New Hampshire and Friendship

You can't make friends like Amanda Johnson-Lufburrow when you are 33. It's not possible. She and I have known each other since 8th grade. That means we have known each other through our first date, first kiss, and first marriages! We have seen each other move from Texas to California to D.C. to Tennesee to Boston to New Hampshire. Amanda and I have shared secrets with each other and kept secrets from each other. We have fought and cried together. We have watched each other grow up, and change; we love each other no matter what.

Now, we are each one married with two kids and so busy that we barely talk once a month. What I know from my recent visit to New Hampshire to visit the my girlfriend, however, is that no matter how much time goes by, we are connected. The kind of friendship we have cannot be replicated. The history we have lived cannot be undone.

Here are some memories we made (notice there isn't one photo of me with my friend... not sure what happened there!):

1. SNOW!!!

2. Holding Baby Claire!

3. Stella wearing my sock w/her PJ's!

4. Cutest bath time EVER!

5. Snow bunnies ready for the mall

Odessa

Sometimes tragedy brings forth an unexpected blessing. That's what happened for me this week when I traveled to Odessa for my uncle Keith's funeral. You never want to attend a funeral-especially one for a man who leaves behind four young children. However, it provided an opportunity for me to visit some relatives I haven't seen in years:

"Paw Paw"

(reminded me that he helped raise me

while feeding me orange slices and peanuts)

Fire Station

(brother Travis recently became an Odessa Firefighter)



Brett
(on brother Travis' motorcycle...
notice the West TX terrain)



Dad and Travis

No No Yes Yes

No No Sydney, Don't Unroll the Toilet Paper.
Yes Yes, You May Stack and Unstack the Rolls.

No No, You Can't Eat Legos.
Yes Yes, Hand Them to Brett.

No No Little Girl; Do Not Throw Food.
Yes Yes, EAT YOUR VEGETABLES.

No No, Sydney Stop Screaming.
Yes Yes, Learn to say Please and Help!

No No, Please Keep Your Hands off the Remote.
Yes, Yes, You May Hold My Locked Phone.

No No, I Will Not Let You Eat the Book.
Yes Yes, I Will Let You Hold it and Read.

She Walks

Exciting times in the Allen home! Sydney finally walks at 14 and a half months. Too cute for words so check out the video...

Facelift

I got my blog a facelift today! Thanks to my friends April and Erica, we look like ourselves now! Check out April's awesome work at www.aprilzphotography.com. She took our most recent family pictures. You can find Erica's blog at www.haphazardhappenstances.blogspot.com. Erica blogs A LOT and it's my favorite one to read!

SNOW!

All week, we heard snow was a comin'! Well, it did. For five minutes. See:

Mrs. Klepper's 2nd Grade Class

This year, I have tried to be more involved in Brett's class. He has a wonderful teacher and he is doing really well in school. Recently, I went with the class downtown to the Austin Children's Museum. Seventeen kids, three teachers and four moms followed the buses down. Here's a picture of Brett trying to be "too cool for school" with me. He wouldn't smile for the camera.

After the museum (which was supposed to be educational, but was more like herding a bunch of cats), we trekked over to Zilker Park to have our picnic lunches and to play on the playground. Here's the whole class: (Brett is the one laying on his stomach acting crazy!)

I took Brett for an ice cream and a walk after the rest of the class headed out on the bus. We made a special memory and I am so glad I went!