Merry Christmas Card

We're so happy to have so many wonderful friends and family; we hope this Christmas card finds you and your family well.

We had a wonderful addition to our family this year on April 9, Ezra James Torrie. He has really brought so much happiness into our home and and we have had lots of fun watching all his firsts. He has 6 chompers, which are really sharp, loves to laugh with his sister, and he just lights up when he sees us. He is a happy, handsome, curious but shy little guy. We love his dimples, his blue eyes and his spikey hair. He just fits in so well to our family.

Our Kali is 9 and in grade 4 at Crestwood School and she has the best teacher: Mrs. Pavelich! Kali has been pretty busy this year with Hip Hop dance, Activity days at church, and piano lessons. She loves her brother and loves to make him laugh, those two have so much fun together. She spent lots of the summer with her Aunt, Uncle and cousins in Taber where she was able to live the farm life and spent sometime at the lake, she worked hard and played hard. Kali continues to be such a great example to us, she knows how to treat people and is such a peace maker.

Spencer enjoys his job in mechanical building systems engineering and and is saving the world one building at a time. He has liked biking and riding his scooter to work, he basically just loves doing anything outside but especially loves honing his bushcraft/survival skills and hoarding camping gear (much to his wife's dismay). He received a couple awesome Scouting awards this year and is a little sad that he's not an active Scout leader anymore. He's working as the Elders Quorum secretary at church which keeps him busy enough. Spencer is really enjoying being with the kids too. It has been such a great experience to have a big kid and a little kid and learning as a parent as they develop and grow.

Jenn loves having a baby in the house, she's enjoying every phase of him; she especially loves being his favorite person. She is working as a counselor in the Young Women's program at church and loves getting to know and having fun with the girls and other leaders.

We hope you enjoy your Christmas season and that your love of Christ will radiate all year.

With Love,

Spencer, Jenn, Kali & Ezra Torrie

Our Renovations are finally done!!!

We have finished our renovations as of today.

It feels good.  I'm sure we could find more to do, but I'm finished!  Our house in on MLS and we have had one showing so far and there's a realtor showing tomorrow.  I have mixed feelings about moving.  I am excited to be in a bigger house, but it needs some work too.  I am sad to move out of our ward, I love my calling with the Young Women and I've made some great friends.  I know it doesn't matter where you go to church and I'll be fine, it's just hard to change.

Here are a couple pictures of our house.

She likes it!

Kali has started to play football in school and she likes it.  

YESS! 

We have a little stuffed Eskimos football and we have been playing catch in the living room.

SWEET!

She can throw a spiral and can catch the ball too. 

This is GREAT!

I wonder if she'll like more sports this year?

(She's never really been that into it)

She has a gym teacher who is a Mr.

She finally is learning skills instead of just fooling around.

To be honest, the only reason I went to school is for Phys. Ed.

and Recess

Ezra's 5 months old and my short summer catch up.

Ezra is 5 months old today. Its crazy that he's that old already, but it I suppose it feels like we've had him in our family for a long time too. We all just just love him to bits.  We fight over him like the last piece of bacon. We all love to play with him and make him laugh.  Kali loves being a big sister, I think she makes him laugh the most.

Here is a video of dancing Ezra!  Thanks Diane Gibb for the Jumparoo!  He loves it.

Here is a picture of Ezra helping me with dishes.

Ezra at the lake.

This picture is freaky, but for future memory sake I'll post this one.  Kali heard her back pop while she flipped upside down and backwards on a tube ride while still holding on, but maybe it popped when another huge wave flipped her back and brought her back in normal sitting position.  Either way she was lucky to be with Uncle Ryan a doctor who rushed her to the hospital on a back board and had her X-rayed.  

All was well.

These pictures are from the night before Mom and Dad Torrie left for their 2nd mission.  They are so awesome!  We miss them so much.  Here are a few of the grandchildren who live close.

This one is Grandpa and Ez.  They were both asleep just prior to this picture.

Life has been pretty great lately.  Spence and I had our 10 year anniversary go by, we spent it at a wedding reception eating all my favorite things: cotton candy, hotdogs, corndogs, popcorn, slushes, and mini donuts. 

10 years down forever to go.

Since our stake split up all the Medicine Hat wards and created our new ward, I have been the RS secretary. It's been a few months and I have really enjoyed the ladies I work with, we have lots of fun.  But yesterday at church I was sustained in a new calling, YW 1st counselor.  I am really excited to work with the YW, but nervous since I know nothing about the program... at all. The girls are awesome, the president is awesome, I actually knew her when I lived in Edmonton, Alison Crawford (Peterson), and the 2nd counselor is cool too.  It'll be awesome.  

Lastly, we are outgrowing our little home.  We have some projects to do and Spence wants to list it in the next couple weeks.  I have mixed feelings.

I am liking our new ward.

I never thought I really would... I feel bad that I ever thought that.

We actually have another house already lined up, but it's in another ward, where a lot of our friends are. 

The house is owned by an 88 year old lady in an old folks home (probably not the politically correct way to say that), and she was a hoarder.  Her power of attorney is our neighbor and we offered to clean it out for a good price.  Its a 5 bedroom bungalow with 1250 sqft and it has lots of potential, it will pretty much be like a mansion to us. We've been working on cleaning it out this summer and still have a lot to do.  I would like to bring in a dumpster, but Spence wants to look at all the crap treasures to see if he could use any of it. But I can't elaborate on that topic anymore.

We are excited about our new adventures.  We are excited to be a family who has 2 kids. Life is happening and I'm just trying to keep up :)

July Pictures

We've been having a relaxing summer for the most part.

Kali put her googles on Ez, he didn't even mind.

Hillary, Ally and Kali at her birthday, these girls had so much fun together!

Kali and I played don't eat Pete, she kicked my butt.
I used to be so good at this game when I'd play with her, she only ever picked the prety girls.
She was so easy to read... not so easy anymore.

For Mom and Dad Torrie

We went to the farm last Monday, it was wierd to be there without Mom and Dad.  Spencer took a few pictures that I think they will appreciate to see while out on their mission. They are serving in SLC at the Family History centre.  We miss you Mom and Dad!

The pictures were all taken with my iPhone.

 This is the view from the dining room door.  The apple tree looks so green and lonely.

 The same shot but a little earlier, it must be like 5AM.

 This looks out the same door, but points straight North towards the river.

 This must be super early in the morning, before I was up that's for sure.  It's the sunrise over the fenced garden.

The sunrise over the garden.

Ezra's Baby blessing

Ezra was blessed today.

We cheated and had our family join in our our ward potluck instead of having our own family dinner.  It was great, virtually no stress for me which is what I'm all about.  I get a little stressed when I have to plan things, often I just wait for the last minute and hope everything works out.  

After the dinner, we took some pictures.

I actually really LOVE this picture of us.

We are, we are ham and cheese.

(Ice Age 4 quote)

Kali wanted to wear her baptism dress to be matchy matchy with Ez.

This is one for the history books.  Ezra with his two cousin closest in age.  Spencer, who is 18 months older and Averlee, who is 9 months older.  We're hoping they'll be best friends someday.

Spencer is at such a fun age, I just LOVE him, he loves baby Ezra and Kali and he calls me Momma.

Just before this picture Spencer was protecting Ezra from Averlee and making sure everyones soother was in place.

Some of the Torries came for Ezra's blessing. I think they doubled our primary, Sunday school and R.S.  It was so nice to have the support, family is so great.

Gotta have one silly one.

I'm throwing this one in for fun.  Kali was letting Ezra listen to some Disney music, I think he may have liked it.  

Just the night before, Kali was listening to her iPod before bed and came out crying.  She was listening to "You'll be in my Heart" from Tarzan and it made her really emotional.  So cute. She wanted Ezra to hear it too I suppose.

He sure is a cute baby, isn't he?  I am extremely biased.

Pics of Ezra, Eldon and Kali

Here are some pictures from the past couple weeks.  Ezra has really grown and has changed a lot.

This is his first swimsuit, I wanted to see if it was going to fit.

Ezra with his best buddy Eldon Snell.

Kali helped bake the cookies that I ate too many of. They were so good... too good. I'm never making those again!

Here lies the Little Prince.

Some Randoms

Mother's day was nice, I had 4 pieces of bacon!  And we had bought KFC on Saturday for Sunday. Kali bought me candy and a "Love you Mom" Beanie Baby.

On a side note, I HATE the Monday after Mother's Day, clean the house from the previous day and wash the dishes.  Dads just don't clean like a Mom does.

Spence did an 8 hour adventure race with his Brother Ryan in Elkwater, it almost makes me want to do it next year.

Kali had a dance recital on Friday, she's a good dancer.  It was a hip hop class, I think Kali really likes it.  After the recital we went out to Marble Slab with our friends Cheryl and Justin and their super cute kids.  I had Chocolate Birthday Cake ice cream with brownies in a sundae, Mmmmm.

We had a 3rd ward reunion Weenie Roast for FHE last Monday.  Out of the seven families, only 2 of us have been kicked out of the ward, so it was awesome to hang out. And I love me a good weenie roast, I love excuses to have a fire and cook food on it.  I love Summer!!

Dinner with friends

So last Sunday there were some MAJOR changes to the ward boundaries in Medicine Hat, all the wards were affected.  I think our ward, 3rd, was hit the hardest.  We are now in a newly created ward, 4th ward, and we only have a few friends from our old ward.  A friend of mine and I decided that we would have little night out with our girls, and it turned into this awesome display at Moxies.

 Our girls had lots of fun, they love getting together and are all pretty good friends, I consider them all my friends too. After dinner Moxies turned into a play place, good thing they put us at the end of the restaurant.

Carmen, who is on the right left is Verenice's cousin visiting from Mexico.  But the rest of us were in 3rd ward except Reese who is currently building a house that used to be in 3rd ward.  Unfortunately, we are split now between 3rd, 4th, and 5th wards... seems to me that we are going to need these night outs more often, maybe without the  younger girls though. I will miss seeing these ladies so often, and now we need to make an effort to see each other more often.

Twins in a Moby wrap

I recently bought a Moby Wrap and was looking for an instructional video on YouTube.

I was curious when I saw "Twins in a Moby Wrap"

I found this video very entertaining. 

I am completely in LOVE with this boy!

It's so amazing to be a mother again of a newborn.  

I have had so many feelings that he is so close to heaven and wondered who he encountered there.  There are many loved ones beyond the veil, and many still to meet. How could one look at a precious babe and not know that God's hand is in everything?

I love having Ezra in our family, he is such a content baby.  He eats well, sleeps well, takes a pacifier, gives us the cutest gassy smiles, and he has dimples.  I can over look the discomfort I may still be feeling and I can honestly say that I have never been happier in my entire life.

I have such an amazing husband who loves to serve me and praises me for everything, he makes me feel so loved and beautiful, I love him so much.

My Kali is such a great sister and is so helpful, she loves Ezra so much.

Here are some pictures from the past 3 weeks.

Ezra wearing a shirt that someone AWESOME bought. 

3 Generations at the hospital.

Spence, Dad Torrie and Ezra

 Ezra with Grandma and Grandpa T the night he was born.

Ezra with Grandma Great, she's 92.

Kali loving her little brother.

Kali is wearing Ezra in the Moby Wrap with my best friend and Ezra's biggest fan, Erin. 

Fran, who is the BEST, came over to visit and cleaned my shower with her Pinterest jewel: blue Dawn and Vinegar in a dish wand.

Kali and Ezra

First family photo.

A family photo including Grandma Lynda

We have a baby boy!!

We welcomed Ezra James Torrie into our family last night.

We are so in love with him!

He was 8 lbs and 20 inches long.

 Spencer and is such a proud Dad.

Kali is a very excited and happy big sister.

And Ezra is such a wonderful baby and a little sweetheart.

Funny Studio C skit

So, we watched this episode of Studio C yesterday, and I think this is the first time I laughed at this show.  I guess it's funnier since I can relate to it.  I hope you enjoy it too.

Tender Mercies

We have had such a great weekend together, I love family!!  Spencer and I decided that it's time to buy a van, so that's what we did yesterday.  We drove to Calgary in the afternoon and found a great van for us, a Mazda MPV, Spence is so excited and so is Kali.  We are van people!

We were able to stay with Spencer's Aunt and Uncle in SE Calgary, which was so fun.  Kali had a great time with Aunt Peggy and Bradley (Spencer's cousin), she just loves people.  We had a great visit, Aunt Peggy and Uncle Kevin feel like friends to us, we just have such a great time with them.

One of the best parts was that the Lord blessed me not to go into labour on the highway or in Calgary.  We prayed like crazy and I really feel like the Lord answered our prayers, He really does love me.  Now that we're home it can happen at anytime.  But I will wait patiently.

Another enjoyment for me this weekend is that today 10 years ago Spencer and I started dating.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.  We spent the day together in Salt Lake City after not seeing each other for almost 3 years.  We went to a session of conference, and snuggled all day, it was like magic and we fell in love.  So our yearly tradition is going out for a rice bowl to commemorate the one we shared in the food court of the mall across the street from Temple Square.  We have evolved a bit, but our dinner usually involves some kind of rice, and we don't have to share anymore.  Tonight we went to a Vietnamese restaurant with Kali and told her about that day 10 years ago.  I can't believe what a miracle and a blessing Spence has been in my life, I love him like crazy, he is my rock!

Car Seat Cover

I made a car seat canopy today, from this blog. I'm pretty excited about it, I made it reversible.  Sometimes I make things and get sick of them, but I think this will work for me.  It makes me excited to have a baby, I know he's just going to love this cover.  My due date is coming up in just over 2 weeks, but I don't mind if he comes in 4, easier in that out.  So, I have most things prepared, and if not I'll figure it out later.  My next task is packing my hospital bag.  Then waiting patiently.  I'm pretty excited to meet this little guy.   

Side A

Side B

St. Patrick's Day

It was St. Patty's Day yesterday and I tried to wake up early to make a great breakfast for my family.  First I had to puke which woke everyone up, so there went my surprise.  We still had a great breakfast, with Kali being the only one brave enough to eat green eggs.

Then Kali made a Leprechaun trap yesterday after church.  I think she started making them in Kindergarten and she usually makes one every year.  So, I kinda missed the boat on that one.  The plan is to make a trap so the Leprechaun is fooled into it, then he leaves some gold chocolate coins.  Kali had a trap door with double sided tape on the floor that he was supposed to step on and stick to.  It really was a great trap, the best I've seen so far and she decorated it so well.  The only problem is that the Leprechaun didn't come and leave any gold coins, what a jerk!  That trap was outside the front door all day and was checked every half hour.  

So to redeem her sadness, I went to the Bulk Barn and bought a small bag of chocolate gold coins.  I was debating with my friend Erin about what to do with these gold coins.  She made a good point that St. Patrick's Day is over so I should just forget about it.  But that doesn't make me feel very good either.  So I decided that since I love praise and appreciation, I would give her the coins and tell her that I was so disappointed in the Leprechaun that I thought I would buy her some gold coins to make her feel better.  It worked, I'm the BEST Mom.

My birthday is awesome!

So my birthday is officially over... I think.  I thought it was over last week.

My dear friend Fran missed my birthday when she was in Banff and wanted to take me out for lunch on Wednesday, two days ago, how could I say no?  We had a great lunch at Edo and it was so great to visit, she even gave a beautiful Stella and Dot bracelet!!  Fran is a great friend and I love hanging out with her, she is so fun.

Then my friend Marianne called to check up on me and realized she missed my birthday too and took me out for lunch yesterday with our other friend Kim.  We went to Kelsey's and had wings and the Buffalo Chicken sandy... ohhhh so good.  I have really great friends.

My actually birthday was great too!  I went out for breakfast with Erin and her little guy to Perkins, I love breakfast and it was delish!  I just love food when I don't have to make it, I think it tastes better.  That just goes to show that I haven't cooked anything good in a long time.  Although I did make pancakes at my SIL's house and thought they tasted like someone else made them ;).

Spencer had invited some friends over for dinner and ice cream cake the night of my birthday, which was awesome.  Except that I made dinner, but at least he brought the cake.  We had fun, ate, and played charades.  Spence and Kali gave me some great gifts, so that made me even more happy, it was a great day.  And I wore a birthday girl badge all day and strangers were saying "Happy Birthday" to me when I was out shopping, I loved it.  When I picked up Kali from school the first thing she would say to me was "Happy Birthday Mom"... and she did it all week!!

Lastly, I am 36 weeks pregnant and getting ready to have a baby next month, or maybe this month who knows.  My counting due date is April 4th or 5th, and my ultrasound date is the end of March.  I just hope to have this baby before April 15th.  That will keep me sane at least.  I feel like my body is getting ready for this, I just have to finish preparing and wrap my head around being a mother of a baby again. I have been so selfish for the past few years since Kali is in school, time to change that mindset.  Most likely I won't give it much thought and wait for it to happen and deal with it, that usually how I work anyways.

It's coming...

My favourite day of the year is tomorrow... My birthday!!! I just love my birthday, I think it's because I'm a little selfish.  I love a day all about me, and have no problems telling people that its my birthday either.  And to follow tradition I will be celebrating it all week.  The only problem with that is that Kali thinks we should celebrate hers all week too,  but we won't go there right now... This is my week!  I hope my family has something awesome planned, Kali and Spence know how much my birthday means to me.
So far I plan on going out for breakfast with my bestie and her little guy, I love breakfast so I'm excited. I'm sure I'll fit a nice nap in and do what ever I want.

Valentines Day 2013

I like Valentines day,  this is probably the first year I've realized it.  I went a little out of my way to make it a little more special for my two sweethearts.

I gave them candy and cards for breakfast.  Then Spence and I had a lunch date!!!  I love lunch dates!  We went to Kelsey's, since it was half price wing day, and I am in LOVE with their wings.  We ordered wings and I had a Buffalo Chicken sandy, with extra wing sauce, and I my face was sweating from the heat of the sauce.  I just can't get enough of that stuff.  It's so nice to go out with Spence alone and when it's not busy and just be together.  I LOVE that guy, he is my favorite.

Then after dinner we ate chocolate covered strawberries, made the best sugar cookies, iced them with the best raspberry butter cream icing, and took them to our neighbors. One lady two doors down recently lost her husband so we had a nice visit with her and got to know her a little better.  Our last activity before Kali went to bed was Valentines pictionary, it was fun, I love doing things with these two.  They are my favorite people in the whole wide world.  I love loving these two!  Happy Valentines day!!

I have no calling

I found out last week that I was going to get released from my primary calling.  It made me sad but I kept it together... until last Sunday.  I was conducting closing exercises and took the liberty to bear my testimony to the senior primary, it didn't take long to get the tears a flowin'.  I could barely get through it, I love those kids and the spiritual experiences we've shared together create a bond.  I know Heavenly Father loves them too and they have so much potential.  This has been my favorite calling EVER!  People have congratulated me on getting released in the halls at church, but it took all I had not to cry on their shoulders.  Maybe I'm just more sensitive these days.


On another note, I'm 30 weeks pregnant!  That means only 10-12 weeks left!  I'm really excited to meet my baby, I just love him already.  

Week 28

I got the results of my first glucose test and it was a little high.  So today I had to do the 2 hour test while fasting, it was kinda sucky.  First, they took my blood which hurt, then an hour later they took my blood again in the other arm and that really hurt too, then after the second hour they took my blood again and it hurt.  I've had my blood taken many times in the past year, so I've been getting better at handling the scare, but I've also had good luck having my friends take my blood without pain.  That woman was consistently horrible, I've had her take my blood before and I'm sure she hurt me that time too.  Granted, I'm a huge baby when it comes to getting my blood taken.  I was in the hospital when I was 5 for 2 weeks while doctors were trying to figure out what was wrong with me.  I was constantly poked and prodded, it may have given me a fright which still lives with me.  When my friend Jen, took my blood a couple weeks ago, I didn't even feel the needle, but this time it hurt the whole time the needle was in.  I hate getting my blood taken!! 

The nice part about today was when I was weighed I was 3lbs lighter than last month.  That's pretty sweet. And then my blood pressure which has been on the rise is back to optimal.  That made me pretty happy, maybe it has to do with all the fruits and vegetables that we've been eating, maybe it's all the puking I'm doing.  Who knows?  I hope my glucose test comes back normal, but if it doesn't at least I'm already off refined sugar.

I'm on a Candy Fast

So, I've been reading that my baby is mostly developed now is just gaining fat and weight.  That scared me in to this thing I call a "Candy Fast".  On the night of New Years Eve I started it, my goal, until I have my baby, is not to eat any treats, that includes:

ice cream

cookies

cake

chocolate

any candy

any other sweet treat

But I will drink chocolate milk, since that's the only dairy that I consume.  I've been eating lots of fruit and vegetables and I drink water whenever I feel like I have a craving for a treat.  Last night we went to Spencer's brother's house in Taber for dinner and after we ate they brought out the chocolates, fresh baked cookies, brownies and ice cream.  It was a bit of a challenge to say no, but I DID IT! Surprisingly, it's not as hard as I thought it would be. And I do have a couple days of respite to look forward to in this adventure, one day is January 27, Erin Wallace's birthday, and February 25, my birthday.  Erin and I are doing this together, and it sure helps to have a someone to do this with.  

p.s. on a side note, there is a girl in my ward that just gave birth to a 10lbs 15oz. baby.  I am NOT going to do that!