West Adventure

I had been asking Chris for a few weeks if we could go out west the day after Christmas. I wanted to go shoot and rabbit/coyote hunt and I figured it would give K a chance to shoot her new gun. He finally agreed (he wanted to go duck hunting) and Todd and Jana wanted to come with us. We loaded up the truck and left our house at 6 am with howling winds and 12 degree temperatures.

The drive out was really pretty. The full moon was still in the sky.

We saw a few rabbits off the road when we finally got to where we were going. Todd, Chris and I got out and started walking through the sage brush. It was a whopping 2 degrees. There were bunnies all over but they were staying a good 50 yards ahead of us and werent holding in the bushes at all. We still had a complete blast chasing them.

Todd

Chris

 He couldnt decide what gun to shoot so he had his 22-250 over his shoulder in case he saw a coyote, his new Judge pistol in one hand and his KelTec 22 in the other. He was cracking me up.

We drove around for a little bit and found a place to park to target shoot. Kennedy was adamant she wanted to shoot a rabbit but I told her she couldn't come walk with us with her gun until we let her shoot it and went over some safety rules. 

She did awesome. She listened really well and payed attention. We related a lot of the safety things we were talking about to archery and it made total sense to her. She started out doing the girl thing and leaning back too far when she shot...

But after a few minutes of being comfortable she got her stance right. 

 She was doing really well! I was super impressed. 

 Momma shot her pistol

 And so did Jana and Todd

 She had a pocket full of .22 shells which made her feel super special. She was loading the gun all on her own and was shooting it with out any help.

 I think its safe to say she loved it!

 Chris and his Judge...his new baby.

 When we finished shooting we loaded up the truck and had planned on making our way the long way back to town and be in Tremonton around noon for some lunch. As we were putting guns back in the truck Chris noticed a large railroad spike in the tire. We knew we had a spare so we figured we'd drive as far as we could and see if the spike stayed in. It was pretty buried in the tire and it was holding air. We made it maybe a mile before it fell out and the tire went flat.

 So it was tire changing time! The flat tire wouldnt come off. It was salted on. Finally after about 30 minutes we were able to knock it off.

 We had the new tire on and were still planning on taking the long way home. We rabbit hunted a few more times. Kennedy stayed in the truck and slept. Then we started getting into people people and people! One group drove just past us (they saw us out hunting) and parked ahead of us and started hunting. Another one saw Chris chasing a rabbit, stopped the truck and got out with their gun and said "oh were you gonna shoot that one?" an then started hunting 10 feet from us. They finally got back in their truck and went further down the road. 

We stopped to get back in the truck and take a picture.

As soon as we took the picture I heard this leaking air sound. I thought maybe it was the exhaust on the truck. Nope. I walked over and on the drivers side rear tire this time was a smaller railroad spike in the tire. Remember we already used the one spare tire and we have no more. We decided to hurry to Hwy 30 as fast as we could (we were just a few miles from there) and see how far we could make it back. Chris called Taylor who was at home and told him to grab Chris's truck (since his spare tire will fit Todds) and to start heading to where we were. We were hoping to make it to the Snowville Flying J before the tire went flat. We made it ALMOST to the Curlew Junction, about a mile before, and the spike came out and we limped to pull off right at Coldwater. 

We hadnt seen any coyotes the whole trip and right as the boys were messing with the tire one ran across the road in front of us! It was COLD here. The wind was howling and the temps were in the single digits. With the windchill it was easily -10. Good thing we had plenty of fuel! We come prepared. We had tons of winter clothes and K always has a blanket. Between Jana and I we always pack enough food for 2 days. So we ate some chips and dip, licorice and a few other snacks. We knew Taylor had at least an hour drive before he go to us. So with full bellys, the heater on in the truck and the sun shinning through the windows all of us but Jana took a nice nap. Taylor called when he was hitting Rose ranch and it woke us all up. We were hoping he'd take longer since we were sleeping so well ha! He made it to us in just about an hour. The boys got out in the frigid freezing cold and changed the tire. For fun Jana was keeping count at how many vehicles passed us while we were stuck on the side of the road. 34. 

Tire was changed and ready to go. Chris and Taylor took his truck and followed us. We all went to the Grill in Tremonton for lunch and then to the gun store.. and of course Les Schwab to get the two tires fixed!

It was a really fun and an adventure for sure!

Christmas Morning

 The fat man found us Christmas morning!

 We woke Kennedy up at 7 to start opening presents. All the Grandparents wanted to stop in so we told them between 8-12. Kennedy was leaving at 1.

She was spoiled this year and got a TON of books. She was so excited for a few minutes she forgot about opening presents and was reading each title of each book.

 Then it was oh yeah Santa came lets tear some paper!

  I sucked at taking pictures this year. I was way more excited about what was happening and everything else! I did make sure I got a picture of her opening her big gift. She wanted a .22 rifle really bad. We let her pick out the color and she chose duck camo.. but she had no idea she was getting one. 

 Chris had a HUGE surprise for me as well. He told me on xmas eve he had stuck one of my presents in the spare room and I couldnt go in there because it was too big to wrap. Two weeks before he kept talking about a present he was hoping would be here on time because it was 'backordered' and kept checking to see if it had shown up at his parents house. I could not figure out for the life of me something that he could have shipped to the house but would be too big to wrap. He made me sit on the couch with my eyes closed and brought out my present.

He had taken my swan I shot last year and got it taxidermied. I was so stinking excited! I couldn't believe it. He had taken it to the guy in August and they usually are backed up a year at least and he made sure it was done by Christmas.

 Todd and Jana came over as we were finishing up presents. We gave them theirs.

 Then we hung up my swan :) I chose it mounted one way but because of the doorway and how we had to hang it the swan had to be turned to the other side. I still love it! I think it looks awesome!

 Right as we were hanging my swan Tammy, Taylor and Steve came over. I didnt take any pictures.. We were too busy! And as they were getting ready to leave my mom stopped by. My dad was SUPER sick so we didnt go to their house or see them for xmas eve or xmas. Mom just came down to drop off presents and get theirs. We were too busy showing her stuff and the excitement of K opening her presents I forgot to take any pictures then too!

Right as my mom was getting ready to leave Jimmy, JaNeale, Hunter and Rikki showed up to our house. We had a pretty steady stream of people for 3 hours!

I realized then I hadnt been taking any pictures and better take some.

 Kennedy was spoiled with Monster Highs this year from my mom, Tammy, Steve and Taylor, Zack and JaNeale & Jimmy.

 We love our pile of presents from the parents this year. Jana & Todd got us all the canned food plus noodles and muffin mix. My mom & dad got us stuff for the camper and paper plates, plastic silverware and ziplock bags. 

 JaNeale & Jimmy got us toilet paper, laundry detergent and bathroom stuff

 I made 'breakfast' at 1130. I had a nice big breakfast planned to have done early in the morning so everyone who stopped in could munch if they wanted. We were so busy I didnt get a chance until everyone had left! I made a breakfast pull apart and it didnt turn out too bad!

 We were very blessed and spoiled this year!

Merry Christmas from the Richards!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve Jana wanted to have the grandkids over to make sugar cookies. They of course needed moms help too! She had made 2 batches of dough the night before. We helped the kids flour and roll out the dough and cut it. We had some Christmas tree cookie cutters but mostly we used the fireman ones she had!

 It was such a mess. Before we knew it the girls had flour fingerprints on their faces, Ash and I were both covered in flour and so was the ground.

 Jana was our picture taker, cookie sheet baker and dough getter. We kept her busy!

 All the cookies were baked

 Then it was clean up time

 and cookie frosting time!

 Briggs and Derek showed up with pizza. Chris was downstairs napping. Poor guy had only maybe 2 hours of sleep through the whole night from being called in.

 Chris slept for a while. Derek, Ash and the kids left. Then I went downstairs to lay on the couches by the fire and ended up taking a nap. When I woke up Chris had gone home. K was watching cartoons with Grandma and Todd was at the store. It was 3:30 and we were having a little Christmas Eve get together at 4 at Todd and Janas.  I ran home to change my flour covered clothes and get the gifts I needed. 

When I walked in the door the music was BLARING. The fire place roaring and Chris was standing at the kitchen sink shirtless and in his pajama bottoms. I was so confused. He does NOT take off even his shoes during 'daytime hours' let alone to have his pajamas on. I just starred at him and he started laughing. Finally I figured out what he was doing....

...

..

We had taped our ceiling the night before to paint in our bedroom. All of the ceilings in our house match the wall colors and we want to turn them all white. Brighten up the rooms some and make the tint not so yellow. He had gone home and painted our bedroom ceiling. He took off his shirt so he didnt get paint all over his clothes and put on his pj bottoms for the same reason lol

It made our bedroom so much lighter and normal colored. I cant wait to paint the walls in there too but next we're going to paint our living room ceiling!

Zack stopped by while I was getting our stuff to take over and he was headed to Todd and Janas next to deliver presents. We had a big buffet of 7 layer tip, little smokies, cheese balls, pastries, chips and salsa and about everything else you could think of. He stayed for dinner and then headed to his parents. Grandma and Grandpa were there too. We played 2 rounds of 5 Crowns, listened to the Santa ATL and headed home to wait for the fat man. Id taken Kennedys Christmas Eve present over with us so she was already in her jammies and waiting!