'Twas the night before Christmas

Christmas Eve is just as exciting as Christmas Day to me. We had a big breakfast of pull apart monkey bread, german pancakes, and sausage. Naturally, we were feeling the need to go on a walk after that meal! It was cold and it looked as if it would start raining at any moment so it was a good brisk walk to start out our day and get our energy going!

 Liv waking up from her nap. 

She's taking her time to wake up and being so cuddly. I really enjoy those moments when they come. As she gets older, they're coming less often.

As is tradition in our family, we went caroling and leaving treats for friends. Then came home to a cheesy corn chowder dinner, and "Christmas crackers" (not crackers to eat but the ones that have paper crowns, small toys, and jokes in them). Brady, Liv, and I got to open presents from our Hansen family (we were completely spoiled!!! I have a video of Liv opening those presents to come later), and then from extended family. We taught Liv about the birth of Jesus using one of the Nativity scenes, and skipped dressing up this year. We ended with B telling us the story behind "Silent Night" and listened to the Vienna Boys Chorus sing the first verse in German, then we all sang the first verse together (in English). It was simple and beautiful.

My gift to B

We put out some cookies for Santa, and explained that tonight was the night he would be coming down the chimney to leave presents.
I turned to grab my camera and snap a few pictures of Liv setting Santa's cookies on the fireplace, and when I turned back around she was eating them herself! It made us crack up. Then we got a carrot out for the reindeer, and Liv went ahead and ate that too! She was completely wired and was so much fun to watch! She was running around in circles, jumping, playing with Grammy and Grampy, and rolling around on the floor. Just beside herself with excitement!

I was tired at this point and wondering how I was going to get her to go to bed! 

She's entertaining herself by looking in the mirror and making faces instead of brushing her teeth like I'm trying to get her to do.

  I say this a lot, but she is just so much fun to watch! Even when I'm exhausted at the end of the day.

 She absolutely fits her name "OLIVIA" because just like Olivia piggy (as we call the famous book over here), I could tell her, 

"You wear me out, but I love you anyway", and I hope she would also reply "I love you anyway too"! 

We're thankful for our Livy girl, and for this wonderful holiday to celebrate the birth of our Savior.