Ok my little sister Katee told me I needed to get on here and update since it's been over a month, so here i am. Time just gets away from me and before I know it another month is gone. A lot has happened since i blogged last, with the holidays, and birthdays, and just every day life stuff. We had a wonderful Christmas, and of course having Tori around makes it almost as exciting as being a five year old myself. She loves every little thing about it, and she brings so much magic to the holiday. New Years came and went and with it of course some resolutions. We figured out a tricky way to not have to stay awake until midnight (yes we are old), we watched the New Year's countdown on the Disney channel which is 2 hours ahead of our time, and we were able to cheer and welcome in the new year at 10 instead of 12, and Tori was none the wiser. I have been working hard again at taking the weight off, but we will see if i succeed it just seems like a never ending battle. We are doing a biggest loser at both mine and Dave's jobs so we are both working really hard. So far the New Year has just kept us very busy, and we are trying to keep up with all of it, so I will continue to try and keep all of you up on what our boring little lives are up to.

here are some fun pics from Christmas Tori opening her Skateboard that she has been wanting forever, and then trying it out

here she is opening her DS and loving it, and then opening her Sharpay dress that she wanted more then anything, you can tell she loved all of it

trying out her Sharpay pose....silly girl

Oh my goodness it has been way too long since i have been on here, but my time is short. I just wanted to real quickly tell a few friends how grateful I am to have had them in my life. I went over to my little sister Tami's house last week, and we had a roommate reunion lunch, the greatest thing about it was that it was as if time had not passed. Sandee had completely forgotten, Michelle was super late, and the rest of us were just sitting around relaxing. Once all the girls were there we just sat around and took a humor filled walk down memory lane. It is so wonderful to have people in your life that no matter how much time passes they still love and respect you. It isn't very often that I take a hiatus from everything else going on to just hang out, and I am so glad I did. These ladies were roommates of mine for years, and I have to say we had more fun then should be allowed. Thank you girls for being my friends not only during a time in my life when I probably took each of you for granted, but also for now a time where I can take a look at the blessings in my life, and count you among them.

Well this is kind of silly news, but our little puppy Giselle celebrated her first birthday this last weekend. This is exciting for us because our luck with dogs is not good, and we have now passed the year mark, woohoo!! Giselle is Tori's little puppy and she is 100% in love with her. She had so much fun buying a couple of little gifts and wrapping them, just like a proud mommy. I think she was almost as excited for Giselle's birthday as she is her own. We had a lot of fun, and it was fun to just be silly....no she did not get birthday cake. Giselle waiting patiently for the treat to be opened

Before and after the decorating process

Yes Halloween is finally over, and I have to say that I am glad. It was a fun day, but it was constant from the very first thing in the morning. We had big plans for Tori to be Giselle from Enchanted, and we had a beautiful dress made by a friend of mine, but nothing else worked so we had to improvise. We came up with a black kitty, which then we had to buy the accessories for, and Tori was adamant on having black hair. All in all it was good, but I was so tired of black everywhere from the spray, that I was glad to have it washed away. She had a good time going to Dave's work, where her "best friend Jacque" had a big treat for her. She always gets spoiled when we go in there, but I can't blame them. Then we got to go and hang out with Amy, and see our beautiful addition to the family, Libby. I had a good friend of mine who makes beautiful bows and things make an interchangeable bow, one with BSU and one with BYU colors, to support Libby's mommy and daddy's faves. Of course she looked adorable in it, even though they are huge on her right now. Anyway then the trick or treating began, and it constant for a couple of hours. We have certain friends we absolutely have to go and see so that they can see Tori, and that is the funnest part. So we are done with Halloween for another year, but Tori has already started on what she wants to be next year, so it never really ends

Courtni(Hannah Montana), Tori, and Kylee(Jasmine)

Brayden(Spider Man), Court, and Tori

Bryson as a little cow

Rainy and Tori both as kittens

Lily, Tori, Lexi, and Riley

Today has been a great day, I love getting caught up in the fun of Tori's excitement. With tomorrow being Halloween there is always the last minute things to get ready, but we will see if it all comes together tomorrow. Tori went to see Dr. Card today for her yearly eye exam, and like I had suspected her eyes have gotten worse. She went up a whole diopter in her prescription on both eyes, so from a +3.00 to a +4.00. Dr. Card recommended that we try her in contact lenses because in little kids with high prescriptions they get a really good response with them. So I thought why not, well then i brought her home and went to put them and in, and figured out...oh that's why. Actually after getting her calmed down and touching her eye the first time with one of the contacts she realized it wasn't that bad. A half hour later we had them in, and she was so excited, she was walking around screaming with excitement, and was already noticing a difference. I hope it works, and that her eyes start responding to the prescription now with the contacts, but only time will tell.
Tori showing off the new contacts

Well we did it, we finally got to go and see High School Musical 3. This has been a long awaited movie in our family since Tori first discovered the movies this last spring. Once she knew the third was coming out it has been a countdown to the big day. It was a lot of fun, and even though it is extremely cheesy, it is a very enjoyable show. Dave was supposed to go with us, but since he is in charge he had to stay and clean up some stuff for work so it ended up being a date for Tori and I. I absolutely love the opportunities that we get to just hang out and be together and forget all the hustle bustle of the real world. I enjoy so much watching Tori enjoy the little things that I way too often overlook. Today I think I was watching her through most of the movie, just to see the excitement of each new song and of course every time Sharpay appeared on the screen. It is a little thing, but it is my favorite thing, knowing that I have made her day. It won't always be so easy as it is now, but for now I will enjoy it.

Tori all dressed and ready for the movie, you can't tell she likes High School Musical can you....

This is what happens when you tell her you are going to take her picture, she just starts posing.

Libby is here!!

We have some very good news to share, we were blessed with a new little neice today!! Rog and Amy had their baby girl at about 12:01 this afternoon, she is 8lbs 13oz. She is absolutely gorgeous, and i cannot wait until she is home and i get to love on her, and spoil her like i try to do the rest of my 14 neices and nephews. Things in life are trying sometimes, and it seems like it takes everything you have to push through it, but then something like this happens and you realize just how precious and miraculous life is. I am so grateful for each of my brothers and sisters, and their spouses, and for the relationships that have brought me so much joy in my life. I am grateful for all of the little spirits we have been so blessed with having in our lives and my heart aches for those who aren't near and for those that we do not get to see. Family is truly such an amazing gift, and it is so wonderful as we add each new person to it.