Eight weeks

Just eight weeks left for our beautiful girl. I just feel like I could burst with excitement. And pride.

She’s doing it. And it isn’t easy. She loves it so much, but man, if anything, it often seems
to be getting more difficult (mostly because she’s been an hermana leader for a while
and there are some pretty, uh, interesting things to deal with on a regular basis).
But she just laughs and does and loves and serves and trusts and lets God guide it all.

I just adore and admire her more than I could ever convey in words. She’s truly something else.

{And that last photo folks. All of her dreams have now come true. This girl of mine has been
obsessed with capybaras from the time she was only nine. So meeting Rosy the capybara—
hanging out in a field behind someone’s house—was kind of a big deal. Oh, she’s the best.}

Holiday piano recital

Christmas recital for these darling boys last night. They both played incredibly
well. We were sure grateful to have their grandparents there to support both
of them and their fabulous cousin, Caleb (who also did an amazing job).

And their tremendous piano teacher…we couldn’t love her more.
She’s not only the best piano teacher in all of forever, but truly just
one of my favorite people I’ve ever, ever known.

It was just a really happy night.

Just the usual

Just two guys watching yesterday’s World Cup game at 1:56am. As one does.

On their way

And these two darlings are off on their early morning flight to be with
Kelsey’s family for a few days. They are just the best. And I adore them like crazy.

A pretty fabulous ski day

Ski day today for Jacob, the boys and cute Edie. I heard it was the best, with all the snow we’ve had
the last several days. A very good reason to skip school on this fine Thursday—at least at our house.

They really are the coolest

These two are the best. I mean seriously, wanting to build a giant igloo in the snow with the two youngest.
I’m always a fan of Matt and Edie, but am often blown away by how kind they always choose to be.

Ben and his fabulous friends

It was such a fun night with my Benjamin and his three friends, taking them
out to dinner and to a Jazz game. These four couldn’t be any more hilarious,
grateful, kind or more fun to be around. I’m just so thankful Ben has such
tremendous friends and that they let this old lady hang out with them tonight.

Darling Gracie girl

 

Cutest little dog walker, errr runner, in all the land.

Who isn't looking so little any longer.

Denali girl

Celebrating this little love’s eleventh birthday today. She really is the sweetest
and the best and we adore her. She’s been ours for almost five years and we
honestly feel like we got the very best doggo. Probably because we did.

You people and your incredible goodness!

I promised an update on your donations to Mary's Meals earlier this week and oh friends,
I’m truly just so overwhelmed by your generous and amazing hearts. Without any more of
my mushiness (but believe me, I have plenty more in my heart), here are the numbers:

In just a few days, you incredible, incredible people had sent a total of $1636 my way.
Holy bananas, the sweetness.

Jacob and I were able to match that and I jumped on to donate $3272.

That amount was again matched, by an anonymous donor, for a grand total of $6544.

You guys, next year there will be 311 children in developing countries, who will be fed a daily meal
in their place of education, because of you. Because of the kindness and goodness of so many of you.

Thank you each, more than I could put into words.

It is just such a privilege to know you.

A good walk with a darling boy

A walk this afternoon with a cute dog and an even cuter rollerblader. One-on-one time
with my kids, to really hear how they are doing, is so good for both of us. I’m grateful for it.

Another Giving Tuesday coming tomorrow

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. And for the third year in a row, I am sharing about my favorite non-profit that Jacob and I have a close attachment to and have had the privilege of serving with for many years. We know intimately how good and incredible they are and how much they do to change the world and the lives of children in developing countries, by providing a daily meal in each child’s place of education. They do this for just $21 per child, for the entire year. It’s unimaginable. But it is happening for over two million children throughout the world. And there are millions more that need it and that Mary's Meals is still trying to reach.

Tomorrow night at 6:00pm Utah time, I will be sending in a donation to Mary’s Meals. If you would like to contribute to that in any way, I know it will mean so very much, to so very many. No amount is too little and I mean that sincerely. It doesn’t matter if it’s $1 or $21 or $101, every bit counts. Jacob and I will be matching every penny that comes in to me between now and tomorrow night, and then in addition, an anonymous donor will be matching the total sent to Mary’s Meals by tomorrow evening . So for every $21 donated by you generous people, four children will be receiving a meal every school day, for a year.

As always, please do not feel any kind of pressure, nor to contribute at all or to contribute a certain amount. And if anyone wants to go directly to Mary’s Meals website, and donate yourself, that is perfect. I’m only trying to make it possible for those who would like to do it easily and have it matched an extra time, to do so.

For those interested, my Venmo is @Linn-Allen.

Thank you friends! More than you could know. I’m truly just so honored to know each of you.

And Happy Giving Tuesday! One of my favorite days of the year for sure.

White Friday

 
An evening at the temple last night. So thankful for my absolute knowledge that families
can be together forever, for a Savior that loves each of us so deeply that He was willing
to make that possible and for time with Jacob in my very favorite place on earth.

Oh the happy

Just a reminder that we are not only March Madness crazy at our house.

I am having a hard time running any errands I need to yesterday or today because every time I start
to leave, something happens with a game and I end up just standing there for ten more minutes trying
not to miss anything important. Tomorrow isn’t looking any more likely for leaving the house.

Sure hope my family likes pasta and brown sugar for Thanksgiving dinner.

Nate's birthday gift and Utah Jazz basketball

Nathan boy was able to cash in on one of his birthday gifts this past Friday night and go to
a Utah Jazz game with his dad. It ended up being a super close game and happily, the Jazz
pulled it off at the last second. Sure love this sweet boy and his darling dad a whole lot.

Quince meses

 Fifteen months yesterday.

Oh this girl. I can't believe I get to be her mom and her friend. And watch up close as
she chooses to be a representative of Jesus Christ and to serve God's children in Uruguay.
They are so proud of her. Just so proud. As am I. In a way I don't know how to put into words.

Our Hermana Allen.

She's just something else.

My brother

A repost from exactly five years ago today. Because I still feel the same (only with more strength behind
those feelings) and I couldn’t express it any differently than I did then. And especially because this brother
of mine has been sober for forty-nine days and I’m so proud of him, it makes me cry. Every dang day.

------------------------------------------

That first photo is a picture of my three older brothers. And I love it a lot.
But that "soldier" on the left is who has been on my mind all day.

Because it is Veterans Day and as you can see from the second photo, he is just that. I will always
be thankful to him for his incredible service and sacrifice (I still cry when I think back to those days
when he was injured so terribly and we could have so easily lost him), but I look up to and admire him
for many other reasons. Too many to list here, but I will just say he is one of the most inspirational
people I have ever known and has accomplished things many of us only dream about.

Today I share my profound gratitude for so many who have and do serve and sacrifice​ and support
and make my life possible. I'm so deeply thankful for each one of them. But this Veterans Day,
I am feeling especially thankful for a little boy named Kamm, who grew up to be a real soldier.

My brother, my hero.

Bring on the rain (er, hail)!

Apparently the drought has been more difficult on our youngest than we realized.

Yesterday

This sweet birthday boy

Happy Birthday my sweet boy! We are the luckiest ever because we get you as ours.

Five things I love about Nate right now:

1. He is one of the kindest, most loving people I have ever known. If you want to feel good about who you are, spend time with Nate. His middle name is in honor of his Grandma Cammy and boy did we get it right. He is one of the greatest cheerleaders and champions of people I know.

2. He loves his Heavenly Father and Savior deeply. He understands the scriptures (because he spends huge amounts of time in them) better than most people two and three times his age. And when he prays...it makes me cry just thinking about it. We all just kind of shake our head in wonder after his kneels and says a family prayer. He talks to his Father. And trusts Jesus Christ. Deeply.

3. He is coming into his humor and it makes me so happy I could burst. He and Ben make each other crack up often and he makes Grace laugh harder than anyone else. And when he gets going and can't stop himself from cry-laughing--it's kind of the best.

4. He is athletic to a degree I have almost never seen in another person, as least close up. It doesn't matter if it is wakeboarding, surfing, snow skiing, roller blading, soccering, playing basketball, running, doing back flips on the tramp or ground, or just conquering a pogo ball for his birthday, he just gets it. And gets it fast. It is something else to watch.

5. He is brilliant. His mind learns and stretches constantly and he solves problems, and notices details that matter to the solution, rapid fire. He loves school (and has the best teacher that we love like crazy) and thrives in doing hard things that take effort and brain power.

We love you Nate the great! So much it is a little ridiculous.

Cutest trio

Sweetest dad. Cutest kids. Still celebrating dads and donuts by having breakfast at
a nearby restaurant, rather than at the elementary school with the rest of our town.
It appears they are also brilliant. Love them all so stinkin’ much.

Show of Gratitude

This sweetest little dancer performed in her recital yesterday--three times to be precise. Oh she loves
dancing something fierce. And the dance studio she takes lessons at (we love Grace's dance company
as much as Grace loves dancing!) held their show of gratitude at a retirement home. Which was the
cutest thing ever. It took all of my willpower not to take photos of the residents' faces because their joy
at watching these students dance was something else. It was a really, really good afternoon.
Love our Gracie girl, and her talented, beautiful self, more than I could put into words.

Lighting the World {early}

 

My church that I love, love, love and love some more has this wonderful program
in December called Light the World. Daily service that anyone can do to fill the world
with more light and love, especially around the time we celebrate the Savor’s birth.

A few years back, I decided to make a Light the World poster to put on our wall,
so our family could add gold stickers whenever we did something kind or good or
serviceful for anyone else. And we have loved the visual representation and reminder.

This year I decided December wasn’t enough. And my old poster design
needed updating. So I made this beauty, had a local company print it out on
foam board and up it went. And today, we have officially started.

I’m pretty excited to focus my days, for the next many weeks, on kindness and
service and light toward God’s children. And see our world light up a little more
because of it. While hopefully acting a little more like my Savior in the process.

PS. If anyone wants to join us, but doesn’t want to create the poster,
send me a text or email me and I can email you the file. More than happy to for sure.