Natural Bridges National Monument

Daddy must get wet!

1 of 3 natural bridges in the monument

they sure aren't afraid of a little muddy water

Wyatt loved waking up in the tent- as did all of us!

"Baby Henry, these are your mountains! The Henries! Now where's the buffalo?

Our first stop on our southern spring trip was Natural Bridges National Monument. What's the difference between a National Park and a National Monument? People! lots less...

Kittens

(shown @one day old above)

Announcing:

Cinderella

Garfield &

Lucy

3 weeks old

proud and AMAZING mama Abbey

The Best Man

The grandest wedding I have ever attended had the most handsome best man, My husband. His best friend, Bjorn Jonsson was married this weekend in So. California. I never knew that being a best man could be such a stressful, important job; as it was for Jeremy, but I know he was SO happy to do it for Bjorn. It was a beautiful, special, fun event and Bridgette, his wife is such a wonderful person, and loves him so much. So the question now that the event is over is: Should a best man roast or toast? We're so happy for you Bridgette and Bjorn!

1200 miles

1200 miles ticked past our odometer last week as we FINALLY accomplished one of our "dream" roadtrips with the family. I've FINALLY painstakingly loaded an external harddrive on my computer so that I can include photos from our new great camera, and I will begin to share a few highlights from our journey...

While stopping to marvel at the view going over 11,000ft. Engineer Pass in Southwest Colorado, the girls discovered an upturned bench a ways off the road. Jeremy and I were taking turns shooting photos of baby Buffalo while the girls wandered off. I noticed just in time that they were climbing onto the overturned bench, and Addie was pushing it to the edge of a very steep, rocky slope. I screamed from them to stop! I ran to where they were and asked if they were really going to ride the bench down the hill. Addie commented that the snow down at the bottom looked fun, and maybe they could sled if they got the bench to the bottom! I don't know about those girls. they are crazy!

a little menace

You know that when there's a new baby, there has to be an effect on the previous youngest child. So, ever since our baby was born, Naomi has been quite a troublemaker. I've been at my witts end with her trying not to lose my temper, and wishing that my teaching would sink in. It's not. Everytime I take my eyes off the girl, she does something naughty. So, since she's not changing, I've decided to have a little fun with it. She doens't throw tantrums like most kids her age. So I am going to make a little journal for her of all the naughty things she does. I must give her credit for her cunning, smartness, and cleverness..............


Let me just list a few of the latest this week: She snuck into the baby's room while he was sleeping, opened a bottle of lavendar lotion (and 2 other bottles of lotion), smeared them all over the carpet, wall, and herself while a babysitter was here. Then topped it off with chocolate protein powder. Then woke up her baby brother. By the time I found the mess (other than her clothes) the carpet and walls were dyed purple from the lavendar. She stole a new pack of gum from my purse, got under her bed and emptied the pack, and hid all of the loot in a sock so I couldn't find it. She snuck some cookies to take on our errands yesterday. She was wearing overalls and hid the cookies in the top pocket. She didn't want me to see them poking out, so she crumbled them up. 2 days ago she stole some hot pink "goo" from Addie. She snuck under her bed and dumped the goo out all over and smeared it in the carpet. I found it there later that day, and spent over an hour trying to get the goop and pink stain out of the carpet. On Sunday she pulled a box of poster paints out of the closet. Jeremy noticed the yellow paint bottle opened on our black leather couch. He asked Naomi if she had opened the paint, and she said "no, and I didn't paint my bed either." Jer lifted up the bedspread and saw that the entire side of her white bed was painted yellow, as was the bedroom door and a nice section of carpet also in her room. So, just this week we've had irreversible purple, pink and yellow stains ground into the carpet, and outlawed paint, lotion with die, and goop in the house. Not to mention the dozens of already chewed pieces of gum, taffy and suckers I pick out of the carpet every day. (I wish I could outlaw dance teachers, bday parties, friends and grandparents giving her gum and candy- hah!) I was expressing frustration with Naomi to a friend the other day, and she suggested that I watch her more. Hmmmmm.... Maybe that's a good idea.?. Maybe I should just forget feeding the baby, making dinner, or going to the bathroom. Oh, did I mention that IF Naomi isn't under her bed being devious while I am not watching, she is sneaking out the backdoor to play at someone else's house. One day this week she snuck out before I ever knew she was even awake, and I was in bed with Olivia snuggling. When I found the backdoor opened a few minutes later, I checked her bed quickly, and found her at a neighbors in her pjs. Another day she walked into the backyard with a huge box of grahm crackers. I asked her where she got them. she told me she had gotten them from CC's house. She walked into thier house, and into thier kitchen. Took the crackers and left. You must be thinking by now that I never watch my child- she must be very neglected. I submit to you that I watch her as much (or more) as any mother with more than one child watches her kids, she is just quick! So, I've decided not to be as frustrated about it all, i am just going to write about it so that we can laugh later and wonder if we'll survive this phase! Vive la menace! P.S. I adore that little girl.

Marathon Mayhem!

There are few people in the world that can influence Jeremy's insanity more than Joe Tippetts. We had the exquisite pleasure of spending the weekend in Moab with them, where Jer, Joe and Leslie ran the Canyonlands half marathon. Masha and I cheered from the sidelines with baby Wyatt in arms. The weekend was TOOO SHORT!

The Rush

nothing

seems to cheer up the winter blues

more than

flying

down the mountain on a sunny afternoon

following an eight year old daredevil.

I always have

and always WILL

LOVE to ski

waiting

My camera was lost or stolen a month ago. The biggest bummer is losing the pictures taken that I can never get back. Especially of a quickly growing baby boy. So, I've always wanted a DSLR camera, but now that I have to buy a new camera, I've finagled a way to get the one I want. So yesterday I went to Pictureline and took a class on using the Nikon Dslr's. I haven't done photography since the invention of digital cameras! I ordered a Nikon D60 camera. It will be here next week! I can't wait. GREAT PHOTOS TO COME!

BRRRRR!

I've only been to Minnesota twice. Both times have been in the dead of January. I've just returned from there. I went to help Peter by babysitting his kids (4 kids 6 and under) + my Olivia and baby Wyatt- while he and Liz went to Nebraska for a job interview. 6 kids under 7, -25degree weather and 2000 square feet. How was my trip? Well, I got to improve my relationship with my nieces and nephew, spend time with my mom, and i made it a special trip by bringing Olivia on an airplane to visit her cousins. Not only that, but I LOVE THE COLD! it makes me happy. I love bundling up and going on walks in the crisp, quiet night in the freezing, quiet cold. I love putting on long underwear beneath my pants and actually needing a skarf. I love taking deep breaths and feeling my lungs crack when the freezing air enters them. I know, where did I come from? January is one of my favorite months! (sorry sarah!)

Color

Last week, Jer and I and the kids headed up to Jackson to stay with Jer's sister Lizzie and her family. Driving thru the snake river canyon in the dark, we nearly hit a man on a bike wearing all black. As we continued to drive, I remarked that "that guy will probably be hit tonight by someone". Jer commented on his wish that we could give him a ride. We had one more seatbelt in the car so we decided to turn around and offer him a ride. He accepted. It took about 30 minutes for he and Jeremy to unload all of his earthly belongings onto our laps and tie his bike to the roof of the car. His name was Gary Isaacson. He was in his late 40s I would guess. Long beard, old clothes, nice face. He was from missouri. He'd been riding his bike for 8 years. God provided him with his provisions. He wanted to make snowshoes and hike in the mountains outside of Jackson. We dropped him off at a gas station in town and wished him luck. We watched as he strapped his tent, sleeping bag, cooking supplies and clothes to his bike. We wished him luck and drove away.


I share this story because he added a colorful strand to the weaving of our Rigby life. He had so little. He seemed happy. He was surviving in the cold. It made us all grateful for our home, warmth and each other. It also helped us realize how ridiculous it is that we accumulate so much unnecessary "stuff". Our family got more for one Christmas than he owned. How necessary was the argyle sweater, the movies, the candy and lip gloss? It was so refreshing to have him ride in our car and give us a small glimpse into his life.