Monday, July 18, 2016

2016....One busy, but fun year!

I think I've broken my own record.  I thought not updating my blog for 6 months was bad, but I think it's been 9 months!  Sheesh!  My excuse is I FINALLY had my baby and have been trying to catch up ever since.  I don't know if there is such a thing as caught up with 3 kids.  You better enjoy this blog while it lasts b/c when I have more kids, blog entries may just not exist. haha!  Anyway, enough talk.  Let's see pics!!!!!!



Annette Carol Richards arrived 18 days late on Oct. 29, 2015 at 3:37am. She was well worth the wait! She was born at home and weighed a whopping 9 lbs 11 oz.  My children never cease to amaze me when they hit those birth scales.  

Mack and Annette have a special bond.  They love each other so much!


Mack and Rae adore Annette. They were so excited when she arrived.  They read to her lots and, of course, poked and touched and hugged and kissed her plenty.


Covey stepped it up into high gear with this recovery.  He was a HUGE help.  Poor guy was so exhausted! Katie Richards also came out and helped me and I thank her times a million for that!

Mack and Rae love water!

Rae loved her 3rd birthday! She got an Elsa dress, a bike, and lots of sugar.  What more could you ask for?

 
 
We re-enacted the Christmas story. It was cute!
Here are the videos:


  
The kids got Legos and cool jammies for Christmas:)

  
We got our 1st and only snowfall 2 days after Christmas (I love Washington b/c it snows every year around Christmas and never overstays its welcome).

The kids playing in the snow with Hailey Flanagan, the neighbor.

  

Annette's photo shoot (2 months old).

Here is a video when Annette started smiling.  So sweet!!


Mack and Rae helping me test out my cake decorating kit.

Annette at 3 months.  She is such a happy and chill baby.  We all love her!

I love this sequence of photos below.  This is all happened within 1 minute.  I'd say this is a typical hourly occurrence at our house.  They keep me on my toes:

 Happy
 One crying
 2 crying
All happy again



 Covey built himself a computer for his bday.  He was stoked when he turned it on and it worked!
 I was Mary Poppins for YW New Beginnings.  My kids loved my red lips.  haha!
 Mack and Rae making soap crayons.



 Rae's wall of creative masterpieces (this is how we survive WA winters)
 Eating out at a fun restaurant in Seattle
 It was really yummy
 Cool playground at the Seattle Center in downtown
 Weeee!
 You have to work to go down a slide

 There were musical structures everywhere.  It was neat!
Crazy merry-go-round

 Twinners!
 Mack's 5th Birthday!
You can never have too many legos right?
 Decorating banana muffins
 Want some cake with that frosting, Mack?


One of Mack and Rae's favorite past times.  Tsk Tsk! Kids will be kids!




In March, we went to Salt Lake and visited the Richards (aka the white haired grandpa and the brown haired grandma). It was fun seeing everyone and meeting new people.  Thanks for a good trip!


 We had a fun Easter egg hunt
 Roasted marshmallows



And enjoyed getting to know Grandma Lou (white haired grandma with the yummy cereal)

Going for a ride in cousin Mike's BMW "racecar"

The kids enjoying the nice spring weather





 Annette with her friend, Abbey Flanagan. I cried when Abbey was born b/c she was due 2 weeks after Annette, but Annette didn't come until 5 days after Abbey.  But we love baby Abbey:) 


At the park with Hailey Flanagan, Rae, and Mack


All 3 kids playing together and no crying.  Success!!! 


"Mom, there's no apple juice coming out!"  haha



 Rae let me crimp her hair for the first time.  She loved it!



Sporting Aunt Tiffany's cool shades on the way to church 
Playing cars with cousins at Grandma Reed's house

 Fishing in the swamp 
 Grandma and Grandpa Reed with the happy grandkids
 Awkward family photo
 More fishing

 Smile Rae
 Family photo

 Most awkward family photo with a photo bomber even.  haha.  so great!!!!


One of my regrets from my wedding is we never got to cut a wedding cake and smash it in each others' faces.  So for our 6th Anniversary, I decided to make a bunch of cakes, have everyone decorate their own cake, and then cut my cake followed by a family cake fight.  BEST WEDDING CAKE CUTTING CEREMONY EVER!!! I couldn't stop laughing!
 Can it get any more ridiculous than this?  Haha!  Can you spot our wedding rings too?  haha.
 Here's the ammunition ;)
 How romantic!
 Awww! How sweet!!!
 Let the games begin!!!!!







































 Awkward jumping pics.  haha!


 Awww! Look at that daddy/daughter love!!!


When we got home from Michigan, Covey built Mack a mini loft bed.  We all love it, especially Mack.
 Rae and Mack switched rooms.  Rae now has Mack's old big bed.  No more toddler beds.






Happy Annette


Covey's best friend, Isaac Marnick and his girlfriend, Liz, visited us from Maine.  It was so great to see them.  We had a nice visit.


 Mack and Rae love coconut milk ice cream.  We all do!!!  It's our special treat if we eat all our dinner.
 



Covey's Elder's Quorum had a pinewood derby.  It was the funnest Pinewood Derby I've been to.  It was fun seeing the creative cars and not one of them had help from their dads;)  
 The best was the trophies.  So creative.  Not sure how well you can see them.  They're spray painted action figures holding cars.  haha! 

 Guess who got 1st place???  Covey!!!!!  Mack was stoked.  He wanted the car trophy.


 Covey's champion car.  He melted lead on the back, and let the kids color it.


On June 6, Rae learned how to ride a 2 wheeler!!  Here's the video footage:


On June 28, Mack learned to ride a 2 wheeler!!!  Here's the video footage:


Mack just got a Hot Wheels bike last week and him and Rae are racing buddies:)


For the 4th of July weekend we went to Hebgen.  A place I've wanted to visit for years and Covey's favorite childhood spot.  It was one of the best family trips we've ever done.  It was so relaxing too. We met Stephen and James and their families and we all had such a blast.  We just fell in love with them....and Hebgen.  We can't wait to go back!!!  
 Rae, Ann, Mack, and Willard
 Covey getting ready to water ski after 18 years
 Toasty water???  Brrrr!!!!
 Bombs away!!!!
Here is Covey's video footage water skiing:

Before getting in the water:

Waiting in the water while Stephen is "quickly" getting the boat ready (haha):

Covey's 1st attempt:

Covey's 2nd attempt:

Covey's 3rd attempt:


I thought Covey was pretty amazing, then James took his turn......he was amazing!


 Here's James' video footage: 


Willard wanted to attempt slalom.  He did it on his first try.  Here's his video footage:
Attempt #1:

Attempt #2:







Then Ann tried water skiing for the first time.  She did better than I did when I first water skiied.  Here's her video footage:

Attempt #1: 

Attempt #2:


 Mack
 Ross, Spencer, and Rebekah
 Rebekah, Rae, Sydney, and Willard
 Jenny (Rosalee's daughter), Covey, and Annette
 John, Rae, and Mack
 Mack at the famous Hebgen Beach
 John and Rae
 Me and Annette
Me, Annette, and Mack


One of my favorite parts of the trip was we went into West Yellowstone and got matching shirts. I was telling everyone that I'd do anything for a shirt, then Rebekah said she'd get me a shirt, and then Stephen said we should all get matching shirts.  Great idea!!! We love our Hebgen shirts.  Life really is better at the lake;) So fun!!!
 Mack riding a bull
 Sydney, Mack, Rae, and Covey


  This is us in front of Covey's grandpa Richards' cabin, where we stayed.
 "Family picture"....not really b/c Annette was asleep.

 John, Willard, Stephen, Spencer, and Ann
 Rebekah and Mack
 James, Elizabeth, Ross, Covey, Sydney, and Rae
 Elizabeth, Covey, Sydney
 James, Stephen, Spencer, Rebekah, Mack, Willard, Ann
 Me, Covey, James, Ross, Stephen, Spencer, Rebekah, Ann, Mack, Sydney, Rae, Willard, John


 Me, Covey, James, Elizabeth, Ross, Spencer, Rebekah, Ann, Sydney, Willard, Mack, John, Rae


A cool thing I learned when I met Covey's Aunt Irene is she used to coach jump roping (for 10 years), so her kids jump too.  Next time we're bringing our ropes and having a show down.  :)

The day after we got back from Hebgen, John and BreeAnna flew in from India.  Here are pics of Annette and GaLynn showing off their new India pants. Thanks for all the gifts John and BreeAnna!





These are the kids today playing outside (Annette again in her India pants):




Some people have asked to see my garden.  Here are 2 pics.  The first one was a few months ago and the last one is today.


Well, this entry should either teach me not to procrastinate updating my blog or gives me the excuse that I don't have to get on here for at least another 9 months.  Haha.  We'll see.  Until next time.  We love you family!!!!


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