1. I realize that I haven't been blogging at all in the last two weeks. And I apologize to those of you who have been checking back often to find nothing. I've had kind of a selfish couple of weeks. You know the time when you have nothing to share, nothing to give, and everything you have is barely getting you through what you need to. But I'm feeling refreshed, revived and ready to get back to being myself.
2. Now for the updates. Lets start back to a couple of weeks ago when we were able to finally get a family reunion together for the Bates side of Josh's family. We had it in a gorgeous canyon in Tooele. And it really nice to meet some of his cousins, and an Uncle that I had never met before in our 6 and a half years of being together. That right there tells you how often this side of the family gets together. I'm sure there were some very happy parents smiling down from above that day.
3. In other family news we were also very lucky to have my Granny fly in for a few weeks from Michigan. It's been a year since she's been out and we were all glad to see her. So this means in the two weeks she was here we tried to make it down every evening we could. It also meant that we had tons of Reagan time as my dad was able to get some extra time while my Granny was here. It was really great to get to talk to her about some of her recent adventures (like a trip to Japan!) and spend time with her.
4. Josh has joined a new DJ collective called Big City House. What is a collective? It's a group (in this case 4 of them) that share similar tastes in music and work together to get nights, promote and play together. It is so much more fun and easier then just trying to get out there and fight for yourself in the club world. It's been SO good to meet all the great people that we have met lately through this collective.
5. The new collective also means that we have been spending a lot of time lately going out to clubs events, and promoting and having little meetings/jam seasons with the collective. I really forgot how much work it takes to be part of the "scene ". But it is all really worth it for a lot of reasons, like making such good friends with common interests. And bringing back a part of the "scene" that has been missing for a few years.
6. With the approaching winter I am starting to think about my upcoming layoff. (For those of you who don't know I get a little break from my job in the winter.) I usually get laid about Thanksgiving, but I think it will probably be early this year. So now comes the "what am I going to do while I'm laid off?" question. I think I'm going to try to get a part time (like really part time as I can only make 30 percent of my unemployment) at somewhere fun. So far I've applied at Guitar Center as a door girl. That could be noisy!
7. I am also very excited because I think that we have found a new gym to check out. Right down the street there is a new place called
Snap Fitness. It's a small little place with 24/7 key card access. It will save us a little bit of money each month and I think that it will be a good change of pace from the big gyms that everyone goes too. They are expanding like crazy and if you are ready for a change of pace, check it out. Also I was so excited because I have been thinking about it for probably two months now, and then I got a coupon in the mail and that of course sealed the deal for me. (This being the second time that a coupon has answered my prayers in the last few months.) By the middle of the month or so we should be members.
8. Although there are a few things I don't really like talking about, politics being one of them, I have to ask....am I the only women that feels a little bit used when John picked a women as VP? You don't have to answer that.
9. Oh and Josh's parents just bought a cute little townhouse. I'm very glad to see them get into something they own again after a few years of renting. And for them to have some more space. But I'm so not looking forward to helping them move! (We started last night.) At least this should be the best of their moves and the last of them too.
10. OK I promise that I will blog more often you don't get monster updates like this anymore :)
Today is my brothers 22 birthday. Jason is many things, a few of which include; welder, duck hunter, butcher, husband, son, brother, uncle, student and soon-to-be firefighter. Jason is way fun to be around. And I look up to him (my younger brother!) a ton. 
On Saturday we went to hang out with Reagan. Last week she was sporting a Cinderella crown and shoes. This week it was Snow White. My dad took her to the Disney store to pick out a halloween costume and she was so excited she had to put it on to show us.
This new princess phase is a nice change from Dora. (Not that she is over that completely!) Although we never took her anywhere dressed as Dora and we have now gone out to dinner with her dressed like this! That's a pretty good way to get some attention! We (Josh, Jessica, and I) decided to go grab some dinner and she was going as a princess.
Here is a cute video Josh took. She gets a little sad at first when dad tells her to us her inside voice (boice) but then tells a story that cracks her up! And us too! She really is too cute for her own good!
We got together last Tuesday for Jareds birthday. 
Doesn't this look like a party to you?
Reagan came to the party as a princess. 
See the resemblance? 
Jessica also made Jared a really fun truck cupcake cake. 
Happy 16th Birthday Jared!!!
