Daring, Daring

I don't know if this is a sommersault or if it's close, but it sure is Josiah!

Reading

Today while I was getting the waffles ready for breakfast, I caught Goldie and Josiah showing Stuart the delights of reading a book. So I thought that maybe we could share a few of our current favorites with you.







My Two Hands, My Two Feet by Rick Walton and Julia Gorton
This is one of my favorite books. I love to read it to my kids.





Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
This is Mike's Favorite. Whenever we read this book we sing, Rumpus, Rumpus Rumpus!





Cowardly Clyde by Bill Peet
This is Josiah's current favorite. He has checked it out of the library twice and while we have it at home he makes me read it everyday sometimes two and three times. He loves the knight, the horse, and the MONSTER!





Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger and Michael Hays
This is Goldie's current favorite! When Grandma Allen came to visit us awhile back she told this story to the kids and they were singing the song for weeks. Then a week or two ago we stumbled upon it at the library. Goldie loved this story. All about magic and the Giant Abiyoyo.


Anyway, we are reading these great books and hope that Stuart will like some of them too.

Waiting for Sunshine...

It seems to just keep raining here in West Virginia this month. I guess they say April showers bring May flowers, but I could do with a little more sunshine.

In the meantime we are hanging out and having fun together.

Here is Tigger and Pooh. We couldn't miss this photo opp. Also, I just realized this was the day that Goldie helped Josiah get his clothes on. They managed the Tigger all right, but his shorts are backwards! Oh well!

Goldie is sitting in a laundry basket piled high with toys. This is one of her favorite pastimes. Sunday when the missionaries came over for dinner Mike suggested that we remove the basket to the bedroom. I said, "Of course, I was thinking it would be better to line up the toys from the front door straight to the kitchen table." So when he came home from work we'd done a good job of making a straight line. It was fun.

And while there is still not a lot of sun, there are a few halfway dry hours here and there. Goldie, Josiah, and Cameron (the neighbor) love to pick either Mike or I flowers. They are only allowed to pick dandelions and so every other day or so we get a big bunchful. This was Mike's bunch last Saturday.

So maybe the showers are bringing flowers after all. Now isn't there something about a ray of sunshine after the clouds depart? ....I'm ready!

Happy Easter!

The 2009 Bunny Rabbit has visted. We loved having him over to our house.















During his visit we made Easter Eggs

Cried, and then laughed with snot running down our noses. The youngest among us was completely entranced by those lovely colors.

We sat around and told Easter Book of Mormon Stories.

And today April 12, 2009 we attended church. Tonight the missionaries are coming over to eat Mr. Bunny Rabbit. Hope you have a great Easter too.

9 points of Gratitude

Sometimes it is so easy for me to complain!

1. I don't want to apply for any jobs.

2. I don't want to get my house ready to move.

3. I don't have the time to accomplish what I WANT to do.

But you know, I forget how blessed I am. I need to be more grateful.

1. I am thankful for a family who love me.

2. I am grateful for four month old giggles.

3. I am grateful not for Josiah's hurt, but his colorful face that says YEL in scratches, from where he fell off the scooter and the colors of healing on his eye from where he slammed into the couch while he was sleeping. He's a boy! I'm grateful.

4. I'm grateful for my daughter being able to write an R after I show her, for her caring about her brothers and for her missing her Dad every day while he's gone to work.

5. I am very grateful to be a wife and work on the puzzle of figuring out how to save us money.

6. I am grateful for inspiration.

7. I am grateful for being able to read my scriptures.

8. I am grateful for a husband who buys me Easter flowers on a really bad day.

9. I am grateful for every ray of sunshine that shines outside right now.]

Maybe if I do a three to one ratio of gratitude to complaining, I can get out the ickys and embrace peace.

A little sunny spring and St. Patrick's Day

We have had a few sunny days and a lot of rainy, cold ones. But on the warm sunny ones we've been trying to get out. So here are some pictures.

I decorated the house for St. Patrick's Day and so we decided to have a little celebration on the actual day. So in one way of vewing things, here is what we did yesterday:

St. Patrick's Day 09

The day is ALWAYS special

So MUCH to celebrate

Green Earth

Little Men

Relief Society Birthday

The life of Helen Miskin Allen

& Family, always family

We wheeled our way down

the hill, just the four of us.

Dad was at work.

Feeling as if the stroller

were careening down faster

than I could control

Our purchases were few,

from a list and gathered

after a quick gallop through

the aisles of the snake and fish store.

Then it was back up that hill

The brave 2 year old

walking all the way up on the

yellow line. The 3 year old

packed herself in with groceries

all around, and the 4 month old

sleeping on my chest, never
realizing the effort.

We made it!

Then a visit from a friend

with boisterious brood running wild,

yet I find a measure of comfort

in our visit.

On to making a special dinner with

dyed green apples, dyed green cake

and never before made white rolls.

Brown fizzy bubbles for

us to drink and a four leaf

tablecloth I hurriedly

finish in time.

The celebration was

family time together.

I'm glad I took the time to celebrate.

Leftovers.

Charith's Flowers

Charith Allen drew this picture at age 3 or 4.

...at least that's what the writing at the top of this picture said.

Mike and I are trying to go through all our stuff, downsize, and consolidate. I came across this and couldn't help but scan it in.

Do you remember it Charith?