2010

Well, it's 5:30am and I can't sleep as my mind is racing with so many things. 2010 has brought quite a bit of change and it's had some very high highs and very low lows. I'm hoping for a much calmer 2011 in the Allen household.

Christmas Cookies

Well, today I started on the Christmas cookies and candies. Today I have made English Toffee, Snicker Doodles and Mexican Wedding Cakes. This week I will make the sugar cookies and peanut butter Kiss cookies. I'm thinking about making Kolachky's too. I'm excited to give all of these cookies to the people we visit teach, home teach and others.

100 Things I'm Thankful for

In no particular order.

1. Ben
2. Our Home
3. Job
4. Parents
5. Siblings and their wives
6. Nieces and Nephews
7. Wonderful Visiting Teachers
8. The Scriptures
9. My callings
10. Talents
11. Jillian
12. Technology
13. Birthdays
14. Membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
15. Prophets and Apostles
16. TV
17. Electricity
18. Cars
19. Trees and shrubs
20. Ben's Job
21. Christmas
22. Vacation
23. My Mother-in Law
24. Tonya
25. Jenny
26. Terry
27. Our Ward
28. Trials
29. Sunshine
30. Music
31. Rain
32. Food
33. Baking
34. Service
35. Cooking
36. Ability to hear
37. Ability to see
38. Brother-in-laws and Sister-in-Laws
39. Swimming
40. Walking
41. Love
42. Babies
43. Flowers
44. Bed
45. Computers
46. Cell phone
47. Internet
48. sweet memories
49. Singles Ward
50. Clothes
51. Drives in the Country
52. Snow
53. The Holy Ghost
54. Testimony
55. Temples
56. Family History
57. Doctors
58. Teachers
59. Education
60. Rainbows
61. Mountains
62. Nature
63. Good Books
64. Freedom
65. USA
66. Airplanes
67. Indiana
68. Chicago
69. Mama Mia's
70. Wisconsin
71. Swing Dancing
72. Baseball
73. Musicals
74. Plays
75. New York City
76. Washington D.C.
77. Golden Girls
78. Grandma
79. Aunts
80. Cousins
81. Quiet Moments
82. Waterfalls
83. Spending quality time with Ben
84. Road Trips
85. Bowling
86. Laughter
87. Eye Glasses
88. Chocolate
89. Make Up
90. Shoulder Rubs
91. Baths
92. Manicures
93. Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
94. Thanksgiving
95. Art
96. Home Teachers
97. Blessings
98. Life
99. Priesthood
100. Neighbors

Living for the Weekend

This week has been extremely long, especially with work. I have worked so much this week, that I will be off at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

Saturday will start out with Worldwide Leadership Training. Then I will be heading to Chicago again this weekend to go to my Mom's cousin's daughter's 1st birthday party and my youngest cousin's Fiance's Bridal Shower.

I'm looking forward to relaxing Sunday evening, to start my last full week of November before Thanksgiving. This year is seriously flying by.

Relief Society/Organist

For all of my adult life, I have either been the Ward Organist or in some capacity in Relief Society. As we have moved to Avon, Indiana, I am now in the Relief Society Presidency and an assistant Ward Organist.

As an assistant Ward Organist I play the 1st Sunday of every month. This is a good calling for me, because then I keep up on my playing. It is so fun to pick out the hymns for the next 6 months.

In Relief Society, I am over Education. We are having the Worldwide Leadership training on Saturday morning and will receive new manuals. As I have been studying for a Teacher's meeting that we are having next month, I have gained a new appreciation for the teachers that prepare each Sunday to teach us true doctrine. We are so blessed to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Shape Ups

Well yesterday was near 70 degrees here, so I ventured out with my new Sketchers Shape Up shoes. It is suppose to feel like you are walking through sand.

I can honestly say these shoes are awesome! Can't wait to go walking again today...

Missing Home

This past weekend Ben and I were able to head to the Chicagoland area to see our families. It was so fun to visit with my parents on Friday evening and see their new decor in their home. It was also nice to see my sister, Elisabeth, who has had quite the year of not being able to walk and surgery in October. She started physical Therapy this week and has recovered well from surgery.

After visiting with my parents, we headed to my mother-in-law's home. It was so fun to see all of our family on Saturday. We had an early Thanksgiving, because this year we go to the wives side of the family. We ate delicious food and spent a wonderful time catching up.

As Ben and I headed home Saturday evening, we were extremely sad. We miss Chicago and all of our family. We hope to one day make it back to the Chicago Area.

On the Weight Loss Journey

This year has brought quite a bit of change. 1. Getting Married. I love having a wonderful, caring husband. The only bad thing-weight gain. 2. Get pregnant-even more weight gain. 3. Have a miscarriage- and keep the weight on from all of this. 4. Move to another State-All the stresses of building a house and learning about another states culture-more weight gain.

All in all, I've gained too much weight and really haven't wanted to face the facts until a few weeks ago. Ben and I have made a pledge to eat better and exercise. I have lost 5.5 lbs in two weeks! I hope to weigh less than when I got married by Christmas.

Temple in Indianapolis/General Conference

During our lives, Ben and I have both lived within a close distance to a Temple. Since, moving to Indianapolis, the temple is a couple of hours away. A little over a month ago, Ben and I were on a drive and discussed how wonderful it would be to have a temple in Indianapolis.

Yesterday, during the first session of conference, President Thomas S. Monson announced that a temple will be built in Indianapolis. What blessed news that we received.

Conference has filled my soul.

Photos of Our New Home

So today, I finally took some pictures of our home. It is so nice to be almost finished unpacking.

The Family Room Looking into the Kitchen/Dining Area

Our Family Room

The Loft Area

Guest Bedroom

Another Angle of the Office

My Office

The Stairs I can't seem to flip the Picture

This is the Living Room

The Whirlwind Last Month

We finally closed on our home 3 weeks after our original closing date. With all of the new regulations on lenders, it's amazing anyone is closing.

Our home is coming together nicely. We have unpacked over 30 boxes of kitchen supplies, finished the living and family room. We absolutely love our living area. The rest of our boxes are sitting in our formal dining room.

Working from home has been such a blessing. I love making meals for Ben and being here when he gets home from work. I'm so glad to be living under the same roof again.

We are both busy with our callings. Ben is the Valiant 10 teacher and I am the 1st counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. Our ward is wonderful and very welcoming.

All in all, we are very happy and enjoying our time together. We feel so very blessed.

If you are ever in Indianapolis, please stop by, we love having visitors.

Pictures to follow of the finished home.

Our New Home

Today was an exciting day as our home was sided and the laminate flooring was put down. Also, the ceilings received the second coat of paint and the walls should receive their second coat tomorrow. We feel so blessed to be building a new home. We are looking forward to moving into our new home next month. Below are a few pictures that Ben took today. He's so good at documenting the progress of our home.

Finishing the front of the house with Siding


Finished Siding on the front

Back of the house is sided

Cabinets

Laminate Wood Flooring


Our Loft

Wedding

The past few months have flown by so quickly since Ben and I were married.

The last day of our honeymoon we were looking at homes to go look at to purchase in Illinois, when Ben was sought out to interview for a job as the Director of Marketing for Pizza Hut.

About a month later, plans had been solidified for us to move to Indianapolis. House hunting was quite stressful, but in the end, we decided to build a home. Ben has been good at taking pictures each day on the progress of the house.

I'm living in Illinois during the week and head down there on the weekends. I will be very happy when we are living full time in the same state, under the same roof. The reason I am in Illinois is because my employer has offered me to work from home, doing exactly what I do now. That will be a blessing when we have children to not have to work outside the home.


We have been greatly blessed. I am so glad that I have finally found my best friend to spend eternity with.