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Riley dancing to "Low Day" by Capra.

Christmas 2009

These are some of the pictures we took for Christmas cards (hopefully they arrive on time).

Visits from the Tooth Fairy

So far Riley has lost 4 teeth.

March 9, 2009 she lost her first tooth.

March 21, 2009. Lost her second tooth.

December 8, 2009. Lost her third tooth.

December 14, 2009. Lost her fourth tooth. This was by far the most traumatic loss, she fell off the bottom of the bleachers at Carmichael and smashed her face into the ground and lost the tooth upon impact.

Riley has also got another loose tooth, it should come out any day. For now she is singing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth".

Soccer Begins!

We just finished our 2nd Saturday of games. Maddie and Riley both are playing this year. Matt and I had to divide and conquer because they had games scheduled at the same time for their first two games.

I forgot my camera last week (Riley's first game and all), but remembered it this week.

Riley started off timid, allowing everyone to have the ball without question, or resistance. This week she turned it on. She's a mad woman now. She finally realizes that she is faster than, almost, every other girl on the field.

Riley had two games yesterday, with team photos in between. It was a long day.

Madisen's coach sat down with the girls on her team during the first team meeting and all of the girls set goals for the season. Madisen plays forward, but last season was not successful in scoring a goal. So, of course, her goal was to score a goal this season. She is learning a lot about the sport, and improving leaps and bounds.

Yesterday, Madisen scored her first EVER goal during a game! Her coach cried, she was so happy. Everyone was screaming. She gained so much confidence from this one act, that the very next play she was in front of the goal again with another shot on goal.

I wasn't able to capture the goal, as I had just gotten to the field from Riley's game. But I did get to see it. (Teresa did too.) So I took a picture of her in the car on the way home.

Soccer continues every Saturday thru November 7th. Then it will pick up again for spring in March.

Kindergarten

Well, today was the day that Riley started Kindergarten. She is super excited!

Riley getting on the bus

Wallowa Lake, OR

Got back yesterday from camping at Wallowa Lake. We had decent weather, lots of fun, and awesome company!

We got to go for a 1 hour horseback ride, bumper boating, go-kart racing, play in the lake (without the boat), get ice cream, and watch fireworks over the lake while we were there.

Riley on a horse (she was too young to go for the big ride)

Madisen on her horse "Sparky", he was a slow horse

Madisen in her bumper boat

Matt and Riley in their bumper boat

Madisen driving a go-kart with her Aunt Teresa as passenger

Maddie and cousin Haley roasting marshmallows

Matt trying to steal Riley's smore

Riley (aka Miss America) eating her smore

Wallowa Lake at sunset

Jonas Brothers!!!!!!!

On June 27, 2009 we got to travel to Portland, OR to see the Jonas Brothers World Tour concert in the Rose Garden Arena. The girls loved it. We left early in the morning, ate lunch, then headed to the Portland Children's Museum. Our hotel room was finally ready at 4 pm, so we headed over to check in and change for the concert. We picked up a quick dinner at McDonald's and then hopped on the train to head downtown. Our posse consisted of Madisen and Riley, (cousins) Ali, Megan, Ryan, Nora, (Aunt) Alicia, and me.

The concert was LOUD!!! Fortunately we had brought along ear plugs for everyone. Opening acts lasted 1 1/2 hours. Between the opening acts, stagehands would come on stage to prepare for the next act, or the lighting would change slightly, and the whole arena was flooded with high-pitched girl squeals every 30 seconds or so. The Jonas Brothers were GREAT!!! We got back to the hotel where everyone promptly passed out.

Sunday morning we woke up, ate breakfast at the hotel, went swimming, packed and then headed to the Oregon Zoo. All the kids loved the zoo. We even got to see the baby elephant that was born last August.

We finally got home around 7:30 Sunday night. It was a fun, and bonding, 37 hours.

While the girls played in Portland, the guys got to take a fishing trip. It seems as though a good time was had by all!

At the children's museum

The crew in front of the Rose Garden Arena before the concert

(Megan, Riley, Ali, Nora, Ryan, and Madisen)

Nick Jonas playing his piano on center stage

Maddie at the concert

We were as high up as you could get!

Riley at the concert

Riley sacked out on Ali's lap on the train, on our way back to the hotel

Elephants at the zoo, isn't that a cute baby?

Riley zonked again, on our way home in the van

Idaho

Matt finally got some time off of work, so we scheduled a long weekend trip to Hayden, ID. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express using the Silverwood package. With our package we got our room for 2 nights, 3 general admission tickets to Silverwood, 24 attractions at Triple Play, and 2 days at the Raptor Reef Indoor Waterpark. So much to do, so little time. I forgot to bring my camera most of the time, but I did manage to take a few pictures. We had a great time bonding. Matt and I were extremely worn out by the time we made it home. Matt thinks we'll try to get away again sometime in the winter. We just won't include Silverwood the next trip. The waterpark and Triple Play were plenty enough to keep us occupied.

There were 3 "big" waterslides. One of them emptied into a large "toilet bowl" that you would swirl around in before going down the drain into the large pool at the bottom. It was awesome!

There were 2 small slides. Riley loved these!

Madisen just kept going, and going, and going........

Recital time!

Riley and Audrey have been working very hard this last year in ballet. Riley really enjoyed being able to attend class with Audrey. On June 13th they were able to share with us all of the things they had learned over the last year.

Riley

Audrey and Riley

On stage

Thanks to everyone who came out to support us!

Redding, CA

We took the first of several little trips, that are planned this summer, in May. We travelled to Redding, CA to celebrate Matt's grandmother's 90th birthday. Matt was not able to make the trip with us, and he was greatly missed. On our way, we stopped to view Mt. Shasta.

Madisen, Riley, Ali, Courtney, and Eddie (Mt. Shasta in the background)

Madisen, Riley and Mt. Shasta

While in Redding, we went to Lake Shasta Caverns.

Madisen, Nana, and Riley

It took us 12 1/2 hours to drive there and 11 hours on our way home. We left on Friday and returned on Monday. The girls did great in the car, no fighting or arguing until I informed them we only had 20 miles left!

Father/Daughter Ball

Matt had the pleasure of accompanying Madisen and Riley to the Father/Daughter Ball in February. They had a great time. Britt brought Audrey and Chris brought Haley and Kennady. Although Riley was feeling a little under the weather, everyone seemed to have a good time. Riley told me that she even got to dance to the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana!

We just received our pictures yesterday and thought that we'd share it.

Happy Birthday Riley!

November 2008.

4 1/2 years old.
Jumping for joy!

4 years old.

October 2007 at the pumpkin patch.

3 1/2 years old.

First day of preschool.

September 2007.
Riley's sweet side.

May 2006, 2 years old.
Riley's sassy side.

May 2006. 2 years old.
Classic picture: using the potty and on the phone.

16 months old.
6 months old. September 2004.
Remember the hair?

2 months old
Sleeping peacefully at home.
Getting ready to leave the hospital.
Riley Pearl Richardson

March 24, 2004

7 lbs 2 oz

Riley is 5 today! How time flies. Happy birthday to my sassy pants!