Annie is always such a good sport when it comes to letting me take pictures.  We haven't left the house since we got home on Monday night but finally went outside today to enjoy the snow and snap a few pictures.

(Thanks to my Wendy Schultz Photography alumni friends who went to town on this picture and did some great editing.  I wasn't in love with the picture straight out of camera.)


No matter what skills you have as far as photography goes, there are times when you get a shot you love.  Last night I snapped this one of Addie.  It's my current favorite.

Almost There

I just can't stand it.  She's growing too fast. 

About two weeks ago I told my Mom that Lucy would be crawling within a month.  I think I hit the nail on the head.  Now all she has to do is figure out how a little coordination and she'll be off. 

 Then I'll cry.

And yet she has no interest in sitting up.  But that's okay with me.  It's just one thing that will keep her a baby a little longer.

I may have been a little heartbroken today when Addie erased Mom and Dad from her gift tag and added Aunt Jeanie and Uncle Kenny instead.  I refused to help her, because I want that darn handmade gift from her, so she figured out how to spell them on her own.  

Day 2

This morning Addie got to open up our second day of Christmas gift.  After we read it through we talked about the Magee's {the older couple I had planned on visiting} and decided that we would pay them a visit.  I called up Correnne this afternoon and asked if we could come by, she happily obliged.  Since I didn't want to tell about our 12 days project, I asked her if my girls could see the porcelain dolls she had made. 

When we showed up her husband, Elmer, had them all bundled up like real babies and handed them over to the girls. 

They ooh-ed and aah-ed over them and then started to check out all of her other neat knick-knacks.  She let them check out everything while we had a fun conversation. I asked her about her kids.  She had three biologically but they are all deceased.  After their deaths they adopted a son and later a daughter.  I asked if they were coming home for Christmas and she said "well, they are so busy.  They always have so much going on."  It broke my heart.



In the past I have gone over to see her and am always amazed at how talented she is.  In the years that they were raising their children they didn't have much money so she had to be creative when it came to Christmas gifts.  One year she made Barbie furniture, back before it was manufactured.  It is the cutest thing I have ever seen!  Last Christmas she offered to teach me how to make it for my own girls but time got away from us and we never got it done.  She also made lots of dolls, fabric and porcelain.  She even made the cutest little mailbox out of a Coke can.  Her creativity never seems to amaze me. 

Before we left the girls had an invitation to go back tomorrow to help her bake bread.  They are looking forward to it and secretly I think she is too.


While we were there Kimber was playing with my camera and snapped this picture of her.  She didn't want to be in the above picture with my girls so I was happy to find this one on my camera.

The 12 Days of Christmas

I have to admit that I love to get my kids excited about Christmas and Santa.  I always try to find a balance between the true meaning and the fun of Christmas but this year I wanted to go the extra mile.  For weeks I have been wanting to put together an advent or 12 days and last night {just in time} it all came together.

I decided to focus on 12 ways my girls can serve others.  I wrote out a list of 12 people that they can serve and a little rhyme for each day.  I then cut them all out and wrapped each gift.  Each day they will open one gift and as we talk about who we will serve, they will be the ones who will help decide what that person may need.

Here's what I came up with and who they will be serving.  They won't know who they are serving until they open the gift.

On the first day of Christmas
My Mom and Dad gave to me
A lesson on service wrapped under the tree


{Last night for Family Home Evening I read the girls a story on giving and service.  Then we talked about the details of what we will be doing.}

On the second day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To those that are lonely
That among friends they may live

{We have an older couple in our ward that we just love.  Their kids all live far away and don't make much of an effort to stay connected with them so my girls will think of something they can do for them.}

On the third day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To those that serve faithfully
that with joy we may live

{Bishop}


On the forth day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To those that are sad
That in cheer they may live


{This one if for Uncle Lloyd.  He's a widower.}


On the fifth day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To those that serve me
And teach values by which to live


{Primary teachers}

On the sixth day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To that that are needy
That in comfort they may live

 
{A family that lives near us that is very poor.}

On the seventh day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To my siblings that I love
That in harmony we may live


{They will do something kind for each other.}

On the eighth day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To my friends all around me
That in unity we may live


{That's self explanatory!}

On the ninth day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To those that are sick
That in health they may live


{We have a friend who is older and has been sick for about a year.  He almost had to have his leg amputated last year but fortunately he got to keep it.  Everyday since he entered the hospital my girls have prayed for him that his leg would get better.  This day they serve him.}

On the tenth day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To strangers all around me
That as friends we may live

{Today my girls will serve our new neighbor we have yet to meet.}

On the eleventh day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To my family so dear
That in peace we may live

{Today they will serve someone in their extended family.}

On the twelfth day of Christmas
I will learn to give
To my Savior, Jesus Christ
That eternally I may live

{This should be Christmas Eve so we will have a fun night talking about the true meaning of Christmas and the way we show our love to Christ is by serving others.}

Bows

When Jared was little he would sit on the couch while his mom wrapped gifts and make bows for her.  Yes, I said make.  With a long piece of ribbon and a bow maker in hand, he would make dozens of bows for the tops of their gifts.

We've had our own bow maker for years but I have to admit I am a quick wrapper and don't take the time to do more than slap a pre-made bow on top.  But last night I needed a bow and realized I had nothing pre-made so I recruited Jared and his bow making skills.  He was soon standing at the counter teaching the girls how it works.

I may have my own bow maker in Addie.

Time Flies

 Time if flying.  I feel like it was just yesterday that I was hold little Addie.

And Kimber.

Even Lucy.

The last five months have flown by and as Lucy continues to grow I want to slow time down even more.  She has mastered the army crawl and today as I watched her work her way over the edge to get under the coffee table I wanted to snatch her up and snuggle her like a newborn again. 

Can't we just slow time down once in a while? 

Uncle Jordan and Aunt Nichole came for a visit this weekend.  It was so nice to have an extra set of hands for a few days.  Not to mention the mutual adoration between these two.

I can't help it.  I just love these girls.

Thankful

My sister just got after me for not posting anything in such a long time, but I've had good reasons.  I won't go into that, but I realized that there is something I can share that I have had on my mind lately.

Lately I have realized how thankful I am for my siblings, all 9 of them.  Lately in conversation it seems like the topic of family always comes up.  It usually turns to them telling me about the drama that is happening between them and their siblings.  Just the other day a woman told me that she hasn't seen her siblings in 14 years!  That would be like never even seeing my little brother Brigham.  Then today a friend was telling me that her and her husband no longer speak to his brother and wife.  I can't imagine going a day without talking to someone in my family.  {Mostly you Heather.  We've only talked once so far today.  What, do you hate me?}

We love getting together and always have a great time.  This weekend I am having my little brother and his cute wife for a few days.  And I can't wait.  I know we'll have lots of fun things to talk about and that there will be lots of laughter.

I'm learning that having a family of 10 kids that all love each other and enjoy being together is an accomplishment.  My Mom and Dad deserve the credit.  Maybe it has something to do with their constant reminder that "one day you're going to be best friends."  I guess they were right.

Sometimes my girls will do something random without me knowing and when I discover it later, I get a good laugh.  Tonight I went to get the cookie jar they had been asking about since Tuesday.  I easily found his body but his head had disappeared.  I finally found it tucked away in a box of unpainted village houses, nicely wrapped in tissue paper to keep it protected.  When I unwrapped it and saw the paper tied on his hat it made me smile.  I love having kids.

Santa called tonight.  He promised the girls that if they would keep their room clean he would bring them an extra present.  He definitely lit a fire under them!  I just have to remind them of that call for 16 more days.

Growing up anytime we were sick my Dad would make us a "nest" and cover us with the "hunting bears blanket," his blanket that lived in his hunting truck and had that special dad smell.  There was something about it that always made us feel a little better.

Today Kimber is feeling a little puny so I made her a nest on the couch and covered her with her dad's blanket.  She snuggled right in and is dozing off as I type this.

These shoes arrived in the same package today.  Kimber didn't have to wait to open these ones though.  I felt like a bad mother yesterday when she wore her size 7 black ballet flats and her feet were obviously squished. 

 I always try to have my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving, which means I have already been busy.  Last week when I saw these little shoes for Kimber on 6pm.com for $18 I just couldn't pass them up.  When it comes to shoes for my girls I always buy name brand because I like to get money's worth.  If they can't withstand the washer and some major wear and tear, I always pass them up.  Can't wait for Christmas!

I love having girls.

My friend brought over her Bumbo chair for Lucy to try out.  I can't say she's in love, but sometimes it frees my hands up for a few minutes when I need them the very most.

You gotta love the Sunday comics.

I'm learning that if you need a patient subject for accomplishing your photography assignments, use an adult.  She was willing to wait around me while I adjusted this and that and repositioned her over and over again.  Thank you Alyssa!

I love bathing my babies in the sink but today I let Lucy take her first bath in the tub.  Can you tell she enjoyed it?

 

You know the two things I don't like about this picture?  The angle and the fact that I sent her to school wearing her big coat.  It's cold today.

Are you ever surprised by the things your kids can remember?  Around here we play a lot of "the remember game" {as Kimber calls it}.  The stack on the right is Kimber's.  The stack on the left is mine.  I always play fair and square and I always lose to her good memory.

One of the things I love about Kimber is her willingness to try new foods.  She rarely turns her nose up at anything before giving it a fair shake.  Last night I couldn't dish out the brussel sprouts fast enough for her.

A little too cautious for a Barbie Jeep, wouldn't you say?

With four girls in the house emotions can often run high.  This little gal got offended at something yesterday and stomped off to have some time alone.  Jared swears he's moving out when they start hitting the teenage years.

Pictures, pictures, pictures

Since starting my photography class I have taken hundreds of practice shots.  I'll take of picture of anything, anytime, anywhere.  And since I have a huge stockpile of pictures, I decided to share a few with you.  It's sort of like a daily log of our life.  Not necessarily posted daily, but frequently.  I hope.

I started to upload to Flickr but the only way to share my photos would be to share everything publicly.  I'm just not comfortable with the entire world seeing my girls.  So instead I started {another} private blog dedicated to random, unedited, straight out of camera pictures. My least favorite solution, but the most practical one I could come up with.

If you would like to have access to it, just leave a comment.

 She's cute even when she cries.

Chores have never been so fun!

Piping hot whole wheat pancakes.  Give me a pile of these and glass of milk and I'm a happy girl.

I love this little laugh.

It's becoming a daily routine.  Stand at the wall and wait until Aunt Jeanie sees them. 

They wait ever so patiently.

I was sure these glasses were just a phase.  Four months later she has proven me wrong.

THREE peas in a pod.

There's nothing like a good belly laugh.

Making every moment outside count. The warmth is coming to an end.

My sister-in-law's dad teaches his kids that when you can reach your arm over your head and touch your ear you can go to Kindergarten. Looks like we've got a ways to go.

Chores

What started out as a boring job-

Turned out to be pretty fun after all!

When you're Lucy

Endurance is your middle name. 

Halloween Rundown

 Let me preface this post by telling you how painful it was for me to turn on my flash.  For the last 7 or so weeks I have been taking a photography class and have been shooting in manual since the start of it.  I haven't shot much at night and so in order to soot quickly I took a lot of pictures of my flash.  You probably don't care but I do.  The picture of my Mom is shot in manual and the rest with the flash.  What a difference.

This year we had a princess, cat and zebra.  The girls loved every minute of being dressed up and enjoyed the fun that comes with Halloween.

Friday night we attended the annual Richardson Family Halloween Party.  It was a blast!  The food was yummy, the costumes were creative and the laughs were endless.

Here are a few of the costumes.  I wish I would have been able to get pictures of everyone but I was too busy enjoying the evening.

Carrie and Annie made the cutest little fairies

  Coach Richardson

 Jordan and Nichole as each other.  Jordan had the chest and all.

 Cooper made the cutest little mummy.

 My Mom's Tooth Fairy Costume was great!

I wish I had snapped a picture of Taylor in his Whoopee Cushion costume.  It was great!

Travis once again came through on the pinata.  It endured endless beatings and stayed true to a real Grandma Richardson Pinata.

I love this picture of my crazy brothers.  They are insane.

Last night I took the girls trick or treating to their aunts and uncles.  Our first stop was Uncle Kenny and Aunt Jeanie. 

 The girls made out like bandits.  Aunt Jeanie even sent them home with cookies.  What a weekend!