A lot to catch up on...

That is an understatement!  Between moving into our new home (YEA!!) and preschool, gymnastics, ballet, and our computer crashing, I have been busy.  And I'm a lot lazy so add that into the mix and you understand our lives a lot better.  First things first, our house.  We have been very busy painting!  When you first walked in, it was a pistachio green (we think the inspiration for many of these colors was the jello isle at the store).  This was something to fix as soon as possible!  And that we did. Here's before and after. And I can't figure out how to rotate my photos.

Pistachio pudding anyone?

So after we did that, we needed to do the office (to the left in the pictures above).  Below are those before and after shots.  We also spray painted the chandelier  from gold yuckiness to a black with flicks of bronze  in it.

Then on into the hallway and around the stairs.  We also have a den that was the lovely pistachio green that is now the toy room. 

 And finally, we had to paint our family room which took several weeks because it has 20 foot ceilings and we had to risk our lives on the scary ladder.  I'm a little disturbed by how comfortable I got being on the ladder.  It was really scary!!

We then moved up the stairs and painted the upstairs hallway.  This is where we stopped for now.  As you can tell, this has been a very big job and has taken a lot of time.  We are only able to paint when the kids are in bed so we have had many late, late nights.  Thank goodness for Excedrin Migraine is all I can say!

And the final pictures...my most favorite aspect of what we've done so far is the curtains...this was a major dilemma for a while.  We have those huge windows in the family room which is great for light purposes but at night, I just couldn't run across the walkwayto the kids' room in my underoos without everyone out the back windows able to see, in perfect HD, I might add (we have a busy street behind our house and then a large park beyond that). And it was very hot this summer.  The sun beat in upon the thermostat so the A/C was running almost constantly.  We needed blinds of some sort.  But the estimate we got was over a thousand bucks.  What to do?  One day, I had this epiphany.  So what was going to cost over a thousand dollars, ended up costing a little over $100.   And look how pretty the room looks now!

Here's the living room...I kind of skipped over it because we did nothing to it and it will probably stay that way!  Our stuff goes so well in there.  We will probably switch places with the couch and piano.

Here's the kitchen...we will be painting it but not anytime soon...we like the color and it doesn't look that bad.  We will eventually paint the cabinets white too.  No rush.  We plan on being here for a long time!!  

We have about six rooms left to paint...I have included pictures of those so you can feel our pain of living in the jello inspired rooms (it's really not that bad, except for the melon room...it is THAT bad...and make sure you don't turn on the lights...eww!)

This is Brylie and Brody's room for now.  We will eventually paint this navy and light blue and it will be a boys room.   (not any kind of announcement)

Here's the fluorescent melon room...it gets worse when the light is on!  It is not occupied currently but will eventually be a guest room/library.  It will be a light olive shade.  I'd like to thank the previous owners for painting everything in the closet.  Grrr!

Here's the master...we are not really fans of the yellow.  This will also change but we are unsure of really what color we'll go to.  Also not really a priority since we rarely hang out here.

So now you've seen most of our house...the last photos are of the back yard...this is such an awesome aspect for us!  The kids love having a big backyard and we have some big plans for what it will be in the future!  Come back soon for more updates on what we've been up to!

Allen Family Reunion 2011

This year we had our first Allen Family Reunion! It would be the first time in a long time when everyone would be there. We went to Island Park, ID and rented a cabin for almost a week. My sister, Paige and her husband Matt were in charge and did a pretty dang good job! There is a very high standard set for future reunions, if you ask me!

Matt drew a picture that depicted little aspects of each person which went on the front of the reunion t-shirt. Very funny and creative! On the back of each shirt was a name and what number they are in our family. For instance, the back of my shirt said "Cassidy" and "3". Brad was number 9, Brylie, number 12, Brody, number 14, and Olivia was number 16. Here's the front of the shirt. Can you pick each member of our family out? And if you know my family, can you decipher each from this drawing?



Here is our little family. Brad graduating with a beard...he always seems to have some sort of scruff. Brylie playing with a doll of some sort, in one hand is the body, in the other is the head. Brody wearing his boots and on a leash because that's the only way to keep up/track of him. Olivia is on my head because she is always clinging to me somehow, someway. I don't know what the dryer has to do with us but, the dryer that Brylie is sitting on.

Our cabin was awesome! Far more fancy than my house but very comfortable and roomy! We fit with room to spare! There was a little firepit out back for us to use for s'mores, etc.

We had many activities throughout the course of the week. Yellowstone, floating down the river, sand dunes, mountain man rendezvous, the Mesa Falls, eating, playing games, chatting, resting, relaxing and just enjoying each other's company. It was awesome!!

Here are all the pictures we took! There are a lot! It was such a good time!! Thanks everyone for your efforts!! I thoroughly enjoyed myself!!

Click here to view these pictures larger

A new look...

Brylie has been begging to get her hair cut and I have been very reluctant to let her do it because her hair is so pretty long. But finally, I gave in after the brushing routine was a very emotional battle for both of us everyday. It also helped to see her cute cousins new do's and I knew she would look adorable with the cut. Thank goodness we have a wonderful aunt (my sister, Paige) who does hair and who we would see soon!

Here's the before:

The process:

And the after:

Doesn't she look so old? She loves it and has commented several times that "it's still short, Mom!" I think she was afraid it would grow overnight. We probably cut off about 8 inches or so. I'm not very sad because I know it will grow fast and be just as pretty as it always was and is.

Yes!!

My favorite celebratory response!!

Open Wide!!

This is one of my favorite faces!!!

Brody is 3!!!

Talk about way behind! We've been having issues with the computer and hopefully they are all ironed out and I can finally post about our favorite boy's 3rd Birthday!!! February 23rd was a magical day for Brody here!! He was quite excited, something I think kids don't really understand until about 3 so this was really fun for us too! He really wanted a Spiderman cake so I did my best and found,as with Brylie, these kids aren't too hard to please! He loved it! We had a family dinner and party and ate cake and had fun! Thanks to everyone for the gifts and cards! It was an awesome day for him!

Brody is such a happy boy! He loves to have fun and he will create his own entertainment regardless of where we are. He loves Spiderman right now...he shoots his webs at you (and sprays you when he makes the accompanying sound), he and Brylie often play together and I hear them call each other "Spiderman" and "MJ", yes we have let them watch the movie which they LOVE!! He is talking more and more and says phrases like, "Look Mom, he's falling to his death!" He is very intense in everything he does...not realizing his own strength! He is still not potty trained but probably could be in a day or two...he already goes quite a bit, I'm just lazy and not looking forward to cleaning up accidents. Maybe this is the last box of diapers...anyhow, we love this little guy so much! He is such a joy to our lives and a necessary piece to our family puzzle! So glad you are in our family!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRODY!!

We love you!!

Brylie turns 4!

I know, Brylie's birthday was a few weeks ago but I have been busy! But how could I not take a few minutes to write about our sweetheart Princess Brylie!

Brylie is the most mature 4 year old I've ever met! I've said this before but I seriously have to think twice about how old she is...she acts like a 5 year old 95% of the time! She says the cutest things like, "Oh my goodness, Dude" or "This is great!" or "Mom, I love you!"
She is the best little helper/mommy to her brother and sister and to me. Often I have to remind her that she's only 3 and Olivia is heavy. Otherwise, Brylie would haul her sister around everywhere! She give the best hugs and strokes my face at night when I'm singing to her at bedtime.
A few weeks ago I was playing the organ in church and right after the sacrament, I could see this pink thing (the bow in her hair) bouncing along the way just beyond the stand and sure enough it was reverent Brylie walking with her arms folded up to sit with me on the stand. As soon as she sat by me, she looked up at me and puckered up her lips for a kiss. She did that twice! I love her to pieces and often can't believe she is mine!
And on February 3rd, she turned 4 years old! It was quite a day! One we had been looking forward to for weeks on end! And I think it was one she was very happy with!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYLIE!!! WE LOVE YOU PRINCESS!!!

Sweet Lil' Olivia

One year ago today, Little Olivia joined our familyShe is a little sweetheart and has wrapped us tighter and tighter around her little fingerShe has such a darling personality and loves her brother and sister

She loves to be with Mom! She is starting to relax and love to be with Dad!She is the Gerber baby, I've been told, oh, so many timesWhat would we ever do without our Sweet Livs?
HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!!

Merry Christmas

This year was so fun for us as our kids are getting to the age where they look forward to Christmas from Halloween on. This year we made a chain counting down the days a few days before Halloween. There were more than 70 chains...it took forever to make and to get through but was so much fun. And on every chain was something we could do or look forward to.

On Christmas morning, Brad and Olivia were awake, he was reading while she was drinking a bottle in the room across from Brylie and Brody's room. When the kids woke up, he heard the doorknob jiggle and then saw Brylie streak past toward our bedroom. When she didn't find Brad, she ran back to the room where he was reading with Olivia and said, "Dad, SANTA!!" and then she ran into our bedroom where I was still asleep and came over and said to me, "Mom, SANTA!!" Brody wasn't to far behind her and our Christmas morning was in full force! We were very blessed and had a wonderful Christmas!!Both kids got a bike from Santa...Brody's may be a bit big but isn't everything at his age?
Grammie and Pops give every grand kid on their first Christmas a build a bear. Olivia got a longhorn cow in memory of her Texas roots. She loves it! How do you like her teeth?

A delicious meal...

...if I don't say so myself! I'm not that great of a cook compared to Brad but unfortunately, I'm the one who does it most of the time so when I found this recipe and it turned out to be really delicious, I wanted to share it. I got it from this blog I really like because she figures recipes out after eating food at restaurants. I changed a few things to suit my family and our tastes. And I can't wait for lunch...it's leftovers for me today!!

Masaman Curry Chicken

1 can Masaman curry paste (you will have to get this at your Asian market)
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 tsp. ginger (you can use fresh, I just used the powder)
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. brown sugar (packed)
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, sliced thin
1 lb. chicken sliced VERY thin (I used partially thawed chicken from the freezer.. it was really easy to slice thin)
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed
2 carrots, peeled, sliced
1-2 Tbsp (heaping) peanut butter (crunchy or creamy.. doesn't matter)
1/2 c. peanuts
Rice, cooked

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Stir in curry paste; cook and stir for about 2-3 minutes (make sure your windows are open and a fan is blowing.. this stuff is STRONG). Add 1 can coconut milk and stir until well blended. Add ginger, cilantro, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and Worcestershire, bring to a boil. Add onion and chicken then reduce to a simmer. When chicken is white and cooked through (about 5 min or so) add another can of coconut milk and bring back to a boil. Add remaining ingredients (except for the rice) and stir until everything is well mixed. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes--until potatoes aren't crunchy in the middle. Serve hot over rice.

The only thing I would do differently is add the coconut milk before the chicken and all the vegetables with the onion and chicken...that way it doesn't take forever to cook the veggies all the way. It was a little thick from simmering for so long. But way delicious!! Enjoy!

Halloween

Here are some pictures at our trunk or treat. We won the family costume prize! It was a gift card to Cold Stone Creamery which we used as fast as we could!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

I can't forget to mention...

So Brad's been out of law school for almost 4 months now and finally we got the word from the Texas Bar Association...HE PASSED THE BAR! And now can finally practice law. It's so nice that after 2 1/2 long grueling years of school, he can now use his knowledge.

We are so proud of Brad for working so hard and being such a great dad and husband! And know that he'll be an equally great lawyer! Love ya Brad!!!

Our Trip to Utah

This last weekend we were able to drive down to Utah and visit some family. We had such a good time and it was so nice that we could actually drive in a day to where our family lives. We spent Saturday with my side of the family and Sunday with Brad's side. It was so fun to see everyone and to catch up. The kids played like they hadn't been apart and our conversations picked up right where they left off. We are so lucky to have such great families! The only part about living in Denver that we are sad about is being this far away from family. But this trip confirmed to us that the distance is very doable.

Here is a little video of Olivia laughing...she hasn't really laughed until now which is why I was so giddy. Excuse my nerdiness and enjoy the awesome video!

The first couple of nights we stayed at Shay and Chelsea's house! It was so fun to hang out and catch up! I had to rethink if I really loved Colorado enough to be away from family...it's a tough call. We missed Paige, Matt and Abby and hope to be able to see them soon! We were able to see Griff and Kate for the first time after they were married! They are darling and it was so fun to spend some time with them. We laughed until we (I) cried and had a lot of fun together! Thanks for letting us stay with you guys! It was so good to see you!!!

It's always a treat to watch the BYU game in the Gunnell theater! Even though BYU lost, it was a pretty good game against TCU. Then on Sunday, we had a delicious dinner at the Bairds and got to see Melissa and Steve for the first time in a year! We also got to see Amy and David, Danny and Mary and kids and the Bairds, of course.

We spent the chilly Monday morning in the hot tub! The kids loved being able to swim although they aren't very good or confident with swimming. It was fun to see the steam coming off their bodies when they got out. Thanks Bairds for such a fun sleepover and delicious dinner!!It was really hard to get into the car and drive away from those we love and miss living near! Thanks for such a wonderful trip everyone!! We sure love and miss you all!!

A different look

So after that last post, I noticed that we usually do Olivia's hair up which changes her look completely! And for those of you who don't get to see Livi on a regular basis, you need to see her different look. She's like another baby! Either look, I LOVE HER!!!

The cutest face...

Even with a snot factory, this little baby is the cutest thing! She has the funnest personality!! She'll give you a little cheeser rain or shine...even when she's about to cry or crying. She now has 2 teeth on the bottom and is crawling! And her hair is getting so light, she now matches her siblings. Except for her mop on top which is atleast 4 inches longer than the rest and 3 shades darker. We are so proud of her! I can't believe she's so big! We love her so much!!!

The tour

Brody Boot Cassidy

We have been teaching Brody answers to questions like "How old are you?", "What is your name?", things like that and Brad will often ask to remind him. Lately, I've been working with him to say both his first, middle and last name. The other day we asked him what his name was and when he said "Brody", I said, "Brody Gunnell?" and he said "No, I'm Brody Boot!" We have no idea where this came from. He does wear his boots to church and they mention it to him on occasion. This has evolved now so when you ask him what his name is, it's Brody Boot Cassidy.

Olivia is so close to crawling it's crazy! We have wood floors so she slips all over the place and frequently bonks her face on the floor...good thing she doesn't have teeth yet!

Brylie is getting so big! I think if they would let her, she could go to kindergarten and do well (although I don't think she's emotionally ready to leave her mom and dad, her brother or her sister). We aren't ready to let her go. I am actually quite glad that she still has 2 more years.

Brad is really liking working! He tells me all the time how nice it is to get something done that he doesn't have to remember for 3 months for the final. I think they are glad they've got him too. Thank goodness for a good job especially in these tough economic times!
And I am enjoying getting settled! It's nice to know where our stuff is and I hope to be a little more organized the next time (and hopefully the last time) we move. I love being home with the kids and hearing the funny things they say or do and to hug and kiss them when they get hurt or tickle them when they need a good chuckle.

We are living the dream!

We went to Tiny Town, Colorado on Labor Day this year and it was pretty fun! The highlight of the trip was the ride on the train. Here we are ready to roll!

Graduation

Yeah, I know it was over a month ago but we had stuff going on to say the least. I did want to post pictures of the blessed event because it really was an accomplishment that we are very proud of (we are proud of Brad, he's proud of his accomplishment)! We were lucky to have Grammie, Pops and Lisa here to celebrate the big day and then help us move!

Just in case you don't know, the kids and I are so proud of Brad!! He is the best dad and husband anyone could ask for! We are so happy that now he can come home and see us on a daily basis! We love you Dad!!! Congratulations!

Clapping and almost crawling

It's been forever...you might not recognize our little mohawk baby Olivia but here she is clapping and almost crawling. We are already in our new place for now but not quite to the point where I'm happy to share pictures. Give me a little bit and we'll get some up for ya'll.

Things are very good in Colorado! We really like it here so far. Brad has a commute he isn't a fan of and it makes his hours about what they were when he was in law school but, it's SO nice for him to be making real money, and not to worry about being prepared for tomorrow's class.

All the kids are doing well, growing like weeds and have acclimated to our new surroundings quite well!

We are so grateful for everyone who has helped us through this process, especially Grammie, Pops and Lisa who made the trip with us and worked tirelessly moving us in, building something, cleaning or watching the kiddos. You were lifesavers! And also to Brad's work...I cannot find words to express our thanks for everything these last 3 years of school.

Pictures to come shortly!!