The Fighter's

I should be going to bed now but had to write this day down for the memory books.... Today was a great day. Looking for something different to do, the girls and I went to the mall to return a few things, use a gift certificate, walk a bit, ride a merry go round and have a soft pretzel. I let Ava & Kate walk, pushing Olivia in the stroller. It was such a simple trip but so much fun. The girls listened and didn't fight ( hallelujah )...and while they were eating the soft pretzel...Ava said "it's a beautiful day." :-) Next we landed home. Had some lunch and then Ava & Kate headed upstairs to play their new favorite thing..."house". Santa brought them both princess tents for Christmas that we set up in their rooms. Last week I brought up all their dress up clothes, dolls that Grammy got them for Christmas and strollers. Since then they have had a blast pretending that they are on grown up adventures...to the store, basketball games, the library, gymnasti...

I just liked these pics of the girls hanging out with their dad. Especially little Olivia...sitting up in the corner:-) She likes to hang too!

It has been so much fun living in our new house through all the different seasons. Just fun to watch the changes in our yard, and I love looking out the back windows at the different scenery each season has to bring. We got our first big snowstorm today. I ABSOLUTELY love snow...it makes everything so glisteny beautiful. I love to look at it, play in it, shovel it...even drive in it (adventure)! The girls have been enjoying it as well...running around the yard...making snow angels. Here are a few shots of our scenery for the memory books. I love it! And there's one of Ava getting ready to treck out to school in the snow...she added her glasses:-)

Ava & Katelyn have been playing so much more together lately. I LOVE it! Either they venture off to the basement to ride bikes/scooters, set up their little people house or trains, play in their band (Ava on the drums or guitar, Kate on the keyboard or xylophone )...or they go upstairs to dress up like princesses and play "house" with their babies. Santa brought them tents for Christmas...we set one up in each of their rooms...and they love to pretend that the tents are their houses. They visit each others "house" with their babies. My room has become the mall/grocery store (one day they pretended it was the beach). Olivia's room is the library or bouncy place. They pack up their baby's that Grammy gave them for Christmas and head out from their houses with their purses for different days on the town. I love sitting downstairs and listening to their conversations. Priceless. Usually...Ava is in charge...setting their imaginations in motion with Katelyn...

Doug and I took the girls ice skating today. I didn't think they would be able to even walk on the ice skates...but they did fantastic! At first we held onto Ava...then she wanted to hold onto the wall with one hand and one of our hands with her other. Then she decided to let go of the wall and did great...not to mention she was SOOO proud of herself! Also note the helmet in the picture below...our always cautious girl insisted on wearing her bike helmet the whole time. Love it:-) Kate squealed the whole time we ice skated. Doug and I never let go of her, despite her screaming at us..."Let go...I do by myself." She absolutely loved it. I especially loved her tiny size 6 skates:-) Can't wait to do this again...I grew up ice skating and absolutely love it and can't wait to do this more often with my girls!

I made Doug pose for this cheesy picture after he spent the whole day make this beef brisket. My dad and Doug have been passing a smoker back and forth between our two houses, coming up with new things to smoke. Today was Doug's turn...he spent the past week researching brisket recipes, then the whole day today carefully preparing the brisket...and let me tell you...it was worth it. The best brisket I've ever had. Here to my chef boy r' Doug. Isn't he cute?? :-)

Rob & Carly came over for dinner and a low key NYE party. It was so much fun...great food & super company! Here are a few pics.... Us posing like it's prom... Doug making beef tenderloin for dinner...it was SO good. Love it when he cooks! Rob, Carly & the girls! Olivia catching some Z's... Rob feeling the baby kick...coming soon in 2010:-) Rob & Carly...aren't they cute:-) Rob trying to build a mohawk in his hair... Me & my bro. I remember when I was bigger than him! The girls on New Years Day...they thought it would be fun to snuggle in the big red chair and watch a movie on the DVD player:-)

I love my guy and my my 3 girls so, so, so, so much... And Doug enjoying his Christmas present a day early...I'm not so good at hiding big stuff. We got him a recliner so he can kick back and enjoy his sports in "His" chair.

We were happy to have some of our great friends Kristin and Mike come visit for the day. It was so fun to catch up. Here is a shot of Ava, Kate & Leah. And I've had fun dressing Olivia up in Christmas outfits this season:-)

We had a fantastic weekend! Doug and I dropped Ava & Kate off at grandma & grandpa's and headed to Columbus with Olivia, for a weekend of fun! Friday night we had our annual cookie party which never disappoints . We exchanged gifts with our secret Santas , ate lots of food and drank some wine. It was so great to catch up with everyone:-) The next day Olivia, Grammy, Doug and I hung out during the morning and then Doug and I ventured off to my friend Heidi's wedding ceremony. I have known Heidi since I was in first grade...she was my first friend in Ohio:-) She looked absolutely stunning and as happy as could be walking down that aisle! I was so happy I could be there to share that special day with her!! Next stop...Doug's work Christmas party. They held it at Hyde Park (my favorite restaurant of all time!). It was so much fun...Doug works with so many great people and their spouses are just as fantastic. It has been fun watching this company grow. The first Chris...

Out shoe shopping with Ava today, trying to find Christmas shoes. She first picked shoes that had 2 inch heals and another that was opened toed and looks like glass. I told her she couldn't have those shoes (which didn't go over well with her) and gave her three age appropriate options. She took all three over to the hard floor and started banging them on the ground. I asked what she was doing and her response was..."I want the shoe that makes the loudest clop." Love that she's picking her shoes by how much noise they make on the floor. Unfortunately, they did not have her size. So...the next day we ventured to another store. Again she chose shoes that were totally age inappropriate (why wouldn't she...they were shiny, sparkly, with huge "cloppy" heals). So I again gave her 3 options...my least favorite of which had a small heal. This time she gave me more of an argument but finally realized I wasn't going to stray outside the 3 options. I tried ...

Our little hair twister has started twisting her hair so much that her finger gets stuck. She'll run up to us saying..."help...my finger stuck." And often times she twists it so much that she ends up with dread locks, which we have to cut out of her hair. So we headed to cookie cutters and they took off an inch all over. She was like an old pro at getting her hair done. And...despite my fear of her curls disappearing ...they're still there, curlier than ever:-) We've been calling her curly Sue. Here are some pics...I especially like the last one!

A cute comment from Ava today as we left Costco... Doug was up ahead of Kate & I as we headed to our car. He was trying to impress his girls by holding onto the cart and jumping into the air. Ava & Kate were laughing hysterically. Then Ava said..."look at Dad...he's pretty awesome." When we caught up to Doug at the van...Ava said to Doug..."you're pretty awesome." Love it:-)

Here are some pics of Olivia at two months. Usually a happy baby unless she's hungry or has gas! She is so curious...taking in all the sights around her and constantly watching her sisters. I love her blue eyes, her long eye lashes (just like her daddy's) and her smiles (which just melt me!). She is also trying to talk...cooing often...trying to get a word in with her noisy sister's. Ava always asks me..."what's Olivia saying"? She is sleeping fairly well...down around 9:30 until 4 AM, eats...then back down until 7AM. During the day she is our little cat napper...20/30 minute spurts throughout the day...unless she's in her car seat. She loves it and can sleep forever in that thing! Here is our little Olivia Ann...

Ava had her birthday celebration at school today. We made butterfly cookies with blue frosting and pink sprinkles and put them in princess goodie bags. The girls helped and are excellent bakers if I do say so myself:-)

Olivia was baptised today! We got to dress her up in the same princessy baptismal dress her sisters wore, family joined us at church (Uncle Tim drove in for the occasion) and Uncle Rob & Aunt Carly stood as her Godparents. Pastor Paul baptised her...she slept through the whole thing! Ava & Kate insisted on coming up front to witness the occasion and I loved standing there as a family watching Olivia, through Grace, receive the gift of faith in her heart. Afterwards we celebrated with our church family with cake (from Costco...yum!)...and then had a small luncheon with our family back at our house. Here are some shots from the day. I also copied the words to her baptismal song...I think it's such a pretty song and always get teary eyed when I hear it! We have sung it at all 3 of the services in which the girls were baptised and I thought I'd write it down for the memory books and as a reminder to our girls one day of the One who will be through them every step of the w...