A little behind...

Once again, I am a little behind on my blogging. But to be honest too much has been going on and not a whole lot to write about. Winter is taking its toll on me, just as it does every year. I'm thinking I may not survive this one. Its so ccccold and miserable out there, I do not like it. Not at all. So I have gone into complete hibernation and I don't leave, which is fine. I love my home! I have gotten a lot of cleaning done, organizing. The girls and I have fit in a few tea parties, fashion shows and barbie is married to iron man and we had a big wedding. James has started racing his BMX and just as he does every year he has gotten EVEN BETTER!! Yep, that's right. I'm bragging about how good my son is... again. He didn't practice at all and we threw him on the track with a bunch of kids who live, eat and breath BMX racing. And he blew them all out of the water! He was so far ahead he could have stopped mid way and taken a bow. That is just how good my baby boy is. So he is busy doing that now and he is doing WONDERFUL in school too, and even if he doesn't get straight A's I'm pretty sure he is going to make a fortune riding motorcycles and bikes anyway. I have also taken a liking to our brand new library right down the street! I LOVE IT!! It is so big and it has all sorts of fun things to do, even for the little peeps like my Ava who isn't really big into reading yet. So, we go there where its nice and warm and read until were cross eyed and then we take the "short cut" home which is an empty field they are getting ready to build on full of extra THICK and STICKY mud!! And we do donuts and fly through that field throwing up as much mud as we can! The kids love it and I have perfected my 4 wheeling skills. I'm just waiting for the day that I have to call Rory to come pull us out because even though its just down the street if I get stuck I refuse to step out into the cold.

We also celebrated grandma Teresa's 50th birthday! We all threw her a surprise birthday party! I think she was pretty SURPRISED, especially because we had Rachael and Charlotte come in all the way from Milan to give her a birthday hug in person! And Bekah worked so hard on making sure everything was looking fantastic. And Kristi put all her creative touches on everything. You all did such a great job and it was so fun to be a part of it! I love being part of the Royce family.

Then it was thanksgiving and this year was by far one of my favorite thanksgiving's ever!! I got to see my aunt Sarah, all my little cousins, my grandpa and MY GRANDMA!! I haven't seen any of them since my wedding and it was long over due. I missed them all and it was so nice to sit around and reminisce, and make fun of each other and just visit. I got to see all my babies meet their great grandparents. Ava hadn't met them yet. And I got to see almost every single person that I love in the same room. That doesn't happen very often with my family, we are all spaced out and living our own separate lives but when we come together... watch out. I couldn't have been more thankful for that wonderful week with my family! I loved every minute of it!



Then we got to celebrate my momma's birthday, it was a quiet celebration... Maybe when she is 50 I will throw her a surprise birthday party... Alba style (It might last a few days). We went to happy sumo for her birthday dinner, it was too good! They have a dish called OMG cheesecake. It is the bomb! We couldn't help but make "mmmmm" sounds and say OMG the whole time we all stuffed it into our mouths!

Here is all of us except my dad and Jameson.

AND ONE OTHER THING...
A few weeks ago I got a call from a friend of my mothers. She owns an animal rescue and she informed me that a little mix had just given birth to 6 puppies at a shelter and they were going to euthanize them if they couldn't get a foster home immediately. OF COURSE I couldn't let that happen!?!?! I wouldn't hear of it. I know it happens everyday, way too often. Its depressing to think about but if I can help out, even just a little. Why not?

SO, I called Rory that evening and told him I only had a quarter tank of gas and asked him if that would get me to Bountiful. He said yes, then he asked why in the world I was driving to Bountiful, seeing as to how I wont even step foot outside. I casually told him I needed to go pick a momma dog and her 6 pups or they might be put down. I tried to mix it into the conversation so that it wasn't the main topic and just nonchalantly throw it in there. I was hoping he wouldn't notice what I had just told him. But he did. He didn't say much, he just said "uh huh" and then he told me he would see me at home. When I got home, puppies and momma in tow, I wasn't sure if I was in trouble or if he was going to sit me down and lecture me for an hour about how I need to think twice before I do things like this and how much work it is yada yada yada. Instead he just walked out to the garage, lifted the little crate of squeaking pups and carried them upstairs. He didn't say ONE word. Not one. He didn't even say anything when I had an ugly little momma mutt following me around the house and jumping on his feet to make sure he was being careful with all her babies.

He just walked up to our room (he knows I wouldn't sleep without them) and carefully opened the crate and took each puppy out, one by one and placed them in the little bed I was making for them. Through all of this he STILL didn't say anything. And I didn't want to be the one to say anything, I wasn't about to set myself up like that!! But I noticed, even though he would never admit it, I saw him snuggle each puppy before he put them in their bed. He loves them too, he just wont say it.



Look familiar?!?! Yep, just like my little babies I raised last year!!!

And here is sweet Missy. She is the cutest, ugliest dog ever!

And my babies now... They are 3 weeks old!

Unfortunately we lost the 2 runts of the litter. I tried to keep them alive and I was able to for about 2 weeks but they were just too weak. And even then, when they passed away Rory got up and got the shovel and went out to our little animal cemetery (yes, we have a cemetery in our backyard) Where Jazmine, Lola and Jameson's bird have all been buried and we laid them to rest. He has got to be the most patient husband ever!
I think its because he sees how happy these little creatures make me...

So that's if for now, I'm sure I will have more to write about soon. Soon the puppies will be running around the house and wont be so little and cute. And soon Rori Ana and Ava will do something that makes me want to scream and laugh at the same time and I will have to go running for my camera so that I can document what terrors they are. And James and Nelly both have a race tomorrow. This will be Chanel's FIRST REAL race!! I'm excited! And I know she is. She is going to whoop some BMX BOYS' BUTTS!!