My Marvelous Mother

I was looking through the archives of my half written posts and I found this one. I thought it would be a good one to finish and post. It was a thankful Thrusday post I got pulled away from before I could finnish. Enjoy!


Well, it is Thursday again and I am having a hard time thinking of something to write. Lately instead of my mind being filled with gratitude it has been occupied more often with worry. Mostly about how I am going to pay for school and the new tires I need and the other things in life. Ohy. But I am going to think of a happy thought if it kills me.....

I am grateful for the fact that I know the "things" in this life are not important. I am grateful that I know I have everything I really do need. I am grateful for my amazing family who have put up with me.

I was sitting here in my mother's office trying to think of something to write about and I turned and asked my mom who was in her room, "what am I grateful for?" Her instant response was "Me!" It is very true. I have one of the best mothers ever called mother. Many people have said that but I am actually telling the truth. She has taught me so much and is an expert at many things.

Things my mother taught me:

1. Don't take yourself to seriously.
I can't even count the times I have come home distraught because I did something dumb or some one insulted me and my mother found a way to lighten things up for me. She is the queen of not taking yourself to seriously. She has taught me to laugh about things if I make a mistake or a wrong turn.

2. When something happens you can either laugh or cry.
I am so grateful for this philosophy of my mother's. I guess it is very similar to the one above. But when some thing would happen that I wasn't to thrilled about my mother would make jokes about it. Some times I would laugh and some times I would give her the "mom this is NOT funny look." then i would hear, "Deborah, you can either laugh or cry. Why not laugh?"
One time I found my self in a very less then desirable situation. It was actually pretty serious but I said something about it and my friend and I started laughing our heads off. Another person with us asked how I could laugh at this I turned to her and said "Well I can either laugh or cry about it. I choose to laugh." What an I am turning into my mother moment, but really I didn't mind.

3. Puddles are made to splash in
I grew up in the high desert of California. I LOVED rain. Mainly because my mother loved rain and taught us how much fun it was. When the raindrops strated falling and the other mothers pulled their children inside the house, my mother would push her's out. We were allowed and encouraged to run around it in and splash in the puddles. HOw much fun is that for a 10 years old?!?! After rain there also were HUGE, and I mean huge! mud holes in the desert behind our housing complex. We LOVED playing in those. We would be up to our waists in mud and come home dripping. gross I know but really I never remember my mother getting upset at us. Maybe the most she did was roll her eyes but I remember she could tell how much fun we were having and let us do it.

4. We serve in the church because we are asked to and we love our Savior.
I can't count the times I heard this. My mother would say we are doing this because we were asked to. She taught me that obedience was the highest law. She would say, "Deborah, you may not always know why we are asked to do things but you do them anyway and then you will be blessed." I am so grateful my parents taught me this principle of service.

5. We Go to church activities because we support our leaders.
Growing up the Allreds were at EVERYTHING. Any church activity there was the Allreds were there. there were sometimes I would have rather played dolls or slept in, but yes any saturday morning there was a pine wood derby or service activity I would be woken up early to be there by 9 am or what ever ridiculous hour it started. I did help that the church was right behind our house. Oh I miss those days!

6. Don't judge others until you know the whole story.
When I hear something from a friend or some thing happens I am ususally the first get fired up about it and I am ready to run in there with a good tounge lashing for any who has offended my love ones. My mother often has remeinded me, "Deborah you don't know the whole story. Calm down there." As much as I hate it I take a step back and hold off on my storming the castle with bows and arrows. It probably has saved me a lot of needless battles or confrontations.

7. Choose you battles wisely
My mother is very good at this. She doesn't get into a fight unless it really means something to her and she is going to win. If it isn't important she'll just let it go. What an example to me. Growning up I would fight you at the drop of the hat if it got me fired up or I didn't agree. She often would remind me that I needed to work on choosing my battles better and that some things just don't matter. She is so right.

My mother is a very smart woman and I am so grateful to have her as my mother. I don't know what I would do without her!

Thanksgiving through the eyes of a 9 year old

Boy am I blessed! Where ever I have been for Thanksgiving I have ALWAYS been with people I love. What more could I ask for? So this thanksgiving was a blast. I love taking pictures because then it actually gives me something to post about on my blog! Well this year I handed my camera over to a nine year old and played with the adults (for the most part).

This year we had 24 people eating at our house. I love having a ton of people at our house! Well, I guess I will just post some pictures I found on my camera after it was handed back to me. I only deleted 200 of the 400 that were taken. HA I think some of them are pretty hilarious!

These first ones were taken by either me or Rachel. We were getting our little friend Anita ready for dinner. Her mother was having trouble getting her to shower and so we promised that we'd put her hair in curlers if she washed it. HA then we couldn't get her to wait! She is such a sweet heart.





Here is where the fun begins and my young friend took over the photography for the day.

This is when we were trying to get all the kids to sit at the kid table. Ha moses really didn't like that idea and it wasn't until Tressa came and sat at the table did Issiah agree to sit there to.

I love these boys!!

This was Tressa's favorite time of the whole day!






Oh and there are more pictures:







My mother has the most beautiful Smile!



And for your viewing pleasure, my favorite pictures. I thought it was SO funny to find these in the middle of thanksgiving pictures. I guess this is what you get when you hand your camera over to a little boy. (warning....these pictures are not for the squimish)












HAHAHA. I am still laughing about this!! That's potty humor for you.

I hope everyone's thanksgivings were as amazing as mine!

"There were never such devoted sisters"

There is a saying that describes my feelings toward my sisters so well.

It goes like this: "I smile because you are my sister, I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it!"

I have the most amazing family ever. And yes I could not live with out my Brother and parents but I wanted to write a little bit about 3 of my very best friends. (get comfy because I am not sure how long this will take)

Elizabeth.....Or should I say Micky

"An older sister is a friend and defender - a listener, conspirator, a counsellor and a sharer of delights. And sorrows too."

-- Pam Brown


This woman is my roll model and hero and example. She always has the answers I need when I come to her for advice. She is so smart! Growing up she still had most of the answers but I was a scrawny little sister who didn't take advice well. I love being with her! She really is so much fun and is so good to me. When we were younger I used to want to go every where she went and do everything she would do. I know it wasn't easy for her but she still let me tag along and had an awesome childhood. I looked up to her so much and I still do!

She is so patient! Ok so here is a secret that may shock you. You should probably sit down for this. ....I was not the easiest person to grow up with. In fact I could be down right horrible. There was a time I torn all the heads off Liz's barbies because I was mad she wouldn't let me play with them. Despite my shortcomings and the rough years I created for her, Liz has been so patient and loving and I adore her!

She also is so much fun. I know that if I want to have a good time then all I need to do is hang out with my big sis and we can talk and laugh about nothing for hours! I am just as happy to sit in the middle of no where with her then I would be if I was doing the most exciting thing with anyone else.

Tressa Lee

"A sister smiles when one tells one's stories - for she knows where the decoration has been added."  ~Chris Montaigne



When Tressa was little I took good care of her. Protecting her from being teased by our brother, letting her sleep in my bed at night, and doing just about anything else she needed. But now I don't know how I would live with out her taking care of me! HA my mother calls her my personal assistant. She truly is so good to me. When I am late to work (and I often am) I say "Tress! Can you grab me something to wear and make sure it's ironed while I get in the shower?" Then after I am out of the shower I find this:

How lucky am I?

Really the only way to describe her is good. There is no one I know who has more Christ like love then Tressa. Some times I get a little jealous because I am not as good as this girl is. Oh well every one is different and needed in their own way I guess. And Tressa is definitely needed a lot in our family. This is truly an amazing and special girl as she stays up with me night after night listening to all my pointless stories about the day. I don't know what our family did to deserve a girl like this but I'm not gonna say a thing!

Rachel!!!

"It was nice growing up with someone like you - someone to lean on, someone to count on... someone to tell on!"
 ~Author Unknown



This girl is so much fun am amazes me EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! She has always been my mirror. Our own mother has trouble telling our baby pictures apart. And now she likes to do so many things that I do. She is 14 soon to be 15 and is turning into to quite the young woman. She is one of the smartest people I know and can quote a movie after seeing it only once!!! (It takes me about 20 times and then maybe I can paraphrase)

I love how she gets so into her books and shows that when there is an exciting part she HAS to share it with you even if you have never heard of the book and don't know what is going on.

She is so good at serving others. She is the youngest of 5 and puts up with A LOT! She bares it well though and is amazing. I love her to pieces and couldn't imagine life without her. I am always so excited when she decides to put down her book and come play with me!! I love it and it is one of my favorite times ever!!!!




"Our siblings push buttons that cast us in roles we felt sure we had let go of long ago - the baby, the peacekeeper, the caretaker, the avoider.... It doesn't seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we've traveled."  ~Jane Mersky Leder



Yep...I love my sisters! I know my life wouldn't be as great without them. Whenever I need anything they are always there for me! Just like the song says "there were never such devoted sisters". I am so lucky to have three best friends so close to me and who are my same size!!!

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree

Whew, Can I just say the last three weeks have felt like 3 months. Especially the last week and a half. In short my life has been pretty much put on hold the last week and a half while trying to help with a very time sensitive situation. I am grateful that I can help but it was little stressful. I just thought I would share a funny little story about just trying to find a little happiness in the week of craziness.

There is a family that we know from church that every single one of my family adores. They have 6 boys all under the age of 10. You can imagine how busy their mother is. ( she is amazing) Well we LOVE to have them all come over to our house. There are boys playing downstairs on video game. There are boys playing on computers. There are boys running around the back yard. There are boys running on the tread mill and then there are some stealing cupcakes from the table.

We always hate it when 7 or 8 o'clock rolls around and they have to go home and go to bed. Lame!! Their parents are always some much fun to have around to. I love Eve, their mother. She is always fun to talk to and has a great laugh!

Anyway, last week I spent a few days on the phone and driving around to different centers who specialize in the kind of problem that was going on and then talking to specific people I needed help from to remedy the problem. One of those days I was fit to be tied. It has been very clear why I felt I needed to come home this fall and I was happy to provide the help but as I drove around that night finishing up the visits I needed to make I was on the verge of tears. Then a BRILLIANT idea came into my mind. I needed a bit of happiness and I wanted to go over to this family's house to hang out with them because there is no way to be around them and not get that. Well that night after my last visit I ended up going home because it was pretty late by the time things were done. The funny part is when I got home Tressa had just gotten home from their house because she needed a dose of happiness and escape from everything going on as well. That little family doesn't even know how much they serve us. I didn't visit them so I had to settle for this video I took of one of the boys the last time they came over to play. Tressa laughed at me alot because I would watch it over and over again and giggle every time! Hey, I had a lot of stress to relieve. Thanks for the help buddy!!

Just a few Sunday thoughts

I wanted to take a moment and express some thoughts I have had recently. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and the fact that he truly knows each and everyone of his children. It's amazing to me how each one of us can be going through our own individual lives and we can see the hand of the lord in our individual lives. He's got a lot of people to keep track of and still his is able to do it and make it look so easy. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father fills me in on his plan for me little by little. As soon as I learn to not be such a control freak and let him take care of things everything goes so much better. Just this week things I have wondering about have all become so much clearer and I have been having some AW HA Moments. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father trusts me with serving his children and guides me on what to do and how to do it. I honestly would be so alone and lost without his help.

Dear Sister. (another pictureless blog.)

Wow I need to go to bed! But I also have to get this out. This blog was originally started as a place for me to get my thoughts and feelings out. I used to write it in the form of a letter to my sister. Because Liz is some one I look up to so much and just adore. I adore all my sisters and I am so grateful for each one and their goodness to me and how they will listen to me for hours on end. My life wouldn't be so amazing if I didn't have my sisters. Anyway, that's a post for another time. Right now I find my self needing to go back to the old school of this blog. So here it goes....

Dear Sister,
The last 4 days have been some of the most stressful days I've have in a long while. You know how through out life Heavenly father presents you with many learning experiences and choices to be made? HA Well I have had quite a few and they've been good ones!

The last few days fate forced me to reminisce on one of those choices I made a few years ago and that brought with it a quick condensed version of how to tie up loose ends and clean up that tiny little pile of dirt that you would much rather sweep under the rug. (It's so much easier that way but after much studying not the best way.) It amazing at how the little decisions in life can really affect your future. This weekend I reflected on a past decision. It wasn't little, but very life changing. I felt kind of like Pocahontas. You know, where she is at the fork in the river and trying to decide which path to take. Well my paths weren't quite as exciting as hers but I could still Identify.

I found myself with two choices. One was heart wrenching and the other was easier, but my gut told me it wasn't right. So do I cause my self the pain by taking the road less traveled? Or should I take the easy way out while undermining my intuition? As you know I stayed true to the promptings I had and through many tears took the road that wasn't easy. At the time I got many confirmations that it was the right thing, however after all was said and done I found myself questioning my logic every now and then. Especially after I saw another take the path I passed up an seemed to be successful.

After the clean up on isle 10 this weekend, I was driving around by myself thinking about it all. And one more time a confirmation came. But stronger and much clearer then the others. You know when Heavenly father tells you to do something and you don't quite know why? Then a while later you understand? This time I felt more like I had dodged a bullet. It felt a lot like how I imagine a soldier would feel if he was supposed to go on a dangerous mission but another went in his place and was broad sided by an attack. The soldier is so sad for the man who went in his place however so happy he is safe and sound. Does any of that make since? Is that bad to feel.

Wow the relief! Anyway, now that this weekend is over I feel like I can breath again! Thanks for letting me vent a little,

Love,
Your little sister

Halloween

This Halloween I had a really hard time deciding what to be. Actually every halloween I have the same problem. I will think about what I should be the whole month and stress about putting something together. THen I usually end up going into our basement and grabbing whatever I can find the day of Halloween and throwing it on. (they end up being the best ones too) The last three years I have pretty much only dressed up for work because I end up working every year on Halloween. But I still have fun doing it. This year I wanted to be an angel but this is how it turned out:


I was to picky when looking for my angel costume and had nothing when I was getting ready for work. Luckily my personal assistant was on duty and we went to work on plan B. I just wish my mom was there to help us with the nose and makeup. Here are a few pictures of the process:








I was so excited because I thought I looked pretty good! LOL But when I got to work people kept telling me how creepy I looked. It wasn't what I was going for but I got over it and laughed it up.

I also thought I looked like a green gonzo