Christmas

Can you believe I didn't take a SINGLE picture of Hayden opening presents on Christmas morning??? For shame! Anyway - here's what I do have:

Four generations:
Jean Tyrell, Brenda Richards, Michael Richards, Hayden Richards

And that concludes the Christmas pictures...pitiful, right?

But thankfully we have a couple after-Christmas pictures! Nikki and I bought this adorable gingerbread house kit to decorate with the kids...well since we both work retail we didn't have time to do it until the day after Christmas...but who doesn't love to get together, eat leftovers and drag Christmas out another day?

Interesting...our house looks NOTHING like the pretty house on the box! Oh well...it was still fun.

Heavenly Father's Tender Mercies

Right now, Edy's Fruit Bars have been my saving grace, lime in particular. Seriously, a box will last me two days, if I'm lucky...and no, I'm not sharing with Hayden. Anyway - they slowly hydrate me (because if I drink too much liquid it will become a puke-fest) and they are made with ACTUAL, so I feel like I'm getting SOME sort of nutrients out of them. I had three left in the freezer this morning, and within minutes of Hayden going down for a nap they were gone. I sat here thinking...it's HOURS before Mike will be home with a car and even then I have to work tonight. No Popsicles until 10pm??? Devastating!!! I didn't think I could handle it, so I called in for reinforcements. "Timi will save me!" I thought. I dial her number so fast I swear there is smoke coming from my fingers.

She answers the phone in, I swear the most angelic voice known to man, "Hello?" I ask her what she is up to and she said, "I was just going to call you to see if I could come borrow your air mattress". I said "Funny thing! I was just going to call YOU to see if you needed to go anywhere". She asked what I needed and I said "Popsicles!" She said "I have Popsicles in my freezer right now"...and me, being the ever-so-picky pregnant lady, knowing the awful watered down Pop*sicle brand wouldn't cut it, cautiously asks "what kind?" And then that's when I heard the Hallelujah Chorus. "The Edy's Fruit Bars, Lime, Strawberry and Wild berry".

The only thing that escapes my lips is "LIME! LIME! LIME!" and she promises me all of the lime Popsicles in the box.

So there you have it, ladies and gents - Heavenly Father even cares about the crazy cravings of a pregnant woman.

Well, as a matter of fact

I don't have any idea how far along I am, so don't ask ♥

I need to see the doctor first, but I'll keep you updated!

It's been awhile...

But there hasn't been much to post! Just doing the same old thing around here...but here's a darling picture of Hayden and Madison with their stockings and Rudolph puppets!

It's beginning to look a lot like

Christmas!

We went up to the Town Center last night. They had live music and a horse and carriage ride this weekend to kick off the Christmas season. It was nice to be able to get into the holiday mood.

Gettin' down to the music
Horse and carriage ride

Just happy ♥

Merry Christmas!

Thankful

Thanksgiving day started out BEAUTIFULLY! There was not a cloud in the sky...so we decided to take advantage of one of the few times we have together as a family and head to the park!

Here are some pictures of what I am most thankful for:

♥ Twilight ♥

After several friends convinced me, I finally jumped on the Twilight bandwagon. I’ve heard so much about the series and all the hoopla about vampires and warewolves had me intrigued. Timi lent me Twilight last Thursday evening and I was starting New Moon by Friday after work. I couldn’t put it down – and I admit…I had been bitten…I was head over heels in love with a vampire.

The second book started out beautifully, slowed somewhat through the middle and then picked right back up toward the end. I confess…I wavered between Edward and Jacob, but am still firmly on the Team Edward.

I started Eclipse today, but only made it through a few pages because something lit a fire under my derrière and I decided to have my girlfriends over for dinner who were going with me to see Twilight at 8:10. They showed up at about 5:30 and we enjoyed Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad and Buttery Herb Pull-Aparts...but more enjoyable was the company…sans children.

Shortly after six we piled into Camille’s car and we were off to Tinseltown! We anxiously stood in line amongst the not-so-sporadic squeals (and some questionable fashion choices) of the teeny-boppers of Jacksonville. I have to admit we were almost as giddy as they were – we just suppressed the urge to scream uncontrollably.

And then it began…I wont divulge too much about the movie – but oooohhhh the squeeling. The high pitched tween excitedness was almost deafening. Every time Edward walked onto screen…or Edward and Bella kissed…or touched…or just mentioned the word “Jacksonville” the theatre was flooded with “WHEEEEEEs” and “WHOOOOOOs”. I do believe Shalee even got caught up in the teeny-bopper-esque atmosphere and WHOOOOOed right along with them.

Overall…the best part of the evening was being out with girlfriends and not having to worry about changing diapers, wiping grimy hands, and cleaning up sticky messes.

So thanks, Camille, Timalee, Shalee and Jean! I had a blast!

Seems like I need to get out more...

Cute idea, Kendra! Thanks! ♥

If you like the idea, copy & paste it to your own blog! In green are the things I've done.

Things I have done in my life:
1. Started your own blog (duh, quite a few actually)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band - does Orchestra count?
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (does a cartoon portrait count?)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - Does Princess House Count?
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (oops)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - Does my baby blanket count?
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chicken pox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

39 out of 101 - I'm so lame...and apparently not very well traveled!

It's a GREAT day to be alive!!!

I never thought this day would come!!! YIPPIE!!!

It's just mortality

As I stayed up way too late last night in agony about the election, I became overwhelmingly stressed and aggravated as to what our country was about to face. Not that I think Obama is an “evil” person…I just really didn’t want to see him take the Oval Office for a multitude of reasons. I truly am worried about the upcoming years in this country, especially since the democrats have control over the house and the senate.

However…as I walked into work tonight and was greeted by my boss, who is an African American Gay man, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the country in which I live. I am grateful that we, the American public, have the ability to vote and decide together what is best for our country. I am thankful that I live during a time where we CAN elect a Black Man to the office of the United States President. I believe that he is, in fact, a good man with good intentions for this country. I pray every day for him and hope that he will be prayerful in his decision making. I hope we can stand together as a country and support our leaders.

I have faith that the Lord’s work will ultimately be done. I find comfort in the fact that as bad as things may get on this planet we call home – it’s just mortality. It will likely get worse before it gets better…but knowing that if I keep my eye single to the glory of God and I do my best every day to become closer to Christ that all will be well.

So, with all the sincerity in the world, I pledge allegiance to THIS country and President-elect Obama.