Alex's Soccer

I'd like to introduce you to the latest and greatest soccer team to grace the Salt Lake Valley. These are... The Green Monsters! (I love the names that some of these little kids come up with. Last week we played the "Sparkle Snakes". That coach was obviously trying to appease both the girls and boys on the team.)

It's fun to see the progress Alex has made since playing for the first time last year. What a difference a year makes.

This is Alex scoring his first ever goal!!

He was so excited and so proud of himself. (As demonstrated in the above picture!)

In fact, he was so impressed with himself, as I was taking his picture he struck this pose completely impromptu with no coaching from me. The look on his face says it all... he wasn't trying to be silly either, he was dead serious with this expression which seems to say, "I am the bomb".

Hangin' Out Downtown

A few Saturdays ago we went downtown to the Church History Museum to check out a new interactive exhibit for kids.

Alex had a good time, they had some pretty cute stuff.

I had to get his picture in front of the gorgeous flowers. We also went across the street to check out the new City Creek shopping center. Wow, it was really impressive. I think Salt Lake City has hit the big time.

Easter 2012

The Easter Bunny must have pulled some strings at my work this year. I was supposed to work all night on Saturday, but since it was a slow night, I got to go home at 11 p.m. I was so grateful to be awake and well rested for Easter Sunday.

One of my favorite parts of Easter is looking for a new outfit for Alex. I thought he looked especially handsome this year in his new suit.

The "popcorn" popped just in time for Easter on the tree in our front yard. Gotta love this time of year.

Humility

The other day, Alex put on his little Easter headband he made in preschool, stood in front of the mirror and exclaimed, "AwwwWW! I am so adorable!" Perhaps not the most humble kid, but after four and a half years of everyone telling you so, I guess you are bound to believe it so I can't really hold it against him.

Alpha Phi

Steph joined a sorority this year, "Alpha Phi". She had been kind of unsure at first if she really wanted to stick with it, but eventually decided she was going to commit, and in the process has started to make some new friends and have some fun experiences. Last night she was initiated and is now officially an Alpha Phi sister. For the initiation they all had to be dressed in white. Steph looked really cute. Here she is throwing up a gang sign... just kidding, it's supposed to be the signs for the greek letters, alpha and phi.

Today we went to a nice banquet for the girls and their parents.

Steph and a few of her sisters.

I'm really glad that Steph is getting involved and trying to make the most of her college experience. Hopefully these are times that she will always cherish.

Recycle Robot

Alex's class made robots out of recyclable objects the kids brought from home. Alex is still loving preschool and doing well. Our favorite quote from Alex, shared with us by his teacher is that sometimes he doesn't finish his work because, as he says, "my hand is getting tired". We try to be careful with what we say around him as he picks up on everything, and looooves to tattle on "Sis" if she has just said a word which he claims is "in-a-pro-pree-eight" (inappropriate). He was excited to go to kindergarten registration the other day. His mother, on the other hand is a tad bit in denial. Guess I'd better come to grips with the reality that this kid is growing up, like it or not!

Meet Flippy Thomas Jerry

I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of the Lilly family, and Alex's first ever pet. His full name is Flippy Thomas Jerry Thomas Jerry Flippy, a name chosen by Alex, but we usually just call him Flippy for short. Getting a little fish may not seem like a big deal, but coming from someone who has had an aversion to fish (dead or alive) her entire life, this is quite monumental. I even help Alex feed Flippy, although you'd better believe I only slide the lid open by about 2 centimeters to ensure that Flippy does not jump out. When I was Alex's age, my sister Lesley was babysitting her friend's two goldfish, and she accidentally dropped the glass bowl on our bedroom floor. The bowl shattered and those 2 fish flipped and flopped all over the hardwood floor. I've been traumatized ever since. However, being the good mother that I try to be, I put my fears aside and agreed to let Alex get this fish... with the understanding that any cleaning or flushing of dead fish down the toilet fall under Steve's jurisdiction. I'm not that good of a mother!