I Love This Kid!

Today is Allie's 22nd birthday! This girl puts the zing and the zest into living. She is pretty much the mustard in the sandwich of life. That is a pretty good analogy because Allie even loves the color yellow.

She also loves shaved ice and snow cones and she can recite from memory just about every flavor sold at Bahama Bucks.

Allie has a deep love for the temple. This is a picture she took when we attended the Gila Valley Temple's open house. Allie goes to the temple weekly and has come to love and appreciate the peace that comes from attending the temple.

Allie loves service and she loves her family. She gives me a hard time about posting unflattering pictures of her, but what can I say, that girl sure can ham it up!

Here is Allie holding one of our dear departed chickens on the day we bought them. She is always up for an adventure.

Allie loves the ocean ALMOST as much as I do.

She has worn her "co-pilot" hat and navigated her perpetually lost Mother on many adventurous trips!

Allie can find fun everywhere she goes.

Why do we have so many pictures of Allie with clowns?

Allie loves shaved ice, pomegranates, snow cones, cotton candy, caramel apples, fudge, kettle corn.... How does she eat all of that stuff and still look so good?

As you can see, Allie has blessed our life and kept us laughing for the last 22 years. We are so glad that she is part of our family. I nearly killed her once when she was 3 years old. She said something sassy and then told me because I was so far along in my pregnancy with Matt that I was too fat to catch her. I did catch her that day and I am really glad I decided to let her live. :) Not all of you will understand what I am about to write, but I know that Allie will. Allie is kind, she is smart and she is important and I am so proud to be her Mama. Happy Birthday, Allie, I love you!