Burrr...!!

Bode was so excited to see the snow on Friday that he insisted that he went out to play. I am not one to really play in the snow especially on a freezing day like that day. so Bode thought "I will do it myself!" And that he did, he did it himself. This is all he wanted to wear and he put it all on himself, and off he went to play in the snow. (I did try to put on clothes, but he would not allow it. The first thing he does when he gets home from preschool is go potty and then strip down to his undies or pull-up, everyday!

So here Bode is, soaking up the fun of the snow and probably FREEZING! I know I am a good mom to let him go out this way, but he will learn that it is pretty cold outside without any clothes on. I actually thought he learned that when he sneaked out of the house a couple days before in nothing but his pull-up and socks. When I realized he was gone I went out and he was down the street on his way home showing me his freezing sign. He was cold!

Love ya Bode!

Cub Scouts!

Turning eight brought a lot of new and fun things for Cooper. Besides being baptized, Cooper really looked forward to being a scout. He loves it! A couple of months ago he earned his Bobcat (I guess that if the first thing you earn...??? I so don't know what I am doing with this scouting thing). Last night we had the Blue and Gold banquet, which my amazing talented friend Kristen put on. She did a great job! Coop earned his basketball belt loop, that was his first belt loop, we really need to get going on those and maybe get him a belt as well. :)

I am so glad that Coop is loving scouts, he has great leaders that help him and I am grateful for the things he is learning and looks forward to do.

I heart basketball

I think Cooper has found his new sport, too bad the season is over. :( He has loved playing Jr. Jazz! Collin and Coop spend a little bit each night playing a basketball game on the Playstation and he has really learned from it, sad to say that the Playstation is teaching him about basketball, but it worked! He has picked up on the rules, what you do and even all the players names. Now he needs to work on the aggressiveness of the sport. He is such a sweet kid that the aggressiveness doesn't come easy to him. I am sure I can help him with that...;)

Here are a few shots of him handling the ball...sorry about the fuzziness, my camera doesn't zoom in too well.

Go Cooper! Your awesome!

Goin' Buggy!

Cooper had his 2nd grade program last week and it was pretty cute. I managed to make it with both kids with the help of my mom. Thank goodness the program was only about 30 minutes because they wouldn't have lasted longer.

The theme of the program was called "Goin' Buggy" there were cute bugs everywhere! Cooper was a little bee. They sang songs about all the buggy things and did a great job. I really can't believe Coop is in the 2nd grade, it is crazy. He loves it, loves his teacher and he loves all the friends that he has made.

I was able to catch a few shots with the kids actually looking at the camera, smiling, not going to happen.

Cooper and Bode

Bode sure does love his older brother and right back at him, Coop loves him!

Good job Coop! We loved it!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has come and gone, and I must say I am kind of happy about it, it only means that we are that much closer to spring, and how I love spring!

This year we did things a little low key for Valentine's, it has been a little crazy at our house and I really haven't wanted to put in the extra work that I usually do at Valentine's day.

For the kids Valentine's this year, I thought I would make them custom for each child. I think they turned out pretty cute. I was pretty inexpensive too. I just printed them out on 5x7 prints, cut them and ta-da, there you have it, personalized Valentine's Day cards!

Peiton's had Rockstar Cards, because yes she is the Princess Rockstar!

Bode is a Super Stud so he had the Super Cool cards.

And Cooper has been way into basketball lately so he wanted basketball ones. He also made a sweet basketball Valentine's box that I am to lazy to take a picture of and post it.

For Valentine's I usually do a huge Valentine's dinner, yummy food, candlelight, I work on it for hours. The family stays upstairs and anxiously awaits until they can come downstairs for dinner. ;) Well this year it was a little different, I did do candlelight, but the food was pretty basic. I wasn't even going to do it, but I thought it is tradition, so I toughed up and made it and it turned out pretty good.

Here is little Pei looking all beautiful (I don't think her hair was done that day and Collin dressed her, so there you go, beautiful Pei) coming down for the dinner.

That is all the pictures I took of 2010 Valentine's Day, hopefully next year I will get a little more and get a little more into it.

As far as the love goes on Valentines, I must say I do LOVE my family!

Oh boy...

The last week and a half I have been spending my days trying to potty train Bode...and yes we have been trying, we have not yet succeeded! I thought it was about time, he is 5 and I am honestly pretty sick of changing his adult size poops and buying diapers for him. My sister Hollie was kind enough to take off ALL of her week last week and come to my house and we could conquer this together! Well if it wasn't for Hollie, nothing would have been conquered. I would have given up on the first day...so thanks Haws!

So we started out on Monday, I started by putting him in training pants (the cloth ones with a little more absorbency than usual undies). Well it wasn't working, we would put him on the toilet like every 10 minutes and he wouldn't do anything and then he would just get off an pee his pants. So we thought we just need him to pee on the toilet so he can figure that is what you do. Well we didn't think it would take that long...literally, it took forever. Bode spent 3 hours on the toilet on Monday, yes 3 hours...his little bum had the red mark from the little seat he was sitting on. He would NOT go! Finally I was like whatever, I can't sit in this bathroom anymore, he is not getting it (we did take turns sitting in the bathroom so it was somewhat bearable). After the 3 hours I had it, I left and low and behold Bode gets off and pees his pants, he had to go so bad that Hollie and I both heard it from downstairs, it was loud and forceful. :) I was done for the day...hello diaper!

The next day we thought well let's do the same thing, except half way through the process (1 1/2) hours later, Haws thought well we know he will go if he is just standing up so why don't we let him get up and down from the toilet and if he starts going we will hurry and move him to the toilet so he can get the concept. Well another 1 1/2 later I can just see him doing the pee dance, he holds himself every now and again, I am continuing to push on his bladder...somewhere underneath that little belly of his and nothing...he is STUBBORN! Then finally he starts peeing, I jump up and pretty much scare him and he stops, then I put him to the toilet (standing up now) and he is hesitate but then he starts going! Yipee! Party thrown! Bode went potty in the toilet, somewhat! We were done for the day. :)

Next day we did the same thing, same time on the toilet maybe a little longer though, he starts going and I hurry and move him to the toilet...yeah day two he went again with the help from us moving him we he starts to weee. Done for the day! That is all we can take.

Well that night he came up to me and started patting his diaper, I asked if he needed to go potty, he starts taking off his diaper and we go to the toilet and he GOES! On his own he goes! Yes, that is the one and only time he has gone on his own. I was so excited, another party thrown for Bode! He was pretty happy too. Well 30 minutes later I asked him if he needed to go again..we went to the toilet he went. We were on a roll, improvement!

The next day we were excited to get started. He wouldn't go in the morning, but about 11 we got him to go again and we did it about every 30 minutes through out the day, he was doing great. Well that leaves us to today, I am still putting him on the toilet every 30 minutes and he will usually always go, but he will go in between too, so we still have wet pants and there is no Bode coming to tell me he has to go potty...how long do I have to do this until he realizes that he can do it on his own or hold it...I know he can hold it! He won't figure out the pooping on the toilet, he will still go in his pants and then he thinks it is fun to play in it and make mommy clean it up and clean him up...I had it yesterday!

So is this going to get better? Because I have done it for a week in a half now and I don't see ANY improvements. What am I doing wrong?? Help! Mommy is going a little insane (more insane than I already am, that is pretty scary). Any suggestions on how to close the deal on potty training a child with Down Syndrome would be fabulous. Thanks ya'll and sorry for the long post.

No more Bah Bah!

Peiton no longer has her "Bah Bah," (aka The Bottle)!

We love it!

She has always loved her bottle, I really never thought I would get rid of it. It was to the point where she had to have it right when she got in the car and just everywhere! I was really getting sick of always having to have a bottle with me. We also were talking about starting to potty train her and I thought, "no way can I potty train her when she still has her bottle." So almost two weeks ago we started the day by throwing all her bottles away, she helped and it went better than I thought it would. I thought it would go something like this.....

But really, she was almost all smiles (besides from her tantrums she has about every 15 minutes, that happened WAY before I took the bottle away). She did great! A couple times she asked for it and I just showed her the cupboard they were in and that they were all gone, and she was fine. Wow! It always seems that you think things are going to be awful when you have to take away something the kids love or that they are accustomed to, but they usually do much better than we think they will, well maybe not with potty training....that is a whole other story. :)

I am pretty proud of this little munch kin, and I am pretty happy that I know longer have to deal with the "bah bah!" Yipee!

The Vampire Diaries

Yes, I am making another post about a television show, but what else do you do on a cold, January night? Watch TV, that is after the kids go to bed because there is no way you are locking yourself in your room to catch one of your fav TV shows.

The Vampire Diaries is back with a NEW episode TONIGHT! Yipee! I started watching this show when it first came out and I stopped because it scared me too bad. Well I have a couple friends (thanks friends) that informed me that it isn't as scary (or you get use to it) and it is really good. So they had a Vampire Diaries Marathon in December and showed all of the episodes. Addicted! I love it, and there is a huge plus to it, the vampires are definitely fun to look at...much better than that Robert Pattinson guy, the one we know as Edward.

So if you have nothing to do tonight, catch the new episode of Vampire Diaries, or check it out on Hulu.

Is she for real?

Hello Bachelor fans! Yes, I would be one of them once again. You know last season I liked Jake at first and then he kind of got annoying, really annoying. I wasn't too sure if I was going to like this season or not, but off course I do! They always try to find some kind of drama to put in it, if it is real or not real, it lures me in. And I must say, Jake is kind of growing on me. He his stepping up and he really is a nice guy and I think he REALLY wants to find someone, maybe not as much as this chick really "wants a husband."

Now to the point...is she for real? Or is this a set up? Seriously, I don't know how anyone can be this pathetic, especially on national TV! She cracks me up! Dramatic, serious, snotty, and desperate explains her the best. Did any of you get the point that "she really wants a husband," "she really wants to give her mother grand babies." Scary..no wonder why Jake threw her off...not that it is scary to have grand babies, but to tell everyone that and be so serious on like your 2nd date. Wow!

photo provided by ABC.com

I must say the kiss was the best! She was going to win him over with her dreamy kiss...not! Wow, he didn't even want to do it, why did he? Hilarious! Anyway that is my say for the new happenings on the Bachelor! We will say see ya Melissa! (I think that is her name).

My very OWN Buzz Lightyear!

A couple months ago Bode found this old Buzz Lightyear costume (thanks Stacy, sorry I never returned it...6 years later). Well he loved it and had to put it on! It barely got it on. A little snug. He insisted on wearing it, and would not let me take it off. He wore it to Primary Children's and was as happy as could be. Well I necessarily would not mind him wearing it, but the fact is, it doesn't look so great. Take a look for yourself....

(This would be the best shot, I think he gets that rear from me :)

Well I hid it, and I thought I had conquered the Buzz Lightyear costume, well he found it, Mom is not such a good hider. I am for myself I put things somewhere and then I can not find where I put them, I am really loosing my memory. So Buzz is back and snugger than ever! It has been a couple days since he has had it on, maybe he forgot about it again, lets hope. Or in the meantime if anyone has a size 7-8 Buzz Lightyear costume just hanging around, give me a call. :)

Christmas catch up!

It really has been almost a month since I have posted anything...slacker! So much for putting my daily posts on what we did with the Christmas chain, well we only did about 60% of them, slacker again! So I guess I need to do a little run down of Christmas. Us Richards have quite the luck with electronics, especially cameras and can openers (another story), so I only have a few pictures and those would be Christmas Eve, and a few Christmas morning and after that the camera was not functioning (or should I say my mom's old camera because ours broke, again).

Here is the rundown....

Sunday before Christmas

Here are the kids in their Christmas church outfits. Thanks to Grandma Holly, Peiton was able to wear a darling Christmas dress...she looked darling!

That was that....

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve afternoon we made our way to Heber to Soldier Hollow for the Edwards Christmas Party. We had delicious food, way too much delicious food, visiting, family pictures, games, and Santa!

Here is Coop with Santa telling him all the many things he wants..well the Lego set he wants.

Then there was Bode, he actually got on his lap, but wouldn't look and him and just hid himself behind his hands...hilarious!

And Peiton didn't want ANYTHING to do with Santa...high pitch scream, higher than usual, was yelled and she was out of there as fast as possible.

Just a few fun pics...

After the party we headed to Mom and Dads to open up gifts and eat more food...yes more food. Stacy demonstrates below. :)

Cooper's gift from one of the Tillmann kids.

On Christmas Eve the elf leaves jammies on the doorstep for everyone. Here is all the cousins in their jammie get-ups. We have everyone but, Bode (he is actually there, he is on the chair on the right, he didn't want to sit with the group, but I wasn't able to get him in the shot). We are also missing Dakota, Matix and Autumn...they were outta there!

Just the little Richards kids

Christmas morning

No picture on the stairs, camera wasn't working...:(

Coop opening his Mp3 player

I got the camera working and was able to catch a few shots before it crashed again.

Bode's tool set

I think Bode's favorite gift was Wall-e, he was pretty excited when he got it. He has been trying to put it in my cart at Smith's for the last couple of months and when he gets home and finds that it isn't in the sack, he gets very disappointed...yeah, now I can go to Smith's with ease, well kind of.

Peiton always so excited to get clothes...so easy to please at this age.

It was a great Christmas and we had a great Christmas night with Collin's family. I was sad that the camera wasn't working because there were so many fun pictures to capture.

Thanks everyone for making is such a great Christmas!

The Last Straw

Day #8-The Last Straw

I love this family tradition! I have been doing it as long as I can remember, it is such a fun tradition. It is a story about a little family who's mom thinks their home does not have the Christmas spirit. So they do a little activity to hopefully get the Christmas spirit in their home. They each draw names and the name that they draw they are to do something nice for that person all week long. Every time they do something nice they put a piece of straw in the baby manger that will be full and soft for baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Each week they draw new names. It focuses mostly on a little boy that continues to get the same name and he really struggles with it. It is a great story.

This year I am kind of excited because Cooper is old enough to really get it and participate, it won't be me doing everyone's secret elf. In fact I came into my room this morning with my bed all made (at least made to the capability of a 8 year old) it made me so happy. Love that kid.

Neighborhood Christmas gathering

Day #7-Annual Neighborhood Christmas Gathering

Well I am sure this was great too, but then again I didn't make it. My kids were driving me crazy and I wasn't about to take my kids by myself to our sweet neighbors hosting the party and have them scream and run away. Visiting and eating yummy cookies sounded fun, but chasing my kids did not. So we chose to stay in and enjoy our warm house and the company of each other...:)

Temple Square

Day #5- Temple Square lights

Isn't this picture beautiful? And I am sure the lights were too, but I would not know because we did not make it to Temple Square. There was no way I was taking my kids out in 15 degree weather...TOO COLD! So one year without Temple Square lights, kind of sad.

Richards Christmas Outing

Day #5- Richards Christmas Outing

Well I am a dork and didn't take any pictures of this night, I fully intended too I just never got my camera out of my bag to take the pics. Anyway, we did have a GREAT time.

We went to dinner to Epic, a very yummy restaurant and then we went and saw The Blindside. Loved it! What a great, feel good show. I loved Sandra Bullock in it, she did an amazing job.

Thanks for the fun night Richards!

Letters to Santa

Day 4- Letters to Santa

Dear Santa,

This Christmas I want,

A Lego Star Wars Walker ATE ??

Or a Lego Harlequin (isn' t a harlequin a lady that isn't very nice? I don't think that is what it is, Santa better get it straight).

Or a Lego Indiana Jones something escape.

And a Monsters vs. Aliens movie,

Night at the Museum movie

and a $20 gift card to Walmart.

From Cooper

Dear Santa (written by Cooper) this year I want a Wal-e movie and a Wal-e Leapster game. And some plastic golf clubs and the gift to talk and the gift to be potty trained.

And a cars race track.

From Bode

Dear Santa (again, written by Coop)

this year I want a dog.

And a doll and some clothes.

And a Barbie movie and a Barbie toy.

Coop makes some great Santa lists. My favorite is the gift of talking and potty training..love the little guy!

Live Nativity

Day #3- Live Nativity

We love the live nativity, or at least I love it. My sisters stake does this every other year and it is AMAZING! So much work goes into this and the finished product is great. This year was a little tricky, I didn't have Collin with me so I had to rely on my sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and friends to help me make it. We made it, barely.

This is before we got in line. The line is HUGE. We were lucky and got there early, Shawn and Stacy got there earlier and got us a good spot in line. I couldn't really imagine waiting 1 1/2 hours in line with my kids. We only had it about 45 minutes.

Stacy was smart and got a close parking spot and left all the kids in her car so they could stay warm. I didn't see it, but I heard that Bode wrestled them all to the ground. He was loving it.

I had Peiton with me and she was great at first and then she just started saying "go, go" she was freezing...it was freezing.

When the line got closer and the kids had enough of Bode wrestling him, we got them out of the car and brought them to the line. That is when it kind of started falling apart.

Peiton started crying (notice her beautiful makeup on her face) and Bode didn't want to stay in line, so low and behold I gave him my camera, again (yes he broke it last time, but then I gave it to Peiton and she dropped it and it fixed itself. Amazing.) So the camera kept Bode busy for a while and I just focused on Pei.

Here are a few of the good shots Bode got, he didn't get many. Most of them where of shoes, the ground, rears, and who knows what.

We got closer to the nativity and Bode started loosing it and Pei continued to loose it. Thank goodness I now had help from my good friends Rach and TJ...thank you, thank you. TJ took Bode for a while and again I worked on Pei. It was our turn to go in and Bode wanted nothing to do with it, neither did Peiton. We got in and Bode screamed bloody murder, he was scared to death. So to save everybody from a awful experience with a dreadful scream from two little children, I exited as fast as I good leaving Coop with Rach and TJ.

We made it to the car and waited for them to come out. So we waited in a 45 minute line for nothing...wrong. TJ and Rach came back and watched the kids while I was able to run through with my sister Hollie. I said I was okay and didn't need to, but I am sure glad I did. I have been through this nativity a couple times and every time I tear up. I just leave filling the Christmas spirit and reassuring me why we celebrate Christmas. It is overwhelming to see this little newborn laying in a manger and in your mind you are picturing that it is Jesus on the day that he was born. I am grateful for this stake on putting this together, so me and many others can feel the Christmas spirit. I am also grateful for those that help me so that I can do things like this without my hubby. Thanks!

the Elf on the Shelf

Day #2-the Elf on the Shelf

This is our 3rd year of doing the Elf on the Shelf, and Cooper still loves it and still believes, which I am very happy for. It has a cute little story with it that explains everything that happens with this little elf that is going to spend the holidays at your house looking over you and seeing if you are good or bad. At night time, the elf or "Flippy" (that is the name of ours) goes back to the North Pole and reports to Santa on how good you have been. He then comes back before morning and he is in a new spot. Each morning the kids have to go find him, they love it.

It has been a great tradition in our home, the only problem is...mommy or daddy forgets to hide Flippy (sorry to those adults that still believe) and then we have to come up with some excuse on why Flippy is still in the same spot...:(

The festivites begin!

Day#1-Make Christmas chain

December is here and the chain has been made. Let the Christmas festivities begin!

It doesn't seem like Christmas to me, so hopefully this will bring a little of the Christmas spirit. I never wish for snow unless it is Christmas time, so bring on the snow! I think the snow will help make it feel a little more like Christmas too.

Hopefully I will post all the things we do everyday, if not everyday every other day...we will see, I have been kind of a slacker with making posts lately.