You know you are a hoosier when...

You name your BBQ according to a show on the food network.

Jon's "Big Black" (which thankfully is no longer at our house!!)

Outdoor fun!

We are really lucky to have a lot of parks near our house. The kids are getting to the age where they like to play on the equipment which makes it fun. Here are a few pics from the past week...

Our early childhood center had a Teddy Bear Picnic party. Our kids were more interested in the pool of balls though...


Swinging at Des Peres Park...Elaina's new thing is to yell weeee when you push her!


Still crawling (and drooling...I think we are almost done with the teething though!!)


He loves the slide!


But loves throwing the rocks even more!


Peek a boo!


Doesn't she look so ready to go down the slide?!


But she hit the bump and her tiny self went up in the air!


So she is trying it on her belly:)

Boy in a box

Skylar was laughing like crazy and this is what I caught him doing...

Nope...he is not walking yet:(

I think the question most people ask us these days about the kids is "So is Skylar walking yet?" I think when he does we will have a huge party! Like everything else, he does things in his own sweet time. He is not motivated by seeing Elaina do something. Nope, until he is good and ready he doesn't do it! Do we think he can walk? Absolutely! He cruises fast, walks holding our hands, climbs, and crab crawls. But once you let go of him, he won't even try to walk. We keep saying...I hope he walks by Easter, I hope he walks by the time we go to Gibson Island. Now I just hope he walks by the time he is 2!

I had to laugh at something my mom told me which is kind of how I feel about Skylar walking. She asked my brother (who I hope doesn't mind if I share) if Olivia had slept through the night a few nights ago because they have been working on that. He replied...everyone asks us that and the answer is NO! She didn't sleep through the night, she has never slept through the night, and she never WILL sleep through the night! It just cracked me up because when you are waiting for a baby/child to do something it seems like they will never do it!

Back to work for a day...

Back to work and I survived! OK so the day was not how will be in the fall. The kids didn't go to day care and I didn't have a class to teach all day but I got up, got showered and dressed, fed the kids, dressed them, and still got to my workshop on time. Good trial run...and I made it out of my house without stains on my pants!

It felt really good to be back. Today's workshop was for teachers changing grades and it was exciting to see what I will be teaching next year. My mind is swirling with ideas! I can't wait to get back into the classroom. When I came home and was so happy to be with my kids. I felt like I was much more present than I normally am by that time of the day. Both kids had not napped well (and Jon looked worn out from it!). And usually I would be feeling frustrated if they were crabby but I wasn't. I know it will be hard to juggle all my responsibilities. But I love my job and I am glad I had the opportunity to go back to it.

How is your state being helped?

I usually use this site to post updates just on the kids but I think it should be more because Life with the Pedersens, while very much consumed with the kids, is not just that. Tomorrow is the 100th day of office for President Obama. I, for one, am encouraged by his work. This link, Foundation for Change, details how some of the actions taken by his administration are effecting people in your state. In particular I am excited about the health care coverage now being extended to children who were previously uninsured! Take a moment to see the number of people in your state being aided by his actions as our President.

Warm Weather + Happy Kids = A Great Afternoon

With all of us feeling better we ventured to the front yard to play today. I am not brave enough to go too far from home with the effects of the medicine still taking their toll on Skylar! Nothing like trying to change an awful diaper in a public bathroom or worse having to wait the whole drive home to do it. No thank you! It was just enough time outside for them both to go down easily for their nap after playing ever so quietly in the upstairs playroom while I cleaned. If only every day could be this easy (I hope I didn't just jinx myself!!)


Heading for the sidewalk...


Now what do I do? And oh, his head isn't as big as it looks (he has grown into it!). But this hat is too small and was just resting on his head after he started moving around. Skylar played on the sidewalk for a bit, but quickly moved back into the yard cause that is where the dirt is. He was having a blast digging and throwing it around. So I let him get as dirty as he wanted....who even cares?!? That is what baths are for!


Just taking a stroll up the street...


She also loves the outdoors....sticks, gumballs, dandelions. But she stays looking good while she plays. That is until she opened the cap on the bubbles and starting drinking it...probably to wash down the sticks and gumballs she had just taste tested!