Rexburg

 Our family left for Rexburg on Friday, July 13th.  We stayed the night with Matthew and Kamber Friday.   Saturday morning we got up and had a few delays because of car trouble.  Nothing major, just a belt that needed to be replaced so it didn't turn into something major.  Then we drove to Chelsea and Ryan's and stayed the night with them.  Unfortunately we didn't get there until 10:30 because of the late start.  After church on Sunday we continued on to Rexburg, getting there before everyone else did coming back from Coeur d'Alene.  My parents just bought a house up there that they are fixing up.  My dad has been there since about end of January, but he had been fixing up the floors, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. while my mom stayed in Zillah, WA taking care of my grandma.  Dad had been living with less than the bare essentials.  He was working so much between his job and the house he never was idle enough to sit on a couch or chair.  He had bought a table just before we all came.  Needless to say, when we showed up there was work to be done to get this empty house ready for the mass chaos that was about to ensue.  Chaos is pretty typical when it comes to all of the Richards gettting together.  Good, fun chaos though.  Chaos that I have missed dearly.  I was so excited to be there even if it meant painting, cleaning, and getting the house liveable.  I was in heaven just seeing my family.  It had been 2 1/2 years since I had seen Laurel and her family, Marlayne and her family, and Chad and his family.  It had been a while since I had seen Bri and Mom and Dad too.  Heck, it's always too long even if it has only been a month!  I love the way I feel when I am with my family!  We quickly swept floors, threw dinner together, and got everyone settled in one room or another.  We got the room that is grandma's room.  It was perfect for us.  It has a deep closet that we put Kelsey's pop up crib in and she slept better there than she does at home.  That was a blessing indeed (especially since I was up WAY too late most nights...okay, every night).  I can't possibly put into words what that trip meant to me, but I can tell you a few of the highlights and you will have to imagine the best possible day and then multiply it by 10 to see how much I loved each day there.  I just kept looking around and smiling, taking in the faces that I hadn't seen in years and so happy that I was really seeing them.  I got to run with my older sister, Marlayne, 4 different mornings.  I stayed up late each night talking with my siblings and parents.  I adore my parents and siblings.  Especially my sisters.  They are so fun to talk to and laugh with.  I love how I can be so totally myself around them.  No point in being guarded or trying to hide my faults, they know them better than anyone other than my husband.  There were rides on grandma's golf cart.  Visits to my friends Susie and Emily.  Susie is an old roomie from Provo and a dear, dear friend to me.  I can't help but smile every time I think of her.  I wish I had my Susie here or I was there.  Life is so much better with her in it.  Emily is a friend of mine from Ricks, more particularly the preschool program at Ricks.  We meant very early on at Ricks and were instant friends.  I love that I haven't seen her in 10 years and I picked up the phone and talked to her like it was yesterday.  Trip to the sand dunes.  Family pictures taken by Laurel.  Eating out with the adults.  Yellowstone park with Mom and Dad.  Nielsen's frozen custard.  Going to the temple with my husband.  Shopping.  It goes on and on.  Honestly my favorite moments are just sitting around and laughing.  We did a lot of that too.  My oldest brother, Chad, lives a few miles away from my parent's new house.  So, even after everyone else left, we still got time with Chad and Tricia and their kids.  Their kids are getting so grown up.  It is really fun to hang out with them.  I have amazing nieces and nephews.  I saw that again on this trip.  All of them are really, really good kids.  They are funny and enjoyable to be around.

Yellowstone Park with Mom and Dad

 Rexburg Temple with my husband (and Nielsen's lemon custard after!)

 While I was visiting my friend Emily my back window was shattered.  I had to push the window out, it was shattered but still on the van when I came out to the van to leave.  I think a stray piece of gravel hit it from the road they were redoing.  I pushed the window out so that it didn't shatter into the car as I drove home, especially since the kids were with me.

  It was going to take too long to replace the window in Rexburg and we had to get home (my niece, Autumn was getting baptized the 28th and Austen was getting blessed the 29th) so we just fixed it Richards' style.  I thought it was hilarious when we pulled up to Chelsea's (the 26th) on the way back home and she saw it and she said, "that's a really nice taping job!"  Way to go, Dad!  Even if it is just tape, you still do the very best work!  It got us home and we got it fixed the next day.  Thank goodness for 0 deductible on glass because it would have been about $600 if we paid out of pocket!

We hope to go back every summer now that they live in Rexburg.  It is still a long drive, but close enough that we can survive it.  Their house is absolutely perfect.  They have lots of land for the kids to play on and a 4,000+ square foot home for the kids to get lost in and rooms for everyone to crash in when we do finally sleep.  I am already counting down til next year...so are the kids!

Kelsey at 7 months

 I absolutely adore this little princess!  She is so beautiful.  She has lived in onesies for the first 7 months of her life and was introduced to pants this week.  That's what happens when you live here.  You don't have to wear pants for half of the year!  The weather here has finally turned nice instead of blazing hot.  She looks so cute with pants and shoes and her fancy bracelet.

 Kelsey wouldn't take a pacifier until she was 4 months old.  I kept trying to convince her to like it, but it wasn't until 4 months that she believed me and took it.  Every time I see her with it I think of that battle and how I won.  It's a small success, but sometimes as a mother, it's not so small.

 Her first time on swings.  The park we always go to doesn't have swings.  We decided we needed to  change it up and go to the castle park instead of our usual park.

Sundays

 This is Kelsey during church.  (I know, it's totally inappropriate to take pictures at church.  Nathaniel was trying to keep Tanner quiet.  I use other methods.)  Her face is hilarious!  I feel like that during Sacrament meeting, too, trying to keep everyone sitting quietly.

THE CANDY MAN!

When we moved into the ward we quickly learned about the candy man.  Every Sunday (except Fast Sunday) Bro. Ramsay pulls out his treats after church and passes them out to all of the kids (big and small).  Some people have thought at first that this was a little inappropriate for Sundays, but I don't think that opinion lasts long.  I think it is something that brings our ward together.  After church the kids flock to "the Candy Man!" and parents all get a minute to talk, mingle, and laugh before heading home.   I am sad to have our ward boundaries changing next week, but anyway you divide us, we still get the Candy Man!  Thank Heavens!!!   Although if rumors are correct, there won't be many kids to enjoy it in the future.  Our primary is going to be super small.  I don't know if I will still be in Primary (right now I'm the 1st Counselor and LOVE it), but I will be sad to see so many of these kids leave us when the ward changes. 

 See all of the kids with their hands cupped waiting for their turn.  This week it was gummy treats.

 In blue above is my Nathan.  Below, that lady holding the little guy is Tyrel, my running buddy.  She has the most amazing hair!

Yuma's 5K Runs

The City of Yuma has a series of 5K runs that start in October and go through March with one run a month.  February's run is really fun and the runners start out and the parade follows.  It's the big run here because Arizona Statehood day is Feb. 14th (maybe that's why my husband is anti-Valentines day?  It takes away from Arizona's Day?).  Last year I was pregnant and didn't do the runs.  Nathaniel got to run them for free since he is a Yuma County employee and they paid for their employees to run as a part of their wellness program.  This year they did the same thing so all employees and their dependents run for free.  So, we get to do them together.  We did another run back in May sponsored by Yuma County.  I really enjoy running with my husband...in theory.  I have only done it once.  That was the run back in May.  This time I started out with my friend, Tyrel, but she was just too fast for me.  I decided to slow down and take it at my own pace.  Tyrel and I run together on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we do a 3 mile loop.  We ran the night before and I finished the 3 miles in 27 minutes and 40 seconds.  Yes, I'm a nerd and I time us.  I finished the race in 29 minutes and 20 seconds.  It was a disappointment that I was slower, but then again it was 3.1 instead of just 3 miles.  Everyone always says you do better on race day because the adrenaline kicks in and you shave off a little time.  I don't do that.  I was never good on test day though.  Within minutes of finishing the race I started to have some seriously annoying allergy problems.  My nose started to hurt like it does when you have a sinus cold.  Then I started to sneeze a lot, my nose started to run, and my eyes were itchy, watery and painful.  For the next 2 days (all during General Conference) I had to have tissues in hand and my eyes closed because they hurt too much to open.  My eyes were red and swollen and I just looked horrible.  I went in Tuesday to the eye doctor and he gave me a prescription ($126 for one, luckily insurance paid for all but $25) that has helped.  He said it started out as allergy related and then went viral.  I never had allergies growing up, but since I started running a few years ago I have noticed that at some times of the year I have problems.  They usually clear up by the next morning though.  Now I have Allegra that I keep on hand just in case it happens again.  I really do like running.  I'm excited to see how the next few months go with the monthly 5Ks.  I hope I can shave some time off.

Lately

I haven't written much in the last 6 months and I don't know if I will ever get around to it.  But, for now, here is what is going on.
The girls are in school and they are doing very well.  They both made honor roll.  Eliza's reading is ridiculously high.  I mean the benchmark is 80 words per minute and she is at 189.  I'm pretty sure that is faster than I can read.  She is A-MAZ-ING when it comes to reading.  Kate is doing well with reading and has passed the benchmark as well (benchmark is 58 and she is at 62).  She is good at math and her handwriting is better than most in my mind...although her teacher said it could use some improvement since she is speedy and doesn't always try her best.  The girls love it when we (me and the kids or Daddy) come to eat lunch with them.  Unfortunately we haven't done it as much as we should.  It is really fun, but trying to get the boys to sit still (meaning not run around the cafeteria) and listen to me isn't always my favorite thing.  But then again, it isn't always about me.  I have been working with the girls on teaching them to cook/bake.  Nothing fancy.  Just reading recipes and teaching them how to measure and mix and stuff.  It has been fun for them and for me.  It makes the age gap seem less.  We're buddies when we cook. 
Eliza loves to be silly.  She thinks it is hilarious when I "talk" for Kelsey.  I try to make up things I think she would say if she could talk based on her facial expressions and what is going on around her.  I do it in this particular voice that is my Kelsey imitation.  Eliza always asks me to do it.  It is so fun to see Eliza crack up and ask for more.  She also LOVES it when we jump on the trampoline together.  It is really fun to do...especially if the boys don't see us out there so we can be a little more rowdy without hurting Tanner.  Today we did it for a while and I actually got worn out.  We were having so much fun playing and laughing.  I love that the girls are getting old enough to play with and joke with and not just watch, clean up after, and worry about their safety (although that is a major part of my day still).  She rides her 2 wheeler as much as we will let her and tries to race me when I am running.  That is also something I enjoy.
Katelyn is a character.  I don't know how to describe her exactly if you have never met her other than that.  She is so funny, clever, and spunky.  She puts together her outfits and they are so creative and quite unique.  She will put articles of clothing together that I would never think of and sometimes they really work.  I love her spunk!  Her teacher has 4 kids' desks put together facing each other forming a table of sorts.  The whole class is made up of these tables except for 5 kids.  Those 5 kids face the front.  Kate is one of these 5 kids.  I was almost proud of that.  Last year her kindergarten teacher said she was so shy she wouldn't talk to anyone but the teacher for the first half of the year.  Now she has swung the other way and follows in my chatty footsteps.  She is easily distracted and her teacher said that seating helps her.  I wish I could be a fly on her classroom wall.  She is quiet and shy at church in her class.  Quite the opposite from school.  Very complex young lady.  I had to take Kate to the doctor today because her hearing has been affected by a bad cold she had and now has fluid built up in her ears.  She is taking some antibiotics to help clear it up and if that doesn't work we will have to see a specialist and probably get tubes put in.  I'm praying that doesn't happen.  Her hearing has been so bad that you had to almost yell at her at times for her to hear and understand you.  It isn't quite that bad now, but it was.  Today after taking her first dose (and it is gross medicine) she came back inside and said, "Mom, my hearing is better now so I don't have to take anymore of that medicine."  Nice try.  She's such a fun, fun girl.
Nathan is the boy that will make me want to squeeze him cause he is so cute one minute and then make me want to rip my hair out the next because he is driving me crazy.  He loves to get random things like a tent stake and tongs and make them into his tools.  He will carry these tools around with him for days or weeks and find the most random uses for them.  It is very cute to see him in action.  He will carry them in the car, the bed...everywhere.  I love it.  He loves building things with legos right now.  He will build Voltrons or lions and makes exact replicas in triplicate.  So cute.  He also has so much energy that sometimes getting him to slow down so you can talk to him is impossible.  His eyes are looking at everything else in the room trying to see what is going on that he is missing while you are trying to have a discussion about him not sitting on his brother's head on the trampoline or something.  He is a snuggle bug and I love that.  His cheeks are still chubby even though the rest of him isn't as thick as it was.  I love those cheeks.  Speaking of cheeks.  I bought him some new superhero unders and he was wearing them today.  Daddy got home and he wanted to show Daddy his new Captain America unders, so he dropped his drawers and bent over, grabbing his ankles and smiling, so excited for his new stuff.  I had a good laugh.  It looked like Daddy was going to get mooned by his 4 year old.  Nathan is also very into ultimatums.  If you don't give me this then I'll...fill in the blank.  It drives me crazy.  I don't do ultimatums.  I don't know why he is still trying that out when it has NEVER worked for him.  His other thing is saying, "That's not fair, I never get..."  He has shortened it to "I never" whenever something doesn't go his way.  Tanner has now picked it up.  So I hear, "I never" all day long.  I'll say he can't have a treat or sleep in the girls room or go to the cousins right now and they go into the "I never" thing.  I hope it stops soon.  He also hates church.  I also hope that ends soon too. 
Tanner is a small little thing.  I've never had a kid as small as him.  He isn't abnormally small, but all of my kids were bigger than average so when Tanner can fit into something that is 2T and he's 2 that surprises me.  He is a big time tantrum thrower.  He throws things and yells and hits.  He also gets up between 5 and 5:30 EVERY day.  I do not like it.  Luckily for me my husband is already up and getting ready to teach early morning seminary so he puts on a movie for him.  He is obsessed with his brown blanket and a certain toy that he drags around with him.  This toy changes from day to day or sometimes week to week.  Sometimes it is the lion and tiger, sometimes it is blocks.  You can hear him hauling it around in a bucket from the minute he wakes up to the time you tuck it in bed with him.  He is my little shadow.  If I am doing laundry, he is right there doing it with me.  He wants to help me pour the soap, put the clothes in the washer, switch them to the dryer, shut the dryer door, etc.  He is the same with cooking and cleaning.  He gets mad when I put the flour in the bowl or stir it first.  I think it is cute that he wants to help, but I am tripping over him all day long.  He doesn't know how to play by himself.  He is still very cuddly and I love that.  He adores Kelsey soooo much.  He always has to kiss her before naps and bedtime and as soon as she wakes up.  If I don't let him kiss her right away he throws a fit.  She is very tolerant.  I know he is going to be 3 in a few months, but I still think of his as such a little guy.  I think he is the cutest little thing.
Kelsey is at such a perfect stage.  She is so beautiful.  She has the biggest, brightest blue eyes.  She sits up on her own (and has for a month or so).  She rolls over.  She has 2 teeth that came in the very beginning of September.  She sleeps through the night.  She usually wakes up around the same time as Tanner, but last week I lucked out and she slept until 7 or even 8 one morning.  She has ear infections right now and is almost done with her meds for that.  She loves to be held and I am guilty of doing it too much (only according to the doctor).  I don't think I'm going to ruin her.  Heaven forbid she know how much I adore her.  I could stare at her all day to see how beautiful she is and listen to her babble and laugh.  She has started to make the "bababa" sound just yesterday.  I love it!  I love the way she lights up when she sees me.  She loves her food and does solids twice a day now.  She started those a little before 6 months.  She is also very grabby.  It is hilarious to try to play the piano, eat, or write when she is in my arms.  She won't let me rock her to sleep anymore, even though I did it for as long as she would let me.  The last 2-3 months she just wants me to put her down and toss the aden and anais blanket on her.  Today at the store I had her in the sling and she leaned forward and fell asleep right on my chest.  I wanted to stay there forever and not move just to savor that sweet moment.  Her head was right there where I could kiss it over and over and over again.  I love that little girl to pieces!
Nathaniel is teaching early morning seminary and I applaud him for that.  It is hard, but he loves it.  He is a natural teacher for which I am grateful.  He is going to the gym when he can and likes that.  He misses early morning basketball, but tries to catch the Wed. night games.  We have been called to be Ma and Pa for the Pioneer Trek in Jan. and are excited for that.  It is going to be hard to leave the kids, but it will be so fun to get to do it together.  He works in the felony division at work.  He wears a suit every day and looks dang good in them.  I do love that part of his job.  Not the scumbags he has to prosecute and all that, but he does look and smell very nice every day.
I am loving this weather cooling down and it gets me excited to be better about running.  It was hard to do much of any exercise in August and most of September, but I am determined to start up again.  I was doing so great up until July when I went on vacation so I need to rededicate myself to exercising and watching my calories.  It felt so good to see those pounds coming off.  Well, after taking a few months off, I'll have to run them off again.  Oh well.  It's a process.  I do love to go out with my friend Tyrel and run.  I need to try to increase my distance.  One of these days I want to do a half marathon.  I got up to 10 miles a few years ago and I'd like to get back to that sometime in the next little (or not so little) while.  Here's hoping!  I have been obsessed with green smoothies, honeycrisp apples, and microwave popcorn.  I have each of those pretty much every day.  Okay, it's not always honeycrisp apples.  Sometimes it's a gala.  But if honeycrisp are on sale, boy oh boy, they are my favorite!
Well, that's us in a nutshell.  The every day happenings and drama.  We love it here in Yuma and I love living a half mile from church and school.  It makes it fun to take advantage of beautiful days and go for a walk.  I love living 1.4 miles from my sister-in-law, Nancy.  We see them often and I love to be able to share babysitting and play dates with them.  I love having Nana and Papa and Uncle Josh and Aunt Becca in town.  We are very blessed and we know it.  I hope life continues to be this wonderful! 

Sisterhood

Of course all of you ladies already know that last night was the RS broadcast.  Well, it was the best one I have been to.  The broadcast itself and the talks given were amazing and touched my heart, but that wasn't my favorite part.  I loved that I sat in a stake center full of amazing women.  I love that I knew many of them.  I love that I had the opportunity to sit next to my beautiful mother-in-law as she held my sleeping baby girl.  I love that my friend/sister-in law, Nancy, rubbed my back and played with my hair just like my sisters did growing up.  I love that Becca (another sister-in-law) was there with us to chat with and laugh with and do sisters things with.  (She took me to get a pedicure today that was oh so wonderful!)  I had friends sitting behind me from my ward and people I knew here and there throughout the room.  I just kept thinking how blessed I am to be surrounded by so many women that I love and admire.  You see, Nathaniel and I have been married over 8 years and we have moved about 10 times.  We have been in a lot of different wards.  We haven't lived near family much of our married life.  Living in Yuma has been so fun for me.  Don't get me wrong Richards', I love and miss you guys terribly and hate that you are so far away.  But I do LOVE my husband's family.  I am very fortunate that way.  I plan to stay here in Yuma for a very long time.  I love the thought of planting roots somewhere and making friends that you know you can keep for more than a short period of time.  (Megan and Lori, it's not like we aren't still friends, it's just harder when you don't live in the same town and you know it!)  I love the thought of seeing all of these women again next because we will still be here.  I love that I know women from several different wards because all of the Sorensons' live in different wards and so it gives us the chance to get to know more people. I love being part of the Relief Society and what a great organization it is and how much good it does.  I came home with a full heart and feeling so blessed to have what I have, know who I know, and live where I do.  It also made me miss my mom, grandma, and sisters terribly and wish I had them nearby to do things like this with.  I'm glad I had time with you this summer and I know that even though we don't get to do the everyday things together, we are still close. 

Kelsey (of course...it's been a while)

 This is Kelsey today (2 1/2 months old).  Her eyes are so blue and beautiful!  I hope they stay that way.

 Kelsey in the stroller (above) a few weeks ago.  (Below) Aunt Kamber holding Kelsey at 33 weeks pregnant.  Kamber is so pretty in this picture.

 Kelsey last week.  I got this outfit from Aunt Laurel and it is so cute.  Kelsey loves to eat the ruffle layers...I just want to eat her.

 These were taken a month or so ago.  She looks so little. 

 Being held by Aunt Nancy.  I want to note that she is held most by Aunt Nancy (other than me and Daddy) and yet I don't have a single picture other than these on my camera...whoops!

 I love her monkey buns...and her rolls.  She weighed in at 12 lbs. 10 oz at her 2 month appointment.  That's in the 90th percentile.  Just the way I like it!

 Her first smiles that I could catch on camera.  This was at about 6 weeks old (April 16).  I love it when they start to smile and coo.  I wish I could keep her this age forever.

 Kelsey got this towel from a friend in the ward and it is so cute.

 Kelsey with Kate (above) and cousin Autumn (below)