Cooper & Paul

These two crack me up! They always have the funniest conversations. This is one of the latest. I wasn't there to hear it, but my friend Lou lou took great notes as she heard them. Here it is...

Paul: "Bella (darling little neighbor girl) wants to marry me. I'm serious."

Sydney: (Paul's little sister) "I'm going to marry Ethan (Bella's little brother)."

Leslie: (Paul's mom) "Coop, do you have a girlfriend?"

Coop: "no"

Paul: " You know Cooper you can't make to the Celestial Kingdom unless you get married."

Coop: "I know."

Paul: "I want two kids, a boy and a girl."

Coop: " Me too, but I don't want the girl to be older because older girls play pranks. Did you know that Paul?"

Coop: "Peiton has a boyfriend--it's Cole (Paul's little brother)."

Paul: 'Hey if they get married we can be related."

Ha, ha, ha...Where in the world did Cooper find out that older girls play pranks??? And the fact that they are talking about marriage...what??

Another camping trip...

We went camping again, yes again! Thanks to Holly (for taking Bode) and to great, fun friends, it was a blast! We have had this trip planned since like April, you have to plan it that far in advance if you want to get a spot. We got the camp spot up American Fork Canyon at the Timponoekke (sp??) campground. It was beautiful! We had the perfect spot. We got two group spots and we had our own little culdesac, it worked out great. Like I said before, my mother-in-law took Bode for us. That was such a relief! I felt bad leaving him home, but he had a much funner time with Grandma and Grandpa than he would have had camping. It made our trip much more enjoyable too. We got up there Friday night and enjoyed some Cafe Rio under pine trees. Spent the night eating smores and just talking it up. The kids played their little hearts out. There was a fear of bears, this was the campground that the little boy was dragged from his tent last year. The kids had all been prepped and once night time came, I think they got a little nervous. We only had one encounter with a bear, that was when Ali stuck her hand out her tent door and touched it's fur...crazy!!! (It really didn't happen) What a cutie.

On Saturday we ate a yummy french toast breakfast made my the Jones' and just lounged around until we decided to go to Silver Lake. We had a great time there, I am so glad we went. The kids played in the water, some of the adults played in the water, and some adults tipped over the raft fully dressed in the water. If it wasn't for Lou lou trying to surf on the tiny 2 person raft, I still would have been dry. :) It was all worth it though, having to swim her and the boat back to shore because we both couldn't get in the middle of the lake. I think the main problem was we were flooding the deflating boat which made it very difficult to get in.

We got back to camp and played some games, and the Johnson's, Myer's and Olson's made us delicious Taco Salads for dinner. More smores were made, and more chit-chattin was done. We woke up Sunday morning made breakfast burritos and packed up and headed out. It was a great trip and one we will do again. We missed those that couldn't make it...until next year!

American Idol

On Tuesday, we were so lucky to be able to go to the American Idol Tour. I have always been a big fan of American Idol and I watch it diligently and I even vote...yahoo, and the man I voted for the most, WON! (Although I was pretty fond of Adam too, not his screaming and weird, yucky dancing, but his voice was pretty awesome).

This was SO awesome, we had such a great time. I don't know what was funner, listening to all the cool music and their great voices, or screaming like a teenager seeing Zac Efron in person (well I would be screaming too if I saw Zac Efron in person, what a babe).

Charlie, Holly, Aunt Julie, Court, Kelly, Collin, Me, taking photo=my mom

Collin and I

Collin, me, Mom


Charlie, Holly, Aunt Julie

Court and Kelly

This is one of the many commericals they played before it started and during intermission. Every time Adam's face would pop up, the crowd would SCREAM...it was hilarious.



Here are some of our favorites....(my camera doesn't zoom in very far, so the pictures aren't the best).

Megan- not really my favorite, actually not my favorite at all. Collin sure does like her though, I think it might be the hot pink dress she was wearing.

Matt - He was one of my favorites, I always like what he did. He was pretty fun to watch too.

Danny= This would be my Mom's and Aunt Julie's fav. Go Danny!

Adam= I sure did like Adam, I liked him at the beginning of the competition and then he kind of got annoying, but I still think he is pretty awesome. He sure does know how to put on a show. The crowd was wild when he came out.

Kris= Oh...Kris, what a cute guy. I could sit, watch, and listen to him sing for a long time. He did a great job. I was kind of bummed that he didn't sing my favorite song of his, but he did a great job anyway.

Thanks Holly and Charlie for the great night! We had so much fun and it was an awesome show!

Richards family camping trip

Last weekend we had our annual Richards Family camping trip. We went up to Tanner's flat up Little Cottonwood canyon. I have fond memories of this place, we use to go here all the time as a family growing up. It was still as beautiful as I remember, although not quite as relaxing and exciting....:)

I would have to say it was kind of a crazy camping trip. Oh my goodness. Bode and Peiton gave Collin and I a run for our money...crazy! Not that they were crazy, well Peiton's scream got a little crazy because of the lack of sleep, and Bode was just crazy Bode. The first night I think I got about 2 hours of sleep, that might be exaggerating a little bit. Peiton wasn't quite sure what was going on and she is one to sleep very well in her crib, not in the mountains, in a tent, sleeping by 4 other people.

We got up there Friday afternoon and set up camp, we had a great camp. We cooked tin foil dinners that night...yummy, one of my camping favorites. Cooper had fun with his cousins playing on scooters and just enjoying getting dirty. We took many walks up and down the campground and enjoyed each other's company.

On Saturday we just had a lot of down time (well everyone else but Collin and I) and we were visited my a few rain storms, which actually cooled it down quite a bit, it was pretty nice. Court, Matt, Cam, Grandma and Grandpa J came and visited us that day, Nicky we MISSED you! Holly and Charlie made a delicious dutch oven dinner that night and I think I got my kids in bed by 8:00, which was awesome!! They were wasted.

Even though it was a little crazy, it was great to be with family. Thanks for putting up with our crazy kids...hopefully we are invited next year, and hopefully we come. :)

Bode graduates...again!

Bode had his 2nd preschool graduation a couple of weeks ago. I know it is a little behind, but since I am using this blog as somewhat of a journal, I thought I should get it on here. I was on my Tuacahn trip so I wasn't able to see it, but I guess he wasn't the most pleasant kid, at least compared to last year which does make me feel better since I did have to miss it.
Even when he is a grouch, he is still a pretty cute kid.

Thanks to Grandma and Court for helping out!

Here is a little video of the fun things he was able to do. Watch him struggle with the teacher to get away...poor teacher, he is one tough kid and never stops until he gets his way (yes, we are working on this).

Congrats Bode, so proud of you!

Milestone in the Richards family

Yes, we have hit a milestone in our family...Cooper can ride a bike! When he was about 4, he had a accident on his training wheels and it has scared him to death until now. I think the trigger was telling him that he HAD to ride a bike in the block party parade. I think it got him kind of thinking. I had worked with him a little bit and then the day before the block party he still couldn't ride the bike. I said "why don't we take your bike to Grandpa Charlie's and see if he can help you." That we did and guess what??? After about 10 minutes of practicing, he was riding a bike! Grandpa is a pro!

He now just turbos around and can't get enough of his bike. I do think we need to upgrade a little bit, this bike was the bike he biffed it on and it is a Power Ranger bike...he outgrew the Power Rangers about 2 years ago. Go Cooper!

4th of July!

Wow, I can't believe the 4th of July weekend was over a week ago, where is July going?? We did have a great 4th of July though. We weren't able to go camping with my family because of Bode's speech and Collin's job, but we were able to have fun anyway...although we did miss some of the VW fun.

We started the holiday off with going to the parade on Friday night...how I love a parade, I really do. I think they are so fun. My kids usually do well at them and just have a blast. We grabbed Subways and ate them while we waited for the parade to start. Bode crashed, which made it really nice so we did not have to chase him around. I woke him up in time for the horses and he always loves the horses. Coop of course had a blast trying to get as much as candy as possible, which I was happy about too, the more candy for him, the more candy for me...I can't get enough of the salt water taffy. Peiton was a big girl and sat in a little girl chair and enjoyed some candy of her own.

After the parade we headed over to our friends the Peck's and watched some seriously awesome fireworks! They were quite a show ;) Bode got sick of them after about 15 minutes and walked himself home, he thought a movie might be a little more interesting...crazy kid!


The next day we headed back over to the Peck's for a yummy 4th of July breakfast! They fed the neighborhood and it sure was yummy and a lot of work...thank you so much!
We decided to chance it and take all the kids to Ice Age 3, I was able to watch about 30 minutes of it and then Peiton had it so we left and did a little sight shopping at the local stores. Bode and Cooper loved it.
That night we headed to Heber for a great bbQand some more fireworks. Little did we know that we would be eaten alive my mosquito's. My grandparents live right by Deer Creek reservoir and they have a little canal that runs in the backyard that I think attracts all of the mosquito's, they were sure loving us that night. I think we all came home with 10+ mosquito bites and that was with repellent. But is sure was fun. It is always a good time and grandma and pa's!
That is about it for our 4th of July festivities, we all had a great time.

Tuacahn

A week ago I was able to go to St. George with my mom, sisters, Grandma Zenda, Aunt Peggy and all of her girls. This is the 10th year that we have done this. I have been to all of them but one. Every year it gets better. My Grandma has a house down in St. George and she buys us tickets to see both of the Tuacahn plays that are showing. We make it a super long weekend (not long enough) and head down on Wednesday night, while the husbands are left home with the kiddos....ahhh heaven! No packing kids in the car, buckling them in car seats, no waking up in the middle of the night (just to Jacki snoring), no screaming (well unless you are a Mckenzie girl) and no crying (unless you are me). We have a blast!

Mom, Rachelle, Jacki, Grandma Zenda, Peggy, Cobi, Angie

Hollie, Stacy, Preslee, Me, McKenzie, Denni

We spent the weekend shopping, at the pool, eating, seeing a movie, more shopping, more eating, seeing another movie, plays, games, giggles, more eating, more shopping, another play, games, and more eating....

I am so glad that my Grandma does this for us. It helps us get to know each other better. I feel that if we didn't do this we wouldn't be as close as we are. So thanks grandma again and again for letting me spend time with you and everyone else. And thanks Collin for always being willing to take the kiddos! Your the best! Alisha we missed you this year!!

Wasatch Back 2009

A little over a week ago, Collin and I participated in the Ragnar Wasatch Back. This was a unreal experience...so much fun! What made it so much fun was NOT the running (that too was pretty fun) but we had an AWESOME team. We had a blast! The Wasatch Back is a relay race from Logan to Park City, it is about 189 miles. You have a team with 12 people and the team is split up into 2 vans, we were van #2. Van #1 started in Logan and their first leg ended in Eden and that is where we picked up. Eden is beautiful...the whole race is beautiful. I wasn't aware of how beautiful Utah really is...breathtaking! I was runner 7 in our van so I started off the race for van #2.

Back at the beginning of May, I got a IT band injury that would not heal. I rested it and did everything I was suppose to and it did not heal. I thought for sure I wasn't going to be able to run this. I was really upset because we had been planning this since October! Anyway it came closer and there was still no way that I could do it on my leg, and that was when Lo-and-behold Ja-Ja Myers pulled through and switched me legs (not actual legs, but running legs). It was great that my team didn't care that I was slow as molasses if my IT band pain kicked in...which it would. :(

My first leg went great, I made it with just a little pain. Collin's first leg was awesome too. He had to run straight up a mountain up to Snow Basin. He rocked it! He also had a injury, which now we have found out that he was pretty much running on a stress fracture...ooops! Everyone did awesome on their first legs, we whipped right through them.

After our first legs it was van 1's turn to conquer their 2nd legs. They did great! While they were running we went and found some grub, grub at the good ole' Chuck-a-Rama...yes the Chuck-a-rama. We then headed back to the route and just hung out and Pineview Reservoir where the next exchange was taking place. We tried to get a little shut eye, but their was this crazy smell that kept us all awake...;) About 11:30 p.m. we stared our 2nd legs. We went until about 5:30 in the morning.

After our 2nd legs we made our way to Heber where Rachel's parents were letting is get some shut-eye at their house. We took showers and were able to sleep for a couple of hours...it was awesome! We started back up again about 10:30ish. By this time my IT band was killing me! I couldn't even bend my knee without a shooting pain, I really felt like my knee was experiencing labor...really! It hurt so bad, so of coarse I made a fool of myself and cried for half of my leg and I was limping along. It hurt and I was so frustrated that I just couldn't run, I have been running forever and now this, very discouraging. Anyway, I was able to finish with a limping walk, and a supporting team. Some of my family was even there to cheer me on. Everyone else continued to do great. Collin was doing awesome even with all of his pain.

Justin Myers, Trisha Paddock, Rachel Olson, Gareth Nash, Collin Richards, Natalie Richards, Ryan Paddock, Allison Strang, Chad Strang, Leslie Myers, Keysha Peck, Chad Peck.

Saturday was a crazy, rainy day. The temperature was perfect to run in though. I think we were all ready to get done and get out of the car. I saw how amazing Keysha was running the "RAGNAR" hill...she is one tough cookie! Everyone was super tough and did a great job. Thanks Ja-ja for switching me legs so I didn't miss out on all the crazy fun. Thanks Allison for putting this all together and being a awesome captain. I wish that we were able to see Van 1 more often, we had such a fun group!

Until next year...Monarch Maniacs!

Little Buddies

These two crack me up. Bode and Peiton can be best buddies one minute and then the next they are pulling each others hair out. Literally. But when they are being best buddies they are way cute. Peiton seems to want to be doing pretty much what Bode is doing (and that goes for speaking too, she has pretty much mastered the "uhhhh" sound that Bode makes all the time). She has learned all of Bode's made-up sign language for certain things and does them when she wants the same thing. When Bode is in an extra, friendly mood, they seem to get along great.

Here they are before bedtime watching a show on Cooper's bed. Peiton thinks it is pretty fun to get up on the tall bed and watch shows with Coop and Bode.

Bode loves to push the stroller and now he has a little mimic on his tail. Peiton loves to do the same thing. She will just follow him around and they both have a blast doing it.

Thanks Bode for being a great older brother and taking care of your little sis. I love ya both!

"I don't know how to discipline my kids.."

On Tuesday night I had quite the experience ( I think it was quite the experience). Collin had a softball game and I was actually going to venture out with the kids to watch it, this is pretty daring on my behalf, it is really hard to handle Bode and Peiton in public, at the same time. Before the game I took them to Iceberg ( I was by myself) I thought we would grab something to eat before and then head to the game. We they were great in Iceberg, Bode only tried to run away once, which is pretty good for him. We were finished and we were walking out to the door I had to pick Peiton up because we were going outside in the parking lot. Well she lets out her high-pitched scream...which is very high pitch, and really bratty sounding.

As she is screaming there is a lady walking to the same door as us and this is what happens...

Lady: Walking towards us says "Ahhhh SHUT-UP!" Very rude like.

Me: Not sure if she was serious or not says. "Are you serious?"

Lady: "Yes, discipline your children."

Me: "What?? She is not even 2 yet?" (What do you think I was doing picking her up so she couldn't run like crazy through the parking lot, when she screamed I kept her in my arms so she didn't get her way...she is learning).

Now we will call her Raunchy lady: "Well is starts in the home." (saying it very rude).

Ticked off me: "Don't tell me how to raise my kids."

Raunchy lady: Mumbling..."stupid Mormons" ( I don't know why me having 3 kids makes me a Mormon, I am, but why would she think that. I know many people that are not LDS and they have more kids than 3. I am sure she had more than 3 sad, lonely, no friends because there mom was so mean, scared kids.)

By this time I was super mad, but had to kind of walk away from it. Thankfully there were 2 girls there that stuck up for me and starting reaming her out, they went at it pretty good. This scared Cooper, he didn't understand why she was being so mean, especially to Peiton. He kept asking me questions about it..."is it cause she was old?" I just had to reassure him that she wasn't very nice and probably had a bad day and just had to take it out on cute little Peiton." But inside myself I was so angry and wanted to drop kick the lady. But I do know what she drives and the where abouts of where she lives, so beware "Raunchy Lady" I am watching for you....

(I really wish my sister Stacy or my friend Alicia were there with me, they would have really put her in her spot. I am glad I stuck up though, usually I would just walk away, which would have been the Christ-like thing to do, but I wasn't feeling that way at all).

Birthday bash

Alright it has been quite a while since I have posted anything. I am finally finding the time, well not time, I have had that, let's say motivation to get something posted. So here we begin...

A couple weeks ago we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday. They took the whole family up to the Zermatt resort in Midway. I really love going to that place, it is beautiful, the accommodations are nice, the food is great (although we didn't enjoy some of their food on this trip) and it is just a fin place. We started the day off with a little swimming before we had to meet for dinner. For dinner my mom had planned on us all going to Chick's cafe, this place is something else. It was actually fun to go there because my mom used to work there (my parents both grew up in Heber) and my parents probably had a lot of fun memories there. We had the whole backroom, thankfully, it got a little crazy towards the end and the kids were ready to get out of there (at least mine were).

Next we headed back to the Zermatt where my mom had rented a conference room and invited some extended family members. This was a surprise for my dad. It was great to have everyone there. My mom put me in charge of playing Bunco. It was CRAZY! You can't teach 40 people how to play bunco. It is kind of a game that you just have to learn by playing, so I was going to table to table to explain everything and by the time we were on the last round I think everyone picked it up (we only played 2 rounds).

It was a bummer because nobody got pictures of the party...what??? No party pics!

The next day we spent the morning swimming and just enjoying some relaxing (what you can do chasing around 2 kids). We rode the carousel, saw the goats and just hung around. After checkout we went to my grandparents house where my mom had planned a road rally for us to participate it. She had taken all of the memorable spots that my dad had growing up and incorporated them into the road rally. And guess who won?? Yeah my team, we were the fastest, probably because we didn't get the directions and rules down and kind of messed the whole thing up, but hey we won...:) Sorry mom. It was fun to see the spots that we did go to and see where my dad use to work, go to school, etc...

After the road rally we all pretty much made our way home. It was a fun celebration and a great time to be with the whole family. I love when we get to spend time with each other and everyone is there. Collin had to leave Friday night to go out of town so it was a bummer that he had to miss all the fun. Thanks mom and dad!

Memorial day

On Memorial day this year (actually we do this almost every year) we went to Midway to visit my sister's and my grandpa's graves. This is something that I really like to do. My whole family usually comes up and we just make a whole day of it. This year, unlike most Memorial days, we had great weather. It was a perfect temp and a little overcast so the sun wasn't so hot. Everyone meets up at the graves and we do the regular chit chatting with cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings and grandma. We then have to make the grave rounds, there are a few graves that we visit every year, people that we don't know but have come to know because we see their headstones once a year.

When we are done with the graves we make our way down to Grandma's and usually have lunch and play around for a while. Like I mentioned in a earlier post, she has a huge backyard and we made full use of it this year.

We had a little baseball game with our own rules. We used a soft bat and a small foam ball (which is actually really hard to hit). It was something the kids could play and it kept us pretty busy. My mom helped out with the other kids that couldn't play (Peiton and Bode, etc...) it was nice to spend some time not chasing them around and worrying about where they were.

After playing the game for a while, my mom came and told me that Bode had made himself comfortable in one of my grandma's beds downstairs. He crawled right in the covers and put himself to sleep. I loved it! He actually has been doing this at some of my friends houses too, it is just too bad he won't do it at home. Gotta love the kid...:-)

Here he is just dozing off, snoring and all...

Here's to another fabulous Memorial day!