Our new puppy

We added another member to our household. Meet "Reeses", our new dog.

Bunny

Alex's little friend has a rabbit who recently had babies.  We stopped over to see them and of course, Alex now wants a bunny for the pet.  I just don't think a bunny and cat would be good friends. 

They are pretty cute and I had a hard time saying no.  Maybe in a few years.

Camping at Lake Auburn Campground

Last month we spent a week at the Lake Auburn Campground in Victoria, MN.  It was nice, because most of the people were camping in tents, like us.  The only thing we didn't like about it was the fact that there were no showers and during the week there were few campers.  There was the lake but it was so full of algae that I would never go in it.

While up there, Alex got to spend some time with a few friends and some family.  It was also our cats first (and last) camping experience.  Click below to see pictures:

Lake Auburn Campground, Victoria, MN

Easter Egg Hunt

Like I mentioned before, I just took some pictures off of my camera that have been on there for a few months.  On the Saturday before Easter, we decided to take Alex to an Egg Hunt in Grimes, IA, right next door to Johnston, IA.  What's Easter without an Egg Hunt?

Easter Egg Hunt, Grimes, IA

Ledges State Park

After one of Alex's soccer games a few weeks back, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and head to Ledges State Park.  We haven't really been impressed with Iowa since moving here.  The landscape doesn't vary too much and we just feel like there isn't as much to do compared to some of the other places we have lived.  So we are trying to venture out and find more things to do here.  This is one park that actually has some nice scenery and good hiking.  We will definitely be heading back if it ever stops raining.

Ledges State Park

1st Grade Soccer

I haven't posted in quite a bit and am just taking a bunch of pictures off my camera.  Below I have posted some pictures of Alex at soccer.  She has done soccer camps before, but this is the first time she has been on a soccer team.  She says she really likes it, especially because a friend in class is also in soccer.  That helps!

1st Grade Spring Soccer

Ice Skating Lessons

Today, Alex had her first ice skating lessons.  She told me she was scared before going on the ice, but did a great job.  She has skated a few times before, but has never had any lessons.  She loved it!  When she finished, I asked her if she wanted to be a figure skater now and she told me "no" because she still wants to be a movie maker.

Click below for more pictures:

Alex's first Ice Skating Lesson

Alex's Birthday Party

This year, Alex had her 7th birthday at Incredible Pizza, which is an arcade type pizza place with go-karts, bumper cars, and mini golf.  Alex invited all the girls and one boy in her class to go and had a great turn out!  She said it was the best day ever!

She and her friends had a private room to eat pizza and have fun.  They were really loud (for me), but they were having fun!

I have to wonder where some of her gifts she received came from because this year she did receive some odd gifts.  I wonder if the parents just dig out old gifts or things they bought and never used.  Some of the odd gifts she received was a pair of underwear about 3 sizes too big (well, I guess I can keep them for her to use when she is about 12 years old) and about a big pack of hot chocolate (about 100 packets worth).  I guess she will have enough hot chocolate to drink for the next couple winters.  Of course, she received some cute toys too, including one of her favorites:  Lalaloopsy!

Blank Park Zoo

Alex and I went to Blank Park Zoo a few weeks ago.  I am student teaching at a school in Des Moines, and they had a family day at the zoo that we were able to go to.  The last time we were at this zoo was last November when we came here for Keith's interview.  This time was a little better because they had more animals to look at.  The Australian animals were our favorite part because the animals were not enclosed and we could see them up close.  Alex was so excited to see the wallaby's and emus roaming around with no fence keeping us from seeing them up close. 

Birthday Party

Here is Alex with her friend, Alma, at Alma's birthday party.  Alma is the one with the red hat.  The other kids are Alma's cousins and Alex didn't know any of them.  Alma is the first friend Alex made in Des Moines.  She has made lots of friends since starting first grade, but I still have yet to meet some parents.  She starts girl scouts this month, so hopefully I will get to meet some more parents and set up some play dates for Alex.

Alex's New Kitty

Meet the newest member to the family:  Whiskers, as Alex likes to call him (or Neo, which Keith likes to call him).  He is a cute, fun little guy, but he does try to keep us awake at night, which is a little annoying, so we usually lock him out of the room.  Fluffy isn't so sure what to think about Whiskers though.  Fluffy usually spends his day sleeping in his wheel and Whiskers has figured out how to knock the wheel off the cage so we have to separate the two. 

First Day of First Grade

Last Thursday was Alex's first day of first grade!  She loved it!  Here is she is after getting off the school bus.  She says she has made lots of new friends and really likes her teacher.  She should meet even more friends when I sign her up for girl scouts next week.

Swimming

This summer, Alex has been swimming a lot!  She has learned to swim on her own and open her eyes under water-- she is not afraid to do it in a lake or pool.  Yesterday she swam on her own in the deep end.  She has always been scared of water before.  When we lived in Dominica and Miami she was terrified of the waves and the ocean.  She must be over that fear now because she wants to go swimming everyday!  Here she is at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines, IA.  She loves this beach!

Alex's new school

We drove by Alex's new elementary school today.  It is just about the nicest elementary school I have ever seen and Alex was very excited!  She wishes she could start school tomorrow.

The name of the school she will be going to is Horizon Elementary.  It looks like it is somewhat a new school.

We found three different gardens. A vegetable, butterfly, and not sure what the third garden is, maybe a memorial garden.  This one is a vegetable garden.

Alex starts school in mid August and will get done in May.  I am excited for her to start and to meet new friends.  I know she will love her new school.

We are now living in Des Moines

Here is Alex swimming in the pool where we live.  We have been here a week now and so far like it, but we really wish we knew people.  We have gone to the pool almost everyday this week and haven't seen too many other kids.  She is really missing her friends in Atlanta and Minnesota! 

Keith finished his first week of orientation at Mercy.  He thinks he is really going to like it.  He has orientation again next week and then starts officially on July 1st.

Minnesota

After leaving Atlanta, we spent about two weeks in the twin cities.  We spent a lot of time with friends and family and relaxing before moving to Des Moines.  I took quite a few pictures but my picasaweb page does not have anymore room for photos, so I will have to try and figure out where else to put my photos.  As of right now, I am downloading them to facebook and seeing if I can fit more pictures into my Flickr account.

Anyway, while in Minnesota we took Alex to the Mall of America to go on rides at Nickelodeon Universe, the Minnesota Zoo, Grand Ol' Days Parade in St. Paul, down to Mankato to visit with friends, and a few different parks around the twin cities.

Check out some of the pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bratulich/

Chattahoochee Nature Center

The weekend before leaving Atlanta we decided to check out the Chattahoochee Nature Center.  Alex had been there for a school field trip and really liked it so we brought her back to check it out.  They had quite a few owls, hawks, and other fowl.  I loved seeing the owls, they are so cute!  Unfortunately, they were contained in a cage and the pictures didn't look to good, otherwise I would post them.

We are back in the cities now and have a lot of catching up to do on the blog!  I will post more later.

Last Kindergarten Daisy Meeting

This past Monday the girls in Alex's Daisy group were invited to a garden party held by another Daisy girl scout group.  The girls had fun enjoying cupcakes, singing songs, and planting some flowers in a garden.  This was great because a few of the girls in the other girl scout troop were Alex's preschool friends that she doesn't get to see very often and this was the last time she got to see them before moving.  She made so many good friends in Atlanta, we are sad to leave them, but know she will make some good new friends in Des Moines.

Click below for girl scout daisy pictures:

Girl Scout Daisies

Field Day at Chesnut

This past Friday was Field Day at Chesnut.  I spent a few hours with Alex's kindergarten class and took quite a few pictures!  Alex had so much fun and she said it was her best day of school.  Alex is really going to miss all the friends she has made.  Me too!

Click below for pictures:

Field Day at Chesnut

Lemonade Days

Last weekend, Alex and I met up with some friends at Lemonade Days in Dunwoody, GA.  Alex even met up with some of her preschool friends that she went to Lemonade Days last year with and met up with some new friends.  She is really going to miss all of her friends when we move, which is only a month away!

Click below for pictures:

Lemonade Days- Dunwoody, GA