December, January, and February

Hello everyone! The Allen's have some very big news..... If you didn't notice the title on the top of the blog it says "The Allen 5!!!" That's right, our third little bundle will be here in early September. The due date is actually September 9th, my 30th birthday. Keaton and Bronwyn are so incredibly excited to have a baby brother or sister. They kiss my belly all the time and tell us how much they love the baby in my belly. They will be great, and I am so excited to see both of them in this new element. The four of us couldn't be more happy to make our sweet little family into an amazing family of five!

On to December, which feels like a life time ago..... Santa delivered an elf to our house. We named him Buddy. On the morning of his arrival he brought the kids a breakfast all the way from the North Pole: Snow covered donuts and ice cold chocolate milk. He also brought a special gift for them. The kids got a kick out of finding him every morning. After a naughty day, Buddy came back the next morning and had drawn on some family pictures of us, which really upset the kids. He even left them a note telling them to be good kids. I can see Buddy being more and more fun each passing year.

We had our annul Christmas party with all of our friends and their kids. The group is growing by the number of kids every year. After dinner, Nate read a Christmas story to all of them. While he was reading we got a very special visit from the big guy himself.... SANTA!!!! It was priceless to see all of their reactions when he came "Ho! Ho! Ho-ing!" and ringing his bells down the hall. Santa brought each child a new Christmas book in his big red bag. This is one tradition that will be so much fun to continue in the years to come.

We also took them down Cindy lane with both sets of grandparents. They loved the lights, but didn't care for the cold. Grandma and I took them to a breakfast with Santa, and they got to sit on Santa's lap. With each Santa that we went to see, Bronwyn got a little more courageous with each one. By the third Santa, she was sitting on his lap with Keaton telling him what they wanted for Christmas. It turns out Santa's not such a bad guy.

When mid-December came and Nate was off for Christmas break, we went on a week long cruise to the Caribbean.... without the kids! It was so incredibly hard leaving them, but once we were there we enjoyed every minute. The food, sun, relaxation, naps, and site seeing. It was a much needed vacation for the two of us. By the end of the week we were eager to get back to our beautiful babies and celebrate the holiday. They were taken care of by both sets of grandparents, and had the best time while we were away. Though they assured us that the kids missed us too.

We got home from our trip the night before Christmas Eve, and decided to make the transition from cribs in to big kid beds. Why? While we were gone Keaton started climbing out of his crib multiple times in the middle of the night. Both kids did great to start off with, but then all that went out the window. Let me start by saying that Brawny has been great. She has not gotten out of bed ever. Keaton on the other hand, well, he's a completely different story. He would not stay in his room, no matter what time it was. So we got a lock, and lock him in there. It took two nights of crying, knocking on his door, and calling for me for him to realize that I wasn't coming in. Then he started turning on his light, which was just another excuse to get out of bed. So we started taping his light down. Then he figured out how to take the tape off. Our solution? We took all of his light bulbs out so his lights don't work. This has finally stopped him from getting out of bed, and things are finally looking up in the sleep department for him (and the rest of us!). All of this has taken place during a month and a half long period of time. Needless to say, it's been challenging.

As a reward for sleeping better and not waking up, they have gotten donuts.... Sprinkle donuts as special treats on a few different occasions. They always have a specific kind that they want, and often times they didn't have the exact donut that they were asking for. But in the end, a donut is a donut; and they never turned one down.

At the end of January Keaton and Bronwyn said good bye to their binki's. I told them that Belinda the binky fairy was in need of some binki's for children who didn't have binki's. They washed their binki's, decorated a bag, and wrapped them up for Belinda to pick up. We left them on the porch before bath time, and not long after the doorbell rang and the kids went rushing to the door. The bags were gone, but in their place were two big gift bags just for Bronwyn and Keaton. Belinda brought them their very own big kid pillows! Keaton's had a toy story pillow case and Bronwyn's had a Disney princess pillow case. They have not asked for their binki's once!!!

February 1st, Mimi and I took them to see Disney on Ice. It was so much fun. They loved seeing all of the characters and sat through the entire 2 hour show. Disney never disappoints, and though the show was great for us adults too, it was nothing compared to watching their precious little faces as they sat in awe of what they were watching. It was priceless.

Valentine's Day consisted of pink heart shaped pancakes for breakfast, special gifts, a trip to the park, lunch with Mimi, and then dinner as a family. We had red heart shaped ravioli's... Yum! Daddy and I went out on a date just the two of us a few nights before, so Valentine's day was dedicated to family.

Some of their favorite things to do during the day are: Play hide and go seek, listening, dancing, and singing to the Disney movie channel on Pandora, reading books, pretending to be Rapunzel and Flynn from the movie Tangled, and going for walks around the block. They are so much fun. We have also been doing movie nights every so often, watching various Disney movies to get the more familiar with all the characters before we head off to Disneyland again in May. They love watching these movies, and we love cuddling up and watching them together as a family.

As you can see a lot has happened in the past few months. Before we know it, it will be June and we'll have two THREE year olds who will start preschool in August, and soon after we will be bringing a new baby home. Say a prayer for us :) Ha ha! Truth be told, even though there are many many times that I am so overwhelmed and frustrated, the next minute I am reminded of just how blessed I am. Just a sweet "I love you mommy", a hug or a kiss, a smile, or a giggle brings me back to the realization that I need to enjoy every moment, challenging or not. This life, this amazing life has been given to ME. A husband who was truly made for me, two of the most loving children a mother could ask for, and another one on the way. My life is full. I couldn't imagine it any other way.

Thanks for checking in.... See you all in June!


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September, October, and November

Hello everyone! Here we are again, three months have passed since my last post, I cannot believe it. Our lives are busier than ever, but I wanted to update you all on what has been going on with our little family.

We started September off with my birthday, my last year in my twenties (sigh). Nate surprised me with a trip to our favorite vacation spot... Cayucos. Grandma and Grandpa came along and we had a great time. We spent every day at the beach, playing in the sand, swinging on the swings, building sand castles, and we even visited the seals in Morro Bay. Keaton LOVES the ocean. He got taken out by a wave and lost his shovel, which wasn't too fun, but when we told him that the pirates took it, it was pretty cool. They still talk about the pirates at sea taking his orange shovel. These kids remember EVERYTHING! It was a great weekend with my wonderful family, full of wonderful memories. Thanks for that babe.

In September we were also greeted by a special guest one morning.... A chicken. Yup, a chicken. I crossed the road, went in to the garage as Nate was working out, and proceeded in to our backyard. Needless to say this was a good hour of entertainment for all of us. Eventually the chicken left, and though we don't know where he came from, we hope he made it home safely.

Keaton and Bronwyn also got their first taste of Thrifty's ice cream, Daddy's favorite. Our kids don't get sweets very often, but they sure do love them. They got rainbow sherbet on a cone. They had a lot of fun eating them outside after dinner.

October was full of fall fun. Grandma and I took them to the Fresno Fair where we got to see all the farm animals and even pet a pig! They tried their first fair corndog and picked out a special treat... strawberry gelato. Yum! We went to two different pumpkin patches. The first being Hillcrest in Reedley. Their favorite part was the old steam train ride. They love trains, and had a great time riding around the grounds looking at all the Christmas trees. We also got to walk through a corn maze and each picked out a pumpkin to take home too, which we carved later in the month. Later in the month I took them to The Patch in Clovis. They got to ride on a car ride, dragon ride, and go on a huge slide. Brawny went on the slide twice, and that was enough for her. Keaton on the other hand used all of our tickets on the slide, he loved it.

My cousin, Aaron, celebrated his 30th birthday and we went to his 80's themed birthday party to celebrate as a family. We all got dressed up in our 80's gear and had a great time with everyone. The kids got a kick out of "dressing up" 80's style, and so did we.

For Halloween Keaton dressed up as Woody from Toy Story and Bronwyn dressed up as Jessie from Toy Story. They picked their costumes, and boy were they darling. We took them, along with both sets of grandparents and our good friends Steve and Candace Taylor, to the trick-or-treat night in Old Town Clovis. They were both a little nervous during the whole experience, but once they discovered that there was candy being given to them, they opened up a little more. On Halloween we went to Marnie and Aaron's house for dinner, bounce house fun, and trick-or-treating. All the kids had a great time, but didn't last too long walking to all the houses.

We celebrated daddy's birthday casually with a family dinner at home, and then trick-or-treating with friends. We love him so much and appreciate all that he does for us. Keaton, Bronwyn, and I are so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing man to take care of all of us. He loves us unconditionally and so do we. Love you Daddy!

In November we got to take them to the Fire Station. They are both really into fire trucks, so they totally enjoyed themselves. My best friend's brother is a fireman so he took us in his fire truck and let the kids play with all the gadgets in there, he even took us for a ride! They got to try on his fire hat, and spray the fire hose. Keaton was in heaven.

Thanksgiving was great. We had a wonderful time with family, and stuffed ourselves until we couldn't eat any more. Spending time with family and friends is something that Nate and I truly cherish.

Within the last three months Keaton and Bronwyn have grown both physically and intellectually. They are seriously so smart. They absolutely love reading, doing art projects, and are using their imaginations more and actually engaging in pretend play with each other. They both love music, dancing, and instruments. Keaton is especially fond of the guitar.

They had their first experience with a bubble bath. They had a blast, and now ask for bubbles all the time. We had a movie night in mommy and daddy's bed, the motion picture? Toy Story 2 of course. We set up the projector, hung up a big sheet, and ate popcorn. It was so fun, and such a great memory. They also got to make their Auntie Jacqui cookies for her birthday. Bronwyn ate more frosting than she used on the cookies, so I had to finish them.

As you can see we have had a busy, fun filled three months. With the holiday's approaching quickly, I know that life is going to get busier. BUT, it will be filled with many more memories, firsts, traditions, and most importantly FAMILY. I cannot express the love and fulfillment that my life has brought me thus far. Just when I think it can't get any better, it does. Nate, Keaton, and Bronwyn... You three are my everything. Thank you for making me a proud wife and mommy, who feels loved every day with the thank you's, kisses and hugs from my three favorite people in the whole world.

Thanks for checking in. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you! Until March 2013.....


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June, July, and August

Hey, hey.... I'm back!!! I know it's not the first of the month (I'm only two days late)sorry. Three months flew by, and what a fun filled summer we had. I've got tons of pictures and lots of updates on the kids and our wonderful family.

This summer has been full of new babies, one each month to be exact. My cousin Aaron and his wife Jennnifer welcomed their first baby boy on June 17th, Kyler James. Keaton and Bronwyn absolutely love him to death and talk about him all the time. In July our friends Karen and Jarod welcomed their second child, Luke Johnson. And on August 1st, our good friends Marnie and Aaron brought little Joy Hutchason in to the world. Lots of babies, and more to come... One in September, and another in October. Fun times!

We ventured off to the circus in June with some of our friends... The Johnson's and the Parvainian's. Though the circus was almost a two hour show, the kids made it through the whole thing and really enjoyed it. We went early and saw all of the animals before the show. They loved the elephants and clowns.

In July we went down to San Diego to visit James, Molly, and Nathan. We took the kids to Sea World and the beach. They loved the Shamu show, but what they still talk about is Elmo land. They got to meet Elmo, give him hugs and kisses, and even take a picture with him. We saw a show with the Sesame Street characters that they really enjoyed too. When we went to the beach Keaton went right for the water, smiling the entire time. Bronwyn, who is not a big fan of sand, actually took her shoes off and ventured in to the water too. It was a quick weekend trip, but we had so much fun.

In August we went and checked out the new Sea Lion Cove at the Zoo, had a picnic lunch with family, and fed the giraffe's. Even though it was super hot, the kids had a blast. Having a Zoo membership is going to come in handy when the weather starts to get a little nicer.

We have done a lot of swimming in our pool this summer. Though they don't know how to swim yet (we'll tackle that next summer) they both really like the water. They enjoy taking rides on the raft, jumping off the side, playing on the step, and walking around in the spa.

Keaton and Bronwyn love playing with play doh. For their birthday the got a great set of various colors and tools to play with. They like making necklaces, rings, and bracelets with it. They will sit at their little table for a good 20-30 minutes playing and talking to eachother. If you ask either of them who their best friend is, their reply will always be bubba or sissy. It is so darn cute, and couldn't be more true. They are so close to one another, I can't imagine having it any other way. They love playing in forts that we'll build for them. They take books, pillows, stuffed animals, and play in there for a while. Hiding is something that they have been doing a lot of too. They will hide under blankets, giggle when you can't find them, and pop out at you, laughing and smiling the whole time.

We're getting close to potty training. Bronwyn is much more interested in it than Keaton. We have had lots of trips to the potty and successful outcomes. Now it's just a matter of really going for it 100%. I think in the next month or two we're going to go for it. Hopefully when I write the blog in December I will be telling you all that we have TWO kids out of diapers.

With the olympics happening this summer, we watched a ton of various sports. Keaton and Bronwyn both learned how to hit a ball like a volleyball player does. They can both catch a ball now too, most of the time. Bronwyn loved watching gymnastics. We would tape it at night and watch it the next day with her. She now pretends that she is Gabby, the all around gold medalist. She will jump and flip of the couch, swing on her slide, and somersault on the ground telling you that she is Gabby girl. I see a lot of me in her, I use to pretend just like that when I was younger.

We have done a lot of disciplining this summer as well. We are the parents of two, definitely two year olds. They are testing us daily, no... hourly. Bronwyn listens more than Keaton, but has a harder time with sharing. Keaton wants to see just how far he can go before he gets in trouble. With Keaton if we give him a warning and tell him that he will go on time out, he usually won't do it again. Speaking of time out, the kids are now putting their stuffed animals on time out. Winnie the Pooh goes on time out most often for some reason. Recently, they have been getting out one of their Olivia books, and in the book Olivia goes on a BIG time out for painting on the walls. I think the whole concept of time out is really sticking with them, wouldn't you?

Now I am going to brag about just how smart Keaton and Bronwyn both are. They can both sing their ABC's from beginning to end and count to 10. I am now working on letter recognition with them by doing little crafts and games each week, focusing on a new letter each week. I don't know how much or if they are really retaining any of it, but I figure they'll be familiar with letters when they start preschool next year. (Yes, we're already thinking about preschool!) Keaton and Brawny will both catch on to different songs that we sing too, and we'll hear them singing together sometimes. They talk ALL THE TIME, and really well too. It amazes me the vocabulary they both have. We read them at least two books every day, and many of the books that we read they remember various things that happened in the stories. As a former teacher I couldn't be more proud... they're two and already showing comprehension skills. I am one proud mama!

As you can see we have been very busy. Keaton and Bronwyn keep us on our toes and frustrate us at times, but no amount of frustration could ever compete with our smart, happy, vivacious, free spirited, hilarious twins who keep our family energized and smiling every day. Nate and I are so blessed to have them in our life. Our family is complete and full of love. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Well, I think that is about it for this quarter. Enjoy the many pictures and we'll see ya again in December. Thanks for checking in!!! Until next time...


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Keaton and Bronwyn's 2nd Birthday Party

I thought I would post an extra blog this month of Keaton and Bronwyn's 2nd Birthday Party. The theme was Mickey and Minnie, there was swimming, a taco bar, presents, and cupcakes. They had so much fun seeing everyone and playing with all their friends. Thank you all so much who came, you truly made it a memorable party. We loved spending time with all of you and had a great time celebrating Keaton and Bronwyn. I also wanted to let everyone know that I will now be doing the blog every 3 months, so I will not have a new one out until September. So to all of you who tune in every month, thanks for checking in as always and have a wonderful summer. See you all in September with TONS of pictures I'm sure. Love you all!!!
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2 YEARS!!!!!

I am sitting here in a quiet house, Nate is at the CE graduation and the kids are asleep, and I have found myself looking at the title of this post... 2 YEARS (tear)! I have so many different emotions running through me right now; pride, happiness, astonishment, saddness, love... the list goes on and on. As I think of the past two years I can't help but marvel at how my life has transpired. Two years ago today Nate and I were blessed with the most amazing gift, TWO beautiful and healthy babies. Our lives were changed at 7:39 pm, and then again at 7:40 pm. Words cannot express the instant love that I had for my children, or the love that I have for them today. I have never been more proud of myself or Nate. Looking at Keaton and Bronwyn today, we've done a damn good job so far. We are a great team, and though it takes so much work raising twins, I wouldn't change our experience for anything. I love my life, I love my amazing husband, and I love my darling children. Blessed doesn't even begin to express how I feel. May has been an eventful month. The kids started up gymnastics again and LOVE it. It's great socialization, learning to listen to other adults, how to follow directions, and take turns. Their teacher is wonderful! We made two trips out to Todd Beamer park, and played in the water. They love to be outside. We also took a trip out to their Great Aunt Marsha's house where they got to feed the horses, water tomatoe plants, play the piano, and put the horses in their barn. They were such a big help and we got a kick out of watching them be big kids. Mid month Nate and I had a wedding for two of our very close friends down south, so we got a weekend without kids. That's right, we left them home with both sets of grandparents. We are so incredibly lucky to have the four of them so involved in our lives, they are such a big help to Nate and I. Bill, Becky, Mom, and Dad.... I hope you know just how much we appreciate all that you do for us! Anyway, the kids had a blast and even though we missed them the second we pulled out of the driveway as we watched them stand in the window waving "bye" to us and blowing kisses, we had a nice weekend just the two of us. I think the best part was coming home. We came home on mother's day, and I was greeted by my two sweet kids and a sign made by them for me. It was so sweet, but probably the sweetest thing was when I told them that I had missed them, their response to me was, "I missed you too mommy". I just love them to pieces. They are talking soooo much, sometimes in full sentences. My favorites are "I miss you", "Good Morning Mama/Dada", "Wake up!", and of course "I love you". They talk to eachother all the time and are the best of friends. If Brawny doesn't know where Keaton is you can here her saying, "Where'd Bubba go? Bubba!!!! Bubba, where are you?" It is so sweet watching their relationship develop. Nate is now off for the summer, and with him being done before all the schools get out we planned a trip to Disneyland. It was, by far, the best family trip we have had. So much so, I am hoping to do it again next year. With us were my parents, nate's parents, and James, Molly and Nathan. We went during the week and spent three days hopping from Disneyland to California Adventure. The kids were great, with the exception of the first night. Long story short.... they were up from 11:30 pm to 4:00 am, first crying and then talking/laughing at eachother talking about "Mickey's house". They were just too excited to sleep. Needless to say, the first day we were very tired, but the kids rallied and were awesome. They had the best time meeting the characters, riding the rides, and watching the parades. Seeing them in the happiest place on earth (Mickey's house as they call it) made me the happiest mama. We've been home for over a week now and they are still talking about the character's and asking if we're going to Mickey's house when we get in the car. Best. Trip. Ever. So, that was our month. Now, I am no longer a mama of two babies, but two toddlers. I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for me and my wonderful family. Until next time...
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Month #23

Time flies when you're having fun!!! This month was jam packed with so much of it, not to mention this whole year... it flew by. In just one short month our beautiful babies will become true toddlers. We will no longer tell people their age by how many months they are, they will simply be TWO. We will soon have TWO two year olds! Please take a moment and say a prayer for Nate and I as we embark on what many call this upcoming year as the "terrible two's", although I do not anticipate it being terrible. The truth of the matter is, we have awesome kids. They have their moments, but Nate and I continue to work really hard every day to raise them right. This month started off with a trip to the Cayucos with Mimi and Pop Pop (Bill and Becky). Let me start off by saying that vacations will never be the same, relaxation is saved for nap time and bed time. Our week was full of beach days, playing in the sand and ocean, flying kites, walks down town, and trips in to Morro. Keaton LOVED the water. It was hard to keep him out of it even though it was like ice. Bronwyn was fine in the sand as long as she had her shoes on. They had their first doughnut, Keaton liked it and Brawny didn't. We can't wait to go on trips every year and make new traditions with our two little beach babes! Easter was a ton of fun. We woke up and the kids got their presents from the Easter bunny, went to church, and then hosted a family dinner and Easter egg hunt at our house. They were darling in their Easter clothes, and really enjoyed finding their eggs. They helped each other by finding one another's eggs and taking them to each other. Spending time with family is something that is very important to us, and it was great to spend Easter with everyone who could make it. We also went to breakfast with the animals at the Zoo with the Whisenhunt's and the Johnson's. It was freezing, but the kids had a great time eating breakfast, seeing all the animals, and getting tattoos. It was so fun watching them get so excited as they saw each animal. They were thrilled to be there. The end of April means one thing in Clovis... The rodeo. So they got dressed in their new Levi jeans and we went to the rodeo parade. They loved the horses and music. They would wave at all the floats and animals, and dance to the marching bands. Keaton wanted to actually be in the parade, so he started pulling the wagon down the street. They enjoyed themselves and I think it will be a yearly tradition that we do with them. They love being outside, so we spend a lot of time out in the backyard playing when it is nice. They mimic everything now, so we really have to watch what we say. Nate always calls Keaton "buddy", so one day Brawny started calling him buddy. They are getting closer and closer every month. I often times just stand outside of their door and listen to them "talk" to each other and giggle. It is moments like that, that I want to remember forever. Hearing their little voices and laughs is one of the best parts of being a mommy. They both realized that some of their shorts have pockets. Watching them walk around with their hands in their pockets is hilarious. They are full of energy and fun. We love them so much. So, the next blog that I write I will be a mommy of TWO year old twins. Wow. Our babies are getting so big and growing in to such smart, kind, polite kids. I am so proud to be their mama. Enjoy the TWO slideshows this month full of pictures. The first slideshow is of all the pictures that we took this month and the second is full of our awesome shoot with the amazing Ryan Jones (Uncle Ryan). As always he did an incredible job and we can't wait to share his amazing talent with all of you. Hope you enjoy the many many pictures we have to share with you all. Until next month...
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Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Month #22

This month was jam packed with firsts, laughs, discipline, and many memories. I'm pressed for time, so this blog will be short and sweet, but with lots of pictures for your enjoyment!

Here's what happened this month:

1) Keaton broke out in the rash that Brawny had last month. It just finally cleared up.
2) Keaton crawled out of his crib!!!! Here's the story: He woke up early on March 5th crying. So Nate and I got up slowly, and suddenly he sounded much much closer than normal. We both looked at each other at the same time, didn't say a word, and went out to see if what we were both thinking was indeed what was happening. As I walked out of our room, I saw Keaton running down the hall, yelling for me, clearly scared. We thought our time with cribs was over. I wasn't ready for that so I looked in to a crib tent, which I never purchased. But he hasn't done it since, thank GOD! (knock on wood) I think it really scared him.
3) They started a gymnastics class and absolutely loved it! My "hunch" about Brawny being a natural was right. She excelled at it. We went twice and decided to take a break until a better class comes along, which will hopefully be soon.
4) They both call each other names now. Keaton calls Bronwyn "sissy" or "dawn dawn", and Bronwyn calls Keaton "buba" or "Keaton". They have become really close this month; playing with one another, sharing more, and wanting to be with each other all the time (like they have a choice!) I caught them whispering back and forth in Brawny's closet. They are too darn cute.
5) We started picking out bed time books and reading their pick before bed. Brawny especially likes this, and now refuses to go to bed without picking out a special book.
6) Both of them have gone pee pee in their potties. This happened a couple times this month. I always put them on their potties before they get in the bath. Keaton did it two nights in a row, and Brawny did it before a nap. I am hoping with their interest in the potty, that in a couple months we can do some hard core potty training and get rid of diapers!
7) They both think every thing is funny. They will laugh at each other and say, "Buba's funny", or "Sissy's funny". They're right, they are funny.
8) I took them to the Zoo with AAmah (grandma), PopPop (grandpa), Great Aunt Debbie, and cousin Ian. They LOVED it. We haven't been in a few months, and the change in them was amazing. They really enjoyed walking around and seeing all the animals.
9) We started instituting time-outs this month. We have a designated corner in the hallway that they sit, and stay in until we go and get them. This has really helped with sharing toys, hitting, and being nice to the dogs. Neither of them like it, but after they have sat for a minute or so, we go and get them, explain what they did and why it was wrong, they apologize, and give hugs and kisses. Disciplining TWO almost two year olds is really hard work, but I know that just as our hard work with sleep training and eating in the first year paid off, I know that this will too.

So, that was our month. Hope all is well in your world. It's pretty darn great over here in ours. See you all in May...


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