Blogging is Hard

I think I have blog-fright. You know how some people have stage fright were as soon as they are in front of a crowd they freeze and go blank. The same thing happens to me once I log in and have a blank post screen in front of my face. All day long I have clever little things that I think of writing and now, I sit with a blank look on my face and a blank brain. There is a lot going on and it seems like everyday I don't have enough time to do what I wanted to. Now when I try to think about what we have been doing NOTHING comes to mind. Maybe some pictures would help:


Ryder has learned what a fish says. In case you aren't up to date on your animals, this is what a fish says.






Ryder has also learned how to feed himself with a fork/spoon. He is improving. Note there is only a few splatters of food on the wall.







Ryder has taken it upon himself to help out in the office too. He made a "desk" behind where we sit. He uses Jeremy's file box as the desk and sits on a box. He likes to sit there and bang on the top. I guess that must be what it looks like we do on the computer.






Ryder and I spent a day up in Young so all the cousins could have one more big play day before Erin and the kids left for Korea. It is very challenging to try to get 6 kids, all under 5 years old, to sit still for a picture. I think this is a good one.




And I LOVE this one of the "babies" of the family. I guess they won't be the babies for long thanks to the Lancasters.







We got together at Grandma & Grandad's to see Erin and the kids off. The six kids were making a lot of noise and running around and then suddenly went quiet. I went into the other room to see what they were doing and found this.

After looking at this post I realized I've become one of those parents that only talks/writes about her kid. We do have other things going on, but who really wants to know about how I cleaned (or didn't clean - depending on how the day went).

Jeremy has been a little more busy lately. He started doing sales for his friend's concrete company and then is still surveying part-time. Unfortunately a bad housing market affects surveying and there is definitely a lack of work out there. The full-time sales work helps out a lot though.

I am still teaching horseback riding lessons. I'm up to 4 students. So it averages to about 1 lesson a week. I'd like to do more and hopefully will be able to get things going a little more with that.

We have more pictures and videos on our photo page.

My new favorite place

I

Love

My

New

Tackroom!!

Anyone want to go riding?

Almost there

Ryder is thisclose to being an offical toddler. Check out the action here.

What you want to know, but are afraid to ask

Alright, so I'm sure most of those who read this know that our little family is Mormon. Anyways, if you know us you know that yours truly is a convert (5 years and 6 months). I used to be one of those people who thought that religious people were a bit freaky and pushy. Well, I still sometimes think that. I don't want to be either freaky or pushy, but I feel the need to state what it is to be Mormon. There are unfortunately many things people think they know about our religion which are not true. There is a quote from President Hinckley that I love which says:
" We recognize the good that every other church in the world does. We have no quarrel with other churches. We do not argue, we do not debate, or anything of the kind. We simply say to people not of our faith, 'You bring with you all the truth that you have, and let us see if we can add to it.' "
So for all those who want to know but are afraid to ask:
"1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be build upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisaical glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul - We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
Joseph Smith. The Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp.535-541.

I heard about the Church from a friend. I felt good and happy about these things that I heard. I was a HUGE skeptic. I learned about the Church and was baptized in a week.

If you read this and learned something that you didn't know before or had some things cleared up then I have accomplished what I set out to do. And if you have any questions, ASK!

Happy, Happy, Happy

Birthday, Birthday, Easter!

March has been busy for us. We started out with Ryder's birthday party. He was spoiled greatly once again. I don't think he minds though. I was quite proud of myself to make it through a birthday party and making a pretty cool birthday cake, if I do say so myself.

Then we had my birthday, in which my Dad reminded me that I am old. Although I am not old, but sometimes at around 3 pm and Ryder had ran me ragged I feel old and like I need a nap. I got a really awesome birthday present though. Check it out!

Yes that is a concrete slab. But it will be so much more come the weekend. That is the floor to my new tack room. The rest of the building comes on Saturday. I'm really excited to have a nice little set up on our property for horseback riding and Jeremy is excited to have some more space in the garage.

We spent Easter up in Young. We got there LATE Friday night. We had fun hunting Easter eggs - Jeremy of course won again, but that is because he cheats. Ryder was pretty much just mad that everytime he picked up an egg I took it away, put it in the basket, and made him go find another one. And he discovered that jelly beans are delicious.

Check out our pictures!