Radio

I have had the same 5 c.d.'s in my car for the past year, not exaggerating here. So lately I have been really bored with my music selection, and I always forget to grab new c.d.'s or grab my ipod. So yesterday I thought, well I have lived here for 2 years now maybe I should set some stations on my car radio. I dislike the radio very much, there is never a station that plays good music consistently, so I don't turn it on unless it is am talk radio. So as I was cruising along doing my radio search I came upon 94.7 Power fm (enough said right). But surprisingly that is the one I am listening to. What is happening to me!! But as I searched around all I could find was Christian stations, (not that this is bad, its just not what I want to jam to in the car) or classic rock. Now I must admit it made my preset stations only because they were playing Def Leppard and it took me back to Jr. High when my sister got the cassette tape and we rocked out to Pour some sugar on me after school! But next thing I know they were playing Nickelback or some other band I just can't handle. So I keep switching back and forth between serious hair band guitar solos and Jay Z. And let's face it Jay Z makes a ride in the car much more enjoyable! So until a station gets it together and can play a good mix of U2, Jimmy Eat World, Coldplay, Get up kids etc., well then I guess me and Rihanna are gonna be friends!

Lances lately

Life lately. I think I have titled one of my other blogs this same title. Probably because I always have to do some catching up, I never have time to stay consistent on what is happening!
Updates:
The Lances have been busy! Mainly Dan, he is living and breathing the Stirring building right now. Literally he is always thinking, praying, talking it. It is life right now, and he is doing such an amazing job! It is such a huge undertaking and so much responsibility. So it is a crazy season for him but he loves it and he is really good at all the details and planning.
I just turned 32 last week. I can't believe I am in my 30's, it is funny how I still think of myself in my 20's, I just saw a picture of myself on a cruise about 3 years ago and I am pretty sure I have aged 10 years in these last 3! But I am ok with it. I think. I did a make over on the kids room, as you can see from the before pictures Zeke had peeled most of the paint off the walls!! It was so much work, I had to sand it all, putty, primer then paint it! Yikes but it is a nice calm yellow now.
The kids are doing awesome! Zeke is reading so well now and he is really working hard at school. There have been some hurdles but he is jumping them and we are growing from all our new experiences! He is all about drawing right, we have about 30 pictures up in our house of our family under a fan standing together, there s always a fire pit as well, it is really sweet.
Sofia is in the midst of speech therapy that has been awesome for her. She loves it each week when the speech therapist comes with all her cool toys and books. Although last week she accidentally forgot to go pee and the speech therapists lap got a surprise. It was a bummer, but it didn't really phase Sofia! She is such a little sweetheart, giving hugs and love to those who love her. She loves to wrestle with her brothers and loves to dress up!
Moses, where to begin, I love this age, it is so fun! He just walks around the house following whoever is closest and repeating literally everything anyone says! Our favorite is NO! and MINE! He learned those very quickly from the kids. He likes to dress up with Sofia and pretend to leave saying buy bye ma, and buy bye dada. He likes to wear backpacks and hats around the house. Last night all the kids were playing together wrestling and chasing each other, such a fun time right now. The kids definitely make me tired, all day we are going and someone needs something, but it is good.
Halloween the kids had a blast we went to our friends the Flecks house and a bunch of us walked around the neighborhood and had dinner together. I was feeling pretty old by the end of the night walking in heels! We were talked into dressing up as well, which was actually pretty fun! Dan was a redneck and I was his "stylish"(not so much) wife. Zeke loved that we dressed up also, he kept wanting us to keep our wigs on the day after!
Well that has been life with the Lances lately!

late vacation pictures

I always said I was going to put up more pictures and talk about our trip to Indiana and time has passed me by!
I was going to comment on each pic but it is not letting me! The one with Sofia on the ground is her washing herself with the bubbles, it was cute watching her give herself a bath on the side walk during the family reunion!
So I will do a quick summary of our trip:
The kids and I went for 2 weeks with my parents and my sister and bro in law and nephews to Indiana. Dan joined us there after a week.
The main purpose of our trip was to spend time with family. I was born in Indiana and besides my parents and sister/brother-in-law, all of our family lives in Indiana and Michigan. So while there we had 2 family reunions, it was a blast.
Most of the family had never met Sofia or Moses so it was so fun to get everyone together and just be with one another!
My parents rented a lake house that was beautiful and we all stayed there together with my grandparents. We were blessed by family that loaned us a boat and sea dos. Or as my Aunt says Skidoos!
ANyway we spent the time out on the boat and playing cards and eating really good fresh corn and green beans and other yummy foods that make me feel at home.
I miss my family and I was so thankful for the time we got to spend together.
All of my cousins went out to dinner one night while our parents watched all of our kids, it was so fun, I grew up without them close by so when we get together it is a really sweet reminder of the times we spent as kids.
I spent a lot of sweet time with my grandma as well, talking about Jesus, raising kids, and growing gardens. I am so grateful for the legacy my grandparents and parents have left for us, they are amazing people!

the kids

I really need to put pics up of our vacation but every time I look at them it just overwhelms me! I took a lot of pictures and I like to work on them a little before I post them and so I just keep putting it off!
Anyway here are some of the kids looking cute, in my opinion!

Life Lately

I have to be in honest in saying that lately I am just trying to survive! My days consist of cleaning up everyone elses booty butts (as Zeke likes to call it)!
We are in the midst of potty training Sofia right now and I am not gonna lie, it has been terrible.
We are at the end of week two of cold turkey potty training her. There has been a lot of pee on the floor, daily.
We tried here and there over the past 6 months and I never felt like she was really ready. But 2 weeks ago I was tired of 2 kids in diapers and the cost of diapers! So we went for it. Lets just say I have been elbow deep in (insert expletive here) for these 2 weeks! With Moses in part time cloth diapers I have had my hands in the toilet cleaning panties and cloth diapers way too much!
These past few weeks have been super busy for Dan and most days I feel like I am in a fog. It is so hard not having family in town and there have been many days lately where I just want to go hang out at my parents house, just chat about nothing with them, or drop in at my in laws and know I can put my feet up for an hour.
So I have felt sorry for myself.
But God is so good and he always blows me away with his provision! Our family up here sees a need and they step in and help. I have had four different friends offer to watch my kids and so many more encourage me and support me in my loneliness. I know it is a season of life that will pass way too quickly but man it is hard being at home all day with the kids, just trying to survive the mayhem!
Anyway all this to say we had a victory today with potty training! For the first time we went all day without one accident! Sofia woke up with a dry pull up and got up from her nap with a dry pull up! Maybe just maybe we are getting it!

bananas!!!!

I adore my kids but some days they just drive me bananas!!
Ever since we returned from vacation I have had a hard time getting motivated. I miss my family and we just kind of jumped right back into everything here, with school and church, all good things just busy. So all last week I had such a hard time getting things accomplished, well today I finally felt inspired to really clean my house and I did! I worked so hard mopping the floors, cleaning the bathrooms, picking up.
This afternoon a few things have happened to undo my hard work.
First Zeke found a poop nugget on the bathroom floor. No one is fessing up to it and it could be Zeke, Sofia, Moses or the dog!!
Then this afternoon when we were outside Sofia got absolutely covered in mud, Zeke turned the hose on the dirt and Sofia literally laid in it. It was a mess, so I brought her inside where I put her in the tub to scrub all the dirt off. She is mad and yelling, mud all over my floor!! Ugh!
Then I turn around to find Moses playing in the toilet!!
He is helping me with chores by scrubbing the toilet with a hair brush!!!
There is toilet water all over the floor, (luckily it was flushed).
It was unbelievable, all I could do was pound my fist in the air and say you guys are driving me bananas!!!
Life with kids, never a dull moment.

Indiana pics

Mom, my sister Krista and the kids at my grandparents barn
Moses' first birthday!
Grandpa Olyer with Moses Everett , Mo's middle name is from grandpa!
Grampy and Sofia at the Soda shop
Dan tubing with the kids, there was some crying...
The cousins at the old family farm
Zeke Sofia and Moses in the corn
The family
Brothers

I am still processing the trip. I will write about our adventures soon. It was such an awesome trip, some really sweet times with my family. I miss them already.

more yummy food

First cucumber!
Our garden is crazy right now, it is on the verge of everything being ready, right in time for the kids and I to go out of town for 2 weeks!
We have had a few cherry tomatoes that we have eaten but all the big tomatoes and cucmbers are almost ready!
I don't even know if this one was ready but it was huge so I picked it and we are gonna eat it tonight!
There is so much that I am learning and so much I will do differently next year! I am loving this process and it has been fun for the kids to see the garden grow and turn into things we can eat!
Yay for gardens!

yummy morning

I love the Farmers market and I love WIC.
Every summer (well the last 2 since I have gotten WIC) they have vouchers for us to go to the farmers market and spend $20 for fruits and veggies! It is amazing, I am so grateful for this little perk!
Today the kids and I went and used our vouchers! Dan had a meeting so we braved it alone, Sofia in the stroller, Moses in the baby hawk, and Zeke helping me push the stroller over the gravel!
We got peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, green bell peppers, green beans, corn, and 2 different kinds of squash! All for FREE!
I am so excited!!
I think WIC is such a great program, I never had to look into any extra help until we moved to Redding, and it is so cool to see all the great programs they have for women and children in Shasta county.
It is hard sometimes to use the vouchers in the grocery store, when I happen to go anywhere other than Winco. People seem to stare and huff in impatience, but it is worth it when I see the benefit and money we save for our family!
So yay for WIC and yay for farmers market!

campin it up!

Moses is getting 4 teeth right now, so he had a runny nose and didn't sleep, but what's new!
Roasting mallows, a nightly tradition
Payton wearing her mallow
The kids would sit around this gopher hole and watch him poke his head out all week, he was not shy at all!
Dump trucks are a tradition with Jonah, Zeke and Davey, it would not be camping without them!
The boys being cute with their pose!
The girls. I was going to post the pic of us in the morning, but they might be mad at me! I think we all look pretty good for camping!
Our family. we look pretty clean in this picture, the kids were pretty much always dirty or sandy, but that is the joy of camping!
Leave it to Adam to bring something fun that entertains the kids all week, last year it was the tree swing, this year bubbles!


Camping 2009
I think we figured out that we have been doing this camping trip together for about 7 or 8 years now! Crazy!
It started with just 2 little babies, now between our five families we have 13 kids and one on the way! (not mine, don't read into that statement)
It was a great trip the weather was amazing, 75 degrees!
We had so much fun just being together, the kids running around playing and singing, riding scooters and dump trucks, the adults telling stories ( really it was just Sam and his crazy stories, they are so hilarious!)
One bummer thing about the trip happened on the morning of day one, I get my camera out to take some shots of the kids and realize my battery is not in it! ARGH!!!
I never have a chance to take pictures, I miss it so much, and the one time I have the perfect opportunity I can't!
Dan had his camera but I barely took any, so sad.
Besides that we had a great time, I love these friends, we went through ministry together and through so many life changes, hard ones and good ones. I love you all and am so thankful for your friendship and for our time together to camp!

One down, a lot more to go!

We have lived in our house for about 8 months now and with three kids it has been hard to really settle in and "decorate". Whatever that means.
Anyway my parents have come up to visit numerous times and work themselves to death helping us! This last visit Dan and my dad hung two new fans and moved an old one to Zeke and Sofia's room. (It might surprise you to find out Zeke broke his old ceiling fan by climbing on his bookcase and hanging on the blades!)
Then my Dad and mom and Dan worked on our sprinklers all day as well. They are amazing and do so much to help us!
Anyway last week I finally finished one room completely in our house! Moses has been really wanting his room to be done and look put together so I did it! (that is a joke, he is only 10 months old, he doesn't really care!)
I am happy with it and the curtains came out good and it is simple but cute!
Next up is Dan and I's room, I was working on a shelf but the wood got warped after I had been distressing for a week, awesome.
Someday it will get done, for now I have one room down!!

oh what a night

Last night's events are in real time ( that is a 24 reference!:)
Dan and I decided to be crazy and stay up late to watch a movie last night.
Went to bed at 11:45
12:10, 12:30 Dog barking crazy at cats outside, get up to close our door so she stays in our room
(side note Dan is threatening her life again)
2:13- 2:30 Moses crying, got up to listen, forgot to close the door
3:24 Dog barking again, run out to grab her so she doesn't wake the kids, stub my toe on a chair, almost said a bad word
4:45 Moses crying ready to eat
5:10 put moses back to bed
6:30 Sofia wakes up pounding on her door to come out. Get up put her back to bed
6:40 dan's alarm goes off for early prayer
7:10 Sofia up again
7:15 Start the day, definitely having coffee today!
Needless to say it was not a very restful night!!!

camping

Last weekend we went camping at Siskyou (sp??) Lake with the Gafners. It was BEAUTIFUL!!!
We were amazed by the constant beauty all around us, trees, water, Mt. Shasta right in our faces! The weather was perfect and we had so much fun!
We went on bike rides, caught butterflies by the water, swam in the really cold water, went on a boat ride, and ate yummy camping food.
It was a great camping trip.
In about 2 years it will be even better because the babies will be older.
We didn't get much sleep but when do you ever camping with a 10 month old!
Sofia was in her element, dirt everywhere, snacks all around, and friends to laugh with, she had a blast!
Zeke was in heaven with bikes and scooters all around, he would have slept on the bikes if he could!
Moses didn't sleep but what is new right, he did ok, next year will be awesome with him!!
Anyway it was a blast, thanks Gafners for making it a great weekend!

graduation!

So today Zeke graduated from kindergarten!!
What in the world I cannot believe how fast time goes by! He is so big and somewhat grown up! Whenever I get overwhelmed at the calamity that is life and my kids are not listening I think back to when Zeke was 2 and life was literally insane! My sweet six year old gave us a run for our money all the time. We always joked that he was in the terrible two phase from age 1 until age 4!
Those close to us I am sure remember some incidents!
But today watching him cross the stage with his shirt tucked in (he didn't go to school that way), I was so proud of how far he has come and what he has learned and accomplished in his little life.
He has an amazing talent of looking at things from a different perspective, seeing something in a way we never would have if it were not for him. Everything is new and he wants to learn how it works and I am constantly learning from him.
He has so much passion for the things he loves, fans lights, bikes!
I am constantly realizing how huge my role is as his mom, to help shape him and steer him toward Jesus, I long for his passion to be for the heart of God.
All this to say that today was awesome, I have a 1st grader now!
And man are my kids cute or what!

Finally finished the garden!!

So we finally finished the garden!!!!
Who knew what a huge project this would be!! I thought sure no problem throw a few seeds back there and watch them grow, right? WRONG
The only full sun place in our yard is against the back fence which is a slope, so we had to dig it out and level it off, that in itself took us a few weeks, whenever we actually had time to get out there and dig it up. It ended up being full of granite rocks the size of beach balls. Let's just say Dan got a good work out!
Then we had to dig trenches around the plot to put the wood in. When we finally had time to get the wood, we had to paint it to protect it and getting it set up was not easy!
Then we had to find time to borrow the Gafner's truck(thanks you guys!) and go get the dirt!
We finally finished that Monday morning and the kids all got up early today so we headed out in the cool of the morning and planted!
I am so annoyed I didn't get pics of them planting the seeds!
Anyway You may look at the pictures and say, um why did you only plant 2 things ??
The rest are seeds, we planted green onion, green and red peppers, cucumbers, carrots, a tomato plant (more to plant soon), jalapeno plant and some basil!

I am so excited to see what happens, I can only hope at least one thing will grow and produce!!

things I want to do this summer

Some old summer photos ( we didn't take many pics last year!)

First of all I can't believe it is so hot already!! It felt like 80 degrees this morning at 7:30!!
There is so much I want to do this summer, so many projects!! I don't know why I think I will have more time than normal in the summer, I think it will be the opposite with 3 kids home all day!!!
Anywhoo here are some things I want to do and get done:
* My garden!! I was hoping to get dirt and plant today but now it is Monday!
*Clothes line in the back yard, don't know where yet but I've got to get it going soon!
*Hanging shelves in my bedroom
* Art piece I have been working on for a month already!
*Finishing my bedroom, we started this project when my parents came in Feb. and I have had no time to devote to it!
*Finishing my quilt (this could take me forever)
*Being more consistent with cloth diapers
*POTTY TRAINING! (yikes I am so tired of 2 kids in diapers)
*Going to the lake
*Going to the Farmers market
*Going camping!
*Going on vacation with my family to Indiana! (lake house, so fun!)

I think I must still view summer as if I were in school and it is vacation, free time, time to do whatever I want. But really I am 31 now and it is just like the rest of the year, but I am going to act like it is fun free time and hope I do all the things on my list!
Happy Summer!

Dan's blog

Dan's website mysteriously disappeared the other day, we think it expired and then someone stole it. Bummer
Anyway some of you have been asking me where it went. He is using his old blogspot
It is : www.reverendrockstar.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

just some pictures

Sofia just went out one morning and started dancing around in her boots!

Moses my happy boy!
It just melts my heart when the kids love on each other!
Easter Sunday
Zeke and his cousins, the boys love to wrestle every time they get together! Sofia tries to get in on the wrestling as much as possible!

They say it's your birthday!

Yesterday I didn't get a chance to post another blog, but I really wanted to in honor of my amazing husband!!
He turned 33!!!!
We started dating when I was 16 and he was almost 18. He was the cool older guy in the youth group and I couldn't believe he asked me out!!!
It is amazing to me that we have been together for almost half of my life.
He is my true partner in every sense of the word. He is the one who makes me laugh harder than anyone, who understands me and all of my crazy quirks, who knows what I am going to say before I do. When I think about all the things we have been through together and how he has been my voice of reason, my positive outlook, the only one who can make me smile in the worst situation, I am so grateful for his partnership.
Dan can make me laugh harder than anyone I know, I love that we have so much fun together, that he is still the one I can't wait to see at the end of the day. That we can still lay in bed and laugh so hard that we can't breathe and might pee our pants!
We will be married 10 years next month and I love that we have this amazing history together.
Dan you complete me... j/k
I love you Dan happy birthday I hope when you turn 43 you will still want the same birthday present!

We made it home!

Some highlights from my day of travel alone with my three crazy kids!

*Getting to the airport 2 hours early and keeping my 3 kids contained in one area.
*Sofia getting into EVERYTHING, she handed an old lady a chip off the ground and Carol's wallet.
*Boarding the plane and Zeke insisting on carrying an open bowl of rice, because the 2 hours he had to eat it before boarding were not enough time. He refused to carry his backpack, he thought since I had Moses, a diaper bag and Sofia to manage that I should also be fine carrying his backpack.
*Moses falling asleep after take off (that was amazing!)
*The guy next to me across the aisle being bald and covered in tattoos! Moses stared and smiled his big tooth grin at him the ENTIRE time!!
*My kids actually sitting and behaving well on the plane!!!
*Getting off the plane, forgetting Sofia's lovey, trying to keep Sofia from going into each row as the annoyed people behind us wait for me to try to steer her, while carrying Mo and 2 bags.
* Sofia going into the cockpit!
*Nice strangers helping me put Sofia in her stroller, and helping me carrying my luggage.
* Taking 3 kids and bags into a bathroom stall, and holding Moses in my baby hawk while trying to pee. Did I mention Zeke opened the stall door while this was happening?
* Getting my kids contained in the car and finally driving home!

We made it and it really went so smooth compared to what could have happened!
Thanks for praying for us, and thank goodness for the kindness of strangers!

I think my kids are funny

Some conversations lately...

Setting:
Zeke is mad about something, having to go to bed, or doing homework, I can't remember.
Zeke: I don't want to, I am not doing it mama!
Me: Zeke please be a good listener
Zeke: No! I'm just gonna put Sofia to bed with no dinner!

Setting:
Zeke is mad about something
Me: Zeke you need to do _____ or you are going to loose privileges
Zeke: Well I'm just gonna put Moses back in your tummy!!
Me: I don't think he would fit anymore, he is too big!!

Setting:
Driving in the car after school
Zeke: we watched a video about Jesus dying on the cross today
Me: oh what did you think?
Zeke: when I have to be nailed to the cross I think it is gonna hurt!

Lately when we go and check on the kids before we go to bed we have been finding Sofia in her bed surrounded by Zeke's most precious items. She has been waiting for him to fall asleep then she sneaks in his bed and steals things like his favorite stuffed animals, the cat immojean, the dog snow doggie, his hummer, his lego creations!
She takes apart his lego creations and is surrounded by the pieces!
Zeke is very protective of these things so we find it quite funny to see her with them asleep!
If Zeke only knew!
I can't wait to see what kind of things Moses is going to do!
Last night we were getting in the car to go to winco and it was just chaos, it is raining, everyone is getting wet, someone is crying, someone dropped their apple slices, Sofia has boogers everywhere, her shoes are falling off etc. I have the tendency to get flustered and aggravated, but then I have to laugh and try to embrace the constant chaos, I would miss the craziness that is our life right now!

dirty kids

This is what my kids are going to look like everyday from now until October when it starts to get cold!
I love living outside!!

Hangin with the ladies

Went up to Weaverville this weekend for Women's retreat.
First of all never been to Weaverville, thought it was so cute and quaint, antique stores and historic town, i love places like this.
I loved just being with the girls, so many friends and new friends it was awesome to just be together.
We did a Beth Moore video series, and I had never heard her before. She cracks me up and the series we picked, Loving Well was perfect for our ladies, I think anyway!
I had some really great times of prayer with a couple of girls and I was so thankful I could be a part of the process that God is taking them through.
I am so so so proud of Rebecca, she did an awesome job planning and pulling the whole thing off. I know she spent a lot of time in prayer for the weekend and the ladies going, it was so sweet to see what God did through the weekend.
It is cool to think back at last years retreat where there were 40 of us in a cabin, now 72 of us got to come together and just love and encourage each other through in this crazy life. So thankful for friendships that a year ago were non-existent! I remember feeling like I was never going to feel at home here, never going to have deep friendships, I am so thankful for The Stirring!
Anyway love all you girls and can't wait to see what next year will look like!!

Battles

It has been such a long day. It seems lately everything is a battle with Zeke. He is our strong energentic boy, who loves to have his own opinion and is not afraid to tell you what he thinks and how he feels.
All day today was a fight, getting dressed, what to eat for breakfast, what shoes to wear, doing homework, wanting to play in the water outside (he seems to think 60 degree weather means bathing suits and the hose being on).
We had battle after battle today, and it is like that every single day. I can't just ask him to do something easy, it always turns into a fight.
I just get discouraged and tired sometimes.
I don't like how impatient I get, how frustrated I become.

Just a minute ago Zeke came out of his room, I was laying on the couch he came and kissed my forehead and said he loved me. As he was walking back to his room he turned around and said mama you know God is always with you, and you can talk to him anytime, he hears you.
Moments like those make the rest of the chaotic day melt away and I see a little piece of Jesus coming out in him. What a gift.
I am pretty sure God knew I needed a little something.

Some Lance happenings

There has not been much time to post anything lately. It seems like I can hardly keep up with the kids, house and bills let alone read anyone's blogs or post on my own!
Some things that have been happening around here:
My parents visited about a month ago and worked all weekend putting in garage door openers, fixing things, and building a pantry. I am always amazed by how much we can accomplish when they are here!
Dan's mom was here this past week and we went out to dinner and a movie it was awesome! I miss having family around, I am still amazed at what I took for granted!

Moses got his first tooth! It is so cute when he smiles his huge grin! He is rolling all over the place and still doesn't think it is a good idea to take regular naps and sleep through the night! Although the last 2 nights, (knock on wood) he has done awesome at night! He is saying dada all the time, and mama ( only 2 times but I heard it!!)
Zeke is reading, and it is like pulling teeth out of an alligator to get his homework done and books read! He loves math and does not even have to think about it, he just knows it. We are in the process of looking for a school for next year, maybe a charter school, maybe public we will see what happens. For now he is playing in the dirt and fighting with Sofia on a daily basis.

Sofia our little pixie is still a firecracker! She is into everything and now likes to throw a fit whenever possible. She is our little dramatic one, she cracks us up. If she wants my attention she will just say Mama 100 times until I stop and see what it is. She does not give up or give in, which is always fun when it comes to dinner time. She is all about taking her clothes off whenever possible, and running around naked. She loves to dress up her babies and do everything I am doing with Moses. She nurses her stuffed animals and tries to put diapers on the dog!
I was looking at a picture the other day of me before I had three kids and I thought oh I remember when I used to do my hair and wear make-up, back when I didn't wear the same clothes 3 or 4 days in a row.( I am not exaggerating, unfortunately)
But I love that I get to be home with the kids, some days are so crazy I think I might fall over with exaustion. But other days I feel the time is fleeting and I wonder if I am doing all I can with them while they are here at home with me. I can't believe Zeke is already going to be 6 next month.
Anyway those are some things around here, just life with the Lances

I can't make this stuff up...

So in the last 6 months I have been noticing a slight increase in the missing socks. Especially Moses and Sofia's socks. I just figure they take them off somewhere and they don't make it to the laundry. They must be hiding under some furniture or stuffed in some hidden drawer.
Well I finally solved the mystery!
Today as I was doing laundry, a little something pink caught my eye. As I was loading the clothes in the washer a pink sock was just barely sticking out of the rubber ring around the inside of our front loading washer. I pulled it out and felt another sock in there, and another and another.
You get the picture, well 5 socks later, no wait there were 28 socks in there!!!!!!!
What the heck my washer was eating all of the little socks. I guess they were so small they would slip in there and you could not see them. Not until there was no more room, until the 28 socks had taken up all the room, no more could hide!
Now the state these socks are in, is disgusting, I'm not gonna sugar coat it for you.
They are sopping wet and discolored, sticky with an odor that can only be experienced in person.
But man was I excited to find them!
I have been keeping a pile in Moses room because I just knew they had to be somewhere around here!! Now they will finally be reunited. Reunited and it feels so good. j/k
Anyway that is the tale of the missing socks, I love a happy ending!

annoyed

I am kind of annoyed about the peanut butter recall. First of all annoyed with myself because I never watch the news and so I found out about it when Sean Gafner mentioned it. We gave them some peanut butter and he asked if it was going to poison them.
I kind of freaked out because Zeke eats Peanut butter and jelly everyday of his life! And the kids and I love Clif bars and we eat them all the time!
So I went through all my peanut butter and got rid of the off brand jars I had. ( I have a stock pile from WIC) Luckily I mostly have Jiff which is still good.
But I went through my cliff bars and I have like 12 bars I have to get rid of!!!
That is a lot of money! Those things are expensive!! I have been eating them ever since I got pregnant and then with nursing, because I am always hungry and they are a good snack.
Except when there is salmonella in them...
Anyway I am annoyed that I have to throw away like $10 worth of food.

Relaxing, what is that??

Getting out of the house with 3 kids, well my 3 kids anyway is not easy!
I decided I would start these yoga classes at my gym, they are at a good time in the afternoon, after naps , after I feed Moses, so I thought perfect.
Well it did not go perfectly... 15 minutes before the class i start getting everyone ready, Zeke can get himself ready, but Sofia is a different story. I put her shoes on, I walk out of the room , she takes them, I put her coat on I turn around it is off! I pick Moses up to put him in the car seat and he has pooped everywhere. We change him get everyone's shoes and coats on and start for the door. Sofia dumps her snacks all over the rug, and we all walk through them grinding them into the rug, awesome. By this time 10 minutes have passed and we are going to be late, so I leave the snacks my dog will clean them up!
We head out the door and of course it is raining, everyone is running around trying to catch rain their mouths and getting soaked. (darn garage door opener that is broken, how I wish the car were in the garage!)
We make it to the gym run in and get everyone situated in the childcare.
I go into the class late of course.
But it is dark and quiet and I have a whole hour of relaxing, ahhh it was amazing.
But as soon as I am out the door I feel myself tense up again. Oh man I have to get home quick and feed everyone dinner and clean the bathroom before life group.
The kids are crabby, it is now snowing outside and Sofia trips and falls in a puddle on the way to the car, baby is crying, shoes are falling off and a sippy cup is lost in the war zone that is our life.
Anyway I think I undid all of relaxing, but I guess that is life right now.
Did I mention that a few days ago Sofia took off her diaper and then pooped in her room... lets just say there was even poop on the wall.
Never a dull moment in the Lance house!!!

I'm old

I think I might be the last person to get a facebook account, I mean really it seems like everyone has one.
I get on there and Jaime Ries who has been my friend since 6th grade puts a picture up of us in Jr. high and it is clear that I am the only one left because Jeremy Tanner leaves a comment.
How random that Jeremy Tanner is on facebook. (that will only seem funny if you went to VCC like 20 years ago...)
I am pretty sure I don't have time for facebook since I never have time to blog.
But it is cool that I have connected with my childhood friend Megan from Indiana and my college friend Melissa who I have not seen in like 10 years.
I just feel old when I start to do this stuff!

What a diffrence a year makes!

What a year! I was looking back at the kids from a year ago and it is amazing how much they have changed!!

I have been missing taking pictures. Whenever I am out I always see things I would love to take pictures of, but I never remember to grab my camera, I am lucky to remember all my kids with shoes and coats on!
Anyway I know one day I will have more freedom to take pictures.
I guess for now my pictures will be of the kids.
I think they are pretty fun to snap anyway!
cute too, right!