Allred Family: February 2009

The Birthday Boy!

Our Little Megan actually took this picture of Darrin-not too bad for a 3 year old!

This past weekend, I was rummaging through all my old scrapbooks. (No, they’re not the prettiest, but am grateful I have these records, pictures, and notes to help me remember.) I actually found my old journal that I used to keep while I was working at Novell. I would occasionally write down the events in our lives, our journeys and adventures, as well as the development of our new little boy.

Well, I came across this entry:
Friday, May 7, 2004 “…Jackson continues to grow every day. Last night I was just staring at him when I realized that he isn’t a newborn any more, or at least he doesn’t look like one. He is starting to look like a baby. It is so fun to watch him grow and develop because before we know it, we will be sending him off to kindergarten.”

Well, he’s not off to kindergarten quite yet, but our first little one-Jack-turned five today. Our little boy has turned five years old today. It’s so amazing to see him grow and learn, but know how quickly the time is passing. Jack is such a fun little boy, so very active. He loves riding his bike and riding it fast. He also loves to do puzzles and is very good at them.

He’s become more sensitive this past year; things are really affecting him by what we say or do. He’s taking notice, becoming more aware. In fact, he’s always been my sensitive one. A few years ago, Jack was barely two-if that. I was having a really hard day. He came into my room, as I knelt beside my bed, sobbing. Jack didn’t say a word, but walked over to me, looked at me, and hugged me. What a sweet little boy.

Happy Birthday, Jack!

1. My parents moved from California to Texas the first day of my Senior year in High School. I can say I graduated without making one single friend in a class of 435 students at West Lake High School; however, I did graduate with a 3.75GPA and I am not that smart. I just had plenty of time to study-sad, but true. I also wasn't asked to Senior Prom nor invited to go to Grad Night. Hard time!
**According to Kaplan, West Lake was rated 77th in the nation for best high schools.

2. I really love the ocean; I miss it a lot. I love the sound of the waves, the sand in my feet, the smell of the salt in the air, and the noise from seagulls flying around. I love it! I love it! I love it. I hope one day to move to one of the coasts: Pacific or Atlantic.

3. I went to Ricks College for two semesters and hated it! In fact, I will NOT allow my children to go to school anywhere in Idaho-sorry! I had a really bad experience there; however, I then went to BYU Hawaii for a year and LOVED it!! I then went on to BYU-Provo and graduated in English with an emphasis in editing, though loved all my British Lit classes. My 400 level courses I focused on CS Lewis and John Milton-fabulous writers and they're ENGLISH! I did visit Oxford once-amazing place. If only I could have been a fly on the wall there in the days of Lewis and Tolkien.

4. Like my dear friend Heidi, I love England. I love Western Europe, but found my heart in the United Kingdom. My Senior year in High School, my brother and his wife were working for the US Embassy in London. My mom and I traveled over there for two weeks. I instantly fell in love. I knew one day I would have the opportunity to go back.

5. My Senior year at BYU-Provo, BYU cancelled my major: Health Promotion and Exercise Phys. Yes, I spent the last 4 years taking Microbiology, Physiology, Dietetics, Nutrient Metabolism courses, Sports Medicine-you name it and I took it. I was just about done, but the school required additional courses under a different education plan in order to graduate. English was the next best thing for me, which I enjoyed and so took a totally different path. It took two more years to graduate, but things worked out, especially since we moved to England with only 3 (400 level) classes to go.

6. I never in a million years ever thought I was going to get married. I didn’t think it was in “the cards” for me-ever! I was always the girlfriend who was everyone’s BFF, but never cute enough, smart enough, or thin enough to actually go out with. I went on four days my whole college experience, all of which I paid for me and the date….uck!! Some men, I swear. Any who, Darrin asked me out after a couple of months knowing and working with him. I instantly fell in love at 24 years old. He was perfect for me and not a BYU alumnus. “[He] liked me for me and not because I look like Cindy Crawford…” For once I found someone who is so similar to me, yet so very different-the perfect match!!

7. Six months after we got married, Darrin and I moved to England. We lived in a little town outside of London and the M25-Redhill, Surrey. Hence the reason why we like the name Surrey. We decided in England that if we ever had a girl, we would name her Surrey. And yes, this was before Tom and Kate.

8. Darrin and I lived in England during some of the most historical times in the twenty first century: September 11th, the invasion of Iraq, the 2002 Utah Winter Olympics, the death of Queen Mum, and the changing of the currency to Euros.

9. Because I grew up outside of Utah, spent time in England and France, I really don’t like closed minded people. I especially don’t like those people who are so closed minded, yet believe they “know” the world better than you do! Believe me, I am not saying I know everything, but my dear friend growing up was Jewish…hhhmm a Mormon and a Jew, it doesn’t get any more radical than that and I still love her to pieces. Shalom Kate (she’s now a Jewish Rabbi in NY-you go girlfriend!).

10. One of my favorite movies is “Braveheart.” I cry just hearing: “FREEDOM!” Darrin and I traveled up to Scotland a couple of times for work and pleasure. On one of our trips, we drove through Sterling and so stopped at the Sterling (William Wallace) Monument. I cried as we stood out at the top looking over the empty Falkirk fields that were once known as the Battle of Falkirk. So many men died fighting for their freedom from the English in that very spot.

11. One of my pet peeves if dirty feet, especially in the summer time where we like to walk around barefoot. My poor hubby-I make him wash his feet before he gets into bed! Can’t stand dirty feet.

12. My mom taught me how to swim at 9 months old and I have been swimming ever since. I am a strong believer that EVERYONE needs to know how to swim. Hence the reason I make Jack and Megan get swim lessons. They WILL know how to swim and not be afraid of the water. We always had a pool growing up and so would love to have a pool one day next to my ocean side view home!

13. I took Tae Kwon Do throughout high school. My teacher was Leonardo from “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movies. Most of the San Fran 49ers worked out in our studio: Dwight Clark, Ronnie Lot, etc…

14. One reason why Darrin finally asked me out because he heard that Steve Wozniak lived down the street from our home in Los Gatos (California). His children went to elementary school with us. I babysit for his ex wife: Candy.

15. Last year I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. It’s an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid attacks the heart. I produce too much thyroid hormone that I suffer from tremors, excessive seating-hence the shaking-heart racing too high, and excessive metabolism, which leads to more eating (always thought that would be nice, but not when you eat more than your husband!), and constant fatigue because your body is in over drive.

16. I have had my nose “done” four times! One of these days, I am going to beg for the Almay’s (Elaine Mellancamp) cover girls nose-love it!

17. If I could afford it, I would totally get a breast reduction. As of right now, I want furniture for my basement more than a size B cup.

18. I really want to be a chef like Martha Stewart. I actually really like her and like her recipes. When visiting my brother in England in High School, I wanted to attend Le Cordon Bleu in London more than I wanted to go to college. Back in the ‘90s, there were only three schools: London, Paris, and San Francisco and so just getting into them was difficult. So I am a cook at heart, but mediocre for reality.

19. My favorite band growing up was Erasure-love them, love them, love them! I still sing to their music and dance around the house, even when neighbors are looking-don’t care. I also like Abba. Ironically, Erasure made a CD called Abba-esque with a mix of Erasure and Abba-so fun! (Darrin likes Erasure too.)

20. When in high school in California, I danced on our Drill Team. In those rebellious times, I wanted to just graduate and then live in Las Vegas as a real “Show Girl.” My dad sat me down and said: “You know, Alyson, they do more than just dance…”

21. My dad served in the Franco/Belgium mission. My older brother served in Southern France, later opening up the mission in which I would serve in: Marseille, France. I was actually serving in Marseille (my first area) when Princess Diana was killed. The French call her “Princess Di Di.” My other sister served a mission in Fortaleza, Brazil, and my younger brother served in Seoul, Korea.

22. I really love movie theatre microwave popcorn with a large Diet Pepsi (Coke will do too) when the kids go to bed. It’s my way of winding down.

23. I am an “All American Girl.” I love pizza, hamburgers with French fries, and good old apple pie (ala mode, that is).

24. I really am not fond of vegetarians-sorry guys! I don’t care that people don’t eat meat, but I hate all the preaching. Because honestly, I love meat so much, I wish I could buy a cow. And I love my meat medium rare, almost to the point that the cow is still mooing. Fortunately, I have a brother and dad just like me and so I am not totally bizzaro! On the flip side of things, while studying health and nutrition, I do strongly believe that protein-animal protein- is so good for you. In fact, most of the Vit Bs come strictly from protein sources. But enough said, not getting on a soap box today.

25. I love movies. I love watching movies. I love quoting movies. I love chick flicks to action packed to historical (like Braveheart & Schindler’s List) to “Finding Nemo.” One movie I really like is “French Kiss.” Who doesn’t like Meg Ryan (where do you think Megan came from)? Well, “French Kiss” is filmed in southern France-my mission. So beautiful.