Photographs, Fishing lures, and Frogs

The title pretty much describes what is stacked in my Az. room/my computer space. It also represents the "last" of the tangible items from my parent's home. It has made me think, what will be left after I am gone from here? What will be the last things my children will let go of, memory makers, items that connect me to them? What do I want them to care about?
The three items in the title are, generally speaking, the things that most represent my parents. I could add a stuffed elk to the list, but I drew the line at dead animals laying around and it is stored at Brent's office.
My Mom loved pictures, she took pictures from teenage years on, but I think they are an extension of her love for people, family. She loved doing things, going places, and remembering them with photos. I am very much like that, even so far as her storage system, which was put them in a big box. Period.
My Dad was a lover of outdoors, woods, and told me once that he should have been a forest ranger. I never liked fishing or hunting, but I cherish the lures sitting next to me.
So, what would my family have to go through? Photographs, cookbooks, travel folders, waterglobes are not going away anytime soon, so they will be on the list. I hope that, like my mother before me, they remember me for my love of people and places. (Thank goodness for son-in-laws who have a love of fishing and hunting.)

Okay, So I have figured out that I am officially BAD at keeping up with blog writing, not reading other peoples, just writing. I am also a failure at returning emails, posting things on Facebook, writing in a journal, and labelling pictures. What does this mean? You might think that it means I don't like to write. Ha!! I LOVE to write, especially family things,so what's the problem? Yes, I am asking YOU, cause I don't know the answer! Why do my eyelids droop uncontrollably when I sit down at the computer to write? I need someone to invent a lovely tool that could take what I write in my head and put it on paper/computer.

Beyond that, life in the Allen household is moving along steadily. I am bringing more boxes down from my Dad's that I can set in the Az. room and look at as I pass by everyday. Brent is bringing home more things to take to the boats in Mexico and placing them in the garage.

I did find something interesting in another box of pictures I found of my Mom's, out of all the comic books my brother and I read as children, she saved 5 that I guess she felt was noteworthy.

I don't remember reading these, I only remember a lot of Archie comics! It has been very interesting, taking out the emotional equation, going through the things they thought enough of to keep. I am going to try my hardest to weed out the garbage and only keep the items that mean something to me, hopefully with something written down explaining why I kept them.. Now we are back to the writing thing again. . .

Forever Family

I am afraid I am destined to blog a bundle of things at once, I write the most amazing, creative blogs in my head,but they never make it to the site. By the time I am here, I just jumble everything up in one big blobby blog. But the one's in my head are so cute, really!

I guess first and for most was the beautiful sealing of the Allred children to their parents. I had to hold back tears, more tears than I shed at my daughters' weddings. My joy was deeper than the obvious joy of seeing a sealing bring two beautiful children to our family. All of our precious girls were there, (along with some really special guys!) But the most heart healing emotion came at the realization of my Laura's dream of having children. Her pain has been my pain, and now her joy was mine also. To see your child suffer, then to have the suffering replaced with so much love, it was an indescribable feeling. In a really good way.

The rest of my blobby blog will have to wait. . .

Okay, turn about is fair play.
Things I did not like about the weekend:
Missing the blessing of Laura's two beautiful little boys. : (
Grown children that disrespect their mother. ( Definitely NOT ANY family member of mine!)
A sick husband.
Marshmellows that don't melt.
Being exhausted after attending a wedding/reception.
Hitting the lamp post with the truck.
Falling asleep early three nights in a row.
Friends that don't answer/ return phone calls after emailing that they are"almost dead".
The mess by my computer that is still there.

It doesn't sound as bad as it felt, but I am remembering some good things too, next posting!

random fun and other things

I feel a need to just catch up with blogging, so I am going to jumble everything together in one happy little blog and entitle it, oh, something creative like, "Things That Happened in the Last Month".

With the amazing weather we have been blessed with(it IS Az. in the springtime),

I pulled out the zoo membership card, dusted it off, and have made a few walking trips around the animal kingdom. Below are two of my favorite exhibits, although I always head first to the orangutans, to pay my respects and say hello.

We had a lovely birthday gathering for dear Jenny at the beginning of March, homemade pizza and smoothies for dessert. An amzing fact, we waited dinner till 7 p.m. as Jenny was working that day. If you know the Allens, you know that was a rare feat for us.! Of course, no Allen gathering is complete without a bit of game playing! As you can see, Tyson and Dad did not make it to the game playing.

A bitter sweet moment came when we moved my Dad's bedroom set to our spare room. It looks like it was made for that room, as it is a big set, the room is big enough to hold it nicely. Dad did not spare comfort whne putting it together, it is a great place for a retreat or a nap! Maybe the Allred's will like it. . .

The pictures below are just random, cute, and all Allen. How many 20 something adults can still find joy in making and hanging out in an inside tent? Joy is everywhere, a person just has to look for it.

Stefanie waiting for Tyson to get done with work, sharing a "girlie" movie night with her Dad. I call it girlie because of the movies they were watching. Dad lasted longer than daughter!

I will tell you what this is, cause I doubt that you can figure it out! A yummy, tasty plate of fried green tomatoes! A treat I have enjoyed since childhood, and one I don't get very often. I saw somme almost green tomatoes at Costco, and had to do it. It only really frys up well if they are totally green, which is why these look kind of mushy. If you want brownie points, bring me a green tomato!

Last week I was able to do my first extra work in a long time, it was so fun, but, more than that, I was so grateful to feel good enough to be doing it. Jenny got booked on the same job, which made it more fun.

Things I am happy about today :
Walking the zoo and enjoying the spring!
Reading the Allred's blog
Finding an old friend on Facebook
It is only 7pm and I can put my pjs on
Re-re-re-reading my beloved Mitford books
Smelling the wet dirt that is harboring lovely/delicious things in my front yard(thanks Jenny and Aaron)
Everyone seems to be almost well again, and happy!
The icemaker works again
The wild daisies growing in neighbor's yards
I finally figured out that the nasty smell was my new garbage can(goodbye new garbage can!)
I feel like writing again, at least right now
The Suns are playing tonight
Writing this will make Laura a bit happy!

Okay, so I guess I've been tagged, which means I go to My Pictures, 6th file, 6th picture, and blog about it. Oh, yeah, I am supposed to tag 6 people, but I only know the bloggers that Laura has already tagged!

This is a perfect picture to put on, yesterday would have been my Dad's 77th birthday.

I took this picture at a Neff family gathering at my Uncle Jack's house in Hardinsburg, Kentucky.

With my Dad is Sarah Neff, the youngest "child" of my only brother. I am SO glad I went back to visit, I was able to reacquaint myself with most of my relatives on the Neff side, reminisce about my childhood, and see my father together with his remaining siblings. What a great experience!