Moab BABY

So....me and Travis decided to take a little camping trip, just the two of us, to Moab Utah. It was a BLAST!!! If your the outdoorsy type and like to hike, fourwheel, or bike......this is the place for you!!! There are thousands of trails and you would have to spend a long time there to go on all of them. Travis was in heaven!! Such a great place for guys.
The first night we got there our refridgerator quit working (in the camper). Travis was up all night and in the morning trying to fix it not knowing what was wrong. So half of our food we had to throw out. Then that night the battery went completely dead. We didn't let that ruin our trip. Of course something has to go wrong. We did some hiking, fourwheeling, and went to the Arches National Park. I think by the 3rd day I was getting heat stroke, I know I'm a wuss. I wasn't used to all the heat plus I think I came down with something, I was really sick the last couple of days there. Hmmm maybe it had to do with the food that wasn't really cold....stupid camper :):) Just Kidding, Thanks again Scotty and Darla for letting us use it.
The trails up there are INSANE! I couldn't believe the stuff that people go on, especially those jeeps, WOW! They were fun to watch. Anyways we had a great time. We might make it a yearly thing now, but it's good to go with more people just in case you get stranded......like we did... for an hour. Travis flooded the fourwheeler TWICE. But Oh so fun!

Girls Weekend at Palisades...

Me and a bunch of friends went to Marie's cabin for the weekend. This is probably one of the funnest weekends I've had in a long time!! It was so nice to be away from kids for a couple of days and be myself around the girls, without worrying if Grant is going to take a plunge down the stairs or if Lincoln is beating up someone. We could actually all just have a great time! I think it was nice because when I got home I was ready to be the best mother ever!! :):) ha ha. It was a nice refresher. And of course it's nice for Travis and the boys to be together without mom. I was a little worried about being too many girls but let me tell you, the more the merrier!!! We did karoke, played games.....some that were quite interesting :), talked, talked, and talked. It was so fun to meet new people and make new friends. All you girls are so fun and amazing! LOVED IT!!! I just couldn't get enough. So thankyou EVERYONE for a fantastic weekend! There's another girls weekend coming up with a different group of girls from highschool.....can't wait!

"I was just showing them my...."

I wasn't going to post this but what the heck, maybe I need to warn some of you moms out there....We were at my parents house on Sunday along with my Aunt Kim and her hubby and kids. We were discussing Lincolns belly (the topic always seem to come up) and he was lifting his shirt up and showing it off. Then I hear this gasp and I look over and Lincoln had pulled down his pants and underwear and was showing off his little.....ya you know. So I freaked out and pulled Lincolns pants up and was like "Lincoln you don't do that." I think I overreacted, he was so embarrassed. He just hid in my hair. Then in the most sweet and innocent voice he says, "mommy, I was just showing them my manhood." I just started laughing my butt off. How sweet and innocent these little ones are. I told Travis to have a discussion with Lincoln about his "manhood" and how it's private. Just a WARNING to the mothers with a little boy toddler....I'm just glad he didn't do it in Sunbeams or at playgroup or something like that. Great story, gotta love the kid.

Kids say the darnest things...

Okay here's the setting, I'm washing Lincoln in the bathtub...

Me: Man Lincoln, you gotta big belly.
Lincoln: I have a big belly?
Me: Yeah you have a big belly
Lincoln: I have a big belly and a little butt, Grant has a big butt huh mom?!

HAPPY NEW YEARS

(These are Christmas picts.)

What a CRAZY month...

It all starts with Travis doing our ward Christmas party...with one person to help that's on the activites committee. I tell you what that was ALOT of work. Travis pulled it off and we had a Awesome Christmas party. We were frightened there for awhile, we thought Santa was lost! We decided to tell the parents before announcing it to the children. Some of the parents said they saw Santa a half hour ago wandering the church halls....what?! Santa has been here for over a half hour and we've been stalling this whole time. Me and Travis took of running all over the church and we finally found him. You did a great job Trav!!

We headed over to my parents house for Christmas. It was fun to spend time with the fam. We missed you Jared and Natalie. I love this time of season, I look back and see how much I've been blessed in my life. And to reflect on the Savior and his life. I truly grateful for everything he did on this earth for me. We've been teaching Lincoln about Jesus and why we celebrate Christmas....these little kids learn so fast and so much. I didn't think he would understand but he proved me wrong.

Christmas morning - We planned to open presents at 8:00 AM, that's when the kids usually wake up. Lincoln slept in till 9. He was exhausted from the Family get togethers Christmas eve. But he sure was excited to see what Santa got him. Santa got Lincoln and Grant a train table. I think Grant was more excited than Lincoln. He just took of crawling to the trains. The boys had a great time. Actually I think Ben (my brother) and Travis enjoys the trains more than anybody else, I catch them here and there playing with it. My mom made the John Deere quilt for Lincolns room. Isn't she amazing???

After Christmas we went to Howe and spent time with Trav's family for a few days and headed to Boise to pack up and leave. We just got here the day before New Years Eve. SO that's the life of the Allens. Sorry it's so long.

Happy Birthday Grant!!!

My little Grant turned one on Sunday, I cannot believe how fast the time went. He was kindof sick so didn't want to try any cake....but he did go for the ice cream, he must have got that from me. Grant is the sweetest little boy, he is a momma's boy. He is my little shadow, I don't know how many times I've almost or have stepped on him because he's RIGHT THERE. He has the sweetest little spirit and such an adorable smile which makes your heart melt. What a good brother he is, and he just adores Lincoln and vice versa. I'm so grateful for my wonderful men in my life, I have been so blessed! Thanks guys and I love you!

A Christmas Miracle....

Lincoln is officially potty trained, I thought it would NEVER happen in my lifetime....it really did worry me but he did it! YAY! All you mothers out there that are struggling with your little guy, don't give up it will happen! There's really not a secret, for me anyways. One day Lincoln just said, "I want to wear underwear" ever since that day he's gone potty in the toilet.

Booger....Is that how you spell it???

Funny story.....Lincoln was laying in bed with me and Travis this morning and he was like daddy you have a booger. He kept rolling around us and wouldn't go back to sleep so Travis was like go pick a cartoon. Lincoln runs out the door to find a cartoon and runs back with a kleenex. He goes up to Travis and starts cleaning out his nose. It was so funny!!

Where's Lincoln??

Playing in the leaves....LOTS of leaves! If you look really close you can find Lincoln's head in the leaves.

Happy Halloween!!

I just love Halloween, I think it's one of my favorite holidays...next to Christmas, Easter, and the 4th of July. I seriously couldn't sleep Halloween Eve, I got about 2 hours of sleep because I was so excited! I know I'm pathetic, I thought I would grow out of it but I don't think I ever will. Anyways at our ward party my little Grant won the best Halloween costume for baby/toddler. I was so proud! Alot of you have asked where I got it, I bought it at a Halloween store here called Spirit Halloween.

Lincoln had a BLAST! He was so funny! He would run up to the door knock and ran back to me and Travis. He kindof got confused, he would either say, "Trick or Treat" or "Happy Halloween". Either way he did great! That night just went by way to fast, Thanksgiving here we come!!

Family Home Evening fun

Okay I know I've been posting alot lately but I had to tell you one more thing...For Family Home Evening Monday night we dressed the kids up in their costumes and took cookies around to people's houses in the ward. It was so much fun. They were surprised to see two little monsters at their door giving them a treat. Lincoln had a hard time giving "HIS" cookies away but he learned that he could share and that we still had plenty left. Here's the cookie recipe that I made....pretty scrumdilicious.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

ENJOY!:)

Gorilla + Chewbacca = ADORABLE

My sister-n-law took pictures of my kids, Thanks Ginger. They turned out soo cute! Grant was such a good sport about the pictures. He just sat there and ate the dirt, leaves, and much more. He loved the knew environment. Lincoln on the other hand was DYING to play on the toys, after every pose, "can Lincoln go play now" or "are we all done" You know, I can't complain he did awesome. He did what we told him to do. I just can't wait for Halloween!!

Fire in the hole

My dear sweet husband agreed to color my hair on Sunday evening...it's a good thing we didn't do it Saturday night because it turned BRIGHT red!!! It was supposed to be a brown with a red tint to it but lo and behold it turned RED. Me and Travis just laughed....it was pretty funny. It looked like my head was on fire, just in time for Halloween. Everytime I looked in the mirror it scared the crap out of me. Today I found a random hair stylist and she colored it dark brown and it still has a very red tint to it. It's actually more of a purplish color but she said in a week it will fade. I've learned my lesson...don't let Travis dye my hair. Just kidding, not his fault he actually did a pretty good job! I will get it professionally done next time, I just hate spending the money but in the end it's worth it. Oh I would've posted a picture if I had taken one. I think the fire on my head is a pretty good description.