party favors, and even the face painter painted butterflies on all the little girl's faces.

Happy it is over, sad my girls are growing up.  Maybe in a couple years we'll attempt another big, themed bash!  I loved when the girls spent the extra half hour at the end of the party chasing the ONE butterfly that they could find--poor little guy.  Up and down the hill, they were so worn out and the giggling screams were worth it!