Riggs Sept 08 update

Well in case anyone is wondering if it is still hot in St. George, it is! Really hot! Unfortunately the market is not doing quite so hot! With the downturn in the market, economy and lending, you can imagine that St. George is not doing so great, and that we have been able to make it a year since the lending industry has been tightening guidelines to the point that not many borrowers can even get a loan, has not come to an end. And actually, it has been really good. Charles and I have never been afraid of change, so this update may seem like a good bye to St. George, because we are leaving this wonderful place to venture out into the future!

So, 6 months ago Charles was working in SLC, however, that did not last long because we could not live apart and I was able to work a little more. So, Charles has been able to work with my father (who has purchased a warehouse here in St. George to convert it into a Independent Living Facility just below Green Valley). Basically an posh place where old people can live and not worry about anything (tell your grannies and grand pappies cause it will be ready in about 2 years!) Anyway, Charles has been able to help him with getting through the city, dealing with potential clients, and learning a new soft ware and designing the renovation. While that has worked well these past 6 months, it is now time for a change. Charles is in San Diego getting his CISSP (an IT security cert.). He will be home for one day and then will be starting a contracting job with Verizon Wireless on Sept. 9th. He will also be completing his degree at the Western Governor University, majoring in IT securities. We are excited and really feel like a path has been made for us……now if we can just figure out what to do with our house.

Lucy, Evan, and Ava and I will stay in St. George until I find a renter or a family who would like to have a vacation home here (like a rental but no ownership…anyone interested??) I have to say, it has been such an experience living in St. George. It really is a different mentality and way of life. More low key. We have been able to do so much here and feel so blessed to have been able to live here and raise our beautiful children here the past 3.5 yrs. It has not been easy raising twins and we truly feel like we have been blessed while doing so, by having careers that have been so flexible. We have learned so much, had great times and hard times, and all in all, we feel like it is time to move on. So, it is with much appreciation to this great city, that we say, “see ya later” not goodbye, because we have such a great love for St. George that we may be back someday! I will continue to keep my license and do loans, don’t worry someday (who knows when) the lending industry will get better and actually WANT to loan money again.

Now for just a little update on the kiddies, cause that is WAY more fun!

Lucy loves kindergarten. After making the comment 3 or 4 times that, “mom I want to go to afternoon kindergarten” I finally understood and asked, “Lu, do you mean that you wish you could stay at kindergarten until the afternoon…..all day?” the answer was yes! This girl is ready for more! She loves it. So, after school we have a little school of our own. We do work books, reading (which she is so good at, and is loving “Green Eggs and Ham”) math and numbers, spelling and other “fun” activities. Then she is out the door riding her bike to Kenya’s (our little neighbor). Lucy, Evan and Ava, Kenya and Kamree are the new and improved neighborhood bike and trik and wiggle car posse. Watch out they usually start at 7:30 am and continue throughout various times of the day. We have loved this neighborhood! Lucy said the other day about moving, “Mom we need to MOVE! I have lived in St. George my whole life!” She must think she will get to play with cousins ALL the time! Lucy gets dressed, cleans her room, and makes her bed all before she comes up to go ride her bike in the am….I have been so proud of her. Isn’t 5 a great age! She continues to be my #1 helper and I just love that little girl so much!

The past 6 months it has been amazing to watch Evan and Ava. They have changed from babies to little people. (They have to keep reminding me, "mama I'm NOT a baby.") Especially since they are both potty trained! I started about 26 months and didn’t push, just encouraged and talked a LOT about big boys and big girls and Annie and June ( from little Einstein’s) and Luke Skywalker and Gav and Jake and Zac and Josh (cousins and Star Wars) a lot. It was great, and not bad at all…..just intense, but now it is great! They have also increased in language and understanding. The way they understand and interpret and recall from memory is so fun to watch and see. Ava has especially started to talk and expain a lot more in long sentence and is always so mindful to add “please and thank you.” Bright little minds.

Luke Skywalker, no I mean Darth Vader, no I mean Samurai Ninja, no Indian Jones, no no no I mean Evan is loving life! Evan loves his guys…and teasing his sisters, but I think he loves cool guys a little more. He is still totally into his apparel and loves cool t-shirts. Evan is usually playing and holding a guy while jumping off something and saying “so cool!” He like to play kill mama and wake her with a kisssss… I added the kissing part cause I love it! We even get Ava to play. And I have to admit, it is ok to die by the sword or the gun or even the imaginary weapon, just as long as I get that sweet kiss. Evan has been a little more of a mama’s boy, which is ok by me, except when he is literally hanging onto my leg. It is a little hard to move. He loves to draw pics with a pen, jump off the the slide onto the lovesac, eat anything in a baggie, watch movies and eat junk food! He is a treat to have around is so dang cute….even with his mohawk that daddy finally buzzed off! Fav bed time song: mmmahh went the little green frog one day….done by daddy of course!

Little Ava is still little but taller! She continues to be my sweet sensitive screamer…..we are working on it. It is just hard when you have a big sis and a twin always taking away your “things”. Ava wakes in the am so happy and loves to be outside with Lu bright and early. They are my morning risers. She loves the compartment behind the trik so she can put her baby and baby silky in it and take it for a ride….or anything that is near and dear to her on that given day. She loved eggs! She loves oatmeal and fruit and of course treats! She can be bribed by fake crying (in order to get kisses…Daddy does that at least 5x a day!) She is the only one that can get Daddy to do just about anything she wants. He is a sucker for her! One night he was instructed to get her to bed while I was with Ev and Lu and I come back to find Ava making him fake food! Charles had such a guilty expression saying,” she is making me food.” ( eyeball sandwiches are his fav’s). My particular little Ava has to have 4 songs before bed. I am a Child of God, Temple, Twinkle Twinkle and Rainbow. At least we know what to expect. She is busy and loves to color, loves loves loves playdough, being outside looking at bugs, and the tickling of her neck!. She is sweetness to have around.

We have fun. Thank you for all of your who help and inspire us! We feel so blessed and really feel like as long as we have eachother, we can do anything....God Bless!