UPDATE!

WOW guys! I am so sorry. I have totally been SO UNMOTIVATED to blog! Its funny though cause I will do something or read something and be like " wow that would be a great blog post" but still do nothing about it. Lets just start with a quick update. Matt has a new job now working for a billing company. It has rocked our life cause we went from being in the red every month to finally having some money left over! Thanks Matt! I am still a teachers aide working with adults with disabilities and coaching swimming. Lillie is humungous! She is all over the place all the time. I just don't understand how 2 adults could completely run out of energy and a tiny little human being like Lillie keeps going!! She is so fun though and we are still obsessed with her even 1 1/2 years later. 2 weeks ago I had spring break and was able to spend all my time with Lillie. It was great! Here are some photos:

I made Lillie a sensory bin full of dried beans and put toys and cups in. She was entertained for at least 20 minutes.

BUBBLES!!

Side walk chalk. She mostly just wanted to eat it.

Sensory bin with water. She just wanted to dump the water all over herself. Oh well.

Park

Then we went to Baby Animal Days at the American West Heritage Center. It was fun. Rachelle came too so it was good sisterly bonding time.

Baby bears! So cool and so cute!

You cant tell, but we are on a little train. Lillie loved it, and so did I. haha

Easter

Once she realized candy was inside, she was all over this game!

I love cousins! Shout out to all my cousins, I love you.

 Allen family

Grandma and Grandpa Allen

Oh and we played dress up. 

Lets just say life is great. I am happy to be blogging again and I hope to do it on a more regular basis. Here are my blogging goals, I really want to be able to keep all our family and friends who don't live close caught up on our life and cute Lillie, I also want to blog about food, I love food, and all the good recipes I've made, and also I like to be able to write about controversial topics and my stand points, so I hope that is ok. Stay tuned for more.

To The Love Of My Life

     On August 24, 1983, at 7:03 pm, a son was born, 8 lbs 7 oz, to Scott and Karen James. Little did anyone know that this boy was born to be great. Although he was a little terror, known for his excessive biting, his army clothes and combat boots, once you met him, you would never forget him. That is still how he is to this day. Matthew Scott James, a loud zealous man, now a strapping 200 lbs, always the center of attention, just turned 28 years old. I just want to say to you babe that I love you so much! You really truly are the apple of my eye, you put the boom in my rang, you are the peanut butter in my jelly, I mean it when I say that you babe are truly my Scarlette Johansen. I love you babe and Happy (late) Birthday!!!

     Our birthdays are a week apart and so it has turned into this contest of who can make the others birthday more amazing. Matt always seems to win though because my birthday is after his. I really racked my brain though and tried to go above and beyond anything I have ever done before this year. So this year I started the morning off with some delicious french toast. Not too special but it was delicious. Then we did something that I normally would never do, because it is so terrible and so hard for me. We watched a movie in the middle of the day!! Few of you probably know that nothing could be greater in this world for Matt than laying on the couch on any ordinary day and watching a movie. For me this creates serious symptoms of restlessness and craziness. But I put my sanity and life on the line to make this birthday really special for Matt. We watched Willow, the all time best movie ever, thanks to our friend Chase Cutler for letting us borrow it. "You don't give black root to a baby!!"

After the movie I had some serious cooking to do for the BBQ that was going to take place that night. I made the patties for the spicy poblano burgers, the pickled onions for the burgers, and the creamy chipotle sour cream that goes on top. Matt even helped by making delicious potato salad with potatoes from our garden! After that, I put myself on the line again in order to make this birthday really special, I attempted to do something I never before had attempted to do, I made a blueberry pie, 100% from scratch. Matt loves pie! He is not a cake person, but I would consider him a pie connoisseur so I had to make this pie perfect. I planned ahead and got the all-butter pie crust recipe from allrecipes.com and had to make it the day before so that it could be refrigerated. Then I got the pie filling also from that website. I used fresh blueberries with sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and corn starch to make it thick. The pie turned out amazing! I seriously have been bragging ever since and even thought that my pie could have been Martha Stewart worthy.

     We ended up having a great time at the BBQ with our friends the Cliffords, the Mossomans, and the Wilmores.

     I feel that Matt's birthday was a total success! Although Matt still may have beaten me with the birthday festivities this year, I do feel that this was the best birthday I have ever put on for Matt. I love you Matt!!

Oh and last but not least, lets have a moment for Matt.....