good books

Every once in awhile Eric is great about walking into a room and pulling out his phone to take a picture of our family moments. I'm so grateful he has learned to do this. Because he has documented some of my favorite moments. Moments like this one.

Back in December, the girls and I spent many nights cuddling under the christmas tree reading christmas books together. It felt so magical and peaceful to enjoy so many stories under the twinkling lights. It was hands down my favorite part of the christmas season.

Though another highlight of the season also includes good books. I hosted my second annual favorite book exchange party.

Everyone brings an unwrapped favorite book. These were the picks this year.

After eating and talking, we each went around and gave a brief explanation of the book we brought and why. Then we rolled a dice and passed our book to the right that many times to start the exchange. Then we did a five minute frenzied exchange. We set a timer and passed two bowls around, each with two dice. When you got a bowl you quickly rolled the dice. If you rolled a double, 7 or 11 then you got to exchange your book with anyone that you chose. At the end of the timer, that is the book you got to go home with. These were the books we went home with.

It was such a fun group of women that night. Our book club hasn't been meeting that often because of covid so this was really nice to gather with women who inspire me, teach me, make me laugh, and our united with me in a love of good books.

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve was filled with family and traditions.

We started out on a cousins hike with Grandpa. 

Perry got a burst of hiking energy with his cousins there. They led the group by a long shot for pretty much all of the hike.

Later that afternoon was the Annual Allen Family Untalent Show!

This year our little family dressed up in costume to perform to "Grandma got run over by a reindeer." Our little reindeer didn't want her antlers on for the picture at the end. But when we practiced right before everyone came she was a splendid, energetic reindeer.

Grandma enjoyed that egg nog a little too much.

I did not get pictures of everyone Untalent at the show, but here's a few that I did get.

The schlink kids did some fast running to the song "run rudolph run."

Until Santa's reindeers were too tired.


Perry didn't want to join our little allred family number because he had big performance plans of his own. And it was pretty spectacular! He danced and balanced and jumped to the song "Like it's christmas" by the Jonas Brothers.

There were so many highlights, but especially loved his cool jump spins.

Schlink kids showed us some of their gymnastics moves. Little Gray ended with the snake!

Brinns saw their moves and wanted to take a turn on the mat, too. She got into her dance, rolls, and hand stands.

It was a christmas miracle when Grandpa got up to participate! He led us in a rope tying team game.

Layla played jingle bells on the piano.


These girls changed the lyrics to a song to make a covid parody to sing to us. Clever girls!

Layla showed off her flexibility by touching her head to her toes.

Brinn performed to "Into the Unknown." It started as dancing and ended as singing her heart out. Can we get this girl into theater already??




Brinn also felt compelled to join Harper in singing Baby Shark with the microphone.

Grandma ended the show with a pass the present game.

Grandpa and I had a little side show going on. We got some dance moves that's for sure.

We had our cousins and Grandparents gift exchange. Each cousin gives to another cousin.


So enthralled in the pages of her book she wouldn't even say thank you.

Pretty thrilled with the Harry Potter wand pen and Harry Potter journal! He even wondered later if it was Tom Riddle's diary and he was holding a horcrux. (I'm loving this Harry Potter stage).

Love!

Grandma gave each of these girls their own cleaning set. A happy gift for mom and kid alike!

Layla made Macie a dog house for her stuffed dogs. 


We ended the evening with the traditional meal of fried chicken. So glad for traditions and family to share the day with.

happiest of Christmas

What we needed more than anything this Christmas was to slow down and enjoy each other. This time and these moments are the most important to me right now. I want to be present with the ones I love the most.

It has taken months of hard work and focus on myself and my Heavenly Father and my family and my values, but I deem it a Christmas miracle for me to feel as good as I feel today. I feel like I went through hell and back these last two years. To be here and to feel such peace right now brings me such joy. It teaches me  that no matter the pain or the brokenness, there is always hope. Because of my Savior and the ways he helps us learn—little by little, step by step, grace by grace—I feel both hope and joy again. 

And that’s what I wanted. I wanted to be content and happy and full of love and appreciation for my family again. I think we found it this Christmas.

We put phones away for the day (my teens loved that). We exchanged gifts, we enjoyed traditions, and we spent quality time with each other. We found peace.

Happy highlights of the holiday:

-Layla’s prep and planning for all her performances in the Untalent show 

-Out families costumes and performance of grandma got run over by a reindeer

-Perry’s dance in the untalent show and his excitement and pride

-Layla’s jaw drop when she saw some of her gifts 

-Cooking our big breakfast with everyone’s help 

-Layla’s Christmas notes to everyone 

-gift exchange

-preparing lunch platters together

-watching Perry play with his toys

-Brinna wearing her new dress ups 

-Brinna being engrossed in reading her new books

-watching kids play with things together, like baby yoda legos

-surprising my mom with a gift from my dad

-my dad surprising us by looking at his gifts after the gift exchange and opening Perry’s present to him

-FaceTiming a sister and favorite things gift exchange with all my sisters

-a family walk with Kacin by my side most of the time

-Kyler’s big hug to me at the end of the day

-playing costume party assassins, including Perry and my parents, with everyone

-looking through the telescope at the planets and moon

-sitting outside with Eric in the afternoon and reading a good book together while Brinn played around us (and took our picture!)

(all of these phone pictures are so blurry today)

We got the kids to bed on Christmas Eve.

Stockings were laid out and sometime during the night, Santa left some gifts. (the big L puffy is one that Layla already had and just had left to claim her spot).

Santa delivered two little chicks to a little 9 year old girl who has been talking about them nonstop. 

I'm sure Santa had a fun time trying to hide them for almost a week (thank you, Kacin, for your bathroom).

Layla woke us up every hour beginning at 2am. I was ready to cancel christmas after so little sleep! But we gathered at 7am on our big bed. Perry woke up by 7:30am so we could all sit at the top of the stairs toegther.

Eric showed us a short video of the nativity.

Then we headed downstairs oldest to youngest this year to see what Santa brought.

Delight!






Her jaw was dropped and her hands covered her mouth in excitement for her chicks.This joy makes christmas so worth it!


Give this girl and book and she is happy as can be.


I think he liked his gifts, too.

Never a straight face.

After we saw what Santa brought, we made a big breakfast together.

When our bellies were full, we exchanged gifts with eachother.

Get ready for hug fest!  I love seeing the excitement and the love from giving. 

After the exchange, we spent the rest of the day playing with new toys, reading books, building legos, watching a christmas movie, walking through the neighborhood, and eating food.

Happy christmas!