Tis the season!

 

I had the Love Boat vibe to my outfit for EB's holiday party for our clients at Microsoft. We had fun!

 

I have been granted into Birthday Club. A group of about 16-20 women that get together once a month to celebrate! Super fun! Brandy my neighbor from the lake was one of the December Birthdays! It is so important to get out with fun girls that you can let loose with. Glad I am part of it!

 

Can you tell it was Brandy's night? Love her!

Very grateful she ended up being my neighbor at the lake.

 

 

Shifts

 

Eileen turned 65! We had a great day with a hockey game and Mexican Village.

 

Our one and only tree. Last year we threw out our tree-too many burned out lights. Alex and I went shopping for a new one and this is what he chose. Still have not found one I am in love with and Erik will not go for a real one so here we are. Actually works out well this year with Talia on the loose. What I have learned is no matter how big or small, how we really don't picture a stark white tree adorned with hot pink, a Christmas tree is always pretty when glowing in the night. Alex is so proud of it and insisted he put the glittery star on top.

 

Talia crawled in the bath with all of her clothes the other night. NEVER turn your back on her, not even for a second. This is what happens. She thought she was pretty funny.

 

Hair cut before

 

 

Hair cut after

 

 

Obsessed with hockey! Was at the rink Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday last week...his room smells like a locker room.

 

 

Had fun at the Oberg's Force Suite

 

New shades!



Milestones

Talia is in semi-toddler mode. She is into EVERYTHING big or small. LOVES to play with her big brothers and follow them around as if she is one of the pack. If I find my makeup brush or my favorite lip gloss gone I now get on all fours and search at her level. Odds are in my favor that I am going to find what I am looking for. She loves the thrill of the chase. If she is successful in nabbing my cell phone, remote, or a kitchen utensil she likes to take off running squealing as you strategically get back what she has. Talia is now saying "Peeass" (please) and "Tankoo" (thank you). She will beg for whatever you are eating -uh, uh, uhhhhhh and make her hands into little look alike pincher's. She loves music and dancing. Now that Dancing with the Starts is over for awhile we will all be sad because she gave them a run for their money. I think her and Alex could be some serious competition. If you put her in a new outfit or even just get her dressed for the day or bed she has to go show her brothers so they can tell her how cute or pretty she is. But she also likes to play with cars, trains, and get as dirty as possible when she feeds herself. She hums "ABC" and when we sing it will chime in with three of the letters "E,F,G". Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle, Twinkle are also hummed, sang, and demonstrated. She really has completed our family and I am so grateful that we are the five of us.

Alex has been sick A LOT. The poor guy had a three week stretch where every third day he was either throwing up, had a fever, or just plain miserable. I took him to the ER on a Saturday because his temp was 103.5. They told me it was just a virus but he was down right miserable. I felt so helpless. He would get sick and say,"Sorry Mama." No buddy I am the one that is sorry that I cannot fix this. He is the one I struggle with when it comes to getting sick, if there is a virus he is going to get it and he is going to get it good. He threw up all over the art table at school one day. But when he is feeling good you can see the wheels constantly turning in his head. Our morning conversations when it is just he and I are some of my favorite.
"How big is the earth? It is a planet, right mama?"
"How does Santa get the sleigh up, those reindeer are strong you know, it is not magic."
"Why is it so dark out?"
"Mom, you can't go on yellow, only green!"
"Don't yell at the car in front of you, that is not nice!"
Alex loves to go to the hockey rink with Erik and Anthony to chase the girls. He loves the ladies and I get a good chuckle out of it now but if I think of the future I wince. I keep reminding him of all the other things he likes too to distract him. He has his whole life to worry about girls.

Anthony is engrossed in school and hockey. I tried to discourage him from hockey. I did not want to sell my soul to hockey. We made him wait until third grade to join. I was nervous we waited too long. I was right only in the fact that I had no idea how much he was going to love it! Any time Anthony has started a sport about three weeks in he wants to quit. This summer with baseball was the first time that did not happen. He LOVED Babe Ruth. Never complained and was always excited to play at practice or game day. Same thing with hockey, he is ready and out the door without us having to remind him. Coach Rob gave him kudos the other day and I think he floated home. He has naturally taken to it and I have enjoyed watching him flourish. He now has hockey hair and all he wants for Christmas is hockey dedicated in one way or another. As a parent it always feels good when your kids are happy.

Life is good at the Tortorice's and I say my appreciations to the guy upstairs every single day. We all are hitting different milestones and for that I am very, very thankful.

Thanksgiving in Baudette

 

Ditto

Describe your self. What do you think about yourself and do you think people perceive you in the same way?  Energetic, fun, no nonsense...I hope people perceive me the same way.
Which is your most favorite book ever?  The Island of the Blue Dolphins
Which is the one television character that you simply adore?  Julie Bowen
What kind of music do you like? I like it all. Classics, rock, sometimes I can even be a little bit country.
Which is your favorite genre of movies? (Comedy/Romance/Suspense/Action/Horror) Comedy and Romance: I am a sucker for Beaches, The Notebook, and any Adam Sandler movie.
What do you do when you feel very sad or depressed?  I cry, I don't cry much but when I do it pours.
What makes you angry? Are you short-tempered? How do you overcome your anger? When adults act childish. I am not short tempered but once I am mad it takes me awhile to calm down. I talk it through with my hubby or one of my girlfriends.
Which is the best vacation you've ever had? Florida, when we took Anthony to Disney.
If you could have a luncheon with any three people (real or fictitious/from any time period/dead or alive), which three people would you choose and why?  Marie Antoinette-I like cake, Harriet Tubman-how did she do it? Marilyn Monroe because she intrigues me.
Which is your most cherished childhood memory? What kind of kid were you, naughty or nice? Spending time with my Grandma June, I miss her so much it hurts my heart. I was actually very good. My family still talks about how good I was until I became a teenager.
If given complete freedom to start afresh, what profession would you choose and why? Dermatologist, I love fresh gorgeous skin and to pick that skin that isn't.
What is your idea of fun? If given a chance to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day? Freedom is fun to me, not having any obligations or agenda. Wake up with the kiddos, have a warm breakfast, and play outside. We try to do that on the weekends and I cherish that time.
Which is your favorite time of the day? Mid-morning or right after bathtime at night when the kids are ready to snuggle.
Are you a morning person or a night person? Depends-usually I wake up pretty content but sometimes the full moon can guarantee a fun night for me.
What is the craziest thing you've ever done? Parasailed in Playa Del Carmen.
Name one person you love the most and one person you hate the most. This questions is weird. I love lots of people the most and really only dislike one person that was a monster of a boss-still don't hate him.
If we were a couple and we had a fight, how would you try to patch things up?  Showering you with a ridiculous amounts of love until you cave of forgiveness or annoyance.
What is the funniest prank played on you or played by you? My 30th birthday my friends acted like it was not a big deal. Completely floored me, I was literally throwing a tantrum downstairs and the doorbell rang. Out on the street was a party bus full of people ready to party!
If given a choice, which animal would you want to be? Why? A dog, because I love them a whole bunch.
Who was your first crush? Did you ever tell him/her about your feelings?  Jacob, yep. We were third grade sweethearts.
Which is your most favorite place in this earth? The lake.
If you were stranded on a lonely beach, what are the five things that you would want to survive? My phone, a bottle of wine-make that a case of wine, a tent, a journal, and a toothbrush.

Siblings

 

Love each other.

 

Wrestle with each other.

 

 

 

Hug each other.

 

 

Smile at each other.

 

Try to make each other feel better when they are sick.

 

Teach each other new stories.

He had me at checking my email...

So above is a cute picture of my hubby. He voted for the first time this year! See that bright red sticker. Yes, I know, I told him he better appreciate that he has the right to vote. So he did, then he would not tell me who he voted for. I have a hankering suspicion but that is between us. Anyhow, he also had something very big happen to him last week. Erik is now the Superintendent of his company! With that comes a lot of responsibility including his own office, new truck w heated leather seats-I add this because he is in love with them, and now instead of working in the field he is in an office with a cute polo shirt, clean jeans, and a laptop. I think he floated home last week after his promotion. He calls me from his new fancy phone telling me how he is checking his email, creating folders, and bidding jobs. FORGET 50 Shades of Grey, he had me at checking my email. No one deserves it more than Erik. He has worked really hard for this and all his hardwork has paid off. Great job honey, I am so PROUD of you!

Halloween 2012-success!

 

We had a dragon, zombie, and baby giraffe.

 

Anthony and I made his costume. Had a blast doing this with him!

 

Talia would not sit still for a picture, I think she was really into character.

 

Holding hands at trunk or treat-you see this very rarely.

 

 

 

Do you think we wore them out?

Random happenings

 

 

Love my new office! My space that is clean, smells good, and is ALL MINE!

 

Lately Anthony is obsessed with having a Camaro as is his first car. They are tons of pics like this in my phone so I will not forget. Got it buddy!

 

We have gradudated to pigtails and cell phones. Everything is a phone to her, wonder why?

 

Anthony is in hockey and LOVES it! He would skate everyday all day if he could. We drug our feet committing and I think we both are glad we did.

 

Love those pigtails!

 

Baby Conner

 

My first Vikings game with the Hoganson clan. I am not a brunette or a size 4 but they took me along anyway. We had a blast!

 

 

Dick's Last Resort

 

"George Washington was her first", Judes was impressed!

 

We found some of my family to meet up with before!

 

The game was horrible but our seats were great!

 

These girls have not missed a game in 4 years.

 

Cannot tell you what this guys name is but he chatted my ear off. We ultimately became friends.

 

Stayed at the Graves-always wanted to stay there. It was gorgeous but our full size beds were litereally the size of a twin and a half. Good thing they were comfy!

 

Alex and Talia

 

Before impromptu haircut

 

Anthony is moving into that phase

 

After haircut, he wanted it like dad's.

 

Yep, still posing!