Our Christmas Story

Our local radio station, 99.9 KEZ plays Christmas music from Thanksgiving right up until Christmas Day. We found ourselves enjoying the Yuletide carols on our way home from Grammy and Papa’s Christmas Eve Dinner Party. A touching story came on about a family of three. A single mom and her two kids weren’t going to have much of a Christmas. She lost her job right before Christmas and was concerned as to what they were going to do for Christmas dinner, let alone purchasing Christmas presents for her kids. Christmas Eve came around and some of the mom’s friends came over to visit. The next day was Christmas and they were planning on spending it alone with each other. They didn’t even have a Christmas tree. Christmas night came and to their surprise, Santa came knocking at the door. He came bearing Christmas dinner and gifts. “How did he know?” said Delilah the radio host. “A Christmas angel must have told him,” the daughter replied.
I turned to my wife Shiloh to see her about to shed a tear. It really was a touching story and we could relate to the struggle. As we pulled up to our driveway Shiloh then broke into tears when we saw the box of Christmas gifts left for us by our front door. You see, September 12, 2008 I lost my job. Two months of unemployment put us in a unique situation that we hadn’t experienced yet. We were still trying to pay off the late payments and debt that we had accumulated and needless to say Christmas was starting to fall off the radar. Twelve days before Christmas we started receiving parts to a Nativity Scene and delicious little goodies. It was fun for us. Shiloh really wanted to investigate and find out who was leaving us all these holiday goodies. We actually pulled up one night while they were leaving something but I kept driving. We couldn’t make out who it was and that made the suspense even greater. Christmas Eve came around and Shiloh and I had scrounged up enough money to buy T.J. one gift. All T.J., my son wanted for Christmas was a Razor Scooter. We made that happen but that was really the only gift that was to be received on Christmas. You see, our daughter Pammie was only nine months old, so we could get away with not getting her anything. Shiloh and I are big kids and we too could handle not getting anything for Christmas. Though we had already accepted the fact that Christmas was going to be a rough one, we still felt the sadness of not being able to really do Christmas that year. That night we were reminded what Christmas is all about. Someone, maybe St. Nick gave us the Christmas we thought wasn’t coming that year. Shiloh and I felt so loved and so blessed.
We know that regardless of who was responsible for the gifts, our Heavenly Father blessed us through the kindness of others. Christmas really isn’t about Santa Clause and eight tiny reindeer. It is about loving our Heavenly Father and about loving our neighbor. Merry Christmas.

Sleeping anywhere!

So I was looking through all my pictures and noticed that there are a lot of sleeping ones. So here you go! T.J was mad at me for making him eat the muffin. Ya I would be too, it's burnt.


Tim came home from work and said he wanted to spend time with me, next thing I know he is knocked out on the luv sax. I guess getting out to Tempe by 6 every morning, really wares a man out!


Pammie is in her favorite toy, she loves this thing, so much that every now and then she falls asleep in it.:)


Tim and Pammie are just too cute! One last Saturday afternoon, gotta have those good naps with Dad.:)


So I was thinking, why are their no sleeping pictures of me? Oh ya that's because I don't sleep!!:)

Lots to Blog about!

There is so much to blog about. So I'm just going get started.... first our good friends Justin and Tiffany Feaster came to visit. Justin has work stuff to do in Mesa, and they stayed for the weekend. We had a great time catching up and hanging out like old times. Isn't Tiffany is the cutest prego ever!! They are one hot couple!:)



Tim had a Xbox party with the Y/M in our ward for mutual. And our master bathroom toilet decided to over flow! I was so mad! We call the plumber to take care of it. And to make a long story short, about 4 hours, every towel we own, and a good chunk of money, we came to find out that baby wipes are very bad for the toilet. Ya I know that sounds so stupid, how did I not know that. What ever I'm dumb! So the towels were so wet I couldn't just dry them and I couldn't use the washer yet. So all the towels went all over the back yard. Because it was so cold it took them to days to dry. Gotta love life's little challenges!

Thankful

Things I'm thankful for....

My sweet hubby, and his love for me!
The love that grows for him every day!
My big boy T.J
My sweet Pammie Shea
My Daddy And new Mama:)
Taryn, and all the help she gives me
Family
My church calling
Timmys church calling
Nap time/ quite time
Timmys new job
Cosmetology
Family photos
My testimony
Old and new fiends
living in a house!:)
Running water, Toilets that flush
Great memories


I could go on for hours talking about all the wonderful things in my life. My point is we may have hard times but there is always something to be thankful for. And I'm thankful for that!

First Day of Work

I started work at Digital Art Solutions today. It was a good first day. I am in training for the rest of the week. This job really is for me. I went to work dressed "business casual" and they said I was way overdressed. Tomorrow I get to go to work in a t-shirt and jeans! Woohoo!!! I have an office so I don't have to drive all over the United States to do my work. The President of the company was showing me his mullet website today. He compiles photos of mullets he sees at the various trade shows we attend. It's funny. Anyway, I'm happy to be back at work.

I am not a bum anymore!!!

This is Tim. I just wanted to thank all of you for your prayers on my behalf. If you didn't know, I was laid off about a month and a half ago. I finally found a great job with Digital Art Solutions. I start next week. I am so excited! Getting laid off from LEX International really was a blessing, even though it was really hard to deal with. This new job is going to be so much better for me. I can't wait!

I love Enrichment!!

Through out the last 5 years I have always tried to make it a point to go to Enrichment. They have all in one way or another enriched my life, hence the word enrichment. So when I heard about this months' Enrichment, I was so excited. The youth in our ward put on the Iron Rod. For those of you who don't know what that is. It's a course where you walk blindfolded, holding on to a rope (The Iron Rod.) A guide walks you through all the stages of life. If you have gone through it before you know that it is so much better than it sounds.

My last year of Girl's Camp they put on this production. It was something I totally needed. Amazingly the same thing happened this time. During both productions I felt the love our Heavenly Father has for me. And regardless of what he has planned for me I know I can do it with his help. It just blows me away how things work out. The Lord always finds a way to get you what you need. I for one am greatful for enrichment. It has been a blessing in my life!:)

Presenting....The Allens. Compliments of www.karalayne.com

Isn't She Beautiful?!?!

Longer is Better

There's Someone Missing

We took some family pictures in the end of February. Tim's dad took them for us, out at Vistancia. I'm about 8 1/2 months pregnant with Pammie Shea, and T.J just turned 3. I can't wait to get more family photos of all 4 of us!

Do We Still Look Like Newlyweds?

My T.J. Loves Me

My Sweet Boys

Not Sure Why You Can't Comment

Sorry guys, I don't know what is going on with you not being able to comment. I think I have solved the problem. Comment away, and let me know if it still doesn't work. I will keep trying to make my blog more bloggable.

Utah

We're in Utah even though we have no money. YAY! Audrey's baptism was very beautiful. We are so proud of her and her decision to be baptized. She looked so beautiful in her white dress. We will post some pictures later. Late!

The Parents

Timothy Hoyt Allen

Shiloh Nicole Allen

Photo Courtesy of Kara Clark

www.karalayne.com

The Kids

Timothy James "T.J." Allen

Pamela Shea Allen

What is blogging?

To tell you the truth, when I first heard of blogging, I thought it was a bad word. Now I guess it's not and we're blogging. Hope you enjoy our blog.