The Allenbach Family

Howdy y'all

2011-06-20T16:20:00.008-04:00

So I realize that a post once every six months is probably not considered "blogging" ..... but oh well.

I am currently sitting in a rather small, bare, and yet very charming apartment in Texas. The kids won the coin toss for the bedroom; Ryan and I get to enjoy the cheapest futon at walmart as our couch/bed located in the dinning/living room. It was a great idea, multitasking furniture, but we are only a few weeks in and every time one of us sits on it we hear metal cracking. I know someday soon I will sit down and land on the floor. Not to mention that I wake up with the metal frame impressed on my skin. The padding is not quite padding. Oh well, its fun to laugh at.

I'll fill in the six months gap with this very lengthy post. We are half way through Ryan's MBA. He pretty much LOVES everything about school. Business is most definitely his thing. We are making Texas home for the summer while he does an internship and we go swimming. It's a hard set up.

The kids are bigger, smarter, cuter, and enjoying the ride of Daddy's career pursuits.I'll spare you the glory stories of school, and parenting discoveries. So that's it, six months in review :) Maybe in six months we will announce our next state to call home. Stay tuned.

Our last week:

Big projects going on here

Wrestling is pretty much always a hit. And with one box of toys it's a regular choice of fun.

She has the flair for dressing up

Don't ask why we were out doing this when it was 105 degrees

Punky Brewster and Ductors

2011-01-25T17:24:00.003-05:00

My children probably have the best sense of fashion of any I know. As each day evolves so do their outfits. I'm not sure why they both LOVE to dress up - but that is what we do here.

I never know how it happens - Around 2:00 each day she starts looking a little punky brewesterish

This is "ductor Jackson" (conductor jackson -he wears this 80% of his day)
Thanks to Grandma, Grace can now join the pirate games in style (probably her favorite hat to wear)

Christmas Glitter

2010-12-08T16:17:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas to everyone!

I remember the school janitor lamenting over the holiday season each year because of all the glitter on the floor. It just never went away - he'd vacuum and somehow it was still there. I was in the teachers role then and just laughed and said, "glitter - it's a must." I am eating my words now that I am head janitor at home. We have glitter EVERYWHERE. No matter how many times I bathe the kids they still have sparkles in their hair, vacuuming doesn't last, it's just a permanent fixture in our home now (thanks to cheap ornaments and fancy art projects).

I hope your season is merry and bright too!

And some pictures from Disneyland - we were spoiled and had a great trip over thanksgiving with the family. (We LOVE Disneyland!)

A cute gold hungry pirate

Loving having uncles to play with

Trains - life is bliss now

He fell asleep just as we got on the pirates ride....he looked so ready for it too

Always her favorite thing to do

Standing in long lines gives you lots of walking practice

He is the captain - and he knows it

And more train riding

Grandpas are great pirates

My Favorite Things

2010-10-27T00:01:00.010-04:00

I'm in such a jovial mood, I just watched the Sound of Music Reunion on Oprah. I'm not really an Oprah fan, but when I heard about the Von Trapps I HAD to watch. This has to be my favorite movie and if you don't get why that is, I feel soo sorry for you. I'm pretty sure my life will not be complete until I do the Sound of Music tour....(which my little sister just got back from Europe doing - for some reason she decided to break our deal and go without me!!!) Okay on to the kiddos. Let's see....

Just busy growing more curls. The little lady has voiced her first words: mama, dada, hi, vroom vroom (that is a word in our house), and some form of "ball." She firmly believes in scooting not crawling, and enjoys stealing the brother's chocolate milk as often as is possible.

The man cub has fallen in love with his bike and spends every moment possible riding through "jungle paths and desert paths." Current conversations with him revolve around reciting the letter sounds, discussing the train tracks he wants for Christmas, and marveling at the flashlight Jesus is using to light up the sun (some family home evening lesson apparently got a little off).

We have also recently enjoyed the magic of the first snow storm. We sat next to the window all morning in our P.J.s staring at the winter wonderland and trying to understand why it really wasn't Christmas morning yet.

Dinner Conversations

2010-09-28T15:45:00.002-04:00

Typical dinnertime chatter:

"I am the world's greatest superhero. I need to fly over there and go to my superhero club. I need to go to my superhero club meeting. Cause I'm going to save you, cause you are in trouble, cause Jackson is a superhero and will save you.'

da da da da ......(scream of joy).....ma ma ma ma

inverted yield curves lead to....(interrupted with) hey I found crushed tomatoes for $.20 a can!

Pass the peas please."

We are a pretty "together" family and yet so in our own worlds.

It's me. Back in action.

2010-09-15T00:23:00.007-04:00

Okay, so I know you are all biting your fingernails and checking the internet every day to see when we would return to the blogging world. (As if I have ever really lived in that world for more than a week at a time) Anyway... I'm back.

Okay let's check off the list:

-packed up a few hundred boxes
-got on a jet plane with the kids and cried as I watched the earth go from green to brown
-got off said jet plane and cried again - so many open arms that I have missed (and I noticed the many shades of brown again)
-played hard. Really hard...cousins, siblings, in laws, and spike (Jackson's doggie who lives at Grandma's). It was AMAZING to see all of my family in a few weeks time. Loved every minute of it.
-said goodbye to Jackson's best friends & wondered if I would scar him permanently
-unpacked those boxes
-scrubbed the kitchen floor for 8 hours - i love renting
-The man quit his job. Who needs a paycheck anyway?
-Kissed the man goodbye and said I'll pick him up at the end of the next two years. He's been sold off to the business world this time. We are experienced with two year absences, so no big deal right? As long as he comes home with a cap and gown on and some bacon in his hands what's a few years?
-Made a boat load of new friends. Hooray for me!
-And finally ate some Cafe rio (it's been a long fast)

Jackson is adjusting and making lots of new friends. He loves the extra attention from the grandparents of course! But he still his dreaming of his "way faraway house"

In Jackson's words, "Mom - i'm going to put on my superhero cape. Push this blue button and turn this car into a jet and fly it to my way far way house. That's a good idea mom. Cause i'm going to be a superhero and go really fast. Cause Jackson needs his way faraway house. Cause Jackson is a superhero"

We do all miss the way faraway house. We miss the people (especially our old roommates), the trees, the adventures we had. But we are equally thrilled to be here.

And the sunshine - she is just that. Always wears a smile, growing the tightest red curls I have ever seen. (the back of her head is crazy curly...look out Jackson)

I know I am always a little out of the know when it comes to cool blogs, but thanks to a friend I have seen the light. Seriously So Blessed It's possible that I just might have wet my pants as I read it. Because ya, life is bliss. Perfect life - right here!!!!

And some pictures of the stars:

Must be family

We love cousins

I love this crew

Grace's new best friend

Caught the first fish

Can't throw enough rocks

First pigtails - worth celebrating

I love this smiley face

Papa has a new shadow

They really love each other (hugging that's all)

Camping queens

Dear Blog

2010-07-06T21:16:00.002-04:00

So sorry I forgot about you. Between potty training, house hunting, packing, and not sleeping...I just didn't think about you blog.

So, the updates:
Ryan: thrilled to be unemployed soon
Me: taking up hair bow making (daughters do that to you...even if she only has an inch of hair)
Jackson: saving us money by using the potty and making us proud by the way he loves his sister
Grace: giving kisses constantly (lip smacking sound effects and all). Lights up the room and loves to dance with us

The Weekend

2010-05-17T11:31:00.006-04:00

The weekend in pictures. And yes, the binky is gone and the boy is still here. Hooray for us!

Amish Farm. We love getting lost here!!

Learning the world of T-Ball

Always having fun together.
Rain, Rain, Rain
Our Barbie Baby

Our Armageddon

2010-05-11T21:43:00.004-04:00

We tried sending Jackson to "binkies anonymous." Unfortunately, he is still in the denial stage. So it is time for us to step in. Tonight is the night the binkies will end. The boy has been kissed goodnight and is awaiting for the arrival of the "Binky Superheros." These superheros will remove the binkies and leave a "big present" in their place. And that is it. He will magically be a man now, just like Daddy....because Daddy doesn't have a binky you see. The man cub is excited, and I am sure he will be thrilled for his present...just not for the withdrawals.

He has a buddy in all of this. His cousin (or twin) has binky fairies coming tonight to visit her. (Ryan wouldn't allow girly fairies to visit Jackson...so superheros it is)

I had a preview of what the withdrawals will be like. Last week the boy accidentally flushed his binky down the toilet. I thought he had cut off his arm by the way he was crying. Can't wait for nap time tomorrow.

I bet you wish you were visiting us this weekend.

Next week: Potty training

(Saying goodbye to the binkies
We can call these the before pictures)

Just Pictures

2010-04-02T16:00:00.006-04:00

Our Sweet Smiler

Enjoying Spring

Cousins & Best Friends

He was very proud of this

Her favorite way to see the world

Jackson gets smarter and funnier every day. He is currently the superhero in the house. Grace is known for her blue eyes, red hair (we will see how long it lasts), chatter box mouth, and constant smiles. And the adults of the bunch...we are just thankful to have them and loving life.

Just Remembering

2010-03-26T16:17:00.002-04:00

As most of you know we have been "making a decision" about business schools, work, moving, etc. Thinking about college has brought back some of the best memories. In a nostalgic and longwinded tone:

Saying goodbye to my Mom, Paw, and little sister...knowing it was the end of a chapter with them. (not the "best" thing....but WOW did I grow up that day)
The Creamery on Ninth....how much money did I waste there?
The shocking discovery that a late fee at a university library was $10 a day per book. With 9 books checked out for a paper and having spaced the due date......let's just say I walked my 18 year old self back home trying to decide if I could live without groceries for a month. And thanks for sharing your bag of Craisins with me Marissa. Luckily with a little sob story the fee was reduced...and my sweet husband got his equally large fine removed completely (He told his sob story to a girl who obviously felt "extra sorry" for him as she flirted away)
Teaching special needs institute. That is, and always will be, one of the sweetest things I've ever done. I became a new person there. I remember being scared out of my mind to teach a classroom full of students and volunteers who were all smarter, older, and better prepared than I was. Luckily that wore off. I loved it there, it became my home.
10 roommates from 7 different states...I enjoyed them all (even the crazy ones...and you know who you are)
The thrill of grocery shopping for myself. I love grocery shopping!
Loving and hating that nobody ever knew where I was or was waiting up for me
Being poor. Poverty can be fun, especially when everyone around you only has enough money to live until their next pay check too. Creativity - that was the result of being poor.
Long talks. Lots of long talks. Roommates, friends, and Ryan...so many conversations and dreams.
Choosing a major, a job, graduating, doing that job and loving it!
Roadtrips
Brazilian green and yellow envelopes in my mailbox every week. There is nothing like a real long distance relationship.
Guitars. Obviously I don't play, but everyone else did. Sitting on the stairs of my apartment and listening to all of the "concerts" going on around me was so fun. I especially loved listening to my roommate. I miss your voice Jazzy!
Doing things that are really only funny when you are in college. Enough said. I really should post some college pictures...but since I didn't even own a digital camera at the time I wont. Scanning in the pictures...too much time. Sorry!

Something Gross

2010-03-24T10:08:00.003-04:00

I thought I would share that there is a spider feasting on my face every night. For the last 5 days I have greeted the morning with bites on my face! How gross is that?! I've probably swallowed his friend and he is getting back at me. I think I will tear up my room tonight until I find and destroy the little beast. Whenever I think of him, the only images that come to mind are from the book The Metamorphosis and the picture Mrs. Cross painted in my head. I need to find that spider before it grows to the size of my room! Thanks for the images Mrs. Cross.

Poison Control

2010-02-24T13:29:00.002-05:00

Well I've earned another parent merit badge today. Jackson thought sampling hand sanitizer might be fun. I have to say the poison control folks are rather nice....assuming nobody shows up at my door to investigate my ability to mother after this. And yes, he has survived.

Just pictures

2010-02-08T13:30:00.005-05:00

Snowed in for the weekend

On our "lollipop date"

Best Friends

We love her.

Wouldn't you be scared to meet him?

Having a chat.

That's us

Autism

2010-02-02T13:31:00.005-05:00

Just some more proof.....(for all worried parents)
As a special ed teacher the #1 question I am asked by everyone is, "do vaccines (especially the MMR) give kids Autism?" I don't really feel like citing all of the studies I've read that show no relationship between shots and Autism. (But there are MANY) But maybe I will cite all of the sources about the dangers of not protecting your kids from so many life threatening diseases.

I read this today on CNN and I just had to smile. The study that started it all is officially out.

I do sincerely hope we find some real answers to the many questions we have about Autism. My heart aches for former students and families who work so hard to live full and happy lives as they struggle with Autism.

To my sweet friends with Autism: someday we will understand....for now just keep trying, smiling, working, and improving this world. You have so much to give. You make my world beautiful. Love, Mrs. Allenbach

Medical journal retracts study linking autism to vaccine

By Madison Park, CNN

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The Lancet retracted a discredited study linking measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism
Panel: Lead author Dr. Andrew Wakefield was found to have acted unethically in conducting research
Wakefield study became cited by parents who did not want children vaccinated

RELATED TOPICS

(CNN) -- The medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday retracted a controversial 1998 paper that linked the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism.

The 12-year-old study linked autism with the MMR vaccine. The research subsequently had been discredited.

Last week, the study's lead author, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, was found to have acted unethically in conducting the research.

The General Medical Council, which oversees doctors in Britain, said that "there was a biased selection of patients in The Lancet paper" and that his "conduct in this regard was dishonest and irresponsible."

The panel found that Wakefield subjected some children in the study to various invasive medical procedures such as colonoscopies and MRI scans. He also paid children for blood samples for research purposes at his son's birthday party, an act that "showed a callous disregard" for the "distress and pain" of the children, the panel said.

Following the council's findings last week, The Lancet retracted the study and released this statement.

"It has become clear that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield et al. are incorrect, contrary to the findings of an earlier investigation. In particular, the claims in the original paper that children were 'consecutively referred' and that investigations were 'approved' by the local ethics committee have been proven to be false. Therefore we fully retract this paper from the published record."

Has autism touched your life? Share your stories, thoughts on vaccination study

Since its publication, Wakefield's study has attracted many critics, who argued that the work had been so flawed it should not be regarded as scientific.

Wakefield theorized that the measles vaccine caused gastrointestinal problems, and that those GI problems led to autism. In his view, the virus used in the vaccine grew in the intestinal tract, leading the bowel to become porous because of inflammation. Then material seeped from the bowel into the blood, Wakefield's theory said, affecting the nervous system and causing autism.

But later research discredited this theory.

A September 2008 study replicated key parts of Wakefield's original paper and found no evidence that the vaccine had a connection to either autism or GI disorders. The study, conducted at Columbia University, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also found no relationship between the timing of the vaccine and children getting GI disorders or autism.

The Wakefield study also became part of the evidence that parents cited who did not vaccinate their children.

"The story became credible because it was published in The Lancet," Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, said Tuesday. "It was in The Lancet, and we really rely on these medical journals."

Singer, the mother of a child with autism, added, "That study did a lot of harm. People became afraid of vaccinations -- this is the Wakefield legacy -- this unscientifically grounded fear of vaccinations that result in children dying from vaccine preventable diseases."

Retractions are rare in medical journals and usually occur as a result of fraud or plagiarism, said Marcia Angell, a former editor of The New England Journal of Medicine.

"It is a major event when there is a retraction like this," she said. "It sounds like there was a misleading design of the study ... patients not randomly chosen. There were ethical violations."

CNN's Elizabeth Landau, Sabriya Rice and Miriam Falco contributed to this report.

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/02/lancet.retraction.autism/index.html?hpt=T2

Click here for a video clip of the story

And she sleeps....slept

2010-01-30T14:47:00.002-05:00

This morning I could hear the birds singing in our windowless apartment.....Ms. Grace slept through the night!! I felt I should rejoice now and tell everyone I know (in hopes it happens again). But alas, it was probably because my head is so stuffed up from the ugliest cold known to man that I just couldn't hear the poor thing. Whatever the reason, I could hear birds singing this January morning. Hooray for me!!

17

2010-01-20T14:27:00.003-05:00

17 - The number of diapers I changed yesterday. Really 18, if you count the diaper I changed for Elmo. (Jackson needed a friend with him to be willing to get his diaper freshened) Just thought I would keep track for a day so I know how many landfills I will create in the next few years.

Normal day

Changes

2009-12-15T14:33:00.011-05:00

Packing for College
I had a mild panic attack last week. In the sleep deprived haze that we currently live in, I realized it was practically time to drop Grace off at her college dorm! We need to open a 529 account. I even caught her sneaking into my makeup and asking for the car keys. Ahhh! My baby! She is changing sooo quickly. It's only been a few weeks, but she has already given us her first smile and coo. She's lost her newborn tan, her tiny hands aren't in a tight ball...and neither is she! When I pick her up those little legs aren't curled up to her body like a newborn. And she is AWAKE. Her neck is significantly stronger, she is always looking around at the world now. I know I don't exaggerate or overreact. I just want to know why newborns aren't newborns for more than two or three weeks! And where is my newborn?!

On a sweeter note, we have cherished every moment. Ryan and I are feeling overwhelmed with the blessings we have. These two little ones are the best part of life. Our life is full. Full with diapers, spit up, laughter, diapers, love, work, late nights, diapers, early mornings, Christmas preparations, trucks crashing into every wall, diapers, laundry, pink sleepers, hugs, and so much more. The best is sharing it all with Ryan and being together for this crazy time. He is an awesome Daddy, especially every morning at 1:00 a.m. when he is up with Grace for their standing daddy-daughter date.

We are all enchanted with Grace. She has a power over everyone. In fact, if I tell Jackson "Grace wants to see you eat your lunch" he instantly is back at the table polishing off his plate. I love Grace for many reasons.

And The Typical Christmastime Fun
Please feel free to enjoy our fancy tree. It was a gift to us our first year of marriage. My brother and sister-in-law felt sorry for us in our non-decorated apartment. Five years later we still hold hands and sing "O Christmas tree" around it. I think it looks a little bigger on our night stand that is currently a side table in the family room. It's small but it has all the magic in it to Jackson.

Real Life
And the reality of life with two kids. Please don't call the health department on me.....I promise my kitchen does look better (at least at the moment)! The real picture was what I looked like while taking this photo. I'll let you use your imaginations though. Sometimes you just have to laugh at your sorry state. Gone are the days of showering before noon! But while we were letting the dishes pile up we enjoyed cupcakes with Jackson's "peoples."

Jackson told me his "peoples" NEEDED a cupcake on their table. Naturally the "peoples" thought it was delicious.
And this is what happened when I turned around for 20 seconds. What a surprise.
In Other News
So we said goodbye to the crib and hello to the big boy bed! He loves his new bed....although he has rolled out a few times. If you ask him about sleeping on the floor he says "Rover pushed me!" Rover is a giant stuffed dog, who apparently is a bad roommate.

Our Grace is Here

2009-11-27T17:29:00.010-05:00

Grace Elizabeth
Nov. 18th, 1:20 p.m.
6lbs 130z, 19.5'' long

We feel so blessed to have our daughter. For so many reasons she feels like a miracle to us, and a gift from heaven. We are loving being a family and getting to know our prettiest addition.

The Story
A few nights before she was born I started to notice that Grace wasn't very active (strange for her). I kept thinking that I must be paranoid or that she is just out of room. On the 17th I spent several hours trying to get her to perk up but I felt nothing. Not even a flicker. My heart sank and I knew I needed help. Ryan caught a train home and I went to the doctor's as quickly as I could. I was popping in candy to wake her up and praying the whole way. It was the darkest feeling of my life, I never knew how much I loved her until that afternoon.

At the doctor's office we got a strong heartbeat (the best sound in the world), but she still wasn't moving and didn't pass their tests, so I was sent to the hospital for more tests and eventually to be induced. Because of my experience with Jackson, I had to be induced slowly and we ended up spending almost 24 hours in labor and delivery. With one push she came, but she was silent and blue. Time seemed to stand still. The cord was around her neck and wrapped 2 or 3 times around her entire body. She looked like she had been wrapped up like a mummy. The doctor was amazing and in just a few moments the panic was replaced with a gorgeous girl in our arms. She has strawberry blond hair, blue eyes, lots of dimples, and angels protecting her. We love her dearly and feel so blessed that through our Savior's grace and love we have our little girl.

Daddy is totally in love and she can get anything she wants already. Jackson is a proud big brother and loves to investigate her fingers and toes. Grace is sweet, happy, and sadly has a pretty nice case of acid reflux. She is doing great though! I am feeling good and recovering well. We had some set backs when we all got really sick coming home from the hospital, but between my brother, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law we have been pampered and spoiled. I am just so excited to have Grace and we can't wait to go shopping together!

Thank you to so many who have prayed for us. It's been a roller coaster for us and we know that many prayers have been offered and answered on our behalf. Welcome to the family Grace!

Click For More Pictures

My Superhero...."Piggy"

2009-11-10T14:20:00.006-05:00

Piggy joined our family a few weeks ago for Jackson's birthday. He is a lovely shade of pink and has a curly tail. He is my superhero. He came in a set of puppets. In order to get Jackson to like his gift, Ryan was in charge of making them seem cool. He did a great job of that. Piggy was the first puppet he put on his hand and it has practically never come off. Piggy can jump high, drive trucks, and knock over towers. But his real superpower is that he gets Jackson to do anything. If Jackson doesn't want to eat his oatmeal and Piggy does.....all of the sudden Jackson is asking for seconds. When Piggy wants to brush his teeth so does Jackson. I love Piggy, he is a beloved family member now.

I'm not sure Ryan loves Piggy as much as I do. He is feeling a little replaced. When Ryan would walk in the door from work, Jackson always ran to him with open arms yelling, "my Daddy's home!" Now he runs to him holding Piggy saying, "Daddy wear Piggy please." He seems to enjoy conversations with Piggy more than Ryan. I am only allowed to "hold" Piggy, I can't wear Piggy.....only Daddy can do that. But even when I just hold Piggy he still has enough power to get my toddler doing just what I want him to....... such a sweet pig! I love you Piggy!

(I am sorry Ryan that you have to talk in such a high voice while wearing Piggy.....which is anytime he is at home...ha ha ha)

Has anyone noticed?

2009-10-26T16:22:00.007-04:00

Have you noticed my countdown is less than 30 days?! I am due in a month!!! I'm having a baby! A baby girl! Sometimes it just seems so unreal that I will have two kids. I am so thrilled to meet our little sunshine. I think I'll call her that (sunshine). That's what my paw always calls me.

A month away means this in my life:

Ryan's gym shorts are my favorite thing to wear (although I have strict rules about not wearing them in public)
I have less bladder control then my son
It's been 3 weeks since I received my first compliment of "Are you past due?"
I just may have narcolepsy
I feel the strong urge to organize......(I could be driving my dear husband crazy with this....oh well)
Ryan and I can't stop talking about when she will come, what she will look like, how easy this labor will be (trying to send out positive vibes in hopes it comes true), and what would our parents say if we completely changed her name.......
We spent our weekend setting up the bassinet, finding the swing, and reliving what it was like to have Jackson

In other fun news:
Jackson is officially two years old now, adorable, smart, funny, and my favorite little boy. Ryan and I are still working away at more grad school applications. And were having tons of fun enjoying the beautiful leaves here.

Some much needed pictures from a grandparent trip, visitors, and everyday life:

Ryan's Nana:Showing Doggy the clouds from the airplane:
Visiting Great-Grandma in Idaho:
Throwing rocks with my aunt:
Playing with water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was born to drive a John Deere:
My Grandma and aunt Lindsay came to play:
Pumpkins are the best:
I'm a daredevil!

Big splash!
Natural curls and naturally cool:
My sweet parents:
p.s. I told you I update my blog Marissa!

Are you alive?

2009-10-05T15:05:00.002-04:00

The answer is yes. Just haven't had time to sit down. We've had an awesome little trip back to Utah, been totally sick, and completely absorbed in MBA applications. That's my excuse for not even looking at the blogging world. The plus side of being busy is that all of the sudden I am almost 33 weeks! Hooray for me! So, I'll do a real post later...like at the end of the week when the applications are done and I get to sit down. Hooray for me again!

Pennsylvania Loves

2009-08-19T15:39:00.009-04:00

What I love about my Pennsylvania home:

Green trees that touch each other. Everywhere you look it's a forest, it's so pretty!
Autumn is gorgeous
Dale and Thomas popcorn.......yum
The Amish. I love their horses, produce stands, applesauce, clothes, accents, auctions, and especially their restaurants
Winding gorgeous roads that go by 5 different names at the same time. This is a love hate relationship; pretty when you have lots of time.....and ANNOYING when you are in a rush
I'm just so unique here. Who is under 30, married, a mother, goes to church every week, doesn't drink tea for water, and orders juice at her husband's work parties? Answer: me and about 5 other people in the state
Longwood Gardens. Look it up, it's beautiful
Cool history and way charming towns
Eastern accents, new words, and phrases. People don't go to the beach, they go to "the shore" for the weekend. And by the way, "New Jersey" is not a state, "Jersey" is the real name
Fireflies or lightning bugs....depending on where you are from
So many nice and very diverse people. Tons of new cultures
The parks Jackson and I go to are so pretty
I have big cities and a beautiful countryside, the best of both worlds
My two best boys are here and one sweet little girl to be, that makes it home for me

And a few dislikes:

Snowplows aren't invented here yet
No real mountains
When your lost, you are REALLY lost....like easily in another state
Mexican food is just lacking a real presence
"Jersey Drivers." I know I am stereotyping and offending a few friends. But most aggressive drivers that have come into my life speed off with "Jersey" plates

We have enjoyed all the new things here: like ice storms, clinging to our GPS to get to the store, trying Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, and discovering that East and West really are different lifestyles. It's an adventure. And a few pictures from July...I'll eventually get some up from August.

Mrs. Allenbach

2009-07-28T21:22:00.010-04:00

Today I went through all of my teaching books and files (I'm in an organizing fit). I just can't help but smile every time I think about my pre-mom job. I love teaching!! I looked through my teacher scrapbook and found all sorts of treasures: art projects, moments of success for a child, a first story by a student who couldn't write, attempted forged notes to get out of work, and of course.... funny quotes.

A few cute student quotes: "You'll never die because you're a nice teacher...and nice teachers never die." (Good to know I'm immortal and nice)

"Do girl leprechauns have mustaches?....(answered by another student) yes, some do. I saw a girl one with a beard and a mustache, because she was old." -The boy who asked this was obsessed with leprechauns. He asked me this question because he was concerned about his future wife.

I also loved all of the notes on my board of kids who would sneak in my room during recess. I just had to take a picture of one of them. They didn't get to "waet" for me because they were discovered by another teacher and kicked out.
As a special education teacher, I loved seeing a child learn, especially if it has been difficult for them. Lucky for me I can keep up teaching everyday. Jackson is the cutest student I have ever had. We went out this week and bought school supplies for our next year's worth of work. Although buying one set of crayons is not as satisfying as buying 30 sets, it was still exhilarating for me. I miss some things, but the benefits of being called "mommy" all day are much sweeter then being called "Mrs. Allenbach." I wouldn't want it any other way.

Boy or Girl

2009-07-18T10:10:00.006-04:00

It's a girl!!

We're already head over heels in love with her. Even in black and white she is the prettiest girl I've ever seen. Her tiny feet were perfect. Everything was healthy and right as it should be. We had a very nice tech doing the ultrasound. I think I cried for 30 solid minutes of our 45 minute ultrasound. I couldn't help it, she is so pretty. There is nothing like having a baby and seeing it for the first time. We are all so excited for her. She is already the sunshine in our lives. Ryan has his first Daddy daughter date planned and has dibs on giving her the first doll.

We are naming her Grace Elizabeth. Ryan thought of the name, in honor of being due Thanksgiving Day. When we choose a name it is quite the production. We started with a list of 100 and got it down to 2 (that took 5 months). We knew we wanted Elizabeth and Grace, but we didn't know which should go first. We played our traditional game of only calling baby by one name. We make everyone participate. My lucky sister-in-law has been there for the naming of both children. We make her and everyone else pretend to talk to Grace or Elizabeth. I imagine her introducing herself in 3rd grade and to her freshman roommates. When boys call at the house who will they ask for? When they read her name at graduation what will it sound like? In the end Grace sounded the best. So Grace it is.....unless of course we change our minds! But Jackson's suggestion of D and R were a close second choice.

Hooray I'm 20 Weeks!!

2009-07-09T13:17:00.006-04:00

For those who don't care to hear about swollen ankles and nausea this is probably not the post for you. I just want to say congratulations to me. I am officially half way in my pregnancy. I think I will reward myself somehow.....

This is my favorite part of being pregnant for a number of reasons:

nausea is almost completely gone
I can feel baby all the time and even see the tiny little kicks on my belly...so cute
no leg cramps yet that wake you up at 2:00 a.m. and cause one to scream at the top of your lungs
my wedding ring still fits, which also means my face doesn't look as round as an orange
it's to early for sciatica to start for me
probably the best part is that almost all food looks very appetizing and I freely enjoy it all

Mostly it's this nice state that last for two months at best, then reality hits you again and you become swollen, uncomfortable, and experience all sorts of weird phenomena. So hooray for me, it's a beautiful world for the next few weeks!

And a tribute to my amazing husband: You have always made me feel like nothing is more important to you than me. Somehow you balance the world on your shoulders and I always feel like I'm your top priority. You make life so happy and so funny that I can't help but be exited for our future (even though we have no idea where or what we will be doing). Thanks for making pregnancy a joy for me....and thanks for always cleaning the bathroom. I love you!!

And I would post a cute pregnancy picture, but since I am one of the few who have to wear maternity clothes from 8 weeks on, it's really not that exciting to see. Life is so fair.

Stay tuned.....we find out the gender next week and maybe if your lucky we will announce baby's name. Jackson wants to name the baby his two favorite letters, D and R. Good input.

Catch Up

2009-06-30T21:04:00.015-04:00

Wow it's been a fun month! We've been visiting family in Utah. The trip started out with Jackson getting to sit in the pilot's seat on our airplane and that pretty much sums up how the rest of the trip went for him. He was king and got to do all sorts of fun things.

My family had a GREAT reunion. Almost the whole family got to come, and we had such a blast. We swam, had a picnic in the canyon, did alpine slides, played at BYU (ah sweet memories), enjoyed some practical jokes, and just loved talking and laughing together. The cousins all had a blast and the adults did as well (which is impressive to get both parties to feel that way at the same time). It was a really sweet time for me. I just love the friendship we share and the wonderful memories we made. We miss you all!

We had a great time visiting the Allenbach family. Jackson was living large here. Grandpa got him into an airshow, Grandma got him a private bus ride, Derek snuck him suckers and soda pop, and the list goes on and on. He had a great time. Ryan and I loved just being with everyone. It is so nice to see Jackson loved so much and feel the joy of family.

In other news, Baby #2 is growing well and I can feel him/her quite a bit. We are getting so excited. We find out in two weeks what the gender is. So we've been playing the name game the last few days.

Here are a few photos. I obviously have a thousand to sort through, but this will have to be good enough for now.

In the Pilot's seat! Scary......
In Provo Canyon.
Doing the dishes is so much fun, especially with his partner in crime. Cousins are great.

I love these moments....so sweet and yet so messy.
Dreaming of homework I am sure.
Ready for school. The Allenbachs have a nice neighbor who gave Jackson a private ride!
My sweet family.
They are cute, even their backsides. It's important to note that my mother is wearing jeans.....this is the first time I have EVER seen her in jeans!
Bowling at BYU.
Enjoying new hats and ice cream.
At the airshow.
Ryan's Job at the reunion.....he's a great uncle and Dad.
Playing with Grandma.
Jackson loves his Grandpa, he makes great sound effects!

Chores for Jackson

2009-05-30T22:47:00.006-04:00

It's never to early to start chores........

Jackson thinks ironing is cool because Dad does it.....notice how he chose to iron "Daddy's shirts." He doesn't know my shirts are eligible to be ironed since they never are, unless Ryan takes pity on me!

First Fathers and Sons' campout
A local carnival.....the bus and ribs were the highlights for Jackson
Enjoying apples with his cousin after church.

Big Brother Jackson

2009-05-15T07:33:00.014-04:00

Jackson is proud of his new T-shirt. Baby #2 is on the way and due Thanksgiving Day! We are very excited and looking forward to the newest member of our family. I use that as my excuse for having so much to update! I'm doing well, just the typical joys of being pregnant.

We've had fun doing some traveling the last several weeks. We spent a wonderful week in D.C. with the Allenbachs. Jackson was in heaven with all of the attention and the subway to ride.

We had the opportunity to attend the sealing of a wonderful friend from college. It was great to be there with them and enjoy Palmyra. While there we went to Niagara Falls and then drove to Pittsburgh for the week. We had a great time.

We got to see BYU play in the NCAA tournament.

To see more photos from our trips, Easter, and other fun days click on the links below.

Misc. Fun

Pittsburgh & Niagara Falls

Palmyra

Kristi & Raphael's Wedding

D.C. with the Allenbachs

Toilet Sandwiches

2009-05-12T13:51:00.003-04:00

Yummy!! Jackson loves to throw things in the toilet, hence the reason I have to have one leg holding the lid down every morning while I brush my teeth. Today he found a way around my block. Apparently there is a small slit in the back just big enough for trouble. While I was trying to get ready he slipped in a slice of bread, cheese, and turkey (his play food). When he had made his sandwich he proudly told me to open the lid. And then, he flushed it down. This photo was taken halfway through the job of me fishing out by hand his lovely lunch. After he made his sandwich he drew a beautiful picture with my eye liner. Just a typical morning.

Still Here

2009-05-05T17:10:00.006-04:00

Don't worry, I am still alive. We've been on a few trips and busy with lots of stuff. So I will soon have tons of pictures and an overload of posts to catch up for the last several weeks! These are some photos of Ryan trying to walk in the door from work. He is always greeted with lots of attention. They spend a good amount of time looking for birds and dogs before they can make it in the house.

Warm Memories

2009-03-17T21:56:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!! Today I just can't stop thinking of my childhood. The more I see of the world the more I cherish the sweet refuge I had while growing up. My home was not perfect, but oh it feels as close to perfect as it could have been. I have so many memories of laughter, games, popcorn, talking for hours on end at the dinner table, picking grapes, long road trips, yard work, hugs and kisses daily, and the list goes on and on. I remember my sweet Mom baking me "snacking cake" when I got home from school and sewing matching dress all night long. I loved my Dad singing to me at night and telling me the rattle snake story over and over again. I now sing the same songs to Jackson. I loved shadowing EVERY step of my big sister. (I know I was a little too much of a shadow, but she couldn't have been more patient). My oldest brother and I always had a way of damaging the walls...really he did it all, I was just present at each incident. I now damage his walls (I live in his house).....but he still does most of the damage. My next brother always listened to me and gave me a hug at every turning point in my life. The next brother has been there I know, although he passed away as a baby. And finally my little sister. She and I did everything together. Twins is what we were called. And nobody knows me quite like she does. I'm just feeling awfully sentimental, as you can tell. Maybe because I can't help but taste our traditional St. Patrick's meal tonight and wish we were all sharing it together wearing our leprechaun hats. We are all over the country now, and it's hard to get together at the same time. But these warm memories continue to cement a love for each other. Lucky. I am so lucky.

Hooray for a new kitchen

2009-03-09T21:30:00.005-04:00

Jackson has a new favorite toy. We finally have our own separate kitchens! All I can say is that it is the best purchase we have EVER made. I can now officially go to the bathroom by myself at least once a day because he is actually occupied without me standing next to him. He loves to bang the doors and cook me delicious foods. A big thanks to the superhero Dad for staying up until 2:00 a.m. to get it put together before his 6:00 a.m. flight.

He needed extended counter space for his favorite appliances.

The First Mud Sale!

2009-02-21T20:55:00.009-05:00

Today we went to an Amish Auction (Mud Sale). Imagine 8 simultaneous auctioneers driving higher bids for handmade Amish quilts, antiques, furniture, GROCERIES, tools, outdoor toys/furniture, sheds, and livestock! The cultural experience was really neat, and the freshly made-before-our-eyes blueberry doughnut holes were delicious. We were itching to bid, and before we knew it, the pictured quilt was "Sold!" We won! I didn't even know how much we bid on it...good thing it was only $30. Some quilts went for well over a thousand dollars. It was a true Pennsylvania experience. I think we will go to the mud sales every weekend from now on. The food alone is worth it, plus Ryan loves to see the Amish. I had to force him to not video all the Amish buggies. (It's called a mud sale because they start the auctions in February when it is muddy. The auctions are to raise money for the fire departments. It's Amish fire insurance.)

We also bid for a dozen roses. We won them for $5.

The First Sentence

2009-02-11T14:02:00.003-05:00

Last night Jackson said his first sentence. He ran to the oven where he could see the pan of brownies baking and said, "I want this!" Smart boy. He can also drive, shave, and has a girlfriend. The girlfriend part is true. I didn't think it would happen for a few years but he officially has a crush. She comes to play every Thursday. When she is around he doesn't even let me hold him! He even blushes every time he gives her a kiss goodbye. Their romantic activities include, cooking (of course), crashing cars into the wall, and destroying towers of blocks. Jackson and I both love his girlfriend! I felt a little bit like an old shoe at first, but I am LOVING my freedom every Thursday

Forgive me...I really do have good "intentions"

2009-02-03T22:37:00.004-05:00

Well I think I have heard from everyone since I stopped blogging. This just may reinforce my behavior of taking a vacation from blogging so I get to talk with all of my friends! Just kidding, I promise I will do better. So where have I been?....I will let the pictures tell our story. Life has been about as good and sweet as it can be.

The Great Santa Visit

2008-12-17T14:54:00.011-05:00

Why? Why do thousands of parents do this to their children? Ryan and I both knew exactly how the visit would go. First, we would arrive at the mall with a very happy boy. Jackson would be eager to see the other kids, point at the reindeer (doggies) & gingerbread men (also doggies), play with the fake snow (doggies too), and try to touch all of the lights (surprisingly he called them lights). Second, we would see Santa and Jackson would start to cling to us. Third, the hand-off to Santa and Jackson would scream and cry like we were abandoning him to the mercy of a bearded red monster. And well, the pictures confirm that Mom and Dad really do know everything. Why did we do it?.....well we had to tell Santa what we wanted for Christmas too. By the way, Jackson asked for a doggie. I don't think he has a chance for it after the way he acted.

Very happy boy (who may need a haircut).

Pointing at doggies.

Enjoying the lights.

The hand-off .

The abandonment to the red bearded monster.

Do you cry in the grocery store?

2008-12-09T20:31:00.002-05:00

The lumber-jack Jackson

This week Jackson and I did a typical grocery shopping trip together. He was wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt covered in strawberry milk….which we hid with an all-star green sweatshirt. His baseball shoes were as stylish as his plaid lumber-jack coat. His hair was messy with curls flying around his ears, and his eyes were bright with excitement over every Christmas light in the store. I looked at him swinging his legs from inside the cart and pointing at every light and then it hits me. I'm crying. I really am a stable person, but sometimes I can't help it. He was so happy and that makes me so happy. Simple moments like this catch me off guard and before you know it I'm a mess. People were probably wondering what was wrong with us. Here is this bouncing happy boy with a woman who couldn't control herself as she checked the price of frozen peas. There is so much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-12-09T20:01:00.002-05:00

We had a great time visiting family and friends this Thanksgiving. The time goes by so quickly. Jackson loved being the center of attention wherever he went. I loved all the entertainers so I could just sit down for once. Here is a link to some of our Thanksgiving photos. Enjoy.

Click Here

Lots of Photos

2008-11-24T01:10:00.003-05:00

Since I am new to this, I thought you may want to catch up on our pre-blogging life. Here is a link to a bunch of pictures over the last few months. Enjoy!

Click Here

Peer Pressure

2008-11-23T23:58:00.002-05:00

I am happy to say we finally have a blog. A big thanks to my sister who actually got it going. I'm excited to share all of my adventures with my family and friends. I have to warn you all that I will only continue to blog if you still talk to me the old fashioned way.....like call me on the phone. My favorite thing to do is to laugh with people I love. If that talk time gets replaced with words on my blog I will shrivel up. Really we all know that peer pressure would be the main reason why I am now part of the blogging world. My D.A.R.E. officer would not be proud, I couldn't "Just say no."