We went for a walk around the Temple today. Here are some pics. Click on them for a high quality version.

Kittens

Anyone want a sibling pair of kittens? This brother (black & White) and sister were born somewhere in our back yard and abandoned by their mother. I (Lance) took them in for a bit to domesticate them (one parent is completely wild, the other domestic but roams the neighborhood). They are now litter trained, eat normal wet and dry food, and are getting braver by the day. They are very close to each other and should be adopted out together. I'd love to keep them, but one spoiled cat is enough for now. Please let us know if you or anyone you know is interested, because being spring, there are over 1,000 ads on KSL for kittens, and we need to get them a good, inside, loving home.

Happy Father's Day

I just wanted to do a quick post to say Thanks to my Dad for being a great father!! He's always been there for me and I appreciate it! And I love you, Dad.
Also thanks to Lance for being a great husband and father. I am so glad he's mine!
Happy Father's Day!!

Swimsuits--you men might not want to read this one.

The time has come and I need a new swimsuit. The thought of shopping for one almost makes me cry, but the embarrassment of wearing an ugly, non-flattering swimsuit is starting to outweigh the horror of shopping. So help me ladies, where do you shop for a suit? Since having my babies, I've lost all possibilities of cleavage, without a proper push-up bra, so I need something with some support (Not that I want to expose the cleavage, I just don't want to look like I'm in the itty-bitty-titty club. That was bad enough at 12. I'm 32 now!) Also, modest is important because my 5 & 7 year old kids are very aware of what everyone is wearing at 7-peaks and I want to be a good example. Plus, who really wants to see my belly anyway? Well, enough of the intimate details. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!
Shiree

dentists

Today I took all three kids to the dentist. I love my dentist!! His office is so family friendly and fun. There's a train table, game cube, puzzles, and movies with headphones for when they're working on your mouth. The kids get a toothbrush and a prize at the end--actually a token where they can choose their prize by putting it in a gumball type machine and turning the knob. What fun! None of the kids have any cavities!!! But Jenny doesn't have any room in her mouth for her permanent teeth which are starting to come in. We either leave them to come in crooked or he can pull some of her baby teeth so the new ones have room. That's a short term fix because there just won't be any room. It's braces for sure--Daniel too because he hasn't got any room in his mouth. It's a bit distressing and I'm not exactly sure why. I didn't have to have braces but Lance had a lot of teeth pain/issues and I'm anxious for my kids. And I'm not sure if it's better to pull Jenny's baby teeth now or just let them fall out on their own. I didn't think I'd have to deal with braces/teeth issues for a few more years and it's a little shocking. Forget about saving for college, we need to start saving for braces! Blah! Thank goodness Lance will be done with school and working again in a year!

Question for you parents

How old does a child have to be before it's safe to leave them in the car while you run into a store? Shiree

Guns

So I found out Friday that I'm afraid of guns. Lance and I went shooting so that I can learn to use our gun in case of an emergency and I was so anxious I couldn't even shoot it. I'm a pretty easy going person but I've never shot a gun before and it was loud! I could feel every shot throughout my body and I didn't like that one bit. I did hold it and load it and aim it so I feel like if there was an emergency I could use it. I think the adrenaline/fear would help me over the anxiety. I feel a little wimpy especially because my younger sister shot it no problem. Where did you get your gun savvy, Tracy?
Shiree

Jenny's b-day

Today Jenny turns 7!!! She's thrilled and has loved every present and every bit of attention! She also finished 1st grade and is thrilled for summer break. We had a party for her yesterday and she had 5 little friends over to play. They had a great time. Today we're having a family dinner to celebrate her b-day and my mom's b-day. It's really nice to live near family again. We've seen more family since moving here than we saw the whole time we lived in NC! It's so fun!!
Shiree

Alex

So Alex says to me this morning, "Mom, has it been six weeks yet?".
I say, "Six weeks from when?"
He says, getting a little frustrated, "Has it been six weeks yet?"
So I go on to explain to him that I can't answer the question unless he tells me when the six weeks began. (this takes a long time of him looking at me like I'm nuts and still asking, "has it been six weeks yet")
So I walk away to get ready and he finally says, "six weeks from the start of the earth."
I say, "yes, at least six weeks."
And that was that.
I guess I should have know. Kids are so great!
Shiree

Snakes are our friends, too

(Lance is posting this- yes, I am still allowed.) Meet our snake, currently called M, because of the capitol "M" on its side. He/she is still young, but wont get more than 4 or 5 feet max. The all time record for a ball python is almost 6 feet. He/she loves mice. We love its beautiful scale patterns. Come say hi sometime!

Birthdays and stuff

Well, my baby turned 2!!! I can hardly believe it! He got a little 3 wheeled scooter and you should see him ride that thing! It's adorable and hilarious at the same time. He looks way too little to be able to ride it and yet he can. I'm not sure he realizes what a birthday is but he liked the cake and the presents.
Lance also turned 30 and we went to Park City. He went for a MFT conference and I met him there. We took in Iron Man and Prince Caspian. Both amazing!!! It was really fun going to the movies like a young married couple without any children. :) We had a great time and the kids had fun staying with my parents.
I really like that the weather is warming up. We got a used jogging stroller and last night Lance & I put on our Rollerblades and Jen & Alex rode their bikes and we went for a family outing. Daniel enjoys riding in the stroller although he wants to get out and ride his scooter or bike when we get home, so I have to leave time for that.
Jenny only has 4 days left of school and then she's out for the summer. She also turns 7 a week from Monday!! She's really excited to finally have her birthday. It's hard for her to be the last one to have a birthday.
Well, there's laundry calling my name, so I'd better go take care of that. Hope you enjoyed reading a bit of what's happening at our house.
Shiree

I'm a lucky lady!

So Lance is sick with allergies. Today has been the worst day and they are killing him! He can't focus and he feels terrible. He's been feeling sick all day but when we got a phone call around 9:15pm that someone in the neighborhood needed a Priesthood blessing he hopped on his scooter and took off. He called a little while ago to tell me that he's still there, talking to the person about anxiety stuff. Therapy at 10:30pm. And I thought, "I'm a lucky lady!" I'm lucky to have a husband willing to serve when he's' not feeling well himself. And I'm lucky to have a husband that holds the Priesthood and is worthy to exercise the keys when called upon. He gave me a blessing right before I went in for my procedure and I felt such comfort and peace when it was over. I'm thankful that the power of God to heal and to comfort is on the earth right now and that I'm lucky enough to have a husband qualified to act in the name of God to bless me and those around me. Thanks Lance for being that man!

Mother's Day and stuff

So today was mother's day. With all the stuff going on this week I realized yesterday that we hadn't sent out any cards so I quickly wrote some and gave them to those close to me and then we sent e-cards to Melanie and Tracy. Thank goodness for e-cards! But also in the mess of last week I didn't prepare anything for my Relief Society calling--I do the music which normally isn't a big deal but I wanted to do something awesome for mother's day. Well, nothing really came to mind until right before I was supposed to give my 5 minute presentation. And then I was thinking about all those women who get overlooked at mother's day. Usually we think of our mothers and those women who are mothers and there is a whole group of women who get overlooked a little. So I took some time then and want to mention them now. Here's to all the women who don't have children of their own. All those who haven't yet had kids and those who never will. Thanks to all of you for your mothering and care of so many people around you! I hope you don't feel left out this mother's day because you are still mothers--with or without your own children and should be honored as such!

As for my mother's day, I must say that it was a great one! Lance surprised me with a dozen roses! :) And the complete works of Jane Austen (they are all individual and they all match. You'd love it, Tracy!) Jenny gave me cards and a bracelet (thanks for your help on that Julie), Alex gave me a card and Daniel gave me lots of slobbery kisses and some whine. The older kids also gave us another present--see Lance's blog for details--but we had some good talks about obedience and repentance and I'm sure it will all be fine in the end. I did get a short nap today, so that was lovely too.
All in all it was a great day!
Shiree

Dont forget the Freshness

Don't forget Lance's new blog, domestarrunner.blogspot.com. Click on the name to see todays, Fresh new posts!

What a day!

This is Shiree
Today my brother Joe & his wife Ashley came over with their new little baby girl Marley. (My mom came too). Since we've lived on opposite sides of the country for so long we haven't seen them in 5 years! It was so good to see them. Their baby is adorable and it was very therapeutic for me to hold and cuddle a baby. I want a girl!! They had fun playing with my kids and catching up a bit. It's odd because even though we haven't seen them in so long it felt like we'd just been hanging out the week before or something. We also went to the BYU bookstore for some shopping fun and had a great time. We're going to go to my mom & dad's tomorrow to see them again before they head back to Washington.
After they left we had Josh, Megan and Isabella Harris over for dinner. They are moving back to North Carolina tomorrow and we wanted to see them one last time. I've decided that I really don't like it when my friends move away. I don't like moving away from my friends either. But this time is different because I don't know when we'll see them again and that is sad for me. Alex & Isabella were born a month apart and they've been friends their whole lives. When they first moved to Utah we knew we were going to follow them out here. Now they are going back and we don't know what the future holds for us. I've gotten used to having Megan around and I'm really going to miss her.
Finally, Jenny is at her first non-grandparent sleepover tonight. She's at Rich & Julie's house sleeping over with Sammie. Rich took Jarrad & Weston to a fathers and sons outing so the girls are having a girls night. I was invited at first but I'm not well enough to go so Jenny went alone. I remember having so much fun sleeping over at Grandma B's house with Sara when we were kids. I hope Jen & Sam have a great time, but I must admit I'm a little sad seeing her bed empty. She's growing up so fast!

I am alive

but not very coherent. The procedure went well. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. Lance is amazing taking care of me and the kids, and our snake is really awesome! It's just a baby so it's pretty small. Jen and Alex think it is really cool. Daniel is indifferent. Winter is curious and possibly a little jealous. We don't have a name yet. Lance suggested Darcy--a little scary at first but inside a loving guy. I'll have to think on that one. Gotta sleep.
Shiree

We're getting a snake

I've always loved snakes. I've always thought it would be cool to get one and now we are! Lance found one on ksl.com that comes with all the stuff for a really great price. He's on his way now to get it. We'll post a photo soon--I promise to get better at including photos. So if you want to pet a "very friendly Ball Python" give us a call!
Shiree

Comfort & Friends

I am thankful for all of you who have been sending me emails and cards, who are thinking and praying for us and for the peace I feel as I prepare to go to the hospital in the morning. At church on Sunday they sent a sign up sheet around Relief Society (which is the women's organization in my church. We meet the third hour for a lesson just as women and it's wonderful). Anyway, they asked for volunteers to sign up to help watch my kids and bring us meals for the next few days. When it got to me it was completely full and it hadn't even gone around the room. I had three extra people sign up than there were spaces and then my neighbor and my sister-in-law called to ask how they could help. And of course my mom, dad and grandma are all wanting to help. I felt so loved. I feel so loved.
So now I have to be there tomorrow at 6:00am. And I had two people willing to come over and stay with my kids at that early hour. I almost feel bad because there's no way that I can let all of these people do stuff for us.
It's times like this when you can really feel the love of the Savior through the thoughts, service and prayers of others.
Thanks
Shiree

Birthday Find

So today was Alex's b-day and it was pretty great! He got tons of cards and money from generous relatives and he got to play with some of his friends. And we got a THOMAS TRAIN TABLE!! Now, for those of you with kids who are Thomas crazy, you'll appreciate the fact that we've wanted to get a train table for years but never had the space or money and let's face it, who wants to pay $500.00 or more for one of those things? So we found ours used! It's in great condition, it's octagonal shaped (is that correct English?) and it came with TONS of track, some trains and it was only $75.00! Fantastic!! I'm sure it's several hundred dollars worth of stuff. What a great find!
Lance put it together and the kids played until past bedtime. Poor Daniel cried when he had to come downstairs. We also went to McDonald's in Lehi--that's got a cool playland! and had ice cream. I think Alex had a good b-day and he said he feels different. Definitely older. He's a doll! So are Jen & Daniel
Shiree

Lance Freshness

Announcing domestarrunner.blogspot.com, Lance's new blog spot! Click the title, the last link, the link to the side, or here to get to the awesomeness. I figure this will give me a place to do my thing and let Shiree have more control over this site (mine's gonna be SO much cooler though, you just wait!).

Alex is turning 5!!!

I can't hardly believe that my big little boy turns 5 tomorrow!!! I remember going to the hospital with Lance to have Alex like it was yesterday. Now he runs, jumps, reads, writes, plays games, rides a TWO-WHEELED BIKE WITHOUT the training wheels and is so big!
We had a party for him Saturday and had such a fun time. 10 little kids over here playing games, eating cake and candy and playing outside with all the toys. We had so much fun. And it was a little crazy. I'm glad for the kids only room and a backyard with a fence!! He got quite a few presents and loved them all.
I'm sure I'll be blogging again in two weeks when Daniel turns 2 and then two weeks later when Jenny turns 7!! I can't believe how old my babies are getting. They all go to primary/nursery for 2 of the 3 hours of church and I LOVE IT!! I get to teach the adult Sunday School class and lead the music in Relief Society. It's such a treat!
I'm really trying to enjoy them at the ages they are and the stages they are in.
Well, it's bedtime so I'd better post this and get my babies to sleep.
Shiree

Irony

So (Shiree again) I have this policy when I get pregnant not to tell anyone that I'm expecting until after the first trimester. I know the chance of miscarriage is really high up until that point and I've always been a little paranoid of miscarriage. So I followed that rule pretty well with Jenny, Alex and Daniel and as you all know, 3 perfect babies. So this time I got a little lax on my policy and told everyone I was expecting really early. The irony is that when I told all of you I had most likely already miscarried the baby. I have a blighted ovum. That means that in early cell division something went wrong and the egg was absorbed or something. But my body didn't clue in and so it continued to produce the hormones that told me I was pregnant. Yes, morning sickness to the max and an empty placenta. So the bleeding I was experiencing was my body starting to clue in that there isn't a baby growing in that little sac and it needs to get rid of it. But my body is slow at this and now that I know there isn't a baby, I'm ready to stop feeling pregnant. Plus I have no chance of getting pregnant again if my body still thinks I'm pregnant. So Tuesday I go to the hospital and take care of everything. I tried to do it on my own and it didn't work.
Well, I'm sure you're sick of reading this--if you've continued this far. But it feels better for me to write about it as I try to sort through my feelings about what has happened. Oh, another irony is that when I first found out that I was pregnant, I wasn't too happy about having a November baby. And then as I progressed in the pregnancy and thought about it some more I finally came to the realization that a November baby would be just fine. And now, no November baby. I'm sad and yet a part of me is relieved--November would have been a really hard time for us to have a new born, Lance in school, teaching his first class and all that entails. So it's a good thing in a way that we won't have a baby then. But at the same time, I'm anxious to get pregnant again--in a few months--so that we can get our last baby here and be done with this stuff!
Well, now I'm really done. More to post on a different subject.
Shiree

Resting

This is Shiree posting. I'm laying here in bed resting. I've been reading Tracy and Julie's blog posts and thinking about how therapeutic it is to just write. So I'm writing some thoughts now. I don't know if everyone knows that I'm pregnant. About 10 weeks and last Friday I started spotting. Now for anyone who's been pregnant, seeing blood is a bit freaky. So I called a nurse and I've been told to not pick up any kids and to rest as much as possible and try to get the bleeding to stop. I have 3 kids!!! I can't lay in bed all day. So now it's Wednesday and it hasn't stopped and I'm supposed to just lay here. And the house is a mess, there's laundry to be done, and I'm not supposed to do any of it?
Thankfully this is happening the only week Lance doesn't have school this entire year. And my mom, dad and grandma are coming to help today because the Coney's will be here tonight. and then they can help take care of the kids while I lay here. And my friend Heather took the boys this morning for a few hours. But I somehow just can't relax and enjoy the break.
The thing I wonder about the most is why this is happening now, with the 4th child. I've successfully carried and birthed 3 children and now my body is falling apart or something. I'm only 32. So maybe I'm not a spring chicken anymore, but I'm not old either. I guess my body is falling apart more than I thought.
Hopefully they can tell me what is going on at my appointment Friday.
Now I'm done venting so that feels better.

Ipod experiment update

1/2 way there. Thanks to the two who have participated so far. Everything seems legit so far, no spam, no hassles. I just need two more people to help out to complete the experiment. If this is the first time you are reading this, check the last two posts for full details. By the way, the free credit report is quick and easy, you just have to give them your credit card info to sign up for the monthly thing, but you can cancel right after you get your credit report and you never get charged anything, plus you get your credit report. You do have to cancel by phone, but just say no!). Here is the link again to help out with my experiment: http://www.YouriPodNano4free.com/index.php?ref=4913548

Ipod Experiment part 2

OK, the experiment continues and I've had one person sign up so far for a free offer and they have counted their sign up towards my Ipod. I only need three more until I supposedly get the Ipod. (See the last post for more details). Any help would be appreciated, but please don't spend any money on this unless you really want to sign up for one of the offers anyway. I recommend the stamps.com offer and you can quit after 21 days and still keep your credit. Like I said before, I don't know if this is going to work, but I'll let everyone know the results. Thanks for the help in this experiment so far! Here is the link again:

http://www.YouriPodNano4free.com/index.php?ref=4913548

An experiment...

How many of you have been anoyed by the "GET A FREE IPOD" ads that you frequently see on the net? Well, I have NEVER known anyone who has actually gotten a free ipod/PS3/360/etc. So I am running a public information experiment. I have scoured the internet to look for a "reputable" company claiming to give out FREE ipods. Here is the supposed deal: I sign up for one offer (I'm doing a free month trial of stamps.com, it is free and I get $5 of stamps free to print out, and I can cancel after 21 days and keep the credit) and then if I can get 5 others to click on my link and sign up for an offer, I get a free ipod Nano. We'll see. So anyone willing to help out for the sake of public information, click on the link below, sign up for an offer that you have never participated in before (try a free one so you don't risk anything) and email or comment telling me that you have signed up. Also, just in case, sign up with an email address that you are okay getting spam at (I can send you a Gmail invite to get a new email address to use, if you want.). I will keep everyone up to date on the progress.
Here is the link you must click on for me to get the credit:

http://www.YouriPodNano4free.com/index.php?ref=4913548

Thanks for your help in this experiment. Updates to follow.
Don't forget to let me know when you sign up so I can keep up with the progress. I will not put your name on the blog, unless you request me to. Thanks.

Say Hello to Our New Friend

Just in case anyone out there wants to break into our house and be naughty, I hope you can identify with swiss cheese. This is my new homeland security device. .40 caliber, hollow-point protection. Go ahead, make my day...

Licensure

I just found out that I am now licensed to practice marriage and family therapy in the state of Utah. Cool! Now I get to pay TWO states money every year!

I got screwed!

I now have a titanium screw in my jaw. And I actually paid for this...? Yes, I did not take care of my teeth, and I had to have one removed (or root canal and crown for about the same price, but this way, I'll never have a problem with this tooth again...). The bone healed for a few months, and today they drilled a large screw into my upper jaw, and sewed the gum shut over it, while the screw assimilates into the bone. On the bright side, I did get to use laughing gas. I love that stuff! I also talked the dentist into giving me a free professional tooth bleaching (normally $100 or so) since I'm forking out thousands for my teeth with him.
Also, I knew I shouldn't have believed him when he said, "Oh, you'll only need some Ibuprofen, it shouldn't hurt too bad." Well, I feel like I was cut open and had a piece of metal shoved up into my skull. Ibuprofen, ibushmophen. Oooouuuuuuuuuccchhhhhhhh!!!!!
Also, he mentioned that my bone is not as dense as some people's where the screw was put in. This may be the nitrous talking, but I now have proof that I'm not dense, even if I am a bone head, that got screwed by his dentist. (OK, definitely the nitrous oxide talking now...Hehe!)

(no, that is not my head in the x-ray...)

Thought this was kinda fun!

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Save big!

Simpsonize me

So I Simpsonized Shiree and myself. I think the cartoon Shiree is great, but I don't look as much like this guy. I love the cat (Snowball/ our Winter). If you want to do the same thing, have a close-up high contrast photo available for upload, and go to simpsonizeme.com

Enjoy!

Cash Back!!! 0% down!!! Owe as much as you can!!!

Warning: If you have a new car or lease, you should not read this. Doing so could induce nausea, vomiting, anger, upset sense of reality, whining, and pouting.

I have to comment on the long standing tradition of car companies pretending to "give" you cash back when you "buy" a new car. They call it Cash Back, or Bonus Cash, or a Cash Allowance. Turn on the TV for more than 5 minutes and you'll hear it. How nice of them, just giving you money if you buy one of their cars. I wonder where that money comes from? Hmmm... Well, it's not theirs. The car dealerships actually make more money off of selling a car loan than on selling a car (this is a fact). Try coming in with cash to buy a new car sometime and watch as they try and entice you into a loan. What this Cash Back crap is is them encouraging you to take a bigger loan than what is needed to "buy" the car, so they can "give" you cash. You are just taking out a loan to get cash that you will then pay interest on to the bank. Now, if you were just sitting here thinking, "wow, I'd love $2,000", you most likely would not go down to the bank and ask for a loan for some cash. But that is what you are doing with the Crash Back deal. And people fall for it every day. So you end up not only paying way more than the worth of the car, way more than the price tag value, then you pay an extra $2000 or more to get cash back. "Hey honey, lets go get a loan, pay thousands more for a car than it is worth, not to mention many thousands more than it will be worth once the wheels hit the pavement (buy used cars!!!!) so we can have some cash in our pocket, that we'll end up paying a lot more for than we actually get in our pockets!" That's almost as stupid as, "honey, lets get rid of our payed off car and spend $25,000 on a hybrid to save money on gas!" One final stupid one, "Let's spend $300 a month on a new car loan ($3,600 a year) so that we don't have to spend the $800 to get our 5 year old car fixed." OK, one more, "Lets spend $300 a month on a leased car that will never be ours so that don't have to drive a paid off car with no payments and an occasional repair that would be about what we pay a month on our lease." It blows me away what people are willing to pay for new car smell and the ability to say for a few months "I drive a new car." Stupid.

One more thing, a car is NOT an asset! If you want to use that term, try a depreciating asset. How about this: I have some stock for you! Buy it for $20,000, and in 4 years it will be worth 40% to %50 LESS than it is now. In fact, keep it long enough and you can only sell it for a few hundred dollars. But what most people do is just buy more of the stock for another $20,000 or more and let that depreciate. But hey, they look cool because of all that stock! If you want to be really cool, you can just lease the stock, and someday you can buy it if you want to, but it will still only be worth beans. But it's not about the money, right? It's about looking cool and that "new stock smell." Wake up!

Oh yeah, and then, after pouring your money into new car smell, you MUST complain about not having enough money at the end of the month and ask stupid questions like "Where does it all go?"

Enough said.

Regarding my "non-mormon" post

I received a comment asking why I need to "sell" Mormonism, regarding my One Mormon's Thoughts blog (see comments under the last post). I thought maybe others would have this question, so I thought I would quickly address it here on this blog for those of you who might want to check out my other blog. First of all, thanks for the comment, "anonymous." I don't feel a need to sell Mormonism, it sells itself pretty well judging by it's fast rate of growth through converts. The problem is, as I state in my other blog, that there are so many misunderstandings regarding my church that it gives our church a bad name unfairly, and members get treated unfairly. Some examples: no, we don't practice polygamy. The Jews used to, Muslims used to and still do in places, we used to, but haven't since the late 1800's. Another- I heard of a young man who's father refused to put him in his will because he erroneously thought that his son would have to give some of his inheritance to the church. I know of people being refused jobs, not allowed to go out on a date with someone, had other kids not allowed to play with them, all because of misunderstandings about their beliefs as "Mormons." I know of parents disowning their children, and hundreds being killed, raped, homes burned down, and generally persecuted because of mistaken beliefs. I personally have been mocked, spit at, had rocks thrown at me, ridiculed by some family members, and had a friend receive a death threat, all because of ignorance and misunderstanding about my beliefs. Do I need to sell my religion? No, it is doing just fine without me, but I do feel a need to correct the misunderstanding that so easily sway others to hurt and to make afraid those who are only trying to live a good life.

Help, all you guys who are not Mormons!

OK, I need your help. If you are reading this and are not a Mormon (a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), I need you to give me some feedback on my other blog, One Mormon's Thoughts. I would love to know from your perspective what burning questions need to be answered or how I can improve the blog. Thanks!

Hmmm...

Is anyone else as scared of this guy running the country as I am?...

President Bush Mourns President Hinckley's Passing

Statement from President George W. Bush:

Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of our friend, Gordon B. Hinckley. While serving for over seven decades in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon demonstrated the heart of a servant and the wisdom of a leader. He was a tireless worker and a talented communicator who was respected in his community and beloved by his congregation. As President of his church, he traveled to more than 60 countries to spread a message of love and optimism to the millions of people around the world who shared his faith.

A Mayflower descendent and the grandson of Mormon pioneers, Gordon was a deeply patriotic man. His leadership and service strengthened the Board of Trustees of Brigham Young University, the Boy Scouts of America, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In 2004, I was honored to present him with the Medal of Freedom, our Nation's highest civil award, in recognition of his lifelong public service.

Laura and I will miss Gordon's friendship and wisdom. Our thoughts and prayers are with his five children and the rest of the Hinckley family.

Passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley

Beloved Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through 12 years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97. President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since March 12, 1995. For more information see lds.org.

Podcast 2

Enjoy!

Listen to this episode


Download this episode (right click and save)

The sky is falling!

OK, I am getting sick of the news media lemmings misreporting our economic condition. We are not heading for a recession! A recession is a period of 6 moths of negative growth in the economy. Bernanke said yesterday that the economy is NOT facing a recession, but will face a period of slower growth over the next year. Shouldn't this be the lead story on all the networks? Did anyone notice the term "GROWTH." Slower GROWTH, not recession. Ben says that consumer spending will slow. THANKS GOODNESS, consumers have been spending like drunken congressmen! Just look at how little the gas prices have affected driving habits!! Check out this great LA Times article, it is one of the few that doesn't have to spin pessimism. Notice that its election time. Now the government is trying to remind us of the misinformation that only the president can help our financial lives. We all want to be able to have our $30,000 cars, (not that we actually own them, but we pay on them until we need another one, and pay on it, forever and ever, amen), our boats, our 1,000 inch flat panels, and max out our credit cards instead of paying for things. How about this- the markets are falling, so lets start investing!!! It's a blue light special, it's a clearance sale on stocks, not panic time! If we are in control over our finances, and have savings (gasp), we don't have to look to the government for our financial stability. Americans are a bunch of babies! The media feeds on this stuff, too. It is amazing how many news idiots are preaching doom and gloom, even in reference to Bernake's comments. Just watch the news tonight and see how often a pending recession is announced, even when he, and many other market analysts, realize the strength of our economic position. If you believe what's on the news, I have some great ocean front property here in Provo I'd love to sell you! I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but it sure seems like the major networks are in league with the markets in their push. Analysts have suggested that the Federal Reserve, Congress and the Bush administration are being goaded by markets to take economic-stimulus measures that may be costly, excessive and even unnecessary. Further evidence of our continuing desire to look to government to take care of us financially. If you are worried about the housing market, or Wall Street, or are looking to the next president to save you from your financial woes, how about look at yourself, for crying out loud. How many of us can afford over $600 dollars a year for a cell phone, nearly $1,000 a year for TV channels, thousands a year for NEW CAR SMELL instead of an affordable paid for used car, and tens of thousands a year for homes that are five times as big as the one we grew up in, not to mention huge SUV gas guzzlers, ATV's, Boats, DVRs, and constant gadget "upgrades", yet we still whine about why can't the government give me more tax breaks, why can the government hold my hand and enable my childish materialism. SUCK IT UP AND SELL THE BEAMER, MAN!!!! When did wealth and "Making it" take the form of a 6,000 square-foot home, cars we can't BUY but pay on all our lives, and having the APPEARANCE of wealth, yet not being able to breathe because every penny you make is going right back to the people you owe. Heaven forbid that something happens and your income drops, or you have an unexpected repair, what happens when the American Excess card is full? What ever happened to saving money, to paying for things we want, for not having to have it all NOW. Bush, gimme a tax break, gimme tax break! Grow up, America. Your savings accounts and debt should be a much bigger concern than what the Fed does. Take charge of your own lives and let the Government govern, not babysit and throw costly tax breaks at you. Come on! Here's to Dave Ramsey and his sanity which fed my rant, check out his site on my links.

B-ice-cycle

So I finished up a session at the clinic around 8pm, put on my coat, helmet, scarf, gloves, and wind-breaker pants, and rode home on my hog (scooter). It was a cold day today so I dressed warm for the ride in. We are only about a mile away so the ride is not too bad even in the cold. So I get inside tonight and check the temperature. The weather channel said 11 degrees, and "feels like" -4. I thought it was a bit cold...

Made it...

So I made it through my first semester in my doctoral program. I got a 3.92, not too bad... This semester is going to be crazy, Stats class and Advanced Research are the biggies. The story continues...

Jenny lost her tooth--twice!

Well, Jenny pulled and tugged tonight until she pulled out her first loose baby tooth!! We are so thrilled!! But then we had a crash--slippery wood floors are horrible for feety pjs--and now we can't find that tooth anywhere. We'll post a picture of her new smile tomorrow and hopefully we'll be able to find that tooth! If we can't, hopefully the tooth fairy will find it and throw it away so Daniel doesn't find it. UGH!

One Mormon's Thoughts

I have a new Blog called, One Mormon's Thoughts. I started it in response to all of the media attention that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been getting in the media, and some of the misconceptions. Click on the link on the right or click here to view it. Send any friends or family there that may have questions about "Mormons". Enjoy!

Week in Review Podcast

Here is our first Family Podcast of the Lance Dome Show! Enjoy our week in review.
Listen to this episode

Big Box Mart

Well, if only we weren't addicted to shopping there..

Unidentified Flying Objects

OK, just for my information, how many of you out there have seen a UFO? Email me or comment below if you have. I'm just doing an informal poll. I have never seen one, but that does not preclude that they exist. If you have a photo, or story along with it, let me know. I will not let anyone know about your "sighting" without your permission. And no, I am not insane. Thanks for asking.

Genealogy

Thanks to my Mom, Frank, and Steve for sending me some genealogical information. I have begun entering it into PAF (personal ancestral file- which can be downloaded here). I thought it would be fun to show some progress so far. I have 12 generations through one line, but here are six generations from my kids. I will post more as I add them. I will show Frank's line as soon as I add it. Click on it to enlarge the snapshot. Enjoy!

In fairness to Daniel...

Just to be fair to Daniel (after the dress pic) I had to post this. This is a shirt my Mom bought for Shiree. Flattering, don't you think?

Ummm.

I don't quite know what to say. Yes, this is Daniel. Ummm....Yeah.

Family Christmas Photo

If you haven't received this from us yet, sorry for the spoiler. Enjoy! We are so darn cute! Also, notice the slimmer Lance (very handsome!)
-Posted by:Lance

Strange cat

OK, first, her belly is still growing back the hair from when she was spayed (sorry about the nipple shot). Second, no, she is not dead. Shiree captured this moment as Winter had fallen asleep under the Christmas tree on what she now assumes is her personal bed. I don't know too many cats that sleep this way. (Click on the photo to see a larger version.)

Snow pics

All of these pics were taken about one block from our house (by Lance).

Click on them for a MUCH bigger version.

We got snow!!

Last weekend we got a bunch of snow--it's still on the ground! And we had a great time playing in it! Although Daniel wasn't real thrilled when I set him down. Here are some pictures.

In memory of Grandma

My Grandmother, Patricia Dome, passed away recently, and her memorial service was last weekend. I wrote the following words to be read at the service, and I would like to share them now with my friends and family.


To Grandma


Goodbye Grandma.

No longer must you suffer in a bed that was not your own.
No longer must your lively spirit be trapped in your body with a broken mind.
No longer must you linger.
Free of the confusion, the loneliness, you have gone home.
Home to your husband, to Patty, to James your long passed son.
Home to your mother, to whom your thoughts turned as your memory waned.
To your father, your friends, and your God.
Behind, you leave a legacy of memories and love.
No more Sunday visits with your son or loving care from your daughter.
Now at peace, at rest, at home.

In my memory lingers your hugs and your laughter.
Christmas and summer visits.
Your smile at Grandpa’s card tricks, and the smell of cigarettes and coffee.
Seeing you in the kitchen cooking the fish that I caught from the Bonder’s dock.
Walks along the canal and jokes of lurking alligators.
Your collection of lighthouses and trinkets.
You holding my firstborn child.

Though memories may fade, your spirit lives on,
and we shall meet again,
into your open arms,
no longer weak with time and age,
to a warm embrace,
a broad smile,
and a hearty laugh.

Peace, Grandma, peace and love,
until we meet again.

Dr. Dome!!!

Last night I googled myself (ok, stop laughing...) and I found a "Dr. Dome" on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles site. He was on their favorite comic book, the Justice Force. Yes, Dr. Dome and his Domeites (evil minions) were attacking the justice force. So my natural concern was, once I become Dr. Dome in 2010, will I have to find some evil minions? Or will I loose the hair on the top of my head and gain telekinetic powers? It boggles the mind! To be continued....

Super A

After a long, strenuous day of crime fighting, Super A decided to take a short break for a photo op. In outer space. By his giant, floating, silver, Super Symbol. He will be available for autographs at Walmart this Tuesday morning. We're so proud!

Winter

Here is our new cat, Winter (in black and white, and edited- note the eye in color-cheesy I know). We rescued her from the humane society on the day she was to be killed. She is solid black, and very sweet. Click on the photo for a bigger pic.

Next Year's Swimsuit line revealed

In response to feminist critiques regarding objectification of women in most bathing suit designs, Jacque Toupee unveiled his 2008 line of swim-wear. Seen here are the world's top two supermodels demonstrating the unique beauty of the new line. Near the end of the photo shoot, several members of PETA attacked the photographers, captured the models, and shipped them to Antarctica. The models were soon rescued and returned to their homes in Beverly Hills.

Surge in Iraq

In a surprise move, US troops invaded insurgent camps and replaced all of their weapons with water pistols. The ensuing attack was photographed by i-reporter, Hoo Flung Pooh. There was only one casualty in this encounter, where one man drowned. Apparently his mouth was open wide during the attack. Poo stated that "if only-Bush had supplied more mouth guards, this unfortunate death would never have occurred. Insurant or not, we must protect the lives of our brothers." Poo was later seen wielding a Super-Soaker.

Your goose is cooked

This week, a goose saved a blindfolded Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) from certain death by drowning. After scooting for over 30 minutes upside down on the suspended cable, the goose finally was able to get him to safety. It is unknown why Mr. Heder was in the water fully clothed, and blindfolded, but it is suspected that the striped socks had something to do with it.

Airboat

This week, Shandong Airlines decides that their "Airboat" was not such a great idea. After pushing the boat back to the shore the passengers were each offered several bags of peanuts as thanks for their efforts.

Life's a beach

This week, a giant lego man was found drifting in the ocean. True story. Somewhere around Norway.