Just Boring Life

Wow, only being on the computer and hour a day has really cut into my blog reading time! I have to pick and choose (I follow a lot of blogs!).
Blogging myself I didn't limit but it seems our lives are so busy yet uneventful I don't know why anyone would like to read about it? But, I have to listen to my own advice. You see, I made Alex write in his journal about being grounded from friends and why. He was not happy about that. He only wants to write about happy things. I pointed out that this is a journal of his life and ten years from now he'll want to remember what his life was really like-not just the glossy happy parts. And besides, I mentioned-how are you going to remember and not sneak out again? Maybe this will help your brain remember? He begrudgingly wrote.
So....in keeping with my own advice....

Busy.

Doesn't seem a big enough, complicated word for this week.
Let's recap the kids:
Kambree fell off Devree's bike last Friday at cracked her rib-or at least that's what we're diagnosing it as. She's been able to dance at rehearsal but is in pain. Today it really hurt and I've got her wrapped and medicated. She needs to heal as she's got drill camp next month.
Austin is running every where and loving having a mom gone every night. The other day I was getting in my locker and noticed sticky drips all down it. What the heck? Austin thought shooting grapes at his sister with his slingshot would be great fun but, not knowing if they really hurt he had his friend shot him first-while standing in front of my locker-and YES they hurt! So, when your friend misses your body and smashes grapes against your mom's locker and you only pick up the smashed grape and don't wipe down the dripping juice-her locker gets sticky and she eventually finds out about your hair brain idea!
Devree has been a trouper at rehearsal and being a nanny for Kammy on Tuesdays. Last night Jazmine showed up-it's the first we've seen her since school let out-and she came to our play and stayed the night. Not sure when she's going home or if she has plans to in the near future but just like a zoo keeper, what's one more animal in this zoo??
Alex is still grounded and spending each night at rehearsal and/or the play. Tuesday night I gave him the camera and he took a bizillion pictures at rehearsal. Unfortunately, the macro setting was on and 85% of them are blurry and unrecognizable. I will try and post the one's that turned out. He is actually loving our play-which I find surprising because I'm pretty tired of it and he's sat through about three rehearsals. He's so dang cute. He comes with us at call time-early and saves seats for whoever is coming that night. Last night he saved seats for Grandma and Grandpa. My mom-who will be coming every night has claimed him for her date each night.
Both Alex and Rylee are at Fear Factor camp and loving it. They play games, eat silly foods and yesterday told me they wished it was all day instead of half a day. I think this time together without friends and/or cousins has really made them closer.
Rylee is just the cutest lost boy. It's so funny to see her with dirt smudges on her face and her hair tucked up in a hat.
Last night after curtain call we went out to the plaza to meet our guests. My Dad was so cute about how wonderful it was to see all of us in a show. Now, my Dad's not a gusher. He comes-sometimes I think begrudgingly-and supports us and tells us good job. But, last night he was genuinely happy and excited about our show!? He thought it was so neat that all four of us were in a show together. I figured he enjoyed this show more than usual as in the past he just watches for the family member he came to see and since there's four of us usually one of us are usually on stage the whole time? I don't know for sure but in all my forty plus years of performing I have never seen my dad that thrilled about a production. Even my girls commented on how happy grandpa was.
We had rehearsal until midnight Tuesday night and I had a film shoot again for my vampire movie Wednesday morning. They wanted to add a couple of scenes so I spent the morning in Provo with bright blue eyeshadow-pinning a flower to my vampire son's horrible 1970's tuxedo. Some day I will be famous you know....with all these crazy film things I do.
We've had some car issues. The van all of a sudden started making terrible noises when you applied the brakes. I took it to my Dad's and he told me I needed to replace my brake pads. But when he pulled the tires, the pads were fine. The lug nuts were lose so he tightened them and the noise is gone. Thank goodness. However, the maintenance required light is on and upon James request I took it to Auto Zone for a diagnostics test and they told me I just need to change the oil. Weird. I really doubt that will make the light go off. The oil is not low-yes a little dirty but really, how is the van going to know it got an oil change? It's not some super cool van with high tech sensors or little robots. It's just a 2000 Honda Odessy. But what do I know??
Austin's muffler is falling off. It's under warranty so we managed to get it to Midas yesterday and are still waiting for the verdict on that. Poor Austin meanwhile is car-less. Oh, whatever will he do?
Well, if you're still with me on this boring post-congrats! I'm going to wrap it up now. Hope everyone has a great Thursday and if you've nothing better to do between now and the 29th, come see our play!

The Game Is On and Alex is in Trouble!

Official first day of Game On Diet!
I grilled chicken and made a grain and veggies casserole, Kam cut up cucumbers and celery and made a big green salad first thing this morning.
I have a huge headache from my sugar withdrawal. I know that's what it is. I've usually had something sugary and yummy by now.
I'm on team #6 (I think we'll be Team Six Pack!) and Kambree on Team #4.
I'm on my 5th glass of water (I need a total of six) and have to keep running to the bathroom.
Exercise is done.
And I did get my seven hours of sleep last night.
In and effort to only be ONE hour on the computer reading blogs I've had to speed read and be real quick about checking my facebook.
We have a dress rehearsal tonight and an interview tomorrow morning in the early AM with Fox 13's Big Buda. Luckily, I'll be dressed as a pirate and I don't think too many people will recognize me. Two more rehearsals and we open! Hurray!!
Alex managed to get in trouble-big trouble Saturday night when he came home from watching a Real soccer game with his friend at ten pm, and took off on his scooter to see if another friend could play.
I know this because I had repeated text from the mom that dropped him off wondering if he was okay, and if he made it home as she witnessed him riding off. (I had left my cell phone home or I would have been a basket case at rehearsal not knowing where he was. Fortunately by the time I read the text I had confirmation that he was safe home in bed.)
Alex thought no one would be the wiser as he told me he wouldn't be home until eleven or eleven thirty. So why not go play and do whatever he wants at ten o'clock at night!!?? Luckily the friend wasn't at home and he eventually came home, found some food, took a bath and went to bed. When he arranged this night we were told he wouldn't be home until eleven or eleven thirty so I didn't worry about making sure Austin was home for him because I'm usually home from rehearsals around eleven.
I even tried to give him an out, like "Were you scared because no one was home?" Nope, he just wanted to go play. He figured I wouldn't know since I wasn't expecting him until later.
Grrr....
He is grounded from friends for the week and going to spend each and every night at rehearsals or the play with me.
How fun for him.
Right now he and Rylee are at Fear Factor Camp-a day camp. (Luckily none of his friends are there or that would make enforcing his punishment difficult.)
Sunday afternoon he laid his head against my shoulder and told me he doesn't think he'll ever learn to obey. It's just not in him...I guess.
I told him then we'll always have this kind of relationship. Me lecturing and him getting in trouble, that I will never throw my hands up in the air and say "Oh well. Alex just can't obey." Kambree backed me up by telling him "Mom will never give up on her kids." (She knows this because I still hound her about cleaning her room-which is her bad habit she's giving up on The Game! Hurray!!) I agreed with her and asked him, "Are you my kid?" To which he smiled and nodded and cuddled against my arm. "Then I'll never give up on you either."
I don't know why he's having such a tough time lately. He's normal tries really hard to be good. (Sigh)
This friend punishment is a tough one as he LOVES playing with his friends. It would have been tougher on me if it weren't for this day camp all week. Thank goodness. (And I didn't even think of it until after I had blurted out his punishment.)
Well, the house is quiet and I need to go find something to eat for meal #3. Two more meals after that and two more glasses of water. I better get them in fast so I don't miss all my cue's in the bathroom at rehearsals tonight!

Happy Father Day James!

Today in church Kambree was asked to give a talk on fathers. She talked about how her dad has taught her how to work and what a hard worker he is. How he works away from home and then comes home and works at home. She never see's him watching sports of TV-sometimes he takes a nap but then just jumps up and gets back to work. The only thing he asks is that the children come talk to him while he's working because he gets lonely and he likes company.
She talked about how he always takes each one of them out to lunch when he's home to spend some one on one time with them and how she likes that.
She told about how he always gives them back to school blessings, and blessings when they're sick.
This talk was all in her own words with no help from me as she composed it thirty minutes before we left for church.
It was very sweet and I just wish that James was there to hear it but he's at work this Fathers Day. Working hard for us.
James, thanks for being such a fabulous dad and great husband.
I love you.

Lecture #375 and counting.....

When I come home with a trunk full of groceries I always honk the horn when I drive in the garage signaling my children to come and help me load them in. Even when I don't honk the horn Alex usually pops his head into the garage and I'm faced with some sort of question or concern before I can get out of the car and shut the door. I've gotten so use to him being right there the minute I get home that when he's not I find it sort of odd.
Today, I honked the horn and no one came running.
Odd.
Devree was with me and we began loading the groceries in. Devree saw Alex at the front door carefully opening it and sneaking out. She went out through the garage and yelled for him to help and he took off on a dead run to his friends house.
Even odder.
Alex is usually very diligent in reporting to me where he's going.
I called the mom of the friend he was heading to and asked her to send him home upon arrival.
About fifteen minutes later he came back and I asked him why he thought I asked for him to come home?
"I no help with groceries?"
Well, yes and that you were sneaking out but mostly because you ran off and didn't tell me where you were going. So now instead of playing you can go pull some weeds in the garden. (I had all the groceries in and mostly put away by this time.)
He went out and started pulling and a few minutes later I went out and started pulling with him and talking about consequences.
I asked him why he would choose to disobey? He usually always gets caught and gets in trouble. Wouldn't it have been better to help with the groceries and then asked to go to his friends? It would have taken less than five minutes but instead he chose to sneak and run off and now his consequence is to be out here in the heat and dirt pulling weeds.
I left him to think about why he would rather disobey then obey and to throw all the weeds in the garbage.
I watched from in the house as he laid his head in his arms and sobbed and then viciously beat the dirt with his shovel.
He came in later-no sign of tears-and I asked if he had an answer for me? He told me his brain only thinks about playing. Wow! I was so impressed he could verbalize this. We talked about how he needs to train his brain to make good choices so he can play more and not get in trouble so often. That only he can figure this out.
He had been invited to go out with his friend tonight and we talked about how making dumb choices like running off and sneaking around could jeopardize doing fun things like that. I told him that behavior like that doesn't make me want to let him do things like that and that he doesn't deserve to go BUT that he can still go tonight if he can promise me that for the next 24 hours I won't have to have any more serious talks with him. That he'll just obey and be good for one day. (Is that asking so much?)
He solemnly nodded and his eyes filled with tears and he walked off.
"Wait, Alex what is wrong?"
"You say I can't go with Tyler, just play at his house."
"What?"
I went back over what I said and he realized he hadn't been listening or didn't understand clearly. (I think he just heard the "you don't deserve to go" and shut the rest off.) We then talked about communication. That it involves not only talking but listening to what the other person is saying. (I find this ironic that within one minute of my deal to not have any more serious talks that I was having yet another one!)
I explained that by communicating we can better understand each other. Instead of walking off crying he could have said "Mom, let me make sure I understand. I CANNOT go with Tyler tonight but I CAN play with him?" Then I could have explained better and we could have avoided all the tears and drama.
He agreed.
I also shared that if he could communicate more information to me like "Mom, I have saved enough money to buy a toy I want at Toys R Us, could you take me there sometime?" that he has a a much better chance of getting me to take him rather than demanding. "I want to go to Toys R Us."
He nodded and you could see the light bulb turn on in his head. (This is a sore spot we have as he's always wanting to "window" shop and asks at the most inopportune moments and last week when the girls were in need of running some errands for things they needed he wanted to go to Toys R Us-which was no where close to where we were-and I said no. I had no idea he had money to buy a certain object-which later turns out that he didn't have enough money anyway.)
Then he confessed to me while out in the garden today he thought I might send him back to Ukraine to the orphanage.
(Ah, that explains the tears and the dirt pounding.)
I asked if he really thought I would do that.
No.
He just thought that maybe I should because he's not a good son.
(Trust me, he's thrown this "I'm not a good son" out before. And I've gone over with him all the things he does well-I think that was just three days ago.)
I told him that no matter what, I am never sending him back to Ukraine. He is our son forever. I do hope that he'll figure out how to train his brain to stop thinking only about playing and make good choices but regardless he's our son and he's here to stay. I don't know why he was born in Ukraine but he was always meant to be with us.
He threw his arms around my neck and then rubbed his cheeks against mine.
That's the best part of all these talks.
The sweet hugs and kisses at the end.
(Sigh)
Can't we just skip to that part and forgo the behavior problems and never ending lectures??
We both agreed we'd be praying for patience with each other and to better communicate. I figure praying is about all we can do now as I'm just really tired of all these lectures and I've run out of ideas and things to say.

Saturday Superstar!

A friend of mine in high school was looking for some actors to help with his film project today. (I know this because we're friends on facebook.) I looked at my Saturday and my clients had just canceled their appointment to look at houses and I figured what the heck? So I sent him a message saying I could help.

As Saturday approached I had so many things I should have been doing, like grocery shopping, cleaning my house, running errands but I'd been messaging back and forth with Kevin and I knew he was counting on me. I figured I'd be one of many extras and he promised it would only be from 10-2.

Friday night I got a message to wear summer clothes and he needed a few kids for an egg toss. I volunteered Alex and Rylee. It just happened to be at the park in our subdivision so we walked over at ten. He handed me the script and low and behold, I was the "star".

Apparently he's competing in the 48 hour film project at seven pm last night he got the topic and the mandatory prop list-an egg. He has to write the script, film it, edit it and return it by seven pm Sunday night.

The story is about investigative report Edna (me) and how she's going to the park to investigate another murder. There's a egg toss at the park as she walk through. She finds a 2nd murder victim clutching an egg and then she runs and everywhere she turns people are eating eggs, hiding Easter eggs, yelling for their kids to eat eggs. In the end she runs into her boss (the murder) who tries to comfort her in her hysteric's and he hugs her but you see him clutching and egg behind her back.

(Insert mysterious scary sound here!)

Had I known I would be running around so much I would have worn gym shoes-as I was in a sundress and flip flops. But it was fun. I got to reminisce with Kevin and another friend from high school, Andy Black-the boss/murder.

And at one point we actually had an older couple stop to see if I needed help-during the discovering the 2nd murder victim scene. Apparently my distress and call for help seemed pretty realistic?

I recruited Brach and Tyler and Traci and her kids to come be in a few shots. (The perks of having the film being shot only a block from your house.)

The premiere is the same night as opening night of Peter Pan. Darn. I would really like to go-or maybe it's best I don't?? There were so many shots of my backside running. Maybe I should just keep a low profile?

If we win (which I'm not thinking is very likely-no offense Kevin) then we get a budget to re-shot the whole thing and make it better and it will go to the Cannes film festival. Who knows? Maybe I'll be the next Napoleon Dynamite? (If I had a font for sarcasm I would have used it on that last sentence.)

Well, all those things I should have been doing instead of making a film are still patiently waiting for me so I better get going.

Wendy & The Real Lost Boy

In the play Peter Pan, there's a song the Lost Boy's sing when Wendy arrives in Neverland. They sing about how she'll sing to them, make them pockets, and tell them stories they've been longing to hear because Wendy's here to stay. Then the chorus goes:
"We have a mother at last we have a mother!"
Rylee has been singing this song over and over and practicing her dance steps in preparation for our play next week.
Today, while walking into the store Alex slipped beside me and he was singing softly "I finally have a mother at last I have a mother."
True, he was probably just imitating Rylee and didn't realize just how sweet and poignant this simple phrase was for me, this Wendy, his mother.
Yep, this little "Lost Boy" has found a mother. Her name just happens to be Wendy too!

By the way we have tickets for sale! $5 for per person or $20 for a family.
Show runs June 23rd-June 29th-excluding Sunday.
Email me at richharts@msn.com for more info!

The letter I am sending off today!

June 16, 2010

Dear Sate of Louisiana,

We are writing regarding the attached Notice of Adjustment letter and check we received from the State of Louisiana in the mail last week.

As we read it, our accountant used the wrong Federal Adjusted Gross Income percentage and we over paid the State of Louisiana $12 for the 2009 year. (See attached #1)

So imagine our surprise when we opened the check-which arrived the same day as the letter-from the State of Louisiana for $1,562! (See attachment #2)

We, of course are more than happy to deposit this check and have many worth while causes that this money can go towards but we sincerely believe this is a mistake and this money is not ours-despite how much we would like for it to be!

We have tried repeatedly to call (225)219-7462-the only number available- to straighten out the situation but it just rings busy. Once we got through to some sort of mail box (mail box #73 if we remember correctly) left our name, number and briefly explained the situation but have not had a return call and that was last week.

We would like to get this straightened out in a timely manner as this check is only valid for 180 days and as mentioned we would love nothing more than to deposit it in our anemic checking account.

We can be reached at....

Sincerely,

James & Wendy Richhart

Late Night Sock In The Eye

Last night I tiptoed into Alex's room to kiss him goodnight. I leaned over his bed to brush his hair off his forehead and POW! He flung out his arm and hit me in the eye and was on the defensive! I don't know if I just touched him at the crucial part of his dream or it's a fight or flight response. I quickly reassured him it was just me, mom coming to kiss him goodnight. He quickly settled and I tucked him in and mentioned that he socked me in the eye. "Sorry mom." he said sleepily.
This morning he asked me if I tucked him in last night.
Yes.
Did I hit you in the eye?
Yes.
I thought you bad guy.
Oh really? Did bad guys wake you up often in the orphanage?
(Yes, I realize that is a leading question but I was squeamishly concerned. If you had seen how quick and defensive he was-you would be too!)
No. But once hobo come in orphanage. Sleep under my bed.
What???
Apparently some homeless man found his way into the orphanage and feel asleep under Alex's bed. He went and got the teacher and the man was escorted out.
Scary.
Gives a new meaning to the character Goldilocks, doesn't it.
Hobo's under your bed?
No wonder I got hit in the eye!

Game On....False Start?

So today was suppose to be the start of GAME ON! Diet. but it's been postponed until next Monday. Boo. This is not good as I've spend the weekend eating terrible in preparation so despite the official game not starting for six more days, Kambree and I are starting today to get conditioned or warm up?
(Did I mention Kambree was doing this with me-her only condition? She DOESN'T want to be on my team! That hurt my feelings for just a minute until I realized that we'll keep each other honest AND I won't have to worry about what she's eating as she's the enemy! She's on the other team! Insert evil laughter here!)
So along with the eating plan, you have to drink 3 liters of water a day, get seven hours of sleep, give up one bad habit and incorporate one good habit. Which has nothing to do with food or diet. (As that is already taken care of in the food plan.) I have decided-after long thought-that my bad habit I am going to work on is surfing the Internet! I gave up TV months ago and instead spend hours mindlessly lurking blogs, reading FB, playing Family Feud on FB etc. So my goal is to only allow myself one hour of social Internet time. This does not include the hours I need to be on the computer for work or the time I spend writing my own blog. Just the time I spend lurking others & socializing. (Which I really don't socialize-I just read about others socializing.)
This seven hours of sleep a night is going to be tricky. Last night we didn't get out of rehearsals until eleven, by the time I dropped everyone off, got home, ordered our Bountiful Basket for Saturday and into bed it was 11:45. My gym appointment is at 5:30 am. I'm not sure how this is going to work. I did sleep until 6:45 and went on a walk but I'm feeling really guilty for ditching Jan this morning. I think until I get this play over with, I'm going to have to skip my early morning gym and just exercise later in the morning? But wow! I feel great having slept for seven hours straight!
Oh, my good habit? I'm going to read my scriptures for ten minutes a day and KNEEL down to say my prayers. (I know, that tells you how lazy I am doesn't it?) I know that's like TWO good habits but I sort of do both already just not as regularly as I'd like. The kneeling down part is strictly laziness on my part-that and my aversion to cold in the winter. But since it's summer-or at least will be some day? It's a good time to start this habit!
Right?
So, I've got my seven hours of sleep, got my exercise in, have started on my water, had my first of five meals-string cheese, banana & six cashews and I have only been lurking blogs for five minutes as I had to check on the Hinkson's and they're adventure in Ukraine.
In the back of my mind, I know this doesn't really count until Monday when the real game starts so I know I'll be tempted to cheat. Blogging it might hold me a little more accountable.
So, faithful readers-the two or three of you out there- feel free in the future to just skip all these entries with the words Game On in the title. As they'll probably be boring and inconsequential and tell you way more than you want to know!
So here's to GAME ON....my false start!

Home again, home again....

Everyone's home and no worse for the wear!

Kam, Aug & Dev had a great time at youth conference. It sounds like they had a very adventurous river run complete with hail, wind and a rescue of a scout troop! Austin is so like his Dad, he's all about adventure. Once while in Lake Powell and a summer storm James had to dive down at night in the water to secure the boat to the buoy. The winds were blowing, the boat was rocking, it was dangerous and James was in heaven! It's all about adventure with my boys!
My girls are not wimps either and both agreed that the river run was the best part of the trip!

James and Alex survived their camping trip in the rain. They rode the motorcycle and climbed cliffs and explored caves-complete with bats. Alex has given me about five hugs since he's been home and told me he missed his house. I know he had a great time with James and his Uncle Bill and cousin Brach but I think he's realizing just how great it is to come home!





Before Alex and James left we had just the two littlest kids and we went out to eat each night. We don't eat out much. We had some free kid meals coupons so it was incredibly cheap. We ate at Texas Road House one night and Wingers another. We also watched movies in the middle of the day, went to the DI, had peaceful quiet Mom School, and Ry and Alex had a bake sale one afternoon and made $13.
Friday morning Alex and James left for their overnight trip and Ry and I cleaned up the house and then went shopping and we shopped ALL day! We went with my sister Kammy, her daughter Sydni and my mom. It was great as there was no one home waiting for us, no responsibility and no time limit! We ate out again on Friday, then Ry and I came home late and popped in a chick flick and put on our pj's and listened to it rain-glad that we were not the one's out in a tent!
Here's a picture of my cute Ry out shopping....

Now the washer and dryer are going full force, Jame is repairing his motorcycle, Ry & Alex have had their baths and are waiting for James and I to watch a movie, Kam is off with friends, Austin with his and Devree is catching up on Facebook on the other computer.
As much as I enjoyed the quiet and the one on one time with my Ry-Pie, it's good to have everyone home, safe and accounted for!