Christmas with the Allens

Baby Center and Play Kitchen

Christmas PJs for Lillian's Little Lamb

Lillian playing dress up

Blowing Kisses

Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo

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Dr Lillian

Little Miss Lillian having so much fun playing with a Dr McStuffin's playstation. So cute!

December 16, 2014

A friend had given Lillian a Graco stroller set that her daughter no longer used. She pushed her to Andrew's bus stop, usually it's me pushing her. So she was tickled pink about it.
Lillian's little personality is blooming and she is just doing the cutest little things lately! She woke up the morning giving me lots of kisses, she is so sweet!
The apartment complex is doing a light contest for best decorated porch. So a lot of the balconies/porches are nicely decorated. There is a porch with a 3 foot Minnie and Mickey on it. Every time we walk past it Lillian points and gets ALL excited and says, "Minnie! Minnie! Minnie!"

Lillian playing dress up!

This girl cracks me up!!

December 15, 2014

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After Church

This picture just makes me laugh so hard! Andrew walking around with his finger in his belly button! He has done this since he was a tiny baby. 

Ginger Bread House

 Yesterday we invited over a family that lives in our apartments so the kids could make GingerBread houses together. Something told me to go ahead and put the houses together beforehand and I am so glad I did!! haha. They didn't really want to stay together.. I had bought the GingerBread City, or Village, pack. I mean, the kids probably would have been just as happy decorating houses with graham crackers.

         I did not take the best pictures but wanted to take a few before it was all over with.

Andrew and his friend McKenna each decorating their own houses.

Lillian telling her friend Wyatt which ones she think 

would look good, and sneaking a few to eat too.

The kids really did have a good time and the adults all enjoyed being able to talk

with other... well... ADULTS! haha

Andrew's house is above. He said the brown chocolates are bushes. 

I wasn't able to get the finished product pictures of the other houses... But this is Andrew's, before it was completely eaten.

Lillian Driving?!!

This is from last night at Food Lion while picking up a few items. Lillian's first time in the car buggy and she was LOVING IT!! She was so excited and waving every time she passed someone. it was so cute!!

Tis The Season!

       I have been doing a really bad job with my Low Carb eating... Andrew will ask me, "Mom, are you eating carbs today?" hahaha... That's not a good thing...

       Last night I looked up recipes for FUDGE! I have NEVER made FUDGE on my own before, believe it or not. Well I made it last night and left it in the fridge over night, minus like a tablespoon full that I put in the freezer for about an hour... :) Last night that little bit from the freezer was alright, still not firm but it was alright.. But this morning! haha. I cut it up and made 2 little baggies with 20 pieces each for Andrew's teachers. I had Drew try some and  before he even put it in his mouth he asked, "What. Did. You. Put. In It?" And I asked, "What in the world do you mean by that?!" he then said, "Well just making sure it isn't a batch of those famous black bean brownies." hahahaha! But he ate it and said it was really good. I asked if he could taste the mint in it and he said he could. (Because I couldn't) I might be making peanut butter fudge next!

I took this picture of Lillian just after Andrew left for school. Now if I could get Andrew in his PJ's outside without ruining them!! haha

       Originally why I started getting in the mood to make Christmas goodies is so Drew would have something to take to his Home Teaching Families. 

       Last night after we went grocery shopping we drove through a neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. That got me in the mood, along with these Christmas light shows on tv, to decorate our porch with lights. There is a thing going on right now at our apartment complex. Whoever has the best Christmas decorated porch gets $100 off next month's rent! WooHoo! That sounds like a GREAT prize to me!! haha. I know I don't really have a chance to win but hey, it's worth a try! So I put out a strand of colorful lights and a Peanuts decor light thing. They are going to judge the night of the Christmas Party, which is being catered by Olive Garden! Whoop Whoop! haha. You better believe I will be there!!

     Yesterday the door bell rang. It was two packages for Drew and me. Our sweaters that he had ordered in a store at the mall less than a week ago. Our Appalachian State Sweaters!! We got Andrew to take a picture of us with our matching sweaters on this morning. Well, it was blurry so we ended up taking a selfie.. haha.

     I have a fun Christmas Party planned for the kids and their friends. But Andrew's little classmate buddy's family are battling some stomach bugs. I told her mom, Brandy, that when everyone gets to feeling better I will have everyone over to build gingerbread houses and gingerbread men and watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music... We'll just be doing all sorts of Christmas stuff to say the least!! haha

Report Card Testing

This week Andrew is being tested for his final report card grades. I have been reviewing different things with him. (like how to spell and recognize his name & counting) I think it is crazy how much they expect these little 4 yr olds to know!! And I have noticed that Andrew likes to give silly answers some of the time... Fingers crossed that he doesn't try being silly during testing... ahhh! haha. I am sure he will do just fine though.

Sweetness! December 3, 2014

Andrew just asked me, "Can I split together?" And I asked, "What do you mean by that?" And then he said, "Split together, when there are two of me... A real one to go to school and a fake one to stay at home with you."

December 3, 2014

At the Columbiana Mall. Lillian just was not impressed! haha. I was sad to see Santa not in the traditional suit... We were in Charleston the following weekend and saw Santa in the beautiful traditional suit and Lillian went crazy waving and blowing kisses to him! The wait was ridiculous though,,, we got lucky and he passed by us while he was going on his lunch break. :)

December 3, 2014

      Today Andrew did not have school due to it being the day that you only go for 1 1/2 hrs and bring your parent... Drew had an appointment and we would of been unable to attend. After Drew's dental appointment he came home to get some stuff done and then we got everyone ready to head over to the mall. We did pictures with Santa. Lillian was not excited about sitting on his lap but she did. She had not had a nap and was so tired! The look on her face was... Seriously?! Andrew was tickled to death about it! He kept asking me after we left Santa what it meant to be, "on the A list" (Since that's what Santa said to him) When I can figure out the digital download then I will post the picture from that.

December 2, 2014

This picture is from yesterday, December 2, 2014. I got all of the kids' Christmas presents wrapped while Andrew was at school! It was a close call  because after Andrew had gotten on his bus I went for a walk with Brandy, a mom to a girl in Andrew's class, and we stopped at the playground for the littles. Lillian just wanted to play! And I am okay with that! haha.

I have got to get used to blogging/posting pictures from my phone on to here... That's why there have been SEVERAL posts for one day, I have got to figure out how to add pictures and more text to the day without starting a new entry. I have pictures from her playing on the playground with her friend Wyatt that I want to add also.. Maybe I will figure it out and add them. 

November 30, 2014

  Today was a special day for Lillian! She went to nursery for the first time! Originally I was not going to take her til after she turned 18 months but the nursery leader said it'd probably help if I introduced it to her. So I sat in there with her for the 2 hrs. She would not eat the snack... Golden Grahams and Gold Fish... The teacher was bringing out a treat for those who finished eating and asked if Lillian would like some. (Gummies) And well, Lillian gobbled them up! She had fallen off the chair during snack time and was pretty upset. They offered her gummies and she was happy again. She did well playing and running with the other kids. Her favorite song during singing time was, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" All in all she did well though.
     After returning home we all relaxed a little then set up the Christmas Tree. The kids were so excited and had a lot of fun. We were even able to take the camera out and snap a few family photos.
     Andrew is excited to be starting a new month tomorrow! And he is excited about starting the Advent Calendar as well. Originally we had gotten a Lego Advent Calendar but we took the pieces out of each day and put them in our Wood Reindeer Advent Calendar that we had bought in Germany. Either way we are all excited and looking forward to the Christmas Season!!

November 30, 2014

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November 30, 2014

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November 30, 2014

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November 30, 2014

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November 30, 2014

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Lillian's First Time Being Baby-Sat!!

     Drew and I have been planning for today for a while! We had planned to take the kids to my parents' house so they could keep an eye on them while we went on a date. I don't really know anyone well enough here to ask if they could keep an eye on Andrew, and we'd have to take Lillian with us.
    Andrew was so excited about going that he could hardly fall asleep last night! I told him all day yesterday that after we go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning that it'd be time to go. I had put Lillian down for her evening nap and she slept about 20 minutes before waking. Once she awoke Andrew got so excited and asked, "Is it time to go to Grandma's now?! One of us slept!" I couldn't help but laugh and then remind him that we all had to sleep.

1-29-14 Snow

   You will never believe it! But our first winter back in the South it snows! School was cancelled yesterday for Drew, and pretty much everywhere else too. We were sitting at home yesterday til like 2:30 and still NOTHING had happened so we went to town. We had to grab a few items and run a few errands. We got home at about 6:30 and still nothing had happened. We made dinner and enjoyed the evening together. At about 10:00 I looked outside and the parking lot and the tops of the cars were white. Andrew was still up just because we were having a family night and I told him to look out his bedroom window. He thought it was pretty cool seeing the snow but has had no desire to go out in it. I don't know if it is from our first winter in ND where the snow was above his waste or even above his head in some areas or if it is from this past winter in ND when he slid under the car at the mall parking lot due to the ice and snow. (Can I say RUN ON SENTENCE! haha) But either way I am fine with just staying in and enjoying it from the window... I am not taking Lillian out in it because she has a little cough and don't want it to turn into anything crazy. But I think Drew is about to take Andrew out in it so we can at least have a picture to prove/remember that it did snow!

Better Late Than Never!

    I have so much to catch up on... So here we go!
 
   We all got to fly together to our new home in Lexington, SC! Originally Drew was supposed to be driving our car down while the kids and I flew down. Our car completely died on us and it'd be cheaper for us to just donate it than to fix it. Plus it happened like 5 days before leaving. Luckily it happened when it did because we had packed it up with stuff and the movers were able to just pack it with everything else. We were also blessed to have Drew fly with us, because everything that could go wrong that day did! We ended up flying in to Charlotte instead of Columbia and then had to end up driving to Columbia to pick up our luggage.. It was a complete mess!
    We had a small Christmas in our new place and were able to drive down to my parents' house that evening.
    The Saturday before my birthday, Drew and Andrew went to the mall while Lillian and I stayed home. They got me some nice lotions and bath wash at Bath And Body Works. Drew asked me if I could go anywhere for my birthday where would I go. I tried to keep it as local as possible, so I said, "The beach." And then a few days past and he then asked if I would like to go and see my Grandma in Florida. I jumped all over the offer! So we enjoyed the 6th-9th with Grandma. She also enjoyed the visit.
    Well the new year came and that meant time for Andrew to move from nursery to primary! He loves it so much! Last Sunday was only his second Sunday in Primary and they sent him home with a paper saying they wanted him to give a talk the following Sunday! So tomorrow my little boy will be giving his very first talk in church!! Drew got a call this week asking if he'd be a fill in and talk in Sacrament for someone else who could not make it. So both Drew & Andrew will be speaking in church tomorrow!
    I know I am so late with potty training Andrew but in between the move and it being so cold in North Dakota, it was so hard. I was thinking on the way home from Florida, "Holy Cow! Andrew will be 4 in March! I need to get him using the potty!!" So, the day after we got home I got right on it! He did just fine and even walked right into bathroom without my help and did a #2!! And then he comes to me and says, "Mama, Mama! Come here I have a surprise for you!!" haha.
   Lillian still has not cut any teeth yet but you can tell that her gums are bothering her a bit. She hasn't started crawling yet but I do not think it will be much longer til she does. She will lay on her tummy and roll to her back then tummy again and turn then roll some more. That has been her cute way of getting around.