Okay so I'm 31 this year - I'd much rather say I'm 30.  Who knows the difference?

Either way I have SO much to reflect on over this past year and I must say I am a very very fortunate woman.  

I love deeply and am loved deeply, I laugh often, I'm healthy as is my family, and I want/need nothing in this world!  

I must say that if this is what 31 feels like then I am looking forward to my 31st year and hope they just keep getting better!!!

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes, gifts and thoughts.  

Here is a parting picture of what I did on my birthday....

Christmas this year was a little different than past years.  I had surgery on December 21st which left me incapable of doing anything (other than sleeping and barking orders).  

I left the whole thing in Daniel's very capable hands though and everything turned out perfectly...

 Sydney ripping into her gifts...

 First I want to say I will find out who put Jesse on my chest and took this photo (Sydney) and pay them back but I thought it only fitting to show you what I was doing 2 minutes after the presents were unwrapped and for the rest of the day!!!

Have I ever mentioned how GREAT my mom is?  I'm sure I have but let me do it again!!

SHE'S THE BEST!!!

I collect Willow Tree figurines and have ever since I was pregnant with Sydney.  They are all over the house and each one has such special meaning to me.  Last year I saw the Willow Tree Nativity set and 

I couldn't spend that kind of money on it - the entire set isn't cheap.  When we were in Park City last year I showed it to my mom and she must have seen the WANT in my eyes because look what I got as an early XMAS present yesterday...

Don't ask why because I don't think we even know but we decided to get another dog last week. 

 Daniel came home from work and told me about a sweet little Shih Tzu that one of his coworkers had found and was caring for.  And we both immediately decided that we wanted to bring this dog into our home and love him. 

After finding out some things about the breed and what great pets they make we knew for sure Sammy was on his way to the Cobb house.  He was neutered, microchipped, given all his shots and a clean bill of health the day before we got him.  The vet says he is between 1 year to 2 years old and a pure bred Shih Tzu - which is uncommon to just find wandering considering that people pay SO much for them in the first place.

Here is what he looked like the day we got him.  Long, shaggy and all matted up!!

 And both of the boys on Sammy's bed together!!

 She was a "bell ringer" but of course when it was time to come front and center and do her ringing another little girl stood RIGHT in front of her so no picture of her doing that (seems to be our luck - last year it was the kid with HUGE antlers that blocked our view of Sydney all night!) we just laughed.  casey loved hearing Sydney sing and danced through the whole program.

O' Christmas Tree...

 Afterward we let her pick the place we had dinner because we were so proud of her.  

Of course we ended up at Chuy's and had a GREAT dinner.

Sorry there aren't more pictures but most turned out blurry because there wasn't a minute where these kids weren't moving.  I also tried uploading some of the video I took but that wouldn't work either - Not my day huh?