Pumpkin Patch and Halloween

Holidays at the Richardson house are certainly mellowing as the kids get older. We had a "low key" halloween. Bryce spent the weekend at my parents so he could hang out with the NOCOFOCOMOPO (translation...North Colorado, Ft. Collins, Mormon Posse! Ha ha!) He dressed up as a blue crayon along with a large group of teens who were other colored crayons. He had a good time and came home with huge amounts of sugar. Kye spent halloween night at a friends house and dressed up as a "smartie pants". He had a blast with the guys and had a bit of a sugar crash when he got home the next day. Brynlee is at an absolute loss when her brothers are gone. She had her school party where she got to wear her doctor costume. We did the traditional trunk-or-treat at church and then she trick-or-treated the neighborhood with her bff, Kaydra. She came home, bathed and watched the new Tinker Bell movie with her dad and I until she fell asleep. I could get used to "low key" holidays!

We enjoyed the pumpkin patch this year and got a few good pix. Bryn and Bill put together a "Mrs. Potato Head" pumpkin and it was too cute!!! Now we just need a "Mr. Potato Head"!

Brynlee and BFF Kaydra at the Trunk-or-Treat.

At the school costume parade.

Mr. Smartie Pants...appropriate!

Those are some cute kids!!!!

Our fam.

She poses like a gap model! Ha ha!

His eyes slay me!

Oh my handsome teenage son! (Sorry...I think my kids are super adorable!)

More gap model pose-age:)

Gorgeous...enough said.

Another Lost Tooth

My beautiful little girl is entering the dreaded "ugly duckling" phase. I still think she's adorable, but the gaping holes in her smile are increasing exponentially. In come the oversized, often crooked and mis-shapen adult teeth in her little tiny mouth. She gets sooooo excited every time a new tooth starts to wiggle. She looks forward to showing her teacher the new emptiness in her mouth and to the dollar under her pillow in the morning from the magical fairy who collects children's teeth. It's so much fun for the kiddos, but for the mommy...*sigh*...I miss her full set of chompers.

Hawaiian Day at School...

I have been such a "Blog Slacker" lately! The kids had homecoming week at their school a few weeks ago and one of the themed days was Hawaiian Day. Brynlee looked like a real little hula girl (with the exception of the jeans and long sleeved shirt! Ha ha!) and Kyle, my little comedian, was a real ham. He decided that he was going to wear a coconut bra to school with a grass skirt. It was a hit! He cracks me up! The kids really had fun going all out on this one. They also had a dressy day, spirit day where they wore the school colors of blue, white and grey, and they had a sports day too. It's kinda fun to have all my kids at the same K-12 school where even the elementary and middle school kids get to participate in things like homecoming.

My goof ball!

Hula Bryn.

Belated Pix of Bryce's 15th Birthday...

Mary and the roomies.

Bryce blowing out his funfetti cupcake.

The new BYU I hat from auntie Mary;.

I have been terrible about updating lately. I will try to do a little better. My son turned 15...yes...15....on October 11th. I'm still in shock:) We had a "low key" year for his b-day this time. We just hung out, did presents, went to Old Chicago for pizza and the traditional room decorating (in this case it was the downstairs living room because that's where he fell asleep...ha ha). My sister, Mary (who is at BYU Idaho) and the majority of her roomates came down to suprise Bryce for his b-day. They got stuck in a snowstorm in Wyoming, but made it safe and sound and joined us at Old C's for pizza. It was really fun to watch everyone's suprised faces when she walked in:) I hope he enjoyed his day. He is busy with high school, seminary and the teachers quorum at church. What a guy. We treasure him.

My Husband-"The Extremist"

The inside of the mansion tent.

This isn't even fully set up...the chimney isn't in this shot...believe me it adds to the whole concept of "extremism"! It felt like a scene from M.A.S.H. in my yard!

Setting up the mansion.

A peek inside one of our 3 very full freezers. Wow!

Our farm tomatoes ready for blanching.

Homemade salsa. Soooo good:)

Padilla and Bill in between sealing jars.

P.S. That's my kitchen in the background...more pix to come on that:)

Homemade grape jelly. YUM!

The guys canning whole tomatoes.

My Husband..."The Extremist". That would be the new nick name he has inherited through his efforts of food preservation, tent purchasing, ammunition stock-piling, and other overly-preparedness efforts. LOL! It's all in good fun of course, but here are some of the details of my hubby's extreme life...

This summer, the church opened plots at the stake farm to members for community gardening. We went in with 4 families and planted, weeded and harvested 8 100 foot rows of veggies. We planted carrots, onions, peppers, tomatoes, peas, green beans, and jalepenos. Every week we would weed our little brains out and reward the kids with a trip to Dairy Queen afterwards. Finally it was time to harvest and preserve. The goal was a year supply for each of the 4 families. The guys did all the canning, blanching and freezing...the ladies went to movies and shopping! Have we got it good or what???!!!! Turns out the guys REALLY enjoy food preservation. So every weekend for the past 1 1/2 months, my kitchen (or our friends')has been a cannery. They froze the beans, carrots, peas and some peppers. They also went out to the farm and picked truck loads of corn which they shucked, de-silked, blanched and froze and even de-cobbed a bunch. My freezer is SOOOO full!! Then they made tonz of canned salsa, green chile, whole tomatoes and tomato sauce. In the midst of all that, they got at least 40lbs. of grapes from a friend...so they made and canned grape jelly and homemade grape juice. Whew! It makes me tired just thinking about it. Needless to say..our food staorage has had quite the boost this year. I am reaping the rewards of my hubby's extreme behavior:) YUM!

Next on the list of "extremism" would be the tent he bought for hunting season this year. He wanted a military tent that has a stove and chimney and open floor. And he found one. It's HUGE!!! Granted, there are 6 guys going hunting together this year, but still..it took up the entire backyard! I think the neighbors are still talking about the "house" behind our house.

Anyway...I love my husband, the "extremist"...I just wish he would get extreme about things like..shoes...or monthly pedicures! For now I will just settle in with some chips and homemade salsa along with a cup of his grape juice and enjoy the fact that I'm married to a man who takes such good care of us:) Love you babe!!!

A New Favorite Quote by Pres. Monson!

During the Sunday morning session of General Conference today our prophet gave an awesome talk about service and helping one another. He is such an engaging and motivating speaker and he encouraged me to keep my priorities straight by telling us not to "Get caught up in the thick of thin things". I actually think I'm gonna have a vinyl printed of this quote and put it in my hallway to help us remember to stay focused on things that REALLY matter. I hope you all had a moment during this conference where you were inspired too!

My Next Big Adventure...

You read it right...I'm off to college! I will be attending school after I drop my kids off at theirs! Crazy! I enrolled in the CNA (certified nurse assisitant) Program where I will be wearing something like this.......

and using tools such as this......

and I'm quite excited! It's a quick program which starts November 9. I will be in the classroom, doing labs and then clinicals. Then I will take the state certification test and hopefully find a little job that I enjoy! I am just getting my "feet wet" with this class and may end up going on into the radiology or nursing program...only time will tell. But for now, I'm excited, nervous and anxious! I'm happy to have something to do during the day that belongs to JUST me (unlike the laundry, dishes, bed-making...you catch my drift! Ha ha!). I'm lucky enough to have a girlfriend go through this course with me too which makes me feel much more comfortable :) (We'll have a blast Shannon!) Wish me luck every one! I'm gonna need it!!!!!!!!!!!