Happy Birthday to Jesus

Last week we had a Birthday Party for Jesus. It was so much fun. We invited several of Cadence's friends over to celebrate with us. 

We started off by watching the Miss PattyCake Christmas DVD. We have the presents just like she opens on the movie so it was fun for the kids to put together the nativity scene as the movie went on. 

After Miss PattyCake, we went downstairs to eat "cake"  really it was rice crispy treats and they were SO good. Everyone got a candle in their rice crispy treat and then we all sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and blew out our candles. To watch a video of it click here.




Playing with toys. 


Before we left, NaNa read a book about Christmas. The pictures look better than how the actual book went. But the moms liked it either way :)

Overall the party was lots of fun. I'm so glad that we have fun ways to celebrate that Jesus came to earth. 

I don't have much left to blog because Cadence is in Florida with AprilLou and Luke this week. But April is doing a great job blogging her Cadence adventures. To keep up with her go to www.aprilandluke.blogspot.com

Christmas Time is Here!!!

Christmas has officially come to the Andersen house!  We've put up (both) trees, there are lights on the house (and a big snowman!!), Santa Claus has been seen (twice). I think it's official. Chris and I are LOVING Christmas this year because Cadence LOVES it. She is so much fun!!  Everything is a big deal that makes us love it even more. There is more Christmas to come (obviously) but here is what we have experienced so far. Keep checking back as we do more....

When Mom and Dad were here we took her to see Santa. She really liked him and sat right in his lap. She told him that she wanted a present and a yellow book. I think we've got that covered ;)

While in Wake Forest putting up Emily's tree Kay-Kay came over to see Cadence - and the rest of us too - but mostly Cadence. She brought this HUGE snowman as well as the adorable Christmas dress seen below. When Chris put the snow man up Cadence was literally squealing she was so excited. WE LOVED IT!! I so wish I would have gotten it on video because it was so cute and completely showed the stage of life that we are at right now. But, the pictures will have to do. 

The dress from Kay-Kay with the matching one for her Bitty Baby. 

Showing me the candy on our tree. 
"Mommy's Tree"

When we were in Wal-Mart before Thanksgiving we saw the display at the door of little pre-lit trees. This is how the conversation about it went

Cadence:  Screamed and  pitched a fit for one 

Ashleigh:  no,  I have a list of things to get today and a Christmas Tree isn't on the list. 

Cadence: "I want my GiGi!!"  

Ashleigh:  That's fine when GiGi comes for Thanksgiving she can bring you to WalMart for a tree because I'm not buying one.

Cadence:  I want my GiGi 

So, 3 days after Thanksgiving, Cadence and GiGi decorating the tree

Thanksgiving!!

For Thanksgiving this year, everyone came to our house. We had so much fun. Everyone got in on Thursday morning about breakfast time and we pretty much spent it in our pajamas. We cooked and ate our big turkey in the afternoon.  April and Luke had to go home on Friday so we took them to the airport and then went on to Emily and Rob's in Wake Forest. We had so much fun with our family. They are definitely on the top of the list of things we are thankful for!

Here are some pictures from the weekend. 

Cadence with her uncles (and aunt)

Cadence loved helping GiGi with the dished. She was in charge of drying and putting away the silverware :)


Mom brought the decoration and so we put up our Christmas Tree on Thursday. I LOVE it!!

Sitting around in our pj's

Em and Rob were in charge of breakfast. It was all so yummy!  Cadence is eating guacamole!

Liz and Shan are officially in Prague now so they were just with us via Skype. We were all so glad to get to talk to them. 

"The Three Ninja's"  Em and Rob brought RockBand for the wii and we all had so much fun playing it. But I think the boys had the best time ;)  Here is a video of their performance 

I love this picture because Emily looks pregnant in it :)

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving was the Mooresville Christmas Parade. Why it happens before Thanksgiving I don't know but it always does and it's a huge big deal in Mooresville so we went. Cadence had been her first Christmas to the parade but not last year so she had no idea of what a parade even was. But she was excited to go either way. 

Here she is all thugged out waiting to leave. 

We rode with some friends and met up with other ones once we got there. Cadence was so excited about all of her friends (and Daddy) being with her. 

The girls

I loved this car and it's mini-me

The girls danced and waved at everything that went by. 






Once we got home, she busted into the candy. Here she is eating a box of nerds. She poured the whole thing out on the table and ate them this way. 

Here is a video of the girls dancing to one of the bands. It's too funny to not include in this post.