Holiday Pics.

The boys do not like dressing up, so I was happy when they let me take a bunch of pics of them in their church clothes. I only had to bribe them w/a treat. I rarely have to do that (LOL).

100 Pieces

The boys, so proud of their tough 100 piece puzzle. They didn't want to take it apart. Big B started to cry when he got home from school and it was back in the box, though got excited when he realized he could try to put

it back together. Gotto love those "White Elephant Gifts".

A typical back yard visitor.

We are blessed w/ beautiful wildlife on a regular basis. It is so fun watching the boys, they never stop getting excited to see rabbits, dear or moles etc. Last year we actually got Reindeer the day before Christmas.

Giving Tree.

As Christmas approaches I wanted to help the boys understand the true meaning of the giving season. One thing our family does is draw names. The 5 of us draw each others names and it really gets the boys excited about giving to a family member, picking it out and wrapping it and the whole surprise of it all. So, this year I introduced them to a giving tree and that really got their little wheels turning. The idea of getting something for someone very needy that they didn't even know totally excited them. It is a wonderful thing-the joy of child giving.

Oh, Big B got sad cause the wrapping ripped a little right B4 the photo.

You don't have to make me lunch.

I think slowly, little by little I'm not as needed as I should be. I don't know whether to be grateful or sad. I teach my boys to be independent, to clean up after themselves, to Choose the Right. But it tugs at my heart when they act like they don't need me. Heck K wont kiss me and Big B's embaressed to kiss or hug me in public. They seam too young to act like that. It really is hard to feel rejected by my sweet little loveable men. I guess I'll have to go back to getting my loves from Scott. Oh, that didn't come out right, did it? Well, hopefull you get what I mean. I think w/ all the clinging attation (Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, up) that I got from the boys for the past few years I forgot that it would soon disapate. Though, I have made sure to enjoy every minute of every day w/ them. I just didn't think it would happen this soon or this fast. I'm starting to feel the longing of their inocent youth. AAHHH they are youth!!!

The other day K announces proudly "Mom, you don't have to make me lunch, I did it already" (yogurt, apple, and sliced whole grain toast). Though, I can't help to be proud.

Hair cut.

Heres another one of those days when I took a shower just a few minutes too long. I peek out the bathroom door and ask " whatcha ya guys up to?"

"AHHHHH, Ry what are you doing?"

"It needed a hair cut" he sheepishly answers starting to look a little nervous.

All I could do is grab the camera. He figured out it was a bad idea.

K the Photographer.

While I'm in the shower I really try to just get things done. Though, there are those days when I get lost in the hot water beating down on my back and the time seams to fly by.

Well, if I want to know what the boys have been up to while I was immersed in relaxation (LOL) all I need to do is check the camera.

K has a way with the camera. He just gets it. I love the way he captures Ry here. The intense OJ drinker. This is what I get to look forward to when I get out of the shower.

Nana Gail

I am so lucky, well, my boys are so lucky to have a Nana like my mom. I never thought I wanted girls. But now I'm wondering what it will be like when all the boys are grown and it's just Scott and me. Who will I decorate the house w/. Who will I go shopping w/. Will my boys wives like me? Will I be a cool Grama like my is and so well loved and charished? It is so fun watching my boys soak up all my mom has to offer. We are trully blessed.

My Pride

I take pride, no I just down right love a clean and organized house. It's the only time I feel I can really trully relax. I love seeing my counters, I love knowing where everything is and that everything has a place. I love clean floors, pushed in chairs, and an empty sink. I have been called "analretentive" and I don't care.

But I live w/ 4 men.

So with in 10 minutes of cleaning- NO ONE COULD TELL!

Content?

It is such an interesting little word. How do you decide whether you are truly content. I found- w/ the help of my friend "M" - that I can be both content and not content all at the same time. So, is that truly content. I find my self counting my blessing; great kids, warm house, gorgeous husband, fun job. But than I'm continually trying to improve my kids and husband, remodel my house or find a bigger one, and find a new club or class to teach. Is that not being content or is it just the natural progression of life. To improve our selves and the world around us. If we were just to stay in a state of content and not take any action toward gratitude and improvement we could not progress, right? Maybe I'm just babbling, but it makes me questions my motives on doing what I do. Which can be good once in a while. Accept, be content, count your blessings, have much gratitude and then get moving to improve and help w/ what we can to make this world a better place. The crusade of a mother.

The oldest.

I'm the oldest, yup, I'm 7. It freaks my mom out to think next year I'll be getting baptized, though I'm really exited about it. I am a little bossy I make sure things are done right, my mom can really count on me. But boy do I love to goof off, I am all boy. I'll be sneaky if need be (especially for candy) though I'm working on being honest (it works better for me when I am). I am as picky as my dad in regards to food. If it looks questionable, I wont touch it. I wont touch a vegie, but I love all fruit (mangoes, strawberries, grapefruit etc.) I am working on taking the initiative but using commonsense, boy is that hard. I'm kinda impulsive like my mom (spaz). I'm an excellent reader, writer, mathematician. I'm gaining confidence memorizing poems in front of my class (wow that's scary). I love riding my dirt bike, jumping on the tramp, drawing, cooking, and building w/ Lego's. I'd like to drive a backhoe and be a cop like my dad. Oh, and I'm already to shy to kiss my mom in public.

The baby.

I may only be 3, but I am not the baby anymore (no my moms not pregnant). I am the littlest man. I can hold my own w/ the rest of 'em.

I ride a bike, I jump high on the tramp, and I go potty by myself. I love rides on the dirt bike & the lawn mower. I don't like cheese, even on my sandwiches, milk on my cereal, or yogurt, yes I'm a Richey. I love carrots and salad, yea, I'm my moms son. Though I prefer my dad when I'm hurt. I'm very detail oriented, in drawing, writing, and cleaning up. I guess they call that "anal retentive". I love to give zurburts, but I don't want them. I read myself to sleep every night and I love to say prayers.

The peacemaker.

Hi I'm K. I'm 5 1/2 and at a phase in my life where I enjoy being the peacemaker. I get a little lazy at times, but I (when persuaded) am grat at doing my part. I love to play hard and tease like crazy. I turn almost any bad situation into laughter and I'm good at getting my mom to laugh and not be mad at me. I don't like mayo on my sandwiches, I only eat apples unless it's blended in a smoothie (then I'll drink anything). I eat just about everything on my plate, even Cesar salad. My favorite meal is my Nana's Shepard's Pie. Lately my drawing skill have skyrocketed and I'm enjoying practicing my letters & numbers. I can memorize a poem and I like yoga. I make up new exercise moves w/ my mom all the time. She says I'm a natural athlete.

They clean up real nice.

Well, I'm 33 and I still don't know when Day light Saving is. Something about Spring forward and Fall Back. Any way instead of being at church 1/2 hr late, we got there 1/2 hr early. Good thing I got my camera back, just in time to get a nice shot of 3 little men that look oh so cute and tidy (Lasts about for 5 minutes).

I feel so blessed to have the Gospel in our lives. I love hearing what the boys learn each week and seeing how they put in to practice what we learn. They do have such sweet spirits. They are loving brothers (don't get me wrong they have their moments). They play well together and with others. I just hope it carries into the teen years.

The bottom of the bag.

So I'm looking for Ry- the other night -to brush teeth and do scripture and prayer. There he is at the kitchen counter w/ an empty bag of Frosted Mini Wheats. Wow, those crumbs must really be something special. He was going to town on those little microscopic morsels like it was chocolate cake. It just cracks me up, what kids come up w/ for an evening snack. And ohhh, what a mess.

Look at that perfect spiral.

K is hangin out at one of Big B's games throwing the ball w/ dad. And what do ya know? He has an excelent arm, check out thar perfect spiral. And he just kept throwing one after the other. He's 5, He's a natrual.WHOOOOhoooo!

Pumpkin yuk!

Nana Gail ( the best grama in the world) came over to help us carve our pumpkins. We are so lucky to have her in our lives. Her fun loving joyful and childlike demeanor is soaked up entirely by her loving grandchildren.

Ode to Pumpkin:

5 Jack'o lanterns on the porch in a row.

With 3 little monkeys smiling in tow.

We worked so hard to carve and scoop.

But 4 days later a heat wave, oooops.

Then there they all sat.

On the front porch, FLAT. like someone went SPLAT.

Melted from the heat of southern exposure.

3 sad little boys w/ out any closure.

So mom gets the shovel, the flat one.

To scrape mush of the porch baked from the sun.

Lesson learned: Don't carve toooooo early.

Who is that masked man?

Batman, a ninja, and a motorcross racer walk into a bar, I mean a party.

Who wins the most adorable masked man ever? Little Ry Batguy of course.

Yes, those are real leaves (7 garbage bags worth) on the floor, of the perfect Haloween Party, at Big B's friends house.

Getting a load of wood.

They are so methodical about it. "Which one should I get?". Heck, it's just going to be incinerated. Hurry it up already, it's 35 degrees outside. But boy they do work well together don't they.

What teamwork. How can I not be proud!!!

Ohhhhh, there are spiders webs on the wood pile. EEEEEK.

Captain Underpants!

K just can't seam to put the dishes away in a timely nontheatrical matter. He usually calls himself "Captain Underpants" (? don't know where that came from) and threatens to get me with his magic wooden spoon. He is definitely the second born. I hear most movies stars and actors are second born. He'd do all his own stunts though.

Theres nothing like your best buddy!

Six Boys is nothing, I did it for a day. AHHHHHH!

Ry w/ his pal. Their actually hugging and not fighting over their favorite toys. Oh hear the angles singing.

Ode to a napkin. Wow, what imaginative fun with a lifeless piece of pulverized tree.

K with his best friend- managing to get lunch in their tummies between crazed laughter and silly faces. What are friends for? And Big B with his buddy creating more fun at the lunch.

I must admit (a mothers secret) when the boys have friends over I actually get stuff done. I think I washed and folded laundry and cleaned the kitchen that afternoon. When they're entertained by their buddies I can watch (making sure nobody brakes anything or anybody, no fires are started, and bedding isn't taken out to the woods to recreate "camping") from a distance and work on my own stuff. Of coarse you can still use a baby monitor hidden where they play and have the base tucked in the corner of the kitchen. Hee, Hee. So, sure I'll watch you kids for ya. Its no trouble at all!!!

The Man behind the Curtain!

We just don't give our men enough recognition. Heck they did donate the sperm!!

No, serioureally.

His backs is for climbing,

his lap is never empty,

his ice cream bowl is always shared, He can never mow the lawn alone, and every trip to the bathroom is boys pee party.

Dad thanks for going to practices & games, reading stories, and working all those long hours so mom can hang w/ us all day!!!!

Whats that burning smell?

I walk into the kitchen to check out whats burning - I havn't been cooking. And there it is a BIG knife and block of cheese on the counter.

There is my Big B, independantly busy making himself and his brother a casadia. He just couldn't figure out how to match up all the different triangles of tortilla and all the little pieces of cheese together. Wow, he did a darn good job!!! But he did like my idea to cut a few pieces of cheese and put them in one whole folded tortilla, then cut it after its cooked.

Is he really 7 years old already? Sometimes we fight like he is 17. He must be too much like me. But then we really get eathother too. B is organized, thoughtful, a hard worker, scatterbrained, impulsive, active, sweet, silly, and shy!!! I love to see each boy and their completely different personalities. I feel so blessed to be their mom and be here to try my best and raise them without damaging them too much. They are awsome.

Our littlenMonkey.

Ry is an amazing personality. Lately his favorite thing to say is "Oh, that's awesome." He is potty trained, I never thought it would happen, but gummy bears really do work. And he is such a hard worker. He'll weed and load a wheelbarrow full of branches and he'll paint trim right along beside me until we're totally done, he loves to help cook (like his brothers) and he loves to be held, oh my snuggle bug. I am grateful for Ry in our lives. He brings the sunshine in. And he has the most mischievous laugh. He is my heart throb.

K Ties the knot.

Wow,look at that focus and concentration and determination. He wanted to pratice tieing his shoes so he grabed dads shoe and sat at the counter praticing. He got it so quick and was quite pleased w/ himself.

My Visit to Nola.

Sasa had a baby boy, Nolan. He has been adopted to a wonderful couple in CA. Yes, its far away, but they like to stay in touch.

Heidi came too- for the weekend and we girls had a blast. It was nice and not, we ate fantastic food, heard great music, shopped, & saw the sites. Sasa spoiled me.

That's a pic of Mathew McConahay in the back ground. Ohhhh, we just missed him. He was sitting at our same table!!! I can't wait to go back.

Football Star!

The Adoring Fans. K & Ry are great supporter on the sidelines.

The "Three point Stance".

The Block.

The Hustle.

The Spit.

And OHH LAALAA the Legs!!!

Big B is getting the hang of this whole football thing and so am I. We never knew about all the plays and positions. But we've started playing as a family in the yard and watching "Invincible" has got me all psyched!!! Now I'm screaming on the sidelines.

My third Tri!!!

First huddle under a blanket for warmth. (Randi, me and Stacey -my PEPs girlfriends.)

Then swim a 1/4 mile w/out drowning. Bike 6 miles up some hills and quirt GEL all over youself (that stuff is sticky). Then try and get off the bike and make your legs run up hills for a couple more miles to get to that FINISH line before the 60 year old infront of you.

Last, smile pretty for the camera and be grateful for your health. Wow, that was fun. Average time was 1hr 26 min. I got 1 hr 14 min!!! And Randi kicked butt and now has the "TriBug" too. So, who's up for a 2008 summer Triathlon. (Subaru Super Sprint Ovariun Cancer Triathlon)