Inauguration Day

Our Flag Jell-o. This was not made by Nate, as you can see it is falling apart.

Shawn and Cara learning about the Inauguration.
Ryan with President Obama.

We had quite a fun day yesterday with the Inauguration. Actually it started on Inauguration Eve:)

For Family Home Evening we talked about our belief to uphold our leaders and pray for them. Then we got out coloring pages of Obama and all 44 presidents. I had found some great print ables with word searches and quizzes. The kids really got into it. Ryan cut out about half the presidents with scissors while Shawn and Cara did the activities.

Then yesterday we watched the Inauguration with so much excitement. The kids watched it at school. I watched every second Ryan would let me. After our trip there in April, I loved recognizing each place and room they were in. I did not grow up enjoying history, but the last few years, living on the East coast, I have come to love experiencing our nation's history. I have had profound moments of realizing that we belong to a country with a noble beginning. We have conquered so much and can do anything we decide to do together!

GO USA!!!

On my Honor, I will try...

So last Thursday our townhome parking lot looked like this. Where were they going? OUR HOUSE!!

Nate heard a woman's voice around 10 pm from right outside our house saying "Someone help me!" Talk about your blood running cold. He called 911 afraid of what was happening and then once he had someone on the phone, yelled outside if anyone was there. Eventually he found a woman sitting on the ground unable to get up in the 15 degrees below zero weather. She was drunk and had a twisted ankle(4 inch heals on the train tracks will do that) and was in bad shape. He brought her in the house and soon every emergency official in the town was in our little living room! She had frost bite and hypothermia was setting in. If Nate wouldn't have heard her, she would have been a gonner and we would have found something much worse in our backyard the next morning.

The BEST part is Cub Scouts was earlier that evening and Nate had gone there straight from work so had his business casual clothes on under a boy scout shirt while he saved a life!

Cara worded it best when she said, "Daddy, you're a hero!"

Danny

Our Chicago trip would not have been complete without a visit to Danny.
We had such a good time with him!
Danny had his mom, Cuzin Andy make us Sugar cookies to decorate.
He had a talent show in true ALLEN fashion, showed us his balcony view of the city and even shared his hot wheels car!
When we were done at Danny's house, he took us to the Magnificent Mile just a stroll from his place to see the Lego Store, passing his urban grocery store. I was a little nervous someone was going to steal his dad (Cuzin Tom)'s designer coat, but I think he made it home all intact! We felt we had seen the city through Danny's eyes and loved every minute of it!
Thanks Danny! Your parents were fun to see, too. But you know who its all about!!!

Lego Store

2nd cousins

Yummy!!

New Years with the Buttons

We headed up to Chicago for a New Years celebration. Our dear friends, the Buttons were amazing hosts. We weren't looking for anything special, just a change of location and to ring in the New Year with some good friends. The kids hardly remembered each other, but picked up where they left off 2 1/2 years ago as great playmates! It was a 2 night Kids Party!
The adults taste tested all of Kim and Kevin's delicious cooking, and talked the nights away. The moms enjoyed a little antiques shopping and the Dads made marshmallow guns for the whole lot.
Thanks for the memories! We love you guys!

UNO was a hit with Garett, Cara, Ryan and Marissa.
Tate and Shawn.
I didn't get my camera out until they were stuck on a computer game. The rest of the time they were hard to catch as they darted around the house with Garett.

I Have this game, Who has a toy store to buy it?

We never have pictures of just us. So Kim did a photo shoot:)

Our lovely hostess.

I didn't get a single shot of Kevin. He and Nate were probably picking up marshmallows!

Finally, Christmas.

Every year Nate and I start the Christmas season off with a desire to be simple and focus on the birth of Jesus. We think of ways to teach our children about His life and what He has done for us. We imagine homemade gifts and carols at Nursing homes, handwritten cards sent to loved ones the week after Thanksgiving, delicious neighbor gifts hand delivered at least a week before Christmas and more. Doesn't sound so simple anymore,does it?
This year our Relief Society at church sent home a scripture advent with a scripture and thought from Christ's life to read each day. We read that with the kids each night and my holiday expectations were on their way.
As the day approaches, however, the goals become less ambitious and I just get so excited for that WOW factor of the morning. I want my children to be dazzled and in awe of the treasures under the tree. This year Christmas morning was as magical as I remember as a child. I did make Ryan a batman cape by hand of which I was extremely proud! But the WOW factor for us came when we watched our kids so anxious for the gifts they gave away to be opened. They could hardly contain their excitement!
I love Christmastime and as I read blogs and Christmas cards, I have a whole new set of goals for next December, but one thing is for sure-with 3 kids and a Husband I love, it is always a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Nerf Guns- these were the best gift providing hours of Daddy battles.
Christmas cookies. Love Cara's winter outfit? Tank Top and scarf!!

This is Ryan waiting for Cara and Shawn to open his gifts. He was jumping all over the room!

The Christmas loot. It's an optical illusion! I love how the kids decorated the tree. It only needed mardi gras beads and a Lego nativity to equal the redneck tree of '95!

Merry Christmas

We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
The Cincinnati Museum Center is the old Union Station building that they have turned in to a number of museums. It is an old HUGE building like Grand Central Station. We are members and decided to spend the day there yesterday. We had a great time. as you can see.

Shawn "swimming" with the fish

Grandma, close your eyes! Cara is petting a rat snake!

The train exibit was fantastic. They even had the people figures moving(ice skating, buildinga ahouse, flying a RC airplane, etc.)

The real deal!!

After our day was done, we changed into church clothes and went to a Lutheran Candelight Service. It was very lovely. Completely different from what we are used to, but very traditional and a great way to remember Jesus Christ on the eve of his birthday. Our kids were shy, but enjoyed it. Thanks to the Greens for inviting us. They probably were just being nice and saying we could come, but we really did and intruded in this personal family tradition.

On our way home we went through a drive through light display and soaked in the Christmas spirit! We were all ready and by 1 am, were nestled all snug in our beds.

Ryan's Christmas Program

Ryan's preshool had an adorable Christmas program. They came in ringing bells and then sang 5-6 songs including actions. I was so proud of him. The church's pastor told them the Christmas story in which they were so proud to help him out. We lo

Celebrate good times, COME ON!!

"What are we celebrating?" you ask.

WE SOLD OUR HOUSE!!!!
What we will miss the most: The tree swing and our friends.

What we won't: Our Mortgage!

lights, CAMERA, action!!!

We bought a camera on Black Friday! We are very excited. However, I'm not sure I like it. I loved our last camera. It was a great "point and shoot" and I am known for terrible pictures, so it was perfect for me. This one has a LONG delay when you take the picture. I need to figure it out or return it. So here are some pics for anyone who cares.

I spent most of last week prepping for, setting up, and tearing down decorations for one of the rooms at the Nativity Display. It was a lot of work, but I really enjoyed it. I actually think I needed to be a part of something. It turned out beautiful. Hundreds of Nativities ranging from Playmobil to a full marienette stage set up. I left feeling a huge graditude for the Savior and his love for us. Of course I didn't take any final pictures.

Our best Black Friday deal- a prelit christmas tree. I was shopping with a friend, Jenn and Julia, an exchange student from Germany. She couldn't believe I was buying a fake tree. Neither could I. In Connecticut...( I find myself saying those two words way too much! Live in the now, Jen!!) You can check out older posts to find yesteryears' quaint Christmas stories. I let the kids decorate and didn't move a single ornament!!

The kids as serious as they could be at the moment.

Service Project

Shawn needed to do a service project for a Social Studies assignment. It was raining, so we cut out ponchos from garbage bags and he and Ryan cleaned the trash off the train tracks. He had to have a picture, so I got out our old camera. It took like a minute to load between pictures and the LCD doesn't work, but they turned out okay- so here ya go.

Ryan is pretty cool!!

Black Friday

Anyone up for Black Friday shopping with me? I'm looking for some bargains!

What was the #1 song on your Birthdate?

Mine was Angie Baby "Angie Baby" by Helen Reddy
What was yours?

Memory Lane

I've been going through boxes that have been in our attic and are now starring at me in the basement. There have been so many things I just can't believe we've never thrown away. There is also stuff that is hard to see go, but that I'm finally sending off to Goodwill.
I came across a box of High School keepsakes. Yes mom, I have some here in addition to what is in your garage!! I really wished Amy or Stacy could have been here on the floor laughing with me. Days of Our Lives pictures, cheerleading skirts, a Whitney Houston cassette.
Then I found the shoebox with some phone numbers on it. 248-5505 ring a bell with anyone? I think I kept every love letter ever written to me. What an ego boost!! Or is it??? Stacy, you may have burned your diaries, but your kids can read your notes to me :-o
I also found some tear jerking names, like birthday cards with my Great Grandma Jen's signature! Letters from both my Grandmas and Nate's mom from when he and I were just dating.
I have a whole other box of letters from the 3 years Nate and I wrote each other from across the world. While those are cheesy in their own right, they are so precious and build my confidence in a more real way. Nate used to call me the "queen of cheese." Well, I hope he's more comfortable with my sap now, because I look at all these old love letters and feel so lucky to have grown up to have him by my side.
My grandma has been in and out of the hospital this last week. Today is her 89th birthday and my grandpa turned 90 last month. As I read love letters of days gone by I don't miss those years of excitment and thrill of a held hand or an xoxo on a page. Instead I picture in my mind my grandparents and the love they have that Nate and I are just beginning to understand!

Funny Boy

As most of you know, Allison Krauss is one of my all time favorite musicians. Well, today I couldn't get enough of one of her ballads. I was blasting it and singing along on the way home from preschool. One of the lines says,

"Take my LIFE and let it be a living prayer, my God, to Thee."

Then I hear Ryan's voice say, "I thought it was going to say, 'Take my HAND'" singing the appropriate melody. I thought that was so cute.

So when the line came again he sang along, "Take my EYE.." and laughed.

When we got home he was walking around singing and he looked at me and sang with all his heart, "Take my NOSE...."

Imagine his look and his dimple as he soaked in my laughter- priceless!! He truely is "funny boy" as his friend Meriele calls him.

Trick or treat, smell my feet...

Ryan actually said that a few times on our route!!
We had a great night. Our friends, the Greens had us over for a spooky dinner. Then we joined them trick or treat-ing in their neighborhood. The weather was beautiful which made for a freindly, cozy atmosphere. The kids were pleased with their loot and are now crashed from their sugar low. Betsy captured the characters' photos even though some of them protested!
Happy Haunting!

$1.93!!

The price of gas is under $2 here!!!
Anyone up for a road trip?

Nervous?

Sunday was the Primary Sacarament Program. Once a year our worship services are given by the children ages 3-12. It really is sweet to think of how Christ loved the children and counseled us to become like them. I love hearing their pure beliefs in Him and their sweet voices singing. Practically speaking, what great public speaking training to do this in front of hundreds of people.
Ryan sang the first verse of I Am a Child of God with his class then they sat down. He DID NOT want to go up there and tried to run from me. Then I picked him up, sat him with his friends and when it was their turn he walked up and proudly sang his loudest! He was adorable, of course. When we sat down with Daddy I said, "Good job, Ryan. I could hear you singing." He smiled and replied, "Yeah, I was shaking, like this... " What a crack up.
Shawn and Cara sang a duet-the 3rd verse of Tell Me the Stories of Jesus. They were very sweet. Looked a little nervous, but you couldn't tell from their voices;) I've never seen Cara blush before. She's so cute!

HELP!!!!!!!

I found this picture of Cara to put with this blog. She is singing High School Musical songs while Dad plays them on the piano. She is a great singer and loves to sing, especially songs from High School Musical. She is singing a duet in Sunday's Primary Program at church with Shawn and feels like a super star! Now as I look at this picture the first thing I notice is what she is wearing- footless tights.

So the reason for my call for help:
Something has changed Cara. She has always been particular about her socks. The seam has to be at just the right place on the top of her toes, or she just can't stand it. However, she has loved shoes and has always had a lot to choose from thanks to our neighbor Chloe. This school year she has been having major melt downs in the morning about her shoes. I put her on the bus in tears one day about the 2nd week of school because of one such tantrm. That is the earliest I can remember it being this bad. I bought her some seamless socks from Stride Rite and have been trying to find her good shoes. She has worn her Crocs or flip flops as often as she can to avoid wearing socks.
Maybe Chloe just has to wear her shoes first for them to feel right to Cara?

The last 2 weeks however the problem has spread to her pants. She puts on at least 3 pairs of pants each morning after tearfully deciding the previous pair "scratches" her. I have tried to find out what she means and see if I can help, but these are soft, comfortable pants she has worn A LOT. She says they scratch her and hurt at the top of her inner thigh near her crotch. We have missed the bus the last 3 days because she just couldn't get dressed. Yesterday and today we started the process at 7 and still missed her bus at 8:40.
What can I do?
Anyone gone through a stage like this before? The only help I can find online is for sensory disorders or BUY ME adds for socks, etc. I can't buy her a whole new wardrobe. The clothes are not too small for her. Is she just having a hard time adjusting to fall and clothes she hasn't worn since last spring? Is there something I can do if she really is having sensory issues? Am I spoiling her by letting her decide what is comfortable? I don't think it is entirely in her head, I think it really bothers her. I have tried to help her relax and let her body just get use to what she's wearing. Telling her to relax and staying relaxed myself doesn't help her.
I know a lot of great moms read my blog. Send me your thoughts PLEASE. I'm going crazy!!

No school

Shawn said he has a 7 hour delay today:) It is a teacher improvement day.
We carved our pumpkin. I can't post a picture because our camera is broken. Yep, it was a casualty of the cub scout water tubing trip.
Anyhow. The kids were quite funny as they cleaned the halloween guord.
Here is what it sounded like,
Cara, "Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew"
Shawn, "Cara is a scardy cat."
Ryan, "ha ha ha ha, yuck!"
Shawn, "Try this" oops... gag! "This is making me gag!"
Cara, "Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew"
They had a fun time.
I love this time of year. Everything about it.
The food, the clothes, the leaves and especially the temperature!!

Good Mormon Wife?

A friend of mine saw this article by Orson Scott Card and emailed it to me. If you could all see my home right now you would feel like the best wife in the world:)
Enjoy....
http://mormontimes.com/mormon_voices/orson_scott_card/?id=3875