Craziness!

Life has run away with me full swing! LOL!
* Zoey is almost completely trained
* Sophie has learned to potty outside for the most part
* They both have learned to take turns with treats, bark at the door and come when their own name is called. Hoorah!
* Jess' work is picking up and he is busy as ever with his calling, his company and all the neighbors/family that need him. He also has been doing some great honey-do's!
* EYE SURGERY RE-SCHEDULED! It will be on the 5th of Aug now. His Retinal Specialist had to go out of town.
* Model Home sitting is fun! *grin* If you want to see what Maria and I are selling: Take the Walmart exit in Springville, at the light by Walmart take a right; follow that road through the circle to the T and take a left on 1600 S. - Go to 950 West and we are in the model home in the back of the subdivison...you can't miss it! Call me if you are coming to see if it is my date and time! *wink*
* Real Estate is picking up... if you have good income and are in the market for a home... NOW is the time! Prices are dropping dramatically, Feds are working with 1st time homebuyers and well...investment in real estate always will bring a good return! :)
* Busy with Primary and my own kids.
* Teaching a 4H ceramics class. SO FUN! The kids LOVE it!
* Heading to Idaho this week to see my Bro from WA and my Grandpa. I CAN NOT WAIT!
* Itching to go camping! Any and all are invited to the neighborhood overnight campout on Aug 15th! Call me! There is a meteor shower that night and I think it will be awesome!
* Caleb's arm is in a wrap. Find out tommorow if it is broken. dang it.
* Finally got all the laundry on my floor folded. 3 weeks worth of digging in piles is over! yea!
* School starts in less than a month. Both Emma and Cody had a growth spurt and Cam has little to no underwear. They all need backpacks and well... yuck. I detest shopping. Anyone want to take my kids clothes shopping?? what about footing the bill? Bwahahaha
* My house looks like it got Smurf Chickenpox! I used a black light and painters tape to mark areas that need carpet cleaned...two weeks ago...thinking I would get to it...& thinking it would only show dog pee. Oh no! It shows chocolate milk spills, bottle drips and all sorts of yumminess! If you have a germ-a-phobia or are a neat freak....don't use a black light. De-pressing. My kids and pups are SLOBS! ugh.
* My desk is starting to look somewhat under control. Still have to pay the bills for this month. Sheesh! When did it get to be the end of the month already??
* Went to the eye Dr myself on Sat. We have THE best eye Dr. (Advanced Family Eye Care in Spanish Fork) He came in just for me. I was doing my nails the night before and a piece of acrylic flipped up when I was trimming edges and got me. I had an good abrasion and a couple of small pieces lodged in my eye. Yuck! Some numbing meds, some tylenol, an eye wash and wipe and some antibiotic drops and we are back to normal. Have I ever mentioned I dont do well with eye Dr.'s and Dentists? Yeah. fun.
* Ma had an emergency apendectomy a week + ago. And I suck as a daughter! I have barely had the time to call her...let alone go clean her house or make her a meal like she did me. Hoping the people that live with her are taking good care of her...XXcrossing fingersXX
* Car needs tires rotated and registered.
* Garden has squash bugs. They have killed 3 of our plants. Grrrr. Amy and her sweet MIL weeded it last week and it looks so pretty! It inspired Jess and he almost has all the weeds pulled in the back now! I need to sell a house or two and get some sprinklers and grass in soon! I am so done with mud and weeds.
* Need to go see my own Dr. Think I have some thyroid stuff creeping up again... dang it. Had some bad heart days too. I know I should not be running as mch as I have... but I just can't seem to slow down these days.

Anyway... kind of a vent... and a to-do list all mixed in one! LOL! I knew you were all wondering where in the world I went! Bwahahaha! Off to bed! I have another long one ahead of me tommorow... LOVE to you all!! G'night!

Our New Baby

Here she is!! Our new baby!!

Isn't she just darling!!? Look at that smile! *grin*

We decided once she was here...she is a Zoey. Her full name is Mylee Zophia... but she is our little Zoey. She has done really well... and I am tickled! She is *my* dog. Sophie loves Jess the best...Zoey loves me the best! *giggle* She is my little shadow. I forgot how much you can love an animal! Not that I didn't love Sophie... but there is something so tender when you are loved so completely by something so sweet! Does that make any sense?? LOL AHH I am loving having 2! Sophie is too! She is in Heaven!

More pics of Bethani

Isn't she adorable!?!?!

Here are some better pics of my new niece! *grin*

Jestin's Eye Surgery/Diabetes

I was told I needed to post the latest:

Jestin saw the retinal specialist and he is scheduled to have mini-surgery on his left eye on July 28th. He has Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, however it has not started to effect his vision yet...we have caught it quick enough. Almost all of the damage has occurred in the last year, as he had this eyes thoroughly checked just a year ago. It has been a bummer to see the difference already! His right eye has some damage as well, but they are hoping with tighter blood sugar control we can scale that back and buy Jess more time with that side. They will do an angiogram the day of surgery just to make sure it is ok... and to see more in depth the extent of the damage.

They are going to try and correct some of the damage in his left eye with "L-A-S-E-Rs" (in Jestin's best Dr. Evil voice, adding the quotes with his fingers of course! *wink*) He is nervous, but it seems to be a simple and small operation...the biggest risk factor at present is bleeding which could lead to a more extensive surgery, but we both feel that he will be fine...especially after he gets a Priesthood blessing before hand. :) There will be multiple treatments needed...and he is NOT excited to have needles and lasers in his eyes...not that I blame him! They likely will be doing some steriod shots in his eyes as well the specialist was saying...

We went to a new Dr. today to get some guidance on his diabetes... and well... we wont be back. That place was about crazy as a nuthouse...and aside from the few minutes with the doctor... felt like we were not in the right place! They did test his A1C and it was a 8.1 - not so good... but I have to admit... it was in the 11's when we were dating and newly married...so hey! This also doesn't give credit for the tighter control he has been exercising since his 1st eye Dr appt. I bet once some time has past it will be much better! He really has been doing so well!! And he's lost 5 lbs to boot! (no fair! LOL) On a good note too... his blood pressure is great and his liver/kidney test came back awesome too! We were so relieved! Often when one area is being destroyed by diabetes you will likely have others...but he is doing well!

Anywho...there is the skinny. We are going on another fun health ride.... WAHOO!!! It's all good though! We are blessed to have a home or two sell here and there and eletrical work seems to keep comin' in...so we know we will be taken care of! Our Heavenly Father always does! :)

Tired...and excited!!

Sorry to be so AWOL! We have been working for our new baby! Naw...this is not what you think! LOL! We are getting another yorkie! We can't wait!! The kids are dying and can hardley stand the suspense! We are earning her with "slave labor" (bwahahaha) and we are tickled pink! She is the puppy of a neighbor who needs some help, and is moving and can't take her, so we are blessed to be able to fullfill my itch for one more "baby" and help a neighbor in need! I feel so lucky! The funnest part is that Sophie knows the new pup already and they are bestest friends!! Now who didn't wish for that as a kid?? For your best friend to become your sister?? L-U-C-K-Y! (in my best Napoleon voice) We may be changing the new pups name...as we call for Zoey (her name now) and Sophie comes. She thinks we want her. LOL!! Emma likes Miley. What do you all think??

Any cute suggestions?? Sophie's full Pedigree name is:

Rylee Sophia

So we were thinking if we used what Emma wants, it could be:

Mylee Zophia

And then she could "keep" her original name...we would just call her something different so the dogs aren't confused for training etc. Ahhh...the dilemas huh? Any advice or name ideas would be appreciated! *grin* Friday we will be adopting our last "baby" officially....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BUBBA-SON!!!

Happy Birthday Cody!! He is 9 today!! I wish my scanner and computer were on speaking terms I have the cutest photos of my oldest little man!! (waaaa!)

We had a blast today! It's too late to post photos but I will... we went to Seven Peaks to celebrate! He had a grand time!

Quick fun facts about Cody:

* We laugh about labor with Cody...the epidural went up instead of down...and I talked like Jar Jar Binks trying to convey my displeasure! I think Jess laughed until he had tears!
* Cody's best friend is Emma.
* Cody scooted on his bum wherever he went and then walked...never crawled.
* And always had fat lip when he started walking because he never learned to catch himself from crawling! It was sad.
* He believed in prayer at a very young age. He would pray to get the lawnmower to start when Mom had spent 20 minutes and exhausted herself trying to pull start it. Of course it started right up after his prayer.
* Cody always prayed to be kept safe... he had a wheelbarrel fall over on him at age 5... it cut his neck open and when we got to the hospital... Mom lost it a bit when she learned the "tendon" that bulged from the cut was actually his carotid artery and it was realized how "lucky" her little man was! This boy's prayers are answered!
* Cody excelled in the Ohio State tests. He excells in everything learning wise... he is bored with scouts because he read the book and "knows all the stuff already". He has little patience for busy work as when he knows it he knows it and he sees no point in wasting time on something he already understands... ah... he reads a lot of books while his class mates keep working on their busy work he completed way before them! (He gets this trait from his G'pa Stoddard...he is a book worm and very smart!)
* He and his Dad are reading the Leven Thumps series at the same time... they love to discuss what is going on!
* Cody lost much of his depth perseption as a result of a slight lazy eye we missed when he was little. He now is under regimine to play video games with a patch to excersise that eye... and boy! was he disappointed with that prescription!
* Have I mentioned that he LOVES his Nintendo DS and the Xbox? We may as a family ask Santa for a WII...
* Cody loves animals. He is so gentle with both them and little ones. He is a tenderheart.
* When Cam was little he couldn't say "brother" so he called Cody "Bubba". It stuck. Cody is our Bubba Son.

* Cody had a sense of humor young. He was 2 or so when one day he brought me a shoe as we were getting ready to leave. I told him we needed the other one and to go find the shoe. He walked away saying "a shoe. a shoe a shoe." As he came around the corner oblivious to all around him he giggled to himself and said "Bless you!" I laughed and laughed! He is so clever!
* Cody loves to fish! On his trip to Lake Powell they gave him the nickname "Catfish Cody"...he has a knack for it!
* Cody is my cuddle bug. He loves to be cuddled, to have hugs, to have a back rub, any physical touch or expression of love. Even when I was pregnant with him...if you tickled my belly he would push into it. He loved it. He needs to be touched.... I often ask him for some "Cody Cuddles" 'cause he is just so snuggly!

* Cody is named after his Daddy (middle name) whom is named after G'pa Ewell. His full name William Cody never quite came into play...he never was a "Wild Bill Cody". *grin*
* When he was little he wanted to become a Bee Keeper after being stung by a bee and realizing they die from stinging. He wanted to "save" them.
* He wants to be a Massage Therapist like his aunt Jenny.

* Cody is left handed like his G'ma Annie.
* Cody is a shy one... but once you are his friend... he loves you deeply and forever.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY CODY!!

We are so thankful to have you in our family!!

The callings came...

We knew deep inside they were coming...
You know how it is...
It's like the calm before the storm...
There is a sense about it...
You are almost not surprised when that call comes in...
And then your appointed time comes...
And you meet with the leader...
And the bomb is dropped...
Your heart races...
Your knees shake...
Your mouth says "yes"...
but inside you are saying to yourself (quite loudly I might add!)
"Isn't there someone more qualified??"
"Are you sure you are asking the right person??"
"What if I screw up so badly they kick us out??"
(bwahahaha! Ok. Not really...)
But callings are a new stretch in all areas nonetheless!

Can I kindly introduce you to:

Jestin Dorius, Assist. Ward Clerk in the River Trail Ward

And Heather Dorius, 1st Counselor in the Primary Presidency of the River Trail Ward...

They also asked me to be a part of the Ward Activities Committee for the next little while... it will be a blast!

Lucky for us both we are blessed to serve with AWESOME people and our fears of failure are diminished somewhat... oh... and did I mention we have complete (like knot at the end of a rope grip) faith in "He qualifies whom He calls" Otherwise... well... WE ARE IN TROUBLE! :)

http://ldsrtwphoto.blogspot.com/

I found a few!!

I randomly found a few photos from the ones I lost! YEA!!

Here is Emma and Bethani... The oldest and youngest Stoddard Grandaughters...

Bubba LOVED to hold her... he is so good with babies!

Isn't she precious!! I think she will be clothed solid until she is 1! This aunt has gone crazy with yard saling and consignment sales! She is brand name dress man! *wink* and my new little niece deserves only the best! *GRIN*

Daddy's Girl

This is my baby. She loves her Dad best. This is where she wants to be. She thinks she is parrot! She follows him around until he picks her up and loves on her everyday! She adores Jestin!

Bethani Irene Stoddard

Here are some pics of my new little niece. I am so disappointed to say that the first time I went to see her I had no device memory space and the second I took photos...many photos... but I somehow do not have them anymore. (wah!) I think I may have had a helper in erasing them... *sniff* so all I have at the moment is crappy cell phone photos. But I do have to say they make me happy to show off and look at! She is so stinkin' CUTE!!!

Better today :)

Life has thrown our family some loops the past year, and few months... and it is ALL GOOD! *wink* After all...that is what life is right? Constantly changing and full of new and exciting challenges?

Jestin needs to have eye surgery. His Type I Diabetes has really done some damage this year. I know it has much to do with his focus being elsewhere for obvious reasons, but this too shall pass. The eye Dr. told us that if things didn't change he would be blind in 1-3 years. The damage has been done... but it can be prevented a bit better to give him much longer opportunity for vision. We have a pending appointement with a retinal specialist and are meeting with a new primary care Dr to get his sugars under better management. We feel encouraged by all of this...and after going through initial shell shock...we are now prepared to "fight the fight". And we will win! Jess has already lost 5lbs just in testing his blood more often and compensating for the variances...so that is encouraging. :)

Cam seems to be fine after his little nut scare. It adds one more thing to list for this mom to be cautious about, but it is do-able. He is such a good kid and though he fights me on many things... he is very vigilant on his own about his allergies and such and we see eye to eye on it hands down. It was very scary to me. And I had not acknowledged how much it was scary to me. It was. It is over. He is ok... but I will admit I was scared S---less nonetheless! *grin*

The other loop is I never allowed myself to cry going through all the heart stuff. Deep down I wondered if by crying about it and being scared that it somehow made me have less faith and even some un-gratefulness for all who helped make it possible. I dont know... but I had not cried about it at all since my blessing from the bishop in Feb. It was all bottled up. I exploded finally. *blush* What a mess. It took a trigger of not hearing from my Cody the entire week he was gone to Lake Powell (the one place I have ever worried I would lose a child to accident - ie; drowning) and my body brought it all to a head. Today is thursday and I lost it on Sunday... and it has taken a day or three, but today I am on much more stable ground. MUCH MORE. I feel strong and brave again. I feel released and happy. Halleluyah. There has been so much more involved in it all... but I will say one thing:

Ladies (especially) DO NOT hold it in. Let it out. Feel the feelings of this life. You don't have to be too brave. You dont have to be so strong. You dont have to keep it all together all the time.

Believe me... your body won't let you. *giggle*

So no worries here... I am dressed to fight. I am back to win. Life can no longer drag me all over and shake me like a rag doll. (for today anyway! LOL) I will take what the Lord has in store for me... and I will try to do my best... as always...
~~heather

Still here...

I am still here. I haven't posted much "meat" lately. Most of it has been hard a little hard to chew. LOL. We are plugging along. Cody is home safe and sound from Lake Powell. All the kids are starting an upswing of 4H activities that should keep some kind of structure around us. Jess got a new calling in the split of the ward....he is the new Assistant Ward Clerk. He was pleased to learn the call from the Stake Pres did not wield a much heavier load... this one feels perfect for where he is and what he needs...which usually is where the Lord wants to place us all anyway. Growth and stretching is good. :)

I am sad to report I am struggling. I am sure it has a whole lot to do with the heat and how it effects my heart, stopping my bloodthinners cold turkey after being allergic to the asprin, trying to be everything to everyone when there are somethings I know I am not quite strong enough to do yet, and not having had a good cry since Feb. I feel lost in a slide of mud. If that makes any sense. But it is slowly getting better and I am trying to level myself out. I have a massage scheduled for Thursday...and I can't wait!! Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. Sometimes one must remind oneself...*giggle*