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

Grandma Stanford

December 2012

Having the oppurtunity to be so close to your grandma is not something every kids gets.  She was a wonderful Grandma who left us with many fun memories.

Grandma lived on the corner of 8th Avenue and Bellview in Mesa and we lived just about 5 or 6 houses down on Bellview.  We lived there until I went into Kindergarten, so until I was 5 1/2.  I can remember calling her and asking if I could spend the night and she always told me yes.  I would pack my little suitcase and walk down to her house and was always welcomed with a hug.

I remember her house always being so tidy and clutter free.  You walked into the living room where she had her nice furniture and then if you went down the hall you would first come to Grandpa's room on the left, then Grandma's TV room next to that.  Directly across the hall was her bedroom and bathroom and next to that was Grandpa's and the guest's bathroom- it was all blue.  From the living room you could walk straight into the kitchen and then into the family room or Grandpa's TV room.  It was large and I always stayed away from it because it was "Grandpa's room" and he was always intimidating to me.   He watched bowling and kept the volume very loud!  He would walk out of his room, through the kitchen, down the hall and stand in the doorway of Grandma's TV room and say "Mom, will you dig me some ice cream?"  She would always say yes and follow him back down the hall to get him some ice cream while he made his way back to his chair.

I have so many good memories in that house.  I remember going grocery shopping with grandma to Bashas' where she would always buy Bashas' brand vanilla ice cream and let me get a Slush Puppy, I always chose grape.  I also remember earning $1 from her for cleaning and organizing the cupboard at the end of the hall that stored her Tupperware- yes, the real stuff.  There were times I would get lucky and she would only have a $5 bill so I got a bonus!

Even after we moved to Javelina Circle we still continued to be close to her.  I spent many Friday nights with her watching TGIF, staying up late, eating ice cream and goodies (she always called them our vitamins) and having Rice Kripsies for breakfast.

One time she had shoulder surgery and somehow I was elected to stay with her and help.  I was only about 11 or 12 at the time.  I remember sitting at her kitchen table with her laughing and laughing while we played Monopoly.  I also remember her asking me to make her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  That was one of her favorite things to eat.  She always had Roman Meal bread, Skippy Peanut Butter and Welch's Grape Jelly.  I pulled out all the ingredients and slathered on a layer of peanut butter and then a small amount of grape jelly, because that is the way I prefer it.  She stood next to me to supervise and said "put some jelly on there!"  I added a little more and again she said "put some jelly on there!"  I guess my attempts weren't enough because she finally grabbed the knife from me and did it herself!

Not long before I got married she sold her house because the neighborhood was becoming unsafe and bought a condo on 22nd Place in Mesa.  Again, her home was tidy and uncluttered and her closet was extremely organized.  I would pop in for lunch and spend time with her on a regular basis and she always seems pleased to see me.

I remember one time I was on a date and he happened to live right by Gram.  It was getting late but somehow we decided to go see her.  I called her up and she got so excited that she would get company, even if it was 10:30 at night!  Grandma was a night owl so it was always a safe bet to call or show up late at night.

Once I got married the family fell into a natural pattern of each spending a weeknight with her playing games and having dinner or treats (be it orange slices or ice cream with chocolate syrup).  Jared and I always looked forward to going over and would even go on nights that it wasn't our turn.  It was wonderful to give Grandma something to look forward to and spend some quality time with her.

Grandma permed her hair regularly and one night while we were at her house Jared commented on her hair asking if she had just had it "fluffed."  She laughed and laughed and from then on it was no longer "I am getting a permanent", it was "I am getting my hair fluffed."  It was an inside joke between us even after she gave up perms and went to wigs.

Some of the games we would play were Farkel, Phase 10, Skip-Bo, Yahtzee and in the later years, 5 Crowns.  She always played fairly but we always got a kick out of teasing her about cheating when she would get 5 Yahtzee's in one game.  I will always remember food, laughter and card games with my Grandma.

In 2005 my parents added a mother-in-law quarters so Grandma could be close by.  She was so happy there and loved being so close to family.  Annie and Brigham were especially lucky to have such precious time with her and have her close by.  Annie got to chauffeur grandma around occasionally and  grew very close to her.

One gift that my grandma left me is a love of cooking.  She always loved new recipes and was never afraid to try something once.  Some of my favorite things she would cook where homemade macaroni and cheese and stir fry.  She always kept her knives sharp and was a master at cutting lettuce into fine shreds.

One thing I will always be grateful for is my grandma was very easy to talk to.  She had a great sense of humor and was very quick-witted.  She could laugh and joke with anyone, no matter their age.  My brother, Ben, mentioned in her life sketch as a grandma that it seemed everyone had their own inside jokes with grandma.  How true!

I never left her house without a hug and a kiss and knowing that she loved me.  She was a young grandma and always loved having fun.

When I was a Senior in High School she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She opted to have a mastectomy and never had problems again.  Years later she was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Dysplasia and battled that for the rest of her life.  She had a few bad years where she had absolutely no energy and was very low functioning but she wanted so badly to be able to do to the things she enjoyed like cooking and driving.  She would get a blood transfusion and have a few good days, or weeks or months, just depending and then it was like having our old grandma back!

At one of her very worst times in 2004-05 she still managed to crotchet a blessing dress and blanket for Addie.  She had promised that she would do that for the girl that gave her the first great-granddaughter. It's a treasure in our house and each of my girls have worn it.

It almost became funny the number of times that we thought it was "the end" for Grandma and then the very next week she would bounce back and be asking you what she could "fix" you for dinner.  Eventually though, the end was inevitable and Grandma got to the point she could not recover.  It was also getting to be extremely taxing for my mom to care for her and give her the attention she needed.  It was decided on May 7th that the following day she would need to be admitted to Hospice Care.  That happened May 8th.  The following day she had bounced back and was asking for her glasses and some Lofthouse Sugar Cookies.  The nurses said she could home the next day!  Well, that never happened.  On Friday she was out of it again and my mom called to tell me I probably needed to come.  I literally threw a few clothes together, didn't even say goodbye to Addie and Lucy and left Kimber laying on the living room floor with the flu.  We were leaving for Disneyland the following Monday and something told me I needed to get packed ahead of time.  I am SOOOO glad I listened!

When I arrived at the Hospice House I was prepared for the very worst but Grandma didn't look as bad as I thought she might.  She certainly wasn't her self but it wasn't the look of death I have seen before.  I spent the rest of the day and evening with my mom and a few siblings that popped in and out enjoying their company and feeling of grandma's sweet spirit.  She was only slightly responsive but could not focus her eyes when she did manage to open them.  My mom and I debated whether or not we should leave her alone for the night but in the end decided we felt like it was okay to leave her and that was we would be well rested the following day.

Saturday was a day I will always treasure.  It was pretty miraculous that myself, Bethany, Heather and Annie could all be there at the same time.  We laughed the day away while we clipped Grandma's toe nails (on one foot anyway) and rubbed lotion on her legs.  We crammed ourselves in that little room along with my mom and brother and had a wonderful time!

We eventually decided to go grab some lunch and let Grandma rest quietly for a while.  After we got done only Bethany and I returned to be with her.  We sat in her room, which was dark, and just stared at her.  It was so peaceful and she looked like she was finally resting well.  After about an hour Bethany and I both looked at each other and said "well, I feel ready to go."  It was like all of the sudden we got the confirmation that she was okay and we had done our part.  I remember leaning down to kiss grandma on the forehead and telling her that I loved her.  That was the last time I saw her alive.

That evening my mom returned to spend the evening and night with her and at about 2am Grandma passed.  My mom was able to be with her and care for her in her last few moments.  My mom called me at about 2:40 to let me know and I will forever be grateful that she did.  She questioned whether or not she should wake up us but in the end she made the right choice.

I wasn't able to go back to sleep for quite some time as I laid there thinking about my mom and Grandma and after about an hour or hour and a half I could suddenly feel Grandma next to me.  It wasn't scary but very peaceful.  I had my eyes closed but could feel her lean down and kiss my forehead, just like I had to her that afternoon, and in my heart felt her tell me "I love you too."  I'll forever treasure that.

The following Friday my mom, Bethany, Allie and I had the opportunity to dress Grandma for her funeral.  Dressing her was huge for me since I had a bad experience with a viewing a while back and vowed to never took at a dead body again. I told a friend about it after it happened and will paste that email here:

I always knew I wanted to be part of dressing my grandma and even told her I would.  When she finally passed away I automatically planned on doing it and surprised myself that i had no fear!  My mom, sister, sister in law and i got in the car to drive to the funeral home and the anxiety started to settle in.  I started to get very scared and nervous about everything.  My sister (who does viewings but not touching of dead bodies) felt the same way I did.  The closer we got the more panicked I became trying to tell myself that it was just Grandma and it would be okay.  We prayed before entering and once we got inside I was a mess inside.  I was so freaked out I wanted to cry.  I know that sounds like a total drama queen, but it is a really hard thing for me.  The mortician came out and said he was ready and I quickly asked for gloves!  He gave me the strangest look and ultimately i didn't go for them but I was terrified.  My sister and I warned my mom and sister in law that we would probably need to look from a distance and take a minute before being totally comfortable.  Once he led us to the room, the spirit hit us and we could feel she was there and we were no longer petrified.  It was so strange.  She didn't look like her at all but at the same time we recognized her.  My mom was so sweet and gracious  with her and went right up to her stroking her arm and talking to her.  When it was time to begin the dressing I decided I could be helpful but touching was not something I was ready to do and when my sister vocalized the same thing I was relived!  We handed things over and did put her slippers on but we never did touch or maneuver her.  My sister in law on the other hand.  HOLY SMOKES!  That girl was amazing.  Her mom died about 3 or 4 years ago and she helped dress her so this was nothing new.  I  could not believe the way she got in there and applied makeup just inches from my Grandma's face, picked her up, positioned her hands, rubbed her eyes and lips to clean off excess makeup all without ever blinking an eye.  When it came time to put her in the casket, the mortician, my mom and Allie (my SIL) picked her right up and gently set her down.  It was actually funny the way Allie had no fear that it made us laugh.  She could own a mortuary!  

I do wish I could have done more touching but for me, even being there was HUGE!  Thankfully helping out on Friday made the viewing on Saturday so much easier.  When it came time to do her veil I was able to jump right up there, stand over her head and place it with no fear what so ever.  

Grandma's funeral was funny, lighthearted and full of friends and loving family members.  For years she said that all she wanted was for us to have a big party with tables full of food and have fun as part of the funeral.  And my mom delivered!  She had it catered and I couldn't believe that everyone actually stayed to eat and socialize.  I know it made Grandma very happy.

My Gram was such a special lady.  In the last 5 or so years she could put on a grouchy side like no one I have ever know, but we always knew it was short lived and due to other factors because she was naturally so loving and kind.  I am so grateful for the wonderful memories she has left me with and the legacy of love.

Grandma Stanford would be proud

My Grandma Stanford loves purses. One memory that I have is going with her to a boutique when I was about 6 or 7 and seeing her splurge on a purse. It was about forty or fifty dollars. She told me to be sure not to tell my mom. I'm not sure why she thought my mom would care, but she was wanted to be certain that I didn't say anything. As soon as I got home, what do you think I did? Ran and told my mom that Grandma had bought a new purse and made sure I told her just how much it cost. I still haven't lived that down.

It wouldn't matter if you went through my Grandma's purse the day that incident happened or today, the contents would be the same. A tube of Carmex, a nail file, a little pad of paper with a pencil, her wallet, some cash and some Kleenex. I'm sure there were some other things, but those things are what stand out in my memory. I also remember that it was always very organized.

Well, the other day I was searching the house for Jared's old cell phone. While I was rummaging through the toy box, I came across Addie's purse and noticed that it was rather heavy. I peeked inside and had to laugh. It was as if she was a woman and knew exactly what she would need to get through the day.

• A pad of paper
• Chapstick
• Lip Gloss in a tube
• A pencil and two pens
• $50.63 in cash
• Tire Gauge
• Sunglasses
• Hairbrush
  
• Camera
• Drivers License
• Library Card
• DSW Reward Card
• IPod (in a case)
• Car Keys
• A little makeup bag

Grandma Stanford would be proud

My Grandma Stanford loves purses. One memory that I have is going with her to a boutique when I was about 6 or 7 and seeing her splurge on a purse. It was about forty or fifty dollars. She told me to be sure not to tell my mom. I'm not sure why she thought my mom would care, but she was wanted to be certain that I didn't say anything. As soon as I got home, what do you think I did? Ran and told my mom that Grandma had bought a new purse and made sure I told her just how much it cost. I still haven't lived that down.

It wouldn't matter if you went through my Grandma's purse the day that incident happened or today, the contents would be the same. A tube of Carmex, a nail file, a little pad of paper with a pencil, her wallet, some cash and some Kleenex. I'm sure there were some other things, but those things are what stand out in my memory. I also remember that it was always very organized.

Well, the other day I was searching the house for Jared's old cell phone. While I was rummaging through the toy box, I came across Addie's purse and noticed that it was rather heavy. I peeked inside and had to laugh. It was as if she was a woman and knew exactly what she would need to get through the day.

• A pad of paper
• Chapstick
• Lip Gloss in a tube
• A pencil and two pens
• $50.63 in cash
• Tire Gauge
• Sunglasses
• Hairbrush
  
• Camera
• Drivers License
• Library Card
• DSW Reward Card
• IPod (in a case)
• Car Keys
• A little makeup bag

Grandpa Stanford

I have very few memories of my Grandpa Stanford.  He died when I was in fifth grade and I feel like I barely knew him.  Through the amazing process of Family History I feel like I've come to know him  through the years more than I ever knew him in this life.

Here are the things I knew about Grandpa before his death.  (true or not true.  Remember, I was a just a kid.):

He was gruff.

His father died when he was a young boy.  His mom later remarried a man who was not good to him.

At the age of 14, he ran away from home and became a hobo, bumming from one freight train to another.

He had many talents and interests: woodworking, airplanes, bowling, and more.

He was not a man of many words.

He worked for many years at General Motors.

His things were not to be touched.

According to Grandma Stanford, he was not affectionate.  (And she wished he was.)

Here are some of the memories of him that I have:

He would sit on the front porch with Binki the dog by his side and watch the cars on 8th Avenue pass.

He slept with the police scanner on.

He went to bed very early and got up very early.

He would walk through the kitchen and down the hall to Grandma's TV room and ask her to "dig" him some ice cream.  Then go back down the hall and through the kitchen to his TV room where he waited for his ice cream.

I was always afraid to talk in front of or to him.

He would listen to bowling the TV with the volume very high.

He had a few heart attacks during my lifetime.  After one heart attack, my family went to visit him in the hospital but I could not go because I was in bed with a badly sprained ankle.

Honestly, I was terrified of Grandpa.  He was so scary to me!  He wasn't a warm and fuzzy person and I wasn't sure how he felt about me being around.  As I've grown and wondered more about his life, I've set out to learn more about him. 

He was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma on August 14, 1918.  He had one biological sister named Martha.

Grandpa and his sister, Martha.

His father died of pneumonia when he was about 4 years old, leaving his mom with two small children.  She eventually remarried a man by the name of Walter Hall.  Walter didn't take to his new son very well, so eventually, Carson left home.  

Grandpa got married in 1940 and started a family but that marriage ended.  In 1947, when he was 29, he married Grandma who was 18.  They met while Grandma was working as a soda jerk.  Things were never smooth sailing for them.  The Gospel was not a part of their lives until much later and they lived lifestyles that did not bring happiness the way the teachings of Jesus Christ does.  Eventually they pulled their lives together and were sealed in the temple.

I've had some very special experiences that have helped me see that Grandpa is a wonderful man who loves his family very much.  Considering his difficult childhood I feel like he did the very best he could but had to develop a hard shell to make it.  I am certain he wasn't all gruff and hard edges during this life, just from a kid's point of view, it seemed that way!



Without the ability to study his life and learn more about his childhood I would have never had the chance to see a different side of him.  

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.

Halloween Happenings And Then Some

Last Friday morning the girls and I headed down to the Valley for the Annual Richardson Halloween Party. Once again it was a huge success and tons of fun! Props to my sister-in-law, Allie, for putting it together. There were lots of fun costumes, booths, a deadly pinata, good food and of course lots of fun company.

Kimber was supposed to be a lady bug but refused to wear her costume.
Addie wanted to be a bride. So her.
Grandma Stanford is always a good sport to dress up and this year came as a bag lady. Cart and all.Cooper as a pirate.
Heather as Cleopatra and Judd as a Jedi-Knight.
Devin as a shark.
The twins as rodeo clowns and Calvin as a dragon.
Annie cracked everyone up when she walked out of the house dressed as...
This guy! Bob Ross!

Taylor said he wasn't sure who he was but...
Heather suggested maybe a tribute to Guns N' Roses.
Brigham also said he didn't know who he was supposed to be.
I'm thinking a uni-browed version of Uncle Rico?
And you guessed it, Tanner said he didn't know who he was either.
I'm going with this guy-
Once again Travis came through with a Grandma Richardson pinata that wouldn't break. We beat that thing until we literally crushed the candy inside.
Allie, I just love your glowing vest!
And when all else fails and you can't find a blindfold. Grab a pillowcase.

Of course there was a pinata for the kids. Not as difficult, but still hard to break.
Each family was in charge of a booth. The kids loved all of them! For this one, my sister in law Allie's sister, Janae (clear as mud, right?) did a fun little fish pond for the kids. Way fancier than any fish pond I have ever seen. My girls loved it!

My other sister in law, Briana, did little ghost cupcakes with the kids. They were so cute! I could have sworn I had a picture of the finished product but I guess not. Either way, the girls enjoyed frosting them.
Travis and I even got in on the action. Heather did a "bobbing for worms" booth. She put a gummy worm on a plate and covered it with whipping cream. Using just your mouth you had to find the worm.
It's hard to see what's going on in this picture, but if you look closely you can see us digging like crazy! Travis said he had a hard time breathing because cream was going up his nose!

I love Addie's face here. "Do I seriously have to get dirty?"
Kennedy on the other hand had no problem diving in!
Bethany's booth was the donut game. Kids always love that one.
Annie and our cousin Carrie did face painting for the little kids. They loved it!
Kimber had a great time sitting around the fire and enjoying company of the adults.
Saturday night we took the girls trick or treating with Kennedy and Cooper. Believe it or not, this is the first time they have gone actual trick or treating. Of course they thought it was great. I was too tired by the end of the night and didn't take one picture. Addie found a Belle costume at my Mom's and decided she no longer wanted to be a bride. And once again, Kimber refused to wear her costume so she went trick or treating looking more like a ninja in her black shirt, black leggings and black shoes.

On Sunday we all had dinner at my Mom's house. Taylor was being ordained an Elder and his birthday was also the next day so it was a fun get-together with all of the family.

The girls are in heaven anytime they get to be with any of their cousins.

Two of my favorite people. My Dad and Grandpa Richardson.
The Birthday Boy.
Just love this one-
We had all of the guys get together and after snapping pictures realized that we left out Brigham! Such a wonderful family, aren't we?It was a hard decision whether or not to go down for the party on Friday because it meant that Jared and I would have to drive separately. It was hard to justify it but once I saw how much fun my girls were having it made it all worthwhile. In fact, the next morning Addie said, "Mom, I am so thankful that we came down to the Valley. It is so fun."

Halloween Happenings And Then Some

Last Friday morning the girls and I headed down to the Valley for the Annual Richardson Halloween Party. Once again it was a huge success and tons of fun! Props to my sister-in-law, Allie, for putting it together. There were lots of fun costumes, booths, a deadly pinata, good food and of course lots of fun company.

Kimber was supposed to be a lady bug but refused to wear her costume.
Addie wanted to be a bride. So her.
Grandma Stanford is always a good sport to dress up and this year came as a bag lady. Cart and all.Cooper as a pirate.
Heather as Cleopatra and Judd as a Jedi-Knight.
Devin as a shark.
The twins as rodeo clowns and Calvin as a dragon.
Annie cracked everyone up when she walked out of the house dressed as...
This guy! Bob Ross!

Taylor said he wasn't sure who he was but...
Heather suggested maybe a tribute to Guns N' Roses.
Brigham also said he didn't know who he was supposed to be.
I'm thinking a uni-browed version of Uncle Rico?
And you guessed it, Tanner said he didn't know who he was either.
I'm going with this guy-
Once again Travis came through with a Grandma Richardson pinata that wouldn't break. We beat that thing until we literally crushed the candy inside.
Allie, I just love your glowing vest!
And when all else fails and you can't find a blindfold. Grab a pillowcase.

Of course there was a pinata for the kids. Not as difficult, but still hard to break.
Each family was in charge of a booth. The kids loved all of them! For this one, my sister in law Allie's sister, Janae (clear as mud, right?) did a fun little fish pond for the kids. Way fancier than any fish pond I have ever seen. My girls loved it!

My other sister in law, Briana, did little ghost cupcakes with the kids. They were so cute! I could have sworn I had a picture of the finished product but I guess not. Either way, the girls enjoyed frosting them.
Travis and I even got in on the action. Heather did a "bobbing for worms" booth. She put a gummy worm on a plate and covered it with whipping cream. Using just your mouth you had to find the worm.
It's hard to see what's going on in this picture, but if you look closely you can see us digging like crazy! Travis said he had a hard time breathing because cream was going up his nose!

I love Addie's face here. "Do I seriously have to get dirty?"
Kennedy on the other hand had no problem diving in!
Bethany's booth was the donut game. Kids always love that one.
Annie and our cousin Carrie did face painting for the little kids. They loved it!
Kimber had a great time sitting around the fire and enjoying company of the adults.
Saturday night we took the girls trick or treating with Kennedy and Cooper. Believe it or not, this is the first time they have gone actual trick or treating. Of course they thought it was great. I was too tired by the end of the night and didn't take one picture. Addie found a Belle costume at my Mom's and decided she no longer wanted to be a bride. And once again, Kimber refused to wear her costume so she went trick or treating looking more like a ninja in her black shirt, black leggings and black shoes.

On Sunday we all had dinner at my Mom's house. Taylor was being ordained an Elder and his birthday was also the next day so it was a fun get-together with all of the family.

The girls are in heaven anytime they get to be with any of their cousins.

Two of my favorite people. My Dad and Grandpa Richardson.
The Birthday Boy.
Just love this one-
We had all of the guys get together and after snapping pictures realized that we left out Brigham! Such a wonderful family, aren't we?It was a hard decision whether or not to go down for the party on Friday because it meant that Jared and I would have to drive separately. It was hard to justify it but once I saw how much fun my girls were having it made it all worthwhile. In fact, the next morning Addie said, "Mom, I am so thankful that we came down to the Valley. It is so fun."