Christmas Pictures

Today while Aaron slept, I put Olivia in "one" of her Christmas Dresses. I positioned some christmas boxes in front of the tree, gave her a snowlake ornament and started snapping away. Some turned out great with her smiling at the camera, and others I still love, her innocent face, her looking at the tree, ornament or me. She tapped her shoes off the boxes the entire time... so cute! I am going to do the Wal-mart.com Christmas cards... might check out shutterfly.com too. But look for them in your mailboxes soon! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Wearing our new outfit from Kamryn!

Today Olivia wore her new outfit that Kamryn got her for her birthday. Sad to say that after her afternoon snack it came off and to the washer it went. She had a Oreo Cakester from Grandma Rosie and decided to wear half of the cookie and her juice. But it fit her so well and it's been a while since she's worn Carters... nice quality... very different from Wal-Mart... ha ha!! I also loved watching her try to stand on her own. She is taking several steps by herself now and loves to let go of our hands, or the end tables and stand on her own. You can see in the one picture she is trying to squat by herself without help... her butt sticking out is so cute! She also loves watching her Handy Manny DVD that Uncle Chuck burnt for us. We had a great day!

Recipes!

Cinnamon Roll

1 pkg Dry Yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
¼ cup sugar
1 t. salt
1 egg beaten
2 T. melted margarine
3 ¼ - 3 ½ cup flour
Mix all and refrigerate

Mix ½ stick margarine (melted) with ½ cup white sugar and 1 T cinnamon

Roll dough and spread on mixture

Roll up long way (snake like) cut ¾ slits along top of roll. (so when it cooks the slits slightly open to show the mixture inside)

Let raise 5 hours (in oven… off)

Bake 350 for 15-20 minutes

Take out flick with finger and should sound hollow inside

Ice with powdered sugar and water or icing from a jar.


Egg Bake

1 lb mild sausage, browned and crumbled
6 eggs beaten
2 C milk
1 C grated cheddar cheese (use 2-3 cups)
6 slices white bread, cubed
¼ t. salt
1 T. dry mustard
(I add ½ onion diced)

Brown, drain, and cool sausage. Beat eggs and combine with salt, mustard, bread cubes and sausage. Add cheese (save some for topping if you’d like). Place in sprayed 9x13 pan. Cover with more cheese and refirigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour… when no longer soupy looking.

PUMPKIN CAKE
I made this for Thanksgiving...YUMMY!!

Bottom Layer:
1 box yellow cake mix (reserve 1 cup)
1 egg
1 stick butter, softened
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, mix ingredients with fork and spread in an ungreased 9x13 inche pan. ( I sprayed mine).

Filling:
1 large can p umpkin (I used 2-15oz cans)
3 eggs
1 ½ t. cinnamon
½ C. brown sugar
2/3 C. milk
¼ C. white sugar
Mix together and pour over bottom layer

Topping:
1 cup reserved yellow cake mix
½ C. butter softened.
½ C. white sugar
½ C. chopped nuts
Mix and sprinkle on top of filling.

Bake 50 minutes – hour and 10 minutes.

Finishing the Tree Saturday Morning!

Saturday we finished decorating the tree... Olivia would take off almost every ornament I put up at her level... it was a "pretty" as she says now. I tried to put only safe ornaments at her level... but no matter what I am guessing they will all be taken off and then put back in different places between now and January 4th! I have some pictures of ornaments we received as christmas gifts last year that are like new presents all over again. I thought I didn't get "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments, but here I got 2, one from Kelly Jean and one from either Mom or Robin... I can't remeber which. I got two snowbaby ornaments, one with "First Christmas" and one with "Olivia" on it. But it is so exciting to put up new ornaments. Ornaments are a favorite at our Mangas Christmas... Nana especially!

Helping Put Up the Tree & Olivia's First Steps!!

Friday at 4 am my alarm went off and by 5:05 am Mom and I were at Wal-Mart... along with a million other Ottawa Wal-Mart shoppers! It was hard to find a parking spot, but we did get all that we wanted to get. Then off to Findlay. I got a lot of gifts, managed to finish Aaron, Jenna, Hunter, Ryley & Olivia while shopping. Feels good when you can mark names off your list. Home I came and Olivia and I started to put up the tree because Aaron had to lay down. He works this weekend... nights and sucks! But we managed to get 2 1/2 rows of limbs up and then it was nap time... hour and half later we were up and ready to continue. I didn't get it all done while Olivia was awake, it is so hard when she wants to play and then I feel bad that I am making her play alone. She did take her first steps alone Thursday at my parents house during Thanksgiving!! It was exciting and then while we played off and on on Friday she did take a few more steps alone... she gets so nervous when we try it... but I just get so excited! She did end up going to bed around 8 pm and I finished the tree and put lights on. To bed I went shortly after, probably around 9:30 pm... that 4 am alarm was doing me in by that time!

What I am Thankful For...

As another Thanksgiving Holiday approaches I am reminded of all that I am thankful for. A lot has happened this year, a friend of mine and I talked one day of how 2008 brought a lot of heart ache to people we know or to ourselves. I need to now sit back think of all the good that has happened this past year...
When I think back to January of 2008 when this year started it is hard to believe that I was on maternity leave with Olivia and she was only 6 weeks old and now 12 months old! I've been going back in my journal asking myself, what happened last year this time and would be amazed with the weather status, Olivia's size, milestones and personality accomplishments. Just makes me also realize how time has flown by so fast this year.
For that I am thankful for my loving husband that I am able to come home to each and every night. I lay in bed next time him and always think to myself, he could be in the bar or out with the guys but instead he is home where he is needed and I am grateful for his good values and good up bringing! I am also very thankful to be able to walk into Olivia's room each and every morning and have her look up at me with a smile. The way she wraps her little arms around me and holds on tight as I kiss her good morning... that will never get old.
This morning Olivia laid in bed with me and I heard her pop up, I look over and she sees me, crawls over and lays her head on my chest, sighs and then falls back to sleep. That could have been one of the best moments so far with her... the way she felt comfort with me being next to her is priceless. She is struggling with a runny nose and slight cough these last 2 days and hasn't been sleeping well... can't breath through her nose and have her paci at the same time.
I am very thankful for each and every day that I have with my parents. There for a while the holidays were not holidays without my grandparents. As a kid I was always excited for more presents from Grandma and Grandpa... that was what the holidays were all about as a kid... and now being an adult with a family of my own, they mean so much more to me. I wish I could tell them what I was thankful for when they were around...
I could never be more proud as I am when I see my parents with my daughter. Memories I never want to forget and only if I could keep a video in my head and be able to play it back when ever I wanted. I hope that my parents are able to instill the values, love and memories in Olivia as my grandparents did for me.
I am thankful for my job, without it I would not be able to provide for my husband and daughter... keep the house up, keep presents under the tree and food on the table. I am thankful for the opportunity to find a job 7 miles from home and 3 blocks from Olivia's daycare. It really means a lot to me right now and having that day off during the week does allow me to spend time with her, catch up on house work or just family time with Aaron too.
This might seem like I am rambling... one more thing that I can think of right... I am very thankful for the #1 soldier in our life right now... Jason Tussing! He has been over in Kuwait for almost 10 months and the 3rd time over there. I can't imagine being over there day after day knowing that my family is going on with their day to day routine... it has to be hard. So thank you Jason!
Remember what you are thankful this holiday season and remember you might not have next year to thank those special people in your life... Thank you!

Chicken Nuggets, Mac & Cheese, Banannas.... and a doughnut hole?

Olivia ate all her lunch today at daycare. The school they get their lunches from is out until after Thanksgiving... so they either have Bombshelter pizza or MacDonalds... today was Mcdonalds and they did cheeseburgers and fries for all the kids. They also got a fruit and milk too. I wasn't sure if Olivia would eat her cheeseburger, she usually gets chicken nuggets... but they said she ate all her cheeseburger, all her fries and fruit too!! I was so happy... she seems to eat it all but hte meat and saves it for last... and that is after she pushes on it, and plays with it. After she tries it, and then likes it. Tonight we did chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, banannas... and for dessert she got a blueberry doughnut hole Aaron got from our local IGA... I love to watch her eat new things.

Waiting on Daddy to wake up!

Saturday night Aaron got called into work, he worked until 4:30 am and so when Olivia and I woke up around 8:30... we ate breakfast, showered and then played in the family room. It is on the opposite side of the house as our master bedroom ... works out nice because Aaron can't hear us play or the music from her toys. We got Aaron up around 11:30, 7 hours is pretty good and he also didn't want to sleep the entire day away.

Dana's Edits

My cousin Dana did some really cute edits for Olivia... I just love them! I wanted to share them with you all!

A night to remember...

Nana, Papa, Uncle Chuck, Ryley & Hunter came over tonight for pizza and time together. They were without power since 11:30 that morning and were needing some time out of the dark, quiet house! They brought the Wii, canned pop, and Electronic Battle Ship from when we were younger. Ryley played Hunter, Ryley played Aaron and then me and of course he beat me!! He is good! Hunter played with Olivia the whole time... he was so good with her. Helping her from room to room, helping her on her choo choo ride on toy, pushing her around and playing with all toys he could find. If we were in the living room he brought toys over from the family room and so on. They left to go back to Nana and Papas house around 9pm and Olivia was out by 9:30. She didn't put up a fight at all. Hunter will have to come over alot more often so Olivia sleeps so good! Pizza was good and so was the company! I got a few more ideas for Christmas out of the boys... some books they might like... the search begins on amazon.com!!!

Kamryn & Olivia

We went to visit friends today to watch OSU and Michigan... of course the Bucks won!! But it was a nice visit with friends we hadn't seen in a while. My favorite part was watching Olivia interact with 2 month old Kamryn! Two beautiful little girls that will hopefully become good friends. Kami is getting so big... I haven't seen her since she was 1 week old and now filling out and smiling. Olivia would pat Kami on her leg, arm or belly... it was so cute. Kami got Olivia a birthday present too... an adorable outfit and book about colors. We've already read it once since being home. I think she looks like her daddy and she also loves to snuggle with mommy. Makes me miss that stage... little, snuggled up and molded to our chest. We ate pizza, watched the game and had great conversations... they are so down to earth and I just love visiting with them! Olivia was passed out even before we got out of Arlington and slept the whole way home. Thanks again Kari & Matt for your hospitality!!!

Us 3 on her 1st Birthday!

Our 1st Birthday Cards

Olivia got her first birthday cards in the mail on her birthday! One from her Great Grandma and Grandpa Kania and one from her Cousin Ashley and her son Giavonne! Very thoughtful and already in her memory book!