Richins

Pictures from my cell phone of our progress  If I was smarter than my computer I would only have one collage but alas I am not so you have two. pictures from the real camera of our progress On top of the holidays we, a little bit, and my brothers,  Dad, brother-in-law, who ever we can get, have been working on our basement remodel. To think of it all makes my head hurt. It has been a HUGE project, with about 700 mini projects that have to happen to make the finished project. We are currently on 357!  We have had lots of down time where nothing happens, but we have had good things happening lately so I have decided to share. We did a bunch during the summer, including taking out the laundry room. So I haven't done laundry at my house in probably five months.  We have recently made some big progress and are almost done with all the demolition and getting in to the actual constructing! By time we are done we will have replaced all of the windows in the b...

She wasn't up to asking how to spell all she wanted, so she drew it all in detail. Most of it came from her imagination, and she was still adding with two days till Christmas. Needless to say Santa had a hard time filling her list, but got the most important things. The big thing was the large cluster, (at the top and more to the left) it was a stuffed animal guinea pig with a house, clothes and food. AHHHH. Lilly was nice enough to label some of the items. Sometimes having kids with good imaginations can turn around bite you in the bum.

I recently decided to make a list of goals I want to achieve.  One of these is to read 50 books, which may or may not seem like a lot. To me it will be a lot and I will be including books I listen too, because I don't think I can make it with out. I need suggestions on books, I'll read or try to read pretty much anything, so suggest away! Thanks in advance!

Have I mentioned I hate shopping? I do. I don't mind grocery shopping. I happen to really like food and the thought of combining ingredients to make something yummy is one I like. It's just all the other stuff mostly buying clothes for myself. Maybe  I am just cheap?  I am fine keeping my cash in my pocket and wearing my worn out out of date t-shirt and jeans. Maybe it is my self awareness that  I am not fashionable or in style? Nor do I feel like I dress myself well. I think me and fashion or/and style are opposites. In fact I think one of my fantasy unrealistic wishes would be to have someone magically do my shopping for me, picking out things I would look good in, that would fit right, that are the right color and are things I would actually ware with out me having to try them on or go shopping with them. Maybe it's just that it is late, and I went to Walmart with my kids by myself after eight thirty at night.  Did  I just put a DUMB sign up on my he...

I just went through posts from the last year. It was a bit depressing. Who wants to visit a blog like that? There weren't to many fun and happy ones. Sorry. I will have to make things lighter around here. To lighten things up I thought  I would share some of the family pictures we have had done this year.  Thanks to Sarah our fabulous photographer! Not all of them are the best that were taken just some of my favorites. Typical us.

Today I have been ornery. It's my own fault. I let little things get to me and mess with my head. Thinking about it now, the kids are in bed and things are quite, I feel bad. The kids were good, they are good. Sundays just get to me sometimes, and then when things don't go like I have worked them out in my head it frustrates me. I let that stay with me today. I still enjoyed church. Our Stake President came to our meeting today and shared his testimony. It was fabulous. I know that isn't an uncommon thing, but is sort of is for our stake. He has been a very sick man the last two years. For him to be alive is a miracle in it's self. Any ways the thing that got me thinking that I should be happy and in a better mood was talking to my sister-in-law at dinner. The kids were playing and Christmas came up and she ask what a seven year old wanted for Christmas these days.  I only knew one thing that mine really wants, but the bigger thing is that my brother and sister-in-law...

Do you ever get reminders in life? The last year has been full of reminders for me. I have had some of these reminders before but I guess  I get distracted easily. I need to do better at remembering them and want to remember them now.  Here are things I need to remember from this past year and I may add more as they come to me- Your choices have consequences that you don't realize. Choose wisely. People are watching you and what you do. Be a good example, what you are doing matters. Prayers are heard. They are at the time we need them to be not when we want them to be. You have a greater influence than you think. It doesn't help to dwell on the negative or bad. It happens in life, learn what you can from it, write it down if needs be but don't let it consume you. Don't take your relationships for granted. Work on them, make them better. Love your spouse, they are as close to perfect as you are going to find and they put up with your imperfections. Give him or he...

get your children to do slave labor/ house work with out having to ask a million times or want to kill them? How do you incopterate your kids in to cleaning your house, helping with dinner, doing yard work or what ever you are doing? What did your parents do to get you to do it? Any and all suggestions are welcome. I'm trying to pick your brains, to get more child labor done at my house. Pleas help.

hypocrite. I may have mentioned it before but I like to celebrate the holidays in order, blame it on the month I was born in or whatever. I like Halloween in October, Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December. I don't like Christmas shoved down my throat from be for Halloween and I refuse to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. In fact I would like all things Christmas related to just begin on December 1st. Alas, I know this is all a fig nuton of my imaginary world and I don't think ill of people able to embrace all of the holidays all mixed up as they seem to come. I just can't do it or don't like it. maybe it's just all the commercialization of it all.   I find myself in quite the predicament because my daughter's school schedule is such that she will have pretty much all of December off. So here  I am complaining about mixed up holidays when really I HAVE to get Christmas shopping done now or  I am going to be sunk.  Oh, the hypocrisy ...

How to plug a car tire once you remove the nail from it? Neither do I but today I guess I get to learn, per the request of the very flat van tire I have. I have seen it done a lot but never had to do it. Hope it works. Maybe I'll call my dad and get over the phone direction, since my husband is at work?  Darn nails. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What really happened. I couldn't find our tire plug kit anywhere. I mentioned while talking on the phone to my mom that I had a flat, but that I was going to fix it, even though she offered my dad. Dad showed up with the tools to fix it right when I figured out I didn't know where our kit was.  It was a good thing too, because he had a hard time getting the plug in, so I really would have even though I think I am strong. Thank goodness for good dads!

This is a post I wrote about a month ago. I didn't think it was finished then but I don't know why now. If I ever go back and read posts, it is something I want to remember. This past weekend was General Conference. It usually means a lazy weekend spent in front of the t.v. or computer listening and watching eight hours of church. It's great. It's uplifting and inspiring and just plain wonderful! This weekend was a little different, because we were completing a miracle. That may sound grandiose but really miracles are a lot of work and require a lot of help. You may think I am vain or boasting to say I was part of making a miracle happen but it was a miracle. I had little to do with it though. It was just tying up the loose ends. To be honest I was skeptical about how good of an idea this was for various reasons but seeing all that has happened exactly when it had to happen to make this possible I have gained new light and am proceeding with faith that someone else kn...

 I don't think I wrote anything about this, but back in May my mom, sisters and cousin did this non competitive all girls bicycle ride called Goldilocks . We only went 20 miles instead of the 40 we had thought of doing but it was lots of fun. In the Swag bag that they gave us there were adds for a bunch of other events to support or participate in. This past weekend Marian and I did one of those.  Mom coming in from the ride  Ali and Marian enjoying snowies after the ride! Cousin Carrie just crossed the finish line. It was called Triathamom . It was super fun too!  This is Marian after we were done looking cool because she just did a triathalon! I almost couldn't talk to her she was so cool! And  prof I did it too! Marian holding up three fingers for the three events.            (I think this may be one of the worst pictures of me ever, and I put it on the internet willi...

As mentioned in the previous post my main man is another year older. Today in fact. In honor of his birthday I had a bunch of ideas of what to do but some I didn't think he would like- like a surprise birthday party. So I have gone with what he said he wanted. So Thursday we went to a play with our friends Keith and Andrea. Last weekend  I made the chocolate cupcakes that he said Daryl told him he wanted! I am making the flag cake and lasagna he requested, buying him ankle socks, not spending to much money on him. and having his guitars restrung so that he can play them.(He didn't ask for the guitars I just wanted to do that as a suprise but it's not really. Here us why- my for all the luck story- the guitars have been under the bed for months now just collecting dust on the cases. I come up with the idea to get a neighbor to restring them as a surprise for him for his birthday. I had already bought new strings months ago I just needed to take the guitars to the neighbor.  ...

September is one of my favorite months. Mostly because it's the month the main men in my life were born! My Dad, my husband, and my son plus some others! All with in a week or so time. The D's actually on the same day! I can't even express how glad I am to have them all in my life and how much I love them. They are such a force for good and source of strength, comfort, and refuge for me. Happy Birthday Daryl, Dad and Glen!  We had a little family get together for them, but the older two bowed out and let the youngster that the spotlight. I wasn't up for a cake so we did cupcakes. Since it was to celebrate Glen and Daryl's days I did two kinds. The top chocolate one is like a home made ding dong, and the other is a colorburst cupcake. They are both from Our Best Bites . Both were WONDERFUL!  Below is a sort of step by step of Daryl vs. the cupcake. It's worth while. He did not disappoint and I think he won! Don't mind his crazy looking mother...

I watched this video and it sealed the deal on this post. I have all sorts of things I could write about, but this has been at the front of my mind for a while. I have really been affected this past year by the divorces of two different couples I know. Not that, I haven't known any one before that has gotten divorced. These have just hit closer to home. One of them is Glen's boss, and Glen has worked with him lately. (This is not the norm. He can go months with out seeing him. He just goes in to work, sees what he's doing that night and goes out.) In working with him, they have talked about stuff and something he said to Glen has really made me think. I wasn't there but it was something to the extent of, "You guys are so lucky, because you love each other, just really love each other." My first thought to this was- yes, yes we do. Then I thought how sad that he and not every married couple have that. The just of all of this rambling is that I love my ...

...get so mad at your self you could spit? Is it just me? It's okay. I'm working on upgrading model 1.27 I have. Change is a good but hard thing and habits never get replaced as easily as they seem to have come. Here's to moving on ward, up ward and to greater happiness!

...for this lady balloons, lots and lots of balloons! (She loves them and will tell you she thinks she's shed more tears over them than anything else in her life. They bring a twinkle to her eye!) With your sister. With presents. (She loves flowers too!) with visitors! (Don't worry it was my brother making a stop in while he was at work. That's not him in the picture though.) The visitors where of every age, coming and going through the whole day.The smallest ones were especially enjoyed! Did I mention she likes flowers, and balloons. There were at least 95 of them tied to the front fence. One neighbor even came over worried that they might lift the fence away. Oh, yes! There was cake and ice cream and food for everyone too! To end it off one last picture with your two main securities- your (adopted) daughter and sister! (My mom, Roberta, and Evelyn) Oh, how we love her!

we haven't fallen off the planet. I just have decided that I spend too much time on the computer and not with my children or doing actual productive things. Therefor I have drastically decreased my computer time, or at least hope so. I sneak in looking at blogs but don't have time to comment. Not that I think any one is waiting for my comments. I'm trying really hard to be cleaner. It's hard, but it's coming and I do enjoy the end result. We still have way to much STUFF. I may take on the term of "blessing" the house, from Glen's very smart cousin, instead of cleaning it. I have a seven year old now. I'm not sure where the time went. My baby has two teeth, and is trying to skip crawling and walking and go straight to running. I'm in so much trouble. Again, where did the time go? Sometimes knowing less is better. Right now I think death my be easier to deal with than divorce. (It's not Glen and I.) Amid all the craziness and not so great th...

My parents and siblings have been taking turns leaving town, some of it work related with playing on the sides, some just for playing. Like my brother just got back from a 19 day trip to Kyrgyzstan , my Dad was in New Mexico for two weeks, Mom went to Kentucky for a week, the sisters are in Denver for five days, and my other brother, Bear Lake for three days. So naturally I'm next, right? Especially since we have Spring break and a five day weekend! I have a trip planned! It's to Arizona. It'd be with all of my husbands family. We'd go to my mother-in-law's old stomping grounds, and see where her parents are and where she grew up. Then we'd go farther south to more of her family. We'd visit nieces and their families, go hiking, thrifting, and maybe even to see tigers and swimming of course! It would be a great time! The only problem is my trip is all in my head:( We will be spending our break in Utah, at home. We'll be doing yard work, and house work a...

I don't write to much about church and religion (I don't think) but this past weekend was General Conference for my church. It was WONDERFUL! It always is. So why am I writing about this one in particular? It is because every talk seemed pertinent and touched me and humbled me, making me think I needed to do better in that area of my life. I don't think this has happened before or at least I can't remember it. Normally there are a few talks that really hit home but this time they all did. It was perfectly timed and very inspiring and uplifting and just what I needed right now. I am so grateful to be a member of a church with wise, inspired leaders, who speak the truth.

I'm just going to air some of my dirty laundry. Mostly I'm doing it because I am sick of the smell of it. I'm sick of having it and want to get rid of it but have been unsuccessful for years and years. It's really no secret though, if you know me for very long, it pretty quickly becomes obvious. My dirty laundry is that I'm a mess. I'm a messy, unorganized, unclean person that leaves a trail of untidiness in her wake. I have brief spurts of tidiness followed by masses of messes. I embarrass and drive my husband nuts with it. It's a horrible trait or thing I'm showing and teaching my kids. I want to change. No one else can do it for me though. Just ask my husband. As many times as he has come up with plans on how we can keep things cleaner, they don't work. I HAVE to come up with the solution or plan to make it work. Is that wrong or bad? That I can't stick with the plan that Glen and I have come up with but I'm mostly left with to implemen...

Alive. That's what we are. The past few weeks have been crazy. Lilly was off of school for three weeks. They call this "off track" and it threw me off mine too. Who knew spending around 2 hours three times a week at a swimming pool would cause such upheaval and craziness. She's back at school now, much to her chagrin and things seem a little better schedule wise. Glen is taking a GRE test prep class with his sister . It is good and what he needs to be doing right now but it makes for some long days. He's such a good man. I have come to realize that over and over again these last few weeks. I am a very blessed girl. Daryl is growing like a weed. He's six months plus now and has doubled his birth weight. He has a great personality about him. People always ask me if he is as happy and pleasant as he seems to them and I get to answer yes! He's just so much fun! I'll have to video him laughing. It's one of my favorite things ever! Lucy goes between bei...

finally! The call finally came yesterday. After 8 weeks. That beats the last call by a week, in waiting time. They aren't going to Africa, again though! We didn't gather and have a big ceremonious opening. I think after all of the waiting and patience that the past eight weeks have required it may have been opened on the way in from the mail box in a rabid fury. It is to where they thought they would be going and for the amount of time they thought they would go! Which spelled R-E-L-I-E-F! So one of the many pressing questions is answered. There are still a lot that remain, and only time will tell. This helps though and gives a lot of direction. On a some what different topic, I am listening to The Chronicles of Narnia ( I really don't remember what I am suppose to do to a book title when writing it. This is my attempt at proper writing, even if it is wrong.) I just finished The Magician's Nephew . I don't know why I have waited so long in life to listen to or ...

How the girls "helped" clean the kitchen floor. I just bit my lip. Our courageous lion tamer They love spending their days together! Give me FOOD! Yum this toe jam is great!