our family christmas

We had our own family celebration on Christmas Eve. We ate supper by candlelight, which was pretty neat. We used some special snowman plates and fancy glasses, which the girls thought was pretty awesome. They enjoyed drinking out of the "fancy glasses." After supper, we opened gifts. Violet insisted on wearing a princess dress and crown for the event. It's nice that Olivia and Violet are still at an age where they get excited by simple things. For example, Olivia got SO EXCITED when she opened some new underwear! She posed with them so I could take a picture, and she had to change into them right after we were done opening gifts. They also were pretty happy with a "How to Draw Uglydoll" book from their stuffed Uglydoll animals Wippy and Dave. They had so much fun! After presents, we watched the Christmas movie "Polar Express"as a family. The girls loved it, and by the end were saying how much they believe in Santa. We put out milk and cookies for Santa and everything had to be just right. The girls rearranged the cookies on the plate about five times before they felt it was ready. Violet said she was going to stay up all night so she could see Santa; however, I checked on them about ten minutes after putting them to bed, and they were both fast asleep. They were pretty tired from an exciting and fun weekend!

Violet opening a Disney Princess doll

Olivia posing with her new underwear

Olivia with their "How to Draw Uglydoll" book

Violet & Olivia, leaving milk and cookies for Santa

This morning, Christmas Day, Olivia peeked downstairs and came running in our room to tell us that there were presents under our tree. Santa came!! Olivia got the Strawberry Shortcake dolls she wanted, and Violet got her Strawberry Shortcake "castle" (a strawberry-shaped house). Their stocking were also filled with little treats. They were so excited!!!

We had a great Christmas this year. The girls are at such a fun age where everything is truly magical. We are very blessed with such wonderful family and friends!!

Santa came!!

Violet's Strawberry Shortcake castle

Olivia's Strawberry Shortcake dolls

Violet displaying her stocking treats

Olivia's candy cane pen from her stocking

tis the season....

On December 19th, Olivia & Violet participated in a Christmas program with their preschool daycare class and with the kindergarten class from the school attached to their daycare. The theme was a "Jesus Tree," which they decorated with ornaments throughout the service that symbolized different things about Jesus. They sang several songs including "Away in a Manger," a Christmas version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and "Go Tell It On the Mountain," which was a favorite. Everyone in the audience loved how LOUD the kids sang on that one! They also had some lines to recite with their class. They sat up front through the whole service, and they both did a great job. Afterward, we had some snacks with the other families, which gave the girls a chance to run around with their friends. They had been practicing for weeks, so they were very excited to perform!

Olivia & Violet, ready for their Christmas program

Olivia & Violet with their best friend Sylvia from daycare

Goofing around with some of their classmates after the program

This past Saturday, we celebrated Christmas with the Suchy family. The girls went sledding and snowmobiling, which they thought was a blast. Grandpa Suchy built a snow hill in the yard, which they used to slide off of, and Violet said her favorite part of the day was snowmobiling with Daddy! We opened presents, and the girls were lucky to receive many nice gifts. One of their favorites was a horse trailer and horses from Grandpa & Grandma, which they played with right away. The girls had a blast spending time with their cousins!

Violet sledding

Olivia & Uncle Joey, ready to go down the hill

Daddy & Violet on Grandpa's snowmobile

Violet & Olivia

Suchy cousins with Grandpa & Grandma Suchy

On Sunday, we celebrated with the Thronson family. The kids put on a talent show this year, which was hosted by the oldest cousins Maya & Emma. They had a sign-up sheet where you could register to perform your talent. It was awesome! There was some piano playing, some singing, some jumping, and even a skit. Olivia & Violet did somersaults as their talent. It was great!! Then the kids were able to partake in their tradition of mattress jumping. Luckily, no one got hurt again this year! Then, Maya read the Christmas story, and then we had a delicious meal, followed by presents. All of the kids received Uglydolls, popular stuffed animals, as gifts. They had a great time together! We all stayed overnight and played together the next morning. The girls played with their new Legos from Grandpa & Grandma Thronson.

Thronson Cousins

Violet's talent: A somersault

Talent show: singing "Jingle Bells"

Mattress jumping

Cousins with their new Uglydolls

man alive, we're five!

On November 29, Olivia & Violet turned five. They were very excited for their birthday this year! They brought cupcakes to daycare, then Jamie & I picked them up after lunch and took them to Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. This has been our tradition the past few years, which the girls remember of course, so they asked about it for weeks beforehand. They were the bravest they've ever been on the rides! Their favorite rides were the kid bumper cars and the little roller coaster. Violet even went on the big ferris wheel with Daddy and her cousin William. We were happy that my sister Terri and her two kids were able to meet up with us because Olivia and Violet had a blast with them.

We all ate supper at the mall. The girls got to pick what they wanted to eat, so they had macaroni and cheese, pizza and chocolate milk. What a combination!

When we got home, they opened a few presents from me and Daddy. Their favorites were a Doc McStuffins doll and Uglydoll stuffed animals. We had to open them right away so they could play with them! They were pretty tired by the time bedtime rolled around, but they had a great day.

I just can't believe my baby girls are five. This is truly such a great age, I wish I could freeze them for awhile. They have so much fun with each other and are very independent, but yet they are still innocent and still need their Mommy and Daddy. :) We are very proud of our girls and we love them very much!!

Five year olds Violet & Olivia

William, Olivia & Violet on the Wonder Pets ride

Bumper cars!!

Violet & Olivia on Swiper's Sweeper cars

Violet & Olivia on Azul the Train

We love the little roller coaster!!

Violet showing her Doc McStuffins doll

Olivia with Big Toe, her Uglydoll stuffed animal

thanksgiving weekend

We had a great and relaxing Thanksgiving weekend. On Thanksgiving Day, we went to Terri & Aaron's house in south Minneapolis. My parents were there, along with my sister Nikki and her family. The weather was so surprisingly nice that the kids played outside for most of the day. We had a very delicious meal and all contributed to William's thankful tree by naming what we are thankful for. It was a great day!

Kids table at Thanksgiving

On Friday, we took Olivia & Violet to the doctor for their annual well visit. They did great and are developing fine, but we were surprised to learn they are in the 85th and 95th percentile for height and weight. Wow! The doctor was especially surprised when they started naming some of their body parts in Spanish. The visit was a little traumatic though because they had to give a urine sample, blood sample, get three shots in their legs and a flu mist up their nose. They were quite upset but calmed down pretty quickly after we left. As a reward, we picked out our Christmas tree after their doctor visit. We let Olivia & Violet pick out the tree they wanted, and they settled on a white fir. I have to admit that I didn't like it at first, but once we decorated it at home, it is quite beautiful. They picked out a great tree!

Our tree: Before

Our tree: After

On Saturday, we went downtown to Macy's to see Santa. It was very busy so we had to wait in line for quite awhile, but the girls were determined to see Santa. When they walked into the room and saw him, Violet's face just beamed, and she ran up to him and gave him a hug. Olivia did the same, and then they both sat on his lap and talked to him for awhile. Violet told him she wanted a Strawberry Shortcake castle for Christmas, and Olivia said she wanted Strawberry Shortcake dolls. They hugged him goodbye and were sad to leave. From there, we walked out to Nicollet Mall and watched the Holidazzle Parade, which consists of fairy tale-themed floats covered in Christmas lights. Olivia & Violet LOVED it. They kept peering down the street to see which lighted floats were coming next. They kept yelling and pointing "There are more coming!" They also waved to all of the floats as they passed. Santa was at the end of the parade so that caused them to talk about Santa most of the way home. They said they wanted to make him some presents that they could leave for him to take home on Christmas!

Violet & Olivia with Santa

Having a graham cracker snack before the Holidazzle Parade

Waving at the Holidazzle Parade floats

Santa at the end of the parade

early birthday celebration

We celebrated Olivia & Violet's fifth birthday along with cousin Emma's seventh birthday on Saturday, October 27. Olivia & Violet wore their Halloween costumes, which were made by Granny Thronson this year. Olivia was Rapunzel and Violet was Cinderella. They loved their dresses and felt like real sparkly princesses!

Guests included both sets of grandparents; Rhonda, Jeff & Emma; Nikki, Brian, Maya, Alex, Evan & Owen; Terri, William and Noelle; Jill, Nicholas & Chelsey; and Janell & Claire. Olivia and Violet had a blast with their cousins.

The weather was pretty decent, so we had an outside scavenger hunt for candy. The kids all had fun searching the yard and were quite excited when they found their bigger baskets. The kids also took swings at a piñata, which was eventually broken by Emma. Olivia stuffed her pockets FULL with treats from the piñata. Violet did also, with Uncle Jeff's help.

After that, the birthday girls opened gifts. Olivia & Violet were SO EXCITED about everything. Olivia especially screamed with delight at all of her gifts, and would hold them up over her head. One of their favorite gifts was two wheeled scooters. They started using them right away! We all sang happy birthday as the girls blew out the candles on their cakes.

We had such a fun day!

Birthday girls Olivia, Emma & Violet

Olivia on a scavenger hunt for candy

Violet found her scavenger hunt basket!

Olivia taking a swing at the piñata

Violet's turn at the piñata

Emma broke the pinata! Hooray!

Violet playing with her new Caboodle

Olivia kissing her new scooter

Happy birthday Olivia & Violet!

summer recap

Wow, I can’t believe it has been two months since I've been able to post an update. Our summer has just flown by with our busy lives. I am actually welcoming the cooler fall weather and the change of seasons; our seasonal “wardrobe swap” has been made so we are ready!

Olivia and Violet have been such a blast this summer. They are at such a great age; I wish I could freeze them for awhile. They are still young and innocent, but yet they are hilarious, and have become very independent (wanting to get themselves dressed, for example). They are already bringing up their birthday (November 29) and our tradition of going to Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. I can’t believe my babies are going to be five!

So, what have we been doing the past few months? Here is a glimpse.

Daycare Circus
On August 23, the girls put on a circus with their preschool friends at daycare. Violet was a ringmaster and Olivia was a tightrope walker, so they dressed the part. The show was about 20 minutes long and featured a parachute sequence, introductions, and lots of tumbling. They even served the viewers some popcorn. The girls did great; I was so proud of them!

Olivia (tightrope walker) & Violet (ringmaster)

The circus crew!

Getting ready for their parachute performance

State Fair
On August 29, we went to the Minnesota State Fair. We rode the bus from downtown to the fairgrounds, which Olivia and Violet thought was pretty cool. Their favorite things were the All You Can Drink Milk booth, the Big Slide, the rides, and of course the food. We went through most of the animal barns, and tried two of the new exhibits: the Giant Sandbox and the Mr. Bubble foam pit. The weather was very hot that day, but it wasn't very crowded, which was nice! Uncle Joey came with us, and we also met up with Auntie Jill for awhile. The girls had a blast.

Waiting for the bus to take us to the fair

Watching the cow competition in the Coliseum

After we visited the Oink Booth in the pig barn

All You Can Drink Milk!

Posing with Mr. Bubble

Olivia in the Mr. Bubble foam pit

Olivia & Violet ramming bumper boats

Camping
On Labor Day weekend, we went camping with Grandma & Grandpa Thronson. The girls loved the resort; they made new friends, went swimming, and had a blast on the water slide (after Granny’s bribe of $1.00 if they went down it by themselves). Grandpa also treated them to ice cream, and Olivia loved climbing on the water mat. We also spent time with our friend Esther, who flew up to visit us from her internship in Georgia.

Olivia going down the water slide

Violet going down the water slide

Eating supper at Granny & Grandpa's camper

T-ball
On September 9, the girls started fall t-ball. This is their first time playing t-ball, but they can’t wait until Sundays roll around because that means they get to play. The first two weeks consisted of practice (I use that term loosely), where they learned to throw, field grounders and run bases. Last Sunday was their first “game” against another team. While they were in the field, Olivia and Violet spent more time drawing in the dirt than watching the ball. Their coach had to keep reminding them to put their gloves on. Oh well, it was a beautiful day and they had fun, which is the most important.

Violet & Olivia, ready for practice

Anniversary Party

On September 22, we celebrated Grandma & Grandpa Thronson’s 40th wedding anniversary. My entire family gathered at my sister Nikki’s house. It was great to have everyone there, as this doesn’t happen very often. Olivia and Violet sure enjoyed playing with their cousins. We had a delicious meal, watched some old home videos, and reminisced. I think it is pretty neat that my parents have been together for so many years! Congratulations Mom & Dad!

Granny & Grandpa with all of their grandchildren

Field Trip

Yesterday, the girls went on a daycare field trip to an apple farm. They picked out their own outfits to wear and therefore thought I should take a picture. They were pretty proud of themselves for picking out their clothes! They had a great time on their field trip; they saw many animals, jumped in corn, picked apples and came home with a coloring book, apple, corn cob and gourd. They thought it was pretty neat to ride on a school bus to and from the farm. When they got up this morning, they asked if it was field trip day again!