Surviving the winter

Sixty-two degree weather on January 7th? Yes please!

I'm pretty positive our mud room doesn't usually look like this at the end of a long winter day.

*Big sigh of {warm} happiness*

Nathan

Mission accomplished

Well, I did it. I ended up reading 60 books last year. I honestly wasn't sure it was going to happen. A few days before the end of the year, I started a new book that I've been excited to read. And it was a long one, as most books I read these days tend to be. I wasn't sure if I would finish before New Year's Eve, but to be honest, didn't care that much about it. Fifty-nine books isn't something to be sad about and when you have a newborn, there is very little time to read. (At least for me, maybe the rest of you don't find that.) Anyway, within a couple of days of starting this book, I got an email from the library that a book I had put on hold some time before was available. I had forgotten about this book, as I usually do when you are constantly putting books on hold like I usually am. I brought it home and read it within a couple of days. Not only was it a fun read, but it was a short read. Bonus! And I hadn't even planned it that way. Double bonus!

I can guarantee I won't be reading anywhere near 60 books this year. I'd be happy with a couple per month--and even that feels like a stretch right now. But anything is good. I don't usually make a reading goal anyway, just happened last year, and while fun and good, it won't be something I will be repeating soon. I just love to read. Whether it is 60 books in a year or 10 books in a year. I'm a fan. And yesterday, I picked up these two books at the library and felt that old giddiness return. Have I ever mentioned I love reading?

Our Ben

Happy Birthday to the sweetest, happiest, most hilarious four-year old we know!
We adore you Benjamin Allen. And are so grateful we get you in our family.

(From there to here in four, fast years. Time is a flying.)

Sweetness

They say that the camera adds ten pounds...

...kind of a problem if you only weigh about fifteen to begin with.

Sunbeam

This darling boy started Primary today. Oh my mother's heart.

And it made me think about the other three times this has happened at our house.

How I LOVE these sweet kids of mine.

And their little brother who will be adding his picture way too soon.

Bookends

Christmas Day

Christmas Eve

This night

"Lift up your head and be of good cheer;
for behold, the time is at hand,

and on this night shall the sign be given,
and on the morrow come I into the world."

~ 3 Nephi 1:13

My grandma

We have our large Christmas tree in the living room, but this little tree sits on a corner table in the family room and it has a very special responsibility. It holds all of the ornaments that my grandma sends to the kids every single Christmas.

Ever since Campbell was born (and maybe before that, but we wouldn't know), my grandma has sent an ornament to each one of her grandchildren. And our kids absolutely love it! They arrive in the mail and we put out the wrapped packages to look at and admire and get excited to open. Then after Thanksgiving, when we decorate the house, we save the kids' Christmas tree for last. We pull out the box that holds all of their ornaments and they take them out, one at a time, remembering when they were given it and telling their siblings about it. When all of the previous ornaments have been put on the tree, we get ready to open the new ones.

And every year, I absolutely love the excited looks on their faces and how much they love their new ornaments. They always declare them their "favorites ever" and they stay that way. Until the following year.

I love everything about the little tree in the family room. The star we made out of cardboard and aluminum foil to go on the top, so many ornaments from so many years past and mostly, what it represents to me.

My grandma.

She and I are extremely close, a day seldom goes by that we don't talk on the phone, and that has been the case for years. Her love and thoughtfulness toward me is one of the greatest blessings of my life. I honestly don't know what I would do without her. And this little tree is one of the outward showings of who she is—one of the most kind, amazing people I know.

I'm so grateful to call her my grandma. I'm so thankful to have her in my life. I'm so grateful my kids know her and love her. And mostly, I'm thankful that I have the chance to keep trying to be more thoughtful and caring and loving, just like her.

And every Christmas, our little tree reminds me exactly of that.

And I love it.

But not nearly as much as I love my grandma.

Lucky thirteen

At least it is when you married Jacob Allen.

Goodness sake, I love my husband.

Happy Anniversary Love.

My grandpa

Today is my grandpa's 100th birthday. And I miss him.

It has been 10 1/2 years since he left this earth and I am often surprised by how fiercely I miss hearing his voice and seeing his smile. After this many years, the pain of his death is obviously easier to handle, but today, for some reason, it feels raw and hard to me. I don't know exactly why. Maybe because he and my mom were extremely close and I am so deeply missing my parents this Christmas season. Maybe because when my grandma and I talked about him yesterday, I could still hear the grief in her voice, even after all these years. Maybe because just six short weeks ago, I know that our sweet baby was with him as our Nathan's time to come to earth arrived. Or maybe because he is one of only a few people I have known in this life who loved me completely, unconditionally and absolutely.

Whatever it is, I am thankful beyond words for the life of my grandpa, Linwood Campbell. When my time on this earth is over (in many, many years), I hope and pray that one of the first faces that will greet me will be my grandpa. I love him so much.

During the past many days, I have had the opportunity to focus my thoughts, more often than usual, on the Savior and on His birth. And I feel grateful to the core of my being for the Babe of Bethlehem. But even with my gratitude of that beautiful event, I feel even more grateful for what the birth of our Savior represented—the hope of things to come. And one of the things to come was Jesus Christ's victory over death and His making possible the blessing of being with our families for eternity. I know that I will see my grandpa again. And I am thankful every day of my life, for my Savior, who made that possible.

Today is my grandpa's 100th birthday. And I miss him.

But happy day, I will see him again. And I cannot wait.

Melts my heart

I needed a new picture of the cute ones...

...to finish a gift for my grandma.

Buddies

Easily the best gift under the tree

My kind of wall art

Sixty

I had a goal for this year. I didn't make it until halfway through the year, but I think it still counts. I wanted to read 60 books by the end of 2011. And I am only four books shy. But I'm honestly not sure I am going to make it. Since Nathan boy was born, I have only read one book and having extra time on my hands doesn't seem extremely likely in the next couple of weeks.

I am on track to finish the Book of Mormon again by December 31st and I am within about 150 pages or so of finishing the fifth Harry Potter book (yes, for the first time), so those two may squeak in on time, but I honestly don't know if two more books are possible. And I'd really like them to be, just so I can say I read 60 books this year. Which is kind of lame to admit, but true.

So, I guess we will see. Jacob does have the last week of December off from work (his office closes down that week), so maybe I can get some good reading time in then. Or maybe I'll just grab a couple of Nate's board books and call it good. Too desperate? I didn't think so.

From our house to yours

Welcomed with love

One month

 

My baby turned one month old yesterday.

At his well check, he weighed 10 pounds 12 ounces.

Yeah, that would be a gain of two pounds in two weeks.

We apparently specialize in love of food (or milk in this case)

and weight gain at the Allen house. Awesome, I say.

This little man is one sweet guy and we are still enjoying

every second of his littleness. And yes, it is flying. Faster than

even the other four. But life is good and our sweet boy is healthy

and happy (as are his brothers and sister), so we are grateful.

Very, very grateful, actually.

Good grief

Honestly? Honestly?

Jacob didn't know about the Christmas card fiasco of 2011. He hasn't been home much and in my tired, waking-up-at-night state, I didn't have the strength to share. Plus, apparently he doesn't read the blog every single day.

Can you imagine?

This morning, I handed him both Christmas cards, and without any background or persuasion (I'm serious, don't look at me like that), I asked him which was better. His answer?

"There is a difference between these two?"

Honestly, it is like he doesn't even know me.

So I handed him the two baby announcements and asked him which one was better. He looked and looked, shuffled them once or twice between his hands and answered,

"Whichever one happens to be on the left."

Why do I even try?

In unrelated news, in two weeks I will have been married thirteen years.

To a stranger, apparently.

Moving forward and letting things be

I'm sitting here feeling a tad disappointed about our Christmas cards and Nate's baby announcement. All 150 (of each) that I mailed out yesterday. You are wondering why? Well, thanks for asking.

So I spent a lot of time designing both cards and when I was completely happy with them, I placed my order with Shutterfly. And it was a large one. And I couldn't wait for them to come. When they did arrive, I opened them up and to be honest, was a little let down. They looked fine, but not as great as they had looked when I ordered them. But to be honest, I was a bit too sleep deprived to care very much. At least at the time. So I convinced myself they were fine and then started to get the cards ready to send.

In the meantime, I had to place another order, a gift for a family member, with Shutterfly and because I was nervous about having enough cards for neighbors, I decided to order just a few more of the Christmas cards and the baby announcement.

Fast forward to yesterday. The cards were finished and I mailed them off. It felt good. And then today, the second batch of a few cards arrived in the mail. And I almost started to cry. These cards looked just like the ones I had designed. The color was perfect. When I compared them to a version of the old cards I still had, I was so sad. The old ones had this crazy blue tint, which was made all the worse by looking at the perfect new ones.

Oh my OCD heart.

I felt sad and frustrated and annoyed. And then I realized there wasn't anything I could do about it, so while those feelings were justified (at least in my mind), I'd better move forward and let things be. I did call Shutterfly to ask how I could increase my odds of my prints and cards coming out correctly the next time and to their credit, they gave me a partial card credit as an apology. Which was nice of them. Unfortunately, it expires soon and I have no reason to order 5x7 flat cards in the next few days.

So friends, that fine story was somewhat just to vent and somewhat to tell you that if you are holding one of our fabulous Christmas cards and baby announcements, please know that while cute, they could be cuter. So feel free to check back in the next few days for blog posting of the cards I meant to send. And laugh when you can't tell a difference.

But I bet you can.

Because I sure as shootin' can.

Oh wait, I was moving forward and letting things be.

Dumb machine that printed my cards with a blue tint.

What? I whispered.

Blessing day

Today, our sweet Nathan was given a name and a blessing by his dad. It was a beautiful blessing,
we were so grateful to have wonderful friends and family join Jacob in the circle and mostly,
we are just thankful beyond words to have this sweet boy in our family. I love being a mom.

And the blessing outfit? The same one that Nathan's three brothers wore,
his dad wore and his grandpa wore on their blessing day. So, so sweet.

Nathan's sister

I don't think I could love a picture more.

I truly don't.

Sunday

Our advent calendar

This is, by far, my favorite advent calendar we have ever used. I actually made it myself,
and while it is nothing fancy or amazing, I love how it looks, how happy it makes me
and mostly, that each bag holds a scripture or quote or hymn about our Savior.
And every night, when we sit as a family and read one, there is a feeling in our
home that helps me to remember exactly what we are celebrating this month.
How I love my Savior and how I love celebrating His birth and life and
the hope and joy I have every single day of my life because of Him.

I love how Christmas feels

These I love