Picture Perfect - Okay, Nearly Perfect!

While searching through some pictures to post to my new Facebook Page,
I came across these pictures from our family picture session last September.
We try to be faithful about taking a family picture every year,
even if it is just the one for our annual Christmas card.
Needless to say, I do not enjoy this yearly ritual,
I usually end up with a migraine by the end of the day.
But what can you do, its tradition?

The ritual usually starts with:
"Why do we have to wear that color?" "I don't like that shirt," etc. etc.,
and then almost always ends with:
"Why did you choose that picture,"
"I don't like that picture,"
"I don't look good in that picture,"
"My hair looks bad in that picture," ...... you get the idea!

(I'm sure no one else ever has to deal with these issues!)

My motherly response is almost always:
(and I'm sure it is always spoken with LOVE and kindness in my voice)
"I arranged for the pictures, I paid for the pictures,
so I get to choose which pictures I want to use."

This is also usually followed by the usual:
"I know, life's not fair, get used to it."

So, I thought I would share with you what poor Stacey gets to go through for a
Richards Family picture taking session.
(Keep in mind this is only a small sampling.)
If nothing else, we get an awesome final picture, and she gets a comedy hour.
She is truly a saint, and a miracle worker!

She starts with a few of these poses from our crazy family:

And with the miracle of technology, but mostly the miracle of her talent,
she can actually get a picture of my family to look like this:

We love Stacey for making us look good!

We almost forget about the pain until the next year when we have to start all over again.
Kind of reminds me of childbirth. I think I'll just stick with taking pictures.

So this post is to:
1. Warn Stacey to prepare herself, and to save her energy for this year, and
2. To warn my children that they need to decide on a color, decide on a location,
and decide be HAPPY and play nice!

Anyone who wants to look as good as we do (or better) needs to call Stacey.
Check her out at staceykayphotography.com

Our One Minute of Fame

My Skins is being highlighted in the East Valley Tribune!!

You can check us out here.

Next week we will be on one of the morning news segments on television.

Look out world, here we come.

When Did I Get So Old?

And, no that does not require a response!

But last week while I was at the MVD (known as the DMV to us older people -- never quite sure why they feel the need to switch the letters around) with Kellee (my baby), sitting and waiting, to get her permit, it occurred to me, after being called "Ma'am" a few times, and having to squint, for the first time that I can remember, to see the print on the forms, that I am just plain getting OLD.

Do you remember when we were young, and we would be talking (you know that thing we used to do before texting and email) about something that had happened, and then someone would ask how old the people were that we were talking about?

The answer would end up being something like this: --
"Oh, you know, they were like, you know, I don't know, OLD, I think they were like 40 or something."

Well, I just have to swallow the giant horse sized reality pill, and accept the fact that I am now in that age group that the younger generation considers "OLD".

That the old lady looking back at me in the mirror is ....... ME!

It seems that in just the blink of an eye, my baby went from this.....

to this....

and I went from this.....

to this.....

But, as my Grandaddy always used to say ..... "it beats the alternative"!

Nature With Nicole

Lions? Tigers? no just BEARS!

For one of Nicole's classes at BYU she was able to do this!!





AND THIS .....

AND .....

Ahhh, aren't they are always so cute when they are little?

And, even when they are all grown up?

I don't remember these kind of classes when we went to the "Y".

Whatever happened to bowling and underwater basket weaving?

Well, at least its nice to see what are tuition money is spent on.

My Oh My - My Altered Life!

My altered life!

After a year and a half of being dragged along, kicking, and screaming ..... literally .....
into this life of being a business owner again -- poor Jon.
My life is now altered once again .... forever.
I was not (and I'm still not) ready to give up my awesome easy life of staying at home,
especially now that all the kids are grown,
can actually fend for themselves (most of the time),
and the house is so peaceful and quite during the day.
That is of course, except for the occasional interruptions from Digger and Lilly,
who like to pretend they are actually guarding our back yard
from everyone exercising on the canal,

and the occasional stray duck that visits us.

Our NEW building, okay actually it's a really OLD one,
is finally finished being remodeled.
We are 29 West Main Street in Mesa.

(Next door to Sweet Cakes Cafe!)

It comes complete with original fireplace, 2 original bank vaults,
and original 70's architecture and decor.
Take a gander at those awesome light fixtures.
It's just sad you didn't get to see the original fuzzy metallic wallpaper we had the pleasure of removing. They even hung the wallpaper on the ceiling.
You heard me - on the ceiling!

Thanks for your help Stephanie!!

And, last, but not least, -- our ("Jon's") new business venture is finally up and running.
We are just hoping, and praying, and waiting, for the orders to start pouring in!
Make sure and tell all of your friends.