Blog for today

I realize that it has been a while since I have blogged. In summary Summer: -Allen went backpacking with his family in the wind river and we stayed with Grandma Gilbert in Sheridan. -We went to Bear Lake with the Cutright family. -We had a "Staycation" and slept downstairs and pretended it was a hotel. -Fun 4th of July party in Grandma and Papa's back yard. (we lost buster for a few hours, but we found him" -Lilly is in 1st grade now. She has Miss Crawford and is doing very well. Perfect scores on spelling and math tests so far. Also, she is a sweetie. She won a bag of smarties for red ribbon week and she shared it with her entire class. -James started kindergarten and has the same teacher that Lillian had last year (Mrs Osmun) -Maddie is doing a neighborhood preschool 2 days a week The first time Grandma Gilbert came to visit us for a night. She took the kids on a safari in the yard. -Allen went to Afghanistan 2 times this year. About 3 weeks each time. The second time he was able to see Jonathan Bell (Jen's husband). They were on the same base for a day or so. Jonathan brought breakfast to Allen while he was camping out in the airport. He also has been camping like crazy with his scouts and his family and our family. (We have yet to go with just our family this year.) -Alison (me) Sometimes babysit Xander and Kogan. We go to the zoo often because we have a pass this year. Driving the minivan carpool. Visiting Cafe Rio on Tuesdays (if I get a chance) for the 1.75 tacos. My biggest enemy will always be the dishes and the laundry. Still in the Primary Pres. Allen has taken us all fishing at the reservoir. Grandma Cutright had emergency surgery and in October had a follow up surgery in October. Paige Gilbert became Paige Bodily. Congrats!!! Natalie and BJ moved 1 block away to a new house (they bought it and totally remodeled it.) Kim and Ryan are still living with Grandma and Papa...Kim is pregnant! yahoo Jen is living in California (they built a new home). A few months after the home was finished and baby Lucy was born Jonathan was deployed to Afghanistan for 6 months. Right now James is sitting next to me doing puzzles wearing his spider man pajamas and his pirate hat. That boy has my heart. Today we were dancing in the kitchen together just me and him. He has a pure heart just like his daddy. The girls both have a friend over and they are playing downstairs/outside. They pretend the window well is their fort and then Lilly goes down to the toy room and opens the window. (they always try to sneak food down there, I just tell them that if they take food out of the kitchen then we will have mice)ha ha...it is true. There is a big empty field behind our house (will hopefully one day be a park). The past month was hard because Allen was in Afghanistan for almost 3 weeks and the kids were all sick while he was gone. My mom also got surgery while he was gone. When he came home he slept like crazy to get over the jet lag but he was so run down that he got sick too. Lilly- double ear infection (almost pnomonia) Maddie- Ear infection James- flu...then a week later sinus infection, Allen- bad sinus infection. I was blessed to stay well and strengthened by the Lord so I could care for them. The lawn hasn't been mowed for about a month. I am just getting a handle on the house again. I am currently racing James...he has one more puzzle then it is his turn to use the computer. Lilly should be getting ready for Ballet practice and the friends will go home soon. Then the Dentist at 4 pm for Lilly. Then we will come home and have pork roast (I still need to put it into the Crok pot...it might be too late). Then we are having activity days at my house tonight because one of the other leaders had a family emergency. Oh, and Allen has scouts tonight. Crazy days! Oh, the Primary Program is this Sunday! Crazy days.