1st Bi-Annual Pederson Cousin Reunion

We decided at a random family get together that we needed to get the cousins (both us "grown-ups" and our kids) together much more often than we do and decided a reunion would be the way to do it. So the plan is to have a Pederson Cousin Reunion every other year.

For our first one, we headed to the condo in Park City (Thanks Trice!!) and had a blast. The girls had so much fun with the other cousins and we grew closer as an extended family, cause really? Is'nt that what it's all about anyway?!

This was the saving grace with the kids at times. Here Sofia and Sam are "taking turns"

As you can see- it was not ALWAYS good times. Sofia had just been given a time out. She recovered quickly though. She learned that bouncing the girls who were littler than she in the bouncy was not the best idea...

Sweet Ella. I tried to mimic her "dazed" look from the parade that morning. We had been up many hours already by this time. She took it like a champ though and loved it.

Mady Mae at the BBQ- we were lucky enough to get the last of the summer warmth and the kids all had a blast picking up as many pinecones as they could find.

Sofia on my shoulders-her much preferred way of travel.

It was so much fun watching the girls anxiously await what was coming up the street. They love parades and we had so much fun watching it that morning.

Heeeerrres Woody! Paul and Liane's newest addition. Woodrow Paul. What a doll that kid is. A chunk and a half, he is the easiest baby to get to laugh. Its awesome.

This was game night. We played the game "Celebrity". So much fun! All the kids did really well. Here is Paul with his two. Mady and Woody. Check out Woody's stare down of his sister's sippy cup!

Sweet Ella. Right before she decided to put one of the dried pine needles in her ear. We didnt know it until she came in and pressed her cheek up aganist mine. Screams errupted, and we figured out what it was. Thank goodness for Patrice's tweezers! No harm done and she has not put anything foreign in her ear since!

Sofia LOVED this cow! We went to ice cream after dinner and the line being pretty long, the cow was a much needed distraction.

This place was soo good. The girls ate up this pizza and loved it!

If Only...

That has been the question on my mind pretty heavily as of late. If only is a pretty bold way to start off a thought, and it can get you into trouble if you let it! Case in point: Life has happened once again and as my Dad has said to me more than once in my life "It could always be worse." Yeah, Im in a "the glass is half empty" kind of mood today. He is right. I have been looking at all the "if onlys"
-if only Artyom would find a job that were supposed to get
-if only I could leave that 2nd job behind once and for all
-if only we could expand our family NOW instead of later
Then I was once again reminded...instead of if only, why can't I think "only if".
-only if we do what were supposed to do will we see the blessings.
-only, if I were to have left that 2nd job behind when I wanted to, we would not have the tiny extra we DO have to keep us going right now.
-only, if we would have expanded our familiy when I wanted to, we would be in a much different place right now.
I just dont know how y'all do it. I love reading the many blogs that friends of mine have and it seems as the woman of the house does alot of it. I know these women. They have kids, they have daily duties, they have errands to run, mouths to feed, children to teach, houses to clean, how do you do it?! I am in humble awe over you. And thought that holiday or not, you deserved a shout out.
I know alot of people are posting the things they are grateful for this month, and I did last year. I think I need to do it again. I may wait till December...one reason being that I feel like enough of a slacker as it is! hehe. And the 2nd reason being, I want to start the month off fresh!

So stay tuned. I'm still around, just a bit overwhelmed at the moment!

Way TWO fast

Really?! We brought you home 2 years ago?! Hardly seems possible that 2 years (well over 2 since your b-day was over a month ago!) have come and gone and that the time just keeps speeding up on me!

You are such a blessing to us and I think back about how much I wanted you in our family. I could not be a happier mama.

You had a great time at your party. Although you were a bit shy when it came to being sung to and blowing out the candles. You DID however, feel better once you started to eat your cake. Aunt Diane made you a cake reminiscent of a b-day I had in Utah when I was about 5? I thought it only appropraite you have the same. Circle of b-days past- complete.

Archived

Ok. I admit it. I am not the greatest at keeping up on our blog, althought I have every intention of doing so...I know, I know, no need to remind me where good intentions lead. I had to dig in my archive of pics to find these and am just now getting them up for Grandpa and whoever else might feel so inclined to look at them. (all 5 of you!) hehe.

So here are a few of our 4th of July parade morning. Ella was so mesmorized my the marching band that she decided to become a part of the parade itself and walk along side them for a few hundred feet or so. She would have for the duration if her mean mama did not make her come back to our group. Not before she basked in the compliments that were given her over her outfit which one mother stated, "was SO americana". Hmmm. Ok. I just thought they would be cute to make (and cheap to boot!!) Who knew 2 bandanas and some ribbon could look so adorable?! Maybe it was the kids that were modeling them...

I came out the good mama when I let her keep the slightly too big cowboy hat on, because parting with that erupted in screams louder than other onlookers were wanting to hear. Ahh, the joys! On that note, Happy August and I hope you had a great July!!

Just a few

We have had a pretty fun summer this year, and although I wish every day that I could do more with the girls, I hope they know just how much I love them. I hope they know JUST how much more I could do with them. I hope I do enough...It's hard being a mom sometimes. Anyway. Here are a few updated pics of some of our activities this summer.



Cousin Mady Mae. All the kids had the "sun kissed" red faces. It was SO hot that day. We did our best to keep them all hydrated. The girls are so lucky to have you near by to play with!!!

Ella getting some energy out at our "photo shoot" with cousin Josh.

Sofia doing what Sofia does best....just being herself.

Ella, your smile alone just makes my heart melt.

Cousins Lauren and Derek. We had Dave, Krystal and family here for a few days and we had a ball! So much fun seeing you guys this summer.

Even princesses have to eat

Ella in all her tu-tu cuteness, princessey glory. Thanks Lara for catching this pic!

Can't be

A post without pics, but one that had to be recorded and transferred from my memory to paper before I forget how it went, what exactly was said and how she is growing up WAY too fast before my eyes...
We got our carpet cleaned the other day and told the girls they could not walk on it until it was dry. We made a game out of it with slippers and many trips back and forth from the rooms for potty breaks, water and such. Well our little miss Sofia could not quite resist the temptation the wet carpet had and started to walk on it. When I told her, "Maka! You cannot walk on the carpet with your bare feet." She looked up at me with utter astonishment and said, but Mama! They are'nt BARE feet...they're GIRL feet.

I stood corrected.

Now, it can't be that I'm the only Mom who hears stuff like this come out of her kid's mouth and think that it is priceless. But to me, it really was.