Olive Shoots: January 2009

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Christmastime in Orlando

Early on Christmas morning we flew to Orlando. When we arrived, Clara changed into Sugar Plum jammies and spent the rest of the day in them!

She was enamored with all of Grampy's 'tick-tocks' and their chimes. She remembers them, too. This Friday we were taking a walk and she heard a wind chime. She stopped walking and said 'tick-tock.'

Reading with Great-Grampy.

In a party dress to celebrate Christmas with extended family at Great-Grampy and Grammy's house.

Rocking on the porch at Yoder's Amish Restaurant in Sarasota.

With our travels to both Michigan and Florida for the holidays, we were grateful to carve out a bit of time to spend time home together as a threesome. I fully anticipated that Nathan would be called into work on Christmas Eve, but he wasn't, so we spent the day together.

Our 'tradition' is to give Clara a Christmas book each year. Last year she received The Velveteen Rabbit and this year we gave her The Snowman. I have a couple more titles in mind that I know we will eventually give her, but if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!

My favorite part of Christmas this year was doing Advent devotions together as a family. It was such a blessing to come together and light the candles and remember God's gift to us. Clara looked forward to this time each evening and when we told her it was time for devotions she would start blowing and running toward the table in anticipation of the lighting of the candles.

Baby, it's cold outside!

Celebrating Christmas in Michigan!

Books from Aunt Rachel and Uncle Geoff

Hanging out with Uncle Jonathan

Rosy cheeks!

Uncle Matt and Aunt Janice got a lawn chair. When her cousins climbed up to lounge on it, Clara had to join in on the fun!

We had a great time in Michigan, spending time with family and watching the beautiful snow... 22 inches of it during our 5 day visit! It was just too much and too cold for Clara to play in, though. Maybe next year!

Pictures from 12/19/08 and 12/20/08

Friday, January 23, 2009

Miss Priss

12/09/08

Christmas jumper photo shoot

Pictures from 12/05/08 and 12/06/08

Oh Christmas Tree

Last year when Nathan and I went to get a Christmas tree, I felt an odd combination of giddyness like I had just managed a fantastic escape and anxiety over leaving little Clara for the first time, you know, all the 45 minutes it took. I had my cell phone with me and I think I called my mom several times to make sure everything was alright. I didn't function very well as an escapee!

This time it was so much fun! Clara loved every minute of it. She wanted to feel the trees and I put her down briefly, which made her so excited.

We decided to decorate the tree that night when she went to bed so that everything would be decorated and, more importantly, picked up, by the time she woke up in the morning.

At the zoo

At the petting zoo - Clara wanted to ride a goat.

Grampy treated us to a leopard ride instead.

And if that wasn't wild enough, Clara also went on a train ride.

11/28/08

Hey Grampy, I like your glasses!

11/28/08
Photo by Grampy

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Thanksgiving Day

Since Nathan worked on Thanksgiving, my parents, Clara and I just enjoyed a beautiful day together. We took Clara to the park and then went to the lighting of the trees in the Galleria.

Somebody at Continental Loves Me!

When I found out that I was pregnant with Clara, Nathan had just interviewed with Continental. Our calendar from March 2007 reads March 14 - Expecting!, March 15 - Nathan offered job at Continental, March 16 - Turn in letter of resignation. He started training at Continental on April 2nd and after one of my first OB appointments he gave me a Continental bib and t-shirt for the little one we had not yet met!

Celebrating Thanksgiving and continuing Clara's birthday

We celebrated Thanksgiving on the 25th because Nathan worked Thanksgiving Day. We tried some new recipes including a roasted butternut squash soup that was delicious! Here is a picture of our table, pre-feast.

Clara had a virus and an ear infection, so she was pretty worn out the night before when we celebrated her birthday. We saved some of her presents and she gradually opened them over the course of Grammy and Grampy's visit.