WE ARE SO THANKFUL....THANKSGIVING!

WE HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING WITH GETTING OUR TREES, FOLLOWED BY A WONDERFUL DINNER AT MY MOM'S HOME. WE JUST WANT TO SAY HOW THANKFUL WE ARE FOR SUCH GOOD FAMILY AND FRIENDS....WE ARE THANKFUL FOR OUR SAVIOR AND HIS ATONEMENT....WE ARE THANKFUL FOR OUR HEALTH....AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON...HOWEVER, WE ARE TRULY GREATFUL FOR OUR OWN LITTLE FAMILY. WE HOPE THAT YOU AND YOURS HAD A GREAT, FUN, AND SAFE THANKSGIVING! WE ENJOYED OURS!

HERE IS SOME OF THE CLAN JUST CHILLING AFTER DINNER.

BESIDES OUR FAMILY ALL ABLE TO BE THERE, WE HAD NANNY HERE THIS YEAR. IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE HER WITH US AND SPEND THE HOLIDAY WITH HER!

THIS IS OUR LITTLE NIECE, JENNA. SHE IS SUCH A FUN GIRL, WE JUST LOVE HER TO DEATH. I WAS GETTING A KICK OUT OF THIS LITTLE STUNT. SHE IS ALWAYS KEEPING OUR FAMILY LAUGHING AND OUR TOES. SHE USE TO BE THE ONLY GRAND CHILD AND NOW THAT THERE ARE 3, SHE DOESN'T GET AS MUCH ATTENTION FROM EVERYONE, SO SHE TRIES TO MAKE HER OWN FUN-CREATIVE. I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING WHEN I LOOKED ON THE BACK DECK AND THIS IS WHAT I SAW, HER RESPONSE, "I AM A CAT, AND I AM HUNGRY!" WE LOVE YOU JENNA!

ANYWAYS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR YOU ALL!

CHRISTMAS TREE HUNTING IN SODA!

DURING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY EACH YEAR WE GET TOGETHER AND GO CHRISTMAS TREE HUNTING AT WENDY'S PEAK OVER BY BANCROFT. LAST YEAR WE COULDN'T GO BECAUSE HALLE WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS OLD AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO RISK ANYTHING. ITS BEEN WAY TO LONG, WE LOVE TO GO GET OUR TREES.

JUST OVER MY (JARED) LEFT SHOULDER IS THE TREE THAT WE GOT, IT IS A LITTLE TALL.

WE LEAVE THE CHAIN SAWS TO THE PROFESSIONALS.

I FEEL LIKE I'M A BIG DEAL WHEN I GET TO USE A CHAIN SAW, ITS LIKE EATING A HOT DOG AT A BASEBALL GAME, YOU FEEL SOOOO MANLY!

THESE ARE THE COUSINS, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT,

JANIE, JENNA, HALLE, AND TREVOR.

THE TORGESEN CREW

MY TWO LOVES OF MY LIFE, DO YOU THINK THAT HALLE WAS COLD? NOPE!

CUBBY AND ME!!

GRANDPA TAB'S BIRTHDAY!

WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD HAVE A SUPRISE GET TOGETHER FOR MY DAD FOR HIS BIRTHDAY. I CALLED HIS WIFE, KAREN TO MAKE SURE THE NIGHT OF HIS BDAY WAS FREE AND THEN IT WENT FROM THERE. WE ENDED UP SHOWING UP AT HIS HOUSE RIGHT BEFORE HE GOT HOME FROM WORK. WE TOOK SOME DECORATIONS AND BALLOONS. HE STARTED CRYING WHEN HE SAW THAT WE HAD COME TO SURPRISE HIM, HE WASN'T EXPECTING IT SINCE THE NIGHT BEFORE WE CALLED TO WISH HIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINCE WE WOULD BE BUSY ON HIS BIRTHDAY~SNEAKY! ANYWAYS, WE HAD A WONDERFUL MEAL THAT KAREN MADE TOPPED OFF WITH OPENING HIS GIFT, SOME OF HIS FAVE CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE THAT I THREW TOGETHER, AND THEN PLAYED WITH HALLE AND JUST HUNG OUT! DAD, WE HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A BLAST. WE LOVE YOU GRANDPA TAB!

THIS IS MY DAD AND STEP-MOM. I KNOW SHE WOULD DIE IF SHE SAW THIS PICTURE ON HERE. SHE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTANCE THAT'S WHAT THE FACE IS-THAT SHE IS PULLING!

THIS IS JUST ME AND MY DAD! I LOVE YOU DAD!

THIS IS MY DAD, HALLE, JARED AND I. MY DAD JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF HALLE, HE LOVES WHEN SHE COMES TO VISIT!

HALLE'S 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY!

AFTER MANY DAYS OF PLANNING HALLE'S PARTY, LIKE ANY FIRST TIME MOM, YOU WANT IT TO GO PERFECT, AS IF SHE WILL REMEMBER, RIGHT? WELL, I WILL! I WANTED TO GO WITH A LADYBUG THEME, KNOWING IT WAS NOVEMBER THAT WAS NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA. HOWEVER, I THINK WE PULLED IT OFF. I DID HOMEMADE LADYBUG INVITATIONS AND THANK-YOU CARDS, I ALSO MADE LADYBUG CUPCAKES, AND HALLE HER OWN LITTLE LADYBUG CAKE-THANK YOU AUNT NIKI FOR HELPING US WITH THESE-I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT ALL BY MYSELF. (WE LOVE YOU!) WE STARTED THE DAY BY LETTING HALLE LOUNGE IN HER COMFIES FOR A BIT FOLLOWED BY A HOMEMADE WAFFLE FOR BREAKFAST WITH MILK. SHE ATE IT UP, THE WAFFLES WERE COURTESY FROM HER DAD-WHO EVEN GROUND THE WHEAT THAT WAS IN THEM! THEN WE WENT AND PICKED UP HER BALLOON BOUQUET AND SOME ICE CREAM-WHICH WE FORGOT TO EVEN GET OUT OF THE FREEZER FOR THE PARTY-OOPS! THEN JARED WAS TO WORK UNTIL NOON BUT SOMEHOW GRANDMA BERNT AND BRAD WORKED IT OUT SO HE DIDN'T HAVE TOO. (THANKS GUYS THAT WAS GREAT! THE REST OF THE DAY WAS ABOUT HALLE.. FIRST, WE TOOK HER TO GET HER FIRST HAPPY MEAL WHICH CONSISTED OF CHICKEN NUGGETS, APPLES, AND MILK..AND JARED AND I GOT SOME LUNCH AND WENT TO PEANUT PARK FOR A PICNIC. FOR NOVEMBER, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL WEATHER AND HALLE ENJOYED IT THOROUGHLY. I HAVE TO THANK MY FRIEND HEATHER FOR THE HAPPY MEAL IDEA, SHE DID IT WITH HER SON ON THE 12TH FOR HIS 1ST BDAY AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A CUTE IDEA!!!

HERE IS HALLE ENJOYING HER MCNUGGETS. YES, THEY ARE COVERED IN LEAVES AND SHE IS ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT OF IT!

CHEESER!~ SHE IS SO HAPPY TO BE OUTSIDE AT THE PARK-SHE REALLY DID HAVE A LOT OF FUN!

AFTER HER PICNIC SHE WAS EXHAUSTED. WE BROUGHT HER HOME AND PLAYED WITH SOME OF HER NEW TOYS AND THEN PUT HER DOWN FOR A NAP. WE WANTED HER GOOD AND RESTED FOR HER PARTY. JARED AND I GOT TO DECORATE WHILE SHE NAPPED. WHEN SHE GOT UP, WE PUT HER IN HER BIRTHDAY GIRL OUTFIT AND THE PARTY WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. WE OPENED GIFTS, HAD PIZZA, WATCHED A 1ST YEAR VIDEO OF HALLE'S LIFE THAT JARED PUT TOGETHER....HE DID AN AMAZING JOB AND EVERYONE LAUGHED OR CRIED. YOU ARE GREAT JARED. THEN WE HAD CUPCAKES AND FINISHED BY SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND HALLE DIGGING IN HER CAKE. SHE SEEMED TO HAVE A GREAT TIME!

HERE IS SOME OF THE LADYBUG DECOR!

THESE ARE ALL OF THE CUPCAKES AND HER CAKE IS THE LITTLE ONE IN THE BACK ON HER OWN LITTLE PLATE!

AFTER THE PARTY, DUDLEY'S STAYED AND TALKED FOR A BIT. ALSO, MY SIS AND HER FAM STAYED IN OUR BASEMENT. WE HAD A GREAT TIME! WHAT A FUN MEMORY! WE LOVE HALLE SO MUCH AND HOPE SHE ENJOYED HERSELF AND REMEMBERS THIS DAY WAS ALL ABOUT HER. THANKS FOR COMING EVERYONE AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOURSELF!

HERE IS HALLE AND I OPENING A GIFT!

HERE SHE IS ATTEMPTING TO BLOW OUT HER CANDLES, MOM HAD TO HELP A BIT!

DAD AND MOM ENJOYING WATCHING HALLE CHOW DOWN ON CAKE!

EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED, YES I CAN'T BELIEVE WE ALL GOT STILL FOR A PICTURE, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HALLE KAY!!
THIS IS A SHOUT OUT FOR UNCLE JOHN, AUNTIE REF, AND SHMEEVA...THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ADORABLE DRESS, EVERYONE LOVED IT AT CHURCH! SO SAD THAT YOU COULDN'T BE AT THE PARTY! WE LOVE AND MISS YOU AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU SOON!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HALLE KAY!

SO, YOUR 1ST BIRTHDAY IS FASTLY APPROACHING AND WILL BE HERE IN 2 DAYS. WOW! WHERE HAS THE LAST YEAR GONE. I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BIRTH ALOT TODAY SINCE IT WAS THIS THURSDAY YOU WERE BORN LAST YEAR NOT THE RIGHT DATE, BUT ON THIS DAY. REMINISCING JUST KEEPS HAPPENING TODAY IF I AM NOT EVEN DOING IT ON PURPOSE. I REMEMBER FINDING OUT WHEN I WAS FIRST PREGNANT-I WAS SO SCARED. I FELT TRULY EVERY EMOTION POSSIBLE. THROUGHOUT MY PREGNANCY I WAS VERY SCARED TO DELIVER AND THAT STAYED ON MY MIND ALOT. AND NOW, YOU ARE HERE AND HAVE BEEN FOR QUITE AWHILE AND YOUR FATHER AND I GET TO ENJOY YOUR PRESENCE DAILY. YOU HAVE TRULY MADE US THE HAPPIEST PARENTS IN THE WHOLE WORLD! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT EITHER OF US WERE CAPABLE OF THIS KIND OF LOVE...IT IS SO DEEP! YOU TRULY MAKE US LAUGH, CRY, SMILE, GET FRUSTRATED, YOU NAME IT. IT IS SO WORTH IT. YOU HAVE STARTED TRYING TO WALK ON YOUR OWN-THIS IS FUN TO WATCH BUT HARD BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS MOVING AND ON THE GO, HOWEVER; WE WOULD HAVE IT NO OTHER WAY.

WE LOOK BACK AT WHEN YOU FIRST JOINED OUR LITTLE FAMILY...WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CHANGE A DIAPER, MAKE A COLD GO AWAY, CALM YOU DOWN AT NIGHT, GIVE YOU A BATH, YOU NAME IT. NOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE COME QUITE A WAYS IN THE PARENTING DEPARTMENT. AND YOU, WHEN YOU GOT HERE, YOU WERE QUITE HELPLESS-LIKE ALL BABIES. AND NOW, YOU MOVE, TALK( YOU THINK YOU ARE SAYING REAL WORDS), CRAWL, STAND, EAT, GET MAD, LAUGH UNCONTROLLABLY, ENTERTAIN YOURSELF...YOU DO SO MUCH. AFTER LOOKING AT THE PROGRESS WE HAVE ALL MADE IT DOES SEEM LIKE YOU JOINED US A YEAR AGO-ANY OTHER WAY, IT FEELS LIKE YOU WERE BORN YESTERDAY.

YOUR FATHER AND I OFTEN ASK OURSELVES WHAT WE DID BEFORE WE HAD YOU. YOU ARE SIMPLY OUR LIFE NOW. WHEN YOU ARE SICK-WE WISH IT WAS US, WHEN YOU ARE HURT OR MAD-WE WISH IT WAS US, WHEN YOUR TIRED-WE BETTER FIND SOMETHING TO DO WHILE YOU NAP. YOU NAME IT-KIDS CHANGE YOUR LIFE ENTIRELY BUT IT IS FOR THE BEST. YOU TRULY HAVE BLESSED OUR LIVES IN SO MANY WAYS AND WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE GROWING FAST, IT IS STILL NICE THAT WE CAN CUDDLE AND THAT YOU STILL NEED US FOR SOME THINGS BECAUSE WE BOTH LIKE FEELING NEEDED BY YOU, AND HOPE THAT NEVER CHANGES.

AS YOUR BIRTHDAY IS COMING, WE HOPE IT IS WONDERFUL. YOU PROBABLY WON'T REMEMBER ALOT SO WE WILL TAKE PICTURES. JUST KNOW, YOUR FATHER AND I ARE PROUD OF YOU FOR ALL YOU ACCOMPLISH AND YOU TRULY MAKE EACH AND EVERYDAY WORTH WHILE.

WE LOVE YOU HALLE KAY! HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!

LOVE, MOMMY AND DADDY