Girls Christmas Lunch

I can't tell you how much I look forward to this. Ever since I was a little girl and got to go to Christmas lunch with my mom and grandma every year I have looked forward to it. I loved getting a special gift wrapped up all pretty from my grandma and getting all dressed up for this special occasion. I hope my girls will have just as fond of memories that I have had throughout my life! And I think they will; Ella just had the biggest smile on her face the whole time and Claire loved coloring with Makaylee and guzzling down her own drink! My mom looks forward to this every year too... she loves being able to do this for all us girls now! The way we keep having girls she is going to have to rent a banquet room for lunch before she know it:) This year we were at Porcupine Grill... so yummy! and us big girls got new hot chocolate mugs and the little girls got Strawberry shortcake dolls! I had a great time and can't wait for next year! Thanks Mom! Love you!

Litza's and Lights!

Love this family tradition of going downtown to Litza's Pizza and Temple Square Lights! Its so crazy for how warm and peaceful that the Temple grounds feel amongst all the chaos outside the walls and bitter coldness that is in the air. We picked the wrong night to go... downtown was insanely busy...Litzas was packed, it took us 30 minutes to find a parking place at the temple and had some major traffic both on the way there and on the way home. But it really was amazing how once we walked into the gates of the temple grounds calmness, peace, warmth, and beauty fills you up. And all that anxiety of crowds and craziness just seems to melt away! Ella loved the "pink lights", of course, Clarie was excited to see all the water features, and be in her hat and gloves, Mason loves taking pictures and likes the "blue and green lights mixed together", I love the white and red lights, and Ryan loves the big trees all lit up and watching the kids faces. Such a fun night and one that I look forward to each year and treasure.

Class parties and Christmas sings

I was able to help with Masons Elf Academy class Christmas party this year! The kids were all in elf training... they had to learn to wrap a present, decorate a gingerbread house, decorate a tree, complete elf trivia, build toys, help Santa get dressed correctly and decorate a tree. All that and they were certified to be one of Santas helpers! Fun Party


Ella did really great and sang all the words and did all the actions just right in her Christmas sing! Miss Jeri was very proud of her, as was I! Afterwards her and Clarie and I got to go to Sweet Tooth Fairy for some cUpCaKes! Let me tell ya... if you wanna make my girls happy... just get them a cupcake! So yummy!

Bitten by the horse bug

Ella has been taking horse riding lessons this last fall, which she loves and is doing really great! Claire,my nervous and needs to warm up to new things and people, is just so funny about these horses! Its sort of been a love/hate relationship up until now. She has always loved going to see the horses, in fact she would often ask to do so... at first she loved blowing them kisses, then she worked her way up to patting them, sometimes she would even feed them a carrot or a treat, but she would never get on one. The idea of that just terrified her. Some major screams and clutching would take place if you even tried to sit her on a horse. But all along she would love to go and see them. Well ever sense she has been watching her big sister ride almost every week she has been warming up to the idea of riding and today she did it! When asked if she wanted to ride Toi with Ally she said "yes" and got right up there! She didn't even cry or get nervous at all! Then she went right to the next one and went for a ride on Tess with her Nana! Big step today! She just may have been bitten by the horse bug!

The Richards Christmas Party

This is seriously one of the funnest parties that we go to each year! It is some serious craziness when you get Ryan and his buddies together... and when you throw in some inappropriate white elephants and bingo for gift cards... its a fun night for all. Unfortunately most of the pictures that were taken are not OK to share with the public. :) But let me tell ya, these boys can take a simple joke and make it grow and grow and grow! We laughed so hard all night long! And us wives had to wonder what these boys do when we aren't around if this was how they act when we were :) We have all known each other for just about forever, 15 plus years. Thanks to Josh and Mel, Marsh and Bree, Troy and Misti, and Jeff and McCall for your awesome friendship and a great time! We had a wonderful dinner and yummy dessert! So thanks to McCall and Jeff for spoiling us once again! We love our friends. Merry Christmas! (hopefully I can get my hands on some nice pictures to post:)

Pennys for Papa

Ryan's Papa died in December of 1995and unfortunately I was never able to meet him personally. But after all the stories I have heard of this wonderful man and seeing the influence he had on Ryan's life, I just love this man. So we went to visit his grave with some of Ryan's family and our girls to pay tribute to a wonderful man. At his funeral a poem was read about how every time you see a penny it is from the one you have lost in heaven to remind you how much they love you. So we put penny's on Papas grave.
Crazy part of all this is that he is buried within 30 feet of my grandparent who died in 1998 and in 2002. So we got to visit them to and tell my girls about my wonderful grandparents and how much they meant to me as well.

Harris Family Party

AnNual HaRris famiLy uGly sweAter parTy and wHite elePhant giFt exChange.... fun for all! Winners of the uGlieSt sWeateR contest this year are... 3rd place... Ryan Lund, 2nd place...Brianna , 1rst place... Josh Harris. And the beSt white elephAnt I have ever seen given was from Johnny and poor Ally had to open it... are you ready for this... a real live tarantula in a box about to climb out on her as she was opening it!!!!! So nasty! but seriously the funniest thing I have ever seen! It was a great party and one we look forward to every year!