February Pictures

Cool mom points?

Cake for breakfast!

 Hallie's baptism:

Sleeping teens on the way HOME from the baptism. (Apparently 10 am is just too early to get up on a Saturday?)

Girls night out!

Hairspray at Midvalley Theater!

Some of the MANY Rylee and Sydni selfies found on my phone:

Super Bowl Sunday:

What Ry did to my eggs: 

First ride of the year!

Kambee's Instagram tribute to me on my birthday last month:

Alex at a court of honor - getting his last two merit badges:

 James 47th birthday:

 My mom made Ry and I Downton Abby aprons:

Alex's Valentines gift to his "friend" Miki:

My Valentines Ride:

Ry made this cheesecake for Valentines Day:

Packing up for our cabin trip:

Hurray! Austin is home!

Alex and James replacing the headlights on Moby:

James sorting through his dad's "treasures":

 And my dad helping:

Rylee made Homemade Girl Scout Thin Mints:

The boys taking off on a motorcycling trip:

The girls going shopping (while the boys are out motorcycling!) 

Cabin Trip!

We are fortunate to have friends with a fabulous family cabin in beautiful Swan Valley Idaho.

The kids had a four day weekend (or at least 3 of the 5 - Kambree and Devree had work) and we took off. 

Here we are on the way:

 And then about an hour later:

 We stopped in Idaho Falls at Plumb Loco for Mexican food. I was wearing my "traveling slippers" so James had to carry me to the truck because it was raining.

But then, when we got closer.....it looked like this:

And we got stuck:

 What do the women folk do while the men folk figure out how to get us unstuck?

Make snow angels of course.....

And read in the warm cab of the truck.

(Honestly, I would have helped but I was just in the way!)

Still inside the truck....stuck!

We finally got there and the girls started one of many games of Old Maid:

Ry needed to practice some ballet:

Alex snow boarding:

Snowboarding behind the snow mobile:

Board Games:

Sledding:

Note Rylee's snow pants falling down:

The "cabin" or mini mansion!

 Keeping up with our cross fit challenge:

More games:

 Packing up to go home:

Getting stuck....again:

It was harrowing but so much fun. Thank you Walton's for inviting us!

Looking For The Good

Rough week here at the Richhart house.

It started out with being stuck in the snow in Moby (our big Ford truck) a couple of times while vacationing (an a certain someone losing his patience and cool over the matter) then we had a daughter break up with a boyfriend, another daughters childhood friend move away,  more continuing drama from the estate situation in Mount Pleasant and work issues for both James and I. (As in James is still unemployed and I'm not selling any houses lately.)
Blah!! 

But for all of that we're all alive, no one's sick or broken, the sun is shining and the skies are blue today so....I thought I'd record some of the good things the week had to offer too?

1st off - James finally got Devree's car going. It was a 10 day ordeal and something even two different mechanics couldn't figure out without charging us more than the car was worth but James (with the help of my fabulous cousin Cory) finally figured it out! 

Hallelujah and crossing our fingers!

Driving the kids to school and Dev to work was getting old. You just don't count your blessings - like running cars - until you don't have them any more!

Good thing #2

Although the boyfriend break up was painful - and is still ongoing -  I will savor the moment said daughter came home and literally ran and threw herself in my arms sobbing. This daughters not big into hugging/touching. As I held her and rubbed her back and tried to comfort her - wishing I could take away the hurt or give her some solace - I was grateful that her safe place was me? That even though she's practically grown and rarely seems to need me, that for just a moment, she did and I was just grateful to be there. 

Good thing #3

That all though friends move and times change, families are forever. So glad I have this clan to support and be with me for eternity. Even when we have crappy weeks, bad times and short tempers. 

Good thing #4

My Alex. 

He's been such a joy. I know all my children love me, but Alex shows love to me everyday. He pitches in to help, he carries heavy things, fixes things, kills bugs, pumps up my bike tires, reminds me when the weather is good and encourages me to ride my bike, and he hugs and kisses me daily. 

  Here's something I posted this week on Facebook. 

(I don't tag him so he and his friends won't read my posts.He would be embarrassed but kids these days aren't on Facebook much - it's more a mom/adult thing?) 

Today while driving water polo carpool I asked one of the boys if he was excited for his mom to come home?
Boy: Yes!
Alex: How long has she been gone?
Boy: Three weeks. (She was on a service trip to Africa)
Me: That's a long time to be without a mom.
Alex: Yeah. I was without my mom for 8.5 years. I know how that feels.
(And he said this sincerely, not sarcastically.)
Be still my heart.

This week I taught him what a butterfly and Eskimo kiss was.(Something you usually teach to toddlers - not 5 foot 9 inch/15.5 year olds)  I told him he needs to know there is more than one way to kiss!  And since then, he's given me a few - all on his own accord. I'm super lucky to have such a sweet boy that shows love continually. Last night, while hugging me goodnight for the 2nd time he crawled up on my bed and as I rubbed his back he confessed that he's a "mama's boy". He said he tries not to be but that he just loves me too much. I told him there's nothing wrong with snuggling with your mom and that and that he's just making up for lost time. 

This afternoon I had my niece with me at church and she crawled on my lap and laid her head against my shoulder. Alex sighed, and told me "I wish I could do that." I whispered he can anytime, but probably not at church? He just winked at me. He hasn't crawled onto my lap for a long time but usually settles for laying his head in my lap and letting me tickle his face. 

Which reminds me of what he said when we walked into a fast food restaurant with a play area for little kids on our trip home.  He said, "Awe mom, can't you just make me little for awhile so I can play?" Every so often he realizes what he missed not having a safe place to grow up? That his childhood was so much different from his siblings?  He has voiced it more than once that he wishes he had been my baby,  and a few weeks ago stated, "I just came out of the wrong stomach!" 

We were talking about first words. What child said what and he asked me what his first word was? I was at a loss for a minute thinking I really had no idea? Then I realized, I DO know his first word. It was "Honda". When we walked out of the airport after picking him up for the hosting program he saw our van and said, "Honda" that's the first time I heard him speak. He has a first word too.

Seriously, how lucky am I to have such a snuggly kid? And yes, it might look weird to some - given his age and size - to see him lay against my shoulder in church, put his head in my lap, or come up and give me a squeeze and kiss me on the forehead but if he doesn't care, than neither do I and I'll take every snuggle I can get. I figure we missed 10.75 years and we've probably made up for 5 years? Maybe by age 20 he'll be caught up and we'll just hug hello and goodbye like most moms and sons? 

(I will say this, the fact that he needs so much touch has helped me hug and touch my other children more.)

In other Alex news, he is sweet on a girl named Miki. She's a nice girl and nicer still lives a good 20 minutes away by car and neither of them drive yet. He shared with me that last night (they met for rollerskating at Classic) that he put his arm around her and held her hand during the Snowball Skate. Oh. My. My snuggling days might be numbered? Let's just hope he sticks with butterfly and Eskimo kisses for a long time.

Good thing #5

We've had lovely spring weather and I may just make it through one more winter! And there's probably a lot more good things ? Like the safety we had while traveling, our health, our cupboard with food, a roof over our heads and our savings account. My married kids are making it through nursing school, my Austin is trying to find his path, Devree got a full scholarship for next year, Rylee is controlling her tears more,  Alex is getting A's and B's in school, James is good at fixing things and digging us out of snow banks and will get a job one of these days, my body can run, swim and ride a bike and I do it regularly.  I have great friends and a great family.

 This is my quote for the week:

Alex Update

For the most part Alex has been doing great.

Last night he got all reminiscent about his past and the orphanage. He claims his favorite memory is when he "bonded" with Austin playing Nerf guns and making paper airplanes. He said they were "best buds" and then sighed, "And now he's at college....". I then asked what he remembers about when he figured out he was going to be adopted during the hosting program?  He said he just thought,  "Great! Now I can get out of there (the orphanage)!" I asked why?  "Because I got hit so much." I pried and asked if it was his school teacher or the staff who took care of him. "Both." He claims to have been punched in the head by one of his teachers and that he usually got hit daily from the staff (because he hated to take naps?) but what was most scary was that he shared how the big boys would hunt down the little boys and then just beat them up. For sport. They thought it was entertaining. He told me how he knew the building really well but still they found him. He thinks he was around eight years old? His brother Ivan came to visit and he told him about the beatings and Ivan asked a couple older boys to look out for Alex. After that he said after that the older boys were his "best buds". The one he remembers is his friend Sasha's older brother - he can't remember the name of the other boy. But he still had problems if his "protectors" weren't around.

He then told me how he'd like to go back there and "show them". That he could just pretend to be another orphan and then "let them have it." (Alex is 5 foot nine and I think he thinks he can fight like Jackie Chan? Not sure about that, but he can hold his own in a wrestling match with his brother or dad.)  I asked how old these boys were  when they use to beat him up? He guesses around 15. I then pointed out that if they were 15 even when he left the orphanage by now they'd be 20 and no longer at the orphanage. That seemed to curb his enthusiasm for going back under the disguise of an orphan and beating the snot out of them.

Sunday I wore a retro 90's dress suit to church - complete with shoulder pads and Alex loved it! He always lays his head against me during sacrament meeting and loved the padded shoulders. "Your shoulders are too bony!"  He then told me I needed to get some pads for my thighs? My thighs? I then reminded him it's my hip bones he complains about - not my thighs. (There's plenty of padding there.) At night he'll come throw himself across me while I'm reading in my bed (I have a really tall bed so he's sort of hanging off and then laying across my tummy) and he's banged his head on my hip bones one too many times.  The first time he was sure something was wrong with me? He tried to convince me I had a broken bone or something? Nope, just hip bones that haven't protruded until recently. 

Today I substitute taught at the junior high and I had the pleasure of subbing for Alex's art class. I warned him I was coming. He called me "mom" the entire time and didn't seem to mind that I was there OR letting the class know I was his mother. Some of the class didn't believe I was his mom. One boy said "He's your son? .....I'm sorry." I don't think Alex is the most angelic student. In fact, I know he's not.  It was interesting to observe him in this social setting. He is most definitely one of the cutest boys in the class. Tall and clean cut BUT I can tell he is a follower not a leader. He just goes along with the crowd. Ah, my heart. He had warned me that a lot of kids swear in art. I can believe that. The teacher is really free spirited and lets the kids listen to music while they work on their art and it's super chaotic and noisy. Most of them just goof off. I was disappointed to see Alex also goofing off and just going along with the crowd.  He gets good grades in art and finishes quickly (he's rather talented in art) but he waste a lot of time being entertained by some not so savory boys. Needless to say we had a BIG talk on the way home. Then I shared with James my observations and he had another talk with him. I hope he can develop leadership skills and set an example as opposed to just following along? (((Sigh))) So many life lessons. 

When I mentioned his behavior to James both Devree and Rylee told me he is not the "golden boy" he appears to be. They mentioned his "U" in citizenship for not dressing for gym. Oh dear. I think James shared some great insights with him. He thinks the world of James and tends to appreciate his opinion more than mine. Let's hope he can figure this out and find good friends. Luckily he doesn't hang out with these kids in a social setting - just in art class.  

My mama bear instincts kicked in this week. I can't go into details but just a fair warning, don't mess with my boy. I haven't gotten my mama bear hairs up in awhile and they came out in full force last week. After I calm down and can see straight, it's such a witness of the love I have for Alex. All my children for that matter. Don't mess with my babies. I've been cross-fitting lately and I will take you out.

Tonight he had to write a persuasive paper on why hunting was a good thing. He was copy and pasting phrases off the internet and I told him he had to write his own thoughts and ideas. He seemed exasperated about it. So we broke it down. What three persuasive arguments are you going to use? With a little prodding and examples he came up with his three and wrote the entire paper himself.  THEN he asked me to help proof it!? (I am always volunteering and he has yet to ask for my help this year.) The thoughts were his, I just helped with some sentence structure and word choices.  He was so appreciative afterwards. He hugged me and thanked me. "I think I'll get an A on this paper!"  He then said he wouldn't be scared to ask me to help him with his papers in the future?  I asked why in the world he would be afraid of me? "I'm not afraid really, it's just that you correct me so much." I explained that might be true but that I'm the coach in his corner, giving him water, bandaging up his cuts and encouraging him to get out there and give 'em a right upper hook. He laughed.

It's true, I am in his corner.

I just don't want him going to Ukraine passing out any right upper hooks!