Summer 2010!

It's been forever since I've posted about the happenings in our family. Ricky and I are still going to school full time at Utah State. We are currently attending the Brigham City Campus, and will be here for 2 more years. After that we will have 2 years in Logan. There was a while there where Ricky had planned on majoring in Construction Management. While he never felt 100% confidant that this was the best option for him, it was the best fit that he could find. USU doesn't have that major, so we started looking for other options. We both applied and were accepted into BYU-Idaho in Rexburg. We were excited for this big change. They had both of our majors, and it would be nice to live close to campus. We finished remodeling projects in our house and put it up for sale. At the very end of the semester (May), Ricky changed his major to Civil Engineering. This changed everything! USU is nationally ranked for their engineering program, and BYU-I doesn't even offer the program. So, needless to say, plans changed again! Our home is still for sale, as we would like to move closer to campus, but the urgency to sell has been removed. We are very excited for what's in store...we just have no idea what that is!
I apply to the nursing program in January and if I get in I will start next fall. This will be demanding, but I think it will be a great blessing to our family once I am done! I have two more semesters of pre-requisite classes until then. In May I should be able to graduate with my Associates Degree! Of course if I get into the nursing program, it's only the beginning. Pray for me that I will get in!
Ricky is in classes right now, and I took the summer off...the kids and I have had a blast! We play in the kiddie pool, read books, make obstacle courses in our house, and just have fun! They are great kids. Every day they are continuing to learn and grow, and they just amaze me! I have a great life. I love my family and spending every minute I can with them!

Tis the Season!

Tis the season for finals, family, Christmas, Lights on Temple square, and graduation! That's what our December was filled with anyway. Ricky and I survived our first really stressul finals week (we did very well too!), and the ward Christmas party that I was in charge of for the second year in a row. After that, Christmas began! My older brother, Jeremy graduated from BYU-Idaho and was selected to speak in his convocation. What an honor! He had an amazing speech, and we were all very proud of his efforts and hard work. Because my entire family was together, we had our Christmas party a week early before my parents had to head back to Colorado.
Christmas was wonderful. I love Christmas! I love the lights, the magic, the love, and celebrating the birth of our Savior. Kassi is 3 1/2 and Tyler is 2, so they are just the perfect ages. We had many very successful family home evenings teaching them about the birth of Jesus Christ, and the true meaning of Christmas. They also enjoyed going for drives to look at Christmas lights, talking about Santa, and The Polar Express...all 500 times we watched it in December! The magic was very much alive in our home, and we had an amazing Christmas! The day after Christmas we rode the Front Runner to Temple Square to look at the lights with my older sister Amy and her family. It was a very fun family trip, and the kids were troopers! The train was lots of fun, and as pretty as the lights were, the kids didn't last very long in the 12 degree temperatures. It was a fun trip though!
Here are some pictures from our December festivities! (I added them in the wrong order, so if you want to go in order, you really should start at the bottom! :)



The beautiful Salt Lake Temple and Lights on Temple Square! What a perfect reminder of what Christmas is all about!

Kassi and Tyler waiting for the Trax. Freezing.

Ricky and Tyler on the Trax. The kids thought Trax was just as cool as the Front Runner

Me and Kassi girl on the Trax

Ricky and Tyler with my nephew Andrew.

Kassi with her cousin Landon inside the visitor's center at Temple Square. They were all smiles at this point because we hadn't gone out to look at the lights in the 12 degree weather yet. :D

Ricky and Kassi on the FrontRunner! The kids thought it was way cool. I'm not going to lie though, I think Ricky and I were just as impressed! It was a very fun family trip!

Me and Tyler on the FrontRunner!

The kids and I waiting in the freezing cold for the FrontRunner to come. The train came JUST before Ricky took the picture...hence the reason why the kids are not looking at daddy.

New pj's on Christmas Eve!!

These are all of my siblings and their spouses (if they have them!)

All of the cousins on the Allred side. We had a great family Christmas party a week before Christmas, and it was fun to all be together!

My brother Jeremy the day he graduated from BYU-Idaho! Congrats bro!

Our HUGE snowman! I think it's pretty funny...I made Ricky go out and make it with the kids, but I got to be the one in the picture! :)

So much to be Thankful for!

From Thanksgiving 2008 to 2009 has been filled with ups and downs. I have so much to be thankful for, and I love the Thanksgiving holiday! This Thanksgiving was the first time in four years that my ENTIRE family was able to get together. Let me tell you how much has changed since then...
a sister in law...welcome Courtney to our crazy family!
and FOUR grandkids!...Kassi, Tyler, Trevor, and baby Weston!
Last time we were together there was no kiddie table. We got together at my sister Amy's house, and it was a great day! A little Macy's Parade action, the nephews wrestling uncle Jeremy, a little attitude from Kassi, FAMILY...and plenty of food! Hope eveyone had as wonderful of a Thanksgiving! :)

Trip to PA

Going back to my high school roots. I moved from PA when I was almost done with my jr year of high school. I moved during the 2002 Olympics, and have only returned once, in 2003...yep, 6 years ago! My best friend, Anna Margaret got engaged this year and I decided it was time to head back to good ol' Lewistown for her special day. I had a blast! Unfortunately, my camera batteries died, so I didn't get many pictures of me with my friends, but here are a few of my trip.
This trip meant a lot to me. I think living in Utah is great, but I am surrounded by good people and goodness. Don't get me wrong, that is a great thing! I think lately I have just been wrapped up in the overwhelming stresses of life and forgetting all that I have. I was a little nervous to head back, afraid that I wouldn't fit in anymore. I am not the only one married, but I was the only one there with kids...two! To my great surprise, I fit right back in, and felt very welcome and loved.
Talking to people and talking about Ricky, Kassi and Tyler also made me realize how beautiful my life really is, and how much I am blessed. Too bad others had to point it out to me, but I'm so glad they did! I am so grateful Ricky supported me going, and that my mom was able to come and help out with the kids so I could have that break to go back. It really was a trip I will cherish forever!

Halloween 2009

Halloween was fun...Ricky was a bum and didn't dress up this year. The kids are at those perfect ages (3 1/2 and 2) where they thought trick or treating was the greatest! Another plus, Kassi wanted to walk so we were done pretty early! It was a blast!

Beautiful October

October really was a BEAUTIFUL month. Ok, I'm a little partial to the month of October because Ricky and I got married in October, but it really is one of my most favorite months. This year was no less spectacular! We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary by painting and working on our house. It was great! I enjoy every minute I spend with Ricky, and I love working side by side on our home. The month was filled with outdoor playtime, and playing with Ty's birthday presents. Halloween pictures will be next post. Here is what the first half of October looked like!

September

September was a crazy month. Ricky and I both started school full time at Utah State University. He was attending classes on main campus in Logan, and I in Brigham City. We also started working more with Tyler and the Up to Three program, to help his social development. We take him to the ABC class in Brigham City every Monday for 90 minutes, then he has 2 at home visits every month also. The first few weeks were rough, but we got settled in. Then our Expedition broke. It needs a new engine, but we didn't have the money to fix it, so we got by with one car. September was super stressful, but we got through it. We also took some time off to celebrate Tyler's 2nd birthday on the 27th. It was a blast! He got lots of boy toys (although he still likes playing with Kassi's babies too!) and had an amazing Cars cake...if I do say so myself! ;) He is so precious and we love his SO very much!