We are a happy family!

The very best gift that Tori received this Christmas was all of the time and memories with her family. Thank you all for helping with feedings, holding her, cuddling with her, rocking her, and just loving her so much!!! She may not remember much of this first Christmas, but she will always know how much she is loved!!!!

Tori took to her Uncle Dillon right off the bat!

I think he was a little surprised when he got close enough for her to suck on his nose!!!

Yep, the Torsinator definitely loves her Uncle Dillon!!!

Over the course of our stay, everyone had at least one opportunity to feed Tori.

Tori loved rocking out with Aunt Nikki!

Tori had so much fun with Uncle Alec. Uncle Alec especially enjoyed helping out with bath time every night!!!

Tori loved playing with Grandpa Allen. He can make her laugh like no one else can!!!

Tori loved spending so much time with Grandma Allen. I know that they are going to be fabulous friends forever!!!

Tori loved her presents from Uncle Alec - especially her Pooh Bear!

Tori loved meeting her Aunt Michelle and had so much fun playing cards with her! (Thank you for her adorable dress!!!)

Tori loved all of the cuddling and quiet time with her G Gma and G Gpa Jones!!!

Tori loved playing with her Uncle Douglas and Aunt Nikki! She can't wait for her cousin Linken to get here so they can play too!!!

Tori loves, loves loves her Grandma and Grandpa Allen!

Picking up a few things...

While we have been in Texas, Tori has been picking up a few new things. For the first time she swapped hands with a rattle! It might have just been by accident, but she did it!!! Grandma Allen was very excited that she was the one to witness this new talent!
Tori has been learning how to stick her tongue out and blow to make raspberries. Grandpa Allen loved helping her develop this skill! Here is a video of our attempt to capture this phenomenon!!!

Tori has always loved her bath times (we have posted about that from the very start). But coming out to Texas, we had to leave her bathtub at home. So, she has been taking her baths in a big tub. We were a little worried that she wouldn't like it. Oh, there was no need to worry at all. She has absolutely loved having more room to kick and play and splash!

In celebration of Grandpa Allen's birthday, we were able to join in his traditional day of movie hopping. So Tori has now been to see her very first movie (The Blind Side) in a movie theater. Grandma Allen also enjoyed holding Tori through the entire show - those two have so much fun together!!!
Tori has been picking up quite a collection of photos being taken of her. I love all of the special moments that have been captured. Here is one photo that I absolutely love of her feet!!!

Tori has also picked up tons of new nicknames:

Uncle Douglas calls her Toridactyl and Torihor.

G Gma Jones calls her Tori Bear. I think this one is so cute because her nickname for Jared is Jare Bear!

Uncle Alec calls her Toi Toi and Tori the Torin.

Grandpa Allen calls her Tor Head.

And our most favorite - Uncle Dillon calls her Torsinator, or Tors for short. But he has made it very clear that he is the only one that can use this fabulous nickname - I think we all forgot this stipulation a few times!!!

And last of all - Tori has also picked up one killer poker face!!!!

A long winter's nap...

The longer we were in Texas, the more I noticed a growing trend. The thought that kept running through my mind was along the lines of settling down for a "long winter's nap"---

Dillon wasted no time in taking a nap with Tori - this was on our first night in Texas.

Grandpa Allen was all tuckered out after playing with Tori and her toys!

Kurtis needed to regain his strength after opening all his presents!!!

Tori poses for pictures even in her sleep!

Sometimes a little girl can get so tired she falls asleep sitting up!!!

One night at Grandpa and Grandma Jones' house Jared disappeared. After a while I went on a search and this is how I found him!

Grandpa Allen and Tori enjoyed many good naps together!

I'm not sure what look this is, but I like it!

So, for all of you out there - I hope you all get your own long winter's nap!!!

Wedding Bells

Today we were thrilled to take part in Kurtis and Michelle's wedding! Everything was just so wonderful! The ceremony was perfect, with such great counsel given. Grandpa and Grandma Jones' backyard was turned into the most beautiful winter wonderland. But it couldn't compare with the smiles that Kurtis and Michelle had on their faces all day long! We are so excited for both of you and wish you the very best of everything as you embark on this wonderful new adventure! We love you both so very much!!!

(P.S. Happy Birthday Grandpa Allen!!!)

Merry Christmas

We had such a wonderful Christmas day! There were so many awesome gifts both given and received. We are so grateful we were able to spend today with our families- whether it was in person, over the phone, or over webcam. This Christmas was my favorite so far. It is really hard to put into words how sweet it was sharing in Tori's first Christmas. I often found myself a little teary-eyed thinking of all the amazing experiences we were having as our little family. One of the best parts was watching Tori open her presents this morning. I think she was a little tired at first.

Then she started to really get into things and have a great time.

Which turned into her eating her presents!

This one is my absolute favorite picture of the day (Douglas, I am so glad you captured this one)!

Above all, we are so grateful that we were able to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. His Atonement is the greatest gift we could ever receive. I feel so humbled to think that He loves me enough to sacrifice so much. And that because of His sacrifice, Jared, Tori, and I can be together forever with Him, our Heavenly Father, and the rest of our family!

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve started out with a bang. This morning we all got together to read and act out the Christmas story out of the scriptures. This was a major production, complete with singing hymns and primary songs, reading from the scriptures, and (my favorite) fabulous costumes!

We started out with Samuel the Lamanite - Alec did a fantastic job!!!

And then switched scenes to Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem. Douglas and Nikki played the perfect parents-to-be!

Grandpa was a wonderful angel proclaiming the birth of the Savior. Geoffrey, Danae, and Michelle were awesome shepherds.

Tori stole the show by being the most adorable Baby Jesus!!! Dillon and Taylor were our great (second) Mary and Joseph!And then we had some awesome wise men! I think that Jared was working out some of his pre-production nerves!This really was the most wonderful way to start out our Christmas Eve. It was wonderful having all of the family together and remembering the real reason why we celebrate Christmas!

This picture just had to be posted. The best part is that I don't think Uncle Geoff realized that Kurtis was behind him - he he!!!!As is Allen tradition, we went out to eat at a local Mexican restaurant for lunch. There were so many of us, we went through so many baskets of chips and salsa - it was fantastic! It was so much fun laughing and being together!!!

Dillon loved the food!!!

Tori had a great time getting lots of attention - especially from Grandma and Grandpa!!!
This evening we participated in another great Christmas tradition. We all got to open one gift - our new Christmas pajamas. We did this in my family growing up as well. I don't know why, but going to bed in new Christmas pajamas makes everything even more magical!

Tori's package was almost as big as she is!!!

Here is our family in our new Christmas pjs!

After everyone had gone to bed, Jared, Tori, and I had a little Christmas tradition of our own. In my family we would read the Christmas story in Luke in our new Christmas pajamas as we gathered around our Christmas tree right before we went to bed. It was always so special listening to my dad read while we were sitting in the glow of the Christmas tree lights. So even though we had already read from the scriptures this morning, the three of us gathered by the Christmas tree and once again read of the wonderful events recorded in the scriptures about the Savior's birth. It was a very special way for us to end a fantastic Christmas Eve!

Christmas Traditions

Being in Texas, and sharing in all of the Allen Christmas traditions, has been so much fun! Tori has been adding many new dresses to her collection - Sunday she wore her second Christmas dress to church. I think she really liked it!

Here we are as a family after church!

After church, we were able to have a delicious dinner at G Gpa and G Gma Jones house. After dinner we were able to play Christmas songs with chimes. I have to admit that we weren't so great to start out with. But after a little practice, we were quite the chime choir!!!

Monday night we read a wonderful story about service for Family Home Evening. In the story, the family put one piece of straw into a manger for every act of service they performed for their secret person. The goal was to build a soft manger bed for Baby Jesus to rest in on Christmas day. After reading the story, we all picked names and started our own manger. It has been so fun seeing all of the little acts of service that have been rendered the last few days. I am sure that Baby Jesus is going to have a wonderful manger bed waiting for Him!

Tori has had so much fun examining (and eating) the Christmas ornaments!

Tonight we all decorated gingerbread Christmas trees. It was so much fun seeing the creative juices flow.

Tori didn't seem to be too impressed... 

But we all did have a great time together!!!

Pictures with Santa

Since Santa Clause is extremely busy in December, he needs several helpers to fill in for him every once in a while. We are so lucky that we are related to two of these amazing helpers. It was so great that Tori's first picture with Santa was with her Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Jones (G Gpa and G Gma) - aka Santa and Mrs. Clause. And Tori looked absolutely adorable in her new Christmas dress!!!