Paige's Christmas Program

Oh boy what a little ham! Enjoy the video!

It's been awhile...

Here are some photos from, soccer, Halloween and getting our Christmas Tree. To solve any confusion, Paige is the girl Vampire, her choosing, and Taylor is Sleeping beauty! Enjoy!

We are moving!

Thanksgiving was wonderful and our trip to spend time with my Dad in San Jose was awesome! Good family time with all.

Okay now for the news that brought you to my blog...

I am pleased to announce that Jeremy has accepted a new position as CTO(Chief Technology Officer) for Summit Projects. Jeremy is really excited for this new opportunity and for all the possibilities it will give his career. I am happy for him and know he will do great. This new job means we are MOVING! Yes the Riley's will be leaving little Utah, our home for the last 5 years, to move to a small town of 7000 people, Hood River, OR.

Some interesting facts about Hood River, it is the wind surfing capital of the world and boasts some of the best apples, pears, and cherry's. It is an hour away from Portland and about 1 hour and 15 min from our current house. I guess this quaint little town only has one ward, three schools, and a really fun little down town.

Okay now that I got the positive out of the way let's talk. I am so excited at the possibility of living in a rural area with land for my girls to play on. The only problem, is that we can't find somewhere nice with a reasonable rent. See we will be carrying our current mortgage and a rent out there so we need to find something reasonable yet not a complete dump.

Also my shopping perspectives, uh Walmart (it doesn't have a grocery store and it is really small) and Safeway. Oh I am sorry I forgot about Payless shoes. Now I am not opposed to these stores except Safeway because it is so much more expensive then Fred Meyer and Winco. Also there is no Target or Costco. Gap is about 50 minutes away but at least it's in an outlet mall. Now lets be clear, I am not a big shopper but I like having variety and being able to just walk around a store and look at things.

And now for the biggest heartbreak. I am leaving my family, my brothers currently are only 5 to 10 minutes away, and I am leaving some really good friends behind who I just love to get together with, I mean I really love them. Also my best-friend will be moving back when she gets pregnant and I want to be here to watch help her with her baby. Last night at Enrichment it hit me hard as I looked around at all the faces I have become accustomed to for the last 5 years. There are a lot of people in this current ward that I am really fond of and love.

This will be our first big move as a family. I am excited for this adventure with Jeremy and the girls but will miss home so much. Current plan is to come to Portland at least once a week, we will see how that goes but there will still have to be girls night at least once a month.

Here's to new beginnings!

Daughters

I noticed today that an old friend posted on facebook, "I am grateful for the opportunity to raise a daughter." This struck me very hard. I often joke about the fact that I have 3 girls and that I am not excited about the teenage years with menstrual cycles, prom dresses, clothes, and just the hormones of a teenage girl. All day I have been thinking about what this post means and for me it means a whole lot.

I have three beautiful little girls. Right now I am able to see them for who they are perfectly. It seems that children show us their true individual natures and worth at a very young age. For example, if you know Paige then it is easy to see that she is a very kind, loving, intuitive, stalwart, and gentle person. Taylor is outgoing, tender, generous, determined, and protective. Sarah we can already see that she has a peaceful and calm nature. Why is this important? I think it is important to me as a mother because in today's world, some of these attributes are not celebrated enough. We see girls portrayed in a very different manner then they were 20+ years ago. I am not talking about the idea that women are one dimensional and shouldn't have degrees and goals. I am talking more of the attributes the world celebrates. I believe that women can be successful without being course. I have a friend, Linsy, who I feel demonstrates this to a tee. From what I can tell she has never given up her poise or kindness to move ahead in life and yet from all aspects she is very successful.

So for me as a mother of three little princesses, "Daughters of a Heavenly King", I have the opportunity to raise them true to their divine natures and teach them how to be successful in life using their individual worth. I welcome this challenge and look forward to the day when I see each one of them enter the sealing room to see them sealed for time an all eternity. Come what may, their core will always be the same even though life may offer hardening circumstances. They will always be those same tender spirits Heavenly Father has sent here. My job lies in helping them to be happy with themselves and there in lies their personal confidence.

I love my girls so very much and want only eternal happiness for them. They have brought a joy into my life that I couldn't understand as a child. My mom always would say, "I love you so much, more than you can imagine until you have a little Nicole of your own." I don't have a little Nicole but I have a Paige, Taylor, and Sarah Elizabeth and they bring such a happiness that I could not imagine until I had them.

I am grateful for this opportunity to be their earthly mother.

Baby help!

So to all my dear friends out there, please try to keep your mouths from hitting the floor when I tell you what I am about to tell you.

I am starting to put Sarah in her crib now. I know it's hard to believe as Paige and Taylor were never in the crib. In fact I didn't completely move them out of my bed until last January. Since they were about 1 years old I have started them off in their own bed but when they would wake up in the middle of the night it was SO much easier to get them to stay asleep longer in my bed.

So where is the help I need??? How did you keep your little baby's warm in the crib. Last night I went into Sarah and her little hands were cold. I don't want her cold and that will probably escalated her moving back into my bed sooner. So how did you keep them warm and with the blankets on them. I can lay Sarah down anywhere and if she is tired and not hungry or wet, she will kind of whimper for a minute or two and go to sleep. SHE IS A DREAM!!!!!! So help me with keeping her warm please. I tried to tuck in some blankets on top of her and am hoping that works!

So thanks in advance to your responses!

p.s. I have never had a baby monitor before. I got one because, like many of you have noticed, I cannot hear Sarah cry unless I am in the same room with her. So my point in telling you this. This machine is a dream. If I had had it with Taylor as a toddler, it would have prevented, so many things because I can hear a pin drop with it. If I am upstairs and it is down, I can still hear the slightest thing. For example I heard Taylor in another room from the baby, getting into my bathroom drawers. Catastrophe averted! I only spent 17$ on it too! Oh the simple pleasures in life!

Swine Flu Survival Kit

I just want to thank my dear friend Heidi for showing up with an unexpected treat. She arrived at my door with this great gift and said, "I know you must be going crazy so I put together this Swine Flu Survival kit for you. Tender Mercies are everywhere aren't they? I am really grateful for good friends who are here to love and support us. I miss our friends far away and am grateful for the ones close by! What a wonderful act of friendship. Thank you Heidi!!!!!

Sarah Elizabeth is growing

It seems like in just the last few days Sarah is changing ever so rapidly. Yesterday she began to roll over onto one side and laugh. It was a tiny giggle but oh man was it delicious to the ears! I got the laugh by nibbling on her tummy. I am surprised she felt anything through her mounds and mounds of flesh! Maybe that is why it tickled, she could barely feel it.

Oh how I love babies! I must say I had nightmares about the 3rd but so far AMAZING and I love having three girls. Their bond is so very apparent even now! Don't ask me in 10 years when they are teenagers. I may start saving for boarding school now!