So...we have had some big changes recently in our lives and since a new baby girl is to arrive here hopefully now :) I thought I'd take a break from walking stairs and eating spicy food to update this thing since we will have some very exciting pictures soon.

I do apologize before I catch up I can't find all the pictures of our fun year such as...camping in Carlsbad with the Perkinson's, swimming swimming and more swimming, Grace's second Birthday party, and the Riggs Family Reunion.

One big change that occured at the end of the summer is Brandon's job opportunity in the oil industry which has now taken us to the amazing land of North Dakota- yes North Dakota. What is in North Dakota you ask besides oil...well us now :). And my sister Marie and her family who introduced Brandon to some of the job opportunities.

Brandon started working in August and since housing in our little town is far and few between Brandon had to commute back and forth until we found a place to live (which wasn't until November). It was a hard few months but I quit my job and was able to have fun with Grace, family and friends, pack up our things and get ready for my parents arrival home from their mission in Mexico.

Some friends from work, they gave many sweet things but my favorite was the gigantic pink snow shovel. I will miss St. Joe's.Connolly's annual Newport Beach vacation...eating yummy food and bumming on the beach- just what a vacation should be.

Grace and Benson...they are 3 weeks apart and couldn't love eachother more. Thanks to Benson's amazing mom Brittney we have the most darling pictures of them. Here are just a few.

Grace loves to get dirty, whether at the beach, camping or in the backyard.

During Brandon's few days home with us in the fall we took some great camping trips. One of them we brought my Dad's dog Duke, another of Grace's BFF's.

Pumpkin picking time for Halloween.

Father Daughter outing in our ward. Since my parents had recently returned home I was attending with my Dad and Grace with hers! My brother Don came and brought his girls, Kennadee and Raylen- it was VERY fun.

Halloween...Grace wanted to be a lady bug like the "Lady Bug Girl" books and Benson was nerd- SO cute!

My oldest nephew Ben recently left for his mission to Milan, Italy! He is such an awesome kid and is a great missionary! Also Grace is just as photogenic as me which is evident in the above picture!

One last fun lunch with friends (Sarah Toleman, Whitney Hale and Kasey Perkinson) before leaving for the cold.

Grace opened most of Christmas after our Christmas vacation in beautiful AZ.

Some of my cute nieces and nephews at dinner.

The teenage girls, too darling for their own good.

Zoo lights. I must say, I along with everyone else was very jealous of Grace and Benson's set up.

Family hike. Yes I am very pregnant.

Going to church on Christmas Day.

New P.J.'s from Grandma Connolly on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve dinner at Ammon's with my parents and Don's family.

Temple lights.

Grace's "funny" face as she calls, others are quite frightened however.

Just before Christmas we had white everywhere, however after Christmas we have had very little snow and only one week with the high in the negatives. We have been SO blessed to have a mild winter.

Grace's room.

I still need to fill in some pictures and find something cute to put in the empty frame.

Our family room, as you can see it is directly in front our "dining room" which is directly in front of our kitchen and just to the left of our "office" and "laundry room". Our apartment is small but it is new and clean and I am grateful to have our little family together.

Wish us luck with the our new baby, hopefully we will have some darling baby pictures to post SOON!