Here is a funny video from our Washington State vacation that will make you laugh...

  So, I came across a video from our Washington State vacation... 

  The background behind this video is...Chad was teasing me by lowering my window as I was focused on the camera; I noticed a bit late!! We had just had a zebra bite our side window on our van and I was worried the Llama would be frustrated and take the same action. That is why I "scolded" Chad, I was in complete fear and not thinking clearly. State of survival I guess LOL :). Enjoy it, it was a fun experience and vacation ha ha :)!! Not to mention we were stuck in a pen with bison and was terrified of retaliation - in a state of fear to say the least!

Faith...

Over the years, getting older and all :), I would really ponder what scripture study was. I've read the scriptures, I know the stories. But I'm not one who knows exact books, chapters, and verses of where to exactly find a reference. So in the past, maybe 3 years...wow it might be 4! I've discovered something that really works for me. 

I really wanted to know what 'scripture study' really was and what the prophets meant. I know we are at different stages in our lives, but for me at that point I felt like I was missing something obvious to everyone else. I even asked the question outright in Gospel Doctrine. The teacher didn't think I was serious, so I said, "No, really what IS it to study your scriptures? I know we're to read them and I do, but what is it to really 'study' and 'search' the scriptures?" No one answered, I didn't know if it was because they too were in the same boat as me or if it was too simple a question that no one thought needed answered. I read the scriptures, but felt like only reading the scriptures in order, over and over; was like saying a prayer using vain repetitions and not getting what I wanted or needed out of it. So I ended up getting the student and teachers manuals for the gospel doctrine classes AND then went on to get the student or teacher manuals for certain institute courses. I used the outlines to guide my study so I felt like I was researching or 'studying' the scriptures. I've found this to be a great blessing in my life.

So, now after the initial start of doing this, it's turned into going off on tangents or something LOL. I will start reading a story from the scriptures and usually the story is focused on a specific topic, like a 'moral' to the story if you will. So I will then be researching or studying about Faith, Repentance, The Atonement, Selfishness, Sacrifice, Tolerance, Kindness, Judging Others etc... there are so many topics to choose from! 

With the launch of the new www.lds.org site ( www.new.lds.org ), it has been WONDERFUL!! You can do your scripture study online. You can read articles then click the scripture referenced and it pulls it right up and you can read all the verses. I love how you can highlight and mark notes to what you're reading etc, AND you can keep a journal online too!! I'm loving it and think it is amazing. Now you can have your scriptures at your fingertips almost anywhere. You just log into your account anywhere you are and pick up where you left off. 

With the Journal option, I love this idea! I don't have to worry about my kids scribbling in it, loosing it, or getting the hand cramp from writing like I do. My journal entries can be lengthy (who ME, no way...shut the front door!), so typing is so much faster for me.

So, the reason the title of this post is 'Faith...' is because that is what I'm studying right now. The more I study the more I realize why Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the Gospel. It always comes back to faith and I LOVE that!

I've read the book 'Living by the Power of Faith' by Gene Cook at least 3 times all the way through and parts of it more than I can count. In this book it references scriptures and it referenced 'Articles of Faith' by James E Talmage. I'd heard of the book and knew of it, but hadn't read it. I realized I had that very book given to me by my Grandma and Grandpa when I graduated High School. I started reading it and was HOOKED! In 'Articles of Faith' it referenced 'Lectures on Faith'. So when I was at Deseret Book getting Natalie her scripture bag I saw it for only $6.95! I totally bought it and have only read a little bit and it's AMAZING! I highly recommend ALL three of these books. Starting with, 'Living by the Power of Faith' would be the best bet and my suggestion. It has changed my life and they are all books that I don't want to be without in my Scriptural Library. 'Living by the Power of Faith' is good for the starter/jump starter; it's out of print but you can find it used for a great deal and is a wonderful book just to have by itself. Okay there is my soapbox moment!

Jealous much?!!

Check out the snow fall in our neck of the woods! It snowed approx 8-12 inches on Sunday to Monday alone. There is so much we're running out of places to stack it while shoveling! We don't have parkways so it's between the sidewalk and roadway - AWESOME!

Okay so I should be sleeping but the insomnia bug has hit again. I mean I'm all for being up WITH energy; if you're going to be awake, might as well make good use of it. Sadly that is not the case.
It's more constant lists of things you want to do, but can't, going through your head-works wonders on my anxiety! Realizing I have a chronic illness & can't control my on & off days, just adds to my feelings of being lazy/useless. I'm trying with all that is in me to pace myself. That is really hard to do when you're ... well ...ME! It is a constant work in progress. I will succeed, I'll figure it out eventually. Right? Or at least figure out all the ways that don't work - that is still progress and I'll take it in any way!

One Tired Little Girl AND Momma!!

Okay so we've been dealing with a lot of things at once. One of those things is helping Eliza so she can function at school & primary! She is bright & funny, but very distractable. Last year I took her to be evaluated for an auditory processing disorder. This was a precaution taken because of her prematuritiy. Her Pediatrician wanted to rule it out before deciding on an adhd diagnosis. So off to the clinic we went only to find us back there for 2 more evaluations that had nothing to do with her hearing (which was perfect btw). Instead they involved Asperger's testing followed by an Autistic spectrum disorder diagnosis! We went from being cautious to just plain confused. You know when you get a diagnosis & it explains things & makes sense? Well this was the opposite. It was leaving confused, frustrated, angry, & exhausted. In May was her Kindergarten check up. Pedi sees her, disagrees &
wants a re-evaluation. FINALLY we had her appt today & after 2+ hrs it's ADHD like we thought.

Mormon Messages contd...

I like to think of these as a spiritual boost for the day, or a thought for the day. So here is something that can uplift your day and 'Listen to the Prophets' voice'. Hope you enjoy them as I have!

Parenting

Mormon Messages contd...

Voice-of-the-Spirit

Mormon Messages contd...

Continue-in-Patience

Mormon Messages...

LDS.org is my home page. I do this to remind myself to say my prayers and read my scriptures daily (more in the morning - I struggle to remember). So as I was reading the home page of LDS.org they have these Mormon messages that they post on youtube.com. You can also share them on facebook.com or other social networking sites. There are quite a few that I loved personally because they are taken from general authorities' talks and they just so happen to be my favorite talks, the ones I quote and use for daily reference. So I wanted to share some of them.

Motherhood:-An-Eternal-Partnership

Puppy Play...

Here are Otto and Pipp playing. They're funny. Otto is really patient it's really funny when Pipp is too hyper and Otto will put him in his place. Otto is helpful with training him. It's been nice.

City Of Lights?! Pretty Much...



Well this is us driving into Las Vegas. This is just a sliver of all the lights! The kids are awe struck by all the lights. I've never driven into Vegas. Chad and I went to Vegas for our honeymoon, but flew in. It is a massive sight.

Another Surgery...But It's NOT ME!!

Our puppy Pipp had eye surgery on Monday.  Let me first say that eye surgery is NOTHING like getting neutered!!  It's a lot more complicated and exhausting.  Pipp developed Cherry Eye .  We're not sure whether it was genetic or not, but neither parent had a problem with this condition.  It is only on his left eye and I hope it stays that way.  I think he got poked in the eye and the infection led to the Cherry Eye, it is said that can happen.  It's a complicated surgery and we went with the Pocket Technique, it has a better success rate.  OUCH right?!!  I couldn't imagine having that done to my eye.  I never thought I'd have this kind of complication with a pet.  It was a lot more stressful than I imagined.  We've grown so attached that there really was no other choice.  After only 4 days the glad started BLEEDING, having a puppy bleeding from their eye is traumatic!  The Cherry Eye swelled so badly that it was partially covering his pupil and effecting his vision.  He's so little and young they didn't know if they wanted to do the surgery, but with the bleeding and risk of damaging the tissue and gland they decided to do the surgery.  The veterinarian said if he handled the surgery well she would go ahead and neuter him so he wouldn't have to have another surgery.  He did great so she went ahead and neutered him, so at least that is done too.  I'm exhausted, I have to keep Otto our Pug away from him so they don't play too rough - the kids too, since they're off track.  It would be awful to have to have the surgery repeated!!

Pipp has a cone around his neck and the thing is as big as he is, so it's very awkward for him to get around.  He's figuring it out and is doing better with it today.  Vet looked at him today before we go to Vegas and said it looks good, so that was reassuring.  I've never prayed so much for an animal before.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I'll post a picture, with the swelling it makes him look sad all the time.  It makes me laugh, because when I take him to the vet, people will look at him and say, "Aww, He looks so sad!"

Meet Pipp Our New Puppy...

 

Here is our new puppy. His name is Pipp. He is a Chihuahua and 10 wks old.
He has a great temperament, he's wonderful with the kids, and is SO patient. He's very laid back when it comes to being kid handled and that's a bonus.
Our other dog Otto loves him and looks for him if he doesn't know where he is at that moment. The two dogs play great together and its funny to watch. He even loves playing with our cat Gilbert. Gilbert too is patient and tolerant of a puppy. He indulges Pipp and Otto by playing back with them.
Pipp is crate trained and slept over 8 hrs last night! It's the best way to help with house breaking.
He will walk on a leash and it's funny. He is only 2 1/2 lbs so he looks like a rat on a leash. Amazingly he does great, he follows and doesn't pull. He's very sweet. We're all in love with him- I think maybe even Chad is falling for him. He was laying with both dogs, snuggled under a blanket.

Feeling Better!!

Finally after 2 and 1/2 months I'm feeling better after my surgery. I had surgery #10 in June - I had an abdominal hysterectomy. Holy WOW, that is a hard surgery!! Now I can finally figure out my hormones AND thyroid levels. Apparently they feed off each other and don't do well when they work against eachother. I'll keep you posted as they work out a better Rx combo. I'm excited for the progress that has been made so far, it has been a long time, but in the last 4 months we've made the most progress in general.

I've been cleaning this week like crazy and I finally CAN!! I found my charger/USB cord for our new camera so I can add the photos that have been stuck on there. I took a picture last night of my clean kitchen, I know I'm a spaz! But it was quiet with children sleeping and it was clean - a welcomed difference!

We're going on vacation next week to Las Vegas to see my friend who moved there this past year. I'm so excited to see her, having her away from Utah has been so hard - I miss her SO much!! It will be fun to see her and her cute family. All the kids play great together and they're excited to see eachother too. We're driving, so...wish us luck :). After last years first vacation that consisted of DRIVING TO WASHINGTON STATE...I say, Veagas?...BRING IT ON!! 8 hrs or whatever it is, will feel like nothing after the drive to Washington State.

I hope to add some photos and update more later, hope all are well and happy.

Oh and on a last note...we got a new puppy!! How dumb am I?!! It is actually going well, the kids love him and he is great with them. He is a Chihuahua, almost 10 wks old, and only 2 1/2 pounds. I can't describe his coloring, it's unique. He is a short haired Chihuahua. Finally his name is Pipp, because he's a little Pip Squeak - lol. He's a cutie, I'll post pictures when I can.

Caden's 2 year Anniversary...

Monday, May 10th, was Caden's 2 year sealing anniversary. I can't believe it's been so long, but at the same time I almost forgot because it feels as though it's always been. I asked Chad if he knew what the 10th was, and he said, "Uh, D Day?". I told him of the date and he went, "Huh, that's right." Now don't misunderstand...Chad is IN LOVE with this boy! He just said what I felt, that he didn't remember because we both forget that I didn't carry him to term and deliver him. That it just IS and feels as though it has always been. I seriously forget, I find myself thinking when the kids ask about their deliveries, the details of Caden's; only to realize I wasn't pregnant with him. But, I can still say...He was my best pregnancy and delivery - plus our biggest baby, a whopping 8lbs 1oz! We love him dearly and are grateful the Lord allowed Caden to be a member of our family. He was definitely meant for our family and we will thankfully and gladly take him, whatever path he had to take to our family.

Their Performances...

The order is: Natalie, Leah, and Katija.

A Night of Music...

The three older girls are taking piano (all four coming soon). So, they had a recital tonight. Leah refused to play in the recital last Christmas, then said she didn't want to play piano at all. Later she said she wanted to take gymnastics, I told her if she wouldn't take piano lessons then no gymnastics. I told her she could never take piano lessons if she could find even 5 adults who either; wished they'd never learned to play piano or were glad they didn't ever learn to play piano. She couldn't find any at all, so she decided she'd start piano again. She played in the recital this time and did great. They all did great! They each chose a primary song, I'm glad they like primary songs though - nothing like announcing to all of Riverton Music..."WE'RE MORMONS!" lol. Katija picked the easiest one she could find she said. Next time I'm hoping they'll branch out.

What to update?...

Well hmm, don't know what to update as of now. You know when you have a whole list and can't compartmentalize anything so all you see is the massive pile that is our life and don't know where to start?! I'm there for sure.

So with our settlement we definitely had to pay bills and balances, but there were things we did need so we had to set some aside for those things. One was a camera, our kids broke our other camera around Christmas of 2008! Yay it's been THAT long since we've had a camera. I have my cell phone, but it only does certain things and it's without a flash. Funny thing is when we bought our other camera it was when 6 mega pixels was outstanding - and that was at the whopping price of about $500! Now you can get a nice one for around $100 and it's 10 to 12 mega pixels, that was a relief. So, I'm excited for that - WE HAVE A CAMERA! With 5 kids it's something really hard to be without.

Second we've been borrowing my brother's computer for about 3 years and let's face it, he needs to get it back. So, the end of last year he said he was really needing it back. Doing Lia Sophia and school with the girls (like Leah doing a report on the Arctic Fox while the school's computer lab is under construction) we had to buy a computer, we decided on a laptop. I feel so privileged! This I hope will also help with the updating, I can open our computer other than at the computer desk. I can sit next to my kids on the couch and help them with their homework AND check email - how cool is that?!!

The last major purchase was a couch that finally fits our whole family. We'd try to sit and watch a movie as a family and it was a dog pile situation. Complaining from all sides - "There's no where for me to sit, they're squishing me, why does so and so get to sit there, I can't fit, I don't want to sit on the floor"!! Then there was my response - "Ugh you can't sit on me, Mommy is SO hot it's making me sick" (compliments of my hormone imbalance), it really does make me feel sick and nauseous when I get feeling that hot. So, we have a sectional that actually fits in our family room and fits our whole family!

It feels awesome - small things impress us what can I say, but they are really huge! That's it for now, Caden is in the bathroom sink and is not listening to me. He flooded the bathroom a few months ago which went into the other room next to the bathroom. We had to pull the carpet up and everything. He plugged the sink with toilet paper and then left the sink on a very small drip and over time it filled a total of 3 rooms in the end. That's another story to update, like I said...it's never dull :)!

Don't Know If I'll Ever Be "Caught Up"!!

Okay, so I have no idea how time flies so quickly and where it goes?!! Things here at our Lance Ranch are always busy and never dull. So much to update, but don't know where to start. Plus the kids broke our camera so I can't add photos like I used to. We finally got a new camera so I'll be able to add things to the blog a lot better now.

October 2009

Caden's appendix ruptured, so he had to be transferred by ambulance to Primary Children's Hospital to have emergency surgery. It goes up to a grade 5 rupture being the worst and he was da grade 4. He stayed 4 or maybe it was 5 days in the hospital and it was exhausting! We couldn't have done it with all the help from our family and friends.

Then it was the Holidays and that makes everything go quickly.

February 2010

I finally had my deposition in our case for my car accident. It was only 3 years later and now in litigation! I found out a week later, STILL in February, they finally settled; but didn't see the money until the first week in April! Finally all the liens, etc are paid; still have the debt acrued from all of this. Ah the wonderful ripple - but what can you do? Luckily we're able to file an under insured claim with our own insurance company. Because the original limit wasn't enough to cover all the expenses another claim can be filed with our auto insurance. Don't know how long this process will take, but we're hopeful it'll be faster than the first!

March 2010

Wanted to start taking control of my health, take initiative and be more proactive. I'd been doing my part, but had to start pushing the process faster. It's been a lot of appointments, labs, other tests, exams, blah blah blah - it makes me tired talking about it. The doctors have been trying to regulate my thyroid levels for 18 months since my thyroid removal, but it hasn't been successful. My endocrinologist left the clinic where I was being treated so I ended up going to my family practice doctor. I've improved more in the last few months working with him than in the 18 months before. Still very tired and had other symptoms that "should have" gone away after the removal of my thyroid. So the other explanation was my hormone levels. Funny thing is, they play off of each other and it's hard to balance the one without effecting the other, or holding the other back etc. So I went to my OBGYN and talked with him. After labs and an ultrasound they've found my PCOS that I knew I had is still there obviously, but is worse. I was diagnosed about 10 years ago, but when you're not trying to get pregnant, you don't really think about it. Or at least I didn't, don't know why, but when the symptoms start in with a vengeance - you start to notice :).

The ultrasound found my uterus is enlarged with multiple fibroid cysts and my ovaries are both enlarged with hundreds of little cysts inside, instead of just one enlarged ovary, which was the case 10 years ago. More meds and more tests to come - so that is still in the works. When I find the balance I don't know what I'll do, it's been so long. I have a weekly pill case that has openings for AM, NOON, PM, and BED. So, yes it's HUGE!! Chad teases me that it reminds him of a geriatric patient. It's annoying to keep track of all those pills and what I've taken when etc.

So, that's all I can type right now, or think of - so I'll end this update. It seems like quite the downer of a post, so I have to end on an up note...

We've been successful at having family scriptures and prayer consistently for 2 months now!! We've only missed 2 nights I think - it's been great and it feels good to be doing it!!

I'll add the pictures we do have. I'm working at getting our family photos taken here soon, so I'll add those when we have them taken.

Turning 5 and loosing teeth...Mom is loosing her mind along with time :)

First of all I know its been a very long long time since I've blogged! Life has been non stop for a very long while. But crazy as it is Eliza still turned 5 on thanksgiving AND just lost her 1st tooth before even starting kindergarten. I still remember her with an oxygen canula stuck to her face. Time goes so quickly!

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Look Who's Turning the Number Two?!

This is our little boy?! I can't believe how much time has gone by and how quickly! We went to Lagoon as a family for Caden's big day. He just wanted to see anything that resembled a car, truck, or airplane! He had fun and we all had a blast. He's grown up SO much it just the last year it floors me! We're grateful for this little man in our lives and in our family-our family would not feel complete.