Megan Allen

Megan arrived on September 10th at 6:30 pm. She weighed 6 lbs 12 oz, measured 19 1/4" in length, and could not be more precious. After 12 hours of labor she came by emergency c-section. Mom is doing quite well for just having surgery, and Megan is very healthy. What an amazing and sweet family! Erin will share more later, but until then, here are a few pictures.



Kayli kept saying "My little sister is out now!" So cute!
Canyon wanted to sleep at the hospital with his new baby sister. What a proud big brother!

Summer Recap!

We have had an amazing summer! I decided the best way to recap is ....quickly! So, here goes!

Canyon and Kayli took swimming lessons and really loved it! It was still early June so it was really cold but they were troopers, even in the rain storms and wind. These are pictures with both of them playing with their instructors. Canyon is the one with the diving stick.

The next few pictures are of the Ashby Family reunion. My sister, Brenda, and her family came all the way from Maryland and stayed for a month and a half. We did a lot together! It was so fun to have her here. Then, we all went to Idaho for the reunion. The theme was "The Incredibles". We all had matching shirts. This is a lineup of all of the grandkids. Kayli is fourth from the right and Canyon is seventh from the left. One of the games was that we had to dress up like superheroes and we had to use items from a box. Kayli and I were partners and Canyon and his cousin Nate were partners. Oh boy, do we look gorgeous!

We also went white water rafting. I was very nervous because I was 7 months pregnant and didn't want to get bucked off, but, despite hanging on for dear life, the rapids were stronger than I. I think I was hyperventilating.... No, I know I was! The water was freezing! Needless to say, I wouldn't have missed it! (I am in Ammon's blue hat on the left).




My sister, Dawn also got married. This is her with all the sisters. Obviously, I couldn't fit into the same dress as them. Unfortunately, they didn't have it in maternity.....So, I look like the girl who saw the wedding in the classifieds and wanted to be in "somebody's" picture.




These are the brothers-in-law, or as Gary would say, outlaw. Brian, Travis, Ray and Gary, we love you all so much! I am so grateful that my sisters and I found the best guys in the world!



This is Dawn with all of the girls. My mom made all of their dresses! Isn't she amazing! (Kayli is hidden).



Kayli's first and second days of preschool! Could she be any cuter! She was so brave!


Canyon's first day of school.

Canyon in line at the bus stop with his friends. He is really liking first grade and he has an awesome teacher!

Kayli started ballet. She started out a little bashful the first day, but by the second week (second picture), she was floating everywhere she went!

And,........ THESE are my favorite people in the world. I love having these wonderful people in my life! I am so grateful for a husband who is so awesome and for his wonderful family as well! I couldn't ask for a better family and extended family! We are so anticipating our little one coming this week..... Yay! We think that we will name her Megan. You never know what might happen between now and Wednesday, though. We will keep you updated..... maybe! ha ha! If I can't update my blog without a newborn, how will I do it with one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yikes!

Finally a new post!

Okay, so it's been a month and a half. So, here's what's happened! We had an ultrasound and found out we were having...... drumroll please.....a GIRL! What in the world! I was completely caught off guard. I don't know why, but for some reason I was very convinced that this baby was a boy. I made the ultrasound tech. triple check because it was so hard for me to believe. But, sure enough, I saw enough to become a believer.


Then, on April 29, Travis took his Physical Therapy licensing exams and PASSED! Yay! What a relief to have that over! The next day was his hooding ceremony and the next day after that was his graduation! Kayli kept saying, "Dad, I am so excited for yours mission!". We finally figured out that mission meant graduation. We are so proud of our new grad:


Oh wait, wrong graduate:

This is Travis with both of his grandmas at his hooding ceremony. Travis' mom and dad and grandma threw a little open house for his graduation. It was such a sweet gesture. Some of our friends and family came to tell him congratulations and have some cake and punch.

Then, Travis had a birthday on May 2, and Kayli had a birthday on May 5! We won't tell you how old Travis is..... well okay, since he is... OLDER THAN ME..... he turned 32, Whoa! Kayli turned three and is very tickled about being that age. She likes to tell everyone in the grocery store as we pass. I have to admit, it is quite exciting having a social butterfly walking around with you.

Also, our little musician, Canyon had his music recital and did so great with his solo on the grand piano. He even sang as he played (which was an extra little surprise!) and he took a little bow at the end of his performance, which everyone got a kick out of....especially his mom! So Cute!

Travis started his new job with Meier and Marsh and he is really enjoying it. Yesterday, they had the grand opening of one of their new clinics in West Valley so this means that starting tomorrow he will be the director of the clinic in Tooele. It is pretty exciting for him. He is very ambitious.

As for me, well, let's see..... what do I do? I just kind of follow my little family around and cheer them on. I am really enjoying this time in my life right now. I have been able to help at Canyon's school quite a bit and I babysit on Thursdays, and other times impromptu. I have a friend who is trying to publish a book and I have been working on editing that for her. I have a feeling that I will be playing in the water more than the kids this year because I am already feeling the effects of the heat. On Friday, I went to the zoo with Canyon's class as a chaperone. Canyon had so much fun! He kept turning to me and saying, "this is so fun!". I was so glad I went with him. Here is a picture of him with the boys that were in our group.

Whew! That about sums it up. Hopefully I can keep up on my blogs now so that you don't have to read so much in one post. Atleast we are never bored. There is always lots of excitement... We love it!

A Mother's Morning

I have been trying to fight off a cold that I have been feeling coming for a couple days so in the morning I am feeling pretty beat. Well, this morning Kayli woke up earlier than usual and she was calling her daddy to come and get her. It was 6:30 and Travis was long gone for work and I knew that Canyon would wake up around 7:00 to get ready for school so I asked Kayli if she would like to come and sleep in my bed. She was all about that. (we don't usually allow that) So, in my zombie, "I need more sleep" state, we return to my bed. I am thinking that she seems tired enough that she will hold still and let me sleep. So, Kayli lays in Travis' side while I try to get another half hour of sleep. I feel Kayli scooting close to me and she is facing me. I feel her hands on my face and I open my eyes. If you don't know Kayli very well, she is the most loving and cuddly little girl I have ever seen. She is looking into my face and is so close that my eyes go crosseyed. Then she begins to rub her cheeks on mine and she says over and over, "Mom, I wuv you so much!" I mumble it back and turn over and she begins to rub her feet all over me and rub my arms and she asks me over and over if I am tired and I just keep saying yes, thinking maybe she will let me sleep. Then she says, "Oh, you ought to go to sleep". Well, Yeah! Then she starts to complain that she is squished and that I should go to the other side of the bed. (The side she had abandoned to scoot close to me). Oh Boy!

After a half hour of this, I hear Canyon open his door and he comes in with a superhero mask in his hands and without a "good morning" says, "mom, will you tie this on?" So I sit up to tie on the Superhero mask for about the umpteenth time and Kayli scoots into my spot and tells me to go to the other side. I am feeling defeated. Canyon returns with more superhero accessories to pin on and I know that is the end. I have given up on the sleep thing. I start to stand up and Kayli says, pointing to the spot she had already taken over, "Mom, are you done?" I just laugh and say "yeah" and she settles nicely into my spot and says, "Mom, I am still tired. I want to go back to sleep."

On to breakfast. I will tackle my cold with a nap some other century!

Travis is so Funny!

So.... the other day when I set up this blog, I just chose a random template, which happened to be pink! Later that night when I told Travis that I had started blogging, he immediately looked it up and about had a heart attack!!! I told him that it was only temporary until I had time to change it and work on it a little more. He was busy so he dropped the subject for the moment. Then, about two nights ago, he went over and picked up the laptop and began working on something. The blog's color was bothering him so much that he couldn't handle it. He was changing my blog! So, today, I finally looked up some templates. I figured I was safe with this one for now. But, you never know when your husband is going to be so hung up on your blog's template that he changes it on you..... so watch out! ha ha!

Okay, so I am still figuring out the picture thing. I took a really cute picture of Kayli that I want to put up so, maybe that will happen some day soon!

Travis has accepted a job! Yay! He will be working for Meier and Marsh Physical Therapy as soon as he gets his license. His graduation is on May 1, at 5:00 in the Huntsman Center. Is this for real???!!!! It's so hard to believe it is actually here!

My First Day Blogging.....Ever!

Welcome to the world of technology Erin! Yes, I know, I am very behind the times and I barely know how to use my email but now we actually have the internet so I am trying to learn a little bit more.

Our life feels a bit exciting right now. Travis is about to get his Doctorate of Physical Therapy. His graduation is May 1. Hallelujah! We have yet to know what married life is like without school between us! He is in the middle of looking for a job, which is going very well. We have a couple offers right now in Tooele. I think he is feeling a lot of pressure with it all coming to an end. With this internship, he is having a hard time finding time to study for his national exams and work on all of his school assignments. But, he is always so good at balancing his time...we know it will work out!

As for the rest of us, Canyon just turned 6 and is very proud of his age. He is in Kindergarten and doing great. He does really well with his music class and is now playing two hands on the piano. He got a new scooter for his birthday and he loves it. He is getting really good on it.

Kayli loves to follow her big brother around and she is so friendly. She will call out to just about anyone. Her new words are "ought to". It is so funny. The other day Travis said he needed to go get ready for work and she got really worried because he was in his pajama pants and she said, "Dad, you ought to change yours pants first." She has lots of "ought tos" for mom, of course!

I am in my second trimester of pregnancy and am feeling much better. The last couple of months have been a little rough because I had the flu and bronchitis on top of the pregnancy nausea. It was not fun! But I think we are past the worst. Yay! Thank goodness! And now, believe it or not, I am blogging!

We love our lives! We are very happy living in Stansbury. We have a HUGE ward and Travis teaches Sunday School to the 12 and 13 year olds. There are between 12 and 17 of them that come and it is not exactly an easy job. I am in the Primary Presidency and I love it! It's really been a great calling. We love our neighborhood because there are so many kids to play with and...... there's not really ever a dull moment with neighbors so close! ha ha!

We love our friends and family so much! Thank you for all you do for us and all that you teach us! Hopefully next time you check this, I will have learned how to post pictures! See you soon!!