a guide to this little town

i often wish i could go back in time.  i wish i could see familiar places as they were before technology, infrastructure, and population growth took over.  wouldn't it be neat to see mesa the way my ancestors saw it?  wouldn't it be neat to watch jared's grandparents work hard to keep their family thriving in this little community?  i would just love to see bluewater through grandma richardson's eyes as a little girl.  things change fast and they change drastically.  even taylor has changed so much since we moved here 14 years ago.

so for reference, i thought i would give a little guide to this town.  things you should see or do while you are here.  there isn't much, but by the time my kids are grown this place is going be more developed and life won't be so simple.

if you're coming into town from show low, make trappers your first stop!  order a hamburger deluxe and a slice of pie!  i can't say there is much else there worth eating, but those two are yum!  jared is a fan of the cream pies, i like the simple ones like cherry or german chocolate.  as i'm writing this i realized that i don't know the last time ordered a piece of pie!  it's been years!  maybe it's time to do that : )

our house ins't far from trappers.  we used to have a little train our front but uncle marion helped himself to it.  i can't help but think of how much fun colton and the kids would have on it if it was still there!  that little train was a landmark in this town.  for years people would ask "is your house the one with the train out front?"  that's how we were known around here.

across the street from us is the feed store with a fake life size horse out front.  the owner, michelle, is very artistic and paints the horse for every holiday.  it's usually black during halloween, red, white and blue during the fourth of july, pastel colors during springtime, painted like santa during christmastime, etc.  the neat thing is, it's never been the same thing twice!

past the stoplight at papermill road is the new walmart.  it opened in march of 2016.  i dare you to find a walmart that compares!  if you hit it in the morning it's quiet and you can shop in peace.  after about nine months of being open, it became busy like typical walmarts are.  this walmart has THE BEST clearance you will ever find!  items are typically marked 50-90%!  I've scored things for over 90% off!  and the people who work there aren't grouchy.  for the most part they are all so helpful and nice.

in the same parking lot, a new strip mall is going in.  they've been building it for, i don't know, eight years?  seriously, it's taking aaaaages!  i heard a soda or yogurt shop is going in one of the stores.  i'll see it when i believe it.  because at the rate they are going those will both be things of the past by the time it's finished!

we also got a circle k right in front of walmart recently.  boo!  it was the country store with a dairy queen (might i add, a quite expensive dq!).  they lost their lease and less than a week later it was painted, new pumps were put in, signs went up and there was a fully functioning circle k.  i give it six months before it looks dumpy like all other circle k's!

as you head towards snowflake you'll come into bellybutton.  it's not a real place- just the spot in between the two towns.  everyone knows bellybutton and treats it like it's a city of it's own but it actually belongs to snowflake.

if you want a good experience at a gas station, stop at maverick in snowflake.  the pumps are spaced nicely, the store is clean, it actually feels like an adventure when you're in there, they have a variety of drinks and concessions and everyone is nice.  and every once in a while they do something fun like offer $1 f'reals.  they typically sell for about $4 with tax, so it's steal!

next to that is el rancho.  don't.  stop.  here.  ever.  it's disgusting!

down the road across the street from mcdonald's is an old chevron station.  inside there is a yummy little restaurant hiding!  el cupido's!  it's mostly take out but there are a few tables to dine in.  the food is fast and consistently good.  jared loves the big jake, my kids like the bean burros and i thing the torta sandwich is pretty tasty.

not far off of main street is shevell's lds book store where they sell fudge.  if you go at christmastime or mother's day they sell divinity fudge.  dddddddeeeeeelicious.  that will turn anyone into a sugar addict!  i am so glad they only sell it twice a year!

towards the end of town is the main street chapel.  it's beautiful and historic!  it actually has a cry room!  why did the church do away with those?!  the baptismal font is not like they are these days either.  outside is a statue of the founders of snowflake.

just for fun, stop into ed's!  we love to go there solely because they have little shopping carts just for kids.  they are so fun!  and one of the greatest things about ed's is you never wait in line!  if more than one person is in a line they will open up a new register, just for you!

across the street is eva's (pronounced ava's- even thought we still say it with an 'e' sound).  you will never experience service like you will from eva!  she loves her customers, particularly the blonde haired little kids.  if you've got a baby in your hands, beware!  she will kidnapp that kid and carry them around as you enjoy dinner and she takes orders.  i remember her taking my babies into the kitchen while i ate.  does it get better than that?  and the food is good and served FAST!

i've saved the best for last.  the temple.  it's beautiful!  it sits up on a hill overlooking the two towns.  it's quiet there and of course you feel the peace that only a temple can offer.  my kids often beg me to drive to it while we are out on a ride or heading to or from bethany's house.

i live in a great little place!  i like to watch change happen and see good people move here.  there's so much potential, i can't wait to see what the next 14 years brings!

9 things i just can't handle

1. jello

2. whining

3. pessimism

4. loud abrupt noises

5. waiting on anything

6. someone watching someone else do all the work without offering to help

7. bananas

8. body odor in any form 

9. grit on my bed sheets

interviewing myself

I read somewhere that one of the ways to popularize a blog post is to interview someone.  I didn't think much of it until I realized that maybe I should interview myself!  Maybe one day when my kids look back at this blog they'll find they don't quite know everything about their mom :)

• What is your best childhood memory?  It's almost impossible to narrow it down to one because there are several that stand out:  the Christmas when the entire Richardson family took gifts to a family in need and sang Christmas carols, my entire third grade experience with Mrs. Gehret, spending countless hours in the pool both, the trip to Disneyland when we took Grandma Stanford and she "read" our palms.
• If you had a chance for a "do-over" in life, what would you do differently?  I would have been a better wife during the first year or two of our marriage.  Honestly, I was pretty immature (who isn't?!) and I caused myself a lot of grief.  Thankful I, although I should really saw we, have grown up and we have a wonderful marriage!
• What are you most proud of?  I am proud of the life we have built.  We have a successful business, we make what I think are pretty common sense decisions, I have a fantastic marriage and my kids are pretty cool.  So yeah, overall I'm pretty proud of this life.
• How did the two of you meet?  Jared and I met at a Stake Young Adult Choir.  The high council had asked him to be a part and I was a young adult rep for my ward, so we were both obliged to go.  After one of the practices everyone went back to the home of the one of the girls and my friend Katie and I found ourselves in a friendly game of pool.  Someone upped the ante by betting dinner- the losing team had to take the winners for steak.  My friend Katie was pool shark but that was canceled out by my lack of skill, so we ended up the losers.  Being the nice...cough cough...boys they were, they made us pay.  That's okay because Jared has bought me plenty of dinners since!  After that dinner we started to hang out exclusively and it all went very fast from there.
• What is your favorite music?  I love any thing that brings back memories.  The old stuff my dad listened to when i was little: The Beatles, The Who, The Moody Blues or songs we listen to in: Colorado, Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Hank Williams.  As far as modern day music, I'm a George Strait lover!   
• If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?  My goal is to visit all 50 states before I die.  So far I've seen almost half of them.  We've decided to see visit Boston soon but most of all,  I'd love to go to Washington DC.  My first stop would be the Smithsonian Museum!  
• If you could only keep five possessions, what would be they be?  Journals, photos, the wedding rings Grandma Stanford gave me that belonged to her and Grandpa and the blessing dress Grandma crocheted for Addie.
• What teacher had the most impact on your and why?  This is is EASY!  Mrs. Gehret, my third grade teacher.  She was creative, she worked hard, she loved me and she went the extra mile.  
• What do you want your tombstone to say?  "Here lies a lady who tried really hard at the important things."  Not really a nice or reverent saying but it's truth!
• What was your most defining moment in life?  Definitely having kids.  They have made me who I am and make me want to be better.
• How do you spend your free time?  I love visiting with others and hanging out with my kids.
• If you won the lottery, what would you do?  Pay my tithing, set money aside for missions and weddings, give generously to the church and others then save what's left.
• Who do you admire most in your life?  I admire my mom.  I love her drive and determination, her stubbornness for the right things, the way she makes time for important things and how realistic she is.
• What are you most afraid of?  I'm petrified to lose one of my kids.  Period.
• What feels like love to you?  Service.  Being part of it, being the receipt of it and watching others give it.
• What is your strongest personal quality?  Probably the fact that life is black and white to me.  It's either right or it's wrong!  A close second is that I think I'm a pretty friendly person.
• If you were president, what is the first thing you would do?  I would reinstate all of the laws that our forefathers put into place!!!
• What age do you feel right now and why?  I feel 35!  I've never had a problem getting older. I actually enjoy it.  I feel like one year old actually means wiser too.
• If you could witness any event of the past, present or future, what would it be?  I would love to go back in time to witness any of my grandparent's lives.  That isn't exactly one event, but it's something I'm very curious about.

Gram

Man, I miss Grandma Stanford more than words can say.  I miss her laugh, her food, her fun personality, her love of hobbies, her candy stash.  I miss it all!  I write about her often on my private Instagram account and I've written about her here as well on several occasions, but I just can't say enough!

I have a little picture of me and Grandma displayed in my living room where she is holding me on her lap.  That is just exactly the kind of person she was- a lover!  I also have a 5x7 of her in a nice frame sitting on a shelf in my living room.

If I think too much about Grandma, my heart swells and tears begin to well up.  She was such a good grandma!  Lots of late nights, so many games, bowls and bowls of ice cream smothered with Hershey's chocolate syrup, loaves of Roman Meal bread, hours and hours in the car traveling, so.  much.  laughter.

Some of the highlights of Grandma for me where:

-cream cheese dip for Doritos.  Just cream cheese whipped up mixed with green onions.

-playing office for hours at her roll top desk

-the whistle of her hearing aid

-her crazy animals.  bikini the yorkie (the best of them all), bullet the cat, obadiah the klepto-cat, diego the little chihuahua, nikki the brainless dog, other cats that hated people

-the time i took care of her after her shoulder surgery

-how i would have to go ring the doorbell so she could pretend she had company in order to end a long phone conversation with her friend Maxine Wilde.

-the time she told a friend of her's i could tell a male kitten from a female.  that friend brought a whole litter over and i looked "down there" and just threw a gender out there.  i had no idea what i was even looking at!

-when i would go to ceretta's chocolate factory i would bring her back a little bag of french mint truffles.  they were her favorite!  along with payday's and orange slices.

-one time grandma came and stayed with me (along with bethany) and it was so fun!  we had lettuce wraps and other chinese food.

-gram loved to knit and crochet.  when i had a red theme in my kitchen she crocheted me little doilies so i could display them on my shelves.

-she said "warsh" for wash.

-she hated paper plates and always set the table right

-she always had vanilla ice cream

-sitting in the shopping cart while we grocery shopped together

-everything was always clean!

there is so much more to gram than this.  here are a few other posts where i've documented memories:

Grandma Stanford

a little help from the other side

i've always loved family history.  i work on it frequently and feel a real connection to those whose names i study and find.  a few months ago i wondered why i wasn't feeling that connection carry over into my everyday life.  i so badly wanted to feel their influence in my every day life and feel them help me through trials and give me guidance when i had questions.  i prayed for quite a while that i would be blessed with those things.

nothing happened.  at least nothing i could see with my mortal eyes.

then on the morning of february 20th, i woke up from a dream that fit all that criteria!

in my dream we were at jared's childhood home.  all of the family was there, including his mom.  in the dream i knew she was only visiting from the other side and boy was she beautiful!  i remember complimenting her several times on her beauty!  her nails were painted the most beautiful shade of mauve and her silver hair was done just so.

jared, burt and i were sitting around the island in the kitchen.  even though everyone was there, we were the only ones that could see her.  she asked us questions about what was going on with people in the family and her reactions were just like they would have been in real life!

and this is the part of the dream that was a true tender mercy.

she stopped, looked right at jared and in her low and serious voice said, "jared, it's time to do something about that house.  you've had your family living in that little house for too long."

and with that, the dream ended!

i thought it was actually kind of funny and didn't mention it to jared until he called me later that morning.  i told him what happened and we chatted about how real it felt.  a few hours later he called me back and told me to take the plans to the town to get an updated permit.

and now we are in the thick of a major addition and remodel!  and it's glorious!  hard and costly but glorious.  we'll soon have the space we need and even a little to spare.

what an answer to my prayers that was!  now i just hope she doesn't come back with a message to have another baby or something.  haha!

Addie's First Temple Trip

It was a long time coming but we finally make it to the Temple with Addie for the first time last night.  She took on the challenge of finding a name to take and I threw in about 10 others.  It was such a neat experience!  It made me so proud of her for taking it so serious and being so excited about it.

She loved how special they made her feel.  She said they treat you like royalty and I told her to just wait until she gets married!

Another neat thing she mentioned was how great the confirmations were.  She had put her dress back on but was still shivering cold.  As soon as they laid their hands on her head, she said she felt warm and had a peaceful feeling.

What a neat thing to experience with my own daughter.

After the temple we took her to dinner where we had a great conversation about things.  Our old Stake Patriarch dropped by the table to say hi and noted that we must have been to the temple, since we were dressed up.  Jared explained that Addie had just gone for the first time and in his super sweet nature he shook her hand and congratulated her in the most sincere way.  It was so neat.

Fun Cheap or Free // Grocery Shopping

I recently learned about a gal named Jordyn Page who calls the fun, cheap or free queen.  I don't really remember how I learned about her, but I was instantly hooked!  She's bubbly, fun, normal and relatable.  She also isn't afraid to show the crazy insane side of rising a family.  She's a breath of fresh air in the Instagram, blogging and YouTube world.

After watching several of her videos and read her blog posts I decided to buy her Budget Bootcamp.  It was great and I've gone back to watch the videos again and again.  She offers a wealth of information!  One of her principals that I've applied and loved so so much is her approach to grocery shopping.

I've always been a grocery list maker and generally am a good menu maker, but in the last few months I found myself in a cooking slump.  Instead of making a solid weekly menu, I would get a few ideas together in my head and fly by the seat of my pants.  There were weeks where I ended up at the grocery store 4-5 times!  Which obviously came with a hefty price tag.

Jordyn's approach is to spend $100 per person per month, so $600 for my family.  She also says to make a solid menu for the week and most importantly shop once a week and do not return at all!

I started trying this at the end of February and fell in love with the idea!  I think I've shaved at least $300 off of my monthly grocery bill!  I love that this pushes me to make a menu, I no longer buy a $50 gallon of milk (walk into the store and try to leave with just a gallon of milk; it rarely happens!), and it gets my kids involved in the shopping (they do the calculating).

I've also adapted a menu making system that works just great for us.  I print a blank weekly calendar, fill it in day by day, shop accordingly and then I save every single menu- which gives me ideas for upcoming weeks.

For March, I stuck to a $600 dollar grocery budget but for April I upped it to $175.  That $25 makes a huge difference!  I'm not trying to crawl out of mounds of debt and I can afford it so I feel justified.

This morning Lucy and I made our weekly trip to the store and spent $174.  We were able to pick up some king size candy bars I owed the girls, a present for Lacey and some other items I wouldn't typically buy but that will make our week a little more fun.  I also stocked up on a few things like butter, canned tomatoes, lunch snacks for the girls, etc.

So far, I'm smitten with this way of shopping and don't see myself going back to shopping the way I did before.  This is a huge time, money and overall life saver!