Hodge-Podge of Pictures In December!

Early in the month Austin decided he was too tired to go to bed and challenged his little sisters to put him to bed. They dragged him from the couch to the hall and brushed his teeth but that was as far as they could get him....

Devree had the opportunity to sing with our Stake at a Young Women's Training Conference in the Conference Center.

Cute Ry with her I-pod on...

Alex making a snow fort....

Ny cute Ella...

Alex looking through a glass....

Thanksgiving Pie Feast after the movie!

Austin's choir concert....

Some cute Dev pics....

Rylee made this shirt to wear to school. She doesn't know who to cheer for so she did a half-n-half shirt. (At first she had a U for Utah and a B for BYU....I had to explain that Y stood for BYU. She was very upset but we were able to fix the shirt!)

I think this is Ry....in Dev's coat?

We (James) finally put Kambree's cedar chest together. (It was her graduation gift) Ella had to jump right in and make sure he was doing it right!

Rylee's Dare Graduation....

More Choir...

Dev's Basketball

Dev's "Cell" Cake

Austin huggin Ry @ her dance concert...

Alex receiving recognition for participating in an after school "invention" activity.

A picture of the snow in Wyoming from James...

James sends pictures to my phone letting me know what the morning temperature is in Wyoming. This was NOTHING. Two days ago he sent me one that was -29. The high that day? -8

Devree's Choir Concert

X-man Building a Domino Tower

My girls and Walton's girls having a pedicure party!

Storm update for James!

Richhart Christmas Party!

On the 26th we drove to Mt Pleasant to celebrate Christmas with James' side of the family. We had a yummy dinner, played games, a quick talent show and a white elephant exchange and then hurried home due to the weather.

Thank you Aunt Diana for spearheading this!

I totally forgot to get out my camera but Devree got this of Alex demonstrating his talent. It's pretty dang cute!

Listen close!

Where are you patience? Why can't I find you? Why have you gone away?

(Sing the title to this post to the tune of "Where are you Christmas?" from the movie "The Grinch")

So lately I've had a patch of "Alex is getting on my last nerve" and I've not been very nice. He just seems to say the wrong things, act disgruntled and angry when you're tying to help him, stick his nose in everyone else's business other than his own, and just annoy me in general. I've bit my tongue a lot and rolled my eyes behind his back but I've also said some pretty snide and not so nice comments with regards to some of the things that drive me cRaZy, like the fact that he is twelve years old and CANNOT comb his hair (I guess he figures since he can't see the back of his head, it does not exist?) can't stop picking/itching his nose and or face every ten seconds when reading or watching TV, his lack of color and pattern coordination when it comes to dressing, or the way he sounds like a herd of hippos running/jumping/sliding down the stairs....over and over again! See? Just stupid things that on other days don't phase me at all but for the last week......grrr!!!

Last night I kicked him off of Netflix after the third hour of watching cartoons to watch a movie of my choice. Normally he'll cuddle up to me regardless of the movie and stay and watch but he disappeared. I felt a little bad, thinking that he most probably is trying to "lay low" and avoid my exasperation/chastisement of a behavior that is driving me to drink? Or maybe, my romantic chick flick wasn't as enticing as Austin playing his new war video game with his online headset? (Which reminds me that during one of my "point out one of the many things Alex is doing that is driving me up the wall" moments,  Austin pipped in with a "I like you bro. Took me awhile but I like you!".  Sweet huh? On Austin's part that is.)

Anyway, I've been feeling a little bad. No, I'm not really picking on Alex but I just can't seem to find my patience. I think I threw it out with all the shredded Christmas wrappings and boxes?

So today he's writing in his journal (Yes, I know it's Christmas break but really, does that justify video games and cartoons for hours and hours on end? Give me a break! A little reading and writing should be a welcome relief! Besides, Rylee has to read too!) and he decides to write a memory. Here is a little of what he wrote.

A Ukraine memory:

"When I was little my perent's (parents) did not love me. Exceped (except) my dad, my dad trited (treated) me nice, and once my dad perned (burned) his finger and my (Ukraine) mom was lauthing (laughing) at my dad. I could not do anying (anything)...I am grateful that I have new perents (parents) because they love so so much....I am grateful that my mom still loves me because I love her more."

When I first read it, of course I felt so bad for my little guy. What little person wants to admit that his parents didn't love him?  Hurts my heart.

But I loved the fact that despite my recent lack of patience (and secret desire to pull my hair out over some of his behaviors) that he still feels loved and loves us back! 

Parenting an ex-orphan is not all buttercups and lollipops but dang, if it isn't sometimes the sweetest experience in the world. Especially when you feel like you're not doing so great and you get a little "I know you still love me and I  love you more" at the end of the day!

  

Christmas 2010 In Review!

We had a very nice Christmas.

On Christmas Eve my family came over for an "Italian" Christmas Eve. We had homemade lasagna (Kammy and I each made a 9x13 size pan), garlic bread, a yummy toss salad (made by Shaundra-Arron's girlfriend), my mom made her yummy cheesecake and my brothers brought sparkling juices that we drank out of fancy goblets! 

After dinner was cleaned up, I surprised everyone with a new updated Christmas video that my fabulous cousin Paul threw together for me a few days before Christmas.  It was from 2000 to 2009 - which was nice because our other video was from 1969-1999, in 1999 I was pregnant with Rylee and we didn't have Tyler, Zach, Sydni or Alex. (Or any girlfriends for that matter!) So the updated video was a little more fun for the newest members of our family!

My sister and her family left after we exchanged cousin gifts and our sibling gifts to do their own Christmas Eve traditions. But my parents, brothers and their girlfriends (Yes, all THREE had girlfriend this year....maybe I'll have a few sister-in-laws next year?!) all stayed for awhile. We watched the DVD put out by the Church about the birth of Christ and then played the corniest game of Christmas charades. I got "Deck the Halls" - try acting that out! However, I could instantly guess what Alex was acting out and everyone was in awe of my charade skills! Then I explained that our first few months together all we did was pantomime so we're pretty good at it!

Our guest left around eleven and Alex was so excited. He kept proclaiming "Tomorrow is Christmas!" He went right to bed but Rylee kept puttering around. I thought she was asleep and James and I were sneaking down with presents and there she was! In her locker! Luckily she didn't see me and I threw the presents in the bathroom, shut the door and ran upstairs to shoo James back into our room!

After getting my little "Cindy Lou Who" back to bed we brought down Christmas, hid the stockings and set up the scavenger hunt for their big present. (A Christmas tradition!)

This year was the year of "Apple" as Dev, Ry and Alex  all got I-pods. Austin got new roller-blades & The Call Of Duty/Black Ops video game (proof that there really is a Santa as his mother said she was never buying anything video game related again!) and Kambree got a digital camera! Everyone was thrilled with their presents and very grateful for everything. (Besides that they all got clothes & shoes and things they needed! Oh, except Rylee did get a pack of Webkins, Austin a Camel Back & big fluffy body pillow, Alex a kit to make 42 different cars and a 1.25 pound sleeping bag for his many back packing trips scheduled this summer with his scout troop!)

Alex had been so excited to "tell me story" about my Christmas gift from him. (Remember last year? He gave me a "Grad" necklace...thinking it said "Great"?  Teeheehee!) He gave me a yummy lotion from Bath & Body Works (because I gave him a $10 gift card as he had very little money for shopping) and a new black Shade-like shirt! That's where the story comes in. The shirt he found in the mall parking lot, laying on the ground when they got out to go shopping! Brand new in the bag with no information about who might have lost it. He was so excited to tell me this story and give me this shirt. It's even my right size!

Kambree gave me a Snow College sweat jacket-which I love and feel so very hip & young in and Austin gave me the first Christmas gift he's ever bought on his own...a cranberry candle!

Rylee surprised James and I with a scavenger hunt of her own. (This is why she was up late!) Her clues are so dang cute that I want to remember them always. Here they are verbatim:

#1The first clue is look where the apple lays and macaroni is part of the phrase (Behind our Mac computer in the kitchen was a gift for James - five rolls of electrical tape!)

#2 Go up stairs and fetch it for me and see if you can find note number three, don't look in the toilets don't look in the draws don't look in the dressers night stands or doors but look in the closet don't waste your hole day find the right one and go on with your play. (In the linen closet was a butter dish for me!)

#3 One more present left in this home who ever can find it will get an I-phone. Just pulling your leg what a stupid idea who gives their child an I-phone at this time of year? But wear would you charge it, some are pigsties and others are pleasant. (In her locker was an ornament she had made in school for the two of us!)

She is a riot! And quiet a little poet!

The kids found their stockings and then we ate sticky buns and little Costco quiches for breakfast. 

Played and cleaned up.

Went to my Grandma Lee's to see her and met up with my Uncle Ray and a few of my cousins and of course Grandma and Debbie fed us a little lunch.

Came home and played a little more and/or took naps.

Then we went to my parents for dinner. The kids got their grandparents gifts (Homemade rice bears to heat up and Ry & Alex got new DS games and the other three got I-tune cards...their favorite!)  and my parents gave us our gifts.(A portable cooler, a blue ray DVD and a reconditioned, Bissel carpet cleaner! It looks brand new and now my sister and I can stop borrowing my moms!)

Then we spent the night playing games and eating, eating, eating! It was a great day!

Or in Alex's words:

"The best day in the whole world!"

Common Sense....

The week before school let out for Christmas break one of Alex's words was common sense. Yes, I know it's technically TWO words but I really need this boy to understand what common sense is and perhaps find a little more? 

Seriously.

Here are just some of the issues:
It gets dark about 5 o'clock right now, Alex is often just beginning his homework or reading and he will NEVER turn on a light. He'll just sit in the dusky light and squints at his book or paper. I've talked to him about this numerous times. I've tried to be sympathetic to his upbringing as he's explained that they didn't turn the lights on after a certain hour of day and they often played in the dark but as I understand it, this was BEDTIME not studying time. I'm also sympathetic to the lighting in an orphanage and that perhaps he's just very use to dim, poor light? But enough is enough! I've talked with him about the damage he's doing to his eyes. But regardless, he sits in the dark, squinting and struggling to see. And so every day or at least every other we address reading and writing in the dark.

Common sense would be welcome in this instance.

He doesn't wear a coat. He leaves for places coat-less. Then complains he's cold. Well.....duh!

Common sense would help you figure this one out!

He cannot figure out how to pull his sheets up when he makes his bed. We've gone over it about a bazillion times. Takes about ten more seconds to make the bed with smooth, straight sheets and being the OCD parent that I am, I guarantee that I catch 95% of the time the lack of this simple, small step when I walk by his room - which one HAS to walk by to get to any other room in the house. I've called him on it every time. Made him re-make his bed. Every. Time. Still, I bet you that tomorrow this small, simple step will be over looked.

Common sense would certainly help in this regard.
I could go on but I won't. Just know, that these are just the tip of the iceberg. It effects him in so many ways and sometimes it's heart wrenching for not only him but me. Our biggest common sense issues probably deal with school work and consequences. Things most children figure out at age 5 and 6, we are tackling at the sensitive pre-pubescent age of 12 and 1/2!

Tonight Devree was asking me if I was a small dog would I get out of the way of people? (Because our dog does not!) I explained that Ella does not have any common sense. To which Alex pipped in from the other room! "I hate that word!"  I know Alex,  because you are in need of it in so many instances!!

(Sigh)

Christmas!

Morning!

Christmas Night at My Mom & Dads....playing Bananagrams!