It's Begining To Look a Lot Like Christmas

Can you believe it is that time of year again already? I was looking at pictures from last Christmas, with my cute baby bump and thinking "only 3 more months" and now I am so excited to celebrate Olivia's 1st Christmas and am thinking, can she be a year already in "only 3 more months"?

If you havn't met her, you must! She is the most amazing little thing, and if I havn't meantioned it before, hands down the funniest human on this earth!

We have been busy babyproofing our house. When OJ first learned to crawl she was just so amazed to be moving she didn't take a big interst in the tables, stairs or any single thing in our home that can now turn into a death trap. I have put a gate on the stairs and corner bumpers on the tables. If you came to my house, you would know just by looking around I am a mother to a crawling baby.

I have totally been slacking at updating Olivia's blog, and do you want to know why? Facebook. I am totally obsessed with it, and can't stop. So I deeply apologize, that my new obsession is causing a lack in these precious Olivia memories.

Now for what you are waiting for...New Pictures! Enjoy! And if I don't get back to you before the holidays, have a blessed Christmas & a Safe & Happy New Year! XOXO

November Fun

I have to say, life is busy & I have been so lax at updating Olivia's Blog! We have been having a great fall! Olivia is crawling like a maniac and we keep thinking she is getting close to walking, but she really has no interest in it. She just loves to stand up on everything!

It has been a busy month! We had our last Kindermusik class a few weeks back, and quickly started into swimming lessons with Olivia & Brody. The first day she was VERY skeptical (in her Juicy swim suit - From Uncle Drew) of the water, with clenched fists and a very serious face! The second week, she eased up a little and was even smiling at the other babies and the third week she was splashing, tring to blow bubbles, kicking her feet & drinking the water! Her & Brody have so much fun splashing around together in the water. I have some very cute pics of the two I need to get from Cassie, hopefully soon! Next week we are all going to stay for open swim after her lesson & I think her Papa Brian is even going to come over for a dip!

We went up to the Northshore to visit Corey's Aunt & Unc for Thanksgiving! We drove up on Wednesday afternoon with Olivia & Corey's Grandma. It was a long drive for us all, Olivia actually did great! About 40 mins from Jan & Larry's she decided enough was enough & let us have it all the way from Duluth to their house (South of Superior, Wi). Jan even lined up a babysitter (Olivia's first stranger babysitter) and we went out & hit up the lumberjack bars. It was great fun!

I am not feeling my creative writing skills flowing today, so I will stop here & just start posting pics (which is what you are here for anyway, right?). Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thankful for everyone that keeps up on our goings-on.

Pumpkin Patch!

We took Olivia to the cutest pumpkin patch a few weekends back! We had so much fun! They have an apple orchard, honey farm & grow pumpkins. And they grow Honeycrisp Apples (my favorite!), but we were too late in the season to get any. So next year we will go back earlier.

Happy Halloween from the Artic

Halloween came & went with no snow! My birthday came & went with NO BLIZZARDS...which to me proves global warming. Since I was a little girl, all my birthday parties were RUINED by snow. Maybe not ALL of them, but a lot of them. And the past few years...no snow. I know we say every winter it keeps getting colder & colder...but it seems as though Fall is gracing us with its presence for a greater length of time!

Our Halloween was a blast! We dressed Olivia up in the most non-car seat friendly costume, that she supprisingly didn't mind. And looked so darn cute! The princess costume in past pics was her 'pre-halloween' costume to go with Brody's dragon (like the fairytales).

Here is a glimpse at our halloween! Happy Fall everyone!

*More pics to come!

Caringbridge Vs. Google Blogger

I recently met the cutest little girl at Olivia's daycare named Paityn. She is 3 months old and has the same liver disease, Biliary Artesia, as our little buddy Jace! And when I met her, and Barb (our daycare Momma) was telling me some of her story, the first thing I thought of was...'Does she have a caringbridge site?'. And I went home and added her to our prayer list, and as I was rocking Olivia to bed saying our prayers that night I thought...how lucky we are that we don't have a caringbridge site...and how thankful we are that Olivia is so healthy.

I look back at some of my postings on what a stressful time I am having because I don't have enough time to clean my house, wash my clothes or paint my nails...all because I choose to spend time with my dear Olivia playing dolls or crawling around...and then I think about these Mom's who are SO STRONG and they don't have a choice of when they can clean their homes or paint their nails because they spend all their time (happily) juggling between hospitals & appointments to try to keep their babies happy & loved and I just have to take a deep breath and thank the Lord for the life I live and that maybe, just maybe I am a little too dramatic about things that really don't matter.

For all you Momma Bloggers out there, take a minute to count your blessings and say a little prayer for all the Momma 'caringbridge' Bloggers and all the daily heartaches they have to deal with.

I am posting a list of the Caringbridge Sites we keep up on and say prayers for. If you are looking for a 'prayer buddy' please keep anyone of these dear families in mind, prayers have given these families the power & strength to get through & keep going when times have really been tough.

There are times when I can't find the words to give justice to the circumstances that these families are going through, and I found this prayer, and on the days when I don't know what to say or pray for I use this:

Prayer for the Sick
Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the sick, we turn to you in this time of illness. O dearest comforter of the troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our worries in your hands. We place our sick under your care and humbly ask that you restore your servant to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge your will and know that whatever you do, you do for the love of us. Amen.

Cute Pics! Olivia's First TuTu

My Mom & I went 'used' baby clothes shopping the other day and found lots of great deals! Tons of cute dresses for the winter & happened to have stumbbled upon a TuTu in the costume section! So cute!

New Kodakgallery Pics

Here is a link to some new pics I posted on Kodak. Enjoy!

Kodak Gallery Pics