Allen Family Circus

Grandma Banks got all the kids some new pajamas for Christmas this year. They were so excited that they got to open one present on Christmsa eve. Then the excitedment wore off a bit for Benjamin when he found out he didn’t get to pick which present. Then some more dissapointment when he opened it and it was pajamas. Ha Ha! Benjamin, “Where are the toys?”

Though after a little explanation they all happily put on their new pajamas and danced around.

So I found a new author at the library that I really like. I have already read quite a few of her series, but then got into a reading lull and haven’t finished them all yet. She is a Christian Romance Author, her name is Lori Wick. If you like those kinds of books, or like Jack Wayland I am sure you will like her books. I’ve read her English Garden Series, A place Called home Series, and The Californians. She has a lot of others too.

Benjamin is wise beyond his years. He is super smart and loves learning. Today he wanted me to write us some extra math problems for him to do. He can read too! He loves to be challenged and learn new things. He is constantly asking to get a book or video on “How to…” or “How this or that works, or how to make this.”

He is definetly still little enough to tell me he loves me everyday and loves to have one on one snuggle time with mom!

He is really into puzzles right now. But he likes the hard ones. We are doing a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle of downtown Salt Lake right now. He can’t wait till its puzzle time everyday.

Brooklynn is stil lin diapers. Not sure how to help her out, but I just keep praying she will just change her mind one day and that will be the end of diapers.

She was into this phase for a while where she would always say no gimme gimme. But she learned quickly that that attitude was not tolerated and phased out of it pretty quickly.

Brooklynn is very independent. She likes to pick out her own clothes and get herself dressed.

She is definetly in the terrible twos and throws some huge tantrums a lot. She will scream and start yelling these inconprehensable words.

She loves having stories read to her, and reading them to herself. She always wants to have a book with her.

Caleb is growing and changing quickly. He turns one in a few days. He has a lot of teeth now, to many to count.

The other day when we took him to the doctor he had lost some weight. The doctor seemed kind of worried. But I think he is just going through a growths spurt and it hasn’t caught up with him yet. But to appease the doctor we had to put him back on formula and a bottle.

He loves to stand and play with his toys. He still is not walking but will push his brother and sister around on their little bikes. He loves to play with them and will crawl after them and do what they do.

He has started to love books. He loves to turn the pages and see the pictures. He knows which books he can have and which ones he can’t and he always wants the ones he can’t.

Caleb has the best arm at this age of the three kids. He can throw a ball pretty far and loves to play catch. He also loves to chase the ball around the kitchen.

Another passion of Calebs is driving cars around. He will push them all over the place. Besides balls they are his favorite toys.

He is enjoying his new view with his carseat facing foward. He loves to stare out the window and watch videos with Benjamin and Brooke.

Another new thing that Caleb does now is make kissy fishy faces. He won’t ever kiss us, but he has a mirror book that he gives kisses to himself in all the time. It is really cute.

Caleb loves to play outside, especially in the sand box.

He can crawl up the stairs pretty quick, but hasn’t learned how to get down them yet.

So I am mostly blogging this so that later Chris and I will know what we did. We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary last year. December 21 st. We didn’t actually celebrate on that day but it’s ok. A new tradition we want to start is going to a temple and doing sealings. But we didn’t do that this year. Chris took me to go and see the Blind Side and then we had dinner at the CheeseCake Factory. I order the best meal. It was a spicy chipotle sauce over some Penne noodles with chicken. It was very yummy. I was really dissapointed with the cheesecake though. I think our wedding cheese cake was better.

So we took Benjamin and Brooklynn and Angela to see The Princess and The Frog. It was fun, the kids really enjoyed it. I thought it was a pretty good movie, but am not dying to see it again any time soon. I thought they could have left out all the voudoo stuff, it was kind of scary for the kids.

Mitch came and stayed with us (mostly with Angela haha) for a few days after Christmas. We went out to eat at a Korean Resteraunt, where we all stuffed our self to over flowing. It was very good.

We had heard lots of good things about the Glendale Glitters and didn’t have a chance to go last year, so we took the kids this year with Angela and it was lame! I guess you have to go when they have something scheduled.

We had a major breakthough this year at the Ward Christmas party. All three kids sat on santas lap and smiled!

We got invited to a party for newyears. Yummy food, and fun games. The kids lasted till after 10 too.

Santa filled the stocking to overflowing this year. The kids had a ball. Then everyone got a new book this year. Our theme was seeking wisdom out of the best books. Benjamin and Brooklynn both got these books that came with a little reader and game player. Caleb got a color book and mirror book. We also spent a good chunck of our Christmas budget on food storage. We were able to can a whole years worth of beans and almost got 6 months of chicken.

The coveted Christmas present this year has been a block puzzle that Charlie and Rachel gave Brooklynn. All three kids love to play with it. Brooklynn also really loves her doll set she got from Grandma and Grandpa Banks. Caleb really likes his animal farm that goes on the fridge and all his sippy cups. (though he still will not drink by himself.) Benjamin has been having a blast with his mosiac he got as well. Everyone was very thankful for the gifts they recieved.

We had blueberry and raspberry muffins to eat while we unwrapped as well as candy of course. For Brunch we enjoyed eggs, bacon, juice and biscuits. Then the rest of the day was pretty relaxful. We had ham and potatoes for dinner. It was a great day!

So Angela came and shared Christmas with us last year. She flew in on the 22nd. It was quite the night. We had decided to drive up to Flagstaff that night. Angelas flight ended up being late, and than her bags didn’t come with her flight. So we had to go track down her bags and by the time we left the airport it was after 10.

We didn’t make it up to Flagstaff until well after midnight. The kids slept the whole way up which was nice, but as soon as we started unloadeding at the hotel they all woke up. Brooklynn and Benjamin weren’t too hard to get put bake to sleep but Caleb took a while and it was close to two in the morning before we got him to sleep.

We started off the next day with Breakfast at the hotel. And of course we can not stay the night at a hotel without someone throwing up. Brooklynn threw up while we were eating breakfast. I was able to run her over to the garbage can so we didn’t have a mess to clean up. It is so weird that we always have someone throw up. She wasn’t sick.

We got to talk to Megan on conference call and had to use three phone. My phone was kind of low on battery but Chris’s was full the night before so we though we would use his. Well his batter didn’t last the long and so they we had to call back with mine which didn’t last that long either. So then we used Angelas. But her phone didn’t have speaker so Chris and I had to sit really close together so we could both her.

This year we stayed in town and slid down a little hill in town. The kids loved it and had a blast. In fact they didn’t want to leave. The conditions were a little better than last year. the snow was packed so it didn’t come up to their knees when they tried to walk and their was no wind or snow blowing. So it wasn’t it wasn’t so cold.

We enjoyed a panda feast for dinner when we got home and all loft and got ready for Christmas