couldn't be happier...

I know I have not been much of a blogger lately. Time continues to go by much to rapidly. I get behind in posts, then I feel overwhelmed and then I just decide to bag the whole thing. I really need to stop procrastinating.

So here is an update of what has been going on in our neck of the woods

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That's right! The Allen Duo is soon going to be the ALLEN TRIO. I am 14 weeks along and Todd and I could not be happier. We have heard the heartbeat and it was the most incredible sound we have heard! We still have not seen a little picture of our baby but I am told that waiting until 20 weeks for the first ultrasound is normal (although it does not help me feel less anxious) - I am learning that I really need to start enjoying things in the moment because if time really is going by faster, the next 183 days are going to fly by and before you know it baby Allen will be here.

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We were able to share the wonderful news to our families on Mother's Day (and my birthday). I was only 7 weeks along but we felt like it would be a perfect day to tell them.

We went to my parent's home for a birthday/mother's day dinner. Afterwards we opened presents. The picture frame above was what I gave to my mom. It goes along with a book called 'I'll Always be Your Daughter' - It is a fable and will definitely make you cry.

(sorry, in advance, for the overload of pictures)

I had my mom read the book first so that she would understand the picture frame.

After she read the book she opened her last present...

I absolutely love the look on her face. I think she was in shock.

my cute parents

two happy grandparents

Uncle Matt - he already is the coolest Uncle ever to 62 other nieces and nephews. Now our little baby will have the same privilege.

The Gillett's stopped by soon after we told my parents and Matt so of course we had to tell them too.

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Off to Connie's for dessert with Todd's family.

We did a similar picture frame for Connie and Todd's grandparents.

Here Connie is opening her present...

... here are her reactions to said present...

I have her GRAND reaction recorded on my phone but I can't figure out how to get it to my computer so even though there is no sound, I am sure you can hear Connie screaming.

Here are the picture frames that we gave them.

Celebrating with the family

a good quote...

I found this quote on someone else's blog and thought I would share it.

Happy rainy Wednesday!

hope & finding beauty...

So back in March my mom and my sister invited me to come and listen to Stephanie Nielson (NieNie) at their Stake's Women's Conference in Alpine.

Of course I went. It was such a neat experience, humbling really - for two reasons.

• Reason #1 •

(and of course these are not in order of importance because I think reason #2 is pretty special and I wanted to save the best for last.)

NieNie titled her talk: 'hope & finding beauty'. I took my notebook and a pen ready to write down some things that stood out to me but as she talked I realized that I would have to write down everything she was saying, so I just listened. If anyone has the knowledge of HOPE - it is her (although I am sure her humble self would not agree).

I often think that "my life is hard" or "why did this happen"

but if anyone can go through what she went through (and is going through)

and still find HOPE and BEAUTY

then why can't I?

Stephanie also shard this quote that I really liked:

“Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it,

casts the shadow of our burden behind us.”

-Samuel Smiles-

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• Reason #2 •

Many of you don't know this but my mom is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was born in Illinois but moved to Arizona when she was younger and grew up there. In high school she had a friend name Mary who was LDS. My mom noticed how Mary was "a little different". Mary had a lot of siblings and even took time of school when her mom had a baby so she could help with the other kids.

I don't remember exactly how it happened or who brought it up but my mom was introduced to the Mormon church. She began reading the Book of Mormon and she acted on Moroni's promise and gained her own testimony that it was true and was later baptized.

So you see, me, my sisters, my brothers and my dad are forever grateful for Mary and her example to my mom and for sharing this wonderful gospel with her. And for our mother, who listened to the promptings of the spirit.

Our lives our forever changed because of that.

Because someone wasn't afraid to share what they believed in

and wasn't afraid to let 'their LiGhT shine'.

Thank you, Mary!

The reason I share that is because on the night I went to hear Stephanie speak,

I also got to meet Mary and her wonderful husband.

You see, Mary is Christian Nielson's (a.k.a. Mr. Nielson) mother. They were up from Arizona for their granddaughters baptism and came to hear Stephanie speak.

I don't know if I can express adequately my gratitude for her

for what she did for my mom...

for what she did for my family.

my lovely mom (r) with Mary (l)

From left to right: Mary Nielson, my mom, me, Brooke (sister) and Bailey (niece).