Utah Part 1

Getting to Utah was memorable to say the least.  Cooper got motion sick, we had to change planes due to mechanical problems, had to deice, and got stuck in Denver for 3 hours.  Needless to say we were very happy to make it to Utah!

 My dad won a car building competition with this model as a young boy.

 The Peterson Curve.

It felt good to be back in my stomping grounds.  I love walking through my house that I grew up in and finding forgotten treasures.  Memories flood through me: love, laughter, safety, faith, trials and tears.  I found this gem from my mom.  She made it very clear that she loved me and was proud of me.  All the good things in me are from my wonderful parents.  

 obligatory stop at Crown Burger for fry sauce.

 The Salt Lake Marathon went right past the house we were staying at.  So fun to cheer from the trees and see our favorite runner in his 7th marathon.  I was reminded as Matt stopped to take a family picture with us of the miracle of the family picture during the Boston Marathon in 2013.

My last blog post was about angels.  Here is one of them, Grandma Retta.  I have known Retta since I was 5.  Her son introduced Matt and I to each other.  She has taken me and my kids under her wing and loved us like we were her own.  Retta has a heart as big as Texas and can make me laugh like no other.  We are so blessed to have her in our lives.  She has a cool mailbox in the center of her door that my kids love to call out to her through.  We love when she screams in delight as a response.

Morrissa, my mother in law, is another one of my earthly angels.  This woman is chock full of goodness.  She has so many gifts that she is constantly sharing with others.  She knows how to love people unconditionally and to make them feel like a million bucks.  She shares her rock solid testimony of her Savior by the way she lives her life.  I couldn't have hand picked a better Mother in Law.  I adore her.  Her spudnuts are celestial.

More angels.  I loved having 4 brothers and being the only girl.  My brothers are incredible people who I have always looked up to.  One of the many benefits to brothers is that they bring sisters to the family.  Love, love, love these people.  

 We rented a sweet Durango and drove it to Southern Utah.  Utah is huge, I didn't realize that until I moved to Massachusetts.

First stop: Capital Reef.  We hiked to Hickman Bridge and to the natural water tanks in Capital Gorge.  As we hiked we followed the CAIRNS.  I wrote an entire sacrament talk about them in my mind as we hiked: the cairns are the commandments given to us by a loving Heavenly Father who wants us to safely get home to him.  Stay on the path.  Don't follow others unless they are following the cairns.  Don't come up with your own better way, you will realize that even though it may be faster or more exciting there is always a reason behind where they were placed.  I could go on and on.  

Little Wild Horse Canyon

As I was walking behind these wonderful people of mine, I realized I am living my dream.  I have always wanted to be a mom.  As I watched how much fun they were having and how they enjoyed being together (because sometimes they don't) I was hit with how blessed I am.  Even on my hardest day as a mom, I am doing exactly what I want to be doing.  What a huge blessing!

Goblin Valley

 Camping in Natural Bridges.  Cooper passed off all sorts of scout requirements with setting up a tent, building a fire, hiking, etc.  It was so dark we had an incredible view of the stars.

 This is what happens when you take a selfie when it is so dark you can't even see your hand in front of your face.

Ruby turned 13 in Natural Bridges.  She had pie for breakfast.  I love seeing the plants that grow under the most unfriendly of conditions.  It is a good reminder to me to bloom where I am planted.

 I don't know where my kids get their crazy from...

 So happy to finally be in the sunshine!!!

 Ruby's birthday celebration

Hanging out with my pardners in Moab.

 Delicate Arch

 Firey Furnace

 Landscape Arch

Mesa Arch,  Canyonlands

 Dead Horse Point

Feeling super skilled making PB&J while en route.  

 Happy Birthday Guncle

 Alta, UT

Playing hard

 One of the main reasons for our trip was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of my in laws.  The day was magical.

 It started off with a family picture.  Can't wait to see how they turned out.  We had an hour long waltz lesson and the entire Rich family danced together.  I am so bummed I don't have more picture of this day.

 We ate at Cafe Madrid and made beautiful memories.

 Ed surprised Morrissa with a beautiful wedding cake.  I love the way these 2 treat each other.  They are so in love and it shows in all they do and say.  I am so thankful for their example of finding happiness through following Jesus Christ.

Watching reel to reel family movies.  A true highlight of the day.  The Riches are a beautiful variety of people.  Each person is very unique and full of goodness.  I am so blessed to be a part of this clan. It felt so good to sit and laugh together.  

Angels

 I just learned about these beautiful paintings by Brian Kershisnik.  I have thought about them this entire week.  Mothers Day is always a little rough for me, I would love to just give my sweet angel mom a big hug and thank her for ALL. SHE. DID. FOR. ME!!  I miss her with all of my heart some times.  I love the way the angel is helping the woman in the painting.  I know my mom does that for me.  I love this quote by Elder Jeffery R. Holland,

• "In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike--and they will--you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed."

 I love this picture of the angels that made sure a dear baby made it to her mothers arms.  My mom was in this group when Ruby was born.  I felt her there.

 What are these angels saying?  Don't give up?  Remember who you are?  You are a Child of God!  It will get better!  You got this Chris Rich!

 I love the way the angels are holding her head up.  I need that some days.  Maybe they are holding her head just so the mom can keep going.  Maybe they are trying to help her see God's love in her life.  Maybe they are warning her.  Maybe they are easing her burden.

I think this one is my favorite, it is called Climbing Mother.  I hope as a mom I am climbing to my potential.  I also have people literally climbing up me and needing me.  From either view, there are angels helping the mom do what she needs to do.  How reassuring.  I need that.  I heard a beautiful talk at BYU Womens Conference last week about angels.  Sister Wendy Nielson shared how when we keep our covenants, we can ask for angels to help us.   “I’m talking about praying to your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, for those (angels) to be ‘dispatched’ (Elder Holland’s word) to assist you,” What a beautiful thought!!  I love the word dispatched.  
"May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise ... “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, … my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” ¹⁴ In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and “the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” ^15 "
So this is my plan for Mothers Day.  As my gift to my mom, I will try to be the best mom I can.  I will celebrate all the moms and amazing women in my life.  I am so blessed to be surrounded by angels on both sides of the veil.  

Amherst, MA

Next time you come visit me, make sure we go to Antonio's Pizza in Amherst.  BEST. PIZZA. EVER!  You can get your yummy normal pizza or you can have black bean avocado, caramelized onion and walnut, tortellini, or mac and cheese pizza.  The pieces are larger than a moose head.

This musical little lady is the proud owner of a new Ukulele, Duke the Uke. We have a tradition of naming our instruments: Peter the piano, Charles the cello, Bangelina jolie to banjo, Gustavo the guitar.  Ruby has magical fingers.  I often feel like I am really in Hawaii instead of Massachusetts.  OK I lied.

I have a thing for taking pictures in front of murals.

April Fools

I love April Fools.  I am a trickster at heart.  There are so many hard things in life, you need to find any opportunity to laugh.  My SIL told me she was thankful she didn't live with me on April Fools, Ha!!

I have taught my kids well.  All eyes were on me as I opened my refrigerator.  Ruby spent lots of time attaching  eyes to ALL MY FOOD!  Cooper taped the vegetable sprayer open and DRENCHED me.  You would think I would have caught on by now.  My favorite prank was sewing the legs of Matts underwear closed.  Sorry no pictures of that, but it made for a great laugh.

My Story

Back in February I was asked to give a talk at church on family history.  My main point was that if you don't tell your story, who will?  It seemed like a daunting task, but I decided I better practice what I was preaching and get busy.  Many of my friends ask if Mormons give something up for Lent, I always joke with them we have already given everything up, which is not true there are lots of things I could give up like being judgmental, impatient, etc.  I decided that for 40 days I would devote a few minutes to writing my story.  Some days I only spent  5 minutes while others I had hours to get my thoughts down. I didn't worry about grammar, I just wrote.  I started with a skeleton and added the few details I remembered from each school year.  Some years were just a sentence or two.  Other years ended up being several paragraphs.  I pulled out all my scrapbooks and journals to refresh my memory.  It was wonderful to look back on happy memories and laugh.  There were many hard and tearful memories as well.  The thing I noticed the very most was that through the good and bad times, I have always been blessed with an incredible support system of family, friends and my loving Heavenly Father.  EVERY. SINGLE. TIME!  Life has been BRUTIFUL, brutal and beautiful.  I am thankful for the hard things in life, they are building me and shaping me into the woman my Heavenly Father needs me to be.  I wrote up until the present.  I need to go back to edit and add pictures and add the rest of the story.  That is the cool part, I get to choose what I want the main character, me, to become!

I loved watching my kids look through my yearbooks.  I taught Ruby how I used to do my bangs.  I love the band picture I am the one playing the bassoon with my nose.  Funny thing is, I played the flute not the bassoon.

 I love that I have maintained many of the same friends I have always had.  I have always had wonderful friends.  What a blessings.  This is SACK: Shelli, Amanda, Chris, and Kim

I love seeing my healthy momma and remembering the great times we had together.

Character building moments, like when my dog ate my bloody gauze out of the garbage can from my wisdom teeth.

Life changing leadership opportunities, testimony building, and support from dear friends.  

 I looked back at my mom as she suffered from so many problems and realized what a blessing it was for us to work on being more compassionate and caring. Some really hard times with beautiful lessons.

I looked back on new relationships and the opportunity to grow.

I was reminded over and over again of how blessed I am.  Even though life is not perfect, I am living my dream of being a stay at home mom to 3 beautiful, amazing kids.

One thing is for certain, life is good.  I am so blessed.  I will get back to you on the rest of the story!