The Richards' Family

Happy Birthday Addy (2 weeks late!)

2009-08-01T22:00:00.004-06:00

Happy 5th birthday to our sweet Addy! We love you so much and are so grateful for you. Addy is such a blessing to our lives and I can't imagine life without her.

Addy had a great birthday and got to celebrate two days in a row. Clint and I took Addy to Seven Peaks (waterpark) on the day before her party. She did great and I was really proud of her. I was worried about how she would do in the water because she has not been a huge fan of the water and swimming but she had a ton of fun!

The next day we celebrated her birthday with a party at my in-laws' home (thanks David and Stephanie). Addy had an animal themed birthday party and we had an animal rescue group come and give an hour long show/presentation to the kids. We got to see a hedgehog, bird, rabbit, lizard and woodchuck. For the grand finale they brought out a tortoise and the kids got to ride her! They typically don't allow that but our group was so small they felt that it would be fine. I think it's safe to say that the kids and adults had a great time!

Thanks to everyone that came to support Addy on her special day. We love and appreciate all of you!

Labor of Love

2009-07-05T19:48:00.004-06:00

We decided in early spring to work on a family garden this summer. It is at my sister's house and it is huge! Even as we were planting seeds I didn't realize how big this was going to be. It has been a ton of work and a big thank you is owed to Janie and Mark for the use of their land and water and a thank you to my dad for all of his gardening knowledge - plus all of the hard work done by the 3 of them. This is going to be a huge blessing for all of our families in the coming months. I realize that we have a TON of work ahead... I'll keep you posted as we begin canning. If my dad's estimates are correct we may still be canning in December : ) !

First Swim

2009-07-05T19:37:00.005-06:00

This was a first in two ways:

This was Kolby's first swim and he loved it! Thankfully grandma had put the pool out a day ahead of time and the water was nice and warm. This was also Addy's first swim of the summer!

Hopefully we have more summer days ahead and a lot less rain.

Food Storage

2009-06-14T21:21:00.002-06:00

Okay, I hate the topic of food storage. It totally stresses me out but I know that I need to work on it so I'm trying. My sister found a great website that has been a huge help to her and I'm starting to catch the vision of it too.

There are two websites that were created by the same woman but one focuses on the purchase of food storage items and the other focuses on using food storage items. One is called Deals to Meals - http://www.dealstomeals.com/. The other is My Food Storage Deals - http://www.myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com/.

Until I visited these sites I didn't think food storage was very possible. Let's face it - does anyone really know what to do with 300 lbs. of hard wheat? You can sign up for the service that this woman offers and pay about $5 a month to get a comparison of all the prices and ads weekly. I haven't done this. Janie did and she swears by it - I'm tending to believe that it's a good thing because Janie's food storage room is filling up rapidly (way to go Jane!). However, I am beginning to become more focused on food storage and I'm learning that it is possible a little bit at a time.

So, for all of you that are trying to work on your year's supply of food and have found the task a little daunting - take a look at these websites. They might be of some help to you!

(By the way, I am in no way being paid to advertise for these sites, lol)

The Princess Festival

2009-06-14T20:47:00.004-06:00

On Saturday Addy and her cousin Rubie spent the day together as princesses. Janie and I took them to the Princess Festival in Lindon and the girls had an awesome time! The weather was horrible but it was still a wonderful day.

They were able to go on a fun adventure and they met all sorts of wonderful characters: Belle and Beast; Cinderalla and Prince Charming; Peter Pan and Captain Hook; Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter; Sleeping Beauty and her Prince and many others. Addy was able to dance with a prince and she was very excited about that - though very shy!

The girls were also able to do some other fun activities such as getting their hair done, making some princess crafts and, as you can see, dressing like princesses.

This was a lot of fun for Janie and I to see them enjoy their day so much. The best part about the whole experience is that it was for a good cause. The money we spent to enjoy the day all went to help an organization that provides services to areas of Kenya - the organization is called "In Our Own Quiet Way" - http://www.inourownquietway.com/home.html

Election 2008

2008-09-03T19:29:00.002-06:00

I want to start by saying that I thoroughly dislike politics. The waters are too muddy for me. I never know who to believe and it takes so much work to really study the issues. Why can't it be easier? :)

Politics are inescapable in my house. I have a husband that reads 4 newspapers a day and listens to talk radio and LOVES to discuss politics. My mother grew up in a house that was very similar and so she caught the "politics bug" early in life. She loves to discuss politics too.

But...I'm confused. I don't feel comfortable with either of our choices for President this election year. I have not enjoyed the last 8 years of our current administration and I definitely don't want more of the same - but the question is - would it be more of the same? I feel like each candidate brings their own set of issues to the table that would create more problems for the future. Maybe I'm pessimistic, maybe I'm not.

My mother recently told me that my grandfather and grandmother, who are very conservative Republicans, have decided not to vote for President this election year. Though I don't always agree with their views they are very, very intelligent, informed voters. But this year they are voting on other issues and they will not be voting for President. In their words, "one candidate is a communist and the other is a socialist". What?! Holy cow! In my world this is big news. The grandparents aren't voting? Has the world come to an end?

Anyway - this post really has no point other than to point out that I'm confused. However, I know that I don't feel alone in my feelings. Several people that I have spoken with seem to feel the same way and I don't think they know what they are going to do either.

So I go back to my original statement - I thoroughly dislike politics.

Thanksgiving Point!

2008-08-25T20:43:00.004-06:00

Saturday we took Addy to Thanksgiving Point - thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Richards - and we had a great afternoon. We try to go a few times each year, as the seasons change, and we thoroughly enjoy it.

Our specific goal this past Saturday was to let Addy ride the horses. She did this last year and had a blast! This year she informed us that she did not need any help and she could do it all by herself. My baby isn't a baby anymore!

By the way if you've never eaten at the deli at Thanksgiving Point - you're missing out! It's really good food. I recommend the Steak and Cheese sandwich (that could be pregnancy talking).

Kolby Warren Richards

2008-08-13T19:29:00.003-06:00

We found out last week that we are having a little boy! We are so excited. Now we'll have one of each and we can be done :).

We are looking forward to welcoming Kolby to our family. Addy is so excited and talks to him everyday. Kolby seems to be healthy and strong - he currently weighs 1 1b. 3 oz. and we have been assured that he is the smartest baby boy to ever be conceived :).

Kolby is healthy but I have a few problems that may create some issues at delivery. If things don't improve I may have to deliver at University of Utah Medical Center but hopefully things will be okay. I'll continue to be monitored by my doctor and the specialist that I'm seeing and we'll continue to pray that all will go well.

Kolby is healthy and developing as he should and that is the most important thing! We can't wait to meet him!

Insights from a 3 year old...

2008-07-13T18:08:00.003-06:00

So, Lindsey tagged me to post this on my blog. I thought it would interesting to see what my 3 - almost 4 year old - would say about me...

1. What is something your mom always says to you?
"I dont' know"
2. What makes mom happy?
"You're happy because you like me"
3. What makes mom sad?
"When I throw away a necklace down the drain" (no idea what this is referring to - will have to ask follow up questions)
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
"Tickles me"
5. What was your mom like as a child?
"Like a little girl that pets dogs"
6. How old is your mom?
"47"
7. How tall is your mom?
"Really tall"
8. What is your mom's favorite thing to do?
"Clean the dishes"
9. What does your mom do when your not around?
"Cry"
10. If your mom becomes famous what will it be for?
"Because favorite people like her"
11. What is your mom really good at?
"Good at drawing X's"
13. What does your mom do for her job?
"Talk to people"
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
"Cheetos"
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
"When she does a good job painting"
16. If your mom was a cartoon character, who would she be?
"Dragon Tail"
17. What do you and your mom do together?
"Clean"
18. How do you know your mom loves you?
"Because she is the bestest mom"

Tagged: 8 Random Facts...

2008-06-22T18:58:00.004-06:00

I never do these things but Jenifer tagged me and I haven't posted in 2 months so I think I owe it to the universe...

1. I have moved 37 times in my life. I was quite bitter about it until about 2 years ago. I finally talked to someone who put it in perspective and helped me realize that I was quite lucky to have lived in so many places and to be able to make friends so easily.

2. I had jaw surgery when I was 16 years old and was in the hospital for a week. It completely changed the way I looked and when I went back to school (after being gone for a month) no one recognized me. Note: this was not for cosmetic purposes - if it had been I would have gone for a much better look! :)

3. When I was a child all I ever wanted to do was grow up and be a business woman. That is all I would play with my sister - "office" - she always had to be my secretary. Now that I'm grown up and I got my wish to be a business woman I wish I could go back and concentrate all my energy on being a rich, stay-at-home mom!

4. The first time I saw my husband I knew I was going to marry him someday...but we didn't start dating until a year later.

5. I'm constantly intimidated by people around me. I think most of my friends and family view me as a confident, capable person, however I second guess most decisions I make and I'm always certain that people believe I'm an idiot.

6. My favorite movies are musicals. A short list is: The Sound of Music, Grease, Oklahoma, Mary Poppins, White Christmas and Funny Girl. I'm a sucker for a good...or bad musical.

7. I've had several surgeries in my life. I didn't have abusive parents but I apparently have horrible genes! :) Some of my surgeries: tubes in my ears (3 years old), appendectomy (5 years old), tonsilectomy (14 years old), jaw surgery (16 years old), c-section (28 years old), surgery on my neck (29 years old) - i've also had several broken bones and have dislocated my shoulder. Maybe it's not bad genes - maybe I have horrible luck!

8. I do not like animals. Never have. I have no desire to care for a dog, cat, fish, bird, etc. However, my daugther is in love with dogs. At some point in time I fear we will get a dog and I know I'll hate every minute of it. Growing up we had pets in our house - cats, dogs, fish - and I was not one of those people that fell in love with the animal after we got it. In fact, I did everything I could to avoid the animal and for some reason that seemed to make the animal want to be around me more. Yuck.

I tag the following: Jayne, Janie and Clint

And baby makes four...

2008-05-01T19:46:00.002-06:00

Yes, I am pregant! Yippppeeee! We are so happy and excited to have baby number 2 (and last baby...we think) join the family. I found out about 3 weeks ago right in the middle of having a horrible sinus infection and feeling completely like crap. I realized that I was also having some symptoms that reminded me of being pregnant. We took the pregnancy test and it was immediatly positive. I'm so happy to be pregnant. We've been wanting this for quite awhile but I now remember what I dislike about the first trimester: sick all the time and so tired I could drop down anywhere and sleep for hours. Oh well - it's all worth it. The best part of this is Addy's excitement. She can't wait to be a big sister! She keeps telling me it's a boy and a girl and their names are Miles and Mazie (for those of you who have ever seen Uncle Buck you'll recognize the names). I am so happy that she will be about 4 1/2 when the baby gets here. Who can say, "momma's little helper"?

I'm not due until December 10th (based on my trusty internet calculations) so I have a long way to go. I have my first appointment this Monday. I'm not totally stoked about the next 7 months of appointments, where I get to hear how much weight I've gained and where I get the regular task of peeing in a cup, but what's a girl to do?

By the way - anyone else out there get bigger faster with baby #2? I feel like I'm the size of a house.

Traveling

2008-04-17T19:36:00.003-06:00

I just got back from a business trip to Dallas. I wish I could say I had an enjoyable time but I was sick the entire time that I was there. For those of you that have flown with a sinus/head cold you know the misery that I was in. I really wish I had been feeling better so that I could have enjoyed Dallas. This was my second trip to Dallas and it is a really pretty city. I have been to Houston twice and to San Antonio once. If you haven't had the opportunity to visit Texas I would highly recommend it. It's a pretty cool state. The people are friendly, the food is fantastic and the music is awesome! Warning: If you don't like country music it is probably best that you not ride in my vehicle until I've grown past the phase that I've found myself in. It's driving my husband nuts but too bad, he's stuck with me! :) Seriously, if you ever find yourself with the opportunity to go to Texas, do it. It's a whole other country there!

Anyway, I mostly wanted to pop in and write something since I seem to be averaging about a month between posts. Sorry for that! Between work, being a mom and trying to squeeze in an occasional date night with Clint I find myself lacking a lot of extra time these days.

To all of my buddies with blogs - keep up the good work! Even if I suck at this blog thing, I appreciate those of you that are so witty and always have something good and fun to say.

Book Review - "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand

2008-03-20T21:10:00.003-06:00

It has been about two months since I read this book but I have to say I really enjoyed it. I have a couple of friends that recommended Ayn Rand's books to me and I'm glad I listened to them. If you are looking for an easy read this is NOT the book for you. From the first page, the writing is intense and you have to pay very close attention as you read. I really love Any Rand's style of writing. I loved how all the characters that are supposed to be the "heroes" of the story slowly deteriorated throughout the book and in the end it is very clear what lead to all of their demise. I have to say that the main character, Roark, is now one of my favorite characters in all of the literature that I have read. I can't say that I completely understand him but I appreciate his conviction in life. No matter what happened to him he always stood by his core beliefs and did not waver from those.

Although my philosophical views on life differ quite a bit from Ayn Rand's I can still appreciate what she tried to communicate to all of her readers. For my next Ayn Rand book I am planning on reading "Atlas Shrugged". However, I first have to find it at the bookstore or library.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-16T20:49:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I know that it's a week early but Addy went to an Easter candy hunt yesterday at my work and she got hooked up! Look at her basket. Needless to say her dad was very excited at her haul and I snuck a piece or two myself. She had a lot of fun (even though it was way too cold to be out there). The sweetest thing about the entire hunt was the fact that Addy kept helping the other kids find candy. Everytime we threw out candy for the different age groups Addy would go up and hand kids big candy bars or big licorice ropes. She was even taking candy from her own basket to give to the other kids. At the beginning when it was her turn to "hunt" for candy she was standing by herself on a huge pile of candy. She turned around, put her hands to her mouth and yelled, "hey kids there is a ton of candy over here, c'mon". What a sweet child. I am grateful that she is willing to share and be unselfish. Don't worry, though, her mom made sure she got her fair share of candy!

Be My Valentine...

2008-02-07T20:03:00.001-07:00

Any great Valentine Day stories? I'll start: The year was 1995. The boys name was Ace. I worked at a gas station and Ace came in all of the time. I don't know how it happened (probably because I'm so amazing) but Ace formed some sort of weird crush on me. I didn't know him very well but he started coming into the station everytime I worked. He would always chat for awhile and then leave. One night I was at home when I heard a knock at the front door. I opened the door and there was a teddy bear with a necklace around the neck and a card from Ace asking me to be his Valentine. Unfortunately, this was not the man of my dreams and I was a little disappointed. Later that night I got a phone call from Ace. We talked for a few minutes and he asked what I was doing ("nothing") and then I asked what he was doing - what was his response you ask? - "sitting around with my friends watching porn". Me - long pause - "great, well I've got to go. Talk to you later".

I'm sure you're all wondering where he got my address and phone number? The answer is simple - my dad. He worked part time on the weekends at the same gas station and he gave my # to any guy that asked for it. Thanks Dad!

P.S. After that incident Ace asked me out on a date and I went. I was always too nice to say no...

The Kite Runner - Book Review

2008-02-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I went to dinner with two friends, Jenifer and Colleen. On my way home from the restaurant I had myself convinced that I was a loser. All that I had been doing in life was working and being a mom. They had such great things they had each been working on and I felt way behind them both (not to worry, I came to my senses and realized how great I am).

The thing that I was most distraught about were the books they were discussing and I had not read any of them. This is not like me. I typically read a book or two a month and I had not read any for awhile. So, I made a committment to start reading again and I have read several books since that time.

My most recent read was "The Kite Runner". I was a little hesitant to read this book because it has been out for awhile and I had some pre-conceived notions regarding it. Honestly, I found myself loving this book. I read it in a couple of days and enjoyed every minute of it. What I didn't expect from reading this book was the new understanding/appreciation I would gain for the people of Afghanistan and, well, for the Middle East. The author truly helps you visualize the culture of these people and the beautiful land they live in. I would and will recommend this book to anyone that is looking for something wonderful to read.

The Beginning

2008-02-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

So, here we go! We are creating this for our families and friends to enjoy and hope you don't get too bored with all of our silliness.
Neither Clint nor I are very good with staying in contact with people and keeping them informed of what is going on in our lives. We hope we'll be able to update this blog at least once a week with something you'll find interesting!