I spent my afternoon saying over and over to friends, my mom, other parents at my children’s school, the receptionist at the dental office and my husband, “I once was organized! I had it together! I swear! There were days when not only did I go where I was scheduled to go – I was early!” Thinking that if I let others know that information, out loud, maybe I will be that way again. But as I drove home from dance I started laughing – this day was funny.

It started pretty OK. Kids to school – check! Me to tennis – check! Lock It and Leave It opened on time – check! I even scheduled dentist appointments for the girls before 10:30 am. I entertained the idea of a cute Facebook update like, “Just scheduled two dentists appointments – that’s productive enough to call it a day!” The fact that I never posted that statement was a precursor to the rest of the day, I just didn’t know it.

I left work, got the girls after school snacks and got a good parking spot at pick up – I’m rockin. I had their dance bags with me since my mom so nicely volunteered to meet them at dance while I went back to school for the girls’ teacher conferences. Yep – not only did I schedule conferences during their dance class, I scheduled it for a time that Bill and I could not be there together – two points for the mom on the ball! Back to pick up … when the girls got in the car they both said, almost in unison, “Guess what you forgot to put in our bags today?” I was really thinking I was on top of things so I couldn’t think of much. They both say loudly, “Shoes!”. They had to clomp around in their snow boots at school and since Bridget had gym, but no gym shoes, she had to sit on the sidelines. Another score for me!

Well I got them to dance – dressed and ready – and headed back to school for conferences. I was early – it was a miracle. I stood outside of Lucy’s classroom looking at the conference schedule and then I saw it – Holy hell – Lucy’s conference is tomorrow!! Then I crossed the hall to Bridget’s classroom’s schedule – yep – TOMORROW! How did I seriously not write down their conferences on the right day – I used to be organized!!

And remember those dentist appointments I so impressed myself with scheduling? Yep – tomorrow.

Oh today … YOU were funny. You had this girl, right here, laughing.


One of the huge reasons I am choosing to laugh and share today is because my friend Becca; who I’ve talked about before; is battling both types of cancer she has dealt with again. I think about her every minute of the day. And if she had a day like today, she would laugh at it! Please send up prayers for Becca and her family every moment you can. And share the funny stories – they are the best ones

http://www.creativebug.com/site/about

I don’t believe bridget&lucy has hit the end of it’s journey.  It’s in a resting phase.  Mom and I jumped ALL in – with sewing knowledge (hers) and some tech saavy (mine) and went for it!  We got to a point in producing clothes where we had to start finding more outlets to sell our clothing – crap!  We didn’t know how to do that yet!  SO – we decided with life as it was, we could produce our original designs as sewing patterns and sell them to sewing stores and digitally.  So we went to Quilt Market – and it rocked!  Awesome!  Then, as ALL sewing pattern writers experience, we started dealing with people copying our designs and selling them on their own.   Oy – not something we liked dealing with at all!  (Am I right Art Moms and Rebekah Scott?)  That being said, it’s the reality of being in the creativity biz.

SO – what’s next?  We have a million ideas brewing and we’re just waiting for the next one to jump out at us – cause we’re not done! In the meantime I’m going to try and blog about the creativity that is going on right now – like knitting this adorable pattern by pink brutus for the girls -

Adorbs.  I won’t be including the tattoos for them at this point .  Although I’m contemplating a new one for me.  Another big something that has snuck into my life – Reiki!  I’m now a level two certified Reiki pracitcioner.  It’s amazing. Life is good people – LIFE IS GOOD!

What’s everyone doing to stay creative right now?  Since I JUST took Christmas down(you can laugh) I’m having fun rearranging the house and decor.

I guess one homemade gift PER girl – so two for this year.  That is a far cry from last year where I think almost everyone in my family got something homemade from me.  BUT there was good reason.  A new business opened in the Pederson family and we are now in storage.  That’s right – Storage Wars here we come.  

This cowl pattern for the girls was SUPER fun to knit and I would totally suggest the pattern to anyone looking for something to cast on right now.  The pattern is called Squishy Love and I bought it on Ravelry HERE.  Anybody else do homemade this year?  

“Somewhat Deep” I have a driving urge to constantly create something.  My husband can attest.  When we talk about a new business or a business idea I always come back to, “But I want to MAKE something”.  This urge has become stronger as I’ve gotten older, had kids and run out of time to be creative on a regular basis . Oh the irony.  When I’m creating something – whether it’s knitting, sewing, baking, cooking – I’m calm.  I am so thankful for THAT in regard to my creativity.  What drives YOUR creativity?

Some recent “must do now” creative endeavors .

Is she the cutest thing in the whole world?  ANYWAY – I am unbelievably blessed to have a relationship with my mother that is so so special – both my sister and I are.  So she will be BOTH parts of my gratitude today .

“Bubbly” I thank my mother for giving me the confidence to wear my pajamas to the grocery store with a cute pink coat over them while thinking it’s totally appropriate.  I sometimes joke that mom has instilled too much confidence in me, but as mothers isn’t that the absolute best thing we can wish for our daughters?!  I’m also grateful that her passion for sparkly/glittered anything has been passed on to my sister and I.

“Somewhat Deep” My mom has dealt with some serious loss in her life – her parents passed too early and 3 of 5 siblings have passed from disease and accident.  She really has been through enough to be a little crabby, a little pessimistic, a little dark.  Well, anyone that knows her can attest, SHE’S THE OPPOSITE OF ALL THOSE THINGS!  Hardly anything gets her ruffled, she just goes with the flow.  Sometimes that ends up being dangerous – like when she’s driving – but mostly it makes her a compassionate human being.  She accepts everyone, loves all she can and laughs about almost anything.   She watches me raise our girls and even when I’m probably doing something bonkers she stays quiet and figures out how she can help.  She beams.  She lights up a room.  And she’s a hell of an iPad solitaire player. I’m so GRATEFUL to have her as my mom.

And she does celebrations with a bang – here’ s Ms. B’s birthday dinner at her house.

“Somewhat Deep” – I’m thankful for the web of relationships I enjoy.  From childhood family friends, to friends that live too far away, to new friends in the past decade to my unbelievable family.  When I think about how amazing they all are, how much I’ve learned, how much they’ve all shaped me I get overwhelmed – in a good way.  A friend, that is truly family, is a having a cord blood transplant today to fight her second form of cancer in two years.  SHE makes me thankful for our relationship. HER journey inspires me on a daily basis to be kinder to all, slow down and enjoy each step.  (LOVE AND HUGS TO BECCA!)

“Bubbly”  I can’t get enough of Pandora’s “Positive Hip Hop” Station.  I know every song and feel the need to sing every one – loudly.

How about you?!

 photo by the fabulous Meghan Archer – you can contact her at Meg.Archer88@gmail.com

My best friend Lindsay, of Expressing Motherhood, and I danced at a half time show for the local CBA team.  We were probably in 7th grade and wore fantastic bodysuits to highlight our super confident junior high bodies (HA!)  And as written in the note, a lot of our friends showed up.  And as also written in the note – this ended our lives OFFICIALLY!  I’m taping this up in my office for two reasons.  1. To remind myself that life DID NOT actually end when I endured an embarrassing experience or 20 AND 2. To give me perspective when my daughters hit the ages where something seems SO important/devastating/world-ending, that I try to remember a speck of how that felt and act accordingly.