A diary of the fun and adventure of Christine & Dana Allen. Two 30-somethings who fell in love at Business School, then moved to Dallas start their new life together.
One of our favorite family activities lately is to take hikes at the Arbor Hills Nature Reserve. I'm so impressed with Dana every time he crosses a stream with a stroller! We're definitely trying to not let having 2 kids stop us from getting out and enjoying the woods on beautiful days. Here's a photo of Asher getting some post-hike nourishment at the end of one of our recent outings. Reese was nearby playing on the playground that we visit at the end of our hikes.
Yesterday I tried to teach Reese to use tissues to blow her nose. I was unsuccessful and this was the result... She decided to shred the entire kleenex box when I walked away for a minute to do laundry.
Later she discovered that our DVD/video game drawers weren't locked. Uh oh!
My mother-in-law, Judy, is trying to help me learn how to sew. For our first project, we made a couple of pillowcase dresses for Reese. Then Judy made a matching dress for Reese's doll. They took awhile, but turned out super cute!
We also made a Christmas table runner. We didn't finish it until January, so I can't wait to display it next year!
Reese recently joined "My Gym", which is essentially a gymnastics gym for Toddlers. She has gotten to play there with Mom, Dad and Grandma. She is loving her weekly classes! She runs all over the place and enjoys all of the equipment, except for the swings. She doesn't really love swings.... or water. Which is why she is also now signed up for weekly swim classes with Dad! Hopefully we can overcome that by summer so that she can enjoy the pool.
Reese is now chatting up a storm. She talks all the time, even though we rarely, know what she's saying : )
When she first started talking, her favorite words were "up" and "uh oh", but now she knows hundreds of words (including all of the animals and the noises they - which she loves to imitate).
Recently, Grandpa Ron started teaching her colors. Her latest favorite word is "ipad" since Daddy just gave her one!
"Think about what you have to give, not even in terms of dollars because I believe that your life is about service. It's about what you came to give to the world, to your children, to your family."
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
-- Howard Thurman
Quotes I Love
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." - Helen Keller
"Celebrate Life Every Day"
"Get busy living or get busy dying."
"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."
"Be careful how you live; you may be the only Bible some people ever read."
Things Christine still wants to do in her lifetime
Write a letter to each of my children (once I have them) telling them what I want them to know about me and life lessons based on my experience
Visit all of the places we listed above
Celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary
Hold a leadership position at a non-profit or business dedicated to Social Change
See Sarah McLachlin in concert again
Play on a Dude Ranch
Visit or Live in Australia
Relax on the Cayman Islands
Continue to spend time with Dolphins (assuming I can't have one as a pet)
Take more Ballroom Dance lessons with Dana
Learn Spanish
Visit Montreal/Maine/Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard
MAYBE: Hang Glide, learn to jump a horse, visit Cuba, take figure ice skating lessons, learn to do scuba dive/triathalon, adopt a child from a developing country
Things already crossed off our life lists
Join the Board of a non-profit
Mission Trip to India
Massage at the Four Seasons
Trapeze Lessons
Have a fun wedding with lots of wonderful memories
Meet Oprah
Be a Make-A-Wish Wish Granter and grant an amazing wish