Where in the
heck did 2018 go? I’m pretty sure I say
that about every new year that rolls around, but time keeps speeding up and I
swear I keep blinking. If anyone knows
the secret to slow it down a bit, please let me know. As for now, I’ll just keep holding on to this
high speed crazy train.
I like to do a
year in review because I suck at journaling.
This way I just do a brief write up about each month and find it works for me. I need to be better about
it, but this will have to work for now. So
here’s the Richman’s life in 2018.
February we
saw Carlos Mencia in Pocatello with my brother, and I worked at the Flower Shop
for Valentines Day. I try to go in and
help out on the big Holiday’s each year.
March rolled
around and I was able to make it to Pomerelle a few times to Snowboard. One thing I look forward to each year is
going with Quintin for his Birthday. I
attended my first “Paint N’ Sip” and didn’t realize how much I love to
paint. Easter was in March this year and
of course loved spending it with our Spencer Family in Yost for our annual
“Easter Picnic.”
April was a
tough, yet amazing month. I started a
fertility diet after having struggled getting pregnant for about a year and
half. Helped my Dad Brand cows. Actually, I basically supervised. One thing about your nieces and nephews
getting older is the fact that jobs become sparse. I had another Birthday! I celebrated the day by going back to work
one day a week at the flower shop. Best
first day back EVER!
May…well that
fertility diet I had started in April worked!
Baby #2 was on the way! Happy
Mothers day to me! We had a racoon problem for a little while, and I started getting
sick. Quintin graduated High School, and Case and I
celebrated 7 years together! When I say
celebrated, we stayed in because what do you know...I was sick.
Casey and Kyla put up with my miserable self for a looooong time.
June- I was
sicker than a dog. Two trips to the
hospital for fluids helped for a brief second, but Hyperemesis Gravidarum is
HELL! Pure hell! I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Well...maybe the people spreading rumors about us. (This will make sense in October.) The only thing that helped take my mind off
of it for short spurts was reading books.
It’s such a vicious cycle because we wanted to be pregnant so bad and
once I was, I complained. I’m not proud
of it, but I did. Casey and Kyla went on a side by side/4 wheeler ride with some friends up to Almo while I laid on my parents couch sick. I drove truck for a
bit during hay harvest, and basically puked my guts out every time I made it
back to the field. The little blue bags
from the hospital were my close companions for a while. The end of the month was spent at the 1st
ever Malta Car Show! Casey and Lonny
made the trophies for the show and we set up a TMM plasma booth for the
day. I hope it becomes an annual thing
because it was so much fun!
July means the
4th which was spent at the Albion park set up with Casey and Lonny
at the TMM plasma booth. We lost Kyla in
the park. Most kids get scared when they
lose their parents, nope..not her. She
had settled in with a random family under their umbrella and was sitting in one
of their chairs saying “HI!” like she knew them. Scared. Me. To. Death! I love that she loves everyone, but it really
is a terrifying thing. That evening we
ended up in Almo to watch the fireworks and lets just say I sure miss living
there. Casey and a few close friends went to Boise to watch the UFC fights. I had to shoot a wedding so I missed out this go around. Sounds like it was a good thing for this pregnant lady though because the AC quit working at the fights and I’m sure I would have complained the entire time. I had my 10 year class reunion, and it was great catching up with classmates. We were able to go boating once, which is a shame to summer, but Kyla loved making the semi's honk as they crossed the bridge by the KOA.
August we were
able to go to Utah for the Shinedown and Godsmack concert. We also made it to Logan as a family for a little
getaway while I had a wedding to photograph.
Kyla of course LOVED the swimming pool at the hotel and riding up and
down on the “escamater” otherwise known as the elevator. We made it to the zoo while we were there and
picked the hottest day of the year to walk around. Casey had another Birthday! The County Fair
happened somewhere in there but with no nieces and nephews showing livestock
this year, it just wasn’t quite the same.
September
means fall harvest is here! Started
chopping and trying to manage photoshoots along the way. Kyla started clogging lessons and we just
think she’s the cutest dancer ever!
October was spent in a truck. The one great thing about harvest is getting
to work together as a family. We lucked
out with Kyla because she really does like getting to go to work with us. Along with working harvest, I still managed
crazy picture season, and Casey kept up on the plasma table. Casey and Lonny had set up a booth for the
Minico Craft Fair which Amy and I were able to help out with for the day. We’re grateful we get to work with our
friends. Casey took Kyla and I to Lagoon
for a little weekend getaway, and we tried to soak up all of Kyla’s excitement
as she rode ride after ride. We only had
one meltdown when she was told she couldn’t ride the bumper cars because she
was an inch too short. It was great to
get to spend some extra family time together before the baby showed up. Casey
and I discovered that we’re “Pot Head’s” through the Declo rumor mill, and I
quickly realized that High School never ends.
People will drag your name through the mud and judge you however they
please and you know what…there’s not a damn thing we can do about it. People are entitled to their own opinions, so
keep thinking what you will folks. We’re
here to ride this crazy train so stop on by and we’ll roll ya a joint. Smoking’s not for you? Well no need to fear, we have some brownies
that will rock your world! We ended October with Halloween and our little Pirate had a full candy bucket after 4 stops in Declo. Sorry if you tried trick-or-treating at our
house. We just knew no one would dare
eat the cookies I baked for fear they were laced with Mary Jane. We ended the night in Almo with Grandpa Clark
and Grandma Jane scaring us. Kyla just
stood her ground and new Grandpa was the man behind the monkey mask.
November
entailed Kyla’s first ever clogging performance at the festival of trees. TMM plasma set up a booth at the Elba craft
fair and Kyla turned the big FOUR!
Sadly, her birthday was spent at our cousin Corbin’s funeral, but Uncle
Tadd & Aunt Jalene tried to make up for it with a little Birthday shindig
at their house. I spent that
afternoon/night shooting a wedding so I was grateful for family to help make
her day special. We celebrated her birthday on the 18th and my mom made Kyla an AWESOME cake! I’m so glad she has both sets of grandparents
around to love her. She may be spoiled,
but that’s what grandparents are for right? We ended the month with
Thanksgiving, and celebrated with the Spencer clan at my parents Shop. Little did we know it would be the last time
some of us would all be together, but I’m glad I had brought my camera to snap
some family pictures for some of my Aunts and Uncles. (I love you Uncle Bob.)
December. The last month of the year was already
here. Reality started setting in that we
would shortly be adding a member to our family.
I frantically worked to finish editing some last minute photo sessions, all the while being huge and exhausted.
Thanks to Casey, my Mom and Elaine for taking Kyla when they could so I
could sit in front of my computer. Lots
of extra time was spent programming
orders for the TMM clients who wanted customized Christmas gifts. Casey busted his butt getting everyones stuff done in time, along with finishing Kyla's Christmas present. We attended family Christmas parties and were
able to spend some time with friends.
This was the first year we didn’t spend the night in Almo on Christmas
eve, and were excited we got to celebrate Christmas Day in our own home with no
place to go. We did all go to Chelsey
and Kenny’s on Christmas Eve to play games and eat good food and spent most of
the evening sitting in the dark because the power went out. Kyla got spoiled and the slide Casey built
her was definitely the highlight of the day, along with the 3 inches of snow
that showed up. The last day of the year
rolled around and baby Ally made us a family of 4. We definitely ended the year with a bang and
are so grateful for our health and many blessings we have seen.
Through it all
we continue to learn that life is short.
So hold the ones you love and make sure your family is a
priority. It’s easy to get caught up in
the hustle and bustle of every day life, so just don’t forget what is truly
important. We hope your 2019 is off to a
great start and wish you happiness above all else.
Love,
The Richman’s, Casey, Keely, Kyla & Ally
