Penelope's Birthday Party - My Little Pony!

I used to love My Little Ponies when I was a kid - so this is a trend I can get behind! Penelope loves her ponies, knows all their names, of course, and will play with them quietly, acting out scenes and doing their voices. It is in a word, adorable.

Mema made the cutest decorations, food and cards for the party with the family! 

She opens her presents and kisses them - even clothes! My Grandma Ray would thoroughly enjoy watching this girl open presents. I was always too calm for her taste when opening gifts. She wanted us to be ecstatic to get her gifts! :)


My Little Pony!! from Shannon Hiller on Vimeo.

Penelope is also into Play Dough - but she is NOT into putting away Play Dough. That's a tough combination... we have already had some dried up dough to throw out. Live and learn I guess....

Latest Kid Quotes

I got Penelope some new flip flops and when I got home from Old Navy I held them up her to see. She looked at them for a second and said, "Cute, but not adorable."

Claire was sitting in the front seat- a new perk. Feeling like a big kid I guess, she said, "Who are you voting for in the presidential election?" I said I wasn't sure and maybe I might not vote at all. Her mouth dropped open and she said, "Are you ALLOWED to do that???"

I asked Penelope what she wanted for a snack. I gave her two options. "You choose," she says.  So I chose one. She said, "Choose again."

This is how Penelope says eeny meeny miny mo: "Eeny meeny miny mo, tackle by the toe. Red light blue, I choose you!" And then she chooses whatever she wants :)

Mother's Day - Realistic Expectations

I've learned to just look forward to a nice card and homemade gifts on Mother's Day - not a complete break from my mom gig. Megan told me that Erick says, it's not "Don't be a Mother's Day" - so true!

So, despite the craziness of getting ready for church and sitting alone with the kids at church (the new norm), it was a pretty good Mother's Day. Sunday is just a stressful day at our house for me anyway.

We had a nice dinner at Jonelle and Ken's house - the guys did the cooking and clean up and we just got to hang out and enjoy the good food. We had a lovely taco bar - my favorite!

Missing the heart necklace I gave to Betty, but I wanted to remember the sentiment 

Frame from Miles and letter from Claire

 

Penelope's Fourth Birthday Questionnaire

1. What is your favorite color? Pink and purple

2. What is your favorite toy? My Little Ponies

3. What is your favorite stuffed animal? Apple Jack My Little Pony

4. What is your favorite thing to sleep with? My Pillow Pet (unicorn)

5. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries

6. What is your favorite cereal? Mema's cereal

7. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Breakfast burritos

8. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Luncheables

9. What is your favorite dessert? I usually like ice cream

10. What is your favorite drink? Soda

11. What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? McDonalds

12. What is your favorite animal? Leopard cheetah

13. What is your favorite book? It's about animals and I like it.

14. What is your favorite song? The rainbow song that I maked up

Penelope and her "No P in Your Name" signs

15. What is your favorite game?  My Little Pony match game from May

16. What is your favorite TV show?  Team Oomi Zoomi

17. What is your favorite movie?  I give up... I just like Team Oomi Zoomi

18. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Look at our tortoise

19. Who is your best friend?  Usually Ivy

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Be a vet

Church Talent Show

Claire sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow for the Activity Day Girls' Talent Show - she practiced and practiced, and it paid off! This is a song we have been singing to her and with her since she was a baby. She did a great job and didn't even seem nervous. I would never have done something like that as a kid!


Somewhere Over the Rainbow from Shannon Hiller on Vimeo.

It's a Small World

Miles has a school performance recently where his 1st grade class sang and signed It's a Small World... try getting that song out of your head now! I had him sign and sing for me since I wasn't sure we'd get a good angle at the actual performance.


It's a small world from Shannon Hiller on Vimeo.

Kid Quotes

Betty told me that recently Penelope told her that she she loved Betty's white jacket. Penelope is very in to giving compliments lately and it's pretty fun. But then she told Betty, "I like your jacket because it matches your hair!"

We were driving around the school and Penelope said, "Why does that sign say 'no P in your name??'" I think she was getting worried since her name has a couple P's, after all... It was a no parking sign.

As part of my healthy lean and green eating goals, I was attempting to make zucchini noodles -  Zoodles. I decided to make a half batch and I said out loud that no one else besides me would probably eat them anyway. Miles pipes in with "Well, maybe you and the tortoise." 😂

Penelope goes through phases where bedtime is just a rough process... Lately she says that there are "little guys" that she is afraid of at bedtime. I ask her what they are and she just shows me her finger and thumb pinched together to show me the size of the "little guys" that appear when the lights go out. So I decided to tell her a hapy bedtime story while lying with her on the floor by Miles's bed (where she likes to sleep when the little guys come out). The story was about a girl with super powers who could blow on the little guys and POOF! They vanish into a bit of smoke. I could tell she was liking the story and smiling about her super powers... but then Miles decided to add to the story. He said, "And THEN...her powers went away!!" I said, "Miles!!!!" And gave him a look like 'thanks a lot dude.' He paused and said,  "I just made it worse, didn't I?"

Penelope to me and Matt, "Because your the bosses I'm going to make you the king and queen."  Done and done!

At Kohls the other day, Penelope and I were looking at jewelry and she kept bringing me these super loud colorful necklaces. She told me her Baby Alive doll might like them instead... but I said I wanted something more simple. Next thing I know, she has brought me earrings with the label Simply Vera Wang.  This girl can read, I'm telling you!