Viva Las Vegas with the Pace's

We celebrated Thanksgiving Vegas style with my side of the family.   Ally was the ring leader getting all of us to pitch in and rent a big house with a pool and a smaller condo to fit all of us.   Thanksgiving day the adults chatted and prepared food while the kids spend hours upon hours swimming away there hearts.  Hands down the best way to spend time together as a family.

Friday we got up nice and early and headed for circus circus while Bart had to work and do some desk reviews back at the Condo.   Turns out mom's a great shot at the basketball throwing game.  The rest of the games, well lets just say the kids had a great time throwing away mom's money.   But when in Vegas.....   Spencer was not a happy kid.  He thought he should be the one throwing each and every ball he saw and let us all know his frustration that he couldn't.    One way to get a stuffed animal is to win the games.  Another way.... well throw the biggest fit in front the man running the game and he hands you a stuffed animal in hopes to quiet you down.   

Just when my nerves were shot from the chaos and Spencer's persistants and my wallet was empty Bart called to say he was done with work and to come get him.  So we loaded up picked up Bart and went to the Bellagio.  The kids loved the tigers, talking tree and giant fairy made out of flowers. 

We waited around for the water show to start and then realized it doesn't start until 3PM. Oh well we took a few cute photos instead.

After a long and slow drive down the strip we headed back to the house and found the pool's heater was either was broken or got accidental turned up to 105 degrees. 😲  I hate cold water so preferred it over a luke warm pool but the kids were too hot and only dipped for a short amount of time.  Bart on the other hand throughly enjoyed floating around in the giant hot tub.

Later that night we enjoyed a talent show and a gift exchange. 

A big thanks to the two in the middle for all they do for this crazy loud family so that so many memories are continuously made.

Pioneer girl Jane

Jane participated in her 4th grade program.   She was assigned to dress like a pioneer girl and thanks to Grandma Becky's under the house she had the best costume!  She mastered her part within a day or two and was so articulate and cute when she gave it.  Here it is... 

"By 1846 at least six wagon trains had made trails through Utah and yet none of these early travelers wanted to stop and settle in the barren desert, covered with sagebrush. They had heard that the fertile valleys were only another 500 miles away to the west."

 The whole grade played the recorders like pros.  It really was quite impressive.  Jane had fun dancing the Virginia Reel (although she won't admit it).  The art teacher ask her to draw a map of the United states that was used the entire puppeteer slide show.   I was so proud when at the end the slide show said "A special thanks to Jane Richards from Mrs. Hamm's class for drawing the map".   When it was over, Jane came to find me and was so happy Nona came and supported her.  Well done Jane!!

Speaking of Picture day......

Look at my cuties 

It was completely Aaron's idea to where a church shirt and tie.   I was so proud!!

Halloween 2018

We had a fabulous Halloween.    Tons of fun at our ward Trunk or Treat with Chili, dancing and appearances from the cast of Coco (the Bishopric). *Emily once again won most creative costume* My kids enjoyed dressing up for a Richards Sunday evening dinner,  the school Halloween parade and of course treat or treating with friends. 

Rachel's Blessing

We headed up to Idaho to spend the weekend with family celebrating Rachel Preston's baby blessing.

First stop was Lagoon where we enjoyed Frightmares.  The girls and Bart rode the Skycoaster.  It was Jane's first time.  A little apprehensive at first but she came off skipping saying this was by far the best ride at Lagoon.

We then met up with the Preston's, Robertson's and Nona and Papa at Lava Hot Springs pool.  Voted best indoor pool by me.  May be the only indoor pool that I don't freeze in.   The kids had a blast playing in the swimming in the kiddie pool and jumping off the diving board.    Jane had no problem squirming up the rock wall attached to the pool while Bart took a couple of tries but he would not be out done by his daughter and made it to the top (hmm... I wonder where Jane gets her competitive spirit from?     We then spent some time at the Hot Springs before heading up to the Preston's

My kids had so much fun at the Preston's house.  Aaron loved all the cousin time.  He is especially fond of holding baby Silas.  The girls were fascinated by her "hidden" pantry.  They apparently stayed up one night organizing it and had some sort of Narnia game they played.  We got home and they both started bugging me that our pantry needs to be remodeled like Sarah's. 

Rachel's blessing was beautiful and the lunch afterwards was yummy as ever.  Thanks for hosting us Joe and Sarah!!!

$103

What a monumental day!  I sent off my last student loan payment of 103 dollars.   This means I am officially loan free and 1/2 way to retirement.     15 years ago while I was filling out all the paperwork required to start 15 years of payments I felt like 15 years was forever away.   But just like the scriptures that say "By small and simple means are great things brought to pass"  in a blink of an eye I'm here.

I pause to think about me as a Speech Pathologist these last 15 years.    I'll admit I don't think I had a clue what I was doing 15 years ago still don't know have a clue with treatment of /r/.  I didn't stay in k-12 long enough to get good at it and luckily it's not a concern when they are 3-4.  Side note- a few years ago when I was once again being shifted around I was talking to my coordinator about always having to move and she said it was the nature of preschool because there were less SLP's to work with.  She suggested if I wanted stability I should move back to k-12.  My response was I don't know I thing about treating an /r/.  Lisa laughed and said "Oh hell that shouldn't be the reason you would figure it out".  I started in Davis School District and worked one year in an Elementary School in Layton and Bountiful Jr. High.  Then I moved to Salt Lake District in the Head Start Program for a couple of years, went part time and back to an Elementary School and a Jr. High for one year and then moved back to Special Ed preschool.   Head Start was where fell in love with preschoolers,  thanks in part to a great Special Ed.  teacher Carolyn Bone.  I observed and watched her artistically turn children's books into amazing therapy language group tools.     At first I wasn't that great at doing language groups but as I observed and imitated my skills grew and now it's one of my funnest parts of my day when I can captivate an entire class with books and objects and get those little silent mouths to use words. 

 For a while I was a little bitter that I was always required to pack up and move but over time I've seen that the change has caused me to reach out of my comfort zone and embrace new skills.  For instance I was happily back at Head Start working with the mild-moderate crowd of kids when the assignment came to move to a Severe preschool unit.  The short time I spent in a severe preschool, before I was able to move back to head start,  I felt pretty neutral towards the severe population.  Autistic kids were  not my favorite and I struggled with how to get progress out of them.  But as I moved back to into the world of severe kids, most of whom have autism, I discovered new tricks to the trade and have found they are a joy and wonder to work with.   I've adored working with down syndrome and other genetic disorder kids and feel like they are just a step away from Heaven and feel there choice spirits interacting with them each day.

At times I long to be a stay at home mom.  I'm sure I'll feel a lot more caught up in life but I feel quitting my job would be like walking away from one of my purposes in this life.    So I count my many blessings I get to work part time with a husband who encourages self reliance in women and independent kids who jump in to help. 


As a part timer For better or worse (depending on the year) I've missed most "school picture days"  I've only been forced to participate i.e. been at work during my first year then this year.

 So here's to another 15+ years.