Happy Birthday Great Grandpa Richardson!

November 20th was Grandpa Richardson's birthday. He turned 90 years old! We have all appreciated his wisdom, he is truly a great patriarch. We were sad that we were unable to attend his birthday party, given the great distance between Alabama and Utah. We are looking forward to a visit next June.

Aaron called his Great Grandpa last week to interview him and he wrote a paper based on his interview:
I interviewed my great-grandpa Richardson. One of his favorite traditions is saying daily prayers. His mother told him if he prayed morning and evening good things would happen to him. His mother has effect on the way he looks at life. His mother was kind and helped in any way possible. When he was very young his father died. It made them very poor and he was unable to go to college but he did get to go to a free church school that taught what a college would teach. He learned how to be a secretary. His favorite job was being boss of the Sacramento office for the Southern Rail Road. His boss worked 90 miles and he was able to work independently. Great-Grandpa Richardson had 6 children. He was proud of them because they all went to college and always had a’s and pluses on their report card. If he had the power to solve one problem in the world it would be to help people keep the commandments. He turned 90 years old on 11/20/08. He lives in Utah near my Grandma and Grandma Clay.

My Southern Boys

My school age children get to buy school lunch once each week. Occasionally their school lunch day is forced on them by a rushed morning, but when it isn't, they usually choose Friday, the day that pizza is offered. Not this week. This morning, both boys chose school lunch. What was so special? CHEESE GRITS! Cheese grits? Yes.
This was after Patrick asked if we were having black eyed peas and turnip greens for dinner last night.
Occasionally I catch them saying "Yes, mamm" to me. Maybe they'll learn good southern manners after all.

Reindeer fact by Patrick

When it snow deer become reindeer.
Santa has a reindeer named Honor.
Reindeers have red noses.
They havewool on them and they have eyes. Some of them have ears.

Quotable Clay

I hope Soren gets this message:
Patrick: Soren is my best cousin in the whole wide world.

It looked like spilled milk (and it was)

Right now the fridge is the number one target for my little cuties turned vandals. We've lost at least 3 dozen eggs recently, and here's the latest, half a gallon of milk. I've never had a fridge lock before, but it's looking like the practical solution for saving money on our grocery bill.

Little Chef

Patrick and I continue to have our daily (almost) preschool time during the babies' naps. Today we made a chef puppet and jam thumbprint cookies. (Yum Yum! cooking treats is one our favorite activites)

Builders.

The best $15 I have ever spent on toys for my children

was a bucket of pattern blocks from a school supply store.

Aaron and Cory working on their veteran's day creation,

a battle fort with lots of canons(blue and white diamonds).
Here is the completed masterpiece.

First haircut

On Saturday morning, Aaron, Cory and Patrick were all in desperate need of haircuts; so it was time to get out the clippers again. When I was finished I looked aroung on saw my two little cuties, and noticed that each had a bit scraggly hair, something that I generally do not mond to much in babies of their age. But they were in good moods, so it just made since to finish out my entire lot of boys. I'd never had a baby behave so nicely for their first haricut and Andrew and Edmund did.

Aaron holding Edmund to show off his first haircut. Aaron holding Andrew to show off his first haircut.

These are the best pictures I was able to get. After being perfect angels for the hair cutting process, they both had a hyper happy fit when I got the camera out.

Carissa, our little pioneer girl

Carissa was finally able to wear her halloween costume. She is a pioneer girl

I made the pinafore for easter 1 1/2 years ago. I added a blue skirt to the dress I made for it and found enough scraps in my sewing box to make her a matching bonnet. Isn't she cute?

Tuesday, October 28 Pumpkin Carve

I should have posted these pictures earlier, but here they are. Our Family Home Evening activity on Tuesday, Nov. 28th was carving pumpkins, enjoying apple cider, and singing Halloween carols (Mr. Jack o Lantern, and There's No Such Thing as a Witch, and 5 Little Pumpkin) Patrick had a happy one toothed pumpkin
Carissa had a singing pumpkin

Aaron and Cory carved an extra large angry pumpkin

Andrew and Edmund were happy to sit at the table, and sense the excitement of the activity