Trip Photos Are Coming!!!!!!!

In case any of you who check this blog were unaware, we were out of town the last two weeks. We drove, taking three days, out to Utah for my sister Maribeth's wedding on June 21st. We stayed in Utah until the 26th then drove to Estes Park, Co for Brandon's "double" cousin Matt's wedding on the 28th. We were there until the 1st of July, when we started our trek home. We got home last night on the 2nd. So, I'm still working on getting all the pictures and videos downloaded and then uploaded to post. I have a ton of cute stuff! So be patient and I will get to it as soon as the 5th load of laundry is out of the dryer! OK, so I hope you don't hold your breath, but getting a post up is high on my priority list!

Love to you all, Laurel

Food Fun with Livi and Nadia!

Livi likes watermelon!
Big bite!
Yeah, for watermelon!!!
This is the way we eat some fluff, eat some fluff . . .
And this is what we look like when we're done!!

Livi dancing!

Livi showing off her dancing skills and her new haircut!

She was much happier about the haircut after the fact as you will see in the following photos!

Haircut for Livi!

Livi's first haircut! She was not too happy!
Here she's just whining about it a little.
I think it's ok now.
Maybe not........

The end result was beautiful though!

Kerrin's Recital Dance!

This is Kerrin's recital dance. She loved being on stage.

She doesn't love classes, but she really liked the end result!

I (Laurel) was her teacher for ballet this past year, so I choreographed this dance.

KRD from laurel allen on Vimeo.

Family Fun!

This picture was taken in "Eden Park" in Cincinnati. It used to be a reservior, but now it's a fun spot to do some rock climbing!


This one helps give you some perspective on how high up they are!
My four climbing kids!
The sun was a little bright!







Livi does my make-up with me every morning, so she knows what everything in my make-up bag is for. I left the bag in my purse the other day and she put some mascara on all by herself!







Livi has discovered she really likes berries! All kinds!




Livi wearing mommy's shoes, something she does very often!

Much too long since my last post...

Well it has been two weeks since I last updated the blog!!! So sorry! Life has been busy. Lots of change has happened to our family over the past few weeks. Let me give the brief version of what has transpired.


Brandon had been talking about going out on his own to do his own consulting, team building, organizational development, ext. He loved Camp Joy, but has felt underpaid and under appreciated for quite some time. So to make a very long story short, Brandon is now the owner of Smart People Inc.! (You can look it up on the web at smartpeopleinc.com). He is working from home. So that is taking some adjustment, I think more on my part than anyone elses! He threw off the routine you know! I think I just wasn't quite prepared for the whole thing. The one thing I do know is that Brandon is way happier!! I am so grateful that God has a bigger picture view than I do! Things are going well and I think that Brandon will do an incredible job at running his own company.


The other thing that of course is exciting to our family is that we found out that we will be adding yet another girl to the Allen crew here! Mason is the lone ranger of this house. He is all boy, but naturally already a ladies man! It's a good thing he doesn't seem to mind having sisters, as he will be growing up with four of them!! He will grow up with Kerrin, Nadia, Livi and "P"baby all sisters and girls through and through! I will see if I can scan in a picture from the ultrasound. So that is the update!! I will post some pictures as soon as I can get them to upload! I'm having problems getting anything to upload lately!!! Sooo sorry!

A trip to the zoo!!!

The kids loved climbing on these bronzes thoughout the zoo!
We got to see the elephants eat some lunch!
This is another bronze statue. Nadia called it "Lumpy"

like in Pooh's Heffelump Movie!
Nadia looking at a white lion. (You'll see the lion in another picture.)
All the kids and daddy at the white lion's cage.
This is the lion!!! He was sleepy, but we got to see him yawn
and see his big long tongue. Livi then kept sticking out her tongue!
By the way, Brandon took this picture which I think turned out great!

The kids all loved the zebras. This was one of Livi's favs!
Kerrin looking at the stinky flamingos. They are pretty but smelly!

It was a super fun day! We had a blast!

Balloon fun!!!

Nana had just come from a primary activity that she was in charge of and they had rented a helium tank. So she came over on her way to return it and blew up balloons for the kids! they had a ball as you will see from the pictures!
Nana and Livi
Nadia liked to try doing it herself!
Happy girl!
This was the scene most of the time Nana was here! My four little ones all gathered around her to watch what she was doing! I love this picture!
My arm is floating!!!

I've been "tagged" ...

I've actually been tagged more than once, so I am finally responding . . .

FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE: Hostess at a resturant, ballet dancer for Cleveland Ballet, secretary for my husband, ballet teacher at various studios in Ohio.
FOUR PLACES I'VE LIVED: Shelby Twp., Michigan, New York, New York, Cleveland, Ohio, and Lebanon, Ohio.
FOUR PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY: Janine (my sister), Cindy (my mother-in-law), Granny T., and travelocity(!)
FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS: Lobster, Sushi, Jelly Bellies (I don't know if those really count as food), and Venison.
FOUR PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW: Disney World, Sailing the BVI (British virgin islands), Hawaii, on a cruise with no children!
FOUR THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO. My last pregnancy (not sure if this is it or not), My huband finding his dream job, Taking my kids to Disney World, and taking a vacation without my kids!
FOUR FRIENDS I WANT TO TAG: Krista, Nicci, Laura, and Katie