Richards

The Big 3!!!

2012-01-23T11:18:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe my "baby" is THREE!!! Logan seemed to have a great birthday! He sang Happy Birthday to himself often and enjoyed it when any member of his family would randomly sing to him as well.
Grandma and Grandpa Richards came over for pizza (Logan's request for dinner) and cake and ice cream.

We are blessed to have Logan in our family! He is definitely is our little clown! He likes to make people laugh and is really quite good at it.

Things Logan love include:

Going to Grandma & Grandpa's house

Pizza

Chicken nuggets

Any kind of treats he can get his hand on

His BSU orange shirts

Being read to

Jenna & Adam...most of the time

Going into Adam's room when Adam is at school

Watching "Mater the Greater"

Putting puzzles together

Daddy walking in from work

Being tickled

Doing somersaults instead of folding his arms when it's time to say family prayer

Happy 3rd Birthday, Logan! We sure love you!

January Happenings

2012-01-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

Here's what we've been up to so far this year:
Our first and only day of snow was last week. Jenna went out and enjoyed every moment she could in the snow! I don't think this smile left her face either! :) We celebrated 3 Raymond family birthday's while my parents and Ryan, Natalie and their kids were in town:

After the birthday celebration, we all headed to the BSU Basketball game. I haven't been in years and it was a lot of fun to go with the family! The kids had a great time too!

Pine Wood Derby

2012-01-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

This year the cub scouts invited the whole ward to participate in their annual Pine Wood Derby. Our kids were so excited about making a car and with Ryan's help, got to take part in the derby. Adam was happy to take part in the derby and can't wait to participate with the scouts next year!
Ryan and Jenna putting the glitter on her car. Ryan worked hard to get the kids' cars done:

Adam's car took 3rd in his division. Jenna's car did well, but she didn't care if she won or lost, she just liked to race!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! I think this will be the only time Logan will cry when he has to only go to 70 minutes of church instead of three hours and be so ecstatic to get underwear in his stocking!
The kids were a lot of fun this year. They enjoyed being my little elves and delivering our soda pop and popcorn to our neighbors and friends. (The tag read: "pop, pop, fizz, fizz, what great family you is!) It was fun to see them be so excited to give others something, even if it was such a simple thing. Putting together a Christmas puzzle

Decorating cookies for Santa

(Santa loves red cookies)

Adam SO HAPPY he got the angry birds game.

Logan was so to watch this year. He loved opening the gifts and a little sad when we ran out of presents to open.

Sporting his new "underpants" as he calls them.

Jenna in her new Christmas dress from Grammy. She would not put the pony down! (Her favorite gift.)

We love this time of year and the increased chance we have to teach our children about the birth of our Savior. We had been so blessed and have had tender mercies placed upon us these last few weeks. We are so grateful for the love of others who bless our lives.

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, we gave the kids ornaments of their own and wanted to carry on that tradition every year. This year we decided to give them something they like or are into right now. For Adam, it is Finn McMissile from Cars 2, for Jenna it is ice cream and for Logan it is Mater.

Since Ryan and I have been married we have gotten a real tree with the exception of one or two years. This year we went out and got a tree. We were going to get a small tree this year, but when I read the sign that said, "Any Tree, Any Size, $25" I decided that we should get a bigger tree than what I had in mind. However, it was MUCH bigger when we got it into our home than I had expected, but it is fun. Unfortunately this may be our last year for a real tree...allergies are really starting to take a toll on some members of the family!

And we got to see Santa at Adam's school this year. Logan was not too sure of Santa, until he realized that Santa had candy...then he was ok to walk up to Santa, enough to get his candy.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T09:01:00.000-08:00

We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my-in laws this year since my parents were spending their holiday in the hospital-my dad recovering from back surgery he had just two days before. We missed being with my family, but enjoyed our holiday with good food, great company and finished off Thanksgiving Day going to the Botanical Gardens. It happened to be the perfect night to go see the lights at the gardens.

The day before Thanksgiving, Jenna helped Grandma make rolls! Jenna loved spending time with Grandma! At the Botanical Gardens:

Photo Shoot

2011-11-14T14:06:00.000-08:00

My amazing sister-in-law took pictures of the kids. Here's some of my favorites:

Thanks again, Sara! You are quite talented if I do say so myself! :)

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

This year for Halloween, we had...
A COWBOY... "YEE-HAW!"

A CAT...

And a NINJA...

Oh, and a whole lot of SUGAR!!!

A little bit of this, A little bit of that...

2011-10-31T08:54:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when we put the summer toys away for the winter and this year was no exception. Ryan just happened to find the kids in the back yard when it was time to put things away. Last week was Adam's Patriotic Program at school. He's been busy learning and singing the songs. It was a nice program!

And last, but not least, the kids have been loving getting ready for Halloween. Adam designed and put together this spooky Haunted House.

Then we got busy carving pumpkins. The kids were very excited about carving pumpkins, until it was time to clean them out; none of them wanted any part of that. Ryan and I ended up doing most of the work while the kids ran around, checking on us occasionally and saying, "Good job!" "It looks good." "That's not how I wanted it...oh, that's better." But overall, I think they turned out good and the kids were excited about it.

Harvest Party

2011-10-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

This year, the grand kids that live in the area planted their own pumpkins at Grandma's & Grandpa's. We ended up with 39 pumpkins from 6 pumpkin hills! The kids were thrilled all season to watch their own pumpkins grow. Grandma and Grandpa had a Harvest Party where we decorated Halloween cookies, picked our pumpkins, went for a hay ride and ate lots of fun treats. The kids had a great time and can't wait to start carving their pumpkins!

Weekend with the Raymond's

2011-10-17T08:57:00.001-07:00

We had a great weekend with my parents along with my brother, Ryan and his family coming into town. We had a great time at the park, eating a wonderful dinner, having yummy treats, watching the BSU game and having my parents come to the kids' Primary Program! It was fun to spend time with each other! Here's some pictures of us going to Linder Farms on Saturday. It was beautiful out and the kids had a lot of fun with their cousins!

Update

2011-09-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how it got to be the end of September, but here we are. We've been busy; I'm not sure doing what, but here's a few things we have been doing:
A little breakfast before we head out to the gym each morning:
Projects from preschool:

Adam has two less teeth now than he did two weeks ago.

Busy freezing the corn we planted at my in-laws. (When I say "we" I mostly mean my-father-in-law who did all of the watering and weeding.)

We can only hope things slow down, but as the past has proved, time just speeds up!

Visit with Grandma Pete

2011-09-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Grandma Pete made the trip over to my parents house, so I loaded up the kids (Ryan had to work) and headed over to Eastern Idaho to see my Grandma. We had a great weekend but it was especially great to see my grandma, who I haven't seen in an embarrassing long time.

My kids also had a great time with cousins, aunts, uncles, Papa and Grammy! Grammy taking the kids on a 4-wheeler ride was a huge hit!

Of course we have to get pictures taken whenever we can. We had all the grandkids together for one evening and couldn't go without taking advantage of it.

Grandma Pete with the great-grandkids:

Grammy and Papa with all their grandkids. What a great looking bunch!

The cousins:

Four Generations:

Preschool

2011-09-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to Jenna's meet and greet for preschool. Jenna was excited to be there that on three different occasions she came to me and told me that I could go now. So you can image her excitement on her real first day of preschool:

She absolutely loved it and was a little disappointed when it was time to go home. Logan was also disappointed when he couldn't stay with Jenna at preschool. I guess I just need to be more fun to be around! :)

Congratulations on your first day of preschool, Jenna! We still can't believe you are FOUR and at this stage in your life, but we are so happy for you!!!

First day of second grade

2011-08-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

Thursday was Adam's first day of 2nd grade. And again, I can't believe it's time to start school again and that we have a 2nd grader! Adam was really excited for school (but not so excited about getting up early). When you're in kindergarten, it's new exciting and part-time. 1st grade is the real thing, 5 days a week, full time. By the time you get to 2nd grade you know what to expect, what is expected of you and your into the routine. 2nd Grade! What an exciting grade! 2nd Grade!

At his desk...waiting for the bell to ring.

And again, the annual picture by the Crimson Point Elementary School sign.

We hope you have a great school year, Adam!

32 Jars

2011-08-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

We had the chance to pick apricots, so off Ryan went to pick and pick and pick. We decided to freeze some of the fruit and make jam with the rest. After an insane amount of sugar, lots of dishes and one late night, we ended up with 32 jars of apricot freezer jam.

Pure Bliss

2011-07-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

3 Kids + Trampoline + Sprinkler + 97 degree weather= Pure Bliss!

Copper Basin

2011-07-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we headed up to Copper Basin for the Raymond Camp out. This was the first time we've taken the kids camping and I think they really enjoyed themselves. But who wouldn't? You had cousins to play with, rocks and water to keep you entertained for hours, 4-wheeler rides, moving trees out the 4-wheeler path so we could continue up the mountain, craft projects, hiking to a lake, then walking around the lake, great food and much more.

Thanks to you Raymond's for a great fun-filled weekend!

Wow! What a weekend!

2011-07-05T09:12:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful weekend we enjoyed! Ryan took Friday off work, which was wonderful. We started out the weekend by taking the kids to see a matinee of Cars 2 (Adam loved it; sat at the end of his seat the whole time and Jenna enjoyed the popcorn. Logan, well, he enjoyed seeing Mater and Lightning McQueen for the first 45 minutes, then he was ready to do something else.)

Then we went and got all the kids their own sleeping bags, set up the tent and camped out all night. That's right...all five of us camped outside all night long! The kids LOVED it and did great! I think we're ready for our camping trip that's coming up in a couple of weeks!

Then on Saturday we rode bikes to the pond and did a little exploring there...

The pond is stocked with Trout and a couple dragonflies were around.

We took a little hike by the river before returning home.

On Sunday we had FHE with my family, which is always great!

Then on to the 4th of July:

We started the big day by having some friends over for breakfast, then went down to the Boise 4th of July Parade. The kids seemed to really enjoy that.

Then we went down to the Nature Center and walked through that after we ate our lunch in front of the Nature Center and saw a couple of deer wondering around.

We all needed a break, so we headed home for some quiet time, and later went to Grandma and Grandpa's for another fun filled time running through the water after Grandpa flooded his lawn again. We then had a delicious dinner. Later, I had to run home for some things and was gone for maybe 20 minutes, and came back to Jenna and her two cousins in the mud:

At first it was just in feet, then it was a little more and a little bit more after that, before long Jenna was jumping in the mud! She was smiling from ear to ear and in heavenly bliss (until it was time to clean up).

Then of course you can't forget the fireworks. At first Logan and Adam were in the back of the car until we got the sparklers out.

After doing a few fireworks at Grandpa and Grandma's we headed home and joined in our cul-de-sac's HUGE firework show! WOW they had a LOT of fireworks!! By this time Jenna and Logan were very tired and opted to stay inside and fall asleep to a movie. The rest of us finished enjoying almost to the last minute of the 4th of July!

It was a great weekend and a fun 4th of July. It certainly did not go unrecognized the effort and lives it took to enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today. We feel very blessed to live in America and try to not take that for granted. We are Proud to be Americans!!!

He started it!

2011-07-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ryan started a water fight!

Memories

2011-06-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite summer memories growing up was when my dad would flood the lawn and we would have a lot of fun splashing and playing in the water. I'm happy that my kids can have that same experience when Grandpa Richards floods his lawn.

Just Because

2011-06-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

I love getting flowers "just because!"

Fathers Day 2011

2011-06-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Fathers Day to my wonderful husband who is a great father to our kids!!! I hope you had a great day and know how much we love and appreciate all you do for us! And to my dad who's been a wonderful dad! It was great to have my parents visit last weekend.

Happy Fathers Day!!!

Let the Summer Begin!

2011-06-03T20:34:00.000-07:00

Adam finished up first grade last week. There were a few tears shed by Adam himself, his teacher and myself. How did this last year go by so fast? Going to the cabin always cheers everyone up, luckily we were able to go for the weekend and had a BLAST!!! We really enjoy it when the kids are getting along, watching a show all at the same time. (These moments don't last long.)

And the wonderful hikes are always so beautiful! Adam lead us on the hike this time, determined to reach the top of the mountain.

And now we are on to swimming lessons. Adam is in private lessons and does really well one-on-one with his instructor. Jenna is really enjoying her lessons and wears her swim suit from the moment she gets up in the morning until after she's done with swim lessons, (she has lessons from 5:15-5:45 in the evening!)

We are so excited to be on Summer Break!

Weeks in Review

2011-05-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

I had a great Mother's Day! I'm spoiled! Adam told me that on Mother's Day he would do all of my jobs for me so I could just play with Jenna and Logan. What a sweet boy! We planted a little garden in my in-laws garden. I'm hoping the kids will eat the peas and beans when they are harvested.

Logan likes to color with markers. I tell him often to only color on paper, but sometimes coloring on your arm is a lot more fun, apparently.

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

My kids love to dye Easter eggs and thanks to Grandma, they were able to do that this year.

And a thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for the Easter egg hunt and for the guys who hid the eggs for the kids. They love this activity and could do it over and over.

And for the famous, but sometimes dreaded Easter Sunday Pictures:

For me, it is so hard to get a good picuture of all three kids. You wouldn't think it would be too hard, but for some reason, it is!

HAPPY EASTER!

For the 4th Time

2011-04-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today is Jenna's 4th birthday! I know what you are thinking, "didn't she just her 3rd birthday?" And yes, but she just keeps getting bigger and growing up way too fast. Again, I tried to skip this birthday and not let my little girl turn 4 yet, but she really wanted to be four, so as time would have it, she celebrated another birthday. We celebrated on Saturday and Jenna had a great day. It started out by Ryan and I giving her our present to her:

Then she decorated her cake before the guests arrived:

Family came over to celebrate with us and Jenna opened gifts... Blew out candles: And had an Easter Egg Hung: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENNA! You are a sweet, beautiful girl! We love you so much!

Temple Grounds

2011-04-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

Our Stake Presidentcy encouraged each of us to attend the temple this week and/or go with our families to the temple grounds in preparation for Stake Conference on Sunday. Last night our neighbors invited us to go with them and walked around the beautiful, breath taking temple grounds. It was a very enjoyable evening.

On the bench where Ryan proposed to me almost 9 years ago.

Seven Times

2011-04-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

It happened again, and you would think that I would get used to it after seven times, but I haven't gotten to it at all. In fact, I tried to skip it this year, but Adam wouldn't let that happen. Yep, Adam's SEVEN!!! I know you're thinking what I've been thinking, "How did that happen" "Where did the time go" "How can he be seven, it seems like he was just born!" I'm having a hard time believing that he had another birthday. Adam was so excited about his birthday! The train tunnel he got...

Last year Adam decorated his own cake so now he wants to do it every year...and why not? You can have your cake and decorate it too when you're seven.

Final project. Lady-his favorite train.

For the seventh time, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADAM! We love you and so happy you are apart of our lives!

Spring time?

2011-04-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

We had one really great day last week...temperature in the 60's. And we all had a smile on our face like this: We spent a lot of our day outside and had a great time! We love the warmer weather and can't wait for it to be consistent. (We all got sun burnt. I do this every year, no sunscreen when we first come out of hibernation. You would think I would learn.)

(Jenna is becoming a much better driver. She loves to take the neighbor boys out for a ride or have them chase her because they want a turn.)

Monkey on the bed

2011-03-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

We've been talking about getting Logan a big boy bed for a while now, but weren't real motivated to do it. The truth is, it is much easier to put him in his crib and have him go to sleep than to train him to sleep in a big bed, especially since he doesn't crawl out of his crib. Finally, we bought a bed and Logan loved it!!! In fact, he kept saying, "I love it!" Then when he figured out that he could run out of his room at any time, he was in real heaven...a new kind of freedom in his life. Overall, he's actually doing pretty good about going to bed, but we do still have work to do. Ryan has been working late hours and this one particular end of the day I was needing to have time to myself and of course, Logan kept coming out of his room, so I put the gate up. He cried, but eventually fell asleep by the gate.

Then there was the success...Logan went into his room got his 3 bears, 2 blankets and his pillow and went to sleep! I was so happy (for both him and me)!

It is fun to see the things Logan does in his room when he is supposed to be sleeping, but is not and doesn't know I'm watching him. One time he took everything off his bed and put it under his train table, then when he was ready to to go sleep, he pulled everything out and put his on his bed and went to sleep.

A couple of times he got completely naked. When I went to check on him, there he was...holding different clothes in his hands and said, "these ones?"

He also has a mirror in his room that he likes to do things in front of...make funny faces, kiss, put on a hat and looks at himself, etc. He's quite character! :)

One Year Older & Wiser Too...

2011-03-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

The day started out with balloons, a birthday sign, cards and Ryan rushing off to get Adam to school and himself to work. Ryan's been working late these last couple weeks, and his birthday was no exception. He got home about 8pm and the kids should have been in bed, so right when Ryan walked in we had our little party with him. The kids thought their dad would really like cupcakes for his birthday, so that is what we made him. After the little party the kids went to bed, but not right to sleep-something about eating too much sugar right before bed or something like that. (Jenna thought it was pure torture that cupcakes sat on the counter for half the day and she couldn't have even one!)

Hopefully Ryan and I will have a great evening out on Saturday and celebrate when he's not so tired and worn out from being at work all day.

I just had to add this picture of Jenna. She was in bed trying to sleep, but Logan was crying too loud, so she put her hands over her ears and fell asleep like that. Whatever works! :)

For My Dad

2011-03-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

It's been weeks in the making...planning a surprise 60th Birthday party for my dad. And I'd say it was a huge success. Everyone was there...dad didn't have a clue! Mom took dad out for dinner and a movie 45 minutes away so it would give us all time to get there, set up, decorate, etc.
That night we had dad's favorite cake and ice cream, a DVD of dad's life, and fun/sentimental gifts from everyone. We had a lot of fun and laughter. The best part was-dad really had no idea!!!

Happy Birthday to my dad, I hope it was a good one!!! (We sure had fun!)

That's Just Logan...

2011-02-27T18:17:00.000-08:00

Logan is Daddy's little helper. If you look real close, you can see that Logan has his tape measure out too. But Logan's favorite is to get undressed, and to have socks on his hands. Oh, and if there is a hat laying around, he likes to wear it too.

Not the best picture, but just showing how much he loves to wear socks and hats! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

I love my Valentine's...all of them. I used to not enjoy Valentine's Day...until I wasn't single anymore and I get to spend this holiday with my sweetheart... Who brings me home these...

And I get to be with these great Valentine's...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

A box car and overalls

2011-02-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

Adam came up with this idea to build a car out of cardboard, so after days of begging and doing his own research on "google search" Ryan helped him build a car. After it was done, it needed to be decorated....
Jenna coloring her assigned side to decorate... Logan doing his share, but I think he got colored more than the car did.

Adam is very serious about getting his side colored.

Playing in the car...

Lately, I have been feeling like a broken record, saying the same thing over and over again, day after day. "Logan keep your clothes on!" "Logan, where are you clothes?" "Logan don't run around naked when other people are here!" So I finally put him in overalls, so far he can't get them off by himself.

Jenna's surgery day

2011-01-25T11:00:00.001-08:00

Today Jenna had to go be at the hospital by 5:30AM to get prepped for surgery at 7:30. She had ear tubes put in and her adenoids taken out without any problems. She was scared coming out of the anesthesia, but eventually did fine. After she stopped throwing up, we were able to take her home.
I took some good pictures of her, but accidentally erased them before I put them onto my computer, (that's what I get when I'm easily distracted)...so imagine...
Jenna blowing bubbles while wearing her gown that is 100 times too big for her. Bubbles seemed to help pass time while we were waiting.
Then imagine Jenna walking down the hall with her underwear showing because the gowns just can't cover everything, pulling a wagon with the nurse with her new teddy inside the wagon. They wanted the separation between Jenna and I to go smooth, so they brought out a wagon so see if Jenna would ride in it, but instead she insisted that her teddy (that they gave her) be put into it and she pull the wagon. She waved to me and off she went into surgery.
The nurses gave her bubbles, several stickers of princesses, and a new teddy bear, what more could a girl want? (Well, she wanted her dad, who was soon by her side.) She did great and we are proud of her. The hope now is that she'll caught up in her speech, fine motor skills, self help skills, etc. etc. I hear that it takes just a matter of months before she's right where she should be!

Yep, He's TWO!!!

2011-01-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

Logan's two...I know, I'm still trying to believe it myself. How does time go by so fast and is it just me or does it go by faster and faster?
Logan seemed to have a great day. When I went in to get him this morning, I told him "Happy Birthday" and he asked with his hands out, "balloons?" He was very excited to see balloons and a birthday sign up for his special day!
Logan amazes me every day with things he learns, says and does. He says just about anything we ask him to say, he can count to ten will little help and he does his best with keeping up with his big brother and big sister, who adore him even still.
Today he started out the day with having peanut butter out of the jar for breakfast...
Playing in a toy box with his sister...

Having a party with family and cuddling up in his new blanket...

Blowing out his candle several times before the "Happy Birthday" song was over...

And playing with his new toys...

We love you Logan, very much and so grateful to have you in our family.

Happy Birthday!!!

Ringing in 2011

2011-01-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

I know I say this every year and this year is no exception..."Where did this last year go? It went by so fast!!"

This year, we rang in the New Year with some great food, yummy snacks, fun games, too many movies for the kids and great company. And I must say, I started the year out EXHAUSTED! With school out, Ryan off work for a week (yippee!!) and lots of treats, much less sleep than usual, no wonder I'm tired! And the only thing I would change is having even more fun with the family.

Ryan and I took the two older kids to see their first movie at a theater. (Tangled...very cute show!) They had a great time and Jenna mostly wondered if she could have more popcorn.

We also cleaned up the garage. (Ryan got into watching "Hoarders" on Netflix and the next day was cleaning up different things.)

We went bowling on the first day of the year...so much fun. Logan hasn't really been before, and thought maybe it was a ball you should kick down the lane. Jenna's ball sometimes took a little while to get down the lane, but would eventually make it! :) Adam did great and Ryan and I both had a great time with the kids.

Ryan was a good sport and hung some things for me while he was on vacation. Our house is finally starting to feel like home. Thanks babe!And last, but certainly not least, we have a Sunbeam. Our little Jenna went to Primary today and loved it. I think she's going to miss Nursery very much, but she's very excited about being in Primary like her brother, Adam.

Christmas came again! :)

2010-12-30T09:25:00.000-08:00

It has been a very good Christmas season. The kids had a great time all month long. We had "Jingle" the elf at our house looking down on the kids most of the month, we went to parties, saw Christmas lights, spent time with family, had a secret Santa for the 12 Days of Christmas, and many more things.
Of course, you can't go a season without acting out the Nativity...we did it three times this year. Mary and Joseph were very cute! So was the wise men...

And here are a few favorite things...

New pajamas are the best!!! (Thanks Grammy!)

And next year we might just empty boxes for the kids...they like them just as much as what comes in the boxes.

We had to take out our tree because it was causing some allergy problems, so the kids and I made some paper trees. Christmas wasn't the same without a real tree in the home, so I had Ryan bring the tree back in before Christmas and we took it out the Monday after. He's a trooper for doing all of that for us!

We love Christmas! Adam didn't go to bed until very late Christmas night because he just didn't want the day to end. I had to agree with him, I love Christmas and didn't want it to end either, but there is always next year to look forward to! :)

Jenna's New Do

2010-12-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Jenna got her first real hair cut. Since she doens't have much hair, she's only had one other cut and that was by her dad. Today she got the real deal and loved sitting on a big chair, getting her hair cut and done, then getting a treat afterwards. I think it turned out pretty good and makes her look older!

Our Little Angel

2010-12-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

Jenna has been taking a ballet/tap dance these last few months and has really enjoyed it. Last night was the big recital. She did great and loved being on stage! Their song was "I'll be a little angel"...

Here's one cute angel The rehearsal...

All the angels performing... We were so proud of Jenna. What a fun experience this has been.

'Tis the Season

2010-12-07T07:14:00.001-08:00

'Tis the season to go and get The Christmas Tree! We have fun every year going out, picking the tree that will spend the Christmas season with our family, decorating the tree, redecorating the tree, remembering to keep the tree watered, taking in the great smell of a real tree, and did I mention it gets redecorated a few times? We love it, and the kids have a great time.

A Happy Birthday

2010-11-21T14:46:00.000-08:00

It was my 30th Birthday! I was a little sad leaving my 20's, but look forward to the 30's. By the way, where did the 20's go and how did it go so fast? Wasn't it just last week I was in college celebrating my 19th birthday with some of my closest friends?
Well anyway, I had a great day. My wonderful husband put 30 little notes around the house for me to find, he came home and decorated the downstairs with several balloons, a big Happy 30th Birthday sign, "Caution" tape signs, "30" signs hanging from the ceiling, etc. etc. We had some family over and had the most delicious Marie Calendar Pies and a great time. I have the best family. My kids gave me hugs and kisses all day and told me "Happy Birthday" often, I got to go to the school and watch a parade, and the best part was my in-laws watched our kids all day Saturday so me and my husband could go out and shop, have lunch, shop, have dinner, have a uninterrupted, ongoing conversation, sanity, relaxing, and much needed time together! Thank you for making my day so special. What a great way to kick off my 30's! :)

Of course, this is Ryan making me wear the hat, the old person glasses and a necklace that had "30" all over it (you can't see it). The kids thought that was fun! (And so did I)!

A Little Update

2010-11-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

You know how it goes...your child brings home an assignment and you know it is more of an assignment for the parents than it is for the child. In this case, Adam had to make a float for his Thanksgiving Parade for school. He wanted a train. This is what Ryan and I came up with and Adam loved it. The float got an A+ from Adam and the kids at school! Phew! I'm so glad!

Thanks to a hook up from my awesome sister-in-law, we got a piano...for free. We are so grateful to have a piano in our home and have enjoyed every minute of it. We can't wait until the kids are old enough to start lessons and maybe I'll even take some lessons myself.

Our Halloween Festivities

2010-11-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

Another year of fun things to do for Halloween. We had a ward party with a carnival for the kids, auction for the adults and food for everyone. We attended a trunk-or-treat and had a Harvest Party with grandma and Grandpa. What fun! We love to decorate pumpkins and make our own decorations! Here's a few pictures to show you the evidence of the festivities!

One way of doing it...

2010-10-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

One way to get a new cuddly teddy bear and cute blanket is to look up at your daddy with your big blue eyes, smile sweetly and ask nicely. Another way would be to get a concussion and spend six hours in the ER. Jenna got a concussion while playing with her neighbor friend. Fortunately she ok and no perminate damage was done. It did take her a little longer than they would have liked to see for her to come back around, but she eventually did. And who wouldn't like to come home with a cute bear and blanket?

Farmstead

2010-10-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

Every year we go to the pumpkin patch and enjoy all of the festivities there. This year we had a ward party at a Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch that a couple in our ward own. The kids had a wonderful time riding on the cow train, running through the mini maze, jumping on the giant bubble, eating donuts and best of all, playing in the corn box. What a fun night out!

What we've been doin'...

2010-09-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Jenna started her dance class last week. She's in a ballet/tap combo class. So far she loves it and absolutely loves her tap shoes! :) Adam fell asleep at dinner. I thought he was just really tired, but come to find out he was sick and running a fever.

Logan likes to eat in a different way. For example, eating peanut butter from a the container with his hands and/or spatula.

And "drink" his yogurt instead of eat it!

I was able to go up in an airplane with my scouts with the Young Eagles Program. It was my first time in a small plane. It was fun, although I did get a little nauseous and dizzy being up there. The boys had a great time though! :)

Where does the time go?

2010-08-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

Adam started first grade yesterday and had a wonderful day! He loves his first grade teacher, Mrs. Snyder and says she is really nice.
Now, I'm just wondering, where does the time go?

Ready for his first day of school!

We sure are proud!!!

Some of our Favorite Things

2010-08-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here are some of our favorite things lately...

So Many Great Things...

2010-08-17T07:27:00.002-07:00

We always have a great time taking the boat out, unfortunately we don't do it near as much as we would like to. Here's some pictures from our last outing.
Jon and Cooper...two crazy kids! Jenna learning how to drive the boat, with Grandpa's supervision

Ryan is amazingJenna loved riding on the tube

Carsey and Mila shared a special day on Saturday; Carsey was baptized and Mila was blessed by their dad. What a great day. We were so glad they made a lot of effort to come to Boise so we could be apart of these great milestones. Congratulations Carsey and Mila!

Logan had tubes put in his ears on Monday. YEA! Hopefully we have a lot less ear infections, more sleeping at night and a happier little boy!

Richards Reunion 2010

2010-08-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Richards Family Reunion was this last weekend. Ryan was just going to take Adam and head down, but at the last minute "convinced" me to go with him (not that it took a lot of convincing! :) ) We headed down late Thursday night and went to the Hogle Zoo on Friday, what a fun zoo! The kids had a good time! We spent some time at Temple Square. We haven't taken the kids there in a very long time...what a great teaching experience!

Then we headed to a park and had the big family gathering on Saturday.

Bridal Veil Falls was beautiful...and fun for the kids...

Adam and Logan enjoyed their own version of crochet.

Some water balloon volleyball to cool off the hot day!

We are so glad we went and had a great time! Thanks for those who let us crash at their house at night!

Snake River Stampede

2010-07-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

My awesome and very thoughtful brother, Jared, gave us VIP tickets to the Snake River Stampede. We had such a great time! It has been years since I've been to a rodeo and I have never sat so close as we did Saturday. We had mud flipping up on us almost the entire time because of how close we were. Jenna loved it, but mostly because she had an endless supply of free food she got to eat for two hours. Adam loved the animals and had a lot of questions about what was going on and I enjoyed being with two of my kiddos and my sister! What a great day out!

Bear Lake: Year #4

2010-07-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

We had a good time at Bear Lake this year. This was our fourth year going and the lake is still as beautiful as ever. I think we all agreed that this year is one not to be forgotten. With at least 8 of the gang getting the stomach flu and throwing up more times than any of us would even want to in a lifetime, the little bit of a windy beach we still managed to have a good time. The kids were mostly oblivious to what was going on around them and having a great time with their cousins.
Jenna and Carter have really become great friends this last month or so. If they don't see each other constantly, they are asking where the other one is. So fun to have a cousin to play with! A little walk with the cousins was very enjoyable

Putting together puzzles on a beautiful Sunday evening Logan coloring...not to be left out...

Beach babe

Carter and Jenna again...mostly joined at the hip

Logan loving the water, after a whileWatch out or I'll squirt you!!! Three Hawaiian beauties

Lots of sand for more castles

Jenna feeding the seagulls

Love time with the family!

Happy 4th

2010-07-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

We had a great time the 4th of July. Some of Ryan's family were in town and we were able to celebrate with them.
The Grandkids love Grandpa's new toy! Watching the fireworks. Notice the two in the car watching...:)

So nice to have older nieces who love to hang out with the little ones!

Summer Time Fun

2010-07-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

We love the summer time and have enjoyed a few great, warm days. It's hard to believe that July is already here. But we'll enjoy every minute of summer.

Logan loves to be outside and it's even better now that he's up walking around! We visited the State Capitol Building. Adam has been wanting to go back and ring the bell ever since he ran the Capitol Classic. We finally made it downtown to do just that.

At the old Boise Train Depot the kids had a blast. They loved going to the top and being in the Bell Tower. It was a great view of the city as well. But the train tracks were also a big hit! :)

We also participated in Meridian Dairy Days. We've never been before and the kids a good time. They thought the rides were great!

Capitol Classic

2010-06-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

Adam participated in the Capitol Classic on Saturday. He really had a great time. This is a mile long fun run that ranges from ages 6 to 14.
Adam at the start line:

Running the race. Photo compliments of Idahostatesman.Big group photo in front of the capitol buildingThe medal after the race

Graduation!

2010-06-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

Today was Adam's Kindergarten Graduation. I can't believe this school year is over already. They had a little program and a ceremony for the graduates.

Mrs. Patten was a wonderful teacher and so good to Adam. We sure lucked out!Adam's Diploma...

The day has come!

2010-05-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

I knew this day would come, but wasn't sure when. Logan is walking!!! YAHOO!

Yard, Yard, Yard

2010-05-15T13:20:00.001-07:00

We have discovered quickly that yard work is an absolute necessity and ongoing project when you get a home, especially if you are often checked in by the HOA. Ryan has been working very hard trying to get part of our yard, mostly the front, in good condition. These are some before and after pictures of part of our front yard then part of our back yard.

Front Yard; WAY BEFORE:After all the PREP WORK:AFTER:Back Yard; WAY BEFORE:After PREP WORK: AFTER:
I am very pleased with the outcome.
Pictures of the workers to come soon!

And then she was THREE!!!

2010-04-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Jenna turned THREE!!! I can't believe how fast it goes. Because Ryan left Sunday to go to Georgia for the week for work, we celebrated Jenna's birthday Friday night, which meant she ended up celebrating her birthday for three days and loved every minute of it. She is such a cutie and we are so happy to have her in our family.
Here's a look down memory lane.
Jenna, three years ago the night she was born with her daddy:
Jenna's First Birthday:Jenna's Second Birthday:And now, her third Birthday: On her new bike in style with her new sunglasses:

Eating some more Castle Cake after the party. Hey, when it's your birthday, who said you can't have your cake and eat it too?!

Here's Jenna on her actual birthday, looking very pretty in her new dress.
Happy Birthday Jenna Lyn! We Love You!!!

Could it be?

2010-04-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

Could it really be that six years ago I became a mom? People always told me to enjoy it because it goes by so fast, but you just don't realize how fast it really goes until days turn into weeks, then months, then years and all of the sudden your first born "baby" is six! Time goes by fast...too fast.

Adam a couple days old... Adam's first birthday:

2nd Birthday:3rd Birthday:
4th Birthday:
5th Birthday:

And this year for Adam's sixth birthday, he wanted a dinosaur train cake, so he took matters into his own hands and decorated his own cake.

He did a good job!

Of course there was pin the tail on the donkey:
And the T-Rex Pinata:
The Gifts:

And the friends:
And last but not least, the 6th Birthday cake:

One thing about turning six, Adam thought for sure he would have to start 1st Grade on Monday. He was a little nervous about that. But we got that all straightened out.

Happy Birthday Adam! I just hope tomorrow I'm not sending you off on your mission! :)

Easter 2010

2010-04-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Egg Coloring...The Hunt...The Baskets...The Happy, full of Sugar kids...(To my defense, Jenna likes to pick out her own clothes.)

Happy Easter!!

Soccer Mom

2010-03-29T10:29:00.001-07:00

Adam started soccer and he loves it! I didn't ever think I would be a mom of a soccer player, but since Adam loves to run and there's a ball involved, this is just the sport for him. And in addition to that, Ryan played soccer in his younger years and is now Adam's team assistant coach. It is so fun to see these five and six-year-old's play soccer, most of them for the first time. They get so excited if they kick the ball and you can image the pure joy it brings them when they score a goal...even if it is the other teams goal.

In being a mom of a soccer player, I thought I would try to make home made, wheat bread by myself. I was very proud that I had done it and that the bread got eaten up! Hooray for me...this is huge for me since I don't really know how to cook!!

Happy Birthday

2010-03-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Ryan celebrated another birthday! :)
The kids were thrilled to have a birthday for Ryan. Adam wanted to do a surprise party, so we put balloons in our bedroom and Adam made Dinosaur tracks that led up to the room. When Ryan got home from work, he followed the tracks and when he opened the bedroom door we all jumped out and yelled, "Happy Birthday Dad, Surprise!" (All Adam's idea and he was very specific on how he wanted to do it.) Sometimes you get a little help on blowing out the candles, whether you want the help or not. :)
Happy Birthday, babe! I love you!

If you fit...

2010-02-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

I guess if you're still small enough to fit in different places, why not!?

Logan's First Haircut

2010-02-25T10:59:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Logan received his first haircut ever. He was great about sitting still, letting Ryan get the job done.
As you will be able to see (hear) on the video, everyone is so happy for Logan. You can hear Adam in the shower cheering for Logan and Jenna shouting out her own cheers as well.

Getting his haircut...
Sitting so still...And looking oh so handsome with those big blue eyes!

More is Better?

2010-02-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

Apparently the more chap stick you have on your face, the better. It doesn't have to be just on your lips, you can put it anywhere. And if you put it in big lumps-it just adds character. Jenna loves her chap stick. And if you were also wondering, she loves this dress she has on that you've seen over and over now. (I do wash it almost daily)

Cinderella

2010-02-09T16:56:00.001-08:00

Jenna is really into Cinderella lately. I have found her many times on the kitchen floor with a wipe, cleaning just like Cinderella does. So, if you need your floors cleaned, just let little Miss Cinderella know, she may give you a great deal.

My Sister

2010-02-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my sister got married. We were able to go over and witness the event.
Me and my sister. Kody, Kade, Tami & Robert

We were able to get all of the grandkids in one picture. YEA!

A Long Time Coming

2010-01-31T16:28:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to put our blog to private for sometime and I'm now getting around to it. We'll be going private February 10th-ish! Let me know if you want to continue to follow along. I'll need your email address. Thanks!

Logan Turns One

2010-01-20T20:31:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast time goes. How many times have I heard that you need to enjoy your babies because they grow so fast. After having my first, I realized that time does go by fast, but it goes by faster the more kids I have. I am in awe that it has been one year since Logan joined our family. I was reflecting on this last year and still cannot figure out where the time went. We are so grateful for Logan and the sweet little boy that he is.

Logan at 6 months-army crawlingSome of Logan's accomplishments and favorite things are:

Climbing up and down the stairs

Eating Yogurt

Wrestling with Adam and Jenna

Walking with Dad

Saying "Dada"

Singing Popcorn Popping

2 bottom teeth and 6 more coming in as of today

And can anyone resist the killer smile he has?

He got the chocolate cake (actually, cupcake) and an ice cream cone for his first birthday...wasn't so sure what to think about it.You want some?Logan adores his Grandpa. Logan watching Jenna open up his gifts. That's what siblings are for, right?Happy FIRST Birthday, Logan. We love you very much!!!

Battles not worth fighting

2010-01-20T07:33:00.001-08:00

I told Jenna to go get her pajama's so we could put them on. She came out with this and insisted on wearing it to bed:
Swimsuit top

Training underwear over her diaper

Pink Princess slippers

Then she lost the slippers and put on dad's black socks! Lovely, I know!

Congratulations!!!

2010-01-18T10:09:00.000-08:00

This last weekend I was able to go to Darci's wedding. We are so excited for her and her new journey with what seems to be a wonderful man!

And Logan discovered Grandma and Grandpa's piano and loved it. This is our little Beethoven:

Sledding

2010-01-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

We went sledding up at Pine New Year's Weekend. The kids had a ton of fun!
Jenna in the snow...she mostly loved eating it, whether it was clean, fresh snow or dirty snow, it didn't matter; it was all snow to her. Jenna all bundled up ready to go.

Logan has had enough fun for one day. (I'm sure he'll be upset in the future when he realizes I dressed him in a pink and purple snow outfit, but it was what there was to keep him warm!)

It took a little while, but Adam eventually enjoyed the 4-wheeler ride with his Uncle Spencer.

Adam and Abby having a great time in the snow!I'd say this was the best time I've had in snow since I was a kid! Thank you Sara and Spencer for a great time in Pine!!!

Family Night at the Richards

2009-12-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I decided we'd have his sister, brother and their families along with his dad (his mom was still at work) over for Family Home Evening. We had such a great evening! The kids all participated and did a great job helping out to make it a great success. I was able to capture a few pictures of the kids as they played together. They sure have a lot of fun when the all get together and have a hard time parting when it's time to go home. We sure love having family around!

Cooper Carter having his turn with the microphone

Carsey, Abby and JennaAdam, Carsey, Jenna and Abby. Austin was in the kitchen when he discovered that there was left over crushed oreos from the banana splits we had. He couldn't let it be left behind, so he finished it off. "I don't want any ice cream, just the cookies!"

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T21:28:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. Adam was, of course, up first but not until 8:00. He patiently waited for a few minutes and until he couldn't hold in his excitement any longer and his excitement woke Jenna.

Ryan first went down to see if Santa had come. He was pleased to announce to the kids that Santa had indeed been here and had eaten the cookies that were left for him.

The kids were excited to open their gifts and give their gifts. Adam was very good at giving everyone a gift, but only until he got involved with his own gifts.

At one point Jenna wanted to open more gifts, so she was unwrapping them as fast as she could while Ryan and I watched and waited to see which one of our gifts it was and what it was. She really got into it this year! :)

Logan's new toy

Jenna still hasn't let Cinderella out of her sight.

Adam's gift from LoganAdam's new Santa Fe Train. I'm not sure how many hours he's spent with this train already.We had the great opportunity to have Dave and Marilyn over while we opened gifts. It was so fun to have them here and be with us Christmas morning.

We got Marilyn and Dave both a BSU shirt...now they can watch the games in style! :)Dave and Marilyn got a huge hummer toy.

Dave's new toyAnd what can be more fun on Christmas than playing with the boxes the toys came in. These boxes provided a lot of entertainment for the kids.

Kids party at Grandma & Grandpa's

2009-12-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Richards had a party for all the kids. What a fun night it was. First there was pizza. Then some playing...We then went on a hay ride (Grandpa hooked his trailer to his truck, put some hay in it and we went around the driveway loop several times) all while Christmas songs were being sung. The kids all had bells and had a wonderful time doing this activity, even though it was a bit chilly!

Bundled up and ready to head out.

Adam: "That was the best hay ride ever!"

Austin, Abby, Jenna

We then opened some gifts.

And of course did the Nativity.

Jenna as a wise man

I love this picture of Abby as the camel and Carsey as Mary while Austin bends down to give baby Jesus a kiss.Carter as a Shepherd.Thanks Grandma and Grandpa. Adam, Jenna and Logan had a wonderful time.

Christmas Eve 2009

2009-12-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve we had dinner then made cookies at Grandma and Grandmpa's...

Wrote Santa a letter

And tracked Santa with Grandma!

The kids were so excited!!!

2009 Christmas Tree

2009-12-14T07:46:00.000-08:00

This years Christmas Tree extravaganza:
Going to pick out the tree and end up getting one that will be just fine. After all, IT'S FREEZING OUT HERE!!!Now we go home and decorate the tree, but not until Family Night.
While dad is putting the lights on the tree, the kids pretend to be Rodolph the Red Nose Reindeer (or you can just do what your brother does and have no idea why you are holding a light up to your nose).

Can't wait to put the train on the tree.

Everyone helps decorate and re-decorate all through the Holiday season.

The final touch!

And there you have it: Richards 2009 Christmas Tree!

Ward Party

2009-12-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

For our ward party, they had the Primary kids dress up as all kinds of things such as dolls, animals, angels, snowflakes and wooden soldiers. Adam just happened to be a wooden soldier this year and I thought he was so darn cute dressed as one!

Root Beer Taste Testing

2009-12-03T08:38:00.001-08:00

I think we ended up with 13 different kinds of Root Beer to try out.` We put Mom & Dad to the test first.

Then they had to see if they could figure it out blind-folded.

But maybe someone made one of them a little more special...Jared & Ryan getting a kick out of it!

Not so sure Brook liked that one!

Wondering what to think of that one.

Still trying to decide if that really classifies as Root Beer.

So much fun!!!

Thanksgiving weekend Play Time

2009-12-01T21:17:00.000-08:00

Who says big kids can't play too?
Tate and Ryan playing with Adam and Logan's new toys!
Tate and Mom having a great time with the car track. A little Wackie Six

Grandma being a good sport; letting the kids put stickers all over her.

Jenna and Hailey having a little girl time.
Me and my Mom!

Jenna's new buddy

2009-12-01T21:07:00.001-08:00

Jenna and my brother, Tate, really had a great time this last weekend. Jenna was really upset when Tate left our home to go stay at Jason's the first night, but was very excited to see him again the next day. The two of them became good pals.

This is Jenna snuggling up to Tate after she was crying for a while because she couldn't find him.

Christmas at Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Because most of my family was in Boise for Thanksgiving, we decided to have our own little Christmas. Jared and Joy hosted this at their house and it was wonderful! We had a very nice, yummy dinner, made a craft manger, told Christmas experiences and opened gifts. It was such a great evening!

Braden and Jenna trying to blow out the candles...this is very funny for two year olds! :)Making our family Manger

Jenna opening her gift from Grandma and Grandpa. When she first opened the paper, she exclaimed, "A BOX." Little did we know she would have been happy with just a box, but she loves her new dress and bracelet.
Adam opening up his new Thomas Pajama's from Grandma and Grandpa. He has been wanting new Thomas PJ's for a very long time.

Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

It was fun to host our first Thanksgiving! Maybe sometime we will host and cook the food! Thanks Mom, Dad, Natalie and Brook for making such great food!
Mom and Jenna making rolls...Jenna is such a good helper! She even rolled her dough, placed it on a cookie sheet to "bake", got the dough off the sheet with a spatula and served it to Mom, Dad and Ryan. This kept her busy for almost an hour.Dad and Ryan keeping the kids out of the kitchen by watching a little "Dinosaur Train."Ryan did a wonderful job on the table! The food must have been ok because this is what we found afterwards...Ryan, Baby Carson, Tate, Brook and Jason resting their tummys before dessert.

Even Carson thought the dessert was fabulous!Playing Games:

TateRyan having to figure out who each person is, blinfolded

We loved being with Family on Thanksgiving...Thanks for making it a great day!

One of Logan's firsts

2009-11-30T09:28:00.000-08:00

It's always fun when our kids does the first of something (as long as it isn't a naughty first). This is the first time Logan fell asleep in his high chair while Ryan and I were busy getting ready for our company to come for Thanksgiving!

Adam's Thanksgiving Program

2009-11-30T09:23:00.000-08:00

Adam had a Thanksgiving Program last Monday at school. They sang 3 really fun songs and wore these great Pilgram hats made by their teacher. After the songs, we all had a Thanksgiving Feast with lots of good foods. It was a fun time! :)

Random Happenings of Logan

2009-11-19T08:39:00.001-08:00

Logan has been a little behind on putting things in his mouth and eating them, but over night (literally) he has caught up and doesn't stop putting all kinds of things in his mouth! I was feeling a little grateful that he wasn't to this stage yet, even though the doc told me that he should be doing this by his 9th month...but as all of us mom's know, its not a favorite stage to have your baby eat all kinds of stuff off of the floor.
So, this is Logan eating a roll and loving it! Then there's the climbing in and out of the chairs, getting stuck several times a day, but still continues to explore.

And why is it that dad's love to see if their child can balance on their hand?

We set up our old computer in Jenna's room and when Adam and Jenna weren't around, Logan was all over the computer and loving every second he got the computer to himself. It didn't last long.

Friday Night Fun

2009-11-07T11:47:00.000-08:00

Instead of unpacking all of the misc. boxes, hanging pictures on the walls, cleaning house, and all other things we should get done Friday night, we jumped off of the stairs onto a pile of pillows and blankets. It was more fun that way anyway! :)
Adam's Turn:
Jenna's Turn:
Logan and Ryan playing together:
Looking cute!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

We had another successful Halloween! The kids got a lot of candy, but because we are now in a subdivision, I didn't hardly buy enough candy to hand out, so I was a bad mom and gave out my kids candy that I knew they wouldn't eat. You know what I'm talking about, anything that's not chocolate or suckers!!! :)

Adam had a Costume parade at school, which he very much enjoyed.

Here are the kids at the Trunk-or-Treat. Jenna was really loving that she could go to people, look cute and they would give her candy. She soon found that if she would stand there long enough, they would give her even more candy.

Jenna as Snow White...

Adam as a Race Car Driver...

Ryan and Logan handing out candy at the Trunk-or-Treat...We hope your Halloween was a good one!

Logan's Favorite Place

2009-11-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

Logan has a favorite place in the whole house...THE STAIRS!! If all of us are upstairs, even for a minute, he's at the stairs climbing up. He certainly does not want to be left out! Yesterday he was able to conquer all of the stairs-for the first time! He was very proud of himself, and even though I too was proud of his accomplishment, I knew it meant we are in for a few long months of teaching him how to go down the stairs, safely!

Finally...Drum Roll Please

2009-10-15T10:31:00.001-07:00

Finally, I have pictures of our new home. Unfortunately our battery in the camera died and I couldn't find the charger until after things were moved in, but you get the idea. The paint really lightened up the rooms and I LOVE my carpet! I also really like my kitchen color; I thought it turned out so good. We haven't done much outside, so I'll spare you those pictures for now! :) We are moved in (but haven't gotten around to decorating or hanging up pictures) and after airing out the house we can stay here now. We love our new home and the kids are really enjoying all of the space, as am I!
Enjoy!

Living Room
Before:After:
Family Room
Before:After:Kitchen
Before:After:Master Bedroom
Before:
After:Adam's Room
Before:After:

Jenna's Room

Before:After:

Logan's Room

Before:After:

Garage

Before:After:

House Update

2009-10-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

So, we were able to move out of our apartment and in with Ryan's parents while our house is finishing up. Dave and Marilyn have been so good to us and very generous in letting us stay with them at this time. We were very excited to get moved out of our apartment and closer to Kuna so I didn't have to commute so long to take Adam to school or go work on our house. I have to say THANK YOU to all of those who helped us. We could not have done any of it ourselves. The week we were moving, Logan got a double ear infection, Adam had a double ear infection with one ruptured ear drum with 103 fever for several days, and Jenna is getting her molars. Our family, ward members and friends were wonderful to clean our apartment, watch the kids, bring in dinner, help us move, etc. while I mostly took care of 3 sick kids. What a week it was!
Since then, my father-in-law, Dave, has been working a lot at the house trying to get it ready to move into. Spencer and Sara had a professional painter come in and help paint (a huge help), Ryan works at the house every night after work to get more done and carpet comes today...YEA!!! We are excited to see to move in and enjoy our new home.
We feel so blessed! I cannot express enough gratitude for all the help we've received. I have been able to learn a lot these last few weeks, one being to let others serve me.
I don't have my cords to get pictures off of my camera and I can't even guess where they might be at this time, so no pictures, just an update!

It's Official!!

2009-09-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

We are officially and proud home owners! I'm so excited!!! The next 3 weeks are going to be really busy getting the new house prepared to move into and I'll be busy packing up our apartment. Ryan happens to be really busy at work this time of year, so the weekends are all we have to do what needs to be done. Nonetheless, I can't believe we have our own house and I can't wait to make it into our new home!

Adam's First Day of Kindergarten

2009-08-28T20:48:00.001-07:00

A lot of excitement has been going on around here. We first found a house in Kuna that we like and think it will work great for our family, so we put our offer in. But because it is a short sale, we weren't sure on the time frame we would hear back, so I went ahead and signed Adam up for Kindergarten in Kuna as well as in Boise. We had the Kuna open house first and so I took Adam to that and he started school on Wednesday. What a day!!! I loaded up the kids and made the half hour trip out to Kuna and walked Adam to where his class is to line up when the bell rings and wait for their teacher to come. I was overwhelmed with all different emotions. I was so happy for Adam and for this new chapter not only in his life, but for his families life. I was excited that we would be able to learn new things and develop new skills. I was also feeling the pressures of being a mom. Have I taught him enough to do this? Does he know enough to be independent? Will he be polite? etc, etc.

The bell rang and here comes the teachers. By this point, all of the other grades have already gone to their classes. The Kindergartners all looked confused and the mothers were either really happy or really apprehensive and all with cameras in their hands, snapping pictures/. The teachers all came out to get the students and off they go. I kept it together, at least at this point. After he waved good bye and walked away, Jenna starts to cry and calls out for Adam. I'm still keeping it together. One of the PTA Members is walking around with a box of tissues, handing them out to all of the mom's. As I walk away, I loose it. My little guy is starting a new era and I'm feeling every emotion about it. But he was ready and excited to go...

Here he is sporting his new back pack!

Here he is waving good bye...love the smile! :)

Jenna missed him a lot and when she saw him after school, she hugged him...

and hugged him.

We got the house, so it's official, Adam will be attending Crimson Point Elementary School!

When I picked Adam up after school the first day, I asked him how his wonderful first day of school was, his response, "It was boring!"

Kindergarten, boring, really? But then he went on to tell me all the fun things he did. He later said that his teacher kept talking and it was really hot in the sun and that was boring.

He also informed that he did not want to go to school anymore. I told him he had to, not only on Friday, but for the next 13 years. (At least)

Also, his schedule out there is full days on Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday. I was really worried about him going full days, but he seems to be adjusting just fine. (He just wants to make sure that me and Jenna aren't doing anything fun while he's at school!)

Good Job, Adam...we are proud of you!

What is that smell and Where is it coming from?

2009-08-28T20:41:00.001-07:00

I couple of weeks ago I smelt a terrible smell and asked Ryan what it was. He wasn't sure, but took out all of the garbage and that was the end of that until yesterday. I opened up our coat closet door and WHOA!!! the smell!!! I quickly closed it and did not open it again until Ryan got home from work. I told him about the rancid smell so he went to the closet, opened it up, and quickly closed it. It smelt like a dead mouse! Later, when the kids were all tucked into bed Ryan and I tackled the task...finding out what the smell was. We started slowly pulling things out until there it was...a sack! Inside the plastic sack was a dirty diaper! You see, Jenna likes to be a big helper and throw the diapers outside for me. I get distracted often and must not of realized that the diaper did not make it outside, but tucked away in the closet instead. It took all day airing out the closet and a whole lot of Lysol Oder spray!

Getting ready for school

2009-08-19T15:02:00.001-07:00

Adam starts school next week, so we went to get all of his school supplies. I can't believe how much you need for Kindergarten.

Weekend in Rockford visiting Grandma Pete

2009-08-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

My mom's mom came from Wyoming to visit, so we made the trip over to see Grandma Pete. We had a great weekend! I don't get to see my dad jump on the trampoline much, but he did with some of the grand kids, so I had to preserve the moment!
Natalie, Tami and I went through all the baby clothes and separated them out. It was a huge project but we are all glad its taken care of. Grandma Pete with the Great-Grand kidsMy parents with all of their Grand kids!It was a really quick trip over, but a fun one!