Richardson Report

 Some things I've been thinking about: 1.  teaching my kids to work 2.  making memories 3.  making more time for Gospel teaching in our home and 4.  determining what my kids need to be taught next I feel like I've raised one family mostly to completion (as Logan leaves this summer) and I'm working on take two.  There are habits that I had when I was a younger mom that have sort of fallen by the wayside that honestly I miss!  They were super beneficial to us as both individuals and as a family unit.  I like them.  Why have I stopped doing some of those things?  Is that good?  Do I need to start them again?  One of those things is family work time.  My older kids did a lot of chores.  I think the main reason that we fell out of the habit is that for a long time the older kids did the chores but as they left, I basically took over their responsibilities because the younger kids were...well, just a little too young to pic...

February 26, 2021 When that girl walked through those doors.  Life was happy.

February is dull.  we made an effort to spice it up a bit. So some February things: Faith decided to be a reader and turns out, she loves it.  Which I knew she would once she got past the stage where it takes So. Much. Effort. For Logan's birthday we arranged a snowboarding trip with Uncle Brian. SO grateful for Brian for making this happen and being willing to take Logan up the mountain for three days.  Logan's not super verbal about things but he absolutely loved it. Prior to that, we helped Grandpa Honey celebrate 90 years - Covid style with a drop-off birthday party. Heather had brought Grandma a balloon in October and they loved watching it waft it's way around their house, so I thought some fresh ones were in order.  I think hers was higher quality.... we hosted a very small Valentine's party.  The older kids were in charge and they planned fun games for the littles. Spring is starting to show up every once in awhile.  We did a hike! And enjoy sunsets...

A family reunion is well worth the effort  these are my few photos from our short visit over New Year’s (the above taken by Shannon).   

To finish up Christmas vacation and 2020: I love the friendship Logan has with Charlie Jarvis.  And I simply adore that when they are hanging out together there is music galore...violin, piano, guitar, ukulele, and voice. Here is Josh practicing.  He's really enjoying it. We celebrated the graduation of this smart from BYU-Idaho.  She worked SO hard and we are so proud of her efforts and successes. For both necessity and fun we repainted the girls room.  Eventually the beds will not be together but they kind of like them like that, so we thought we'd try it for awhile.  LOVE the blue. Kids loving in-person church with their friends.  No one wanted to leave after the meeting. Our friend Karen spoils the girls...so we spoiled her for her birthday.  She is the first height hurdle...can you beat her 4'11"?  Josh made our traditional Christmas Eve rueben sandwiches.  After 20+ years of marriage I have finally wizened up and I choose HIS favorite f...

 So let's give a family update to start off 2021. Joshua:  Josh is Bishop.  Josh is working hard all the time.  Josh is waiting sort of impatiently for his new game table to come (the ultimate nerd purchase) and I think he checks for updates daily.  This year he started guitar lessons with a friend.  I think it brings him a lot of joy to have something that's just for HIM in his life. Kelly:  I am on day 35+ of a Duolingo streak and have buckled down on my spanish language learning.  I hired an online tutor from Nicaragua.  Sometimes we have internet issues but she's nice and it's good practice for me to communicate with someone who can't understand me if I lapse into English so there's no temptation to be lazy.  I do utilize google translate but I'm working on not.  I also have my first piano students this year and it's been fun. Hannah:  and family.... they are doing well.  Expecting baby #2 later this summer and have a ...

So we had a family reunion.   It was a 2020 Covid Miracle.  There were a few bumps - like the one family who had to wait a day and a half and get some Covid test results back (thank goodness for quick results!) and thus didn't make it into the family photo.  Boooo.  But we did end up with a couple days all together for the most part. PS - in the above photo did you notice that we somehow ended up with the bulk of the darker-haired people on one side of the railing and the fair-headed people on the other side?  A few cross-overs (Keaton, Logan, and Mom seemed to not know where they belonged).  But it was funny to me to look at the heads and see one side predominantly dark and one lighter. But on the whole, it was a really delightful week and I'm so glad we pushed ahead and did it.  We agreed it had been 12 years since all the siblings, spouses, and children were together - and some of those spouses weren't spouses yet and many of those children wer...