Misc. Updates

These are pictures of Olivia from last week. I was sick almost all week with a bad cold - so sorry for the lack of posting.

We put our tree up in the dining room. I'm not brave enough to have our 2nd tree up in the family room - I'm afraid that Liv will pull it right down. Luckily the dining room (and rest of the house) is barricaded off from her.

We got to go through a lot of old ornaments and decorations. The pictures here are of Olivia playing with the flying angel from Grammie C's house. This used to hang by the back patio sliding doors. We would play with this angel forever! As soon as we got it out, Liv loved it! She kept trying to catch it - and then she would giggle. The angel isn't quite as pretty as I remembered her to be (she's actually kinda scary) - but I suppose that comes with many grandkids playing with her over the last 30 years. Also - on a funny note, she only cost $1.80 when she was purchased new (the tag was still on the box). But Liv really enjoyed her.

She also liked the Gold hanging ball from Grammie's house. I used to always come over and pull the cord to listen to the music. Now when Liv gets home from daycare, she wants to pull the cord to listen to the music. She smiles and then "dances" along to the tunes. I'm glad that she is enjoying these things as much as I did when I was a kid. It really made me realize how quickly the time has passed since I was little and playing with these decorations (and wrecking Grammie's nativity). There are a lot of great memories from my grandparent's houses from the holidays!

Then here is Liv reading the Hanukkah book from Aunt Kate - long story, but we also have a small Hanukkah celebration between my sister and I - it got ugly one year when I accidentally bought Hanukkah paper instead of Christmas paper (it was very pretty paper). I didn't realize it until it was too late - so ever since we have occasionally gotten each other Hanukkah gifts or decorations. Well, she topped it by bringing in my innocent child - she bought her a Hanukkah book last year. It has become one of Liv's favorite books. I suppose it is better she learn about Hanukkah this way than through an Adam Sandler song about 8 crazy nights (that's likely how Travis would have explained Hanukkah to her).

As a note - the pillows were on the couch because I wasn't feeling well and because of my cough was banished to sleep there until I wasn't so loud (poor Travis couldn't sleep).

And her are a few pictures of Liv with Rusty - he is always such a good sport. He is getting smart though - and will get up and move as soon as she is closer to the ground (he wouldn't want to hurt her).






And last but not least - our little bearded lady. She likes the bubbles from washing her hair - and we decided to make our own Santa (who she is totally afraid of - by the way). So, I doubt that we'll be making the mall trip for the photo with Santa. He will likely show up to my dad's house on Christmas morning - we'll see what Liv thinks then!