Happy Holidays 2009!

We are truly blessed! This year has come and gone so fast that I cannot believe we soon will be celebrating 2010. Christmas this year was very eventful. We went to Grandpa and Grandma Sprunger's in the Fort. On Friday, the adults went to hear Grandpa play in his band, The Party Boat, which played to help raise money for part of the children's hospital. Saturday we had an extended family get together with with the Sprunger side of the family. Great Grandpa Sprunger is 94 1/2 years old and was such a "jewel" this year. He spent minutes with each of us explaining how happy he has been in his marriages (he has outlived both of his wives) and how fortunate he is to have such a large family. The great grand kids all went swimming for a few hours before lunch which really worked up an appetite for them. On Sunday, we unwrapped presents with Grandma and Grandpa. Olivia was very excited to get Floam and has been harassing me daily to get it out. The problem is that Ava wants to eat it, so we have to leave it to times when Ava is taking a nap. Ava's favorite gift was the harmonic and driving toy. Both were lifesavers on our drive home.



During, the week leading up to Christmas, all three of the girls in the house were violently sick. This did not make for a happy Daddy. Thankfully Christmas day was spared from all of the...unpleasant clean ups in the house we had to endure days prior.

On Christmas, we were awakened by the pitter patter of feet exclaiming, "Christmas Mommy! Christmas Daddy" and "Get up! Get up!"



The Girls


Our favorite part was watching the girls' excitement. "mommy play dough just what I always wanted!" "Yyyeaaaaaaaaa!"

















The Connect Four game: they don't really get the concept
yet but putting in the pieces and letting them fall has provided
lots of entertainment for both.














She wasn't so happy that the car made noise.























































Olivia reading her new princess stories.
































Ava is really starting to talk. With the snow on the ground she points and says "NOO". She loves to turn on and off lights in the house too. I don't know where her fascination with lights comes from but she lets us know whenever she sees one. I'm sure you can imagine how frequent that is!

She is very observant. She loved "e wings" (earring) and "nec less" (necklace) that mommy wears. I love it when she walks around the house smiling and yelling "Da-deee" and "Mo-meee" alternately. It is a game she has created where you are supposed to shout the other one and she keeps shouting the one likes.

Ava went on the potty for the first time too! (Mind you she is only 19 months old!!) She said "potty" and daddy told her to sit on the potty. She sat on the potty and accomplished the task. I am really floored by this. I don't know if she is really ready to potty train or if she is starting to train her parents. More to come in weeks to follow I'm sure.