Friday, November 26, 2010

Our Favorite Things

In case you have never figured it out, or maybe you don't even notice, I sometimes put things in the blog that might be better suited for the girls baby books. I do this intentionally. It's easier to put it on the blog, then I can go back and update the blogs when I get time. (I don't think it's happened at all in the past year).

This is one of those posts...


Lydia tends to say that everything is her favorite everything. Every book is her favorite book, every treat is her favorite. Every dress is her favorite. Get the picture. In actuality, whatever she has at that given moment is 'her favorite.' So I spent a rainy afternoon asking the girls about some of their favorite things. Here are their responses. (Yes, Lydia tends to copy Grace on some answers).

Favorite Color
Grace: Orange
Lydia: Yellow

Friends:
Grace: Lauren, Syd, Jo, Kylie, Ella, Ava (well both Avas), Kaylin, Shane, Lauren, Emma and Katherine
Lydia: Lauren, Syd, Jo, hmmm not boys, only girls, Kaylin, Shane, maybe not Shane, he's a boy... maybe he could be a prince and not a boy, okay Shane.

Favorite Food
Grace: corn dogs
Lydia: treats, all treats

Favorite Princess
Grace: Snow White
Lydia: Barbie

Favorite Movie
Grace: Beauty and the Beast
Lydia: Beauty and the Beast

Favorite Book
Grace: All of them
Lydia: Arthur, Sleeping Beauty

Favorite Season
Grace: March, because that's when it's Mom's birthday (I have no idea how she knows that)
Lydia: Kylie and Ella's birthday (November...fall)

Favorite Game
Grace: Hungry, Hungry Hippos
Lydia: Hungry, Hungry Hippos

Favorite Thing to do Outside
Grace: Play with my friends
Lydia: Ride my bike

Favorite Thing to do Inside
Grace: Clean
Lydia: Play with my dolls

What are we going to do on Thanksgiving?
Grace: Eat, but not turkey. I don't like turkey. How about spaghetti and meatballs? I am not eating turkey!
Lydia: I'll eat turkey...

What do you want for Christmas?
Grace: Barbies, a camera, princess coloring books, regular paper to color, colored paper to color, stickers, markers, special papers to color (aka Colorwonders)
Lydia: Barbies, a camera, treats, babies (as in dolls)

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for many things this Thanksgiving. I have an incredible family including the best husband ever and three beautiful, healthy daughters.

All November long Grace and Lydia have been have been taking a leaf from the Thanksgiving tree and saying what they are thankful. Over the course of the month, they have been thankful for the following things:
  • Daddy
  • Mommy
  • Ella
  • cupcakes
  • Lydia
  • Grace
  • Grandma & Grandpa
  • dance class
  • David
  • sleep
  • Grandma & Grandpa watching Beauty and the Beast
  • Kylie & Ella's birthday
  • The Thanksgiving tree
  • warm pajamas
  • treats
  • balloon shopping
  • food
AND the most frequent 2 response.... EVERYTHING and OUR FRIENDS (usually Syd and Jo).

Happy Thanksgiving from the Pedersens!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Flipflops and Applesauce

I blog; I follow blogs. I also like free things. Combine the two and I am one happy momma. Last week I won a great prize on a blog that I follow.

Chrissie from Flipflops and Applesauce has a pair of adorable daughters. She has amazing craft ideas and fantastic photography. (AND did I mention I won a couple great craft projects from her website)!! Thanks Chrissie!

Dance

Grace is enrolled in the rec department dance class this year. A couple weeks ago they had a watch day where family could come and watch what they've learned thus far. The class performed 5 songs for the family and friends to watch. I am impressed by how much the girls have already learned. Grace loves her teacher Miss Stacey and will surely miss her during our winter break.

Grace was enrolled in the rec department dance class this fall. She loved it


Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Photographers

As Paul was snapping pictures of all the girls decorating the crowns in yesterdays post, so were the other men. Paul, Glenn and Ethan looked like a group of paparazzi snapping pictures of these little princesses.

Here's Ethan zooming in
...and Glenn.
(I don't have pictures of Paul, because he had the camera).

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Princess Kind of Day

A couple times a year, we try to get together with a few great college friends and their families. Usually we try to have a summer get together and a holiday gathering. We are all a bit busy this year, so the only day that worked for a holiday gathering was early November. Since it was a bit too early to celebrate in traditional holiday style, we settled for a princess gathering. (It'll probably be the last time that we all get together before adding a boy to the mix of little girls).

The girls dressed in the favorite princess dresses and made princess crowns.

Emma working hard. (Love her hair)!!!!
Katherine
Lydia
I had no idea that 4 of the 5 girls would wear Snow White dresses.
Jen reading to all the ladies.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

My Little Genius

What qualifies as being a bad mom? Is it when your 2 year old daughter writes her name and you aren't exactly sure when she learned to do write? I think I might be in the running?! In all honesty, Lydia is a bit skittish about actually letting on what she knows and doesn't know. She knows her colors, shapes, numbers, and letters in you ask the question in a princess related manner. But other times, when you ask her a question, she quickly responds "I don't know."

So in the middle of Grace's week long birthday celebration, Lydia pulls out a piece of paper that she wrote her name. I am so impressed with my brilliant little pumpkin.


Monday, November 15, 2010

Shutterfly for the Holidays

It's almost Thanksgiving. But it's not the turkey, celebration or football games that get me giddy about Thanksgiving. It's the day AFTER Thanksgiving that I LOVE!!! Black Friday is when I finish up my Christmas shopping and the day that I get to start mailing holiday cards and decking the house with holiday decor. (Any day sooner and Paul thinks I am crazy).

This year, just like every year other year I am diligently working on 4 Shutterfly wall calendars. Every year we make calendars for each set of grandparents. Paul and I used to struggle coming up with gift ideas for our parents and grandparents every year. The wall calendars make great gifts that they use all year long. One of the great features that I love about the Shutterfly calendars is that I entered the special dates a few years back and haven't ever had to reenter them. It may not seem like a lot of time or work saved for a smaller family, but when I do the large Murphy calendar, it's a huge timesaver. http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars


I need to get going on our holiday cards this year to get the ready to be mailed at the end of the month. Usually I take our family holiday pictures in early November when we go get Grace's pictures taken. This year it was a challenge just getting Grace's pictures by herself. It's a relief to know that there are great options for when I can't get all three girls cute and smiling in one picture. Last year we opted for a holiday card similar to the one below with Grace, Lydia and Ella each in her own square.

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/cheery-year-powder-2010-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&fa=8&storeNode=93495

This year, I can't seem to make up my mind on anything. Do I include a family picture or just a picture of the three girls? Should I choose this classic holiday design or this super cute colorful design? There are literally hundreds of great photo card choices at http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery

There are so many more great products over at Shutterfly that I'm sure you will fall in love with this Holly Jolly season! And for all of my great great blogger friends, you can get 50 FREE Christmas cards. Sign up here. http://bit.ly/sfly2010 I don't know about you, but that is a great Christmas gift in itself for me...


Sunday, November 14, 2010

Final Birthday Post

Here's the final birthday post of 2010. We are done with birthdays for the year and I am ready to move forward into Thanksgiving and Christmas. Before I jump into the holidays, I better wrap up Grace's birthday week with a final blog post. We celebrated her birthday with with family and friends the day before her actual birthday. Here are a bunch of pictures from her party day.

The birthday girl decorating her cupcakes. Lydia playing with Uncle Mike.
Grace snapping pictures of everyone.
Singing Happy Birthday
Blowing our the candles
Opening gifts

hmmm... I'm not so sure about these two guys with little tiaras on their heads...

Grace and Grandma on Grace's birthday morning. They are both looking mighty groggy.
Grace in her pile of birthday balloons.
Grace and Grandpa watching Beauty and the Beast.
Happy Birthday to my oldest princess.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Another Birthday Party

Another day, another group of pals, and another little party. We invited all of Grace's friends who had school during the first birthday party. We decorated purses again.


Ate a small dinner, fit for some princesses and a prince.

(Again) Happy Birthday to Grace...

Yummy! Cake!!
I love that both Lydia and Lydia had to be Cinderella for the night.
I agree with you Ella. All these parties sure make me tired too.

Monday, November 8, 2010

I'm Thankful For...

Warning - There are no pictures in this post.

What do you do with all your Halloween candy? This year Grace and I made a Thanksgiving tree. Paul and Grace cut out a tree (minus the leaves) out of cardboard. Then Grace and I made lots of leaves to put on the tree. I numbered all the leaves 1-25 (twice). Grace found matches of candy from the big bowl of Halloween loot. Then we attached the candy to each leaf. Finally Grace placed all 50 leaves on the tree. So every day, Grace and Lydia have to name one thing that they are thankful for before each getting their one treat for the day.

Fast forward to November 4th. Grace and Lydia have both caught onto this little Thanksgiving tree routine. Grace wakes up first, eats breakfast, then asks if she can get her treat from the tree. I tell her she has to wait for Lydia to wake up. When Lydia wakes up, Grace drags her over to the tree for their daily treat. Grace quickly tells me that she is thankful for sleep. Then Lydia tells Grace that she can't have her treat until she has breakfast first. Wow! Who took my children and gave me these little darlings?!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Happy Birthday Grace

Happy 4th Birthday to our beautiful daughter Grace! She is the most amazing little girl who brings a smile to my face daily. She is curious and thoughtful. She is always making pictures for her friends and offering friends her toys (and her sisters' toys) to her friends. Just last week while we were trick-or-treating, one of her friends had to go home. Grace was so bummed that her friend would miss out on more treats, she emptied her bucket of candy into her friends bag. (Sorry for the extra sugar Sarah).

Grace is quite the girly girl. She loves to play dress up with princess clothes, jewelry and shoes. She prefers to wear dresses every day and definitely would prefer to play inside rather than outside. A few weeks ago on a cold, rainy morning, Grace observed some kids playing soccer. She declared that she did NOT want to play soccer ever if it was going to be outside and in the rain. Bugs, rain, dirt and cold definitely are deal breakers for Grace!

My four year old also has great friends! Grace and Kaylin recently had a birthday party. Since their birthdays are only a week apart and they were both turning 4 it seemed to be a great idea. (Not to mention that I only had to do half the work of party planning).

The girls decorated little purses with jewels and glitter paint.

Jojo and Lydia working hard on decorating her purse.
Grace's finished purse. Now it just need to dry.
Then onto some beautiful manicures and pedicures.
Ella decided to take advantage of all the girls waiting in line for their pedicures and took over the princess chair.
Pyper even got dressed up in beautiful dress up clothes.
Pretty girls running around like crazy.




Hungry from all the running and playing, it's time to eat.
The birthday girls - Kaylin and Grace. Happy 4th birthday girls!!
Make a wish...
Yummy!!!