The Richardson Family

January 31

2012-01-31T21:48:00.001-08:00

I got Jared a pair of free tickets to the Sharks game tonight!!! He is there with his friend Jason right now :)

January 30

2012-01-31T10:16:00.001-08:00

Last night I got to go out with a great group of friends to celebrate January birthdays!!! (Brandi,Laurie,Ashleigh) We have been doing this birthday dinner routine for over 2 years and it so nice to get out kid free every once in a while and just laugh!!! :)

January 29

2012-01-29T20:41:00.001-08:00

Had a fun family game day :) the game of choice....

January 28

2012-01-28T19:17:00.001-08:00

Wyatt giving his book a great big hug.

January 27

2012-01-27T23:05:00.001-08:00

I was so proud of my sweet Logan today. He has such a kind heart. Charlotte was shivering when we got to the grocery store this afternoon. Logan spotted her and without saying a word he took off his sweater, wrapped it around Char and then knelt down and zipped it up for her. I was so proud I got out my phone and snap a picture. Then I asked him won't you be cold now? Ge answered, "probably, but now my HEART is warm!"

January 26

2012-01-26T18:52:00.001-08:00

Gotta get some reading done.... Starting a bible study with some good friends tomorrow!

January 25

2012-01-25T21:25:00.001-08:00

January 24

2012-01-24T19:27:00.001-08:00

We had an awesome toy swap at mops today! Wyatt and Char scored some fun new to them things! Big Plus.... Thanks to a pintrest tip on how to fix crazy messy doll hair this mermaid is practically brand new!

January 23

2012-01-23T21:36:00.001-08:00

Finally done..... It's been a few days of hard work but my girls couldn't be happier!

January 22

2012-01-22T20:52:00.001-08:00

We have been working the past few days..... Today we finished the bottom half, Charlotte's half, of the bunkbed. Savannah's part is still drying. Char loved it and went right to sleep.

January 21

2012-01-21T21:37:00.001-08:00

Woke up feeling very sick this morning. Fever, head ache, sore throat :( but im a good mama and I went out to work on the girls bed any way.

January 20

2012-01-20T21:32:00.001-08:00

My friend Sara gave us an old bunk bed set they weren't using anymore. We picked it up this morning and stopped to get some paint. It needed to be sanded down, cleaned up, and painted. We are hoping to get it done by the end of the day Monday. The girls are very excited especially Charlotte who got to go to the store and pick out the paint colors!

This is her watching her pink and purple paint get made.

January 19

2012-01-19T18:48:00.001-08:00

Family game of the day...... Lol!

January 18

2012-01-18T20:22:00.001-08:00

It's been a long day!! Best way to finish it off...... Logan and I getting to share a scoop of our favorite ice cream!

January 17

2012-01-17T19:47:00.001-08:00

Logan recently started cub scouts. He is really getting excited for the upcoming downhill derby! Siblings get participate in their own race too. So we got Logan and Savannah each a vehicle and they picked out their own paint colors and stickers. They have done most of the work themselves. Mommy and daddy helped with the glue, sanding, and nailing the wheels. The race is February 4th :)

January 16

2012-01-16T19:58:00.001-08:00

Soooo this is an old picture but it works! Today the girls and I got to go to coach Wendy's and visit with some of our cheer friends. I got my firms filled out to be a returning coach next year and savannah is already getting excited!

January 15

2012-01-15T19:45:00.001-08:00

Savannah had a wonderful time at Leah's 7th birthday today. It was a color me mine..... So fun! She painted a cute heart tea cup!

January 14

2012-01-14T20:32:00.001-08:00

Savannah got invited to a birthday party which is tomorrow. We got to go out shopping this morning, just the two of us, to get a gift! Seriously...... Took her forever to make a decision. She is past the age where I can just pick something out and have her go along with it. And not yet at the age where she gets the concept of a budget. I love Leah and all but we just can't get her a $100 birthday gift ;) so after over an hour and changing her mind over and over and over and over again she finally made a choice! Hope Leah loves it as much as Savannah!

January 13

2012-01-13T15:03:00.001-08:00

Wyatt had his 1 year check up today. He got 4 shots but did pretty well with them. It didn't take long for him to get over being hurt and mad.
We've said for a while now that Wyatt looks a lot like my dad. He has features similar to the other kids but has a different build. Today it was confirmed....
Wyatt is now a little over 23lbs and only 26.5 inches tall! My little shorty! that puts him at 75% for weight and only 30% for height practically the exact opposite of his big brother!
And what all of that really means is he is uniquely perfect!! :)

January 12

2012-01-12T22:10:00.001-08:00

Tonight was bunco night!!!! I love to spend time with amazing friends playing games, talking, laughing, and snacking! We've been in this group for about 5 years. Love my girls.....BUNCO!!! :)

January 11

2012-01-11T20:31:00.001-08:00

The kids got their character report cards for the trimester today! I am so proud of them both. Their school grades as follows... A=above and beyond B=mastery and N=not yet.

They are evaluated on self acceptance, thankfulness, respecting adults, responsibility, kindness, and helpfulness.
Savannah got all B's with an A for kindness!
Logan got 3 B's and 3 A's in respect, helpfulness, and kindness! Way to go guys!! :)

January 10/Mops @ BVG

2012-01-10T13:15:00.001-08:00

Our mops meeting this morning was so fun. The theme of the meeting was kids birthday parties. We had a table decorating contest and got loads of great tips on how to plan and execute fun and inexpensive kids birthday parties. Our table got second place :) it was a rainbow theme!

January 9

2012-01-09T17:12:00.001-08:00

Like father like son! Camo boy!!! :)

January 8

2012-01-08T21:38:00.001-08:00

My Savannah makes me want to smile, swell with pride, and pull my hair out all at the same time. She went to bed early and crashed tonight after spending the past 2 days, all day long, cleaning her room. The very same room I have been asking her to clean for 2 weeks! Gotta love her! :)

January 7

2012-01-07T14:29:00.001-08:00

Savannah was about this age when we cut her hair off and donated 12 inches. Charlotte cannot imagine cutting her hair! She loves it so much!! However if she doesn't start using the big girl potty she will soon find the same fate her sister did!

January 6

2012-01-06T19:54:00.000-08:00

Logan had his last baseball training session at the K zone today. He registers for the season at the end of January. And starts practice with his team at the end of February. :)

January 5

2012-01-05T22:08:00.001-08:00

I spent today being very busy. Jared has drill this weekend so I spent the morning helping him get his stuff ready including making up index cards for the game in class he is teaching Saturday morning. See he complains all the time that the classes are boring. So when he got assigned to teach this class I simply asked if it had to be boring or if he could make it fun?! Next time I will keep my mouth shut because now I am suckered into writing out questions for his jeopardy game!
This afternoon I headed to the mall for a blood drive and bone marrow donor registry. Then off to pick up savannah, grab and snack, then back to pick up Logan from reading club. Then home to finish packing Jared stuff..... He got a full page list of things he needed to pack this weekend!

January 4

2012-01-05T22:02:00.001-08:00

Ok so I already forgot a day! Lol

I came across this picture of Logan and he looks a lot like Wyatt! :)

January 3

2012-01-03T17:21:00.001-08:00

Building forts was a favorite past time. Even built them with Jamie and Drea well into our teens! Daddy helped Char build one today while the big kids were at school. Now the girls are playing while Logan is at Cub Scouts!

January 2

2012-01-02T13:07:00.001-08:00

My Char is such a silly little girl! She is much more girlie than Savannah was at her age! She is becoming quite the little firecracker!

2012 Challenge/ January 1

2012-01-02T13:05:00.001-08:00

I would like to challenge myself to stay on top of this thing this year. I take lots of pictures and they are used for nothing more than taking up space on my cell phones memory! So I am going to try a post a picture a day for January and then go from there. Maybe it will have to go to once a week after that but even that is an improvement! Now I know what you are thinking..... Today is the second and I didn't post yesterday! I'll post 2 today and I'm sure you will understand :)

I love this boy! My Wyatt is such a cutie he brings a smile to my face. I just love this picture of him and Char. :)

New Years Day 2012

2012-01-02T12:51:00.001-08:00

We used Christmas money we received to get season passes to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for our family. We thought it would be nice for the entire family since they have so many little rides and animals and shows for the younger ones. We went for our first trip on new years which also scored us a free parking pass for the season. The kids had a great time and we have a lot of family friends that also got passes this year that we got to spend some of the day with yesterday. The kids went on lots of rides, we watched the sea lion show, we saw lots of animals, and we watched the walrus swim. The walrus came right up to char and looked like he was trying to give her a big kiss. Lol it scared her!! :)

Christmas 2011

2012-01-02T12:41:00.001-08:00

The weekend before Christmas Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Cari came out for the day. Then for Christmas weekend we went to NaNa and Papas house. The kids were spoiled with gifts this year. Including a new scooter for savannah, lots of coloring for Char, and walk behind and ride on toy for Wyatt, and a rocket and Legos for Logan.
The holidays can get so stressful, especially when work has been few and far between for Jared this year. I am thankful that our kids enjoyed Christmas and that we had wonderful family to spend it with!

Operation Toy Drop

2012-01-02T12:32:00.001-08:00

We were fortunate to go to operation toy drop for military families at moffett field this year. The kids got to make crafts, decorate cookies, ride a train, talk to Santa, eat pizza and cookies, pick out a new toy, and even shop for extra gifts and clothes. It was a really nice day!

Wyatts first haircut!

2012-01-02T12:27:00.001-08:00

We waited a year for Logans first haircut so we did the same for Wy. It was definitely time...... Lol!

Wyatts 1st birthday!!!

2012-01-02T12:25:00.001-08:00

We had a small birthday for Wyatt at home this year. Plus he opened gifts at grandmas and GGs. At 1 year he loves to crawl and play with his brother and sisters. He says Dada all the time. He sleeps 12 hours a night and takes 2 naps. He is a playful and happy baby. He rarely cries unless he is very sleepy or the sun is in his eyes.(he hates that!!) he loves to eat goldfish crackers and will only eat other foods if he can feed himself. He does not like anything that has strange textures, he won't even pick it up.

Yosemite

2012-01-02T12:16:00.001-08:00

We've been big on impromptu day trips lately! This one was to Yosemite! I couldn't believe that Jared had never been there before. The weather wasn't great but we wanted to get out of the house and figured the drive would be nice and there would be a little snow to see and places to get out and walk when we wanted to.

Logans new glasses

2012-01-02T12:12:00.001-08:00

Logan came to me complaining and asking to see the eye dr....... "oh wait Mom, if I go to the eye dr do I have to get a shot?!". Me, trying not to laugh, "No buddy they don't give shots". "ok then, I need to go"! Turns out that he did need glasses for reading and we have already seen an improvement in his reading and spelling.

Happy Halloween 2011

2012-01-02T12:07:00.001-08:00

We had a Brave and handsome knight, 2 ariels.... Before(mermaid) and after(human), and the worlds cutest otter! We went out for early trick or treating in our neighborhood and came home before too late because the kids had school the next day!

More Cheer

2012-01-02T11:52:00.001-08:00

We had a great season! The girls worked really hard at the end to learn a new half time dance for our homecoming game. Savannah also got the chance to practice and cheer with the high school girls at their homecoming game! We ended the year with an wards dinner where Savannah got a trophy.

USS Hornet

2012-01-02T11:47:00.001-08:00

We took a family day trip to visit and tour the USS Hornet. It was really interesting and a little creepy ;) we all came to the conclusion that we would not like to be sailors!

First day of school 2011-2012

2012-01-02T11:19:00.001-08:00

Logan is a big second grader this year. His teacher is Ms. Atsatt and she is really great. He has a lot of old friends from kindergarten in his class this year.

Savannah is now a first grader! She started the year with Mrs. Richards, logans teacher from last year. But she left and Savannah's new teacher is Ms. McDonald. She has been great fit for Savannah who was getting into trouble in class most days. (for talking)

Cheerleading practice/camp

2012-01-02T11:13:00.001-08:00

Savannah signed up for cheerleading this year. She was a jr novice cheerleader for the Big Valley Sabres! I signed up to help coach and ended up the head coach of her squad 2 games into the season. It kept us very busy but we both had a great time! I was so proud of savannah. I forget sometimes because she is my most challenging child, that in comparison she is really a great kid. She was one of only a handful of girls that never complained about being hot or tired. She tried really hard and had fun! We had a little trouble keeping focused sometimes but age was also the youngest of all the 30 or so girls out there.
Cheer camp was a long hot day but it was really fun. We learned new dances, jumps, and cheered a lot. The girls got to dress me and the other coaches up very silly for a parade and we decorated our area up for a contest. Each cheerleader and coach got the chance to win ribbons for skills in different areas. Jumps, dancing, coaching, stunting(for the big girls), and all around.

Mops Art Day

2012-01-02T11:03:00.001-08:00

My friend Allison opened her home for our mops moms and kids to have a fun art day. Tie dye, painting, beads, and coloring. All the kids made tie dye and Char loved painting!

Stanislaus County Fair

2012-01-02T10:57:00.001-08:00

Jared was away at training again this year during the fair. I was daring and braved the heat and the crowds and took all 4 kids by myself on opening day!!! I know... I'm crazy! But the kids were so good and they really had a great time!

The Army

2012-01-02T10:51:00.001-08:00

I can't even begin to describe how much Jared loves the Army. Especially when I gets to be out in the field doing hands on training. The year at AT he got to fly in the blackhawk and practice rigging water bags.

Summer Fun

2012-01-02T10:48:00.001-08:00

A good friend of my mom's, Carole, took these wonderful pictures of my kids swimming at my parents house this 4th of July! :)

Cousins

2012-01-02T10:45:00.001-08:00

I love that my kids have cousins that they get to spend time with. It might not be as often as they would like but it's more time than I ever got my my cousins growing up. Logan and Savannah are the oldest. Only 5 month separate Lauren, Katelyn, and Charlotte. Jonathan is almost a year older than Wyatt. And Morgan was the newest arrival this year. I'm sure there are more to come. :)

Charlotte turns 3!

2012-01-02T10:39:00.001-08:00

We spent the day bbqing and swimming at Nana and Papas house. Charlotte got her new trike and was so excited. :)

Memorial day

2012-01-02T10:37:00.001-08:00

This year for memorial day we went to an event out in Manteca. They had military vehicles and helicopters on display, a big place for kids to play and do crafts, a classic car show, booths for food and information. It was really neat for the kids.

Unfortunately this day took a turn. It was while we were out that I got a call and learned that my cousin had lost her little girl in a tragic accident. I spent the rest of the day numb. Thankfully the kids did not know what happened and really couldn't quite understand the magnitude once we did tell them. Savannah was sad that she would not get to play with Emily again. We had just been together for Easter and mothers day and had plans together for the next weekend. RIP sweet Emy Lou!

End of the school year

2012-01-02T10:26:00.001-08:00

The kids have a fabulous charter school that they attend. The had a huge party to celebrate the end of the school year. Bounce houses, water slides, BBQ, snowcones, games, ice cream, and limbo! I got to spend the day at school with the kids and chat came to play for a little bit. They had such a great time!

Singing

2012-01-02T10:21:00.001-08:00

As a first grader Logan got to have an evening performance with his class mates of some of the songs he has been learning in music class!

Modeling

2012-01-02T10:19:00.001-08:00

Logan and Savannah got the chance to be models for a photography class taught by our friend Amber. They were polite and well behaved and their pictures turned out pretty cute!

Baseball

2012-01-02T10:17:00.001-08:00

Both Logan and Savannah decided to try out baseball this year. Their school started up a league this year and they were able to play on the same team. At this age they play coach pitch and change positions every inning so the can learn all about the game. Logan really caught on and really enjoyed it. Savannah always has a positive attitude and enjoyed playing but opted out for next year.

Family pictures

2012-01-02T10:12:00.001-08:00

We took family picture again this year! My very sweet and talented friend Amber Grover @ Grover Style Photography took them again. The kids had a great time and the girls loved their new dresses. I am so blessed by my beautiful family. My cup runneth over!

Easter 2011

2012-01-02T10:06:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Easter as usual with Nana's side of the family and our family reunion. We had a lot of fun visiting, eating yummy food, hunting Easter eggs, and playing with our cousins.

Jelly belly

2012-01-02T10:02:00.001-08:00

The Jelly Belly factory is just a few minutes from the air base and the kids loved it. Ligament Savannah even taste tested the yucky Harry Potter jelly beans. Tooth paste and pencil shavings! All of our favorite were the cold stone flavors.

Logans 8th b day

2012-01-02T09:59:00.001-08:00

I know I way behind but I am trying to catch up and start the new year off right! :)

Very simple and low key birthday this year. We had dinner with my nana and papa at logans favorite applebees. He got lots of star wars stuff this year! We also took him to the previously mentioned air museum and the soon to follow jelly belly factory. :)

Travis Air museum

2012-01-02T09:45:00.001-08:00

One of our families favorite places to visit is Travis AFB museum. Logan especially loves to see all the planes up close. He also loves to see and the models of the ships and planes.

Wyatt hasgrown so fast.....

2011-03-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

Wyatt will be 4 months old tomorrow.... where does the time go?

Charlotte loves Wyatt

2011-03-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

I think Wyatt is Charlotte's favorite baby doll ever!!!!

Savannah turns 6!!

2011-03-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

This year for Savannah's 6th birthday she asked to go to Disney on Ice. It was so special for me to get to spend some time just the two of us. I rarely get one on one time with the kids. She had so much fun dancing and singing along! I even got her a new Belle dress and tiara to wear to the show!

Christmas 2010

2011-03-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

For the Christmas season we had lots of fun. We got to celebrate with the Richardson family at Great Grandma and Grandpas.
Auntie Alicia, Lauren, Auntie Cari, Auntie Kriston, Uncle Merrill, Marissa, Laurie, Reghan, and Piper all came over to build gingerbread houses with us! It was a very messy, fun, sugar high!!
Jared's National Guard unit had a nice Christmas party. The kids had fun making crafts, playing in the bounce houses, breaking pinatas, and even getting a visit and presents from Santa! It was nice for me to get to meet and talk to all the soldiers I hear about all the time.
We spent Christmas eve and day at Nana's house. Lots of good food, presents, games, and sweet time with family.

Christmas pictures

2011-03-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

My friend Sara came over and took some pictures of the kids for me at Christmas time! Aren't those some cute kids! :)

Wyatt Dean Richardson

2011-03-15T21:26:00.001-07:00

On November 16th, 2010 at 2 am I woke up and found that my water had broken. It was just a small leak and I have never had my water break at home before.... I shook Jared and said, "Babe, wake up. I think my water broke!" Jared then half asleep turned to me and said, "You think?! What does that mean?" I was not amused at the time but it's kinda funny now. Contarctions started within minutes of standing up and getting in the shower. We called the sitter to come over since the kids were sleeping and headed to the hospital. I was at a 4 when we got there...... and after many hours of labor I had not progressed. Once I got my epidural in my blood pressure dropped to a very scray range and Wyatts heart rate shot up and would not come down. When my doctor came in a said c-section I broke down. I was so upset and I cried!!! This was definately not my plan! The c section was less than fun and I honestly don't believe anyone can really be prepared for that! But Wyatt Dean Richardson came into this world..... and he was a perfect 7lbs 2oz 18 1/2 inches.
I was scheduled to have a tubal the next day but since we ended up in c section they did it then and my Dr. alerted us to his finding a cyst on one of my ovaries. He said it was very large and he was going to have to remove the entire ovary instead of just the cyst. Jared and I just said okay and we stared across the room at Wyatt being weighed and measured. We found out a few weeks later that what he thought was a cyst was actually a tumor! Thankfully it was benign but it does help me feel a lot better about the c section. It was not my plan but God showed me very clearly that his plan is always for the best.
While I was brought into recovery and sleeping off the meds Jared and my parents got to spend some time with Wyatt. Then just as I was getting ready to leave recovery and go to my room Wyatt was struggling and they had to bring him to the NICU. I pleaded to go see him first and they took me, bed and all to the NICU to see him. Wyatt struggled with low blood sugar for his first 2 days and had an infection. He spent 1 week in the NICU being treated with antibiotics.
Wyatt made it home from the hospital just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with us!

HALLOWEEN

2011-03-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

The kids had a great Halloween this year! Logan picked a ninja costume and Savannah chose Strawberry Shortcake for herself and Apple Dumpling for Charlotte. They went trick or treating in the neighborhood this year. It was so nice to have Daddy home this time and Auntie Cari and Alex drove down to hang out with us! I'm already thinking about costumes for this year..... :)

School

2011-03-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

Logan and Savannah looked so cute on their first day of school! They have enjoyed a few fun dress up days. They loved 50's day, it was Logan's favorite last year too. Savannah had a Dr. Seuss hat day too.

Wow!

2011-03-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

So it's been forever since I have blogged! So much to catch up on...... I'll try my best to fill you all in but things may get a little out of order.

Update:

Jared is working for a cell tower company out of Sacramento now. He is still serving in the National Guard and drilling one weekend a month. His unit is scheduled to deploy at the end of this year. We have no details and things could change before then but we are preparing as if it will happen.

Logan is doing really well at school. We recently had him moved to another classroom because we had some issues with his other teacher. He is already so much happier and more confindent! Right now he is going to after school rehearsals to sing the National Anthem with a group of kids from his school at the Stockton Thunder hockey game at the end of this month.

Logan and Savannah signed up to play baseball this year. They are on the same rookie, coach pitch, team. Practice starts on Monday after school. The team is being sponsored by Jared's National Guard unit! :)

Savannah is a great student. She loves to learn and is very confident. She is so proud of all the work she does at school and can't wait to show it off and tell me all about it. She is very popular and friends with everyone, which gets her into a little trouble in class for talking. Savannah is also considering signing up for cheer leading. It would start at the end of July. I'll keep you posted on that.

Charlotte is really starting to talk! Our old pediatrician recommended sending her to be evaluated for speech and hearing. But they wanted to send us to Fresno, on a weekday, where they did not allow any siblings to go and Wyatt was only a few weeks old. We have since changed doctors and I am going to see what he has to say now. We are also starting to work on potty training.

Wyatt is growing so fast. I can hardly believe that he is almost 4 months old already. He is such a sweet boy. He loves to be held which makes my days a little more challenging, but I'm trying to enjoy every second. He is really starting to smile a lot and grasp toys. He is very alert and likes to watch his brother and sisters play.

I am keeping very busy with all the kids things going on and Jared being out of town Monday-Friday. I am excited for baseball to start and I hope the kids love the game as much as I do! I recently received my invitation to my 10 year high school reunion. Wow, it doesn't feel like it's been that long. There are a few people I am really excited to see.

We will be moving to a new rental house hopefully next month. It is located just down the street from the kids school which will make my life so much easier. Right now it takes about 20 minutes to get the kids to school! The kids will get to be involved in so much more. The house has a swimming pool and the kids are so excited about that!

Update

2010-07-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest with the Richardsons...

Jared is still working with my Dad doing cell tower work and has been putting in applications with water districts in our area. He is still serving his one weekend a month with the National Guard. He goes for his two weeks of drill in August and will unfortunately miss the kids first day of school. We don't really have any updates on his transfer paperwork other than to say it has all been put on hold till 2011.

Logan is growing and finding his personality. He is still a sweet and responsible boy. He loves to talk and tell stories, he still loves legos pretty much more than anything else. Thanks to cousin Doug for reigniting that passion by giving him tubs and tubs full. He is ready for 1st grade this year. We are still waiting to find out who his teacher will be. I have been praying about it since school ended last year and I am sure he will be put in the right class.

Savannah is..... Savannah! Sometimes I think this is her world and we just live in it. But I honestly love it. I think she will always challenge me and make me grow. She is so much like me that I get frustrated with her, but I understand. She has a big personality and if she can reign herself in and become more confidant in crowds she will go so very far. She has matured quite a bit and become much more responsible and helpful. She is growing like a weed and I'm sure will be one of the tallest kids in her class this year. She is so excited that she lost not 1 but 2 teeth recently. She is growing up so quickly and I can hardly believe that she will be in kindergarten in a few short weeks. She is anxious to buy her school uniforms and shocking asked for skirts and dresses and not pants. Is this my daughter? She has been so great with Charlotte. The girls love to play together and Savannah is good at anticipating her needs.

Charlotte warms my heart. I cannot look at her big blue eyes without smiling. She still doesn't talk much. She know a few words and will say them when she feels like it. She is very smart though, she follows directions very well and gets into trouble. She is the first of my kids to climb inside of the cupboards and move chairs to get into stuff. As she gets older she is looking less like a Savannah clone and coming into her own. She is starting to scream and throw tantrums when she doesn't get her way but it doesn't last long. She loves to dress up, play dolls, play barbies, and watch movies with her brother and sister. We moved her out of a crib and she hated it. She would sleep on the floor or make us get out the pack n play. So now the girls have 1 queen sized bed that they love to share!

I am just trying my best to keep up with everything. I am trying to enjoy the summer but I am also looking forward to school this year. I am feeling pretty good and just trying to stay out of the heat when I can. Summer keeps us pretty busy and I am thankful it is winding down. We have been booked with park days, play dates, swim days, field trips, birthdays, dr. apts, and we will finish off our last week before school getting things ready without Daddy. He will leave the week before school starts, so I will have to take lots of pictures.

As most of you know, I am expecting #4. We recently found out that It's a BOY! Jared knew all along as usual and Logan is super excited. (He wants bunk beds) He does not have name yet......waiting on Jared! Everything seems to be going well. I am seeing a specialist just to be safe. They found some fibroids that they will be monitoring. Also, they will keep a close watch to try and prevent another preemie. I have another ultrasound tomorrow. I am hoping to see his face, last time he was laying sideways and was very comfortable that way so we didn't see much.

County Fair

2010-07-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

Even though it was super hot we decided to head out to the county fair. We only have a few weeks left before the kids start school and Jared has to leave for his 2 week drill. The kids love the 4H exhibits and the rain forest exhibit. We walked through the homemade and homegrown building and sparked some interest in Logan and Savannah wanted to enter something next year.

Fairytales and fun

2010-07-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Our Mops season ended in May and in June we kicked off our summer park days and feild trips. Our first trip was to Fairytale Town and Funderland in Sacramento. Char had much more fun than last year. She loves to go on slides and took on every single one, even though they are very big!

Savannah is getting more daring too, she was excited to ride the rollercoaster with Logan this year.

Charlotte is 2!

2010-07-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

We went swimming at Nana's for Char's birthday this year. She got dress up stuff from Nana and a new baby doll from Mom amd Dad. Char loves babies and they go everywhere with us.

Hair cut

2010-07-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

Savannah decided all on her own that she wanted a new big girl hair cut since she was going to be in kindergarten soon. Got around 8 inches off this time and she loves it. It is much easier onme the manage as well. Logan told her she looked like a girl in his class and that made her day!

Logan is 7!

2010-07-19T13:36:00.001-07:00

This year for Logan's birthday he wanted to go to the Stockton Children's Museum. It is such a fun place for the kids to play and explore. He also requested a Lego cake, here's what Jared and I came up with.

Monterey

2010-07-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

I won tickets a family 4 pack of tickets for the Monterey Bay Aquarium a little while back so we decided to take the kids. Logan had never been, last year when we took the girls Logan was in Disneyland with Nana and Papa.

We all had a great time! Charlotte had much more fun this time since she was a little bigger. Her favorite thing was the touch pools. She would have stayed there all day and had no fear of touching anything. Savannah and I love the sea otters best. Daddy likes to watch the leafy sea dragons. Logan was mesmerized by the octopus.

Savannah's Birthday!

2010-04-06T14:26:00.001-07:00

This year Savannah turned 5! All she wanted was to go to build a bear and make a puppy! Her friends Reghan and Aubrey came with us. The girls had a lot of fun picking out their animals and dressing them up!

Girls Weekend!!

2010-04-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

I had a blast with some of my best girlfriends on a weekend trip to Monterey! We laughed so hard all weekend! Can you believe we left 10 kids at home?! I would love to do this again before we move!

WOW! and Daddy's Home!!!

2010-04-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

So, I just realized that I have not posted anything since November. That could be because Jared returned in early December. I will try to do some catching up. Beginning with.......

Daddy's Home!! Jared returned home December 11th! My Dad drove with the kids and me to pick him up at the SF airport. The kids were so anxious and many people were watching us. There were women around with tears in their eyes. I wasn't teary.... I was bawling!! lol

10 truths about me.....

2009-11-30T16:56:00.000-08:00

Okay, my sister in law tagged me to 10 facts about myself instead of always writing about the kids. So here ya go Nicole....

1. I love being a mom! It's hard and sometimes I feel like running away to another planet but I would not change this job for any other in the world.

2. I am not easily embarrassed! I love to talk to strangers, act silly, and laugh at myself!

3. I believe that every Mom needs MOPS! I love mops and what it stands for. It has really changed my life and I love serving at Mops. Even in the crazy 2 years that I was doing 2 groups. I only quit one because Jared made me!

4. I am terrible at entertaining myself. I get really bored really easily and I need to be entertained. I rarely sit at home. This has gotten worse since Jared left.

5. I have never been more proud of my husband than I am right now! He has made a huge sacrifice for our family. He has worked so hard, and has been so successful! I love him so very much!!

6. I am addicted to bejeweled blitz on facebook. I play everyday even if I already have the highest score of all my friends!

7. I love to be creative. I like to sew, scrapbook, bake, etc. I'm not so great at coming up with the ideas for things but I like to execute them.

8. I am actually really excited to move to someplace new. I have no fear of where we will go. I haven't really said this much because I don't want to upset anyone, but I really am excited about it.

9. I really want to go on a family vacation. We have been on exactly "0" since the kids were born.

10. I would love to get involved with a community theater, I really miss acting. Maybe when the kids are older......

Well not very exciting or shocking but there it is.

I tag/ challenge Heidi Paulsen to do this next!!

Yummy Pies

2009-11-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

I had a great time hanging out with some of my MOPS friends on Friday. We had a mom's pie making night!! I made a pumpkin pie and an apple pie. I learned how to make a pie crust from scratch, which I had never done. *some pictures courtesy of Heidi!

Logan is so creative!!

2009-11-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

We had a project to do for Logan's class. We got a paper turkey to decorate. You see Tom Turkey needed a disguise to hide from the farmer so he wouldn't get eaten. Logan knew exactly what he wanted and what it should look like. He searched for just the right materials he needed and I only helped a little. This is his scarecrow turkey hiding in the tall corn field! Pretty cute, huh?!

Logan's classroom

2009-11-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

The girls and I got to go to Logan's school a few weeks ago. The kids had just gone to the pumpkin patch and we had to do all sorts of things with their pumpkins. We checked if they would float in water, how tall they were, how much they weighed, color a pumpkin pattern, and count the ridges on our pumpkin. It was fun and Savannah was able to do most of the work with Logan.

Halloween

2009-11-22T15:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few costume pics from Halloween.

Pumpkins

2009-10-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

We spent most of the morning carving pumpkins. I was surprised that the kids actually helped clean them out this year. That is my least favorite part of carving which is why they usually do this with Auntie Cari! The kids picked out all the patterns and I did the rest. They were happy with the turn out.

Popsicle

2009-10-24T18:09:00.001-07:00

I was on the phone with Jared last night when he heard Charlotte start fussing. He said, "Give her a popsicle and tell her it was from Dad". So I did and she loved it!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

The girls and I went to the pumpkin patch with our MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) friends today. We go to a great little farm just outside of town where they get to feed fish, plant broccoli, see the animals, go through the store, visit the bakery for a treat, learn about the cycle of water, pick a pumpkin, and get a goody bag! We just missed the rain but caught some sprinkles, it didn't seem to bother the kids though.

Riverbank Wine and Cheese festival

2009-10-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

The kids and I went to the Riverbank Wine and Cheese festival recently, not for the wine or cheese but because they had "The Lego Experience". The kids had so much fun playing with the Lego's and checking everything out. They got a necklace when we walked in where the had to participate in different Lego thing to collect stickers for the back. The kids also got to go on a few rides and play some games. The rides were fine but the games.... well we left there with a hermit crab, and a 4 foot inflatable purple alien!

Stockton Children's Museum

2009-09-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

For our last field trip of the summer we went with some MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) friends to the Stockton Children's Museum. The kids and I had never been there before. It was really fun, everything was made to be picked up and played with. They had a real police car, ambulance, firetruck, bus, and more. There was a grocery store to shop at and play with the checkout counter and register. A doctors office, and post office and so many other fun things. They kids had a blast!

Oklahoma!!!!!

2009-09-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

Family Day

The Wall

Jared loved this

They had to repel this wall the first week.

So handsome!

My camera didn't work so this is all from my phone, sorry!

The drill Srgts

Jared at the museum

Outside the Barracks

This is the sign over Jared's bed

Jared was in the 4th platoon, the honor platoon of his class

Jared is at the very end of the last row

4th platoon, Barbarians

Jared and his friend Daniel Smith

I couldn't be more proud of Jared. He did so well at Basic Training. I went last week to see him graduate. I missed him so much and was so excited to see him after so long. He looked so handsome in his uniform. The first day was family day where we got to see some demonstrations of what the guys have been going through in training and how far they have come. After that I got to sign Jared out on pass and we went to a movie and ate together. I brought him back to base that night and got to see him again the next morning for graduation. The ceremony was very nice. I teared up with pride. We went over to the Fort Sill artillery museum then we had a nice lunch and walked the mall in Lawton. He had to be back early that day because soldiers began shipping out to there AIT training. Jared and I had a few more hours together at the airport before he left for Fort Lee, Virginia. I had a really hard time watching him get on the plane to leave. The airline boarded Military first and the crowd of people cheered for them as the boarded. I cried. I know he will continue to do well in his training and I am looking forward to the day he comes home!

Logan in Legoland!

2009-09-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

Saying Goodbye

Breakfast

Legoland

Pirate Show

Train trip

Logan was blessed this summer to get to go to Aunt Marie and Uncle Brian's. He flew in an airplane for the first time with Debbie, Aunt Marie's friend. He said it was funny and not scary at all. They did so many fun things while he was there. They went to Legoland, a pirate dinner show, rode on a train and much much more. He came back tired and even more obsessed with Legos. Now he talks about pirate all the time too and want to be one for Halloween. Thank you to Debbie, Uncle Brian, and especially Aunt Marie! What a special memory you have made for him!

Gymnastics

2009-09-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

We have a beautiful Community Center here in Ceres. The kids started taking a gymnastics class there once a week and can't wait to do more things there. Their class is 45 minutes and the love walking the balance beam and doing somersaults down the big mat. Their favorite part is playing with the parachute at the end of class.

County Fair

2009-09-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do one last fun family outing before Logan started back to school. I took the kids to the county fair to play some games and check out the animals. My parents met us there after a few hours and took Logan to the demolition derby, while the girls and I saw a few more things then headed home. They loved playing in the HHHH area that was set up with baby animals and fun things to play with. A sandbox of corn and tractors to ride. After Logan left the girls and I checked out the rain forest exhibit. It was really neat but very crowded.

Soulscape

2009-09-08T10:57:00.001-07:00

I was able to go to Soulscape this year which is the women's retreat for our church. I had so much fun. I traveled up there with 3 great friends. The retreat in past years had typically been older women so we shook things up. We wrote all over the car windows before we headed up there. The "decorated" a few rooms, and had a ball. We left a little early so we could walk through downtown Sonora and have lunch on the way up.

The speaker for the weekend was awesome. We had some free time to play games and we played BS. It's a card game where you are forced to lie and call each other out on the lies. We started with a small group of us playing and ended the weekend with a giant group of ladies. We had to use 3 decks of cards. We all laughed so hard. It was a great weekend and just what I needed.

Update...

2009-09-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

My, My, My! So much to catch up on. Life has been pretty crazy around here. Juggling a house and 3 kids alone is challenging. I don't envy single parents.

Logan started back to school in August and tried out 1st grade. He was really stressed and struggling so I met with the Principal and his teacher and we decided that one more year of Kindergarten would be best for future success. The tears have stopped and he is excited to go to school again.

The girls are doing well. Savannah loves to play with Charlotte. Logan and Savannah had been having a hard time sleeping since Jared left. They would wake up in the middle of the night and tell me they were scared. So Savannah's day bed with the trundle is now in Logan's room and they sleep in there together. They haven't been complaining of being scared since.

Charlotte started walking about 2 weeks ago. Her first steps were all backwards, so funny. She is now walking more than she is crawling. She is also talking more and more. Of course her favorite thing to say is "NO". But she also loves to say "LaLa" which is what she call my girlfriend Laurie.

I am hanging in there, I really miss Jared but I am so proud of him. I think he was made for the Army. He has been so successful and he loves it!

Firework Shirts

2009-07-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

This year for the 4th of July we made Firework shirts! It was really fun and sparkly! Laurie and Heidi and their girls came over and we covered my house in glitter. I saw the idea for the shirts in Family Fun magazine and we decided to try it out. We glued different shapes and sizes of pasta to cardboard to make "stamps". The we stamped fabric glue onto the shirts and covered that in fabric glitter. I think they turned out pretty cute and the kids loved them!

Allred night!

2009-07-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed to live next to such good friends! The Allred's have been so awesome!! Laurie and I get in to plenty of trouble together..... and so do Reghan and Savannah. Robbie loves loves loves Charlotte and she has taken to him too. They have been over every Wednesday evening for dinner. We call it "video game night"!! With Jared gone Logan has really needed some guy time, not to mention, I can barely turn on the video games let alone play them. The boys spend hours playing and sometimes break to eat dinner. Last week we let the kids have strawberries and chocolate for dessert. Tasty... Messy... and so Fun!!

In the Army Now!!

2009-07-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

Jared joined the Army National Guard! He left in June to begin basic training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. After that he will attend job training at Fort Lee in Virginia. He should return home in the middle of December. Before he left we had a great BBQ with the Richardson Family, one of Jared's favorite things. He was able to e mail me a few photos from basic. Any day I should be getting information on his mailing address, a website where we can see uploaded video and pictures from basic training, and more information on his family day and graduation. I am excited to get to go out to Oklahoma and see him!

Logan's school contest

2009-05-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

One of the uppergrade classes at Logan's school put on a contest to raise money for a field trip. Logan was very excited to participate. He paid $2.00 for a Mr. Cole grass head kit. Mr. Cole is the school principal. We put the soil and grass seeds into the foot of a nylon stocking and water it for around 2 weeks. Then the fun came. Logan knew exactly what he wanted Mr. Cole to look like. They play music out of speakers at school every week and Mr. Cole loves to sing along. So with some help we made his glasses and microphone. Logan colored the "Grand Old Flag" and speaker box. He was thrilled to win 1st prize which was a new moon sand kit. Very fun for us and a great idea to raise funds for that class.

Savannah's haircut

2009-05-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here are the "before" and "after" shots of Savannah's new haircut. They cut around 9 inches which we are donating. Dispite the look on her face, she really does like it.

Monterey

2009-05-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Jared and I took the girls to Monterey last weekend. We wanted to do something with Savannah while Logan was away at Disneyland. We had a busy but fun weekend. We left our house on friday morning to go to Nana and Papa's and feed the bird and cat before heading to GG and Cowboy Papa's house. We had a nice visit with them and left from their house on Saturday morning. We made a quick stop at the store for some ice and batteries for the camera. The girls slept the entire way to Monterey. It was a nice time for Jared and I to talk and reminisce about our trip to Monterey so many years ago! The girls loved the aquarium. They were so sweet and patient. Watching Savannah touch all that she could in the touch pools reminded me just how different she is from her brother. Logan would not have put his hands anywhere near that water, let alone reach in and touch a sea cucumber or crab. My little girl is fearless. We got a chance to see the penguins eating their breakfast. African penguins... I didn't know there were penguins in Africa. See, you learn something new everyday. I was surprised at all of the changes to the Aquarium since the last time we were there in 2001. They had so many fun things for the kids to climb on and play with. There was even a baby/toddler area for Charlotte to let loose. The crowds weren't to bad until we got to the new Sea horse sections. Once we got in a saw the weedy Sea dragons we understood. I could have sat there for an hour watching them. We went back out to the car and enjoyed a picnic lunch then back to the aquarium to finish the last section. The deep ocean where we saw the octopus, very cool. After that we walked around cannery row for a while and had some ice cream. Savannah got a sea otter stuffed animal that came in a shell purse. We even walked on the beach for a few minutes until the water to Savannah's feet. Such a fun day!