Richins

For two weeks or so, our lives have been in what might be considered our "normal schedule." Glen's back to teaching, Lilly's in school and Lucy and I are doing stuff around the house and up at Crane's. It's nice On Friday Lilly goes off track for three weeks and sometime during that time this pregnancy will end. We'll have a baby again. We haven't had a baby for a long time at our house. I haven't even bought diapers for over a year. There is so much that I have forgotten and that will change. Forever. It is all for the best though! Even though it has been a long time, since we increased our family, I feel really good about it. I think I have grown, matured and hopefully become a better mother in this time. I am really excited and I think better prepared for this baby. Not that I wasn't with the first two, but experience is so helpful. I sometimes feel sorry for Lilly because as the oldest,she gets the brunt of the parental experiments! I am re...

I have gotten in trouble for not putting various things on this blog. Some of which I don't want on here and some of which I don't think is worth putting on. I know I put a bunch of stuff on that you readers may not find pertinant. Oh well though, it's my blog and if you don't like it don't read it. This isn't the best way to find out what is happening in our lives but does give a few glimpses. The most recent thing I haven't put on is that my due date has changed. This has been a possibility since the ultrasound because the baby measured 10 days bigger then what we thought was the due date. My doctor wanted to watch things and now has changed the date to September 14th. We are down to two and a half weeks or so before this little one arrives! Hopefully when he/she does we will post pictures and stats in a timely manner! So now you know.

My parents are moving. In this process they will be drastically down sizing, and the whole thing has got me thinking. What do you really need? How much is too much? What is enough? I find it a tight wire balancing act to sort this out, and find a balance. I think it is because I see value in things of all ages. It is nice to have new, but also some older and aged items as well. They have stories, history and have passed some of the tests of time that new things haven't. I think you have to consider each item though. It makes me want to go through some of our stuff that we keep moving around, but never really use. I don't think we need it and it would be nice to have less to move around in the basement as we are refinishing it. I'll have to see what I get to before the baby comes.

This summer the girls have had a shortage of cousins around. We have gotten use to a decrease of four, for the last few years but this year it went to seven. It has been different with that many gone for so long. This week, in particularly today it is raining cousins. They are all going to be back home, if not already then sometime late tonight or early tomorrow morning. The girls are really excited and it will be fun to see how much each has grown and changed in the months they have been away. It's nice to have our families so close.

These two columns, or articles intrigued or struck a cord with me the other day when they were in our local news paper. I put them in here just in case you want to read them. It may be because I am patiently, for the most part, awaiting the arrival of our next child(hopefully one month!). I think the fact that it has been quite some time since we have had a baby, especially a new born, in our home. I feel like I am going through a brief refresher course, though I know it will be nothing compared to when the baby is actually here. I think I have forgotten a lot. Maybe that is a good thing. Our Neighbors, who just had a baby keep telling me it will be like riding a bike and not to worry. I don't think I am worrying, just remembering what a change it will be to life right now. Another thing some what on the same subject, and one of the ways I can tell our baby will be here soon is by the month. Yes I know August is before September, and always has been. I am talking about our ward. Fr...

A skunk/ raccoon hunt that begins at 9:30p.m. is not beneficial to getting our family to bed at a decent hour, especially on a school night. The ironic part is that as Glen and I were about to walk in to the Crane's house to get the girls, Glen ask how the whole skunk saga was going. As I replied I turned and saw a skunk at the cat food pans! I was about to tell him I was hoping it was over or near the end because my dad had got one two Sundays ago and then trapped another one in a pipe again this past Thursday. Yet it continues. Now that Glen has taken a few shots he is a little more intrigued about the whole thing. We hurried in to the house and I got the gun, loaded and everything. I was going to take a shot but decided that maybe Glen should have a try since he had been missing out on all of the action. After he shot at the skunk and missed, even though he thought he got it for a minute. We waited around a little bit, hoping the skunk might come back and getting the girls to c...

Lately I have been realizing what good parents both Glen and I have. I don't have words to adequately describe how grateful I am for all they do for us and all the important things they have taught us as they raised us. They are great!

Lilly has really decided to show how big she is getting lately. Just before starting 1st grade she found out that she is able to ride her bike with only two wheels! I think it helped that her training wheels weren't on right so after being bumped some they moved out of the way and didn't do the job they were suppose to do. What a girl! Have a mentioned she ALWAYS wears her helmet, and it's not because we make her. The reason she wears it is because her doctor talked to us about it at her 6 year check up.Ever since then she won't get on it with out the helmet. I know I am a slacker mom, because I wouldn't or don't make my kids have helmets on all the time, but some how I made it with out one growing up. When she goes out on the road I would make sure she has it but I don't think it is a big deal in our drive way. I don't have to worry about that though. She follows doctors orders very well!

Our oldest has begun the long journey of all day school. Luckily she has a buddy to walk to school with everyday! (at least for this year) Her cousin is in the same program as her, but different grade so he gets to come to the same school. Here they are on Lilly's first day and Josh's second day of school. Things are going well so far. Lilly really likes it when they get to watch movies in class! I guess it makes the day not quite as long. Where did the time go?