Sassy Little Fox

For her Spring school performance, Zoe became a little Fox tonight.  From the moment she put on her costume she totally inhabited it, she was a fox and a sassy one.  Swishing her tail and jutting her hip out for photos, she completely transformed.  "It's the commitment to character!" Chris and I always say to each other when observing her impressive pretend play.

Hardly anyone but us and a few good friends ever get to see this talent of hers.  She is terrible shy, when she wants to be.  She says she "gets embarrassed" and won't perform on command.  But tonight, as the Fox #3 in SJCC's "The Little Red Hen" she was a shining star.


This is how my crew rolled in after a rush of after school stuff and homework and baths and dinner and costuming and hair.  We were out the door again en masse (it takes alot of effort to pull this off) and made it in time with minutes to spare.

 Just enough time in fact to snap a few pictures of Zoe with her best buddies, aka "Fox #2" and "The Cow".

During the bulk of the performance the little foxes were hidden in their "Fox Lair."  Zoe peeked out the side.  When they were called up for their songs, Zoe didn't walk, Zoe pranced...



and pawed the air...

and snarled..

and licked,

stealing the show from the other foxes who just kind of wandered onto center stage and stood there.  There was no shyness onstage, just a crazy little fox where Zoe used to be.  It was hilarious, seriously.  Well, at least I thought so. 

We're totally buying the DVD.  Anyone want a copy?

Coneheads

We come from France.

Easter Bunny Party

Two years ago, John John's Mom from Zoe's class introduced herself and personally handed me one of the invitations she was stuffing into each child's folder. "It's an Easter party...it's what we do instead of birthdays," she said "Bring the whole family!" For whatever reason (I think because we were in Palm Springs?) we didn't go that year. She invited us again last year and again we couldn't make it.

But this year we went and oh what a party. They live on a huge estate near the outside of town, right by the horse farms and almond groves. The invitation had a beautiful picture of her son in the middle of the blossoming almond groves, white grey flower blooms framing his bright sillouette.

Every time I drive by the almond trees in bloom I dream of such a photo of my children. She told me when and where and how she gets the photo. The farmers don't mind, she said, but every other tree has a hive of bees that pollenate the trees and to be prepared because you will get stung. Good to know!

There were 350 eggs hidden, a bounce house, a personal playground, ponies
and a bunny, baby chick and goat petting zoo.

All of Zoe's beautiful besties were there. Athena got a little jealous, actually, Zoe's friends were clammering to sit next to Zoe for lunch, displacing Athena from her usual seat.


Luckily she had her Daddy.


When the egg hunt was on the kids raced around the manicured lawn collecting,
Zoe never far from Caitlyn and viceversa.


After gathering as many eggs as their baskets could hold, the girls positioned themselves in the petting area and did not leave.

They. had. bunnies.


Even Jack emerged from the bounce house long enough to pet a few bunnies.

And then...they trotted the ponies out. The girls were so excited.

"I a horse rider!" Jack said.

It was a lovely time, a nice start to our Easter. We are so thrilled to be getting to know the families of Zoe's friends, and blessed by the wonderful friendships she is forging.
We'll absolutely go again next year!