Merry Christmas!

Tonight was the ward Christmas party...no this is not the Santa at church..but we had been told that Santa was going to be there..so we had talked him up to Bradley..but then he never came...so we had to go find him at the mall. :)

Breanna was scared of him so we had to make it a family picture.:) He is the Best Santa I've ever seen..real beard and all.:)

Things are good here at the Riches home. Mike's Mom and Step-Dad came up today and spent the day with us. It was fun. We made a gingerbread choo choo train and Mike and I went shopping while they played with the kids. So we were able to get all kid shopping done.:) I love Christmas!!

I am a Sunbeam teacher now..tomorrow is going to be my first time teaching. I think it will be fun.:) I hope things go well.:)

Well, I hope that you all are having a great holiday season!! I am thinking of you all!

I love Christmas!!

I love Christmas!! I am so glad that it is here! Bradley keeps saying that he wishes two weeks were already past so it could be Christmas day but I keep telling him..but then it would be over.:( I love the whole month!

We've had lots of company lately....with Thanksgiving and then Abby came for a week and then our friends from Baton Rouge came for the weekend. It's been lots of fun. Mike's Dad is coming for the week of Christmas..I'm kinda glad that we aren't traveling anywhere we can just relax and be home and be together.:) Plus, with a dog now it's a lot harder to travel..

I took a pic or Bradley and Breanna the other day..the were both smiling and looking at the camera..it's a miracle!!!!

I was just remembering how small Mazi was when we got her...

She's grown alot and definetly has those sad puppy eyes...now you know why I haven't given her away...she looks at me like this...

but then she acts like this and I start doubting again...

My Kiddos

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to share pictures of my little ones..they are growing up way too fast! I rocked Eanna last night and cried thinking of how little she used to be. I which I could record each moment and each feeling. I love being a mother to Bradley and Beanna!! I am so blessed!!

This is Bradley's Superman hairdo! He thought he was so cool!:)
Eanna's hair is getting so long..I put it in pig tails for the first time.:) She looked like such a big girl!
more pig tails!
Eanna loves playing hide and go seek in my curtains.:)

I hope all is well with all of you! Love you!

Well, I just wanted to update everyone on things here at the Riches. We are really enjoying Texas. We have the best neighborhood! I love our location. It is right on the edge of town yet Walmart is a minute away.:) I love my home..it stills needs a lot of decoration work but it will come eventually..(thanks Ginger and Amber for posting your pictures..my next question is how do you paint with kids running everywhere:})

Mike has been really busy with work. He was out of town pretty much the whole past week and finally was able to be home today. But he woke up not feeling well so he has been in bed all day.
Since Mike was gone this week I was home alone nursing a sick puppy and two sick kids..and being sick myself..it's been a long week. But we are doing much better.:)

I wanted to share some pictures from the past couple weeks!

Here is a picture of our little puppy Mazi. Mike said we could get her for my birthday..the day after we brought her home we had to rush her to the emergancy vet's office. She couldn't walk or eat or bark. They didn't know if she would make it..but after going to two vets she finally came around and now is like any other puppy.:) So we named her Mazi because we think she is amazing!:)

This is Mama and me at the Time Out for Women. it was a really neat conference.:) I am really glad that Mama got to come and visit and go with me. It was a lot of fun!

Bradley was a ninja turtle for Halloween..and if any one called him by the wrong name he was quick to tell them he was Raphael.:) He loves Halloween!

Eanna was our little witch..not in real life just for Halloween. They don't have a lot of costumes for her age. But when I found this dress she grabbed it and hugged it.:)

So here is an updated picture of our guest room..I've actually rearranged the furniture a little and we finally put the blinds up..but I just wanted you to know that it's ready for you when you get here.:)

our new home..finally..

Well I know that Amber wanted before and after pictures..but it is just not happening..it takes too long..we are finally getting all settled in our home so I wanted to share pictures. We are loving Texas! Even though I really wish Ginger and Amber still lived here..that would've been soooo nice!!! I hope that I get to see everyone soon! I miss you and love you!

Here are the pictures starting with mike's office...

mike's future office



we have a frame:)

Mike puts a secret message on the frame.:)

we have a wall..and Afton..

getting close..



we just have painting left to do.

here's his furniture in it and trim..

our family room and new couches

my kitchen..I love it!!

Guest room..work in progress...

Bradley's room

Ena's room

this is the kids bathroom..peek a boo monkey

the view from the playroom..it was a rainy day but most days the sunset is beautiful!!

my bathroom..I wish I had time to actually take a bath:)

curtains in my room..I love them..my room was too dirty to take a pic of so this is all you get.:)

the playroom..I'm not sure what I am going to do here..it looks awkard right now..

Our new kitchen table..it has a lazy susan in the middle.:) it's bigger in real life..

Our new light fixture that Mike put in tonight.

so here is the picture I just got in the mail today..I put it above my fire place. It goes perfect..I love it!!

Well, that is our home for now..I still have lots of pictures to hang and little stuff to make it a home..COME VISIT SOON!!! I miss you all!!

We bought our home!!!

We signed all the papers this morning!! We've had so many issues with buying our home in Texas!!! We could never get a hold of our Mortgage guys so we had to keep pushing back our closing date..then they couldn't get a hold of our HOA so they couldn't get the right paper work until they had the right amount...then they are taking forever to get the funds to the bank so even though we've signed all the paper work we weren't able to get the keys.:( But they are suppose to have everything ready in the morning..but we are back in Shreveport tonight with a busy weekend ahead of us...so Mike's mom is going to get the keys tomorrow...so this is our weekend..tomorrow morning (Friday) we have the movers coming early to pack and load so I'll take the kids down to Mama's..then I have to back that night..the next day we have an all day EFA (esp. of adults)..I'll probably head back to mama's that night and go to church with her the next day while Mike speaks in Queen City and Texarkana. Either late Sunday or early Monday..I'll head back to Shreveport to clean our home and get it ready..then Tuesday morning we close on our house in Shreveport and then meet mama somewhere and get the kids and head to Little Elm..get there and try to put beds together and clean bathrooms..the rest of the week is unpacking and buying furniture(this is the part I'm looking forward to!!)
I hope you got all that! We are going to be tired but I'm so excited!!! We were at the house today and we had two groups of kids come and knock on the door and ask all about us and our kids..I think it is going to be a fun neighborhood for Bradley.:) I just hope I can handle all these neighborhood kids.:)

last week in Louisiana

This past weekend we had a stake youth activity. I had to speak about pioneers. So we all went..it was out in the country and my kids loved every minute. They were so dirty when we got home!! They had a bon fire at the end and they asked Mike and I to come up and had all the youth sing "God be with you till we meet again" It was so touching. I will really miss the friends we have made here.
This time next week we'll be on our way to Dallas..this time to stay! I am so excited about getting there and starting this new chapter in our life. I am excited to decorate our new home and go to our new ward and play at new parks and convince Mike to get a dog.:) I really feel like this is where we are suppose to go for this time in our lives...