Blog Lazy!

I have been blog lazy.  I guess Kenzie’s pneumonia and stay in the hospital took all of my energy. 

First, can I just say how much I hate this snow we are getting.  I really wonder why I live in Southeast Idaho.  Even when the weather is warm, the wind still blows you sideways!  We will definitely retire somewhere else. 

We have been busy with work, church, family, and we wish we were busier with friends.  Sunday is a crazy day.  Boone teaches gospel doctrine and I teach in the primary.  We just cross our fingers that our kids don’t need us the last few hours of church.

Madison and Easton had birthdays in March.  Maddy is now 5 and Easton is 2.  Maddy is registered to start Kindergarten next fall and Kenzie gets to start pre-school.  They are growing up fast.  Easton gets to hang out with me all day for another year.  POOR KID!  It’s like having a little mini Boone following me around all day.  He looks a lot like me, but he acts just like Boone.

I was able to have a long awaited surgery that I have dreamed about.  LASIK!!  No more glasses, contacts, or horrible headaches.  I am so pleased with my surgery.  I see 20/20 and my eyes are healing great!  I was so nervous before the surgery; I wanted to run out of there.  They gave me Valium that didn’t do a dang thing.  Boone was no comfort.  All he could think about was that this eye surgeon was doing a surgery every half-hour.  Every half-hour, over $3,000.00 per surgery, that’s a lot of money.  He leaned over to me while I was shaking in the chair and said, “Should I go back to school?”  I gave him the crustiest look I could come up with.  Of course he was kidding.  He loves to joke with me when I am nervous.  He reminds me of my dad in that respect.  Annoying at times, but I love him more than life itself. 

Last but not least, we seem to have a tough little cowboy on our hands!  My dad would always get his grandson's their first pair of cowboy boots around age two.  Since my dad is gone, my mom and I took Easton to Vickers in Idaho Falls and got him all decked out in a suede hat AND a pair of black boots just like Grandpa Danny used to wear.  It was very emotional and both of us were crying.  The store clerk must have wondered what was wrong with us, because we couldn't stop crying long enough to explain it to him.  Too funny!  He is my favorite little COWBOY!

Wish you could have been here, Dad.  We miss you!

LONG vacation!

Can you say Pneumonia? Our little family has been sick since Christmas, just passing the cold/flu back and forth. Well, Kenzie decided to go out with a bang. After two chest ex rays, two shots of Rosefin, and two steroid injections, she was admitted to the hospital. The most alarming part that won her a luxury vacation to the hospital, was her oxygen levels. She was down in the low 80's and even got to the 70's a few times. They like to see you above 95. Usually anything in the 80's is cause for concern. She went in on Tuesday and was released on Friday. They were very LONG, oh wait, I mean luxurious days! They had a little red wagon that we could pull her around in that she loved. I think they had to replace the carpet after the times Grandma Allen stayed with her and spent the whole time pulling her around the hospital. There was a contest between my sisters of who could get credit for all of the many toys that were brought! My sweet niece Daridee even brought her a present. Kenzie was pretty spoiled during her vacation. She had to have a lot of TIME OUTS after we got back home and settled. Anyway, we are happy to be home. It was a LONG vacation!

Kenzie, hanging out in her hospital bed.

My sister Danette, making sure Kenzie knows who brought her a present! (We love you Danette.)

Kenzie wondering what is going to happen next. She kept saying, "No more pokes!"

Question?

Cold/Flu is like a four letter word around here these days. We have been battling sickness for over a week now. All of the kids got sick at different times with similar symptoms. Madison's symptoms tend to linger longer, Easton usually gets the worst cough and doesn't sleep, and Kenzie gets the really high fevers. Just when the kids started getting better I came down with it. Making this fun journey even longer. I actually feel so much better if I could just breathe through my nose at night!

So, here is my question.

How do you feel about flu shots?

Do you get them every year?

Do your kids get them?

This is a question I have been pondering about lately. We have been on both sides of the fence, but I'm curious what your experience has been. This is the first year we haven't done them, but the kids get sick whether they get the flu shot or not every winter.

CHRISTMAS......

Christmas was fun with the kids this year. It was our year to spend Christmas with Boone's family. We had a fun family party at his parents house on Christmas Eve. We had good food, good fun, and a program from the kids. The kids loved opening their presents.

After the Christmas Eve get together, we headed home and put the kids to sleep. Santa had a lot of work to do that night. We could have used some magic, that's for sure! It was worth the effort, because the kids love their new clubhouse/slide/climber. They have played on it every day since they got it.

On Christmas Day we braved the snow storm and went to my sister's house to talk to my nephew who is on a mission in Brazil. It was wonderful to talk to him!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR from THE ALLEN FAMILY!

Madison's preschool class put on a fun Christmas program. It was short which made it even better! This is her last year of preschool. Next year she gets to ride the big yellow bus to kindergarten.

I had to throw this picture in. Boone brushes the kids teeth EVERY night and at least one of them gives him trouble. It's usually Easton, and Boone has to hold him down to get them brushed. They may be naughty kids, but by dang their teeth are clean!!

Missing my dad.....

The holiday's are bittersweet. I don't know if it will ever be any different. Anytime you lose someone close to you, there is a part of you that always misses them and just aches. There are so many things to be grateful for and so many reasons to live life to the fullest, and that is what keeps a person going. I am grateful for the family that I do have to celebrate the holiday's with and for the memories I have of those who are no longer here.

Snow!

We had our first "Real" snowstorm, so we headed off to Walmart when Boone got home from work to get the kids some snow gear. We bundled them all up "A Christmas Story" style, and headed outside. Easton slipped on some ice and couldn't get up because of how bundled he was. He just lay there on his back and cried! Too funny! It was dark, but the kids had a blast. We enjoyed some hot chocolate afterwards. It was a good family night!