Jorja Running!

Jorja on her new Christmas present from Santa. I love that she loves it!

Olivia Turns NINE!

 Jorja playing with her Christmas gift from Santa. It's a cool game that she can run some energy off in the house and helping her with her letters and counting.

 Olivia on her new scooter, just one problem. Her right foot began to hurt from using it more than the other.

January is Birthday Month for our family. It starts with  Jaye and Olivia. Jaye turned four years old on the 3rd and Olivia turned 9 years old on the 10th. So we had a party in the middle for the both of them on Sunday the 8th.  The family came out and we had a great shin-dig.

 The kids eating dinner before cake and ice cream.

 Jaye's Car cake and Olivia's sherry cake made by Andrea! Thanks Aunt Andrea it was so yummy!

 Aunt Brandy brought the Balloons, of course she did! It's not a party without balloons!

 A little down time, so we played pin the tail on the donkey. Too funny!

 The whole gang showed up for cake and ice cream. We opened presents first of course. Jaye made out like a bandit and had way too much fun opening presents. Its so fun to see him center of attention, he is too funny!

 On a plus side, Jorja didn't through a fit but was sad that their were no present for her to open. We had big talks earlier in the day to prepare her.

 Uncle James gave Olivia this lovely gerber daisy to keep forever. Along with a gift cert to Barns& Noble.

 Olivia's turn to open presents.  She got this great book set from Grandpa Rod and Grandma Sherrie.

 I loved Nancy Drew! I am excited for her to read them. She is almost through book one.

 The slinky and head bad from Brandy and Devin totally rock!

 

She lovingly put all her jewelry away in this great jewelry box from Grandma Ginger.

 She got a great new game from Blake and Linz friends Apples to Apples, Jr. Can't wait to try it out! Plus, some new bootie slippers and lip gloss from Linz Dad and Step mom. List goes on and on...Spoiled rotten! Thank you to everyone! You are all too generous and you can tell she is loved!

 

The Clan!

 Singing Happy Birthday to Jaye and Olivia!

 Hope all your Birthday Wishes come true!

 The two four year old's playing with the balloons and blowers.

 Two days later we had a family dinner and celebrated on Olivia's Birthday. I can hardly believe my girl is NINE! She is so grown up I can hardly stand it!  So grown up... but so young still. The girls did a great job helping me make the pizza dough. Jorja had more fun playing in the flour while Olivia measured.   Olivia gave me quite the scare after school on her birthday. She didn't come straight home from school  and was twenty minute late. I was a nut driving to the school looking for her, calling the school. About to start knocking on every door to find her when she walked around the corner with the neighbor girl.  Talk about heart failure!  I am so happy to have my girl home safe and celebrating on her birthday.

 Opening her cards from Great Grandma Taylor and Grandpa Steve and Grandma Glenda. She had just one small gift from Mom and Dad to open on her Birthday, a new recipe box for my baker girl.

 Jaye, Atticus,  Blake and Grandma Ginger joined us for dinner. It was so nice to have everyone over for the evening to help celebrate Olivia. Love you all!

 Jorja insisted she had to wear The Birthday Hat! I like it!

 Happy 9th Birthday Olivia! 

I am so proud of the girl you are growing up to be. I love that you are awkward, smart, cute, sensitive, talented, unique, caring, brave, helpful, playful, hardworking and thoughtful. Keep being you!  

I just pray... that you learn a little more common sense along the way.

Christmas Day Eve 2011

It just keeps coming! Seriously, we are so lucky to have such amazing family! It was a wonderful holiday for sure!

 We had dinner and spent Christmas Day Evening with Ginger Mom and Uncle Sean. It was a lovely evening!  And, we just kept getting spoiled over and over!

 Liv is super stoked about the sled and the two have been praying for more snow since Christmas.  Jorja has been playing with her Lego's every day since. Such thoughtful gifts for the girls!

 Ginger Mom always gets the girls a new ornament. This year if was their Name! So cute!  Especially for Miss Jorja and her odd spelling.

 Once again... spoiled! Their own money to do something with. Lucky Lucky girls!

 Uncle Sean got a new Coat! It's awesome and about time he retired the old one!

 

Grandma Ginger Spoiled us rotten with a gift of our choice. We decided to spend some of it at IKEA and get a new desk. It fits Josh's new chair perfectly!  Feels so much better in our little space and hopefully we can get our stuff organized in this room a bit better. Thank you Nielsen family for a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Day 2011

 Christmas Morning! I was always such an early riser ONLY on Christmas morning. I was always so excited I couldn't sleep and they would beg me to stay in bed longer.   My girls slept till almost eight thirty... Normal wake up time. How did I get so lucky?

 They had to wait or everyone to get upstairs and coffee going before they could dig in!

 Stocking first for Jorja!

 Olivia also... except for the dog!

 Jorja's big present from Santa...It's a game that plugs into the t.v. and is very user friendly for her age. I have a video clip of her using it that's super cute. Will have to get it posted.

 Liv got her own digital camera from Santa. Something to get started on anyway.

 Josh working on his stocking.

 Grandma helping dish out gifts.

 Josh's big present from Me. A new computer chair to replace to one he broke out of.

 Loving the new hats and gifts from Uncle Matras!

 Olivia reading the letter Santa wrote. It was a little long... oops!

 Jorja loves the sled and played in it all morning taking everyone for a ride!

 This is Jorja's big present from Grandma Sherrie and Grandpa Rod. We finally busted her out of the box.

 She then took Rapunzel for a ride with Olivia's puppy.

 We were all spoiled rotten. Josh got me very thoughtful gifts. I got an automatic car starter, a percolator for camping, a gift certificate for Amazon for my kindle. Plus lots of little things! Mom got us  a new printer, which is rockin' and gave me lovely necklace. The list goes on and on. Thank you everyone for a wonderful Christmas!

 The Marshall Clan and Ginger Mom, Sean, Andrea and Mark came over for Brunch... which got behind and became Linner.  We watched the Marshall Clan open their gifts which was a ball of energy with those boys! Fun fun fun to watch them in action.

 The kids all got moccasins from Grandma Launi. They are so cozy and Olivia is wearing hers daily.

 Mom gave them a video camera so they can record their Signing lessons each week.

 Josh got more tools from his buddy Kelley.

 The is Linz tip money that she left her friend, and her friend sent it back to her for Christmas. The war is on apparently.

 This was the ultimate gift though. Olivia has been taking art lessons all year thanks to Grandma Launi. Olivia finished her first Oil painting just in time for Christmas and gave it to Josh and I.  I cried when I saw it! I'm so proud of her. She did an amazing job!  Stunning!

It was a very Merry Christmas! I hope the same for all of you and your families. Thank you to my family for all your love and support. Would be lost without your love and presence in our lives!