VICTORY!!!

Brig took his first independent steps tonight!!!!!

I was at a meeting and got a phone call with the exciting news. I was grateful Angela kept him awake to show me when I got home - he's a natural! He was so good at it, it's obvious that he was ready and just had to make the decision to do it. It was so fun to congratulate him and have him be so proud! He definitely got his share of hugs and claps tonight. We love our little guy so much!!!

Check out the YouTube video above if you haven't already!

I'll be breaking down the film a little later today to analyze his strengths and potential weaknesses. I feel like an Offensive Coordinator putting together a game plan for a prolific offensive attack (i.e. Vince Young-Cedric Benson-Roy Williams or John Beck-Jonny Harline-Curtis Brown) ... and we're playing Utah State ... Aaaahhh yeeeeaaaahhhh booooyyy!

The Honeymoon's Over

OK, so I'm not talking about our marriage, and I'm not talking about my new job, I'm talking about the relative interest level in our blog. I think it's gotten to the point where people will check it once a week or so if it crosses their minds, and frankly, I understand, believe me. There's so much info and entertainment out there - it's all hard to keep up with as it is without yet another website to peruse. Fact is, Angela herself rarely even reads this, so I can't expect others to...

Anyway, I'll keep posting, and updating, and changing. You give a comment when you feel like it, and just know that it's still going to be here if you ever get the whim to check back in.

And now, evidence that the mad-woman training schedule is paying off...

Angela placed first in her age group at a recent hilly 10k. And, wanting to be like Mom, Kennan completed her first mile race and enjoyed the experience. We hope our kids are always interested in being active, competing, and making themselves better through sports and fitness.

Angela still insists she has 3.472983 pounds to lose to get to her desired weight, but as you can see from the picture, she's doing a pretty good job.

Mem Day recap and Plans

We had an outstanding Memorial weekend. Pool parties, friends, family time, projects completed, and just general happiness were the highlights. We hope everyone else had a great and safe weekend too. We had a daddy-daughter date to see Shrek 3, and we also watched Night at the Museum for family movie night. We all enjoyed both movies. Micah and I also finished reading "Eldest", the second in the Eragon series - we're hoping the author hurries up and finishes the 3rd book so we can find out what happens.

This week is going to be hopping even though it's short. Between Ang and me, we have something each evening, and Micah has her dance performances on Fri and Sat nights. The one good thing is that the kids' homework assignments are dwindling and will soon be finished for the year, which takes away one of our biggest projects each night.

Next week brings a couple of big events: our 13th wedding anniversary, and Angela's birthday. Of course I'm already completely ready and prepared for these great events, while Angela, well, let's just say I'm not sure she's had time to think of all the really nice things she could do for me... Next week also brings a weekend trip to Yosemite with a bunch of friends, which should be really fun.

So here we go...

Memorial Day Weekend plans

In honor of the Memorial Day Weekend coming up, I thought I'd reminisce a little. Memorial Day still doesn't seem complete to us without the Richards extended family Millcreek breakfast. We loved the company, the beautiful setting, and of course, the food. I remember Roger pulling a couple of skinny trout out of an even skinnier stream, many times with his cords wet from jumping in to grab a fish or free his line. I remember Grandpa and Grandma cooking up eggs and pancakes, bacon and hashbrowns. I remember catching up with cousins we didn't see too often, and really enjoying being together at a picnic table. I remember hoping the kids didn't fall into the creek. I'm sure there were horseshoes in early years, and probably some games for the kids. In later years I particularly enjoyed either cycling or running up to the breakfast, but I'm sure it tainted everyone's breakfast around me who didn't have nose plugs on. We got so much enjoyment out of our extended family, and we still do! We miss all of you and wish we could see you all every time we make it into town.

Memorial Day was also a big cabin weekend for our family. In honor of this tradition, I thought I'd put together a top ten list of memories I have of the cabin:

CABIN TOP TEN MEMORIES:
10. The fort we built, and the wood machine guns we used to defend it...especially in the snow!
9. Cross-country skiing in deep powder into the cabin - wasn't always fun, but every once in a while, it was magical...especially coming back down and seeing Dad wipe out
8. High-altitude, horse-fly dodging, don't-hit-the-ball-into-the-pasture tennis games
7. Grandma and Grandpa Richards hiking in during a blizzard on Christmas Eve to deliver "Our Team's the Greatest" t-shirts
6. Hard work: Finishing the basement, moving the piano upstairs, staining, building stairs
5. Staying up way too late in our three-boy-to-a-room suites upstairs, and forgetting that Mom and Dad could hear everything as they were right below us
4. Chili-patty melts specifically, and all the good food generally over the years
3. Being happily crowded around the dinner table as the family grew ... and grew ... and grew ...
2. Our honeymoon ... :-)
1. Fishing with Dad - on the river, in the lake, and as base camp for forays into the Uintahs

Have a great weekend up there guys, we'll miss you!

Morg, Brig, Ang

Morgan came up to me this morning and said, "Dad, I know how to say 'I love you' in Spanish." She then proceeded to do 'I love you' in sign language. I asked "is that Spanish?" and after a pause, she burst out in laughter at her own mistake. She's such a joy.

Brig has developed quite an attraction for his Daddy. He's even getting to the point where he won't go down easily for naps if it's anyone but the Dad helping. This normally happens on Mondays because I was around on the weekends to help. I admit I love coming home and just seeing his face light up. Last night we were walking in the house with him holding my finger, and he forgot and let go. He stood there for a minute and then when he realized he wasn't holding anything he sort of panicked and fell flat on his head. Maybe he's going to be a lineman...

Angela got a really cute haircut last night - very short, very sexy ... did I say that out loud?

Tuesday afternoon (PHOTOS)

Micah & Kennan after the play

Micah the scarecrow

Micah and cast

Kennan & Morgan with G&G Richards

Brig drinking the "clean" water

Brig in his taxi with his taxi driver, Morgan

Welcome to our friends!

This blog has always been a great way to communicate with family near and far. We've also been thinking lately that it would be fun to share it with friends across the country so they too can know what's going on in our lives.

So we want to welcome all of our friends who we now have invited to participate in our blog. All three of you are welcome to comment freely on any of the posts, and as we've done all along, you're encouraged to request content or specific updates you want to hear about. The most common request is for more photos, and I'm a little bit lazy at getting the new ones up all the time. I'll work on that.

Here's a fresh summary of our lives and about our blog for you new participants. The title, j.a.m.k.m.b. includes the first letter of all our family names (probably didn't need to tell you that, but you never know).

Brig is still content to crawl/scoot, or walk around the room using the walls, furniture, people's pants, or Micah on all fours as his hand support. He's a chicken because he could walk right now if he wanted to. He loves his Daddy (almost too much sometimes, like when he won't go down for naps because Dad's not home to do it) and this makes me very happy. He's my little buddy. He turned 1 on April 6th.

Morgan just turned 5 this month and is really looking forward to kindergarten next year. She wanted to ask the principal of the school if she could go to morning AND afternoon kindergarten instead of just 1/2 day. She loves to perform in homemade plays and concerts, and is already a really good reader thanks to Angela's reading lessons. She is sort of Mommy's little buddy, and they have a great relationship. She is also our constant source of funny sayings, as you'll see if you look back at some of the previous posts.

Kennan turned 7 in February. She's looking forward to soccer this summer, which will be her 2nd year, and I think she'll do awesome. Even better, it's looking like I'll be able to be her coach, with one of our friends in the ward as my assistant. Should be lots of fun for all. I'm going to have those kids running gassers and doing burpees before you know it! And they'll be the best slide-tacklers in the league. Kennan was a crow and a poppy in the school Wizard of Oz play, and she was by far the best crow or poppy out there ;-). She loves performing as well, and is our songbird at home. The girls just got a new bunkbed from Grandpa Richards (homemade) and once I put a few finishing touches on it, they can't wait to sleep in it.

Micah will be 10 going on 15 in July. I know this is going to amaze you, but she continues to be very responsible and mature. We have started leaving her with the other kids at very select, limited times and it's been nice to have a teeny tiny bit of freedom due to that. She was the Scarecrow in the play and performed beautifully as usual.

Angela has been running a lot and also participating in a twice-weekly boot camp that has her feeling pretty ragged once she's done. She and her friends are running St. George this year, so they've got a long summer of training ahead of them. She probably spends 40-50% of her time in the car each day shuttling kids between preschool, school, play practice, piano, swim team, tennis, field trips, and friends' houses. She currently enjoys going with a bunch of girl friends to watch the Bachelor on TV ... quality entertainment? Hmm. You won't be surprised to hear that some of the ladies laugh at her for her shocked expressions at some of the more "inappropriate" moments. She is currently serving as 1st counselor in the Young Womens presidency.

I have been working at Google now for three months and have enjoyed the work and people tremendously. I have also felt it necessary on certain days to provide commentary as to what I eat for lunch, breakfast, or dinner at the legendary, free, gourmet Google cafes. My exercise consists of running, tennis, basketball, and biking the few short miles to work - gotta keep the "Google 15" off. I was just set apart yesterday as the 2nd counselor in our ward bishopric, which replaces my calling as EQ president I'd had for nearly three years. Should be interesting...

So that's us in a very summarized nutshell. I know this is a long post, but we love to share ourselves with you. Enjoy!