ALL ABOUT THE ALLFREYS

Taylor, Taylor, Taylor

2009-06-15T19:44:00.001-07:00

Today's post is all about my favorite little woman, Taylor. She is quite the character. Full of personality and energy. There is never a dull moment with this little one around. Here are a few random pictures that I came across of Taylor.

She went upstairs to my bathroom to pick out some nail polish for me to paint her nails and she came back like this. She said she had a headache and needed one of my "big band aids" to make it feel better.

I think she has a little obsession with band aids. You can see five in this picture and there are at least that many on the other cheek.

Taylor climbed on the dog dish to get to something in the pantry and knocked over the bowl. And when I saw her cleaning it up I had to grab my camera and snap a shot.

She loves to dress herself and always comes up with some pretty creative outfits.

I think she is four going on 13. She is shaving her legs with the boys plastic razor.

How can anyone fall asleep like this!?!

All Stars

2009-06-13T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last night we found out that Trevon made the All Stars team for baseball! This is the first year he has played REAL baseball and we are so proud of him. Up until just three days ago I didn't even know there was an all star team. We have a meeting this afternoon to find out more about it. Trevon is also playing in a summer basketball league that starts next Saturday. So it looks like we are going to have a pretty busy summer.

The Devil?

2009-06-10T22:14:00.001-07:00

Jackson woke up one morning and his hair was just like this. It cracked me up. How appropriate is it that my little mini Brian woke up with devil horns? I wonder what he was dreaming about?

I'm back

2009-06-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

I have decided to rejoin the world of blogging. Instead of writing about everything in the past three months, I will just post a whole bunch of pictures. That should recap the last several months and maybe now I can be better about posting more often.

The Air Show

2009-06-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took the kids to the air show at Hill Air Force Base. It was my first time too and we all loved it. I had never seen those kinds of airplanes in person. They are so loud and fast it was pretty awesome.

They had all kinds of helicopters and airplanes that you could look at and walk through.

This is one of the pilots of the Thunderbirds. She is the only female.

Copper mine and Aquarium

2009-06-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

My sister and her family were in town for Memorial day so we took all the kids to the Copper mine and then to the aqarium.

Just some pictures

2009-06-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

Trevon fell asleep at dinner after Taylor's dance recital. I guess just sitting there watching dancers wore him out.

This is what happens when I let Taylor pick out her own clothes.

Little miss dress up wearing her Christmas dance recital costume at the glitter toes party

Taylor and Katie got matching purple glitter toes.

I just thought this looked funny as I drove down the rode so I had to take a picture. It is not everyday you see a motorcycle with a trailer behind it carrying a keg. Interesting huh?

Baseball

2009-06-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

Trevon and Jackson both are playing baseball this year. They both are enjoying it a lot. Trevon has even ended up being a pretty good little player. In fact I just got a call this evening that Trevon was nominated to be on the all star team! We will find out more next week.

Trevon is the tall one second from the right on the top row.

Jackson is first one on the right top row

The Pie

2009-06-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we ate at the Pie with the Lambs. After dinner the kids were just playing around so I snapped a few shots.

On the way out of the restaruant Brian grabbed a whole bunch of straws and stuck them in Jen's purse without her knowing.

Sorry if this offends anybody, but this is what I live with every single day! Aren't they hillarious?

Taylor's Dance

2009-06-10T17:14:00.001-07:00

To say that Taylor loves dance would be an understatement. She never stops dancing! This year I was asked to make the costumes again for one of the dances. The zebra print ones are the ones I made. I was really happy with how they turned out. I came up with the design, but my mom helped me out a lot on the sewing part. Isn't she adorable?!!

Taylor and Katie on picture day

This was the other costume for her ballet dance.

Here is Taylor with her dance teacher Miss Terri.

Florida

2009-06-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

In April Brian and I went to Florida with our good friends Jordan and Jen. We had such a blast Brian and Jordan had us laughing our pants off all week! We went to Sea World , The Space Center, Busch Gardens and to the beach a couple of days. Don't worry I didn't post any of the speedo pictures, I promised Brian I wouldn't. But if you are curious let me know and we can schedule a private viewing. Ha ha, just kidding Bri!

Brian's fantastic camera work. I think I have about 25 pictures of either my chest or my behind. NICE!!

Finally Brian was able to take a normal pic.

We were driving by the Yankee practice facility and we saw some one standing outside signing autographs. And it was Alex Rodriguez. We turned around and hopped out of the car, but we were a little late, by then he was walking back to his car. We did snap a few pics as he left.

We took a boat tour in Tampa and saw some dolphins. So cool!

The boat tour was fun, but super windy that day. Gotta love the hair.

Jackson's tooth

2009-06-10T16:53:00.001-07:00

Jackson lost his first tooth. He was so excited. It was loose for almost two months when it finally fell out. Right now he is working on loose tooth number two.

Principal's Pride

2009-06-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

Trevon got the Principal' pride award at school. So far he is such a good student. I hope he keeps it up!

Eater

2009-06-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Coloring easter eggs with Alyssa

Thank you...and I love you too!

2009-05-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, that was so sweet! I love you too honey, and I want everyone to know it! What a great ending to a wonderful mother's day. March 22, 1996 was also the best day of MY life. I LOVE YOU!!

How I Met Your Mother - Brian's letter to his wife and kids

2009-05-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

This is Brian, I thought that I would take a minute to leave a record of the day that that changed/saved my life. I hope that someday my kids will have read this and found someone that changes their life. Then they will know how much I love their mother.

March 21 is usually the first day of Spring, but March 21, 1996 was much more than that. It was the first day of my life. This was the day that I first met Kim, and looking back, it doesn't really seem that I was alive until I met her.

I had never seen anyone so beautiful. Her eyes were mesmerizing, and I was lost in them. She was shy, and a little reserved, but I knew there was something special about her when I first saw her. I was home from college on Spring Break, and our mom's wanted to set us up on a blind date. Kim said no at first, but agreed to meet me. Thankfully, after we met, she changed her mind, and agreed to go. If she had not, who knows where I would be right now, but I know I would not be this happy.

On March 22, I took her to a Jazz game. I don't remember any little details about that night, but I remember that everything in the world seemed different. I know now, that everything seemed different because, I had found my other half. Kim is everything that I am not, and she inspires me to be more than I can be on my own.

When I think about all of the things that had to happen just right for us to meet, I know that we were meant for one another. Call it whatever you want, but we were destined to meet that night. We were destined to fall in love, get married and have a beautiful family. We were destined for happiness.

I cannot explain why. I cannot tell you that I deserve to be with Kim. I don't know why she chose me, but I know that I am the luckiest man that ever lived. I know that that I love her more than can be told, shown, and even imagined. I know that I am married to my best friend, and that we will always be together.

I know that March 21, that first day of Spring, was also the first day of our lives together. It was the first day of truly being happy, it was the first day of Kim...

Terrible

2009-04-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

I know, I know I am a terrible blogger. But I promise a nice long post in the near future. Just as soon as I get Taylor's dance costumes done.

Get your DVR ready

2009-03-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight Trevon and Brian are going to be on the pregame and postgame shows for the Jazz game tonight!!
The Jazz have invited the whole West Jordan team to come and be a part of the shows. For those of you who don't know, Brian helps coach the varsity basketball team at West Jordan High School and Trevon is one of the managers. Last Saturday night they won the State Championship game beating Lonepeak for the title.
As a mom, it was pretty neat to see Brian and Trevon down on the court cutting the net together.
Anyways, get your DVR ready, I don't know for sure how much they will be on but hey how often to you get to see someone you know on TV?!!
Thanks Melissa for the picture!

Dress Sale

2009-03-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

NAME BRAND DRESS SALE!

My mother-in-law is having her semi annual dress sale.

Today Only!

Don't miss seeing designer dresses originally $60 to $130 in catalogs and department stores.

Now on sale for $20 to $37

Come and see the beautiful new spring collection.

Factory direct with over 1,000 to choose from.

Sizes: 2T - 14 and infant
Girls: 2pc skirt sets and dresses

DATE: Today March 9, 2009
TIME: 4:00 to 6:00pm
PLACE: Sherrie Allfrey Residence
3843 West 11970 South
Riverton, UT

Tell your friends to bring their friends. It's a great opportunity to buy a unique, beautiful and affordable Easter dress.

We hope to see you there.

Call me (Kim) if you have any questions (801) 824-1874

Getting caught up

2009-03-02T14:00:00.001-08:00

I know it's a lot, but I finally am trying to get caught up on this blog. I decided to just post a bunch of pictures of what we have been up to lately. From now on my goal is to update at LEAST once a week.

Snowboarding and Skiing

2009-03-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

We just got back yesterday from a weekend skiing and snowboarding trip. We went to Cedar City where Wendy and TJ live and went to Brian Head Resort. TJ was a snowboard instructor there. It was so much fun! This was the first time for me and my kids. This kids did way better than I did. We found out that Trevon is better at skiing than snowboarding and Jackson is better at snowboarding than skiing. And Taylor is a much better skier than I am! It was fun and I actually want to give it a try again sometime. But first I need a couple of days for my muscles to stop aching. I hurt in places I didn't even realized existed.
I have posted a ton of pictures below.

Here is the whole crew. Front: Taylor, Jackson 2nd row: Me, Mom, Trevon, Wendy, Robin 3rd row: Emily, Dad, TJ
Brian couldn't go because his basketball team made it past the first round in their playoffs and he had to stay in Salt Lake and coach them.
And Robin's husband Brad couldn't come because he had to work.

Taylor and Grandma Becky on the Ski lift

Taking a break for lunch. These kids are crazy, they make me laugh everyday!

Snowboarding Videos

2009-03-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

Silly videos

2009-03-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

These two kids were totally cracking us up on the little hike we took in Cedar City.

Cedar City

2009-03-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

We just got back from visiting my sister and brother in law in Cedar City. We had so much fun! On Saturday we went to a park at let the kids play for a few hours. Us adults played too, it was a fun park! And then we went for a little hike up a canyon. It was an easy paved path that was only about 2 miles, it was perfect. Below are pictures of the park and the hike.

Wendy and I

Taylor and TJ

The crack cracked me up, I had to get a picture of it!
I love the look on Jakson's face in this picture.

On your mark, get set.....
GO!!!!

Taylor and Mommy

2009-03-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

One night Taylor and I were just playing around with the camera taking pictures of ourselves. I sure love that little girl!

Sammi

2009-03-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

On Friday February 13 we said goodbye to our sweet dog sammi. She was nineteen years old and led a fantastic life. We got Sammi when I was in 6th grade. I don't really remember what life is like without Sammi in it. In the last six months she went downhill pretty fast. She was blind and deaf and had tumors growing all over her skin. She had no control over her bowels and she weighed less than five pounds. So my mom and dad consulted with all us girls and everyone decided that it was time. We were able to get some pictures with her before she went to a better place. We love you Sammi and you will be missed!!

Old age made Sammi pretty stinky even though she had just had a bath. Taylor said she couldn't breath and plugged her nose.

Taylor's preschool picture day

2009-03-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

My little princess had picture day at her preschool a few weeks ago. Before she left to school she posed for a few pictures just to practice. Isn't she adorable?!!

Utah Jazz basketball clinic

2009-03-02T10:57:00.001-08:00

Because we are season ticket holders the Jazz hold special events and a few of them are the family BBQ and the basketball clinic. We were able to attend the dinner and it was pretty neat. The food was pretty good and the entertainment was funny. And the best part was the autographs.
Here is Deron Williams and CJ Miles signing Jacksons ball and Taylors jersey. That same night we also got autographs from Andrei Kirilenko and big Fes.

The boys at the media stand outside the locker room.
At the basketball clinic the boys and I were able to get a tour of the Jazz locker room. It was pretty awesome to see all the jazz players gear.

The Honesty Song

2009-02-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Last weekend our friend Jordan had a surprise party for his wife Jenn's 30th birthday. He had this genius idea to make a video and Brian helped, along with Jenn's brother Cam. I have posted it below. And just for the record.... I had nothing to do with it, it was all Brian and Jordan. Jenn had nothing to do with it either she was totally shocked and surprised when they showed it to her for the first time at the party.

Actually it is pretty funny, I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did. Prepare to laugh!

I hope Brian doesn't kill me for putting this on the web for the world to see........ oh well!

The worst 20 minutes EVER!!!!

2009-01-29T14:34:00.001-08:00

So in the last post I wrote about what a wonderful time we had in Disney World with the exception of about 20 minutes. Well, this is what happened in those 20 minutes.

We had all just got off the magic carpet ride and decided to head over to the jungle cruise ride just across the way. We parked the strollers and gathered the crew and began to walk over. Keep in mind that there is quite a lot of us and on this particular day we were all wearing our matching mickey mouse shirts that Brian's mom had gotten for all of us.

We got in line for the jungle cruise which said was about a ten minute wait. It was a single file line and we were moving pretty much the whole time, winding back and forth through the switch backs. We got to the front of the line and they asked us how many in our party and they loaded our big group onto the boat.

The ride begins and I decided to grab my camera to take some pictures of the kids. I snap a picture and after doing so I realized Jackson was not in it! (Above is the picture I took. I hate now to even look at it. Wow, my stomach is hurting right now just thinking about what happened). I looked at Brian and said "Where is Jackson, he's not on the boat!" At this point I started to totally FREAK OUT!! We were stuck on this stupid boat and my baby boy was not on with me. They couldn't just turn the boat around so we had to just sit there completely helpless until the ride came to an end. I wanted so bad to just jump into the water and swim back to get my little boy.

The whole time I was freaking out. Brian kept trying to settle me down and tell me that I wasn't helping anything and that I was starting to scare the other kids, but I physically could not help myself. I tried to think back when the last time I saw him and I couldn't remember now even seeing him in line with us. I felt like the worst mom in the whole world. How could I have been in line that whole time and not noticed that my child was missing?!!!

I don't care what anybody says, that jungle cruise ride is the LONGEST RIDE in history! As soon as we got back I jumped off that boat so quick and found the first Disney person I could find and asked if they had seen Jackson. As I was asking, another Disney worker walked by and overheard and said a little boy was with the security guard just around the corner and she would take us to him.

As we walked around the corner I could see a glimpse of that beautiful blond hair and I felt the biggest sense of relief I have ever felt. I yelled out his name and he turned around and I went running toward him and grabbed him up into my arms. I was crying uncontrollably and thanking the security guard and the Disney worker through the tears. I was so happy to have that little guy back in my arms again.

My heart was racing for at least an hour after the whole ordeal happened. And even now as I talk about it I get that knot in my stomach and I get a little emotional. I NEVER want to have that feeling again. I have never been so scared in my entire life!

Apparently what had happened was as we were all walking over the jungle cruise ride, Jackson saw some misters and went over to stand in them for a second and none of us noticed. He told me that when he turned around everyone was gone. So he went back to where we had parked the strollers and when we didn't come back after a few minutes he started to cry. He then saw a Disney worker and he told them that he had lost his mom and dad. He described to them what we were wearing and what we looked like and our names. I am so proud of Jackson for doing the right thing and telling someone that he needed help. He did exactly the right thing in this situation and for that I am a very proud mom. (Although I still feel horrible about what happened.) They brought him to the security guard and they gave him some tokens and let him play with the remote control boats until we were able to reunite with him.

Needless to say I did not let go of Jackson's hand the entire day! I had him in my sights at all times. I was also doing endless head counts everywhere we walked the rest of the week. Even the next day when we went to Hollywood studios I took Taylor over to play in the Honey I shrunk the kids playground. After I took her up to the slide I realized there was no way I could fit in that slide and I put her down it and went to find where it came out and I couldn't. She found me only about a half second later, but I was about to have a full blown panic attack that I couldn't see her, so I made her come out and find something else to do. I could not stand to have any of the kids out of my sight even for one second!

Mother of the year right? I still feel so bad that I could let this happen, but I am so glad that it was only for 20 minutes and that he is safe and sound. I love that kid more than words can express!

Disney World Pictures

2009-01-17T15:15:00.005-08:00

I know I have a ton of pictures posted but I had too many to choose from. We had such a fun trip to Florida (with the exception of about 20 minutes the first day, more to come about that in a later post). It was nice to spend time as a family and the kids had such a great time playing with their cousins.

We call these boys the threetards! When they get together they are wako and crazy.

Taylor is getting ready for Thunder Mountain Railroad. She didn't hold her hands up for the whole ride, but I still think she is pretty tough. She rode on EVERY ride that she was tall enough to ride, including tower of terror! She is way tougher that either of her older brothers.

Jackson's favorite ride was star tours. I think he rode it at least five times.

You can't go to disney without seeing Mickey!
Brian's dad made reservations at the 50's diner in Hollywood studios. Since it was Taylor's birthday they had a cake all ready for her and everyone sung happy birthday to her after dinner. What a fun day we had that day! Taylor kept saying over and over that it was the best birthday ever!!

Brian and the kids got the opportunity to feed the dolphins. It was pretty fun to watch them feed and touch them. Although Taylor would get a little nervous when the dolphin opened its mouth and she would panic and just throw the fish into the water. The boys thought it was pretty awesome.

We're back

2009-01-14T11:28:00.000-08:00

Disney world was a blast!! I have tons of pictures to post, but I promised myself I would get caught up on the laundry first. So check back later for pictures and stories of our adventure to Florida.

Disney World!!

2009-01-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

This year for Christmas Brian's parents are taking all of us to Disney World! We leave bright and early on Wednesday morning. We are all very excited and looking forward to the trip. There are 19 of us in total, so it should make for quite an adventure! I will blog tons of pictures when we get back.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T11:24:00.000-08:00

The last few years I have put my annual Christmas letter on my blog. So here is family letter 2008! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Dear,
A. Family
B. Friends

Well, here we are at the end of 2008 and instead of the typical Christmas letter we decided to give you a multiple choice quiz.

Brian and I are still
A. Married
B. Speaking
C. Breathing
D. Very happy

Brian is
A. Working very hard at the newspaper agency
B. Still coaching basketball and loving it
C. Making progress on his “honey do” list for the new house
D. Still a bronco and now a Jazz season ticket holder

Kim is
A. Very busy with 3 growing kids and their growing schedules
B. Fully recovered from donating her kidney to a friend this past summer
C. Going to an average of 4 to 5 basketball games a week
D. Trying to keep up with the laundry, the NEVER ENDING laundry!

Trevon is
A. Eight years old
B. HUGE! At least a foot taller than any kid in his second grade class
C. Playing basket ball and LOVES it
D. A very sweet and helpful kid. (I don’t know what I would do without him)

Jackson is
A. Six years old
B. Enjoys riding the bus to kindergarten and is becoming a very good little reader
C. Awesome on the drums for the Rock Band play station game
D. Always making us laugh

Taylor is
A. Almost four years old (next month)
B. ALL GIRL!!
C. Taking dance classes and started preschool this year
D. A quiet girl who never says a word or speaks her mind

Looking ahead to 2009, we wish you
A. The happiest of holidays
B. A healthy and prosperous new year

All our love to you,
Brian, Kim, Trevon, Jackson, and Taylor Allfrey

All the above multiple choice answers are true except answer D for Taylor. That choice is SO false! That girl never stops talking. And who are we kidding, she pretty much runs this house!

To keep up with us and our family please feel free to email us or check out our blog.
Allfreyfamily@msn.com
AllAboutTheAllfreys.blogspot.com

Biggest Loser

2008-12-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

This is from a friend of a friends blog. I am totally going to participate. Anybody want to join me? It should be a lot of fun. The lady who is running the contest is from right here in Utah. If you want to check out her blog it is www.utahtib.blogspot.com

Alrighty then - I have decided to do a Biggest Loser 6. I had enough people twist my arm! I will only be using first names and last initials this time around - and I will be BCC'ing all contest information and results. This is all in an effort to maintain a little more anonymity for contestants. The rules are pretty much the same - so if you are interested in losing some weight - and maybe winning some money while you are at it, let me know!

So here are the deets:

In case you didn't get the chance to participate in Biggest Loser 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, now is your chance! And if you have no clue what I am talking about - in April 2007 I decided to compete with my pals to see who could lose the most weight with some cash as the reward. As it turns out - money is motivating. I like me some money and this is the perfect thing to keep me on track. There is something about having to report my weight to dozens of other women that keeps me from eating garbage! Now, nobody actually sees your weight - they see a percentage lost from the beginning - but mama likes to see a minus sign in front of her percentage every week!

Here is the info in a nutshell:

We will kick everything off on Friday, January 2, 2009 with the initial weigh-in and before photos (to get your starting point). The first official weigh-in will be Friday, January 9, 2009 and the contest will run for 12 weeks from there. The final weigh in will be Friday, March 27, 2009.

The entrance fee is $25 per person. Hopefully we can get a big fat pot for extra motivation this time around! The last round was $1850! I think there will be a lot of competitors with New Years resolutions and all.

If the pot is over $1000, it will split it into a first, second and third place pot. 1st place will get 60% - 2nd place will get 25% and 3rd place will get 15%. So if we have 60 participants and the pot is $1500 then 1st place gets $900 - 2nd place gets $375 and 3rd place gets $225. If we only have 36 players and the pot is $900 then everything goes to the first place finisher - there is no prize for 2nd or 3rd place. I will be taking a 10% Administrative Fee for myself this time around. It is a lot of work to organize the contest and I haven't exactly been winning any of the pots. I will take the 10% fee off the top of all the money collected and then the prizes will be based on the remaining pot. (I hope that makes sense).

Some other specifics:

1. You must be a legal resident of any country of the world.

2. You must be honest about your weigh-ins. There will be no lying to the Tibster.

3. You must e-mail me a picture of your scale with the weight on the first and last weigh-in. SOMEONE ELSE must take this picture. Please have a friend or spouse take a picture of your weight on the scale - I must also be able to see your hands in this picture - sorry to ask for 3rd party verification of your weight - but when the contest reaches a certain size we need to make sure that people are being honest. You must also send before pictures from the front, back and side. There will be no exceptions to this rule. If you do not provide pictures then you cannot participate. Nobody but me will see your pictures. Unless you win, in which case, you must agree to allowing your before and after pictures to be sent out.

4. You can choose any weight loss diet, except for anything requiring surgery. This includes weight loss surgery such as lap bands, liposuction, gastric bypass, etc. I will not be responsible if in this process you actually gain weight or if you lose too much weight. Choose your program wisely.

5. The whole purpose of this contest is to lose weight in a healthy way and change your lifestyle. You may not take any weight loss drugs. This includes but is not limited to: Alli (Orlistat), Phentermine, Meridia (Sibutramine). If you chose to use a weight loss drug you will be disqualified. Herbal supplements are acceptable. If you have questions whether something is allowed, please contact me before you begin taking it.

6. Weigh-Ins will be every Friday. You must weigh-in EVERY week and email your weight to me by NOON on Friday. If you do not weigh-in you will be eliminated! If you are going to miss a weigh-in, just let me know and you will retain the same weight as the prior weigh-in. Please email me with your weight every week. I will compile a percentage lost chart every week after I get everyone’s numbers and email it out to everyone no later than Friday evening.

7. Weigh in wearing your bathing or birthday suit.

8. You must start and end the competition on the same scale.

9. You must be at least 6 weeks postpartum.

10. If you drop out of the competition, money WILL NOT be refunded.

11. If you get pregnant or injured during the competition, money WILL NOT be refunded.

12. Participation in this contest is contingent upon participants agreeing that any dispute (whether stated in the rules or not) will be decided by a majority vote among the then current participants. Adam and/or Tiburon E. shall not be held liable for any monetary loss (including entry fees) that may result from a rule violation or dispute.

13. The final weigh in day is Friday, March 27, 2009.

If you are interested in participating - please leave a comment or email me at nunyabusiness@comcast.net. The more the merrier and the richer the pot! If you don't have anything to lose but know someone that might be interested - please pass this along! Even if you only have a little bit to lose - I have found that a little healthy competition can help to keep you on track! Please post about this on your blog - the more people we have the bigger the pot!

If I have enough interest I will also host a Mens competition. That is part of the reason I am posting about this so far in advance. Let me know if any man in your life needs to lose a few ell bees!

Here is a chance to put your moola where your mouth is instead of some fattening food! Live it up now - for January 2nd - WE COMPETE!

THEY'RE DONE!!! YEAH!!

2008-11-20T09:45:00.001-08:00

*** UPDATE!! Correction: For those of you who have read this already I made a mistake on the high school that the performance is at. It is NOT at Hunter it is at GRANGER high school. (Thanks Jenn for pointing that out. I was totally picturing Granger in my head but wrote Hunter, Duh)***

This year I was asked by Taylor's dance teacher if I would make the costumes for her class for the holiday recital. And this morning I brought all ten of them to give to each of the girls at the dress rehearsal. What a relief to be all done! I really couldn't have done it without my mom's help and expertise. Thank you so much mom for all your help with them!

Her dance is to a song called I want a hippopotamus for Christmas. They have these stuffed hippos that they dance with for the second half of the song. ( I also had to make ten hippo costumes.) It is really cute. This year they have two performances and I would like to invite anyone who would like to come, to come. The first performance is at Trolley Square on Monday Dec. 8 at 7:00. The main performance is at Granger High School on December 13 at 10:00am. Santa is going to be at the performance at the high school, so it should be really fun. So am inviting anyone who would like to come.

Below are some pictures of the girls this morning trying on the costumes. What do you think? Again I am just glad to be done with them.

Jazz Tickets Anybody?

2008-11-14T15:01:00.001-08:00

I just wanted everyone to know that if they ever want to go to a Jazz game we have tickets. This year we share with the Lambs 6 season tickets to every Jazz home game. Sometimes we go together the four of us, but almost always we have at least two more seats available. And since we don't really want to go to all 42 games this year we will sometimes sell all six seats.

If you are interested just let me know (or Jenn Lamb). The price of the tickets are $10 a piece. Face value of the tickets are $16 each. We have already paid for all the tickets this season and are just trying to make a little bit of it back.

Four of the six tickets are in Section 120 Row 14 Seats 1-4. The other two tickets are only two sections over in Section 118 Row 19 Seats 3-4.

We will pretty much have at least the two tickets for sale to every home game. And I don't think you will find them any cheaper any where else. It makes for a fun and fairly inexpensive night out. Let me know if any of you are interested. You can email me, call me or just leave me a comment. THANKS!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry this is a little late, but better late than never. This year for Halloween the boys were Jedis and Taylor was Princess Leia. I didn't see anything I liked in the stores so my mom helped me make these for the kids. THANKS MOM!! They turned out great.

DRESS SALE!!

2008-11-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

NAME BRAND DRESS SALE!

The "Dress Party" is coming to our area- this week only and is having a SALE!!

Don't miss seeing designer girls dresses originally $60-130 in catalogs and Department stores.

Now they're on SALE for $20-37.00

Factory Direct 1,000 to choose from!!

Sizes 2T - 14 and infant

Girls: 2pc. skirtsets and dresses

DATE: Today November 3, 2008

Time: 4:30 to 6:30 pm.

Place: Sherrie Allfrey Residence
3843 W 11970 S
Riverton, UT 84065

Call me (Kim) if you have any questions (801)824-1874

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

A Very Special Day

2008-10-27T16:02:00.000-07:00

Trevon got baptized on Saturday! The weather was gorgeous everything went smoothly, it was such a great day. Brian did a great job. His words brought tears to my eyes as he blessed Trevon at his confirmation.
I am so proud of Trevon's decision to become a member of the church. He is growing up to be such a wonderful kid. He is so sweet and sensitive and caring, I really couldn't ask for anything more. I love him so much! He got some new scriptures with his name on them from Grandma Jo and Papa. And he got some scripture stickers from the Lambs. So on Sunday him and I put the stickers in his Book of Mormon together. It was nice to spend that time with him talking about the different stories in the Book of Mormon. We had a wonderful weekend.

The whole gang! Thanks to everyone who came. It is so nice to know how loved and supported Trevon is. We really appreciate everybody who came, thank you!
Goof Balls

TJ and Wendy
Kella and Brooklynn
Madison and Taylor
Brad and Robin
Katie
Trevon, Braden and Hailey

Bronco Cake

2008-10-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

I have to just take a minute to brag a little because even I can't believe I actually made this! Thanks to Becky and her awesome instructions I attempted to make a bronco cake for Trevon's birthday yesterday. And it actually turned out pretty darn cool if I do say so myself! It took me a long time, but I did it! I didn't burn it or drop it or anything. I am so proud of myself.

I also made this basketball one because we were having 23 people over and I didn't know if the bronco one would be enough.

Trevon is EIGHT!

2008-10-21T16:27:00.000-07:00

Trevon turned eight yesterday. My little baby boy is eight years old! Trevon is such a great kid, I really couldn't ask for anything more. He is a fantastic helper to me and is a genuine sweetheart. I love him more than words can express! We had a little birthday slash bronco party last night. (we won't talk about the bronco part) The party was fun. It was nice to have our family and friends over to enjoy a nice evening together. We ended up with 23 people over last night to enjoy pizza and blimpies and cake and ice cream. It is so nice to have a house large enough to be able to do that. I am so blessed!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-21T16:07:00.001-07:00

On Saturday we made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. It was a success! The kids always have such a good time picking out just the right pumpkin. This year there seemed to be a lot of particularly nice looking pumpkins which made it even harder to decide. Brian just kept filling the wheel barrow with more and more pumpkins. I think we ended up coming home with NINE pumpkins! Now our front porch looks like a pumpkin patch!

Taylor didn't want her picture taken until Brooklynn was there.
This picture makes me laugh. The three youngest kids are screaming their heads off and there is Jackson in the back making a peace sign.
Trevon is pouting because he didn't want to pose for a picture for me. Little stinker.

Here is Trevon pouting, and Taylor doing the pee pee dance.
Nice top of the head shot of Jackson.

Random Pics

2008-10-21T10:34:00.001-07:00

As I downloaded my camera I found a few pictures that just made me smile. So here they are.

This is what happens when Jackson gets creative with a roll of scotch tape. I don't know how he could breath with that stuff on his face. And it is a good thing his eyebrows are so blond you can't see them anyways because I don't think he had any left after he ripped the tape off. Crazy kid!
This was relaxing with Grandma Becky and Papa Bob during conference.

Being crazy at the circus.

Taylor's first day of preschool

2008-10-21T10:16:00.001-07:00

Taylor started preschool at the beginning of the month. She was so excited to go to Jackson's old school. She was so cute when we walked through the doors to the school she said "okay mom, you can go home now" and I said "don't you want me to take you into your new classroom? " She allowed me to help her find her seat and take a few pictures before she asked me to leave again. Little miss independent. She did great and she is having a lot of fun. She has even learned how to spell and write her name all by herself.

Jackson is SIX!!

2008-10-19T14:15:00.001-07:00

Jackson turned six on October 8th. I know I say this all the time, but I can't believe how fast they grow up. It seemed like just yesterday I was in labor with him for 22 hours!! (a hint of what was to come, I think) But it was worth every minute. We love Jackson so much! Life would be down right boring without him around. I love you Jackson! Happy Birthday!!

Someone was feeling a little left out.

A long time.....

2008-10-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

I has been a long time since I posted last. It has been a pretty crazy few weeks with Taylor starting dance and preschool, halloween costumes, and all the everyday stuff that has to get done. Check back, I promise I will post again real soon.

What was he thinking?

2008-09-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wish I could get into my kids' little heads and find out what the heck they were thinking. Yesterday I had one of those moments. Yesterday morning it was a little rainy and cold so I had the boys wear jeans to school. I just bought them new jeans for the school year since they outgrew all their old ones. So we picked up Trevon from the bus stop yesterday and he was wearing shorts. I looked a little closer and they were cut off shorts. That kid had cut the legs of his brand new Levi brand jeans off!! I was furious! I could not believe he did that! Did he think I wouldn't care? Did he think I wouldn't notice? I just don't understand what was going through his mind that made him do it. When I asked him why he said he got hot. I told him I hope he doesn't get too cold wearing those in the winter because I am not buying him anymore. So his punishment is he can't watch TV for a week and he has to read to Jackson 20 minutes each night. I just can't believe he cut the legs off of his jeans! This is definitely a story we will be telling his kids one day!

Las Vegas

2008-09-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

We spent the last day in Vegas before driving the rest of the way home. We took the kids to see the lions at the MGM Grand, and the M&M store, and to the water show at the Belagio. Overall it was pretty fun, but the strip on a Saturday night is not a place for kids that is for sure. Like Jenn, we just tried to keep the kids distracted by looking at the huge hotels and not at the ground littered with naughty pictures.
The trainers were inside with the lions feeding them. They would throw meat up against the glass so the spectators could watch them eat it.

The trainer waved at Taylor and Katie and threw a piece of meat right in front of us. There is glass, but I didn't zoom on this picture, we were actually that close!
The rest of the pictures are at the M&M store. It was kinda crowded but the kids had fun looking around and watching the 3D movie.

Taylor found a castle!

Crazy boys!

Jedi Training

2008-09-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

Last Day at Disney

2008-09-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

On our last day at Disney we rode all of our favorite rides at both parks. We started at Disneyland with our early entry pass, then went to California Adventure til they closed and then went back to Disneyland. It was pretty exhausting, but so much fun. I can't wait to go back.

Jackson and Tanner were chosen out of the audience to participate in Jedi training.

This was definitely the highlight of their day.

Jackson and Taylor having fun spinning on the ladybugs with Grandma Becky.
Brian about to take off on California Screamin. We had an extra fast pass, so he rode by himself.
Here is Taylor in her first pair of Minnie ears before she lost them.
And here is Taylor in the new pair of ears that we bought her after loosing the first pair.
At the end of the last day we tried to get some pictures of the kids all together. Poor Katie was exhausted and crashed in the stroller. Above is the normal picture.
Here is the silly picture.
Our little family.
The whole crowd minus the grandparents who where taking the pictures. Taylor, like Katie, was also getting very tired. Little miss grumpy!

Brian thought it would be funny, when we were having our picture taken with Jenn and Jordan, to pretend like he was going to kiss her. So here he is totally taking Jenn off guard.
It was pretty funny! We laughed for a long time about it. And just to clarify, Brian told Jordan ahead of time what he was planning, and he didn't actually kiss her, he put is hand over her mouth. There is never a dull moment with those two.
Here is finally a normal picture.
These next several picture were while we were waiting for the bus.

Cute little Katie fast asleep.
The kids were jumping off the bench and I would try to take the picture mid air. Pretty funny huh?
Another jumping picture.
Just Jackson jumping. (tongue twister)
I don't remember what she was pouting about, but what a face!!
Here is Jackson making us laugh at dinner at in and out burger.

Huntington Beach

2008-09-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

After two days at Disney we decided to take a break from the parks and head to the beach. That was one of my favorite days of the vacation. This is only the second time my kids had ever been to the ocean. We had a few boogie boards and lot of sand toys to play with. I wish we could have stayed one more day and gone back to the beach it was that much fun. At first I wasn't going to get into the water because once you get wet the sand sticks EVERYWHERE! But Brian and Jordan talked Jenn and I into it, and I am so glad they did. Jenn and I had a blast catching and trying to catch waves on the boogie boards. I think we probably brought home two pounds of sand, but it was totally worth it!

Katie was the first to venture into the water. I just love this picture.

Jackson and Trevon touching the waves for the first time.
Tanner coming to join the other two boys.
Brian and Jordan have been threatening for weeks that they were going to wear speedos to the beach. I never really believed they would actually do it. I was right about Brian (although he still claims he would have done it if he could have found a speedo in his size) but Jordan totally followed through with his threat. We were all standing watching the kids play in the water when all of a sudden from behind us we heard some whooping and hollering. Then all of a sudden Jordan came running past and into the water in nothing but a speedo. I still can't beleive he actually did it. I laughed so hard! We had several laughing moments throughout the trip because of Brian and Jordan. They themselves are quite the entertainment.
Nice pose. I think this one will be blown up to poster size and used as blackmail someday.
Hiding behind the boogie board.

Taylor liked the water, but I think she liked playing in the sand even more.

Surfs up!

Like I said, sand EVERYWHERE!!
Trevon and Madison got pretty good at the boogie boards, especially Madison. She caught an awesome wave on her very first try. This is another photo for the wedding video! ha ha

Jackson and Tanner were pretty proud of their sand village.

MORE SAND!!

They are pretending to be dead. I love Tanner's tongue sticking out of his mouth.
Brian and Jordan (with his swim trunks on) out to catch some waves.

Day two California Adventure

2008-09-23T11:48:00.001-07:00

On day two we spent the whole day at California Adventure. I have to say ,personally, I like California Adventure more than Disneyland. It is less crowded, the food is better, and the rides are tons more fun! I think we rode Soarin' about 15 times. It was nice because this year Taylor was tall enough to ride just about everything. Her and Jackson LOVED Soarin'.
Taylor was so tough! She rode space mountain, thunder mountain railroad, the Matterhorn, and even TOWER OF TERROR! I still can't believe she rode it. She didn't even cry at all. When we asked her if she wanted to ride it again she said maybe next time, but hey, at least she tried it. And now when we ask her what her favorite ride was she will either say Tower of Terror or the bus that took us to the park. She makes me laugh.
Here we all are heading into the park.

Jackson and Tanner started dancing to the music after we walked through the gates. They are a crack up!
Too cute!!

After the group picture, Tanner ran back to give Mr. Incredible a great big hug!
The three boys in their matching shirts playing with their matching light sabers.

The boys played star wars while Taylor danced.
Here is Taylor right after she conquered the Tower of Terror!
Sucker time.

Nice pose Taylor!

Day one Disneyland

2008-09-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

We had such a blast in Disneyland! I took a zillion pictures and I posted a lot, I know. They were all so cute I just couldn't leave any out. We picked the perfect time of the year to go. We hardly waited in any lines the entire time. I think the longest we waited were for Nemo and Toy Story the two fairly new rides. And even then we only waited maybe 15 to 20 minutes. We were able to ride everything we wanted to and sometimes several times.
This was the first night in Vegas. We went to fatburger for dinner.
Waiting outside for the bus to come and pick us up for the first day at Disneyland.
The kids were so excited they could hardly stand still. (neither could I)
Our little family at the happiest place on earth!
Taylor was being grumpy because she didn't want her picture taken, she wanted to ride the rides. She wouldn't turn around.
Finally Taylor turned around. I am sure she is doing the spiderman sign like the boys, but it sure looks like she is doing something else.
Cruella Deville was the first character we ran into. She was even mean and grumpy just like the real Cruella. The kids weren't so sure about her.
Buzz!! Everyone loves Buzz.
Aladdin was another favorite, but no Jasmine. Maybe next time.

Taylor loved to walk through the castle. It was one of her favorite things.
Those crazy boys! I don't think I have a single picture where one of them is making a normal face.
Again more craziness!

That is Jenn's hand in the picture pointing out Jackson's veins popping out of his neck! We were cracking up.
Jackson and Tanner out for a drive.
I love Tanner's face in this picture, it makes me smile!
Mickey was one of the highlights of the day. We got to go into Mickey's dressing room and talk and take pictures with him. You just can't go to Disneyland without getting your picture with Mickey!
I think Katie learned from Tanner how to smile for the camera. Those two are silly.
Jackson told me he thought Mickey liked all their matching shirts. I think he was right.

Little Katie, too cute.
This was Taylor's reaction when we told her the next stop was Dumbo.
Taylor and Grandma Becky on Dumbo.

What a crazy kid!!

Tower of Terror

2008-09-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

I have about a gazillion pictures from Disneyland, but I just couldn't wait to share this one. It makes me smile everytime I look at it! Between Brian and Jordan we had plenty of entertainment! Much more to come.

We're back

2008-09-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

We got back from Disneyland yesterday!! We had so much fun. I will post later with a ton of pictures just as soon as I get unpacked and all the laundry done.

Chuck, Chuck, bo buck.

2008-08-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

I just have to blog about this because I can't stop giggling when I think about it.

Lately Brian has been affectionately calling the kids knuckleheads. So on Monday evening we ate dinner at Panda and when we were finished Brian said, " Okay knuckles, buckles, and chuckles, lets get going." Then the kids asked "which one am I dad?" Brian said "Trevon is knuckles, Taylor is buckles, and Jackson you're chuckles." And then Jackson quickly responded " And Dad you can be fuckles!!"

I had to cover my mouth and turn my head away because I was trying so hard to cover up how hard I was laughing. Brian explained to him, with a very straight face I might add, that the rhyme he came up with kinda sounded like a bad word so we probably shouldn't say it again. Oh my gosh, I giggle out loud every time I think about it.

Then last night we went to dinner with some friends and we were telling them the story and laughing about it. And Brian said if his nickname was fuckles then that would make me mother fuckles! (oh, I hope that doesn't offend anybody) I was laughing so hard my eyes were watering and my cheeks hurt.

My baby boy's first day of kindergarten!

2008-08-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Jackson's first day of kindergarten. I can't believe he is old enough to be in school. Why do they have to grow up so fast? He had a great first day. He didn't even want me to drive him to school for his first day. He wanted to ride the bus with Trevon. So I let him ride the bus, but Taylor and I drove to the school and waited for him so I could see him line up with his class. I wanted to make sure he knew where to go. But as it turned out he probably didn't even need me.

I know Jackson will have a great time in his new kindergarten class. I am confident that he will make tons of friends. I love this kid so much!! As nice as it is to only have one kid at home in the mornings, I sure will miss my little blond haired boy!

She CRACKS me up!

2008-08-24T18:03:00.001-07:00

Taylor knocked over the dog dish and I couldn't resist grabbing my camera when I looked over and saw her cleaning it up. I was a little irritated when it first happened because I am pretty sure she was standing on the dog dish in order to get to something in the pantry. But this made me giggle and how could I stay mad! :)

Swim Party!

2008-08-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Larry invited us over to Uncle Larry's brother's house in Alpine for a BBQ. My cousin Evan is leaving for England soon and Barb and Larry are going on a mission to Austin Texas next month. It was nice to see them before they leave. The kids had so much fun playing with Zack and Lindsay in the pool in the backyard. The yard was gorgeous and HUGE!! It had a pool and a playground and two rock waterfalls with a little stream that ran all through the yard. It was pretty amazing! The kids told me that our backyard was boring in comparison, all we have is a trampoline.

Taylor and Lindsay, the little bathing beauties.

Taylor LOVED the slide. But since I still couldn't swim because of my surgery, I made her wear her swim ring unless my mom was there to catch her. One time though she slid down without her ring and we didn't notice until she was halfway down the slide. My cousin Amy swam as fast as she could to grab her. Taylor didn't even panic, she just kinda tread water for a half a second before Amy got to her. That girl sure had my heart beating fast!

Trevon and Jackson also LOVED the slide.

SLAM DUNK!!

Behind the house there is a field with horses. A few of them came up close and let Taylor pet them. It was a very nice and gentle horse. It loved Taylor's hand which had recently been covered in brownie. She informed me later that night that she named the horse Sally. She said "I just love when Sally tickled my hand."

Taylor and Sally.
Here is Taylor and her new best friend Jolie. We are going to be getting to know Jolie a lot better over the next two years because my parents are going to be taking care of Jolie while my Aunt and Uncle are on their mission. She is such a sweet dog, and Taylor has completely fallen in love with her. I told my Aunt not to be surprised if when they come back Jolie has grown a ton, sheds, and answers to the name Chance. (You don't think she'll notice if I switch dogs do you?)

Trevon's first day as a second grader!

2008-08-19T17:07:00.001-07:00

Wow, I can't believe my little man is in second grade! His first day was yesterday. He said he didn't know anybody in his class but he is working on finding a new friend. I don't doubt that he will. We love you Trevon and good luck in second grade!

The Cat is out of the bag!

2008-08-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

Last week when we got back from camping we decided to tell the kids about our vacation to Disneyland. The Lambs came over for dinner and then Jenn and I had a little scavenger hunt planned for the kids. We started in the backyard and told them we had a surprise, but they had to follow the clues to figure it out. They had a great time racing all through the house trying to find and solve all the clues. Eventually it lead them into the office where I had set out their autograph books we had gotten for them. Even after they picked them up and saw mickey on them, it still took a few seconds before they got it. And when the did, the were ecstatic! We leave in 19 days, and I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Camping at Palisades

2008-08-19T16:27:00.001-07:00

On August 8th we went camping with Brian's family for the weekend. We had a great time. The kids had a blast swimming in the lake all day on that Saturday. (I am pretty sure my kids are part fish). Below are some of the pictures I took that weekend.

Here is Taylor getting used to the water.

Taylor swimming and Jackson rowing with his hands on the little raft.
This was the face Jackson gave me because he didn't want his picture taken right then.
Anybody want a cookie?
We rented a paddle boat for the day. Trevon and Braden were impressive with their paddling skills. Everyone said it was quite the workout, but those two boys were awesome at it.
Taylor and Brooklynn chilling in the raft.
Trevon, my first born fish.
Brandon and Christy brought their kayaks with them to the lake. My boys instantly fell in love with them, especially Jackson. He got on that kayak by himself and he had definitely found his thing.
Here is Jackson out on the lake in the kayak all by himself. He was on that thing for probably two hours straight, only taking a few little rests in between. He loved it, and he was pretty good at it for his first time.
Thanks Brandon and Christy for introducing us to the kayak.
Here is Jackson taking one of those little breaks to catch his breath.
We had a nice relaxing weekend, well for me anyways. Poor Brian had to do everything since I was still recovering and was pretty much useless. Thanks honey! I know the kids had so much fun so I hope that made it worth it for you.

Battle wounds

2008-07-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

Check out Cassie's blog for a picture of mine and Tim's incisions. Just a warning: this is not for the faint of heart.

www.thedaysofcassie.blogspot.com

I'm home, and I feel so LOVED!!

2008-07-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

I am home! (I don't know why this is underlining, and I can't figure out how to make it stop oh well) I just wanted to write a quick thank you to everyone who has kept Tim and I and our families in their prayers. I know they have been heard and answered. I am doing really well. It is so nice to be home!

This has been so emotional for me, much more than I had thought it would. But it has been emotional in a good way. I have been so touched by the expressions of love that I have felt this past week. I feel SO SO loved! I think I might just be one of the luckiest people on this earth. I have the best circle of support anyone could ever ask for. I have the best husband, the most fantastic best friend, the cutest and most amazing kids, a wonderful family, and great friends. I feel so blessed. Thank you to everyone.

I will post again later when I have a little more energy, but for now just know how grateful I am for all of you. Thank you and I love you.

This is what I got to come home to. I really do have the best kids! Also thanks to Kaycee and Emily who helped watch my kids while I was in the hospital, and who I am sure orchestrated the sign project. It meant the world to me , you have no idea!! Love you guys.

I was in tears as we drove up the drive way seeing the signs the kids have made for me. I loved it.

We almost needed another vehicle to fit all the flowers in to take home from the hospital. They filled my entire kitchen table. They were beautiful! I FEEL SO LOVED!!!

Feeling Better

2008-07-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

Kim is doig much better. They took her off of the IV Pain meds yesterday afternoon and last night she got rid of the IV.

She is adjusting to the Loritabs ad they are making her a little bit sick to her stomach.

She got to take a shower last night which made her feel a lot better.

She can now sit up and get up by herself. she went for a walk or two yesterday all by herself.

She really wants to come home today. I think that she just wants out of the hospital, but we will wait and see.

I would like her to be on solid foods before the let her go. I woul rather err on the side of caution than brig her home to early.

Kim wants to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

The Road to Recovery

2008-07-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

I thought that I would update everyone on Kim's condition.

She is doing extremely well. She was up and walking 4 different times. Her nurse told her that most donors only get up 2 maybe 3 times the day after surgery. The last 2 times she got up, she did not feel sick to her stomach. The doctor was in this morning and told her that she was doing great. She was a star patient.

Tim is also doing very well. His creatinine levels were 6.5 before the surgery, the normal level in a healthy person is 0.7 - 1.2. As of this moring, his lefel had dropped to 1.7. Kim's kidney is really helping Tim.

We think that she will be coming home Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. Thank you to everyone that has helped with the kids, thought about or prayed for Kim and for everything else that has been done for us. A special thanks to Jen for keeping Kim's cndition updated. Kim is very blessed to have a friend like Jen, who is more like a sister than a friend.

The kids and I could not be more proud of Kim. She has done something that most people, me included would probably not do, and she never wavered in her desire to help. She has shown our family a great example and I feel that our lives have already been blessed by the Lord, and our testimonies have grown stronger. She scared me to death, but she reminded me how amazing she is.

I told her yesterday that I think that I have gotten spoiled. The amazing things that she does for us and the incredible person that she is day after day just seems commonplace. It is the norm, and I forget that not everyone is as lucky as I am to have her. A situation likes this reminds of how truly special that she is, and I love her more today than I ever have.

We love you Kim. Get well soon.

love,

Brian

Doing well

2008-07-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

I went to see Kim tonight and she is doing really well...in pain, but good. All of her vitals are great. We even stopped by to see Tim and he looked even better than Kim. I have a feeling that she will be a little more sore tomorrow, but her other kidney is functioning great. So no complications. I am so proud to call her my best friend! What an amazing woman!! Have a great night!

Hospital Info

2008-07-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

I've had a comment for the address of the hospital. It is: 5121 S. Cottonwood Street Murray, UT If you need any more info, you can leave a comment!! Thanks for looking.

Update

2008-07-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

Kim is now in her room at the new IHC hospital. She told me yesterday that she would love visitors (or at least a phone call). She is in room #1026. It sounds like Tim is doing well also and the kidney immediately started to function, so all is well! Thanks again for all your prayers and thoughts, they are truly appreciated!

Done!

2008-07-18T10:55:00.001-07:00

Kim is out of surgery and everything went very well! It seems like it took longer than expected but I think that is just because I have been pacing my house. When the Dr. talked to Brian he said that Kim was awake and that she wanted him to tell Brian that she was ok because she knew that he was VERY worried!! So...she will be moving to her room within an hour and I know she told me that she would love visitors. I will let everyone know when she is safe in her room. Jordan and I are going to see her tonight and I will give updates as I talk with her. I want to say thank you on her behalf for your prayers. We know that they helped!! Breathe a sigh of relief...

In Surgery

2008-07-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

Becky just called and said that Kim was just taken into surgery. She said they are scheduled to begin at 7:30, but the nurse said they are always late. They also said that they will be giving updates throughout the surgery, so when they call me I will post new info. But as for now Becky says Kim is doing fine (I didn't ask how Brian was doing) and I can't wait to hear that everything is done and all is well!! I will keep you updated!

We need your prayers!

2008-07-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have never been very good at expressing my feelings in words. So I am not going to try now. But tomorrow is going to be a HUGE day for me and my family. Tomorrow I donate my kidney to my good friend's husband. I am scared to death about the actual surgery, but I feel peace in my heart because I know this is what I am supposed to do. I pray that everything goes well and that both Tim and I will have a VERY speedy recovery. I would like to ask all of you to please keep us in your thoughts and prayers at this time. We really NEED them. Thank you to everyone who has offered help and support. This has not been an easy decision, but one that I can only hope will be rewarding to all involved. I know that my family and I will be blessed greatly. In fact a member of the transplant team told me yesterday that there is already a place in heaven reserved just for me! I hope she is right.

My best friend Jenn is going to be updating my blog throughout the day tomorrow so everyone knows how the surgery went and what the progress is. So check back tomorrow to see how we are doing. But in the meantime please please PRAY for us. Again thank you to everyone for your words of kindness and support. I LOVE YOU!!

I have found that among it's other benefits,

giving liberates the soul of the giver.

--Maya Angelou

Taylor's Bandaid Obsession

2008-07-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Taylor Loves band aids. She is obsessed with them. Anytime she gets hurt not matter how minor, a band aid always makes it feel better. On Saturday she went up to my bathroom to get some nail polish for me to paint her nails. When she came down this is what she looked like. She said she had a headache and needed a band aid to make it feel better. "I like your big band aids, mom" she told me. I couldn't stop laughing long enough to tell her those are not band aids! :)

This is another picture to display her love of band aids. I think she had at least five band aids on each cheek. That girl makes me laugh!

Trevon's shiner!

2008-07-09T12:24:00.001-07:00

Last week Trevon was jumping on the trampoline with Grandma Becky and Jackson. The boys took a funny bounce and bonked heads (or should I say faces) pretty hard. Trevon's face got the worst of it.

This was taken the next day.

After a few days it turned pretty black, but now it is much better. Trevon is sad the bruise is going away he thinks it is really cool.

My mom felt horrible since it was her bounce that caused the bonk. Brian likes to tease her and told her that she wasn't allowed to jump anymore because the new rule was you have to under 70 to jump on the tramp. Ha ha, he thinks he is so funny!

Jumping off the diving board

2008-07-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is the boys' new favorite thing to do at the swimming pool. It took Jackson a few days to get up the courage to do it, but once he did, he hasn't stopped. They just love to jump off the diving board.

It is funny to watch Jackson because he does this fast walk all the way off the board, he doesn't stop. I will have to get a video of it next time to post.

Fourth of July Party

2008-07-09T11:57:00.001-07:00

On the fourth of July we went to my in laws house to have a fun water party with cousins and friends. The kids had a blast and so did the adults watching the kids have so much fun.

Nice face Trev!

Duke is Bryce and Kella's chocolate lab. He is so funny! He loves to play with the kids, and when he got hot and tired he would take a little break either in one of the kiddie pools or on the slip n slide. The kids got a kick out of it.

There is Duke chillin in the pool.

Little Katie decided to join Duke for a swim.

Waiting in line for the slip n slide.

We had a great time and ate some great food. Thanks to Grandma Jo and Papa for letting us bombard their house. What a fun day!

Swimming at Grandma's Pool

2008-07-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

The kids love to swim at Grandma Becky's neighborhood pool. Here are a few pics from a few weeks ago when my sister and nephew were visiting.

Taylor and aunt Robin

My sweet Hubby

2008-07-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

Last night I was feeling lousy. I was totally nauseous with an upset tummy. ( I probably ate too much at our fantastic fourth of July BBQ) I went into the bathroom to puke, and in comes my sweet hubby to hold my hair back for me as I hurl in the toilet. He stayed the whole time with me until he was sure I was feeling better. That meant the world to me. I don't know if I would have done the same had it been him. I love you, and thank you!

PS. I'm all better now! It must have been something I ate.

The Big Secret!

2008-06-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

Don't tell the kids, it is a surprise! We are taking them to Disneyland in September. We are going with our good friends the Lambs, and their kids don't know either. I am not sure how long we will be able to keep it a secret, but we'll see. In a way I would like to tell them just so I can hold it over their heads and use it as bribery. "You better be good or we won't go to Disneyland." But they are pretty smart kids, I think they would figure out it was an empty threat.

We didn't want to tell the kids until we were absolutely sure it was going to happen, and I think we are to that point now. Jenn and I thought it would be so fun to try and keep it a secret. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they find out!! This is going to be a great trip with some great friends!!

My sister is going to be on TV!!!

2008-06-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I just thought I would let you know that my sister, Wendy, is going to be on TV tomorrow morning. She is going to be a guest on a show called The Home Team. It is on KJZZ channel 14 tomorrow morning Friday June 20th from 9:00am to 10:00am. She is going to be talking about her improv group I think. Anyways, I just thought I would let everybody know in case they wanted to watch. Good Luck Wendy!! I'll be watching.

Aunt "Molly"

2008-06-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

My sister Emily, or "Molly" as Taylor calls her, was here visiting from Logan. My kids absolutely adore her. They love it when "Molly comes to visit because she will do anything and play everything with them. We were at my mom's house yesterday for a BBQ and I looked out the back window to see this.

What a sweet aunt letting Taylor trace her in chalk! We love you MOLLY!!

My sweet princess

2008-06-16T13:18:00.001-07:00

My sister in law, Christy, took these cute pictures on Saturday at my in laws house. Aren't they adorable? Thanks Christy!

Memories

2008-06-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

I was looking at some old pictures and I decided to post a few of my favorites. It just doesn't seem that long ago when these were taken. I wish my kids would stop growing up!! Time is going by way too fast.
As I go through the rest of my Cd's I will continue to post some of my favorite pics. There were a lot to choose from, it was hard to narrow it down.

This is Trevon at about 9 months old

Brian looks drunk or something, but I just love the smile on Trevon's face.

Like father like son!! You gotta have some reading material when you're in the office. Great choice for a two year old, don't you think? :)

Oh Jackson! You have had us laughing since the moment you were born!!!

This is Jackson with his friends Tanner Lamb and Riley Mackey. I can't believe how little these three look in this picture. And now all three are so grown up and are in elementary school.

Ready for a swim? Trevon is still a little water bug. All three of my kids love to go swimming.

Check out the bling. I am sure this was a product of his Dad and uncle B.

What a handsome little guy.

Baby Birdies!

2008-06-02T17:06:00.001-07:00

We noticed this birds nest in our satellite dish a few weeks ago. And inside there were four little eggs. Well yesterday afternoon I looked and the eggs had hatched! I don't think I have ever seen little birdies so small. Brian was able to lift the kids up so they could get a little peek. It was pretty neat to see how excited they got. I was able to snap a few pictures while the mommy bird was away. I think they must have just hatched within a day or so because there is still one egg that hasn't hatched yet. Pretty cool huh?

When I leaned over to get this pic one little bird opened its tiny little beak. It probably thought I was mommy bringing food.

Testing out the tub

2008-06-02T16:55:00.001-07:00

So after ten years we finally got one! Our new hot tub! This was birthday, mother's day, father's day, anniversary, and early Christmas for us. We got it last week and we have used it every night since. Sometimes even twice a day! The kids also love it although we have to limit their time because we don't want them to overheat. It has been nice to sit and wind down after a long day.

It's just not worth the fight

2008-06-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Taylor has a very strong opinion on what she wears lately. Is it supposed to start this early? Getting dressed these days has sometimes turned into a battle. And to be honest with you, I just don't feel like fighting about it sometimes. Brian tells me "you're the mom", but it just isn't worth the fight. I usually win the fight when we are going out in public, but this particular day Taylor won. We actually went out to dinner with Taylor dressed like this. She insisted on the skirt, but it was cold so she went and put on the jeans underneath it. And you gotta love the black boots and the purple belt. She will probably grow up and work in the fashion industry.

This was Taylor's outfit earlier in the day. She wanted to dance, so of course she had to put on dance clothes.

A Backyard Again!

2008-05-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

Good bye brown. Hello Green!! We finished our backyard on Saturday. Well, not completely we still have to plant flowers and stuff, but we have sprinklers, a fence and sod! I am so excited to look out the window and see green instead of dirt. Below are picture of the process this past week.

Thank you to everyone who helped us lay sod on Saturday. We couldn't have done it without you guys!

The kids started to enjoy the grass right away.

Check out little Katie in the corner sunbathing in her shirt and panties. What a cutie!

My Preschool Grad!

2008-05-22T17:53:00.001-07:00

Jackson graduated from preschool today. He is growing into such a handsome little boy. I can't believe I will be putting him on the bus to the elementary school in just a matter of weeks. We are so proud of Jackson and his academic accomplishments this year. He has also learned a lot about the social aspect as well. He was able to take a situation where he was getting picked on and turn it into something positive. There was a kid who he said picked on him everyday. ( At home if it was Trevon picking on him he probably would have just slugged him.) Anyways, he was coming home upset and for a few weeks I had to drag him to school in tears. Brian had a little talk with him about this mean kid. They decided maybe the reason he was so mean was because he didn't have any friends. Jackson decided to try and be this kids friend. And it worked. This last month or so he was able to enjoy preschool again and now he has a new friend. Now our last goal is for him to learn how to tie his own shoes. Then he will be all set for kindergarten.

Great shot, I know. If you want to see a more clear one you will have to check out Jenn's blog and see her picture of Tanner. I am the worst photographer ever!

Taylor's first dance recital

2008-05-22T17:37:00.001-07:00

Taylor had her very first dance recital last Friday. I know I am a little biased, but she is ADORABLE!! I had so much fun watching and cheering for her. I was really proud of her. I was also very proud of Brian as well. He sold his tickets to the Jazz game that night so he wouldn't miss her performance. And for those of you who know Brian, know that that was a pretty big sacrifice for him. It was game six in the NBA playoffs and he was in a cramped seat in a junior high auditorium watching his only daughter dance. What a great dad!!
(And by the way the Jazz lost that night so I was pretty glad we weren't there to see it. But Brian says if he had been there they would have won. Oh well, there is always next year.)

Tiger Lil and the Dancing Duck

Their little duck costume won the best costume award! It was so darn cute!!

Taylor and her little dancing friends Cami and Payton.

The boys gave her flowers after the performance. Jackson obviously did not want to be in the picture.

Tee Ball

2008-05-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

This year I was a total slacker with the camera. These are the only two pictures I took all season! I am horrible! But I did bring the video camera to the last game and I took some video. So in my defense, that is why I have no still shots but these two. The boys did great and had a lot of fun as usual. Jackson got to be on the same team as Tanner. And Brian was the coach for Trevon's team. And as it turned out, even though the boys were on different teams, they played at the exact same time the entire season. In one aspect it was nice because we didn't have to spend two hours at the ball field each time. But on the other hand, I had to run back and forth to catch bits and pieces of each game. And Brian wasn't able to watch Jackson play a full game since he was coaching. All in all I think it worked out best this way. I really enjoy watching the boys learn and grow and have so much fun!

Trevon looks thrilled, doesn't he?

Dancing Duck

2008-05-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was picture day for Taylor's dance class. She decided to practice in the foyer as we waited for her turn.

What's inside me?

2008-05-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here is Taylor singing her version of I am a Child of God. We crack up every time she gets to this part. It is so funny, it will be a sad day when she figures out what the words really are. But until then we will continue to ask her to sing it anytime we want to smile.

Tinker Bell

2008-05-13T08:51:00.001-07:00

Last week my Dad was out of town at a trade show for his work. At the show was a booth with some of the Disney artists who were drawing pictures for people. My Dad said he had to stand in a long line to get this picture for Taylor, but it is so cute... it was worth the wait Dad! My dad told the artist that he would like a picture of tinker bell for his granddaughter. It took the artist like 30 seconds to draw it. Isn't it ADORABLE?!! I am going to find a cute frame for it and hang it in her room. Thanks Papa Bob!

BONK!!

2008-05-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

The weather was so nice the other day so the kids were outside hitting some baseballs off of their tee. It was Taylor's turn so Trevon put the ball on the tee but instead of stepping back, he leaned down to grab a loose ball that was by Taylor's feet. But she didn't notice and swung anyways with the metal bat. Below is a picture of what happened. Poor guy!! Good thing he is so tough. Taylor felt really bad, but accidents happen.

I LOVE these pictures!!!

2008-05-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my friend Sam took these pictures of the kids at Gardner Village. She did a fantastic job, I couldn't be happier! She gave me a disc with over a hundred pictures that she took that day. Below are just a few of my favorites. You can click on the link on the right hand side of my blog that says One Day in June to view Sam's portfolio if you are interested in her work. I highly recommend her, she did a wonderful job! Let me know what you all think.

In case you are wondering, the cute little guy in the last few pictures is my nephew Chance.

Random stuff

2008-05-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

I went with Trevon last week to his class field trip. We went to the Natural History Museum at the University of Utah. I had a good time with Trevon and his three little friends, Nicolas, Aiden, and Hunter.

Taylor, the beautician, doing Grandma Becky's hair.

What a weirdo!

My other little weirdo!

Last weekend when we were outside working in the yard Jackson got something in his eye. We figured it was probably just some dirt and when he tried to get it out he scratched his eye a little. It was really bothering him so we put eye drops in and covered his eye with this patch so he couldn't rub it. He thought it was pretty awesome.

A Front Yard, Yeah!!!!

2008-04-23T15:40:00.001-07:00

Yeah!! We have a front yard! Today I went with Trevon to his class field trip (pictures of that to come). When I got back this is what I saw. I cannot believe how fast they put the front yard in. It was the builder's responsibility to put in the front yard. They did the rock wall on Monday, which only took them about three hours. And then today they finished up. I am really happy with the outcome. There is not much grass, but what a difference a little green makes. And there isn't a lot to mow!

Now we just have to focus on the back yard. We had it trenched last week and the goal was to put in the sprinkler system on Saturday, but the wind was REALLY, REALLY bad. Brian tried to do a little bit, but the dirt swirling in the air from the wind would get on the pipe glue and in Brian's eyes. He did manage to get two lines glued despite the horrible wind. He is going to finish up this evening and cover up at least the back trench because we have topsoil being delivered tomorrow.We had to have the soil delivered and dumped before the fence guys come to install the posts either Friday or Monday. Then after the posts are set we are going to have the curbing put in the back for a few flower beds. After the curbing is done we will be all set to lay sod before the fence guys come back to finish the rest of the fence. The plan is to have the ENTIRE yard done in three weeks from now. I can't wait!! We will for sure have a BBQ this summer so you all can come and see.

Shaving Already!

2008-04-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning I came downstairs to see Taylor shaving her legs with Jackson's plastic toy razor. She told me "girls are 'posed to shave their LEGS mommy". She is growing up way too fast.

Joke of the Day.......

2008-04-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Jackson Allfrey

Knock, knock...
Who's there...
Orange.
Orange who?

Knock, knock...
Who's there...
Orange.
Orange who?

Knock, knock...
Who's there...
Orange.
Orange who?

Knock, knock...
Who's there...
Banana.
Banana who?
Banana aren't you glad it wasn't orange?