Hello 2012!

I know this is late...classic me right? But as always-better late then never.

As I realize how fast 2011 went and how 2012 is already here...I haven't had much time to really consider my goals and desires for the upcoming year. Last year was full of so many huge changes with moving and Brielle being born that 2012 seems less monumental in many ways. But I am excited about the prospect of really getting down to what I need/want to improve upon personally, as well as a family.

I am one for lists and goals and so resolutions are right up my ally. I love to really think about what I want to improve and how. So with that...here's some of my thoughts.

Personally I have several things I would like to improve upon. I need to get back to basics and really stregthen myself in the gospel. I need to read my scriptures daily and pray daily. I need to go to the temple. I need to be more patient with my kids and stop and take in the little things with them. I sometime stress so much over the small things that I forget to just enjoy the time with my kids. Physically I hope to continue getting healthier and in the process learning to make better choices for my family's eating habits and lifestyle as well. I am hoping to train and run a 1/2 marathon this year. That's a huge thing for me but its been one of those life goals for me. I would love to accomplish it.

On a family level I would like to plan more things for my kids and Curtis and I to do. We need to get back to reading scriptures daily and praying daily and doing fhe. We do good for awhile and then we always fall off the wagon. But that's what these resolutions and times are for right? We need to spend more time just enjoying each other. Sometimes we get in the rush of things we have to get done and the schedule, that we don't slow down enough to just talk and enjoy each other. I definitely want to do this more this year.

I am so excited about this year and I really hope to be able to work on these goals and see improvement in the days, weeks, months to come.

So here's to the new year!! Happy 2012!!

Brielle is 8 months

So I am a slacker again. She's now 8 months. What a ball of chub she is now. She's really put on the weight. She eats table food like crazy. She refuses baby food like all my other kids. She has been mobile for a couple months and is so fast. She loves to pull herself up on EVERYTHING. Including your legs if she gets you. Its actually quite annoying how fast she is at getting on you. She FINALLY STARTED LAUGHING!! Its a big deal. She smiles at EVERYTHING but it wasn't until about a week ago that she started to actually laugh.

She also got her first tooth on Saturday. She is always drenched in her spit and finally has something to show for it.

She's still a happy easy baby. Love her to death. Can't believe how old she is.

Sundays...

This was our first Sunday. Kids were so excited to wear their new clothes. Ridge is now CTR 4 and Cambree is CTR 5. Ridge came home the first Sunday preaching to us what was choosing the right and what wasn't. He even stated that his cousin wasn't choosing the right because he wasn't wearing a shirt.

New Years

For New Years we had a pretty easy going New Years. I always get my hopes up that we'll have a game night etc. but with 4 small kids, that's next to impossible :) We did have fun though.

We went over to Steve and Pat's for an early dinner and did a game of bingo with the kids. It was just my kids and LeMae's kids so it was a quiet evening.

Here's the kids playing...

The prize loot

Ridge being cute about not getting a number yet

Getting help from Nana

Ecksen upset he's not winning :)

Picking from the loot...so hard to choose

Trying to quiet them down with a movie.

Then we celebrated early- like 10 ish with sparklers

It was an early night for us but fun. Happy New Years 2012. Crazy how fast time is flying. Here's to a wonderful new year!

Merry Christmas picture

I cannot believe Christmas is gone already. This time flew by!!

On Friday, we went down to Phoenix for a quick day trip to swap gifts and also welcome home my cousin Bubba from his mission. The kids enjoyed opening a couple gifts early.

These are from Great Grandma Meikle

When we got home, we did a quick stop at Great-Granny Dowdle's house. She took a hard spill the night before so that's why she has some boo boo's on her face. It was good to see her for a bit.

Saturday was an easy day and we just relaxed. About 6:00 we played some games and ate dinner and then they finally got to open their one gift- PJ's!!

Here's all my cuties all dressed up. They all looked so cute.

After we went out to look at Christmas lights. This year, Brecklynn was by far the entertaining one. She would yell about EACH AND EVERY HOUSE that even had the smallest amount of lights on it. It was all exciting and great. Made it really fun for us. Cambree and Ridge enjoyed it too.

Then we threw them all in bed and they all fell asleep pretty quickly. Then Santa came and made his visit!

Cambree's stocking and gift...a new working camera

Brecklynn got a bike

Ridge got a bike

The tree

This is how we kept the kids down this year :) We tied a knot on it to keep them in. They would sit and yell all night at different hours that it was time to come up. I would have to walk over and tell them it was only 1 or 3 or 4 in the morning. We finally gave in about 5. Kids were so excited.

Despite the minor break downs at first when Cambree thought the new bike was hers...and Ridge getting legos and yelling -I didn't ask for this for Christmas...I didn't want legos- it was a great Christmas. We had to quickly get ready for church since we had lovely 9 sacrament. It was a great day overrall.

Side note- this is more for me to remember later on but this month has been sick month for the Allen family. We were struck with the flu bug and Brielle started it at church getting me head to toe...then Curtis got it and then I got it with Ridge and Cambree. After we finally got over that week of throwing up, I popped something in my shoulder than I kid you not, hurt like I cannot explain. I had to go get it adjusted. It hurt so bad.

Then Christmas eve I started to get sick. Well I thought I was taking care of it but the day after it went from bad to worse. I went in Tuesday to find out I had a bad kidney infection. I have never had one before and man, it is some of the worse pain I have ever felt. I was on the floor or couch all day. I felt miserable. Then I got a lovely cough. So here I am now still with a terrible cough and no voice but I am hoping this is the end of sickness for me. This has been one of the hardest months for me. Hopefully the new year will bring a healthier me :)

First annual Ugly Sweater White Elephant party

Chace and Rachel Norton came up with the idea to have an ugly Christmas sweater and white elephant Christmas party. They put it on...we just had it at our house :). We had 17 adults over and it was a lot of fun. We had a quick finger feast before hand with some delicious food that everyone brought and then the fun began.

So finding/buying an ugly christmas sweater is actually pretty hard. They are either super expensive or you just can't come by them. So we decided to hit the thrift store in town and then with craft supplies I had, I literally threw Curtis' sweater together. He won!! I think it turned out pretty good. I wish I had taken better pics of it because its rather funny. It even has a full on reindeer head with jingle bell antlers on the back. And to add it all, he had his hair cut in a bowl style. Really classic!!

Ridge with Trakken (sp).

Here's all the couples...the brains of the party: Chace and Rachel. Chace's sweater was hilarious too...women's vest

Sam and Amber and Sam's sweater had a working stocking :)

JT and Jen

Us...yes its a bit creepy and Ridge just had to be in it too.

Cambree was feeling left out in all the picture taking

Mark and Jaelynn (so glad they could make it last minute)

Michael and Whitney

Ryan and his lovely 'date'. Don't you just love his all natural sweater?

Seth and Kamron

McKay and Jarica

All the guys.

It was a lot of fun. I am hoping this will be an annual thing. This group just makes anything like this a blast. Thanks Chace and Rachel for a good time!!