Thursday, August 28, 2008
Rickards Family Video Journal
I made some time last month to start working on it again. It was hard at first. There were so many memories. I still can't believe she was so sick and we didn't know. We had on video Jason's call to his mom when we were on our way to the hospital when I was in labor with Ashlyn. I can't find the words to describe how it felt to hear her voice again. It still feels like yesterday.
I was struggling to find the right song to go with some of the video and pictures I have of Ashlyn's first days home from the hospital. After a few failed attempts, I came across a song that I loved! It's called Baby Mine by Alison Krauss. I played it for Jason to see what he thought. He listened for a minute and then, like a light went on inside him, said we couldn't use it. He choked up and said his mom used to sing that song to him when he was a baby. He was overcome with emotion. He still misses her so much.
I decided not to use the song for now to make it a little easier on Jason. I'm making a second version with that will use that song. I'm sure with time, Jason will really appreciate having it in our video.
Jessica is the narrator and wrote most of the script. She has such a fun personality and I really wanted to capture it. She is so smart for her age and has an incredible vocabulary. I can credit her love to read for that. I only had to veto a few things when she would get carried away.
You may want to pause the playlist on the right so you can hear the video.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Back to School

Saturday, August 16, 2008
Let Them Be Little
Of course! Our unfinished side yard. I should have known they would find some way to get creative! At first I laughed because they were having such a good time. Then I saw in my head the mud trailing through the house, trying to get it out of their swim suits, a brown mud ring around the freshly cleaned bath tub...
I took a deep breath and reminded myself to "let them be little". I took a few more pictures and reminded them to rinse off and let me know when they wanted to come inside so I could make sure it was "safe". :-)
They made mud pies, took a mud bath and got into a mud fight! I wish I still liked mud...
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Ashlyn


Tuesday, August 5, 2008
TAG!
3. My Favorite Pair of Shoes
I don't know that I can say I have a single favorite pair of shoes. I love shoes! They can change an outfit by just stepping into a different pair! I love these Jessica Simpson heels! They are part sassy and part classy. They are the perfect red too! I have a navy skirt suit that looks great with these shoes!
Most of my shoes have a heel because I am not blessed with height! I did find these flats this spring and I love them. They are great shopping shoes! Totally comfortable, but still cute. (They are Jessica Simpson too. She has such a great line of shoes!)
This could be scary!
This is my side. The tubs on top hold all the clothes that I haven't gotten back into since I had Ashlyn! Grrrr. I guess I should get back to the gym...
4. My Laundry Room
I have three months of calendars on my wall. I don't use these as much as I used to. My phone keeps track of every one's appointments and sends me reminders.
5. My Bed
6. My Bathroom
7. My Hallway
I have two hallways and they are both upstairs. This hallway goes into the kids loft and Lauren and Jessica's room. My favorite part of the hallway is this shelf. Most people collect key chains or magnets or spoons- we collect picture frames from the places we go. It gives me a good excuse to shop around the little shops while we are out of town to look for a frame. Jason likes to pick them out too, so we have to find one we both like and doesn't look the all the rest. Some of the frames are sadly waiting for me to print out a picture.
8. My yard My pots are waiting for their topiaries... It is still too hot and we were gone so much this summer. I was afraid they would die. Phone book on the porch... I want to pull out those rose bushes...
The back yard...
9. What are my kids doing right now?
Ashlyn is asleep... Isn't she sweet?
Austin, Jessica and Lauren are visiting their dad in Arizona. I tried to send Austin a text message a few minutes ago but I think his cell phone died. I'll have to call when I am done here.
Jason (He's kind of like a kid!) is still at work, but this is what he looks like when he brings his work home! It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it is one of those funny reminders to me that we are grown ups now!
10. My Favorite Room.
Hmmm. Tough one. I think, Ashlyn's room because it feels so peaceful in there. When Lauren was a baby, her room made me feel calm too. Maybe it is just a baby thing. If I take too many pictures, she may wake up. Here are some I took before she was born.
After each visit, I would think of things that we needed. I really wanted to find a chair to put in the corner. Jason wanted to put a little entertainment center in the corner where I wanted the chair. The argument continues... Do guests need a tv in their room? I think no because they didn't come to hang out in their room and watch tv. They came to visit with us. Right? He thinks guests need a tv in there room in case they want to stay up and watch tv after we go to bed. I think he is just looking for an excuse to buy more electronics! :-) What do you think? I'll set up a poll. VOTE! The corner is still empty...
11. My Most Recent Purchase
I met Jason at lunch and went over to Best Buy to get a new computer. I'm not sure if this counts as my last purchase or his. Our computer works fine, but he says this one will be better for my video editing. I guess my other computer doesn't have enough something???? I don't know. Computer talk is like Hebrew to me. Electronics... see the trend?
If that one doesn't count for me, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few necessities.
12. My Dream Vacation
That's hard... I would love to go every where eventually. If I haven't been there yet, I don't know what I am missing. So, I think I would have to say that I would like to go back to Italy. Last time I went, it was summer time and hot and humid. I would like to go in the spring time and see more of Italy along the coast.
I would like to go to New York in the fall too. I hear that it is beautiful that time of year.
13. Self Portrait
Not loving this part... I went to teach a station at a PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) class this afternoon. I had forgotten about it and decided this was a good week to start back on OBAGI. ( It's an amazing skin care line, but it destroys your face the first two weeks. It turns red and gets a little puffy and then peels off! I have pretty bad sun damage on my face and this stuff works wonders! ) I think I mostly covered up the redness, but my face is still puffy. I thought I would just hide out for a week! Lucky you!
Okay, I tag Jen, Rashelle, Lindsay and Danale! Here's what you have to do: stop what you are doing and go get your camera! Leave everything as is and start snapping pictures! There is only 13 so it shouldn't take too long! You don't have to post it right now if you don't have time, but at least get you pictures taken! Oh yeah, I tag my silent stalker from Florida too! Yes, you! You'll have to send me the link so I can "peek" back! It's only fair!