Zoo lights with the Monsen's!

Last night we went to zoo lights with Brookie, Dalan, and Rhett!  We had a blast.. We started the night off with yummy chili's.  Can I just tell you our daughter can down food!!!  She ate 3/4 of her bowl of macaroni and cheese, and half her bowl of mandarin oranges.... and honestly she would have kept eating if we didn't have to leave! haha.  She loved seeing all the lights, and it was the perfect amount for little kids.  Thank you Brookie and Dalan for going with us, we need to do it again real soon :)

Cabin Trip!

Since we found Auggie on Sunday, we decided to head up to the cabin..  Bristyn loved the cabin!  She had so much fun exploring the cabin, playing with her cousins, and loved looking at the snow!  The first day we were up there we didn't do a whole lot.  We went to breakfast at "The Place" then just kinda hung out all day.. the kids went sledding while Bristyn napped..  later that day Bruce went shooting so my mom, Bristyn, and I went to the mall.  Little did we know we would be dropped off at the Flagstaff mall for 2 1/2 hours :)  Anyone that knows me, knows I can only last at a mall for about an hour then I am done.. I hate shopping! haha it was lovely.  Bristyn did good in her stroller for about an hour then I could tell she wanted out So I got her out and let he walk around.. It was adorable, she was in heaven!  She was laughing and talking and would stop and stare at people.. It was hilarious to watch her.. We decided to go to Dillards and she had a absolute blast!  She seriously played in the clothes for like 45 minutes.  We came home Tuesday afternoon.  Even though it was a short trip we had a lot of fun.  We are sad Bristyn didn't get to play in the snow or go sledding.. Hopefully it will snow again so we can run up and let her play in the snow :)

New Years Eve!

New Years Eve was a bittersweet night...  It started out so much fun!  We headed over to my parents house for a little get together, there were games, fireworks, yummy food, and good company.  Around 10:30 we decided to head home because Bristyn was so tired.

We got home around 11 and Bruce let our dog Auggie out to go to the bathroom.  He was out there for about 10 minutes when Bruce went to go get him and he wasn't there.  Auggie has gotten out before, but he always went and scratched at the front door for us to let him in... Well he was no where in sight so the search began.  By 12:30, Bruce stopped his search but did one last drive around 1:30 to see if he could find Auggie.. Since it was so unlike him we didn't know if someone stole him, or if he got out and was scared because there were so many fireworks going off and just kept running.  Keep in mind I was so devastated..  Bruce proposed with Auggie over 5 years ago, he tied the ring on a bow around his neck... Auggie has gone with us EVERY summer so he and I have spent a lot of time together bored out of our minds haha... so I am pretty attached to him.  Poor Bruce felt so bad.  We went to bed thinking we would never see our poor dog again.  When we woke up on New Years Day we started putting fliers out and we got a call while we were still putting them up.  Some crazy lady had Auggie!!! She lived in apartments right behind our house and she said a bunch of dogs were chasing him and he was scared to death and ran up and jumped in her arms..  So she kept him for the night and was about to put signs up saying she found a dog!  Can I just tell you we were all so happy!  (even Bruce... even though he won't admit it haha)  Bristyn was so happy too, she seriously loves Auggie to death!

Being Bristyn's mom brings so much joy into my life.. I seriously love this girl to death..  She has the sweetest personality in the world, and is such a good baby.  She is a mommy's girl that for sure, and I love it... but she also LOVES her daddy.  It is so cute, this morning she woke up pretty early so we brought her in bed with us so we could get a few more hours of sleep and she layed down between us... grabbed my hair and goes mama, and then started patting Bruce on the head... and said dada... and she fell asleep having a hand on both of us..  It seriously melted my heart.  I feel so blessed that I am able to be her mommy, and take care of her every single day... what an amazing life I have!  It makes me so sad to see how fast she is growing up, now that she is walking around I feel like she grew up over night..  But she is getting so fun.  I just love my little family so much!

Bristyn is getting so much funner every single day...  She is really getting into her toys and it is hilarious to watch..  She will try to pick her toys up and walk around the house with them (usually the heavy ones) and then gets so mad when she drops them..  She seriously makes us laugh all day long!  We got her a little princess car she loves sitting on.. but she cant figure out how to get on it the right way, so she will get on it backwards...  the girl is hilarious!  

Christmas 2011!!!

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year...  

I did the 12 days of Christmas for Bruce, and it was so fun to give him a new gift every day... His main gift was a pistol he has been wanting... He got me a brand new sectional!!!  Since we got sick right before Christmas he wasn't able to bring it home until today, and I am in love with it!!!  I have the best husband in the world.  

Christmas morning started out at my parents house at 8:30.  They played a short 5 minute movie on the true meaning of Christmas and then we opened gifts.. Bristyn got a wagon that she LOVES, and Bruce and I got some awesome stuff for year supply..  My parents know us too well and know we are obsessed with year supply stuff.  They also got us a cool electric pressure cooker that I'm excited to try out :)  Sadly, we didn't get to stop by Grandma Sue's this year either because we were waiting for Benson's phone call..  thankfully I have very understanding grandparents :)

At 10 we headed over to Bruce's parents house and had more fun!!!  We opened presents and Bruce got a hunting pack he has wanted for a long time, and I got an ipod touch.. Bristyn got a bunch of fun little toys!  After opening presents we had a few games!  We did the annual Christmas lotto, and I won!!!  Everyone put some money in and then we draw a name and I was so excited when I won.  We also played another game and Bruce and I got some gift cards, it was so much fun!  Benson finally called and we got to skype with him, and it was so good to be able to see him and talk to him.. Oh how we love and miss that boy!!! Bruce and I grew so close with him when he came with us to Colorado, and we love him to death!!!  We are so proud of all he has accomplished on his mission so far, he is like a totally different person and its amazing to see.  

Our parents are so amazing, and made this Christmas so special.  It was even more special getting to share it with our sweet Bristyn.  She loved every minute of it, and loves all her new toys..  

I am so grateful for the Christmas season, and hope we all remember the true meaning of Christmas.  I for one, am so grateful for my wonderful Savior.. and for the sacrifices he has made for me, and my family.  How lucky we are to be apart of his wonderful gospel, and to be able to feel his hand in our lives daily.  

Our sweet girl was so exhausted by the end of the day she passed out on the couch for almost 3 hours!  We had to wake her up.. haha I just LOVE sleeping babies!

Bris was so excited to go for a little wagon ride Christmas night, we took her down the street and she was in heaven.