Instagram Revisited: Mid August-September

08/14/2013 - After a week straight of being an absolute 3-year-old NIGHTMARE, this girl
is being an angel, happy little helper today. If only this could be everyday.
#icandreamcanti #ilovemykids

08/14/2013 - Robert just surprised me with this little beauty in honor of 5 years
tonight since he first said he liked me and we held hands for the first time.
I got the best guy #ilovemyhubby

08/19/2013 - I tried to get fancy with Lydia's hair today. It looked a
bit better when it was first done, but I'm proud of it #ilovemykids

08/20/2013 - When we first moved here, I loved how big this closet was.
Now I'm reorganizing and sorting through all of our storage areas and
wishing this closet was twice it's size. #storagewoes #toomuchstuff

08/21/2013 - If you've got a craving for homemade granola, you might
as well do a 5 quart batch. Am I right?? #pregnancyproblems

08/23/2013 - My wake up call. It's better than a rooster,
but just as loud. #bedheadrocks #ilovemykids

08/26/2013 - Last official Monday Fun Day of
the summer. Hand print crafts  #summer

08/26/2013 - Any guesses which pan Lydia
helped me fill? #parenthood #ilovemykids

08/27/2013 - Woke up with a mad craving for this little package
of goodness. I tried to resist... I failed. Worth it! #pregnancyproblems

08/30/2013 - Last of a set of 12 from our wedding.
Farewell glass tumblers! #plasticisbetter

09/02/2013 - Scripture time. #ilovemyhubby #ilovemykids #ilovethescriptures

09/03/2013 - Rare Mommy and Mary 1 on 1 time. Unfortunately
it doesn't happen nearly as often as it should. #ilovemykids

09/03/2013 - Fight it all you want! Turn the light on. Even hang half off
the bed for all I care. SLEEP WILL PREVAIL! #parenthood

09/06/2013 - Me, upon finding this scene, "Lydia are you stuck???"
Lydia, "No, just resting. You should take a picture!"
#weirdkids #ilovemykids #parenthood

09/07/2013 - I'm so pleased with our little flowers! After the wildlife
massacred them 2 months ago they've all grown back and have
multiple blooms on them. They make me happy! #itsthelittlethingsinlife

09/08/2013 - After over a week of it being unusually warm here, it's cooling
off a bit just in time for us to go to Arizona. Oh Mother Nature
and her cruel irony! #stillexcited #thankgoodnessforAC

09/10/2013 - On the open road! #azbound

09/10/2013 - Home sweet home! #proudtobearizonan

09/11/2013 - The Incredible Mary #playingatgrandmaandgrandpas

  

09/12/2013 - Someone done got their hair did. P.S. Refusing to look
at the camera or smile is Lydia's new thing. #playingwithaunts

09/17/2013 - Today I match a 10 month old. Does that mean I'm dressing too
young, she's dressing too old, or we're just plain cute? #fashionfauxpas

09/17/2013 - They found me! This is the 5th time since
I turned 18 that I've been summoned. If only I had that kind
of luck with Publisher's Clearing House or something.

09/19/2013 - Guess who threw up in the middle of the
Costco food court? #whomecouldntbe #parenthood

09/24/2013 - My new motto: When in need of more storage space, GO VERTICAL!

09/24/2013 - First date #cutekids

09/26/2013 - Pedicures with one of my girlfriends. If that's not a sign
that it's going to be a spectacular Thursday, I don't know what is 

09/27/2013 - I love our ward, beach bonfires, and Santa Cruz! #randomsurferdude #nofilter

09/28/2013 - Throw back Saturday? to this Saturday exactly a year ago when
I went paddleboarding with these lovely ladies and @melbaker. Good times!
Now @brittbaer has moved back to Utah and @kara_j_miller moves to SLO
tomorrow. Exciting opportunities for them and their families, but sad for us
that have to say goodbye! Love you ladies!!!

09/29/2013 - My sick baby finally sleeping soundly. I was a bit distracted
during our Primary program today thinking of this one that had been
throwing up all night. #sickbabiesaretheworst #ilovemykids

09/29/2013 - Duck face. #goof

09/30/2013 - My first completed French braids EVER! Lots
of room for improvement, that's for sure  #parenthood

Hall Reunion 2013

We were once again able to take our annual September trip to Arizona for some visiting and to attend the Hall Family Reunion at Camp LoMia.

Always love taking advantage of the free babysitters
for a temple trip while we're in town!

And the girls again got to go to the zoo with Robert's mom. Walking around the zoo in the heat and my 7 month pregnant self did not sound at all appealing to me, but Robert went with them and had a great time. To avoid overheating they spent most of the time at the splash pad.

Fun story, there's a monkey walk where you can go in the cage with the spider monkeys. This is one of Mary and Lydia's favorite parts of the zoo, but usually when it's hot you don't see many of the monkeys out and about because they stay in the shaded back cages to escape the heat. But when Robert, Mom, and the girls were in there, there must have been a snake or something that got into the back cages because out of nowhere all of the monkeys came running out at once which was VERY exciting for Mary and Lydia.

Hall Reunion
Mary and a couple of her cousins set up camp right away. Don't know why they chose to sit right next to the garbage ;)

Of course the one that they're all looking is the one that is the most blurry.

Cousin Case (5 months older than Lydia) was buds with both Lydia and Mary the whole reunion. He especially loved to do things that got a laugh out of Mary.

The Saturday night program with some of the traditional skits

Scott Rockin Wishy Washy

Robert rockin Little Bunny Froo Froo

We were doing things to celebrate my Grams just turning 90 the whole weekend. Grams got some volunteers to show the grandkids and great grandkids how many fingers old she is :) Such a cute lady!

And what's program night without a little Too Tee Tah??

This is my niece Isabelle. She's really people shy. Like she hates to be with anyone but her mom, sometimes her dad. But I think she likes me. I was able to get several snuggles with her over the weekend, and she even fell asleep with me a couple of times. I'm her favorite!

Can't celebrate Grams birthday without cake and a song!

We had a total dance party after the program. Basically my family is the coolest!

Sunday morning brought the usual games and testimony/family business meeting followed by visiting before everyone headed home.

My Aunt Pam made a chart so we all could know where we fell in the line of grandkids/great grandkids. As you may know, on my Dad's Lyman side of the family "our number" is very important to us which is kind of where my aunt got the idea to do this. It was fun to see all of the kids on this side of the family get excited about it too :) 

I love my Grams!! I couldn't help but get the feeling that she might not be with us for much longer. She's such an AMAZING lady! We've been so blessed to have her in our lives as long as we have, and I will cherish any time we continue to get to spend with her.



Snuggles with Aunt Bean. I don't know why my camera wouldn't focus :(

After we got things cleaned up, we headed back to Mesa for Sunday dinner and visiting with Robert's extended Richardson family. By the end of the night, Robert and the girls were a little exhausted :)



And the next day we headed home. My girls were especially awesome on the drive to Arizona and back this time around. Good thing too, because I was a total grump! Long road trips when you are in your third trimester are just no fun no matter how you slice it. But the girls were champs! We only stopped twice!



We love reunions and we love our families!!

Lydia's Preschool

A few of my close Mommy friends and I that all have kids around the same age started doing a Joy School/Preschool with our kids twice a week. A different parent is in charge each week and hosts it at their home the week they are in charge and we have a schedule of themes that we are supposed to focus on each week (Usually 2 or 3 things including a letter, number, color, shape, and/or other basic concepts) Lydia has absolutely LOVED it so far and I am constantly amazed at how much she retains from each day of preschool.

We started the first week of September. Here's some pics from the first day.

All ready and so excited to go!

This is her "forced smile" face that she has recently
developed. It cracks me up!

And the best pics that could be captured of the whole group. You can't really expect much more out of five 3 year old kiddos. I love the personalities that these pics capture :)

Lydia loves her preschool friends! And Mary loves the time I'm given to focus on her for a few hours each week while Lydia's at school. It's been a great thing :)