What a Mess!!!

There are some messes in life that you don't want to clean up, like the little perfect handprints on my dresser mirror from baby Boone, who is growing up way too fast for my liking. Sometimes I find myself wishing that I had a little flower I could sing to like Mother Gothel (see Tangled) did for herself, but my flower would keep Dakota at the age he is (maybe a month younger, when he was less mobile).

Another mess I found myself cleaning today had me grinning from ear to ear and reflecting on the past 9 years of my life. Todd and I have been so incredibly blessed with the friendships we have made in all of our travels. But when we first moved to Hawaii, we bonded with a few couples who were all in the same boat we were. Starving, lonely students at the University of Hawaii with no immediate family close by and only a ward family to cling to. Cling we did! Strangely enough, many of us have ended right back here in Utah, and try as we might, we get together every once in a while for a Family Home Evening (we miss those who are in other states and countries...you know who you are!).

Last night, it was the Riches' turn to host. This means that we provide a lesson (Connor came up with the idea to talk about "the guy on the penny and the guy on the quarter because they were presidents and today is president's day), activity and treat. Todd had just had a very successful Young Men/Young Women/Elder's Quorum activity that they called "Man VS Food." So we attempted our own hand at a Saltine Cracker challenge.

First up were the little kids age 6 and under. Their challenge was two eat two saltine crackers and then recite their ABC's in under one minute (okay, so I might get into things a little more than your average Joe).

Next up were the kids over the age of 6. They were to eat six saltine crackers in under one minute.

And finally, the daddies had to impress not only their wives, but their children with the same six saltines in under sixty seconds challenge.

As you can see, the Buchert's reign supreme in the food challenges! I am sure that there will be some kind of re-match this summer.

The mess I was cleaning while remembering last night was the equivalent of one bag of saltine crackers on the kitchen floor. Just imagine, the mess that Eden and Soren would have made by themselves at a gathering almost 10 years ago was no grander than a mess that 13 kids made in just 3 minutes, but it means a whole lot more looking back at where we started and where we are now (here is where I imagined we would be and we are close to it: Martin winning the nobel prize in something with big words I don't understand; Becca writing a New York Times bestseller; Rory having 2 patents on something with radio frequencyish things; Jodi getting a teaching degree while being a mother of 5; and Todd running his own firm...there is still hope).

I had been on the church website earlier that day and they had listed some of people's most memorable Family Home Evenings, and this one will definitely be going down in the history books as one of mine. Oh wow....I just realized that this moment was almost as sweet and cheesy as one of those church commercials. I wouldn't wanna go changing on ya. Just staying true to who I am.

Reconnected

This is me, typing on a computer in my own home with the internet. Sitting next to me is a cell phone that has a data plan and texting and all of those other technologically advanced things that I have been living without for a while (a Christmas present from Todd). I must admit now, that I am scared to have all of this at my fingertips.

You see, I lack self control. I have been a better mother the last...who knows how long....since I have not had the internet and cell phone and stuff. I spent my spare time reading books to the kids, keeping the house clean, and playing games/dancing/napping with the kids. I recall a time when I would blog almost daily and when the internet went away, that time spent at the keyboard typing away bits of information that most people really don't find interesting and that I hoped someday my children would find interesting, was replaced with stuff I know means more to my children now than any rant about motherhood ever could.

I promise to only waste time on the computer when the house has been cleaned, kids have been kissed, fed and read to, and nothing else more important is pressing on me.

I thought I would post some recent pictures of my family. Hmmmm...when the fourth child comes along the camera comes out less frequently. I have only taken 6 pictures with my camera since Christmas. Do you know who gets the brunt of this? Poor Dakota, I failed to take a picture of him on his blessing day in the most adorable outfit that belonged to his Uncle Isaac. I will never forgive myself for that. Of course, I could never put him in it now and "pretend" like it is from his blessing day as he has packed on another 10 pounds. You wanna see where all the pounds piled on?

His legs. It may be freezing cold here in the winter, but if we are indoors, the pants come off for all the free squishes he can get.

This kid is all Riches. You can see that he will be our first baby with either hazel or brown eyes. Just like his daddy!

Seems like something is now more pressing...time for dress-ups! I'm going to go and help "Batman" rescue his "princess" from certain death by her "wicked step-sister."