Christmas Extravaganza part 3

So I decided that Christmas Morning we would invite all the grandparents over to watch Olivia open presents. A little disappointed but the only one that took up on the offer was my mom and great grandpa. It was so exciting to have a first Christmas morning with my own family there are a million pictures. Later that day we decided to go to my moms for dinner. She is INSANE and goes all out for Christmas with presents. She says it is the one time of year she buys things so she goes nuts. Anyhow we opened gifts for HOURS Olivia had to take two naps. We are very fortunate to be blessed with a wonderful family. We donate alot as well to the Fireman's toy drive every year and I usually do the Angel donation as well but this year we helped a family closer to us instead to bring Christmas to their home. We are so thankful for our health and well being and look forward to many great Christmas' to come. Here are a few pictures I thought I would share of our day.



I also wanted to mention the great amount of patience Olivia has delveloped. It was crazy but she patiently waited as her daddy opened all of her toys. She just watched and waited patiently!

Christmas at Moms

Our Christmas Extravaganza Part 2

On Christmas Eve we went to my cousin Melissa's house, it was a ton of fun. Olivia was playing with all her 2nd cousins and having so much fun. We ate some GREAT food there as always my Aunt's kids have such yummy food at their gatherings. We also did an Elephant exchange which was so funny! I love both the gifts we left with. My little cousin Brianna handmade everyone picture frames that are absolutely beautiful for and almost 9 year old they are REALLY nice. We were out late again but we arrived home just in time to play Santa and complete some last minute stocking stuffing and gift wrapping. I was EXHAUSTED and so excited for Olivia's 1st Christmas morning... See Part 3. LOL

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Extravaganza Part 1

Our Christmas celebration began on Sunday the 22nd. We went to my step brother Kyle's house to celebrate Christmas with my dad's side of the family. Olivia was a trooper we arrived at 1 and she did not sleep until we got in the car at 8:30. She was blessed to receive some wonderful gifts and she enjoyed opening because of the paper in all it was a blast! The best part was seeing ALL of her cousins Haylee my neice was here for Christmas which was awesome.

All the Kids with Uncle Tommy!

Papa (my dad) and Olivia Playing

All the grandkids

Olivia and Great Grandma and Great Grandpa

Olivia the GRINCH?

So before Christmas, Olivia insisted on taking the presents from umder the tree that she could carry up the stairs. She then proceded to hide them in her room. Then whine until I carried her down the stairs to do it all over again. Do we have a Grinch on our hands? I could not get video, but here are a few pictures of her in action.

MY FAVORITE RECIEPE CHERRY PEAR BUCKLE

I thought I would share my favorite recipe with everyone. It is seriously the easiest thing ever to do. Not only that but EVERYONE always says how YUMMY it is. It is a Sandra Lee Semi-homemade recipe, if you have not heard of her she is the BEST! It makes cooking SUPER easy with a little one. If you want more I will give you my favorites. For now try this, "Cherry Pear Buckle"

1 (26-ounce) can cherry pie filling
2 (15-ounce) cans diced pears in syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
1 (1.19-ounce) packet maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Whipped topping, for serving

Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with butter-flavored cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine pie filling, pears, and almond extract. Pour into prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle cake mix over fruit mixture. Dot with butter. In a small bowl, combine oatmeal packet and almonds. Sprinkle over cake mixture.
Place 8 paper towels over slow cooker bowl and secure with lid. (This helps to trap steam.) Cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours. Do not lift lid to check cake for the first 3 hours.
Serve warm with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.

Christmas Picture Crazyness...

It is Olivia's first Christmas SO... I decided to go ALL out with her pictures this year. We had her pictures done alone at Walmart at 12:30 on Thursday. My sister was awesome and helped me since I still lift Olivia. Those pictures turned out wonderful. Since the people before us ran 30 minutes into our appointment the lady gave me a great deal for being patient, so Rob was pleased. Then at 5:00 we went to Sears to get our family portrait... BOY was that a mad house, we waited for what seemed to be forever for our turn in the spot light, their were kids every where which Olivia enjoyed. Those pictures turned out fabulous! I can't wait to get them all back and have them framed. HOWEVER our family is huge so we need about 150 Christmas cards and I could not see paying 2.00 a card so then I decided we would go and take pictures at my moms house in front of her Gorgeous tree for our Christmas cards. These were fun just cause we were all so relaxed. The best part about all of this was creating our Christmas cards, we decided on two different ones. Since some of Rob's family is Jewish we needed ones that said Season's Greetings. I am in love with my family, even in the holiday crazyness we managed a day of pictures, literally full of smiles. Please enjoy the ones we took at my moms.

Christmas Pictures!

Magical Forest

On Friday night we went with Rob's parents, his sister, and two of our friends and their kids to the Magical Forest. It was such a fun night. Surprisingly Olivia was awesome and barely made a peep while we were out and about. She was all bundled up and seemed to be enjoying the chaos. We rode the train which was my favorite part, and the kids went down the slide. We also took a group photo with Santa it was so fun! I think we decided to continue this as our tradition every year with all the kids. I just wish some of our friends would have some girls otherwise Olivia will always be surrounded by men. Click on the picture to view all of our memories from the Magical Forest. EnJoY!

Magical Forest

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

For the first time EVER Santa will be visiting our home this year. Although Olivia is still to young to understand, we have been talking to her about Santa for a while now. We watch a Christmas cartoon every Sunday with her, which she loves since she never watches TV. I also bought her one of those singing stuffed animals that sings jingle bells. She LOVES to push the button by herself to play the music. I went with a friend of mine and her daughter to see Santa at Town Square here are the pictures. Olivia seemed REALLY intrigued by the bearded man. Click on the picture to see all 3 different photos. EnJoY!

Santa

Bounced around

OK so I have not been able to pick Olivia up for two weeks now and I am starting to get EXTREMLY sad about this I have at least one more week but more then likely two or three until I can. I feel bad because we have had people in our house everyday since my surgery and she is starting to become so fussy from being "bounced around" so many different people have been wonderful in helping out but Olivia has not been rocked to sleep by her favorite cuddler in awhile and I miss those moments.

On a brighter note, she has been having fun with all of her friends these past two weeks and especially with gramie and daddy. So thanks to everyone who has donated their time to our family and to those who have offered as well. I really want to thank my mom and Rob though they have been awesome!

Chucky Cheese

A few weeks ago a friend of ours had his daughters birthday at Chucky Cheese and Olivia got to go for her first time. She loved the singing and dancing part that they do for birthdays she laughed so hard. I was almost in tears because seeing her find it so funny made it even better. She also went on her first little rides check out our little one on some big girl rides.

Is it really happening...

I wonder if everyone is as happy as they appear to be or if everyone just makes it appear that way because everyone else does. Is anyone REALLY truly as happy as they look. I am going to be honest, a trait that I believe to be most important, but yet when it comes to the appearance of my life I falter on. My life appears to be MUCH better then it is. That's the truth.
Olivia is so little and so young and REALLY truly as happy as she looks, most kids are. Is it because they haven't discovered everyone else yet? I am trying to figure out when I started faking it. Honestly I don't know. I have always looked at others and thought man I wish I could have what they have. I remember this feeling in high school and vaguely in junior high... When did it start? Why did it start? Is it normal? Is it envy or desire? The questions I have are endless...(To clarify I said faking it for lack of a better way to put it. I tell the truth but only the GREAT parts leaving out the truth that isn't so great.)

This has become a BIG issue for me... I realized it about a month ago when I was at a friends birthday party. I was asked by someone I did not know about what my husband does. This person immediately looked at my hand and said oh you are not married? I replied no. A few more words were exchanged nothing to dramatic, BUT this conversation crushed me. I felt bad about myself because I am sick of pretending that is no big deal, because it is to everyone including me. I can pretend to not let it bother me,which I do, but that is only so I don't get the oh poor girl pity or whatever would come from me acting like I care. I am not sure where I am going with this... so bare with me. In my head I thought how rude was the tone, the way she asked me and how she looked at my hand almost in disgust... I was really taken back by how the question affected my like for this person, whom I had never met until this moment. I did not know her but I knew I did not want to, did she think she was better? It was a normal question and had I been married or not cared about being married then maybe it would not have offended me so bad that months later, I am still plagued by the moment. So I realize now although she may have or may not have meant it the way I took it I was upset about the wrong thing... So now I am wondering is it the not be married that bothers me or the way it appears to everyone else that I am not married? I think it is both most of the time. (To make it clear, I want to be married, but I am not) Please don't ask why cause I do not have the answer and I do not think I ever will.

I want to be as happy as everyone looks, married, in love, and joyed with my life and the moments. Happy like Olivia... Happy like all the blogs, myspace pages, and any other form of "One's Life" as it is portrayed to others, but is it possible if everyone is faking it? I want/desire my life to be as good as it looks from the outside, but it is not. So is it really happening in everyone elses life?

I will be back to blogging Happy Olivia stuff after this sorry if I seem crazy!