tis the season!

I just had five days off for Thanksgiving and as usual, I'm not sure where that time went. We had dinner here on Thursday for our families. The girls had their flu shots (well really the nasal mist, love that instead of crying children) as well. We also decorated for Christmas. The girls had a blast hanging the ornaments this year. It meant that I had to go back afterward and move some where there were three ornaments hanging on one branch! They would get into one area of the tree and just pile them on there. It was really fun for me to watch the girls check out all of the ornaments and wonder whose they were and where they came from. I am also busy with my Christmas crafting projects. For once, I am nearly done with them already so I might not be frantically trying to finish them on December 23. Instead I'll probably be frantically trying to finish Christmas shopping which I haven't done much of so far.

Christmas fever has arrived at the Hansen home. Shelby is asking me daily if Santa is coming tonight. Thank goodness we'll start the Advent calendar tomorrow so that may give her a more visual way to see when Christmas is.

Just some random pics to share...have a great week and beginning to this fun holiday season!

Shelby is showing off the turkey cookies she decorated with me for our company. It's hard to see with the glare of the sun, but she did a good job and was very proud of them!

Sarah the kitty cat, meow!

Shelby is helping decorate the tree.

Four

So, Shelby is 4. I can't quite believe it. It seems like just yesterday that I was pregnant with her. Time flies doesn't it? She's becoming such a neat girl, and I'm so so proud to be her mommy! We celebrated with a family party on Saturday, and here are a few pics. She had a princess party (as if there could be any other theme) complete with crown cakes made by Nana S.

This is what Shelby (and Sarah) wanted more than anything else for her birthday...pink pig pillows. When we were shopping for Sarah's bed, the girls found pillows like this at the furniture store and desperately wanted them. Of course those pillows were covered in stains from kids (like ours) carrying them around the store while their parents shopped. So, I had to search the internet for something similiar, and they didn't even know the difference.

The princess herself. I had that crown made specially for her princess party and that is the only time she wore it all day (and grudgingly at that). So typical of my strong-willed girl.

the big girl and trick-or-treats

Sarah got her big girl bed last weekend. She just loves it and has spent everyday since telling anyone who will listen that she has a BIG GIRL BED NOW! She has made a very smooth transition into it as well. We debated the side rail thing and decided against it, but I had second thoughts when she fell out of bed during her first nap in it. The loud THUD on the monitor was not a good thing, but she's stayed in it ever since.

Trick-or-treat! As you can see below, we had Dora the Explorer and a pink butterfly for Halloween this year. The girls each chose their own costume and we made them except for buying some clothing the right colors and a "Backpack."

This is Shelby the pink (what other color could she be?) butterfly. We used foam board for the wings, cut them and painted them up then Nate bolted (yes, I said bolted) them to an old sweatshirt that she was outgrowing. We also got her a pink stocking cap and stuck some pipe cleaners in it for antennae. Simple but she really liked it.

A back view of the wings.

Here's Dora...we bought her orange pant and a pink sweatshirt (the colors Dora wears, we checked) which I put the name "Dora" on with felt. Then we bought her "Backpack" which she had so, so been wanting anyway. Again, simple, but people knew what she was.

Here's a pic of most of the gang including their newest addition, Noah who didn't get to join in on the trick-or-treating this year, but he'll join his friends soon enough I'm sure.

We went trick-or-treating with our best buds Olivia and Lucas in Olivia's neighborhood. This was our first real time of trick-or-treating and it was a hit. Both girls did really well and had a BLAST! Shelby is already talking about next year.