MY BABY IS NOW 2 YEARS OLD!

MY TIME HAS FLOWN-WE HAD ALOT OF FUN OVER THIS PAST WEEKEND FOR HALLE'S BIRTHDAY. WE DID FAMILY STUFF ON SATURDAY AND A PARTY ON HER BIRTHDAY WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A SUNDAY. ON SATURDAY, JARED AND I TOOK HALLE TO A KNOCK-OFF BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP HERE IN OUR MALL. HALLE GOT TO MAKE HER OWN STUFFED ANIMAL AND STUFF IT AND ALL-SHE SEEMED TO LOVE IT. FROM THERE, WE WENT TO BAJIO FOR LUNCH WITH AUNT NIKI, UNCLE TROY, AND CUZZY TREVOR SINCE TROY HAD TO WORK ON SUNDAY. HALLE HAD ALOT OF FUN, THEN WENT HOME AND TOOK QUITE A NAP. THAT EVENING WE WENT AND VISITED GRANDMA AND GRUMPY SINCE GRANDMA HAS BEEN SICK HALLE HAS MISSED SEEING HER FOR ABOUT A WEEK. ON SUNDAY SHE WORE A NEW DRESS FROM GRMA NAISY AND WENT TO CHURCH, CAME HOME TOOK A 3 HOUR NAP, AND THEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAME FOR CAKE AND ICE CREAM ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER SNACKS. THE THEME OF HER PARTY WAS HAPPY FEET AND IT WAS FUN. THOSE WHO CAME WERE: NANA AND PAPA TORGESEN, GRUMPY AND GRMA NAISY BERNT, AUNT NIKI AND TREVOR, UNCLE JOHN AND AUNT BOO, AND CLOSE FAMILY FRIENDS, THE DUDLEY'S. WE OPENED GIFTS, ATE, WATCHED A VIDEO OF HALLE OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND JUST HUNG-OUT. IT WAS PRETTY RELAXED AND EVERYONE SEEMED TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. THAT NIGHT I HAD A BREAKDOWN AND CRIED FOR A BIT SINCE MY BABY IS GROWING UP SO FAST AND LEARNING SO MANY NEW THINGS DAILY. THE NEXT EVENING PAPA AND GRANDMA MENDENHALL CAME IN TO DROP OFF A GIFT AND STAYED FOR DINNER WITH US AND AUNT NIKI AND TREVOR. IT WAS A FUN NIGHT TO BE TOGETHER. ALL IN ALL HALLE'S BIRTHDAY WAS ALOT OF FUN AND TURNED OUT GREAT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HALLE-WE LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER! PS..THANKS FOR ALL THE GIFTS-SHE MADE OUT WELL! THEY'LL KEEP HER BUSY FOR AT LEAST A WEEK!

HALLE IN HER NEW DRESS-GETTING READY FOR CHURCH!

LATELY HALLE ENJOYS SITTING IN THE FREEZING COLD FRIDGE-ADORABLE!

HERE IS SOME OF THE DECOR~

THANKS NANA FOR THE AWESOME CAKE. I HELPED MY MOM (OKAY NOT MUCH) SHE DID THIS ADORABLE CAKE-WITHOUT A PAN OR ANYTHING! THANKS NANA IT WAS PERFECT AND SO YUMMY TOO!

TREVOR AND HALLE JUST HANGING OUT!

FAMILY PHOTO SHOT~

HALLE SITTING IN HER NEW DOLL BASSINET-IT WAS HILARIOUS! GO FISHER PRICE THAT THING DIDN'T EVEN BEND!

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AFTER EVERYONE LEFT AND HALLE COULD ACTUALLY CALM DOWN AND SEE EVERYTHING SHE GOT~IF IT WENT ON AS CLOTHING, IT WAS ON AND IF SHE COULD PLAY WITH IT~SHE WAS PLAYING! IT WAS SO CUTE AND SHE WAS SUCH A GOOD GIRL!

THIS IS THE NIGHT PAPA AND GRMA MENDENHALL CAME OVER-WE HAD A GREAT TIME WITH THEM!

TOUGH WEEK AHEAD!

SO, IT IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH WEEK FOR ME. MY BABY IS TURNING 2 NEXT SUNDAY AND I AM ALREADY SAD ABOUT IT. HAPPY IN SOME WAYS BUT SAD IN A BUNCH OF WAYS ALSO. I AM SO PROUD OF HER AND EVERYTHING SHE HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND IS ACCOMPLISHING DAILY. HOWEVER, SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY INDEPENDENT AND THE OLDER SHE GETS THE WORSE IT GETS AND IT MAKES ME SAD TO REALIZE SHE DOESN'T NEED MOMMY IN AS MANY WAYS AS SHE USE TOO.

TOP TEN THINGS I LOVE THE MOST:

1. SHE CAN TALK PRETTY GOOD. (AT LEAST, I UNDERSTAND HER.)

2. SHE CAN USE THE POTTY IF WE DON'T WAIT TO LONG.

3. SHE IS VERY PLAYFUL AND FUN-LOVING.

4. SHE LIKES TO DO WHAT MOMMY AND DADDY DO.

5. SHE LOVES WATCHING POOH WITH DADDY.

6. SHE HAS FRIENDS AND LOVES TO PLAY WITH THEM.

7. SHE LIKES TO PLAY WITH MOMMY.

8. SHE LIKES TO SING WITH MOMMY.

9. SHE LIKES TO BE IN HER "PRINCESS" PANTIES.

10. SHE IS MY BEST FRIEND!

TOP TEN THINGS I DON'T LOVE.

1. SHE IS TURNING TWO AND TRIES TO PUSH LIMITS ONCE IN AWHILE.

2. SHE LIKES TO THROW THINGS.

3. SHE DOESN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND CONSEQUENCES YET, SO PUNISHING ISN'T WORKING TO WELL YET.

4. SHE LIKES TODO THINGS HERSELF.
5. NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES, SHE LIKES TO PUT HER "PANTIES" ON BY HERSELF.

6. SHE DOESN'T LOVE TO CUDDLE OR ROCK ANYMORE.

7. SHE THROWS TANTRUMS.

8. HER NAPS ARE GROWING SHORTER AND SHORTER.

9. SHE LIKES TO FLUSH WASHCLOTHS DOWN THE TOILET.

10. SHE LOVES NURSERY AND BEING WITHOUT MOMMY.

SO, ALL IN ALL-HALLE IS A DELIGHTFUL FUN LITTLE GIRL. SHE IS OUR PRIDE AND JOY. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE MOST PART, I GET TO STAY HOME WITH HER AND PLAY WITH HER AND TEACH HER THINGS. HOWEVER, IT IS FUN TO SEE HER EXPLORE THE WORLD AND THE THINGS AROUND HER. ALSO, IT IS SAD THAT SHE IS PERFECTLY HAPPY WITHOUT MOM EVEN AROUND, WHERE WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER SHE HAD TO SEE OR HEAR MOM AT ALL TIMES. IT IS FUN TO SEE THE LIFE SHE IS STARTING TO LIVE AND SEE THE CHOICES SHE IS STARTING TO MAKE. SHE DOES HAVE SOME TERRIBLE TWO SIDE EFFECTS BUT SHE IS GETTING BETTER. SAD TO SAY, SHE KNOWS WHAT TIME OUT MEANS. SHE IS FUN, OUTGOING, AND FRIENDLY TO EVERYONE. SHE LIKES TO LAUGH, SING, DANCE, READ, HOP, KICK LEAVES AND SOCCER BALLS, GO ON WALKS, SLIDE AT THE PARK, PICNICS, RUNNING ERRANDS AND JUST PLAYING. I AM SAD TO KNOW 2 YEARS ARE OVER BUT EXCITED FOR THE MANY MORE TO COME.

I LOVE YOU HALLE KAY!

YOUR MOM

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

SO I HAVE WANTED TO POST A COUPLE THINGS LATELY AND JARED HAD TO DOWNLOAD THE PICTURES FOR ME, WHICH HE DID AND I JUST NEVER GOT AROUND TO BLOGGING SO THERE ARE GONNA BE A COUPLE POSTS ALL IN ONE. ENJOY AND HOPE YOU DON'T GET TO BORED! A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, OUR FRIENDS THE COOKS, HAD A HALLOWEEN PARTY. MY MOTHER GRACIOUSLY TOOK HALLE FOR THE NIGHT AND AWAY WE WENT. WE HAD A FUN TIME DRESSING UP, EATING FOOD, PLAYING GAMES, AND GETTING TO KNOW SOME OTHER COOL COUPLES. WE HAD A TON OF FUN HAVING A NIGHT AWAY TOGETHER AND THANKS TO THE COOKS FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME! WE LOVE YOU GUYS!

HERE WE ARE DRESSED UP: JARED IS A BASEBALL PLAYER, I AM A SOCCER PLAYER! (THANKS KIM FOR LETTING ME USE YOUR CLOTHES!)

A COUPLE NIGHTS LATER WE GOT TOGETHER WITH MY FAMILY TO PAINT PUMPKINS..WE THOUGHT PAINTING WOULD BE EASIER AND CLEANER THAN CARVING WITH THE KIDDOS, AND THEY LOVED IT. WE HAD TONS OF FUN!

NIKI AND HALLE PAINTING AWAY WHILE PAPA CHRIS LOOKS ON!

JARED STEALING A HUG FROM MOM-IN-LAW! THEY JUST LOVE EACH OTHER TO DEATH!

TROY, NIKI, AND TREVY PAINTING...

HALLE LOVED THIS...SHE LOVES PUMPKINS AND TO PAINT THEM WAS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR HER!

OF COURSE, JARED DID NOTRE DAME. IT ACTUALLY WAS AWESOME, PROBABLY THE BEST ONE DONE THAT NIGHT!

THIS IS MINE...CANDY CORN...THOUGHT IT WAS A CUTE IDEA!

HALLE DID A MULTI-COLORED ONE. HERS WAS BEAUTIFUL! WAY TO GO CUB!

THE NEXT WEEKEND, NIKI AND I TOOK THE KIDDOS TO THE ZOO BOO HERE AT ROSS PARK ZOO. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T HAVE THE KIDDOS DRESSED IN THEIR COSTUMES. IT WAS A COLD DAY. BUT THE KIDS ENJOYED GETTING OUTSIDE AND PLAYING. WE HAD HOT DOGS, CIDER, GOT TO SEE SOME OF THE ANIMALS, AND THERE WAS GAMES AND MUCH MORE. THERE WERE LEAVES FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY IN AND FIND PRIZES IN. TREVOR LOVED IT, HALLE WAS HESITANT BUT THEN ENJOYED IT. WHAT A FUN DAY!

NIKI AND THE KIDDOS HEADING TO THE ZOO BOO!

THIS WAS THE ENTRANCE~THEY WEREN'T BIG FANS OF IT!

HERE IS HALLE JUMPING IN THE BIG THING OF LEAVES!~


JARED AND I DRESSED UP, HE IS ONCE AGAIN A BASEBALL PLAYER. THIS TIME I WAS A RODEO QUEEN-OR SOMETHING! I HAD TO GET THIS OUTFIT AT THE DI-IT WAS $6 AND A MUST AND I HAD TO WEAR THE UGLY THING. SO I AM WHATEVER YOU THINK I AM!

THE KIDDOS:
TREVOR: UPS MAN-HALLE: PIG-
JANEY AND JENNA: BALLERINA'S

HALLE AND I TRUNK-OR-TREATING AT NANNA'S CHURCH~

THE KIDDO'S WITH NANNA. THIS YEAR INSTEAD OF TAKING THE KIDDOS AROUND MY MOM'S HOUSE WE DID THE TRUNK OR TREAT AT HER CHURCH. WE LOVED IT! THEY GOT TONS OF CANDY, THEY GOT TO GO OUT WHEN IT WAS STILL LIGHT AND NOT TO COLD YET-OK NOT FREEZING YET! AND THEN THEY WERE READY TO GO TO NANNA'S FOR GAMES AND FOOD...GREAT IDEA AND WE WERE IN PARTYING BY 6:30! LOVED IT!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW MY MOTHER IT MAKES THIS PIC EVEN BETTER. SHE WOULD DIE IF SHE SAW IT ON HERE=WHICH SHE WILL BUT OH WELL! SHE HOSTS A ROCKING HALLOWEEN PARTY EVERY YEAR. WITH PIZZA, FOOD, TREATS, YOU NAME IT. THIS YEAR WE PLAYED A DOUGHNUT GAME AND CHUBBY BUNNY WITH MARSHMALLOWS. WE HAD TONS OF FUN AND WE ARE GREATFUL FOR HER AND PAPA HAVING SUCH FUN TIMES AND ALWAYS BEING A GREAT HOST AND HOSTESS! THANKS YOU GUYS WE HAD A WONDERFUL HALLOWEEN WITH YOU! LOVE YA!