Mama's Thinking Corner

True Enduring Love

2012-01-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

I had never been loved by a man before Leif walked into my life and quite literally rescued me from a whirlwind of confusion and unmet love.

Looking back I am in awe at how Father in Heaven knows our life's plan so intricately. He was easing Leif into my life long before I even took notice. Helping me gain just enough trust and attraction to him to give me the courage to call him. Looking back I remember sitting next to him in Sacrament meeting and feeling so safe, so at home. That feeling only grew as we fell in love. Eventually it was a tangible warmth that filled my soul. Just to be with him. Leif was the life breath to my heart. So long my heart had been still that I learned to live without it. When he walked into my life the wall around my very being crumbled allowing him entrance. As if it knew he was finally home and there was no need to protect. I will never be able to express the miracle his love worked upon my soul. As I write, the tears fall down my cheeks with a deep understanding of the gift he is to me.

When we were dating Leif loaned me a book. I don't remember the door that it unlocked within my heart but I remember sobbing as I read. Leif walked in while I was crying and he scooped me up into his strong and healing arms. I will never forget the feeling of peace that surrounded me during that moment. Warmth, love, healing, Christ like peace. I knew he was who Father had saved for me. He was the man I dared not dream about. One with perfect acceptance. To feel such peace was intoxicating for me. I had never in my entire life felt the healing that Leif brought. Just by being him. He still renews my soul when he enters the home. There is just something about him that completes me.

I am grateful that Leif has never felt so desolate as I have felt. I think my need for him has been somewhat baffling for him throughout the years. As our life has progressed and the good the bad and the ugly have entered onto the stage, there are dark nights when I cry to him in frustration because I feel that he could go on with his life without me. He assures me in his faith-filled way that we shouldn't worry about the possible days ahead of separation. He tells me that he will miss me very much. But the struggle comes when I can't feel his words any more then he can feel the ache within my soul. There is something there. Something personal within us that is ours alone to work through. Love can only heal so much before it is Christ's love that is required to make up the rest.

Yesterday Leif came home from work with dinner, dessert, and flowers. Need I ask for any more proof of his love? Why then, do I? The night before last, Leif worked with the boys and unloaded the dishwasher and loaded it. And that was only one of the many many things he had done that day. Need I ask for any more proof of his love? Why then, do I? This morning Leif made pancakes for us after he had taken Jakob to school. Need I ask for any more proof of his love? Why then, do I? I am not left cold and alone within our cozy bedroom at night... Need I ask for any more proof of his love? Why then, do I?

Why do I expect Leif to read my mind? Why do I compare our life to that of a fictional novel? Why am I tempted to always want more. Why?

The answer is simple. Someone hates this gift that we have been given. Someone wants to destroy this eternal love that I have been given. The Adversary hates our love! It is I who needs to take on this fight. And fight I will! True enduring love is ever changing. Sometimes it is a tangible warmth within the soul. Sometimes it is a giving of your all for the other. Sometimes it is a belief that it will get better and a fight to win it back. Just as the seasons change with the warmth of the sun and the chill of the winds so it is with a true enduring love. Always look for the sun within the season. For it is the Son who endureth in all things.

Jakob's Special Trip With Mama and Papa: Aviation Nation Air Show

2012-01-24T12:36:00.000-08:00

We try to take the boys on a little trip alone with us every few months or so. In November 2011 we surprised Jakob with a trip to his first Air Show and WOW was it Great! We used the money from our family Disney Land jar to make the trip. That made it extra special because Jakob helped earn the money by gathering and selling the eggs.

Jakob knew we were going somewhere together for a day but we wouldn't tell him where we were going. We left really early in the morning and drove to Las Vegas (Nellis Air Force Base.) We listened to music and ate treats along the way. Jakob REALLY wanted to know where we were going. But I'm glad we kept it a secret. Because when he saw the Air Force uniforms he went crazy with excitement and knew just what was happening. It was The Best!

We spent the whole day going through the booths and watching the show. It was the first Air Show any of us had been to and it was AWESOME! The Thunderbirds were AmAzInG! We loved it!! We look forward to going again some day!

Who Am I?

2012-01-23T13:06:00.000-08:00

I decided to update my profile description. This is what I've had written for the last year or so.

I am a husband loving, children focusing, time scheduling, 1000 square foot living, home schooling, ever praying, too much chocolate eating, friend listening, exercise trying, wellness seeking, wife of one full time working - ever schooling, mother of three who are very much living and two who are heaven living.
I most often answer to, Mama!

Now That Jakob's in School

2012-01-19T20:22:00.000-08:00

Jakob's been going to the big school for a couple of weeks now... or is it three weeks? Either way, he isn't home all day long. You know what the very best part is? Jakob and I only have about 4 hours in the day where we might end up arguing. That might sound strange. But WOW, he and I can really push each other's buttons. Now there are even days where there is very little contention to speak of. Seriously, So Nice!!

You know what the next best thing about not home schooling full time is? My precious JJ has started to hug and snuggle me more. It's like we finally have a chance to get to know each other without interruption. Precious Times!

And you know what else? My sweet Caleb is officially potty trained. It happened in one day. It was like he recognized that it was his turn to grow up. His turn to shine. Amazing!

And finally, one more thing I love, I get to take naps again! So Wonderful!!

Do I Regret Home Schooling?
I've made it sound like I regret the last three months and past years of home schooling. But I Don't! I just appreciate the moment I'm in right now. Jakob's teacher commented to me the other day that she can see a unique difference between Jakob and his classmates. I won't try to pinpoint what it is. But it's good. He just has a different perspective on life and the world around him because we've been able to focus on things differently then they do at school. A;so, I would never have the respect and appreciation for his teachers that I have now if I hadn't home schooled. It is incredibly hard work and I can't thank Jakob's teacher enough for her dedication and love. I feel very blessed!

First Grade Home School Martin Luther King Jr. Lesson Ideas

2012-01-16T13:21:00.000-08:00

Jakob (7) is a sponge when it comes to history. He LOVES it! His preferred way of learning history is through media. With that said, this is what we did this morning to celebrate the amazing Martin Luther King Jr.

I began our day by reading from the scriptures Matthew 22:39 "Love thy neighbor as thyself." We talked about the fact that Heavenly Father has commanded us to treat all of His children with love and respect and that He considers all if His children to be our "neighbor."

From there I asked Jakob to name a few people in our country's history who was heroic enough to have a holiday named after them. I started the list with George Washington. He then named Columbus. I then introduced the name of Martin Luther King Jr. I pulled up google images and googled Martin Luther King Jr. of course it pulled up several photos. I asked Jakob to tell me what made MLK's face different from mine. He told me that he was African American. I was impressed that he knew that. He followed up his statement with asking "what makes him African and American?"

Because Jakob loves history and war history in particular, to answer his question we went back in time a while and talked about slavery, the civil war, and president Lincoln. We have a world time line on our wall so I was able to talk to him and have a visual to show how even though slavery was stopped, the hate lasted for generations all the way into Jakob's grandparent's generation.

This led us to talk about what life was like for African American's (and all people of color) in the 1950's -60's. This is where we brought in the media:

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEDIA:
National Geographic.com shows a short informative video about Martin Luther King Jr. and life for the African American people during his lifetime. Click HERE for the video.

Biography.com also shows a good video about MLK: HERE

Jakob picked up on the fact that MLK was assassinated. He really wanted to know about that. So I pulled up YouTube. We watched CBS' Walter Cronkite's report of MLK's assassination.

From there I introduced Jakob to Martin Luther King's famous speech "I Have a Dream." We watched the whole speech. It was actually too long for Jakob and the most famous part was toward the end of the speech. So I would recommend the shortened version for younger children.

The final activity in our day was to memorize a line from MLK's speech. We memorized the following:
"I have a dream that one day my four little children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Jakob will recite it to his Big School class on Tuesday.

To help inspire Jakob and recognize that he is old enough to take this message to heart and even memorize it, we watched this clip of a school class reciting the speech on the steps of the Washington Memorial.

Overall, I would say this was a day to remember and ponder for days to come. I think Jakob plans to ask his grandparents what they remember about the days of Martin Luther King Jr's mission of freedom and peace. I would be interested to hear their thoughts as well.

ART PROJECT:
We didn't get to this art project. But I liked the idea: Friendship Ring.

A Lovely Birthday!

2012-01-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

I had such a wonderful birthday this weekend! My birthday (33rd) was Saturday but Leif and I ran away Friday afternoon for a fabulous evening together, no little ones! Thank you grandma and grandpa for watching our wild little bunch! We went to the Breaking Dawn movie, then to dinner, and then to the Sherlock Holmes movie. It was late by the time we drove all the way home. But it was so nice to be together without anything to do but be together.

Saturday was great because we were able to take care of a few bigger house projects (like take the Christmas tree down.) Then we were able to visit with a dear friend in the afternoon. That evening Leif came home after work with his arms loaded with the fixings for French Bread Pizza and Salad, Ultimate fudge brownies, and Peanut Butter Panic ice cream. HEAVENLY! After we put the kids to bed we enjoyed a special evening reading together. Leif surprised me earlier in the week by following through with an idea I gave him a long time ago of how we could explore each other's interests even more. I suggested that we each choose a book that we really enjoy that we think our spouse could tolerate and exchange these books with each other. Leif made me feel extra loved by following through with this idea first without any prodding on my end. I gave him Towers of Brierly by Anita Stansfield. Bless his heart, it's a Romantic LDS Fiction. I tried to find one with enough suspense and mystery to keep him from getting too bored. We sat together and read our books late into the night. So late in fact that we pulled out the cold pizza and had another round of dinner. I felt like we were in hotel together just us. It was that fun!;)

We did wake up in the morning though, and we were not in a hotel! We still had our precious boys to take care of and get off to church. But oh how nice it was to have so much special time with Leif. It was truly a Lovely birthday! Thank you my Love and thank you everyone else who called, wrote, or texted to wish me a happy birthday. It was Wonderful!!

A Great Big Hug! - Caleb's Potty Trained

2012-01-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

Two mornings ago I was changing Caleb's diaper first thing in the morning and I had the thought come to me to send him in to go potty on the toilet. So I did.

Well, he went right in and used the potty. I decided because of his enthusiasm I would pull out his new Thomas the Tank Engine undies. He was thrilled to put them on and he's used the potty ever since. AMAZING!!!! He even took his diaper off this morning all by himself and pooped in his potty seat we have in his bedroom for that exact purpose. WOW!! I feel so blessed not to have this big step as a battle! Truly Blessed!

Things that may have helped make things easier:

We purchased a potty seat that has steps and handles that sits over the big toilet seat. The potty seat has a big enough hole so he doesn't feel like he's going to go on the seat. I really like that! Great help!
We purchased a cool potty chair to go in his bedroom so he could use it and not have to run to the bathroom a million times during nap and bedtime. VERY Helpful!!
I gave Caleb a cup of juice to keep in the bathroom and he took a drink of juice every time he went to sit on the potty the first day of training. This helped him need to go several times that day so he could get the logic down. I also slipped in a couple of chewy fiber bites as a potty treat once to help that process along too.
I gave him a Jelly Belly for a Pee Pee treat, Raisins for a Great Try treat, and a square of Chocolate for a Poo Poo treat. Good motivators for the first day.

Caleb is Three years and nine months. I don't recommend fighting kids about potty training. Especially boys.

Now What!?

2012-01-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

Well Jakob starts school tomorrow. Now What? Up to this point my days have been filled with Wild boys whom I've tried to calm down enough to teach and in the meantime tried to keep the house from caving in. So much of our subject material throughout the day has been at a First Grade level. Now I have to switch gears and go back to focusing on Preschool and Potty Training. And I just might have enough time to keep my house tidy AND organized. What a Dream... And to think that I will be able to take the little boys to the Preschool Library hour without dragging Jakob along and having him steal the show, bless his little smarty pants heart!;) And the thought of visiting with my friends without my sweet Radar ears to add his two scents into the conversation. Get ready girls, time for our afternoon lunches again!! Anyone up for walking to pick up the kids after school? Let me know!!

I will miss my Jakob on occasion I'm sure. But the whole decision to send him back to the Big School started when he went on a road trip with G&G Baron for several days. I was in total shock by how refreshingly wonderful it was to be able to sit on the floor and play with my little boys and read books at their level. And then I felt the joy of Jakob's return home and I realized that it was time to send him out of the nest for a time and allow everyone to feel that excitement and refreshment on a daily basis.

I've set out his clothes, packed his supply box with a little Lunch Box Love Note, and set out the Morning Devotional book for us to read before he leaves for the day. All is well!

Life is a journey of change and a lesson taught through change. I have worried about making this change, especially in the middle of the school year. But sometimes the most important step in the journey is recognizing when it's time to take the next turn. It's time...

Home School Month in Review December

2012-01-02T18:42:00.000-08:00

This month was ALL Christmas and a little bit of everything else. We were also sick the entire month which meant we watched A Lot of movies. Here's what we did and enjoyed the most!

TRADITIONS: We had three traditions we followed each day/night or started this month. However when I think about it there are many more. But here are three I'll share.

First Tradition: We give each of the kids a new Christmas book every year on the day that we decorate the Christmas tree. This year we gave them:
Jakob: Humphrey's First Christmas by Carol Heyer. It is absolutely adorable!
J.J.: Room for a Little One a Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell. This was a sweet story. We also found that it share a legend that we hadn't heard before but recognized more and more as we watched several Christmas movies.
Caleb: God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren. Such a precious story. Caleb asked me to read this over and over again.

Second (new) Tradition: Advent Storybook 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas by Antonie Schneider. Every night we read a story from this book. It was a Wonderful way to keep us focused on Christ's love and a way to count down the days.

Third (new) Tradition: I made a 12 days of Christmas Nativity Scene Countdown this year. Every day (or so) we would color, cut out, and hang up the appropriate pieces to our nativity. This was a great way to cover several school subjects in one activity during a very busy month. I google-imaged what I needed and made them into a document. I made a simple stable with a star above it and a manger in the hay before we got started. Here is a list of the pieces:

12 Angels

11 Sheppard

10 mice

9 cats

8 chickens

7 cows

6 sheep

5 donkeys

4 Camels

3 wise men

2 parents

1 baby

BOOKS: We read several other wonderful books throughout the month. Here they are:

Luke Chapter 2 King James Version Holy Bible
No Room at the Inn by Jean M. Malone an ALL ABOARD READING Level 2
The Legend of the Christmas Stocking by Rick Osborne
The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke
The Dinosaurs Night Before Christmas by Anne Muecke
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The Tale of Three Trees, a Traditional Folktale Retold by Angela Elwell Hunt

MOVIES:

Christmas Unwrapped (This is a documentary for teenagers and adults as it gives away some of the "surprises" of Christmas. But a good informative overview.)
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
Mrs. Miracle
Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (Inspired us to pull out Grandma Stanger's Nutcracker!:)
The Touch of the Master's Hand
The Christmas Cottage
The Christmas Bunny
The Story of Christmas
Christmas Classics: Vol. 1
Miracle on 34th Street
Little Shepherd
Prince of Peace
The 12 Dogs of Christmas
A Golden Christmas
A Golden Christmas 2: The Second Tail
Santa Claus 1, 2, and 3 (Very Fun!)
We tried to watch Jim Carrey's version of The Grinch but Caleb was Terrified within the first five minutes. So we watched the original version instead. Because of his reaction we weren't able to watch my favorite of Carrey's A Christmas Carol with the kids. Leif and I watched it together as we wrapped presents. That was fun too.
The Polar Express

SCIENCE:

PEARL HARBOR:

Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack
Lifted (My patriotic and music loving boys LOVED this! We all did. I Bawled through the whole thing. However I didn't know the rating until it was over. It had a mother struggling with drug addiction and it did show her using them. My kids were Clueless and I just taught them that she was putting harmful things into her body and that was that.)

READING:

Sight Word Flash Cards

ACTIVITIES:

We piled in the car for our annual Christmas Lights Drive. We brought treats along and some Christmas music and we had a wonderful time as we drove around looking at everyone's lights and ended the trip with the amazing choreographed lights to music show put on by a family in Kanab. Such a sweet tradition!
We decorated a Ginger Bread House together this year. It turned out really cute and wasn't too frustrating of a process. I frosted the boys put the candy on. We quickly realized we had to divide the house so each boy had his own side to decorate. After that it was Great!
We let the boys stay up later then usual one night to help us make special soap for our family Christmas gifts. We made special soaps with yummy Essential Oils and special herbal teas mixed in for exfoliant and scent. Fun Stuff!
We were able to participate in our Town Light Parade this year. We rode in the Fire Truck as Leif drove. We had a great time except when Caleb thought Santa was going to come into the truck and sit with him and Jakob (instead of on the top of the truck) Caleb went Ballistic! I have never heard him so hysterical . Poor Kid!

JANUARY SUBJECTS:

Dinosaurs and Fossils, Civil War and Slavery (Abraham Lincoln), Post War Era to Present (Martin Luther King), Tolerance, Classic Literature: The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales

For the Record: Changes Taking Place in the New Year

2012-01-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

Written December 14, 2011:
We have a lot going on behind the scenes of every day life. I thought I'd share a few.

The Semester was Successful:
I have finished this semester of school and I gratefully passed both classes with good grades. I enjoy the added knowledge the classes give me. But I am hoping to put my classes on hold for a few years.

Jakob Will Start Public School Again, Home School Part Time:
After a lot of prayer, pondering, and discussion we've decided to enroll Jakob into the "Big School" starting in January so that I can focus more attention on the little boys. Caleb's wonderful preschool teacher won't be able to continue teaching into the new year. So this is more reason for me to make more time for Caleb. Now that the decision is made I'm really looking forward to it.

Caleb will be four years old in about three months. He has just recently started talking in sentences. Now that he's finally talking we can work on helping him with the speech problems that he has. We are working on determining if the problem is simply a delay or if there are other things involved.

When it comes to Home School we will still have home school on Fridays as the Public School here is only Monday-Thursday. This will give Jakob the chance to finish his BJU Press Math program and all of us time to learn about the subjects I planned for the home school year. I will miss the good times together. But Home Schooling is VERY intense and I can't help but be relieved by the decision. I do worry about where Jakob will be in his class academically. I know he'll be fine with everything. But I worry that we didn't get far enough along with reading and phonics. But no use stewing over what I can't change now... Right? He's a really smart kid and will learn quickly. That brings me a lot of comfort!

Big Plans for Leif's Schooling:
A little while back, out of the blue, Leif and I started feeling like we needed to re-look at our plans for his Nursing School. To make a long story short we've decided to have Leif apply to Northern Arizona University's Accelerated Nursing Program. This program is only a one year program that gives Leif a Bachelors in Nursing. The program at the local community college is a two year program that gives Leif an Associates degree which means Leif will have to add another year of nursing in order to get his Bachelors (which is required for his end Nurse Anesthetist goal.) The thought of being into a nursing career within a year compared to three years is too wonderful to give up at this point in our lives.

THE CATCH???
The NAU program is in Flagstaff AZ. This means that Leif will have to move there and we will stay behind. This is why we have always thrown out the idea before now. But I feel okay about the option now. It will be incredibly hard. But the thought of moving forward is too great to give up. The application deadline is in January and we will know if he's been accepted by March. The program is very competitive but Leif is a highly qualified candidate. He took the Nursing Entrance Exam for NAU and the average score for the students accepted into the program is 70%, Leif got an 89%. Leif is also an EMT and will be an advanced EMT before the program starts. He is also a volunteer fire fighter in our community. Leif graduated with honors from NAU with his first Bachelors degree. With all of his high qualifications I am able to put the decision fully in the Lord's hands.

Our 2011 Christmas Story

2011-12-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Well, the kids are all busy playing with their new toys and the kittens are working on taking down my tree. So I'll take a moment and share how our Christmas weekend went.

Thursday we were blessed with a full day of good health for the boys. This is a true blessing for this months as the boys have been sick almost every day of the month. We took the opportunity to go into St. George and finish our shopping. That evening we went to the Tuacahn Center for a wonderful festival of Christmas lights and a Live Nativity in their outdoor theater. They brought in live animals including camels. It was a special night with a very memorable wind chill. We ended up going to the DI to buy warmer clothes for the boys. We were very grateful for the night because it was one of the few evenings we were able to go out and celebrate the season.

Friday was a tough day. The boys relapsed back into a very sickly routine of terrible diapers. I was very grateful that grandma was able to come to the house and watch the boys for a while while Leif and I did the Christmas stocking shopping. It was a much needed out.

Saturday (Christmas Eve) I woke up feeling good. I worked on thinking positive the night before. My sweet husband helped me throughout the day to get the house cleaned up really well. We finally decided to trim some of the branches of our Christmas tree. It looked so much better and it filled the house with a wonderful Christmas smell. Throughout the day our home was filled with the cheerful Christmas carols which worked on healing my weary mother heart (because of my boys' sickness.)

Towards the middle of the afternoon it was clear that the boys were still sick and I would have to stay home from the family Christmas party to be sure Great Grandma and Grandpa Dixon were not exposed to the very contagious illness the boys have (whatever it might be.) I was surprised at the peace that I felt about missing the important gathering. I missed the family a lot and I felt bad that I wasn't able to enjoy all of their company and join in the festivities (thank you aunt Stacey for coming up to visit me, your visit meant a lot to me.) But I felt a calming peace as I made the salad to send down with Leif and I planned what I would do with the little boys while Leif and Jakob were gone. Added to that peace was the wonderful surprise I got in the mail. My sister sent me a box of her homemade goodies. Anyone who knows my sister knows that she is an excellent cook and baker. I was so touched by her thoughtfulness and I was not disappointed in her amazing talent! Thank you Heather!!!

That evening I sent Leif to the the video rental store (Netflix and Internet were not reliable enough for this night.) While he was gone I enjoyed a short and sweet moment of quiet creativity with my boys. With Netflix not working we had the TV off and Caleb asked to do an art project. I was surprised to find that Jakob wanted to do one too. I brought out the large paper, cotton balls, and glue. With Jon Schmidt Christmas quietly playing on Pandora my boys proceeded to build their own igloos topped off with a few cowboys and army men to hold the fort. It was such a simple moment. But I was grateful for the calm love that filled our home for that moment.

I spent the rest of the evening caring for the little boys. Bedtime finally came and I watched a beautiful short clip of the Nativity online with Caleb. That was another special moment. I tucked the boys in bed and waited for Leif and Jakob to come home. When they got home Jakob was wound up tighter then the Energizer Bunny. I forced him to lay under the Christmas tree and watch the lights while he listened to the Christmas music to help him calm down. Eventually he was able to calm down somewhat and Caleb had woken up in the meantime. So we sat with them and read the final page in our Christmas Advent book and let them open their Christmas Eve present (PJ's, of course.) From there it was off to bed so Santa could come! For some reason we didn't really have a hard time getting the kids to bed at that point;) Just after getting the boys to bed Leif was called out for an EMT call. Someone drunk driving. Luckily she didn't hurt anyone. FINALLY Leif and I were together and we had a great time setting out our gifts and leaving the rest up to Santa:) This year I would say we did a good job staying with our Three Gift goal. The only side tracking was for Jakob's much needed extra pajamas and Caleb's potty training necessities.

(Sunday) Christmas morning didn't come soon enough for any of us. Leif and I always wake up several times throughout the night leading up to Christmas morning:) The boys actually slept in until almost 8:00. This was one of the few years where we didn't have any grandparents with us on Christmas morning. Though it's fun either way, I enjoyed it being just us. Especially since Caleb struggled and whined a lot because he had to be patient.;) Truly, it was a wonderful Christmas morning.:) We all opened our presents and I was so touched by how grateful the kids were for their presents. Just hearing Caleb's "Oh ntchu (Thank you) Brother!" when he opened a gift from Jakob was enough to melt my heart, but then to hear Jakob repeatedly and randomly say thank you for his gifts has definitely done the trick!

Once we got the living room cleaned up Grandma and Grandpa Baron came up to our house after they came home from church. It was nice to hear how the service went and we felt bad that we didn't make it. But sometimes you just do the best you can. We all had a great time opening more presents and giving a few. We are blessed to live close to grandparents.

Christmas afternoon we experienced another one of those special and quiet moments. The words "all is calm, all is bright" come to mind. After the gift opening and festivities had settled down I found myself surrounded by my family but it was completely peaceful. No crying, no fighting, no one making requests. Everyone was completely content to play on their own. There wasn't even any music in the background. Just quiet calmness. This was a special gift in itself!

The rest of the day and into the night was filled with lots of toys, candy, and a good Sunday movie. It was a very Merry Christmas for our little family!

Monday started very early for us! Leif was called to a fire in Kanab with our local fire department. He was there from 3 to 10AM. It was a large fire and Leif's first structure fire. Luckily no one was seriously hurt. Though it is a sad story. I am very proud of him and so grateful for his willingness to serve his community! The rest of the day will be spent as a Play Day! Leif is playing his new NBA computer game and Jakob is trying to figure out his new Star Wars Legos Wii game. At some point we will help Caleb learn how to play his new Grover Wii game. The boys are happy and cheerful but they are still not healthy. So we look forward to tomorrow when their test results should be in. Gratefully we have A LOT to be thankful for and much to distract us from the frustration of their illness.

I am so very grateful for this precious season of the year that turns our hearts to the goodness in each other and ultimately gives us a whole month to focus on Jesus Christ. For without Him, I would be lost in every sense of the word. Thank you Dear Father for sending us Your Son!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Ways to Fight the Flu and Diarrhea

2011-12-20T06:12:00.000-08:00

We are finally on the mend after a terrible case of vomiting and diarrhea that wouldn't let my boys go. After three+ weeks of the illness cycling through my family Leif and I were at our wits end. I finally decided to buckle down and figure out how to fight this with the knowledge that I've gained through my holistic health studies. Why I let it go on so long before doing this I have no idea! But I did finally come up with 2 Very Simple remedies and I truly believe they helped my boys finally sleep without vomiting or Diarrhea.

FIRST:
I mixed 2 Tablespoons of Pure Honey with 1 teaspoon high quality Cinnamon. I was thrilled to see that my boys licked this off of a (baby sized) spoon like it was a lolly pop. I just needed to be sure to wipe their little mouths so the cinnamon didn't irritate their skin. But they didn't let that little irritation stop them from sucking this down several times a day. I really believe it helped!
Here's why I used these two ingredients:
Cinnamon is one of the world's most widely used digestive aids, helping to improve most gastrointestinal problems. It is greatly effective in relieving intestinal gas and eases diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. It also contains propanoic acid, which helps to stop the formation of stomach ulcers without interfering in the production of the gastric acid needed for good digestion. Germany's Commission E approves Cinnamon for loss of appetite and indigestion.
Cinnamon is now on the list of antivirals. An Israeli researcher has demonstrated that a Cinnamon extract has been able to quickly and effectively immunize fowl against Newcastle disease virus, and further studies on Avian Flu H9, HIV virus and herpes simplex-1 also achieved positive results. Furthermore, Cinnamon extract may also be useful in combating the deadly Bird Flu H5.
Honey: In treating diarrhea, honey promotes the rehydration of the body and more quickly clears up the diarrhea and any vomiting and stomach upsets. The anti-bacterial properties of honey, both the peroxide and non-peroxide, are effective in the laboratory against MRSA strains of bacteria which are notoriously resistant to antibiotics and are sometimes responsible for the closing of hospital wards.

SECOND:
I monitored and planned their food. My boys were fine during the day so they would eat. But their stomach wasn't breaking the food down fast enough and it would all come up at night when they slept. So this is how we ate:
Breakfast: We had a regular breakfast (cereal, toast, yogurt, etc.)
Snacks: Juices, cinnamon toast, bananas or applesauce (no snacks after 3:00PM)
Lunch: For lunch we ate oatmeal (quick oats) with a lot of cinnamon. We used soy milk to limit dairy. Oatmeal could cause problems for some. You could make hot cereal with brown rice (google it for a recipe or purchase it at the store.)
Dinner: This is the most important meal to monitor! You want it to be light and smooth. No chunks! I made a chicken broth soup with boiled potatoes. I added a Butternut squash pasta sauce as a base. It still wasn't quite thick enough so I drained some of the juice out of a can of southwestern chicken veggie soup and added the contents into the pot. After bringing it to a boil I poured it into my Vitamix and blended it until smooth. It was very tastey but we ended up wanting to drink it.;) This was the perfect meal to ease the stomachs. It had a touch of garlic and a touch of cayenne both have soothing and healing properties. The next night we had leftover soup, mashed potatoes, and bananas dipped in cool whip.

GOOD LUCK!

Have I Ever Told You?

2011-12-17T17:55:00.000-08:00

Have I ever told you what my absolute all time favorite thing to see is during this particular season of my life? Well let me tell you...

I LOVE to watch my precious children play! I love to sit back away from their action and watch them play. Whether they be all by themselves with their little toys or side by side each other playing together, the sight is precious to me! Even more precious is when I hear their little voices as they play. To hear my sweet Caleb say to Jakob, "yes sir (sure) Brother, we can play dat (that)..." Priceless!

From JJ 3 Months

I'm Praying...

2011-12-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

I'm Praying that we are at the end of this incredible sickness that has gripped us. I'm hoping and praying! My JJ needs the chance to rebuild his strength and gain the weight that he's lost.

Going on Three Weeks

2011-12-14T17:42:00.000-08:00

If I have to clean up one more puddle of puke or worse, I might just go insane! My kids have had one type of flu or another for the past three weeks. I am So Weary! I won't go into detail. I just needed to vent for a minute. Thanks!

3rd Annual Country Women's Christmas Candy Making Party

2011-12-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

I just returned home from my annual candy making party. It was another great time filled with holiday festivities and spirit and great company.

My sweet friend ended up with a house full of sick kids this year. So we held the party at the church instead of her house. We missed her a lot but the set up at the church went great! I wanted the day to still feel cozy cottage like. So I tried to decorate and bring in the Christmas spirit. My precious mother in law came to the church and helped me set up. We hung a wreath on the door to welcome my guests. Then we wrapped the three large tables in wrapping paper. We used chair back covers to cover the chairs and then wrapped pretty bows around the chairs. This added a special touch. I set up a small fiberoptic Christmas tree. Then to add the final touch I set up a CD player with Christmas music and turned on my candle warmer with a Scentsy Caramel Pecan scent. *Perfect!*

To make things easy and the least divided as possible I brought my microwave to set up in the room with us so that no one had to leave to melt all of the different ingredients. This was really nice as it kept us all visiting and laughing together.

I always love to see who is able to come, both those who I know and then those who I don't. This year we had two ladies come that I was able to meet for the first time. I just Love that this party pulls people out of the woodwork and brings people back year after year.

We made A LOT of wonderful treats this year. Several repeats from years past and a few new treats as well. all of the recipes are things that we can make with a microwave, plenty of chocolate, and several glass bowls. Here are the recipes:
Here are the links to the recipes:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy
Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Holiday Truffles
Toffee Peanut Clusters
Oreo Cream Cheese Truffles (AKA: Hosts of Ghosts for Halloween)
Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods
Butterscotch Treats

1 C. Butterscotch pieces Nestle Tollhouse

1/2 C. Creamy peanut butter

3 c. Corn flakes

On cookie Sheet with edge, cover bottom w/ wax paper, set aside

Put PB and Butterscotch pieces in a 2 qt pan. Stir and melt on Medium heat, when all melted, remove

fromt heat, add corn flakes stirring until well coated. You can add more cornflakes until they are all

coated.

drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet, place in fridge- and they'll set.

It was a wonderful afternoon filled with the treasured sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas. I am so grateful for the chance that I have to give back to my wonderful friends, old and new.

Merry Christmas Dear Friends!

Home School Month in Review November

2011-12-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

November was a busy month. But we managed to fit Home School in with my Finals. Jakob also went on his first extremely long road trip with Grandma and Grandpa Baron to New Mexico. It was a 12 hour trip and he loved it (not necessarily the drive;)

Our main focus this month was on Jets/United States Air Force and Thanksgiving/Gratitude. The other subjects came in as Netflix Documentaries. So here's the rundown of some of our favorites.

Jets and the USAF: (I can't remember the books that I already returned to the library:(
Dog Fights Season 1 and 2 (documentary), Supersonic Saints Audio Book, the Aviation Nation 2011 air show. It was spectacular!! Jakob went to White Sands Missile Range Museum and loved that as well!

Thanksgiving/Gratitude: The Untold Story of the Mayflower (Movie/documentary) We watched this as a family and enjoyed the history and the story. I would recommend purchasing this DVD for your Home School curriculum. Standin' Tall by Janeen Brady Audio Book GRATITUDE (they loved this!) BOOKS: Fire Fighters Thanksgiving by Meribeth Boelts, Thank you Sarah the Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Hales Anderson, Squantos Journey by Joseph Bruchac

Science DOCUMENTARIES:
Creatures That Defy Evolution: Vol. 1 (AWESOME!! There are 3 volumes.)
How Smart are Animals?: Nova scienceNOW
Lizard Kings: On the Trail of the Monitor
Making Stuff: Nova: Making Stuff Cleaner
Making Stuff: Nova: Making Stuff Smaller
Making Stuff: Nova: Making Stuff Stronger
Making Stuff: Nova: Making Stuff Smarter
Animal Planet: Safari: Saba and Rhino's...

Math: I'm still really happy with the BJU Press Math DVD!!

Creative Thinking: Jakob made a photo collage of some of the things he is thankful for.

Gospel Studies: We started something new. We give the boys a piece of paper and a can of crayons as we get ready for scripture study. Then the boys illustrate what we're reading about on their paper. Jakob writes the chapter we read at the top of the paper. We'll compile them in a book as we go. So far, so good! I'm still very happy with the morning devotional book that I purchased The One Year DEVOTIONS for Preschoolers by Crystal Bowman.

The Lighting of the Christmas Tree

2011-12-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

Written Sunday November 27, 2011:
Tonight we spent the evening putting the Christmas tree up and stringing the lights. The evening was really special. The boys watched a Christmas movie while Leif and I strung the lights. Stringing the lights isn't really the fun part. But it was fun working together and enjoying the moment. Caleb and JJ were especially excited about the beautiful twinkling lights this year. They were both bubbling over with glee. The tree was finished just as the kid's movie ended so we transitioned right into the bedtime routine. Instead of scriptures tonight we gathered next to the tree and I read the boys the Legend of the Candy Cane. This is a story that revolves around Jesus Christ and the True meaning of Christmas. While I read the story Leif passed around cups of Cinnamon Eggnog. We couldn't have felt more CHRISTmas Spirit if we tried.

I am so grateful for my precious family. Life can get so busy and overwhelming at times. I am so grateful for a husband who will take the time with us to invite the Spirit of Christ into our home through these little traditions and special moments. The calm that comes into our life is invaluable.

I am most grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ who brings meaning to all of these traditions and festivities. He truly is The Light of the World!

Healthy Habits Contest!

2011-12-05T12:46:00.000-08:00

My sister in Law Heidi has put together a great contest to help us all feel more healthy for the new year. I want to invite anyone else who wants to join us! Let Me Know!!

Here are the Rules (Written by Heidi):

1. By the end of tomorrow (Dec 6) everyone will email me (HeidiBoydPotter at GMail.com) back with your BMI (Body Mass Index). If you go HERE It will ask you a couple questions and calculate it for you. I think it is better to go off of this number, rather than actual pounds lost. As we are all different sizes and have different goals :) I will keep a record, so that you don't have to announce it to the whole group, and I'll keep track of everyones, so that we know who the winner is at the end.

2. By the end of tomorrow (Dec 6) everyone will email me (HeidiBoydPotter at GMail.com) back with your goals. For example, Mine are... I would like to lose 20 pounds, Exercise 6 days a week for a minimum of 30 mins and wake up before 6 am every morning and go and read motivating material with my hubby :) Your goals can be whatever you wish. I'm just simply making you write them down and say them to somebody. Ya' welcome :)

3. EVERY monday, you must respond to the weekly email that I send. You will respond with your updated BMI, and how your goals are going for you, and, if you wish, any recipe ideas, and/or tips you learned the previous week that you would like to share! But, I AT LEAST need a quick check in email with your BMI.

4. As far as what you eat. This is not too strict, However, if you wanna win, you will do whatever it takes. I suggest going off of soda completely. Narrow your sugar intake way down and eat less carbs and more proteins and grains. You can use www.weightwatchers.com for healthy recipe ideas. Try to avoid going out to eat as much as possible during this time. Plan ahead. Make lunches for yourself the night before. If you do go out to eat, on the weekend, than CHOOSE WISELY. For example, ask for no mayo or extra sauces on sandwiches. Choose a salad with a light dressing. AVOID YELLOW CHEESE!! It's no good. Just trust me. Think about switching to Almond milk. There is better health benefits than regular milk. Eat Greek yogurt, instead of regular..Eat lots of veggies and fruit.

5. If you miss reporting on 2 emails. You are DISQUALIFIED. So don't do that. If you had a bad week, report anyway. We are all going to have bad weeks, let's be honest, it's the holidays. SO, just report, and keep going. It will be worth it.

6. You will take a picture of yourself every week and hang it up on your bathroom mirror to see each week. (this is the part I dread)

7. Every morning, you will wake up and say OUT LOUD one of these two options " I am Alive. I am Alert. I feel GREAT! " or "I am Happy. I am Healthy. I am TERRIFIC!" and no... I'm not kidding. You WILL do this. If you feel so inclined, you will also repeat these thoughts to yourself as you go to bed at night.

GREAT! Now, here is the PRIZE idea I have..

* Everyone, besides the winner, will put $25 towards buying the winner a gift, and if necessary, mailing it to that person if it cannot be delivered by you. Think of how fun it will be to be the winner and receive 8 thoughtful gifts in the mail. I know right ???!! Oh, and PS don't send a restaurant gift card, it needs to be an actual present. Be creative :)

THE Competition Begins NOW and ends March 5. We have 90 days to make this happen!!! If you know of other people that would like to join, please send me their email address and they may participate.

And remember * This is not a DIET, Diet's have a beginning and an ENDING. We are making a healthy eating HABIT. Habits take 30 days to develop, so be patient with yourself for the first month and keep plugging along.

Alrighty folks!!! I figure, if we are going to do this, we are going to keep ourselves accountable and on course. BECAUSE, We are so SUCCESSFUL!! Yay team!! Now, happy healthy shopping for food!!

Email me back with any questions! We will also set up a blog as soon as we get going to help us stay in touch.

Christmas Tree Hunting 2011

2011-11-29T18:43:00.000-08:00

This year we almost didn't go Christmas tree hunting. Our house feels smaller and smaller and we hesitated about getting anything else to take up space. But I'm really glad we decided to go. We went with Leif's parents as usual and his dad led the way as usual.

Well, this year we ended up weaving into the hills of the Kaibab mountain and it took a while to find a spot that didn't have too much burn out from forest fires. This lengthy drive could have been miserable. But we were very blessed and the kids stayed happy and content. Leif and I did something that we don't do enough. We sang together for the children. We sang all of the Christmas carols that we could think of. It was extra special when Jakob joined in with the songs he knew. Otherwise the kids just sat back and took in the moment and the Spirit that was with us. One of those truly special moments as a family.

Eventually we found a spot with some trees that might work. That was after the boys and I got to ride in the back of the truck while Leif followed in our car. We had gotten all of the snow gear on and I didn't want to stuff everyone back in their car seats just for a little ride up the road. Jakob and I sang Jingle Bells on this little trip and I was able to explain to him the story that the song told. He thought it was neat that we were "dashing through the snow" just like the song says. Caleb loved pointing out the tall trees and at one point he was helping me count them. JJ sat in the cab of the truck with Grandma and Grandpa.

Upon our arrival to our hunting spot we piled out of our vehicles and started walking through the beautiful forest. There was snow on the ground and a bright blue sky. We hiked through the snow covered hills and before we knew it we had found the trees we were looking for. The hike out there wasn't a big deal. Grandma helped Caleb. Leif carried JJ, and the rest of us walked. Well, the hike back wasn't as easy. I didn't bring the carry pack on the hike (I left it in the car.) We had hiked further then we realized. But you do what you have to do when you're in this kind of situation. Grandma took Caleb again (who now insisted on being carried.) I tied my scarf into a makeshift sling and carried JJ. Leif carried one tree and Mark carried the other. Jakob carried himself and he may have been the loudest grumbler out of the bunch;) We hiked up a hill and made it back to our cars though and we all lived to tell about it.

The final adventure of the afternoon came as we were driving out of the canyon, right at the last bend. The snow had piled up on this particular hill and though both vehicles had both picked up speed to get through the snow the truck started to get stuck and we had to stop. Fortunately the truck got out. Our little car didn't. I really didn't want to get stuck. But it was actually kind of fun trying to work together and I was blessed with more strength then I thought I had. And the children stayed quiet and understanding. The funniest moment was when Mark climbed in our little Ford Focus with the little boys and backed it way up. He then came back around the bend at top speed racing with the boys hoping to break through the deep snow. He didn't quite make it through the snow but we all got a great laugh out of the attempt. Just as we were trying to put traction down on the road (bark, limbs, etc) a large 4X4 truck came up the road and promptly pulled us right out without a second thought. A true blessing!

We wound ourselves down the mountain toward home to the sound of the little boys first and ongoing expressions of discomfort and hunger. I didn't mind them at the moment because I knew we were on our way home. I was just grateful they waited this long to breakdown.

We arrived home with two really nice trees, a few sunburned faces, and several great stories. We all went in the house and dished us up yet another plate of Thanksgiving leftovers. Great memories with a great family. We are Truly Blessed!

Tom the Turkey Stole the Show This Year! - Pit Roasting a 36 Pound Turkey!

2011-11-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned in previous posts that we raised a turkey especially for Thanksgiving this year. Well, he grew up and we prepped him for our Thanksgiving feast. WOW! Was he Big!!

He wouldn't fit in our oven. So we dug a deep pit outside and lined it with bricks. In the meantime, I pulled the turkey out of the fridge (it took up a full shelf) and I put him in my MIL's bathtub, filled it with water, and poured in about 12+ cups of salt. There was actually the top inch of the turkey that didn't get covered in water. So I poured a bag of ice over it to keep it cold. After a few hours in the tub I seasoned and stuffed the turkey with spices, fruits, veggies, chicken broth and ginger ale. Then we wrapped the turkey in about four layers of tin foil. We then wrapped it in chicken wire.

Going back to the pit: In order to heat the bricks up we started a fire the night before Thanksgiving and kept it burning through the night. Leif and his mom took shifts to keep the wood on the fire. At around 7:00A Leif and I went down to put the turkey in the pit. We moved the coals to the side, lowered the turkey into the pit breast down, threw a wet sheet over it, covered that with coals (next time I would use burlap because the sheet held a lot of water and put some of the coals out that could have been useful for the top of the turkey), and then we buried the turkey with the dirt that we had dug out to make the pit. He cooked in there for 6 hours.

While he was cooking we cooked and baked all of the other yummy fixins' for the dinner. I ended up making three really yummy pies. I made a German chocolate, a pumpkin, and a pumpkin cream cheese. I used one of the pumpkins we grew in our garden for the pies. They go a long way. And, MMM! Yummy! I made an amazing sweet potato casserole thanks to a recipe my sister sent me. There was so much good food. More food then we could fit on our plates. We've eaten leftovers for lunch and dinner the whole weekend. It's been Awesome!

So going back to the turkey. We pulled him out of the ground an hour before dinner was scheduled. We put in the thermometer on the back (top) and it wasn't cooked all the way (Bummer!) However, we turned him over and the breast that had been directly on the bricks was finished. So we cut that off and served it for dinner and then put the rest in the oven to finish cooking. It turned out great and we have enough meat to feed us through the winter (for real!)

We had a really nice time visiting with family throughout the afternoon and evening. We've enjoyed sharing meals and adventures together throughout the weekend as well. We went Christmas tree hunting. But that's a story for a different post.

We experienced a fun homestead style Thanksgiving this year and it was a lot of fun! The best part was sharing the fun with the family for sure!

A Great Laugh to Start Your Day!

2011-11-24T06:41:00.001-08:00

RETIRED HUSBAND

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on
her trips to Target.

Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and
preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is
like most women - she loves to browse.

Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from
the local Target:

Dear Mrs. Clifton:

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a
commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior, and have been
forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against
your husband, Mr. Clifton, are listed below and are documented by
our video surveillance cameras:

1. June 15: He took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put
them in other people's carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in housewares to go off at
5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: He made a trail from a jar of brown gravy on the
floor leading to both the ladies' and men's restrooms.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an
official voice, "Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away." This caused
the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from
her supervisor, that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing
management to lose time and costing the company money.

5. August 4: Went to the service desk and tried to put a bag of
M&Ms on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a "CAUTION - WET FLOOR" sign to a
carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and
told the children shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring
pillows and blankets from the bedding department, to which twenty
children obliged.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him
he began crying and screamed, "Why can't you people just leave me
alone?" EMTs were called.

9.. September 4: Looked right into the security camera
and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting
department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while
loudly humming the "Mission Impossible" theme.

12.. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his
"Madonna look" by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed
through, yelled "PICK ME! PICK ME!"

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud
speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed "OH NO! IT'S THOSE
VOICES
AGAIN!"

And last, but not least:

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited
awhile, then yelled very loudly, "Hey! There's no toilet paper in here."
One of the clerks passed out.

Traditions! Traditions! Traditions!

2011-11-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

It's been a little while since I caught you all up on life. My sweet little JJ is walking around the house calling for his brothers. He's the only one home this morning and I think he's a little lonely. Personally, I'm loving the moment with just him and me. We just finished playing chase and going through his books. Now I need to try to wrap my head around the upcoming weeks and the traditions that will be followed.

I'm completely finished with school except for one last exam on December 3rd. Ahhh, that will be nice to get out of the way and off of my to do list! I love taking classes. But not when I'm as busy as I am with my little family. Anyway...

We have Thanksgiving in a couple of days. We are in the process of digging the pit to roast him in. A 36-37 pound turkey does NOT fit in an oven. Wish us luck on this adventure. I also need to get to the grocery store during this time with one child.

We have a Christmas Tree hunt just after Thanksgiving to look forward to.

We have a table to decorate for the annual orchestra festival dinner. Still thinking about this one...

We have dear friend who will be delivering a baby soon and we get to watch their kids. This will be a fun couple of days for the kids.

We have my annual Country Women's Christmas Candy Making Party just around the corner. I always look forward to this.

And then there's the gifts to give, the scriptures to read by candle light, and the carols to sing. Yes, this is a busy and precious time of year.

Let the journey begin!

This is So True and So Funny!!

2011-11-15T07:50:00.001-08:00

My Precious Children

2011-11-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

I just stepped down the ladder from Jakob's loft and I was filled with the power of a mother's love for my precious children tonight. Leif was out on an EMT run so I put the boys into their beds on my own. Jakob was crying up in his room because he was mad about a consequence he was given after sending a fist and a nasty glare to his dad as he climbed his ladder for bedtime. Leif requested his new jet as a reminder that his behavior was not acceptable. Leif also reminded him of the fact that we are his captains and that behavior would receive some heavy penalties in a game or during a combat mission.

After putting Caleb to bed I climbed the ladder. I don't go up very often so Jakob knew I was there for a visit. He welcomed me with a tearful smile. I proceeded to do what most mother's do during a talk with their boys in their bedrooms. I started straitening toys and books. Gathering up dirty clothes, and making a mental note of the status of the loft and what still needed to be done. I checked all of the safety precautions to make sure all was well. All at the same time as I visited with my son.

We can have the most interesting conversations. We talked about what he liked about having his own room. What made him scared (the dark), and whether he sleeps on his mattress or not. We talked about how he's used up a whole role of Scotch tape to make a wide array of gadgets and gizmoes to play with, and how difficult it was to place them just right on the tape. And then we wound back to the reason he won't be able to play with his jet when he wakes up early in the morning. He assured me (without my asking) that he knew that if he shook his fist at a commanding officer he would be sent to military court and might get kicked out of the military. Well, I assured him that one of our least favorite jobs as a parent was dishing out consequences. He then came back with the sweet response of "Ya, I think we've read that in the scriptures somewhere haven't we?" I told him we very well may have and that Father in Heaven is very sad when He has to send us consequences to remind us to be our best selves.

Some how we got on the train of conversation about leadership and he thought it would be nice to become the commander so he could enforce the rules. I explained to him that even the commanders had people that they answer to. We talked about the leaders and their leaders all the way to the president. He paused and asked who the president answers to. I told him that because we live in America the president answers to the people of America and if we wanted to bad enough, we could vote him out. That lead us to the subject of voting. The amazing kid asked what my vote was for this president. I explained what it was and how the majority wins. He then said that he would want to add his vote. He was disappointed to learn that he can't vote yet. I told him that when it gets closer to this next election we would teach him about the men and women who were running for president and he could let us know who he would vote for if he could. He appreciated that. :) And then the kicker... As I was climbing down the ladder he asks, "so what do I need to do to be voted in as President of the United States?" ...pause... Uhh? Recover: You need to go to school and learn as much as you can and when you're old enough and have the experience you need you can run for president and ask people to vote for you. "Oh, okay, that sounds like a good plan." Seriously! The kid never ceases to amaze me!

Upon climbing down to the main floor of the house I could hear Caleb calling me from his bedroom. I walked into his room and he says "Mama, I need you! I need to give you a hug and a kiss and my feets are cold!" Ahhh, the beauties of motherhood!

Truly Beautiful!

Foto Friday: October

2011-11-10T17:42:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2011

2011-11-10T17:34:00.000-08:00

* PHOTOS IN OCTOBER SLIDESHOW*

We had a fun easy going Halloween this year. The boys made things easy by choosing really easy costumes. At first they wanted to be Knights again (same as last year.) Then they found a couple of really neat guns that they wanted. So to go with their guns they chose Halloween tee-shirts and crazy hair color and went as "crazy haired pirating soldiers." Well, something like that anyway.:) I had picked out a Lion costume for JJ. But then I decided to put it back because it cost too much to use only once. I made him a cute clown costume instead. I took a pair of PJ's and sewed random shapes all over it. Easy enough:)

So Halloween finally came and we spent the day letting the boys watch Halloween movies. Then we carved pumpkins and got costumes on. We then headed to the Trunk-or-Treat. We all enjoyed yummy chili and I took the kids around the parking lot while Leif stole the show with Oscar the Grouch as his puppet friend helping him hand out the candy. It was adorable to watch all of the kids have so much fun when they got to our car. I SOO should have recorded it! Duh! Anyway, I loved to hear Caleb's little "Fricker Freat!" And "Shank You!" Ohhh so sweet!

We had a great Halloween, Hope you did too!

Just One Of Those Great Days!

2011-11-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

Today was Sunday. We usually need to be up and to church by 9:00A. Today we stayed home due to some terrible sounding coughs. We had breakfast together and then met in front of the computer for a round of Mormon Messages. Wow! The spirit was strong and we loved all that we watched. Jakob especially loved the clips about the Mormon Mustang (a WWII Jet.)

From there we spent the afternoon listening to Papa practice playing the guitar. While I put together a rabbit stew Leif read out loud to all of us from the Book of Mormon Storybook. We then had a healthy and tasty lunch and it was off to nap time. While I was trying to fall asleep all cozy in my winter blankets I felt pure peace. I Love just being home on a cloudy cold day inside our cozy home with no agenda for the outside world. We all slept really well without any interruptions (such a blessing!)

I read the story of Sarah Hale to the boys about how she petitioned the country leaders for years to make Thanksgiving a holiday and her journey of doing good. We then read The Little Red Hen. By then everyone was hungry and the stew was ready to eat. Yummy!

Jakob had the idea to invite grandma over to play Yatzee. I love that he is old enough to play some of our family's favorite games. Grandma came up and spent the evening with us. We turned on Pandora's Enya Radio Station and the peace we felt as we all played and laughed together was priceless. Papa made soap while we played the game, ate nachos, and a bit of candy. Then grandma let the boys pull out the kid's charades game. We had a lot of fun watching grandma and the boys act out their cards. In the midst of that it began to snow so of course we all had to go stand on the porch and enjoy the moment. The boys pulled a flashlight out to shine at the snow. The flashlight has a low grade laser on it. We had a good laigh teasing the kittens with the laser.

We closed the night with a treat of Corn Chex mixed in chocolate and peanut butter, MMM! Papa read us some scriptures and I read enough of Hansel and Gretel to get Jakob anxious to finish the story tomorrow. From there it was prayer, teeth, diapers, and bed (in one order or another:)

A great day filled with a lot of love!

While the Cold Winds Blow

2011-11-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

Kind of a fun title...;) I thought of it because the cold winds outside are whistling through the cracks in our window air conditioner that needs to be covered. I don't block the cracks because I like the sounds. Ahhh, well it's quiet at the moment. Always a time to be valued. I;m tired at the moment. I thought about taking a nap. But my bed is covered in laundry to fold. Don't want to fold it. So here I am.

We did some home improvements again. Suuprise, Suuuprise, Suuprise! We're always working on one thing or another. Poor Leif, he said last night that he felt like he had been running an obstacle course all day long. He had been and I was the mean bossy instigator. I woke up and decided that I was sick and tired of walking into our house and being able to see the whole house from one end to the other. Especially since the back half always looks chaotic and cluttered (office, TV, and Home school area.) So we reorganized JJ's room, shifted furniture around the whole house, hung a curtain, had to put all the pulled out clutter away, and viola! A new look. Always a fun thing.

In the middle of all of that Leif took Turkey and butchered him for Thanksgiving. Can we say 37 pounds of Thanksgiving Turkey! WOWSWERS! It was something I have never seen before. HUGE!!

While Leif was away taking care of Turkey, I managed to flood the bathroom again with the washing machine water (the hose fell out of the sink.) I was also able to get the dishes done, and sew a hole up in a pair of Jakob's pants. Not bad for one day.

Today I'm hoping to get the laundry finished, some studying in, photo's uploaded and blogged. Wish me luck! So far I've fed, clothed, and diapered a couple of times. We had devotional, art project, set up the November calendar and art display board, and made cookies to count by twos.

Jakob just came in and asked me where the leaf rake was so he could do a service project for grandma. Score! The Service Unit hit its mark! Praise Be!

Trading Places

2011-11-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

I know I should write about Halloween. But that will be another post. Tonight I will tell you about my great day. I have A LOT of school work to tackle in the next couple of weeks. Leif delighted me by sharing a great idea to help me find the time to study. He offered to take care of everything at home if I would go to the Spa and man the desk during the times he doesn't have appointments. Brilliant!

Today I was able to write a paper and read a chapter without any interruptions from children. I was also able to run errands and eat a salad all by myself! And to top it off, I was able to schedule 2.5 hours of appointments for Leif tomorrow. Awesome!

It was so nice to have a full day all to myself. I walked away with a few goals made and a plan of action for success. Thanks to my Stress Management class. That class is killer when it comes to studying, but the material is invaluable!

I need to trade places with Leif a lot more often! Thanks Love!

Five Years Ago

2011-10-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

Five years ago I lay in a hospital bed feeling the awe and sadness of the circle of life. I had delivered twins hours earlier. One of them had already returned to her Father in Heaven five days earlier. But we could feel her presence very strong as we sat reverently next to her sister in the NICU.

I remember one particular moment after I came from visiting Rhea. I was resting and my room was filled with warmth and peace. I just knew I wasn't alone. I sat wondering who might be with me. My father in law was in the room resting at the time. Later he told me that during that particular moment he too felt the peace and he was blessed to see our visitors from beyond the veil. It was my daughter LeOra and his Mother LeOra. They were visiting me and then he saw in his mind's eye them go to Rhea's (LeOra's twin) bedside. I believe that my grandmother Rhea was with my Little Rhea as well.

It was such a hallowed time. The colors that come to mind are glowing sunshine.... Light. So much light.

How grateful I am for the peace that comes through our Savior Jesus Christ. It was His light that carried us five years ago yesterday when I delivered our precious baby girls. Though there were moments, days, months, and even a year of great sadness and some darkness. My Savior's light Never left my soul. I will be forever grateful for His Divine Love!

Until we meet again my precious girlies! Happy Birthday!

Child Guidance: Gordon's Theory

2011-10-28T15:04:00.000-07:00

Lena Baron

Child Guidance 2610

GRADE: 10/10

COMMENTS: "Phenomenal paper! Excellent application of both models and I absolutely loved your conclusion."

Theoretical Application #3 Gordon

Define a problem (provide age and context).

Three-year-old son is whining a lot, bullying pets and younger siblings.

How would Gordon define the problem? Thomas Gordon might define this particular problem as that of a child filled with pent up frustration and anger because of poor communication skills between the child and his parents. He might say that the child has been dictated to (belittled and corrected) so often that he is no longer willing to work to verbally communicate clearly with his family members.

What solutions would Gordon suggest for solving the problem?

Gordon would most likely suggest that this child’s parents take the time to counsel with their child, using non-damaging communication skills. For example; when the child whines the parent might say, “I feel bad when you whine because I can’t understand what you are trying to say and I want to be able to understand you.” Instead of, “stop using your baby voice; use your big boy voice!” Also, when the child is bullying, the parent might take the time to go to the child calmly and say “I feel bad when you hit your sister, why are you hitting her?” Then the parent would listen and communicate with the child using the six steps to implementing Gordon’s No-Lose method (define, generate solutions, evaluate solutions, decide the best solution, work out ways to implement solution, and evaluate how it worked.)

How would Skinner define the problem? What solutions would Skinner suggest for solving the problem?

Skinner might define the problem of a whining, bullying child as that of a parent-child relationship that lacks clear guidelines, expectations, and follow-through. Skinner would most likely suggest that the parent redefine the guidelines and expectations for behavior within the home and then diligently follow through with what has been decided.

What advantages are there to Gordon's approach? Skinner's approach?

Gordon and Skinner’s approaches for the most part are opposite of each other. Gordon encourages the parents to use a more democratic psychotherapeutic approach where Skinner encourages a more, authoritarian, vaguely parent-owned problem (with the hope that the child will learn to own the problem) approach. The advantage of Gordon’s approach is that if done correctly the child will come out a well-adjusted emotionally literate child. One of the advantages of Skinner’s approach is that it tends to be a lot easier to follow for parents then Gordon’s approach. It also teaches the children to look for and reach for the goals within the challenge. It also teaches the child that there should be a reaction positive or negative (or consequence) to every action.

Which approach do you prefer? Why?

I would love to say that I follow Gordon’s approach to parenting. It just seems peacefully ideal. However, Skinner’s approach seems to be a lot more realistic and is still beneficial to all involved. With that said, I think that I lean towards Skinner most often and try to apply Gordon as often as my patience allows me to. Parenting is exhausting and stressful. It is also very time consuming. If you have more then one child, it is not always easy to stop and have a long drawn out conversation about every feeling, request, and frustration. In fact, I know this from experience. I applied Gordon’s approach with my first son for the first four years of his life, as he was an only child. It was wonderful! However, he is no longer an only child. And because he has been conditioned to discuss EVERYTHING there is often conflict. Skinner’s approach leaves little room for confusion. The guidelines and expectations are set. With that said, I prefer Gordon, but I use both Gordon and Skinner in my everyday parenting.

Home School Month in Review October

2011-10-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

This month wasn't quite as exciting and fulfilling as September. It may have been the subjects or the fact that I was busy with my own classes. Either way, we still had fun. Here are some of our favorites.

Native Americans in Early

America: History's Greatest Warrior Series Comanche Warriors by Bellwether Media, Look inside a Series Tepee and Pueblo by Mari Schuh, The House on Maple Street by Bonnie Pryor, A Traditional Pueblo Indian Story Crow and Hawk retold by, Michael Rosen, Brother Eagle, Sister Sky by Scholastic, Children's Atlas of Native Americans by Rand McNally, Video: Davy Crockett (Thanks Grandpa it was a Great addition this month!!)

Age of Exploration (Columbus): Columbus by Ingri & Edgar Parin D' Aulaire (a more Christian view of the story of Columbus.)

Pirates: Magic Tree House Research Guide Pirates by Mary Pope Osborne, How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long, Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Malinda Long, Videos: Peter Pan Broadway version with Cathy Rigby, Peter Pan with Jeremy Sumpter, Peter Pan by Disney, The History Chanel The Great Ships: The Pirate Ships

Phonics: Website Clickn' Kids.com We moved Jakob back to lesson 10 because he wasn't able to read the sentences at the lesson he was at (30+)

Student Reading: The Fall Festival by Mercer Mayer, Spooky Hayride by Scholastic, Love the We Both Read Series!

The Human Body: The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body, The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses, Usborne Beginners Your Body (we enjoyed the websites listed in the book) Let's- Read - and - Find Out Science My Five Senses by Aliki

Fall and Halloween: Went to the Corn Maze and Stahli Farm, etc.

Creativity: Video Terry Jones Ancient Inventions of War and City Life

Classic: Nursery Tales around the World

Praise Be! I Passed The Exam!

2011-10-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

I feel a huge sense of gratitude and relief tonight. Thanks to Father Above and my good husband, I passed the exam that I have been studying for. It was a big exam, worth a lot of points. We prayed a lot. Leif made a couple of affirmation recordings for me. I studied. Then Leif helped me study through discussing the past quizzes today before I took the exam. It was all worth it. I'm so relieved!

I learned a lot about myself through the process of studying for this exam. I learned that I am used to being enabled (someone making things easy for me) when I play the victim. I wrote my professor and told her of my fears of failing this exam and how I struggled with studying and remembering. I thought she might "have mercy" on me. Instead she told me basically to buck up and study. I was bugged by her response. But I knew as a mother that she was right in her answer. But as a child I was scared and frustrated. I learned however, that she was right in her answer to me.

I learned that I recall things better if I read them, write them, and then talk about them.

I learned that listening to positive affirmations do work.

I learned that I can!

Bronchitis... Lovely!

2011-10-25T20:43:00.001-07:00

Our sweet Caleb came down with a sudden and strong case of Bronchitis today. He went to bed with a fever and woke in the middle of the night struggling. By the afternoon we were at the Dr and by the evening we were back into the ER because he couldn't catch his breath. They gave him a steroid shot and a nebulizer treatment. It opened him up enough to fall asleep. Oh how I hope it all just goes away soon. This was a bit of a scary day.

Stress Update!

2011-10-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

A MISTAKE AND A SOLUTION
Some how I missed the due date for an extra credit quiz in my insane Stress Management class. I needed those extra 5 points. STUPID! I can't keep up with it all. That's when you know it's time to take a break on something. When you start forgetting important due dates. Even though you've studied for the quiz. I think I'm going to run away today and tomorrow and just get everything done for the week. Then I can focus on the fun things in life for the rest of the week.

POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS
On a different note, a positive one. Leif made me a couple of Positive Affirmation recordings. I've listened to them every night (except last night) and I can feel a difference. When I listen to them I wake up with good things floating through my thoughts. This morning I didn't, and I feel it. The goal however, is to help those thoughts become natural. I am still working on it.

MUSIC
Music. That has been a great tool lately. I turn on the music and I feel the extra strength and calm that I need in our busy day.

EXERCISE AND AWAY
Leif and I are trying to find a place to set up a gym type set up. His parents have a lot of equipment. Leif wants a treadmill and I have the DVD's. It would be great to have a place to go close by with Leif to exercise and de-stress. It's a thought and work in progress.

Stress Management Assignment 2: Anger - Fear - Hope - Faith - Balance

2011-10-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

Lena Baron

October 23, 2011

Stress Management 3400

Score 20/20

Comments: Unavailable

Assignment 2

Anger – Fear – Hope – Faith - Balance

PART ONE:

While reviewing my list of the top 10 stresses in my life I found that the majority of my stress revolves around fear. I have some anger issues. But even those are wrapped up with fear.

Because my issues are so intertwined between fear and anger I will list them together and explain which emotion has led to the other.

Issue One: “I wish I could either heal, and be a normal healthy mother, or just accept my ailments 100% and learn to work around them and find pure happiness.” I am angry at myself for my weaknesses and afraid that because of me my family will be negatively affected.

Issue two: “I wish my mother was a nurturing mother.” This issue is mostly wrapped around anger. I am angry at my mother for way too many things to name here. However, along with this anger I fear that I will live with this anger forever rather than finding a way to purge it out of me and forgive her, preferably before she dies.

Issue Three: “I wish I could control my sweet tooth.” Again, I am angry at myself for my weakness. Yet, wrapped right in with this anger is fear that I will gain weight as well as teach my children bad habits and possibly instill addictions into their lives. Which leads me to be angry at my parents because I feel that they helped create this habit within me as a child by routinely feeding me “beddy –by snacks” and ice cream rewards.

PART TWO:

What is an optimist? An optimist is Cory ten Boom and Viktor Frankl. People who in the face of a challenge or a crisis naturally, and sometimes by choice, find the positive in the situation. An optimist is someone who finds the good side in everyone and everything. The glass is never half empty, it’s always half full. A pessimist is someone who focuses on the negative side of the spectrum, someone who prepares for the worst, and warns others of the danger in store. Personally, I find President Obama a great example of a pessimist. I feel that he is constantly warning the country about the next upcoming “crisis.” For a pessimist the glass is never full enough.

When I asked myself whether I am an optimist or a pessimist, I found myself somewhat disturbed by my answer. I am a roller coaster. My self-image is pessimistic. Yet, when I am faced with a crisis I take on the faith that I have and I am optimistic. As a parent, I teach my children to look on the bright side. But I worry for them as a pessimist would. Fascinating! I think that the imbalance comes from my lack of good self-esteem and my faith in God. From experience, I know that He can bring about miracles. But the pessimism comes when I start to focus inward. Unfortunately and fortunately, lately I have focused inward more often than not, which means I have felt more pessimism. I fight against pessimism. But I need to come to a balance.

PART THREE:

When taking the Stress-Resistant personality Survey I found myself recalculating my score over and over (again the pessimistic thoughts.) My score was 47. A score of 30 or higher indicates that a person most likely has traits associated with the Hardy, Survivor, and calculated risk-taker personality. The score shouldn’t really surprise me. I do carry many of these traits within my personality. The key is to find the best within all of these and refine them. So how do I do this?

PART FOUR:

The power to change is within my thoughts which will lead me to change my behavior. I have taken an inventory of my most common thought processes, the thoughts that are on repeat. The most common is: “I am so tired.” I find myself thinking this not only when I feel fatigued but also when I feel flooded emotionally. I might have a strong negative memory, or argue with my kids, a negative phone conversation, or an overwhelming schedule, and the only words that come to mind over and over is “I am so tired.” Sometimes I will force myself to finish the thought by explaining what I am really feeling. This at least helps me to complete the thought and acknowledge how I am really feeling. However, I know there is a lot more that needs to be done in order for me to heal my self-esteem and bring out the best in my personality.

I have taken a few steps recently to try and help me begin to change the pattern of my thoughts. One of the first things I have done is to cling to any and all hope I have within me. Hope tends to ease fear. It also leads to my faith in God. I have hope. Sometimes in the face of the unknown, that is what gets me through. Also, my husband has skillfully recorded a few different Words of Affirmation recordings for me to help me reverse some of my thought patterns. This has been surprisingly helpful. I find that if I listen to them as I fall asleep I wake up feeling the optimism from them in the morning and then I bring them back to mind when needs be. Another way that I have helped bring more optimism into my thoughts is through music. I have turned music on more throughout my day, music that inspires me or sooths me, whatever I might need. This has helped me as well as my children.

Reconstructing self-esteem is no easy task. By being aware of my thoughts and reconstructing them to be more optimistic I hope to eliminate the fear and anger that has entwined itself within my soul and accentuate the positive within my personality.

Jakob's Attic Loft

2011-10-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

We finished Jakob's loft enough for him to sleep in it and we are all THRILLED with the results! I hoped it would turn out something like THIS. We were happy to find some decorative wall paneling in our wood pile. It added just the right touch. We will soon line the edges with weathered wood and I'm sure it will be covered with pictures before too long from Jakob and I. I would also like to hang a sign somewhere with Jakob's name and such. So here is Jakob's Attic Loft. THANK YOU Papa for Building it!!

BEFORE:

From October 19, 2011

AFTER:

CLIMBING UP THE LADDER

From October 19, 2011

JAKOB HAPPY TO HAVE HIS OWN SPACE

From October 19, 2011

LOOKING AT THE BACK OF THE LOFT

From October 19, 2011

LOOKING AT THE FRONT WITH DOOR CLOSED

From October 19, 2011

LOOKING AT FRONT WITH DOOR OPEN

From October 19, 2011

LOOKING DOWN THE DOOR

From October 19, 2011

Child Guidance: Skinner's Theory

2011-10-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lena Baron

FCHD 2610

GRADE 10/10

COMMENTS: "Lena good job on your paper. I especially liked how you pointed out how application of Skinners model would look different for a 2 year old v.s a 12 year old. Great job."

Theoretical Application #2 Skinner’s Theory

Scenerio:Your 12 year old daughter has begun to speak to you rudely and to do her chores sloppily.

What are some common solutions to the problem?

Working with pre-teenagers is a tough job all around. They are testing their limits and you’re trying to figure out what the limits are supposed to be at this new stage in childhood, not to mention the fear of the teenage years looming ahead in the no longer distant future. Often times the most common solution for a rude and sloppy child is arguing and nagging. Unfortunately, another common “solution” is threatening the child that their behavior will result in the loss of a privilege. However, the threats aren’t carried out. On the other hand, often times Skinner’s behavior modification theory does come in to play for the caregivers who are willing to take the time and effort to follow through and grounding or loss of privileges for the lack of good behavior is often the tool used.

How do the common solutions you have mentioned fit into Skinner's framework (i.e. positive reinforcement, punishment, etc.)?

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph Skinner’s reinforcement theory has become very much a part of the traditional “positive parenting” life style of today. And for those caregivers who go against Skinners theory and fail to follow through with the right type of reinforcement when working with children are often considered lacking in their care giving skills. For example, if a parent has a rude and sloppy teenager according to Skinner the parent should not reinforce that behavior by completely ignoring that behavior. Especially if any boundaries, rules, or expectation for positive behavior has been previously discussed. A parent must follow through immediately by giving consequences a.k.a reinforcement to positive and negative behaviors. I do want to make it clear that working with a 12 year old is different then working with a 2 year old. Skinner has indicated that ignoring a 2 year olds temper tantrum might be considered the proper reinforcement. However, ignoring a 12 year olds sassy mouth is most likely not the reinforcement that Skinner would suggest.

What solutions would Skinner suggest for solving the problems (define with his terms)?

When working with a rude and sloppy teenager Skinner would most likely suggest the (RUP) Rules- Reward-Punishment system. He would make sure that the rules for positive behavior are clear as well as the consequences to negative behavior. RUP then requires that the caregiver be vigilant in their follow-through/reinforcement according to the child’s behavior. The Token Economy is another suggestion that Skinner might give. Using tangible tokens along with praising words can be a helpful reinforcer for older children. And finally, Catch em’ Being Good might be a suggestion Skinner gives as a spontaneous extra token/reinforcer of their positive behavior.

What advantages are there to Skinner's approach?

Skinner’s approach gives the child accountability. It also gives clear boundaries and expectation for the child and the parent. This cuts down on the conflict and arguments, especially when there is consistency in the reinforcement.

Stress Management: Is it Possible As a Busy Mother?

2011-10-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

Stress Management. Is this really possible?! I ask myself this question every day. Especially as I go through my Stress Management course this semester. I know I said that I was going to blog all of my Stress Management diary posts. But some just don't need to go public.:)

Last week I read every word of the chapter that was assigned. By the time I was finished I found myself in a stupor of frustration, yet wonder. Especially as I read about Maslow's theory about Self-Actualization. I believe that he has hit it pretty close on what our potential is for true inner peace. I just don't have a clue how it's possible to find the time to take the time to reach the steps as a crazy mother of three busy boys. I can barely gather my thoughts to blog let alone analyze my inner self and it's thoughts. I NEED TO though! I have said before that I need to get away and write. I really believe that that will be the only way for me to sift through my inner self. And that will take an insane amount of planning and inconvenience for way too many people. So how do I maintain the ounce of sanity I have at the moment?

I've taken more afternoon's off in the last couple of months then I have... ever. Outings just for myself. Mostly to go to the Spa (it really helps to know the owner;).

I've listened to meditation and relaxation programs before I fall asleep. This has been a good experience. I hope to find more and explore this avenue.

I breath more. Seriously.

I've laughed out loud as much as possible.

That's how I've maintained this week.

Evening Update

2011-10-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

I've found myself with a moment to myself. This is rare indeed, so what should I do? Read my school chapter, no. Read my novel, nah. Blog, sure. There's plenty to share!

EMT:
We were getting the kids down for the night, just finishing up the stories (tonight just happened to be Mama and Papa sharing about our baptism's) and Papa's EMT pager went off, long and loud. That meant that they meant business. Apparently there's a three car accident in Kanab and two cars are on fire. When you live in a small town, you can't help but wonder and worry that you know someone involved in the accident. So Leif's off to the accident hoping to help. The kid's went down really well:) So here I am.

HOUSE CHANGES (JAKOB'S LOFT):
We've remodeled the house again. We're really good at that here on the Baron Homestead. Caleb is now back in the nursery room. The computer is back out in the living room. JJ is in the boy's room (soon to be play room), and Jakob now has a loft in the rafters of the barn. We did it! And it turned out great! I still have some finishing touches to add before I put pictures up on the blog. But Jakob LOVES having his own space. And we Love that he has some space. They all do. Caleb enjoy's his own space as well.

INDOOR REMODELING IDEAS:
We're still trying to decide whether or not to build JJ a little room in the corner of the house and turn the bedroom into a full playroom/indoor jungle gym. We'll put a wall up for our bedroom as well. In my dreams I ponder the idea of repainting the walls a more neutral color and hanging nice decorations. I'd love to carpet the main room with professionally done carpet (although the carpet we have is extremely durable.) I would also love to put flooring down in the kitchen and entry way and in the different rooms. Oh, I guess a proper ceiling would be nice too;) Right now it's still butcher paper. However, that is holding up well, gratefully. I want to put the computer in a computer cupboard. And the dressers in the individual bedrooms instead of the living room. I hope for a flat-screen TV to hang on the wall. I need to figure out a way to organize everything so my clutter isn't out for everyone to see. I think I have enough storage shelves and such, I just need nice baskets and containers to disguise the stacks of things that need to go on the shelves. Ahhh, always something to work on. If there wasn't, I'd be blubbering about that.:)

KITTENS:
And then there's the Kitties. We still enjoy having them. But we do need to make a proper place for all of their necessities. It's just a matter of time and supplies. I think we've decided to build a shelter for them on the back balcony and put a kitty door in the door. Now we just need to do it. I think I'll ask Leif to cut the wood and I'll put it together.

SCHOOL:
Well, my schooling is no fun and not worth talking about. The boys' on the other hand is fun and worth a line or two. One of Jakob's favorite books that we read is our Daily Devotional book. It's called The One Year DEVOTIONS for Preschoolers. The short little stories are short and sweet and they really hit home for him. I'm thrilled! We started a daily exercise routine. Right now we're working out with the DVD, Kick to Get Fit. So far so good! Jakob started asking us to teach him Spanish (over and over.) So we took him up on the idea. However, we ordered an Italian language program because that's the 2nd language Leif speaks and it's very possible that we'll spend some time in Italy some day during Jakob's growing up years. So hopefully he enjoys it. We ordered the program off of Early Advantage. Caleb is progressing leaps and bounds lately. He talks in sentences for the most part and he is trying to draw and cut out more. He insists on playing with Jakob's math blocks (unifix cubes) during Math time every day. He also really enjoys his preschool. We've missed it this week since his teacher's out of town. We're so grateful for her love and talent!

THE DAY SPA:
I scheduled an afternoon at the spa today. WOW! I had a detox body wrap and had my legs waxed. Yep, it hurts;) But I think it will be worth it! Either way, just to be alone focusing on my well-being for a few hours was Amazing! Not to mention that I had the hottest therapist around (My hubby;);)

Well, that aught to get us up to date a little bit. I'm ready to climb in bed and read my book. Leif just called with an update. The accident was a terrible mess with two fatalities and all of them were tourists from out of town. So sad! Be patient when you drive and DON'T pass unless you are positive the lane is clear! Praying for the loved ones left behind tonight...

Loves! G'night!

Foto Friday September Weeks 3 and 4: School, Jared's Wedding, Fall Fondue

2011-10-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

So much has happened this month! I will make mini blog posts in this post.

CALEB'S FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL!

Is he really that old?? My sweet Caleb started preschool this month. We are so blessed to have our good friend Jeana teaching Caleb. She is AMAZING! Caleb struggles with the moment of separation. But he loves all of the fun that they have together. I Love that he has some special preschool time with a great teacher and friends! Thanks Jeana!!

JAKOB'S FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE!

Jakob started First Grade Home School this month. I think he's really enjoying it!

UNCLE JARED GOT MARRIED!

Uncle Jared married Heidi and she brings two little sweet hearts into the family. We drove up to the Spruces in Cottonwood Canyon, Utah this month and celebrated Jared's wedding with my parents and my other brother Nate. It was a beautiful wedding!

FAMILY TIME BEFORE THE WEDDING

Before the wedding we were able to take some time to explore as a family. The leaves were changing and the animals were gathering their food for the winter. It was a beautiful time to be together in the mountains that I explored as a little girl.

From Foto Friday September Weeks 3 and 4

FIELD TRIP WITH GRANDMA + GRANDPA HUNT

Before and After Jared's wedding we spent the time with Grandma and Grandpa Hunt and Aunt Trena. We also had a great visit with Grandma Pat. The evening that we met up we spent the time visiting and watching Davy Crockett (A sweet birthday gift from grandpa and grandma to Jakob.) The day after the wedding we went to the Heritage Park in Salt Lake City. We were able to take a little train ride through the town that they've set up of the historic homes of Salt Lake City. We also enjoyed the petting zoo with pony rides and the old school house. Not to mention the yummy ice cream. That evening we visited with Jared and Heidi while grandma Hunt played a game of Go Fish with the kids and Grandpa secretly passed around M&M's to the kids... and me;)

From Foto Friday September Weeks 3 and 4

AN EVENING WITH AUNT LARISSA

The last day of our trip was spent visiting Aunt Larissa and her kids. We visited for a while and then headed to Brigham City to go to the Cemetery and then to the Baron Family Canyon Home for dinner. It was a great visit!

From Foto Friday September Weeks 3 and 4

THE EVERYDAY JOYS!

From Foto Friday September Weeks 3 and 4

FALL FONDUE 2011
We had our annual Fall Fondue Night the last weekend of September. It was a a great feast! Lots of yummy fondue dips. The favorites are always the Blue Cheese and the Pumpkin Spice fruit dip. This year we had left overs for Conference Weekend. YUMMY!

From Foto Friday September Weeks 3 and 4

Pinterest Ideas Please Come True!

2011-10-01T21:56:00.000-07:00

Is there anyone out there who can make some of my Favorite Pinterest finds a REALITY! So many ideas, so little time and money. How much would this corner bunk bed set up cost? It just looks Awesome!!

Right now though, THIS is Exactly what we're looking at doing for Jakob! An attic bedroom down the center of the barn. We use all the space we have. And we mean ALL of it!

And This is how he would get up to his bed. It might just keep JJ from climbing up there... for a few months;)

There are a few that I just might MAKE the time for. Like this:

First Grade Home School September Review

2011-09-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

What a fun month filled with great subjects to learn about and explore! Here is a list of what we covered this month and a few thoughts and favorites.

September:

The Revolutionary War - Liberty - The Declaration of Independence

Favorites: Liberty Kids episodes on Netflix, Magic Tree House Revolutionary War on Wednesday, Documentary The Revolution on Netflix, Art project Making the Betsy Ross Flag

Habitats and Their Animals

Favorites: William Beebe, books, books, books, Beavers IMAX on Netflix, Field trip to Cottonwood Canyon in Utah, March of the Penguins on Netflix, Art projects from Animal Habitats by Judy Press

The Middle Ages - King Arthur - Knights

Favorites: History's Mysteries: Knights of Camelot on Netflix, Sword and the Stone by Disney, the book In the Time of Knights by Shelly Tanaka, the book A Hero's Guide to Warriors by Deborah Murrell, Paper Model Castle and Knights, More art project ideas

Courage

Favorites: The book A Child's Story of the Book of Mormon

Manners

Favorites: A We Both Read book The Well-Mannered Monster

Alphabet

Favorites: The book Alphabet Mystery

Classic Literature: Favorite Fairy Tales around the World
Favorites: Jack and the Beanstalk (the original story)

Gospel Studies
Favorites: The book A Child's Story of the Book of Mormon
General Conference Activity Packet by www.Scriptures4Kids.com

How to Cope

2011-09-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of stress in my life right now. I felt it today. The worst days are when I wake up and I just don't know where to even begin. Do I change the diaper, the cat litter, or my pajamas first? Do I make the bottle, the oatmeal, or the Chex first? And what about the phone calls, and the emails, and the discussion questions, and the text book reading, and the paper writing, and the exam study guide, and the diaper changing, and the story book reading, and the math DVD monitoring, and the art project finishing, and the scripture reading, and the conference planning, and the party planning, and the library book gathering, and the diaper changing, and the rabbit feeding, and the dead chicken gathering, and the chicken water feeder scrubbing, and the bruise kissing, and the lunch food finding, and the bottle making, and the clothes sorting, and the dinner food making, and the forgotten paper due in two hours. What about all of that!?

That was all today. So what did I do? Well, I prayed a lot. I only swore once.;) But it wasn't a four letter word, only three. Forgive me. I found myself completely fatigued around noon. I prayed sincerely for a suggestion on how to find more energy. I distinctly felt permission and encouragement to just lay down. So I did. While I was laying down I tried to ignore the kitties and kiddy's climbing on me and I practiced diaphragmatic breating. I actually felt a sense of deep relaxation while using the technique. Today while at the library, I was trying to gather the many many books needed for next months home school curriculum. I had all three kids. It became impossible. So, I asked for help. I called my friend and she kindly took the babies. Tonight when I sat down to "relax" and cruise the internet, I discovered that I had a paper due tonight. Luckily not a long one. But my head was already heavy and tired. So, when Leif asked what he could do to help me, I asked him to bring me Grapefruit and Peppermint essential oils to rub on my neck. I realized that my mind was clear and alert within 15 minutes of applying the oil. And finally, I took the time to write tonight about my stress and how I coped with it. This is a great stress management tool for me.

I feel better now. Tomorrow is another day, all is well!

Mama Bombed Her Test

2011-09-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

One of the most valuable experiences that I glean from being a college student at the same time as being a mother is empathy. An understanding of another's burden because you have experienced it. Well, I can now empathize with my children (when they are in college) about how it feels to fail a college level exam. It's no fun!

I studied as much as possible. I filled out all the answers to the Study Guide questions. And I took the test. The test was a proctored closed-book exam. Unfortunately for me, I really Really need to be able to use my notes. My recall skills are very weak. This grade showed me just how weak they are. In fact, I'm actually going to be bold enough to ask my professor for mercy. I CAN NOT fail this class!! Leif suggested that I offer to write extra papers for extra credit. I would be happy to do that. I learn so much more if I have to research and write about it. Tests are pointless for me.

So anyway, life will go on. And Yes, this class was my STRESS MANAGEMENT class. The Irony!

Confessions of a Home School Mom

2011-09-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

I home school, take classes myself, run my home, and try to care for our animals and yard when I am needed. I'm really really busy. I am not alone, I know. But I am often asked how I keep up with everything. Well, I have a few confessions and answers for those of you who wonder.:)

I don't know about you, but when I started thinking about home schooling I felt like I didn't fit the image. My image of a home school mom was someone with half a dozen (or more) kids, a clean house where everyone had their chores and did them willingly, the laundry was washed - folded - and put away daily, and a healthy home grown all organic freshly made dinner was spread on the table daily . Well, frankly, I was worried at this image I had created. Let me tell you how it really is for me.:)

I Confess: This is how I keep my kitchen sink and it's contents from overflowing into the front room. This also gives me one extra hour or more every day to read and explore the world with my kids.

I Confess: This is where we're at with our veggies these days. To everything there is a season, and right now our season consists of 5 minutes in the microwave to get a plate of veggies. I do have a basket of fresh fruit available at all times to help me feel better.

I Confess: These are my best friend when I need to do a quick clean up. 5 minutes and the bathroom is sanitized.

I confess: That my house is merely sanitized, my family eats using all disposable eating utensils, I only do dishes when I have to, I grow a garden with only a few different plants, I feed my kids a lot of microwavable foods. I don't fit the image that I created of the perfect home school mom. But that's okay. And chances are, YOU are too! We love our kids. We sacrifice a lot to bring a unique joy into their lives that they don't even recognize yet. And though we might not fit the mold we think we should all the time, chances are the mold we have created is pretty darn good! Keep up the great work!

General Conference Prep Week for Children

2011-09-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

I usually print the Amazing General Conference Activity Packets from www.SugarDoodle.net for my kids to use during general conference. However, they never really use them the way they are made to be used (following directions to make great little projects.) So this conference we are going to use the packets in our Home School curriculum during this week leading up to General Conference. I'm so grateful for these ladies and their willingness to share their talents with us! I am using the packets from www.Scriptures4Kids.com

HERE is the link to the General Conference Packets for all ages.

Fabulate

2011-09-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

Fabulate: That is the word that just came out of my 7 year old son's mouth.:) I Love it! He was getting ready to play a computer game with Leif and he said, "I love this game it fabulates me!" LOL! My guess is that fabulate is a combination of fabulous and fascinates. I Love It!

Stress in Review

2011-09-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

Does that post title make any sense? Oh well, who cares right!?

Well, I'm looking back on the last few days and I really need to get to bed right now. So I'll make this short. I'm feeling upbeat right now, but WOW I have a lot I need to do!! We have a trip we're getting ready for. My brother is getting married this week and I'm REALLY glad that I'll be able to be there for the wedding. I'm really looking forward to the trip in general. But anyway, I'm getting off subject. Stress: Ummm, well, I had a Massage this week and a Foot ZOne treatment (a lot like reflexology.) I'm sure those both helped. I'm also trying not to stifle any laughter that I feel. If it's there I just let it out. That feels good.:) I also got caught up on my meds. That's always a good thing too. I think that will help with my recent body pain issues too. I think my serotonin levels effect my pain levels. Anyway... I'm trying to find balance with everything happening in my life and how I cope with it all. I REALLY need to fit in my exercise and yoga. I'm not doing very good with that. Honestly, I wonder if I need to look into different coping strategies other then those. Because failing to do those adds to my stress.:) Ahhh, the joys of trying to take care of ourselves...

First Grade Home School: First and Second Week Review

2011-09-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

When I Home School I spend months planning and preparing and then I take the first week deciding what will work and what won't. We started school the Tuesday after Labor Day this year (last week.) The night before our first day we all went to bed excited and feeling great. Jakob and I both woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. We eventually started our school day and to be honest, it ended up being rocky. But after making some adjustments it has actually gone great from the second day on. What was the biggest change? I decided to pull back on my Moving Beyond the Page lessons. I really enjoy their program and it's content. But Jakob really really dislikes them this year. I will try to add some in, but I'm not going to force them. They were a filler anyway. Jakob doesn't like to discuss, write, and color. MBTP has a lot of creative expression in their lesson's and Jakob would rather read about something and discuss it instead of hashing it over and over again. He shuts off pretty quick. So I have certain theme units for each month and we read A LOT.

The themes help us cover everything from social studies to history to phonics. Every day I try to read a new book as well as finish up some of the books we're in the middle of reading. Our on going books include a book of fables and fairy tales and A Child's Story of the Book of Mormon. I'm thrilled to say that these two books are the books that Jakob enjoys reading out of the most. How cool is that!? They are both very well written and entertain my seven year old boy as well as touch his imagination and his spirit. I can't ask for more.

We enjoy history in our family. One of the fun ongoing activities we have is our time-line. I printed off a time line that wraps around our living room. I have a page per 1000 years for a while (starting from the creation) and then goes to every 100 years up to 2000. Every time we read a book or watch a documentary about a certain subject that has a date to it that's interesting to us we print a picture about the subject and glue it to the proper year of our time line. I LOVE this activity!

There is so much to tell about home school this year. But the best thing right now is the fun that we're having. It's not easy, but we're all learning and moving forward. Good things are surely in the future. I'll keep you posted. I will also try to get photos us ASAP.

NOT HOLDING BACK - BE GENTLE AND FORGIVING

2011-09-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

September-December: I will be taking a Stress Management class with Utah State University. One of the requirements for the class is that I journal at least two times each week about how I am coping with stress and how I am applying four different stress management strategies along the way. I will be even more open with these posts then I already am and I won't be holding back anything. It is required and I don't want to divide my thoughts between different blogs. So My Stress Management Strategies for the semester will be: Yoga, Massage, Exercise, and Comic Relief, among other things.

A True Gift! Massage Therapy

2011-09-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been given something that you really needed? Something that you couldn't do for or give yourself? Well I was given something yesterday that I really needed. Something that I know is going to really help me. I finally made an appointment, and kept the appointment, with my massage therapist. And the massage was AMAZING! I haven't had a massage in a long long time. Not one in a beautiful, quiet, uninterrupted room. Not without my children calling for me or worse, crawling under the table as I tried to relax. And not for an hour! Next week I'm scheduling a 90 minute!

Now, some of you may know that my massage therapist is actually my husband. This is true! And yes, I feel truly blessed. I feel grateful and blessed that we finally have a place where I can take part in and benefit from the gift of healing that my husband has been given. I feel truly blessed.

If you're in the area of Kanab Utah, my husband owns and operates Desert Springs Day Spa.

Top Ten Stresses?

2011-09-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

August 31, 2011: Tonight I'm just going to write and later I'll put things in a list according to most stressful to least stressful. So what am I stressed about these days?

I hate President Obama. Hate is a strong word.
I wish I could either heal and be a normal healthy mother. Or just accept my ailments 100% and learn to work around them and find pure happiness.
I feel like I walk around with a storm cloud within my countenance the majority of the time. I don't laugh enough or smile enough, especially with or at my children.
I still don't know if home school is the best idea. I think Jakob will learn well either way. It all just seems exhausting either way.
I really want a bigger house. I want rooms with walls and doors. I want coat closets and laundry closets, and bathtubs and more then one bathroom. I want to live on ground level.
I think we have too many animals. They coast money and they take time that Leif and I don't have anymore.
I think I'm allergic to the kittens. I'm sad about this because they're so cute and Caleb and Leif love them!
I hate that JJ ate duck poop AND kitty litter today.
I miss Leif's frequent company and help.
I hate that I have piles of laundry and dishes to do.
I wish we had room for the foof chair.
I wish I was able to go alone to the libraries.
I wish we had money to get my hair colored every three months.
I wish life wasn't so expensive.
I wish I could control my sweet tooth.
I wish that I lived closer to my sister.
I wish I felt normal.
My spiritual wellbeing is very much lacking.

What (new) four techniques do I want to implement into my daily life?

Exercise

Yoga

Massage Therapy

Comic Relief (John Bytheway, Mary-Ellen Edmands)

Stress Management: Detailed Assessment

2011-09-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

September 15, 2011

Stress Management 3400

Assignment 1

Grade: 15/15

Professor Comments: "You have had many challenges early on in your life. This has tried your strength, your belief system and who you really are. It looks like you are working on accepting health issues and trying to move forward. You seem to have a positive outlook which can help at times. Although you worry about some things I am sure in time you will achieve some of your dreams. You may want to add Cognitive Reconstruction to your list of techniques and or Behavior Modification. Read what Wayne Dyer has to say in the text about worry. Your physical score was very good considering all of your challenges. It is great to see that you love being a mother and a wife. You will have many rewards from you love. Keep up the good work and take care of yourself during this semester in this class

Ten Stressors – Four Coping Techniques – Who Am I?

PART ONE

1. I wish I could either heal, and be a normal healthy mother. Or just accept my ailments 100% and learn to work around them and find pure happiness: Truthfully, I need to accept the body that I was given and find gratitude in all that it gives me and make’s possible. There is so much to be grateful for about my body. There are many difficulties. But I need to focus on the goodness of my body. What is my plan? My plan is to journal every night at least one thing I am grateful for about my body that day, not mentioning anything negative. I have to find the positive, for I know that it is there! I might even write it by hand instead of typing it… An interesting thought.

2. I feel like I walk around with a storm cloud within my countenance the majority of the time. I don't laugh enough or smile enough, especially with or at my children: I know that much of this self perception and outward reality comes from a chemical imbalance and bad PMS. I will faithfully take the proper medication. This will help! I will also take the time to listen to funny speakers such as John Bytheway and Mary-Ellen Edmands.

3. I really want a bigger house. I want rooms with walls and doors. I want coat closets and laundry closets, and bathtubs and more then one bathroom. I want to live on ground level: We live rent-free in an upstairs make-shift apartment that is around 800 square feet. Our three children sleep in the one bedroom that has walls and a door (with a lock from the outside.) My husband and my bedroom is partitioned off by a curtain at night. The office is a closet sized room that used to be the baby nursery. We have lived here 5 years. This year I celebrated the arrival of a dishwasher and mini clothes washer and dryer. I have been given much, but I do dream of a normal house with more space. There is not much to do about this other then practice patience and gratitude.

4. I miss Leif's frequent company and help: My husband has either been a full time online student or worked a less then full time job for the last five years. He is currently a student in the evenings and working a full time job. I am trying to function and learn how to be without him. I miss his help and his company.

5. I wish we had money to get my hair colored every three months: This should actually say, “I wish I could look like I did before my five pregnancies.” Getting my hair done is just one thing that doesn’t take a lot of effort on my part to do and it brightens my self perception for a little while.

6. I wish life wasn't so expensive: So much of what we need and want takes money. Housing, clothes, cars, home school supplies, travel, etc. I just look forward to a day when the budget isn’t quite so tight.

7. I wish I could control my sweet tooth: I am addicted to rich ice cream and chocolate. It is a true addiction, and it ails me.

8. I wish that I lived closer to my sister: I wish that my sister and I lived close enough to have weekend visits and cook-a-thons. I wish our kids knew eachother better. I would just love her company.

10. My spiritual wellbeing is very much lacking: I have improved, but there is still more I could do. I just want to feel the spirit more often.

What (new) four techniques do I want to implement into my daily life?

Exercise: My goal is to exercise during Jakob’s math program, while JJ naps.

Yoga: My goal is to do Yoga at least three nights each week.

Massage Therapy: My goal is to get a massage every week. My husband is a massage therapist who recently opened up a Day Spa. I have had maybe two or three massages in the last several years. I have been too pregnant, sick, or not had a place to put the massage table up to this point. It is time to make an appointment with my husband. I will also have him alternate Cranial Sacral massage with traditional massage.

Comic Relief (John Bytheway, Mary-Ellen Edmands): My goal is to listen to a talk once a week. I will also look for reasons to laugh more. I won’t hold back. I might even pull down Leif’s Calvin and Hobb’s comic books.

PART TWO

My Physical Symptom’s Questionnaire score averaged 30. I would actually be surprised if it didn’t. I would obviously like to bring my score down, but at the moment the score seems accurate. Luckily, my severity score was in the low to mid range. However, my symptoms have persisted throughout the week.

PART THREE

Who Am I?

I am a 32-year-old woman. I was a High School graduate. I was a Professional Nanny. I was a Missionary. I was a Single Roommate living in Hawaii. I finally became a wife. I finally became a mother. I have been married for 8 years. I have been pregnant 5 times. I have six children. I have had one miscarriage. I have delivered one set of identical twin daughters. I have lost that set of identical twin daughters. And I have delivered 3 healthy still-living boys.

I am a daughter, a sister, a sister in law, a daughter in law, an aunt, a wife, a mother, a friend, a teacher, a student, a mommy-blogger, a neighbor, a counselor, a dishwasher, a chef, a laundress, a janitor, a taxi service, a party planner, a financial planner, and a vet.

Right now, I am a wife and a mother. Everything else stems from, revolves around, or takes a temporary back seat occasionally to these two things.

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a mother. As a little girl, I would play with my dolls and play house. When I was old enough I would mother my siblings and friends. I still do this,(luckily that has calmed down a bit). I have always identified myself as a caregiver. And now, I am a mother. That is who I am.

When I grew old enough to notice, I recognized another longing within my soul. It was a feeling far more mature then that of my school age friends. I felt my soul searching for its other half. It was a feeling so profound within me that I often kept it within myself. I didn’t treat my heart’s desire lightly or flippantly. I knew that when I found him, I would be complete. And I was right! I am a wife. That is who I am.

There are a lot of significant experiences that have contributed to who I am today. As well as how I am at who I am today. As a child and into my youth I lived in a high- stress home, otherwise known as a chaotically cohesive family. This has been a huge influence on who and how I am. I served a mission for my church before I was married. This experience influenced me in countless positive ways. I learned about the power of faith in God. I also learned that I was a woman of interest and value, someone that a man could be interested in. Who would have thought I’d learn that while serving a mission? J When I married my husband, I found pure joy and peace for the first time in my life. His love and influence is a constant influence in my life. I had plenty of difficulties leading up to motherhood. But nothing has played a bigger influence on me physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, as pregnancy and motherhood. And so far, nothing has matched the loss of my girls. This experience alone has altered who I am mind, body, and spirit.

I am many things. But above all, I am a mother. I am a wife.

Too Much Going On

2011-09-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

I'm really tired today. So tired that I can't focus on anything for very long. Last night I was talking with my uncle and as we were talking I was struck with just how much we have going on right now in our little world.
Leif is working Full Time at the Day Spa. AND taking evening classes for EMT certification. This means that we only see each other for a few hours total every day. It's no fun and I'm so sorry for those of you who go it alone or see your hubby's less then this. I really dislike this kind of schedule and routine!
I am taking two classes from USU, Home School, and run the house and change the diapers, etc.
We take care of the every day must-do's and the animals and yard.

It doesn't take up much space to write it down, but wow! I am really tired today from it all.

I need to go change a diaper, put some dinner on the table, take a few quizzes, complete two assignments, take an exam, Read for the quizzes and exam, wash the stinking dishes, wash the mountain of laundry, plan and prepare schooling and packing for the upcoming week long road trip (more on that later). Figure out what to do with the rabbits, ducks, and a few roosters (we're downsizing for the winter), ...
... Okay, I'll start with Dinner! No, Diaper First!!;)

The Tenth Anniversary of 9/11: A Day of Remembrance

2011-09-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I wrote a well detailed post about my personal experience on September 11, 2011. My experience was unique in one way because I was a missionary at the time and my area was the Great Lakes Navy Base in Chicago. Also known as the NAVY boot camp.... Truly a miraculous experience for me personally.

Tonight however, I want to reflect on the event as a whole. I realized tonight that I really don't know my family member's answers to the most poignant question of, "where were you on that September morning?" So family (or friends), if you're reading this, please send me your answer in the comments section, or an email!

Leif and I watched a video clip on Fox News tonight that showed the news cast of the attacks from the very beginning through the afternoon. It was condensed of course. But WOW, I was amazed at how very real it felt and everything came back to me in a flood of emotions. And then to know what was going to happen before it happened. It was surreal. And so... speechless... I'm speechless. It still shocks me at the magnitude of the whole day's events and the impact and change that it made in our country and to it's people.

I reflected on the heroes of that day. Particularly the heroes of Flight 93. We listened to President Bush's speech he gave this year at the Flight 93 Memorial. It reminded me of their courage and strength and their ultimate and selfless sacrifice for our country. So many people gave their lives that day to help another person. And so many more have given their lives to prevent such an attack from happening again.

It's hard for some of the people in our country to support the military in the war against terror any longer. It's feels like such a long war and to many people it doesn't feel worth the sacrifice. But can you imagine if we would have given up that day... decided that we had already sacrificed enough lives for the cause? The thought seems absurd. These men an women fighting for our peace recognize that if they weren't fighting and the brilliant minds here at home weren't gathering and sifting through intelligence, all working together, we would not feel safe enough to even fathom stopping the fight. What I'm trying to say is THANK YOU, thank you for protecting us even when it's hard. Thank you for fighting for us even when we're not grateful. Thank you!

I will climb in my bed tonight and listen to the rumbling of the thunder and the pounding of the rain and I can't help think that maybe that's how it felt to be there that morning, thundering sounds and a downpour of dust and debris. And then I will remember my precious sailors and soldiers that I taught the gospel to and how so many of them left for war within the year after that day and some of them are still fighting for my freedom and peace of mind to this day. My guess is that the sound of cracking thunder and pounding rain just might be similar to the sounds of the battlefield. Thank you my beloved friends, for fighting anyway!

Foto Friday September: Week 1

2011-09-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

You can tell that summer's coming to a close around here because of the rain. We had a pounding storm come through and Leif took the opportunity to show the boys the joy that can come from playing in the rain. This post will tell you all about our weekend trip to St. George with Caleb. These show the precious moment that it was in the scheme of things. Caleb was thrilled to play with his brothers and his Tonka Truck as soon as we got home. Priceless!

From September 7, 2011

Just a Little Break

2011-09-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I broke my back yesterday. Got your attention!? I thought so:) Well, I really did fracture a vertebrae in my back yesterday, can you believe that!? Yep! JJ was falling down a little hill when we were playing at a friend's house and Grace here, wasn't so graceful and I fell right on my rear as I tried to rescue him. I have Osteopenia in my lower back and so when my back gradually started to throb more and more I decided to go get an X-ray. Sure enough a small fracture. It's not is a place that will cause pain. But it's an interesting thought to know that you have a fracture in your back. Lovely! Just wanted to share For the Record. All is well! I'll take more calcium :)

Thoughts in Bulk

2011-09-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

I have so much to blog about. I've had a lot of creative titles floating around in my head throughout the day. But I have VERY limited time these days. So, I will just post as often as I can and I will have to include multiple subjects within one post. So I apologize for the bulk posts:)

UNUSUALLY WEEPY SUNDAY
Yesterday was Sunday. Personally, as I walked out of the house on time for church (we had to give the prayers in Sacrament Meeting) I was just grateful that we were on our way. However, as we sat down in the chapel and all three of my children began to unanimously find their very worst habits and broadcast it to the whole congregation I found myself feeling darker and darker inside. I felt terrible and it was emanating from me, I know because Leif asked if I was okay. The truth was, for the first time in years I felt like I was going to burst into tears. Jakob was being very rude to me and I was not in a place emotionally to shrug it off. Caleb was freaking out, and JJ kept trying to escape under the benches. And then I realized that it was Fast and Testimony meeting and I hadn't thought about it AT ALL. It suddenly hit me how much my spirituality has been put on the back burner now that I am a wife and mother. And then the testimony meeting started and a hand full of children came up to share their testimonies and I couldn't help feeling a touch of fear that my boys might not ever "get it." Even after all that we do to try and help them spiritually on a daily basis. All of this was boiling up inside of me when a man began baring his testimony about his missionary experiences. He was sharing about the miracles that he witnessed and how faith in action can truly bring forth blessings in abundance. Finally, my tears broke free! I was a missionary a decade (and a lifetime) ago. However, the lessons that I learned about faith while on my mission have sustained me through thick and thin. They are lessons that I can not deny! I learned that when your will is in line with God's will ("please help us find those people who want to join your church, Lord") He will open the windows and doors of heaven and poor out His Blessings upon you. I know this from experience! If you believe He is there and He wants to bless you, then He Will!

I was very touched by this reminder. I was also filled with a renewed desire to bring myself in line with the Lord's will. The question that flowed through my soul Sunday was, "why can't parenthood be as clear cut and easy as missionary work." My guess is that it is because when we are missionaries, we have one goal and one purpose, with very few distractions. As parents and spouses we have A Lot of distractions and many different goals and roles to play. It can drain us of everything except for the drive to survive. I am weary of "survival mode." My prayer is that Leif and I can make the effort to truly line our hearts and wills with our Heavenly Father's. We're going to work on it one day at a time, one prayer at a time. In fact, that's literally where we are going to start. We recognized a clear difference between the prayers we said in sacrament and the prayers we say at home. Let's just say that our prayers at home are a lot shorter with a whole lot less specifics. So, though the inclination to cry was strange on Sunday, I am truly grateful for the spirit that reminded me of the power of faith in action. I hope to remember it for...ever.;)

A WONDERFUL WEEKEND
Leif and I planned a shopping get-a-way this weekend. We needed to buy furniture for the spa as well as do a huge grocery shopping trip. So we decided to spend the night in St. George and enjoy the time together. We were going to make it a date for just he and I. However, as I was packing the night before the trip Caleb was being a handful and I had the feeling that we should bring him along with us. Leif and I batted the idea around for the night and into the morning. We needed the time on this trip to be available for shopping. And a three year old can shut down a shopping trip really fast. We were nervous, but we decided to take him. And we are So glad that we did. We had a great time!! In fact, we've decided to make set plans for weekend trips alone with one of the kids every three months of so. We found a great hotel in St. George (Abby Inn) that I was able to enjoy because their mattresses were just soft enough. Leif and Caleb Loved the pool and hot tubs. Leif and I even watched a movie after Caleb fell asleep. Caleb thrived on the one on one attention. He was so cute that we were able to fall in love with him again. I think we all need that with our kids every once in a while. Ahhh, it was fun! FYI: Caleb handled the shopping like a pro until the last couple of hours. Leif stayed in the truck and watched a DVD with Caleb while I did the WalMart trip. It worked.:)

BACK TO HOME-SCHOOL NIGHT
After my rough emotional morning yesterday I came home from church questioning my decision to home school more then I have this whole summer (that's saying something.) Jakob was being really mean to me. He stomped on my toes as we were gathering to leave the church. Uhh, yeah, we had an issue to deal with! When we were eating lunch Leif got out of Jakob that he was feeling really mad that we hadn't brought him anything from our trip. Something you have to know about Jakob is that his number one Love Language is Gifts. If you give him a gift, he takes that as an act of Love. Well through the help of the Lord, some how I was able to keep myself together and explain to Jakob that throughout the WHOLE trip I spent all of my thoughts, time, and money, planning and buying things for HIS home school. Surprises for him and I to do together for the year (Don't worry I thought about Caleb too and what he needs for school, but I was talking to Jakob;) Jakob's secondary Love Language is Time. If you spend quality one on one time with him, he considers that an act of Love. Luckily, I had let Jakob go through the bags that I brought home earlier. So though as he was looking through them he didn't consider them as a gift. Once we talked about it and I spelled it out for him his whole continence and attitude changed and he now recognizes that home school is an act of love towards him. It has been amazing! I pray that it continues!!

We spent the whole day setting up the "classroom" and going grocery shopping. We also had a Back to Home School party. Jakob did an outstanding job of entertaining himself without requiring the use of a screen. I had gathered up the Wii remotes and that meant no Wii or Netflix. Though Leif and him played Wii together for a little while during our party, Jakob and Caleb entertained themselves today by playing outside and building structures with Popsicle sticks and tacky glue. I think they may have used the whole thing of glue. But hey, I'm thrilled!

So I think I'm ready for school to start in the morning. The calendar's hung. A weather chart is next to it. My Subject Board is ready to go. Books are organized by month and subjects. September's lesson's are printed. And the Math DVD is here (and it looks great so far!) Oh! I even made a room-sized time line to line our ceiling. It starts with the creation and goes by thousands of years and then hundreds of years up to today. We will post pictures and events on the time line throughout the year to get an idea of when things happened. I'm looking forward to that visual. The only things I need to do are hang the timeline, hopefully get our devotional book in the mail tomorrow, and hang the flag up. But we're good to go for tomorrow. I'm excited! I think Jakob is too. For the record: Leif gave Jakob a Father's Blessing today in preparation for school and it was very sweet.

KITTENS
We still have our kitties and so far, so good. They are really sweet and SO MUCH easier then puppies!! They are litter box trained with no problems! Caleb LOVES them. They are his rag dolls. I love watching him play with them (most of the time) sometimes he's rough with them and we have to take a time out. But over all it's been a good experience.

MY BABY IS WALKING
JJ is officially walking! I posted about him being close a little while ago and that very day ended up being when he started to take his first several steps. He is now walking more then crawling. It's so sweet and exciting and bitter-sweet all at the same time.

A Parent's Most Important Role? Child Guidance Discussion Question 1

2011-08-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

What are some of the most important roles parents play in their children's life? The first thought that came to mind while pondering this question was, example. As a parent we are an ever-present example to our children. Whether we are a good example or a negative example is up to us.

Sometimes this role alone weighs the most on my shoulders as a mother. Most of the time it is a natural instinct to provide for our children's basic needs of food and shelter. But it is not always "natural" to be an example of kindness, love, and patience. However, it is vital that our children learn these traits in order to find peace as an adult. We, as parents, are our children's first and most consistent teachers. The role of teaching by example, and making it a good example, might just be one of the most important roles a parent plays in their child's life.

Over Before it's Begun?

2011-08-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

If you're anti-home school or don't think I should be home schooling, you might want to stop here.

I've been preparing lesson plans for home school for the whole summer. I've gradually gotten more and more excited about the things we'll be learning. However, I have also gotten more and more worried about what I've gotten myself into. Honestly, just maintaining a clean house, laundry, and dishes is a full time job. Add three wild boys, a busy husband, meals to plan and make, animals to care for, my school work to do, AND home schooling a first grader to the mix, I think I might be crazy!

I'm just not fun enough. I'm tired and moody much of the time... I don't think I'll be able to handle it if Jakob pitches a fit every day at 8:00 when it's time for school. But the thought of having to get Jakob ready for school, taking him to school, picking him up for school, fighting over homework that I even hate, seems equally daunting. What should I do?

I guess I'll stick with my plan and enjoy the moments as they go. That's what I need to do. If you come to my house and it looks like a tornado whipped through the place and I'm still in my pajamas, just ignore it and know that I definitely wasn't sitting around eating bon bon's all day. I might however, manage to eat plenty of chocolate. Chocolate, surely that is my answer!;)

Foto Friday: July

2011-08-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

July was filled with a lot of sun and celebration!

We celebrated our country's Independence day, Utah's Pioneer Day, and JJ's first birthday. Baron Grandparent's had a flood that brought the family together. Jakob finished swimming lessons and Mama finished her Summer semester of classes. Mama and Papa celebrated 8 years of marriage during July as well!

Enjoy the Photos!

Foto Friday: August

2011-08-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

August has been full of birthdays, sunshine, new ideas, work, and play!

We celebrated JJ's birthday twice. Once on his birthday in July and again when his gift arrived the first week of August. We got him a vintage Little People garage. The boys all love it! We collect Little People things and have a great time with them!

We've managed to find a couple of weekends to run away from the heat to visit with Leif's brother and his family in the beautiful town of Alton.

Leif's gone on a couple of Fire calls as well as a couple of EMT calls. He's still in the middle of the EMT course and will be done mid September.

We had a crazy moment and we drove to Cedar City to buy a Foof Chair (giant bean bag.) When we got there we realized that it was a whole lot bigger then we had thought. But since we had driven all the way and already paid, we brought it home anyway. It takes up too much room. But it's fun.

The spa had a booth set up for Western Legends this year. It was a lot of hard work for everyone, but very worth it!

Leif and his dad let Caleb help them build a shelter for the rabbits.

Caleb LOVES to help with any projects that we're working on. Especially if they involve a screwdriver or hammer.

Jakob turned 7 years old this month. He shares a birthday with his aunt Stacy. So we got together for dinner. They surprised Jakob (and Caleb) with two kittens. Caleb especially loves playing with his new best friends. The kitties are still wondering what in the world they've gotten themselves into, that's for sure!! But overall it's fun to have them. We also got Jakob the Wii Sports Resort Game. He LOVES that!!

We've been trying to make more room in the house. We took a couple of wall panels off to try to use the shelf space more efficiently. JJ promptly cleared the shelf's and made himself right at home. Guess we'll have to come up with other ideas.

I haven't gotten pictures yet, but our mama duck hatched 9 ducklings. Unfortunately the heat got five of them. But the four we have left are sure sweet!

Enjoy the photos!

Anemia: Not a Welcomed Guest!

2011-08-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

If you've followed my blog lately you may have noticed that my posts have declined in frequency and enthusiasm. I have been really sick and down for several weeks now and I HATE it! Then my baby started acting just like me, and I Hate that! I was at my wits end yesterday. Really. I was pretty close to running away with my kids to MO where my parents could entertain my kids and I could try to sit back and collect myself. I still might do that. But yesterday I finally found a light at the end of my current tunnel. I took the little boys to our WIC appointment and they tested JJ's blood for his iron levels. He was two points below the average level of iron needed for a one year old. I was surprised because he's been drinking formula which is iron fortified. But I wasn't surprised because he's shown the classic Anemia symptoms and I just hadn't put two and two together. I then asked her to test my blood. I was one point below average. I had been wondering, but just hadn't payed attention. Duh!

Anemia isn't something to ignore! People think that because it's a common problem, it's not a big concern. But in reality, it can become a major problem. And it doesn't just take a couple of iron pills to solve the problem. It takes time and follow through. I just feel bad that I didn't know sooner. And I wonder why JJ has Anemia. I won't worry too much about why unless he still has problems in November when I take him to be tested again (or sooner at the Dr.) My Anemia stems from my damaged intestines from Gluten Intolerance and heavy periods.

I thought I'd share our symptoms and what I use to boost our iron levels.

My Symptoms: JJ's Symptoms (1 Year Old):
Fatigue Unusual ongoing fussiness
Overall lethargic feeling Sudden change in napping hours (could nap for 5-6 hrs)
Depression Pale skin
Rage episodes Weak immune system (constant illness)
Chest pains Lack of appetite
Aching calf muscles and Achilles tendons
Muscle weakness and aches
Weak immune system (constant illness)

What can happen if we don't increase our iron?
"Most cases of anemia are mild, including those that occur as a result of chronic disease. Nevertheless, even mild anemia can reduce oxygen transport in the blood, causing fatigue and a diminished physical capacity. Because a reduction in red blood cells decreases the ability to absorb oxygen from the lungs, serious problems can occur in prolonged and severe anemia that is not treated. Anemia can lead to secondary organ dysfunction or damage, including heart arrhythmia and heart failure."

"In children, severe anemia can impair growth and motor and mental development. Children may exhibit a shortened attention span and decreased alertness. Children with severe iron-deficiency anemia may also have an increased risk for stroke." - University of Maryland

This is what I use as an Iron supplement. It works!!

Flora Floradix Floravital Iron and Herb

Summer's End... Already!?

2011-08-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

I'm amazed that we're heading into a new school year already. Time, it's such a wishy-washy thing. Never enough, sometimes too much... Crazy.

I finished up my summer semester of USU classes this week. They were well worth the money, effort, and time. I learned a lot and enjoyed being able to write out my thoughts. I will be taking a couple of classes again this semester and I think they will be very applicable to my life: Child Guidance and Stress Management. Can't get any more applicable.

I'm finally feeling better. I was really sick! But I'm back up and going for the most part and my main focus is getting home school ready to go, starting the Monday after Labor Day. It takes A LOT of my time. I prefer to have everything printed out and filed according to the month and then the week. Then we can pull out a folder and all of the choices are there for the week and we can go at it. And if for some reason I can't be right there when it's school time, Jakob can go to the folder and pull out things for him to do. I'm still organizing the system that I want. But that gives you a glimpse of what we do. This year I need to plan a little bit for Caleb too. So I have a lot to do. Thank Heavens for the Library! We are going to be reading A Lot!

The spa, Desert Springs Day Spa is going better then we ever hoped. Leif is busy working there and when he's not there he's at his EMT classes and the few hours he's not there, he's home. He feels like he's constantly juggling. But he seems to be holding up and we are too. We miss the good ol' days of working side by side with "the business." But we're making the adjustment. And his EMT classes are over mid September. We look forward to that!

Jakob seems to be looking forward to school to start. He's also really excited for the new "club" he gets to be a part of. We've signed him up for 4H. They have a good program here and I think it will be really good for him.

My sweet Caleb is finally talking so that everyone can understand him (for the most part.) He doesn't whine as much because he can tell us things and then he can understand most of our logic as well. This connection has really become clear just within the last couple of days. It's really nice. We came up with a funny way to help him "find his big boy voice." I told him that when he's whining he sounds like he has a mouse in his throat and he has to get the mouse out in order to find his big boy voice. It's works quite well.:)

And my JJ, he's ready to jump up and run! He can stand on his own and it's been said that he took a couple of steps. I didn't get to see it. My theory is that he's going to decide to walk one day and just walk right up to me in the kitchen and ask for something to eat. It will happen so fast I won't even get to see the first steps.:)

Well, that's how we're doing here. Really, I'll have pictures soon!

Parenting is like Ice Cream

2011-08-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

Lena Baron

August 12, 2011

GRADE: 50/50

“This was one of the most original metaphors I have ever read! I loved your outline of the history of ice cream and your comparison to parenting. Well done!”

Parenting is like Ice Cream

Over the last couple of weeks, I have pondered this assignment and tried to come up with a metaphor for parenting that I could incorporate several of the different concepts taught in this unit with. My first conclusion was, Parenting is like trying to read a map that has been written in multiple languages, none of which you speak. However, I chose a metaphor that covers something in which I am far more familiar with rather than speaking bilingually, which I don’t do. The metaphor I have chosen is Parenting is like Ice Cream. We can go with the hard stuff or the cold, stick with what our parents gave us, or choose a different kind. Perhaps, the most important factor to weigh is what kind of ice cream really fits what you like and what you want. Then you have to consider what is best for your fellow ice cream eaters. Grab a bowl of your favorite ice cream, slow down for a minute, and let me tell you how Parenting is like Ice Cream.

Research Can be a Benefit

According to our text, “Historically, parenting has been viewed as a “sacred cow”, meaning that extended family members or individuals in society didn’t intervene in a parenting relationship… This assumption meant that research within the family structure wasn’t valued and there was nothing new to learn about families because everyone had all the answers. Newer more contemporary views on the family rely on education and research to improve family functioning.”(Chapter 11) The history of ice cream followed a similar pattern as parenting research. For example, up until the 1980’s the ice cream flavors consisted of the very basics, vanilla, chocolate, and the occasional strawberry. In 1983 Cookies n’ Cream came on the market and due to the new excitement and high demand it was quickly followed up with Cookie Dough Ice Cream and the list of creative ice cream concoctions has only grown since then.

To Be, or Not to Be, like Our Parents: That is the Question

The new found variety in ice cream flavors resembles that of the newly defined parenting philosophies and roles of today. Often times a person will naturally choose the same flavors of ice cream as an adult that they were given as a child. Just as a new parent often cares for their young child in the same way they were cared for as children. (Chapter 11) However, there often comes a time in a parent’s life when they have to define their roles and philosophy as a parent. Just as many people prefer hard ice cream to soft served ice cream, many parents can be defined as having a hard-core parenting style such as Authoritarian or a softer approach such as Authoritative parents.(Chapter 14)

Decisions – Decisions - Decisions

When a person chooses a particular ice cream, they have to make several decisions before they choose their ice cream. They have to decide if they want hard or soft, what base flavor they want, if they want anything else mixed with the ice cream, if they want to top their ice cream with anything else, and so on. Parents today are faced with similar decisions such as, how many children they want, how they will manage financially, what type of childcare they will use if necessary, how they will disciple their children, and what values they want to instill within their children. We read within our text that in order for parents to best make their decisions “there are a few things parents need to develop an understanding of as they think about the future of their children. The first is having a level of personal self-awareness. Parents who understand their own strengths and weaknesses have a better working knowledge of their children and what is acceptable.” (Chapter 13)

It Really Can Be So Much Fun!

Eating a bowl of ice cream is so much more enjoyable when you include a little time to play. As an ice cream enthusiast myself, I find it very enjoyable to share my favorite ice cream with friends and family as we play a game or watch a movie. Parenting, like ice cream, is a lot more enjoyable when you include a little playtime. “Adults who are trying to slow down the pace of life recognize the importance of play in the lives of their children. They value the time they get to spend with their children on the floor engaged in active play, or outside exploring new environments.”(Chapter 14)

Slow Down! Care and Observation is required.

During the 8 years that I have been married there has been more than one occasion when I open the refrigerator in the morning only to find that through carelessness and distraction the ice cream that was so enjoyable the night before is now a soupy mess. Instead of putting it back in the freezer, it was put in the fridge instead. It is important to remember that parenting, like ice cream, needs to be properly cared for. “Taking time for a deep breath can eliminate a lot of frustration and feelings of being frazzled. Deliberately thinking about the things that need to be accomplished and developing a plan, and consciously deciding not to rush, can prevent the frustration and stress from creeping in and taking over a situation. (Chapter 11)

Anyone who has a very favorite flavor of ice cream knows that it is not easy to stop at just one scoop, once a week. Parenting, like ice cream, often requires more then the minimum. “It isn’t really a matter of quantity time versus quality time. Children need both. Parents need to have special interactions with their children that focus on communication, fun, learning, and connection. They also need to have these times often. Children simply need parents, and the more they are enjoying the company of one another, the stronger the likelihood of a secure attachment.”(Chapter 11) It is a fact that a consistent amount of rich and creamy ice cream eaten in large quantities can inevitably become attached to you. In fact, just in the study done about secure attachment, a person could end up feeling like they are always carrying a baby in a snuggly. J (Chapter 11)

Exercising Patience through Quiet Availability

Once a parent has secured a healthy attachment with their child, it is not always easy to sit back and allow the child to stretch their wings and explore. Parenting, like ice cream, does require quiet availability. If a person purchases a carton of ice cream and eats the whole carton within the same day. This could be considered on the “over indulgence” side of things, just as a parent who follows their child around like a shadow, rather then stepping back when necessary and allowing the child to come to them and ask for help or feedback could establish a negative pattern. Sometimes it is necessary to allow the ice cream to sit in the freezer untouched even when you really want to dig in. (Chapter 14)

Creating Your Own Flavor

Ultimately, parents create their own flavor and flare of ice cream. By creating special times such as family rituals, traditions, and values, they swirl ribbons and chucks of candies and fruits into their own mix and through trial and error end up with their own personal “family favorite.”(Chapter 15)

And that, my friend, is how parenting, is like ice cream.

Unpublished Drafts Published

2011-08-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

I have started several different posts, all about different thoughts and things. I haven't finished any of them. So here are the beginnings. They show the pace of life right now, Fast and Full!

JUNE 27, 2011 WILDFIRE HITS HOME

I have been trying to work on my homework for the last two hours. Have you ever tried to focus on the monotony of homework while your husband is out fighting a wildfire threatening the town? Yeah, it's a first for me too.

Instead, I'll just write about the fire and my thoughts...

The fire started just outside of the main

JULY 7, 2011 WOW!

Its 2:58 AM and I haven't slept a wink. I started to worry tonight that I might be pregnant. The only worry is the fact that I have an IUD. That is very dangerous for the baby. I'm 2 days late with my period. I had serious bladder/uterine pain for three days this week and I can't find the strings to my IUD.

When I realized that I couldn't find the strings it struck me how possible it is that I could be pregnant again. It pretty much made me sick to my stomach and I can't get my brain and body to calm down. I will force myself to sleep after I finish writing.

If I;m pregnant I really want all to be well. I've been baby hungry for a long time. The thought of not having another one was hard. JJ is too sweet and fun. They all are.

I hope all goes well. I asked Leif for a blessing tongit (pulled him from his sleep) I was told my concerns were valid and to act upon what I felt I needed to do. I was also told to hold on to my Saviors hand. I'll do that!
Follow Up: I'm Not Pregnant.

JULY 22, 2011

WOW! What week is it!? So much to tell...
Jakob finished up swimming lessons for the season and is swimming better then ever. We celebrated Independence Day with our good friends the Jensen's and had a great time!

JULY 29, 2011

I have tried to post my Foto Friday this month twice! Both times something went wrong and the hour was a total waste. It's really discouraging. That is why I am putting the whole month of July on a slide show. I have written little tid-bits each time I tried to post the Foto Friday and it got erased. So now I'm not sure what's been said and what hasn't. So, I'll just give you a short run down of a few things. The Desert Springs Day Spa is growing very well! We are thrilled. It takes adjusting to be running a business again and for Leif to be so busy. But it is a really good thing! Jakob finished swimming lessons and is swimming better then ever! Caleb is Precious, his sweet phrase of the month was "My Special!" He would get so excited about different things and in place of "My Favorite, or I Love This, or I'm Excited"! He would just repeat "My Special!" over and over again! My JJ is actually 1 year old today. I will write a post just for him of course. But ohhh how strange it feel to think that it's been a whole year since he was born. It literally feels like yesterday, and it feel like forever. Time is a crazy thing!
Well, enjoy the photos!
Follow Up: The photos still wouldn't load!

AUGUST 4, 2011

Well my updates aren't really up to par this month. I just can't seem to find the full drive I need to stay here long enough to get everything on here that I want to. Instead, I'm just going to blab tonight. I'm in a zoned mood with a lot swirling through my brain. So... Here she goes!

I'm going to upgrade my Picasa account tomorrow and that means that I'll have July Foto Friday up FINALLY!

I Live Next Door to an Angel! - Seriously!

2011-08-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

My precious Mother in Law took my two oldest today and I have just woken up from a five hour nap! I slept until JJ woke me up. So we Both got a five hour nap! Thank You SOOOO Much Mother Baron! I can't tell you how much that nap was needed and appreciated!

Yes, I live next door to an Angel!

Slow Down and Play

2011-08-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Lena Baron

August 3, 2011

GRADE: 30/30

“Fantastic insights into the importance of play!”

Slow Down and Play

As a mother of three very active little boys, I feel like I’m “playing” all of the time. In reality, I’m just the referee. I found that in order for me to really play and have fun at the same time, it took some planning. This was not a new discovery for me. Thankfully, this assignment encouraged me to make the time to play with my boys and have fun.

What did you do to "play"?

My first episode of playing was with my 6 year old son. We played a couple of rounds of the card game RACKO. We woke up to an overcast and drizzly day. So it was the perfect setting to play a game of cards. I put the little boys down for nap and pulled out the box. My son’s eyes lit up in surprise and anticipation. We sat together and re-learned how to play the game. As we sat together, the rain pounded the roof above us with a downpour and the storm threatened the power, making the game all the more enjoyable and out of the ordinary. My son came up with a fun way to mix things up a bit during our second round of cards. He decided we would switch cards in the middle of the game. It was fun to let loose a bit and pretend shock and dismay at the sight of my cards after he had played them for a while. As if my game plan was all unraveled. Yet, in reality, my real plan went off without a hitch. Our episode of play could not have been more enjoyable.

My second episode of playing was a simple game of Wii Bowling with my two oldest boys. I had planned ahead as far as establishing this particular day as my “play” day. However, I had forgotten this “plan” and it was almost time to prepare for dinner. That is, until I recognized my prime opportunity to “play”. My boys had set up the game to play together and my 3 year old was struggling to figure out how to play. To my oldest son’s surprise and delight I offered to take the time to help my younger son with his turn and then to go on and play the winner a couple of games of bowling, oh the joy in my boys’ eyes! My oldest son won the game and I was able to play against him. I even won a silver medal! However, the real warm fuzzy moment came when my husband walked in from work and saw us playing together. He came to me and with a hug and a kiss thanked me for taking the time to play with the kids. It really meant a lot to him because he understands the sacrifice that I was making as well as the benefits of what I was offering to my children, my time and my love.

How did it meet some of the definitions of play including: pleasurable and enjoyable, no extrinsic goals, spontaneous and voluntary, active engagement, and make-believe?

My episodes of play fit within the categories of Pleasurable and Enjoyable, Voluntary, and Active Engagement. With the game of RACKO I did have an extrinsic goal of helping my son practice his math skills and that episode was not spontaneous. However, the Wii game could be considered spontaneous. As you may note, I do not have Make Believe listed during my play episodes. This is because I lack the skill of pretending and “make-believe.” Really, it is a lack of ability. Thankfully, this is my husband’s forte.

Looking into the future, how can activities such as this help you stay balanced as a parent with your children, or children around you?

My husband came home last night after a long day and informed me that he concluded after a session of introspection that he literally feels as if he is in a constant state of juggling. At this point, all of the balls are staying up in the air. But it takes a lot of concentration and balancing to keep them going. He has his family, a new business, and EMT classes that he is juggling. After pondering his comment and reflecting on my episodes of play, I have decided that it would be helpful for my husband as well as the whole family if I were to consciously make the time that my husband is home moments of Active Engagement with our children. I will set my things aside and just “play.” I know that this will fill my husbands love bucket, not to mention everyone’s love bucket. It will also elevate stress as we focus on what really matters in our home during our few moments together in the day.

Forgive Me As I Complain

2011-08-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

I have been sick for going on two weeks. I am so sick of being sick! If it's not one thing, it's another. Right now my nose is running a river and my head is so congested my eyes just might pop out. Lovely picture, I know.

August is here. We all know school starts in August. Uhhh, excuse me, WHAT HAPPEN TO MY SUMMER FUN!!!!??? This has been the most boring, movie-filled, summer that I can remember in years! Yuck! Yuck! Yuck!

Jakob said the most profound and terrible thing to me tonight. I had just put Caleb in time-out for the 100th time today for deliberately disobeying me and I must have had steam coming out of my ears. Because Jakob said, in a very adult voice, "I just don't know how you put up with all of this! You look like you just don't want to be here any more." I thought, "uhh, yeah, you got that right!" However, he went on to say "You know because heaven is so much fun and so peaceful..." I just stared at him in shock. My jaw just may have dropped open. I did manage to get over the choking sensation in my throat and explain to him that though a nice little outing out of the house for a while sounded delightful, I had no desire to die and leave all of my family behind. My poor little boy... He did offer to create Disney Land inside my living room. I assured him that I was fine and what I really needed was my boys to obey me the first time I asked them to do something. He agreed and was very helpful the rest of the night. Caleb was agreeable as well. But, Uugg! The thought that my son thought I would be happier away from them. That is really disturbing to me.

I'm just bummed tonight. Here I am sick as a dog, and you know what I've been craving ALL DAY LONG!? Peanut Butter Panic Ice Cream. Seriously!? Can't I just go for an orange juice and some chicken broth? I wish I could get my brain to value my health as much as my heart does. Stupid!

Well, I managed to pass the two tests that I just finished up tonight. And I got a new book in the mail that I've been looking forward to. The boys are Finally asleep. And I really need to wrap up this session of Woe is Me! All will be well in the morning. Well, at least for the next hour or so for sure. G-Night!

Anniversary & JJ Birthday (By Hubby)

2011-07-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Well, we had an anniversary this last month or so. It was great. I think it was our 8th or 10th or something like that... :)

One thing fun Lena wanted to do for our anniversary was to each choose a book and we would read them together. Lena actually gave me a list of books she would like and I choose one called "Heaven is for real." A very cute, fun book. I choose "Richest Man in Babylon".

Life has been crazy between Family, my EMT training taking 18+ hours a week, and opening the our Day Spa that we knew our anniversary would be spread out. So with the books we just starting reading to each other in the evenings and when we were able to get away for a little while. We just finished the Heaven one. It took us a week or so.

We did escape a couple of times for a quick dinner. Also, during this time we decided to watch all the Harry Potter movies to lead up to the last one. Lena and the kids watched the PG ones while I was away and then Lena and I watched the PG-13 ones. Lena and I did escape to watch the final one though in the theater.

JJ's birthday was just kind of fit in as well. He turned one on a very busy day at the spa. We've been worried about finances we didn't do much for his birthday so far, so when I did get some cash at the spa, I went to the store and bought goodies and a few little presents for JJ. Its amazing how much fun a one year old can have with a couple of balls.

That is our quick update on our anniversary and JJ's Birthday. Even though it was nothing big, I enjoyed our anniversary. Even if we did nothing, I would be happy because I'm the lucky one married to my love, Lena.

A Simple Reminder: Prepare! (Following Up on my Last Post)

2011-07-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

I was expecting a few thoughts to be shared about my last post. It's a very sensitive subject with a lot of backing for our individual feelings. I posted the video directly after watching it and went straight to bed. As I fell asleep I committed myself to continuing my thoughts about WHY that video was such a help to me.

The reason is simply that it was a great REMINDER of what we have been told for years and years by our modern day prophets. Beck is a far cry from a prophet. So am I. But we can, and should, repeat what they have counseled us to do. Prepare for hard times, because they are ahead. Not just ahead, but upon us. I don't care who's fault it is that we fall on hard times! I'm sick of trying to decide who is right or wrong in our country. I will follow the laws of the land. I will pray for the leaders of my country. I will vote when given the opportunity. And in the end, I will focus on my God and my Family.

I know with my whole soul that God is real. He is in charge. I will follow Him and find Rest, Safety, or just plain Endurance from the storms. Be the storms from natural disasters, personal trials and tribulations, or other peoples choices and their influence, I will do what I can to build a fortress for myself and my family.

WOW! This is Exactly What I Needed!

2011-07-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

So much is happening in life right now. But there is something that has been stewing within me that I haven't known how or what to say about here on the blog. Politics and the current state of our US Government. It is such a touchy subject. But really, I just haven't written because it's so complex and I couldn't put my thoughts and feelings into words. And part of me just couldn't wrap my head around the answer to the problems we're facing.Until Now! This put it all into words for me and came up with the answer that I truly feel is right! An answer to my prayers.

- FOLLOW UP POST -

Here is the Video Summary.

A HUGE Mistake!

2011-07-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

I just made the biggest blogging mistake ever! And the time it will take to fix it is completely unavailable. I need to go back to bed. I need a good book to drown myself in. I need my kids to stay at grandmas for the rest of the day! Okay, maybe it's not THAT big of a deal. But it's very close...

I just deleted my Flicker photos, ALL 200 of them. They asked me to confirm the delete 2 times and reminded me that it was not reversible. As it was processing the delete. It occurred to me that if the photos weren't on Flickr, they won't show up on Blogger. Lovely! I am so done with the free photo storage thing. I'm going to spend the money and just get an unlimited account somewhere. Uggg! I haven't checked to see if my suspicions are true. But I think they are...

The Truth Behind My Busy-ness

2011-07-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've been really busy lately. Like I can't find a single moment to just lay down and maybe read a few pages in a book. However, I think that the reality is that my children have been the busy ones and I am just a follower.

Mom, I'm hungry! Mom, Caleb stinks! Mom, can I watch a movie? Mom, can we have ice cream with the movie? Mom, I need a drink! Mom, the folding tables fell on JJ! Mom, Caleb just bit me! Mom, I'm hungry! Mom, Caleb stinks! Mom, can I watch a movie? ... An endlessly beautiful round of precious requests and needs. Oh, what would I do without them?

Not Exactly the Mopping I Had In Mind...

2011-07-22T23:49:00.000-07:00

I really needed to mop my bathroom floor. But flooding the bathroom and into the kitchen was FAR from my idea of mopping the floor. Especially since we JUST finished cleaning up from a major flood at Leif's parents home. SERIOUSLY! I was stunned when I walked into the bathroom to an inch or more of water on the floor. That was the only time that I have been grateful for a large pile of laundry waiting to be washed.

The washing machine hose had fallen out of the sink and all of the water from the load in the machine drained onto the floor instead of into the sink. I had just put Caleb into time-out for drawing all over the kitchen cupboards with a marker (washable thank heavens!) I went in the bathroom to put the washrag in the laundry pile and stepped in the water. Luckily my sweet Jakob was there to help me jump into action. We were able to get it soaked up pretty quick. But, Wow! I was drained afterwards. The thought that we could have caused major damage to our home (which is actually Leif's parents) weighed heavily on me. Uggg! What a moment! I'll use a mop next time thank you!

The Ripple Effect and the Power of Family

2011-07-20T22:27:00.000-07:00

I have come to recognize once again this week what a wonderful family I married into. Leif's parents were preparing to go to a family reunion this past weekend when they discovered that their basement had flooded. Not just a little flood either, almost the whole basement was soggy and wet. The water had been there for a little while too. So they had a mess on their hands.

They called us first because we live right next door. Leif went over to survey the scene and quickly decided that this was a job for more then just us. He and I made a couple of phone calls. Those people made a few calls. And the calls continued throughout the ward and neighborhood. Seriously, within an hour we had at least a dozen people over to help.

They went straight to work! They pulled out carpets and padding, mopped up free standing water, brought up wet boxes, took dress up clothes home to wash, separated wet pictures, moved couches, and set up fans. A few of the ladies even cleaned out their carport. We were all so busy, lunch time rolled around and before we knew it the Relief Society president brought us pizza and then she brought dinner for us that evening. I had the missionaries scheduled for dinner weeks ago. I decided not to cancel the dinner appointment because I figured we could use their help before dinner. So I called and asked them to come early. They came and helped put books that had been drying in the sun back into boxes. We then had dinner and a whole lot of ice cream together.

During the initial moments after the emergency we were surrounded and carried by our ward family. The outpouring of support was inspiring and humbling.

Within hours after the flood Leif's youngest brother and his wife made it over to help. By the time they came we were realizing that this was going to be a much bigger project then we all initially anticipated. All of the things that had been brought up stairs needed a new home. Which meant that one room after the other needed to be de-cluttered and re-organized, including the rooms out in the garage (AKA The Barn.) My in-laws have lived in this same house for over 30 years. Because of this, there was a lot, a whole lot, to do.

The flood happened Friday afternoon. By Sunday afternoon Leif's oldest brother and his family had driven 11 hours to join us in the effort. By first thing Tuesday morning Leif's sister and her whole family had driven 6 hours to get here. This meant that Leif's whole family except for one brother were together. This is no easy task. It was a miracle, really. This was a sign of true love and family unity.

Throughout this week we have worked from sun-up to sun-down trying to make a difference within Leif's parents home. For their privacy I won't go into great detail. But I will say that it was awe-inspiring to see everyone (including the kids) working together and individually.

A few highlights:

The front yard manicure. J- Jamming to Wierd Al as he did a fabulous job!
The Office. "Where are those darn papers!"
The barn. "I want my Mustang parked right here!;)"
Book shelves. Baron's love books, what can we say?
The sewing room. "It looks so smooth:)"
Thousands of photos. "I am going to get these photos into albums TODAY!" - Uh, yeah, Good luck with that!:)
Burning weeds. Ahh, the blow torch.
Boxes! "Take this out to the box pile!"
"Where's K!? We need to dump another load"
Leif's massage chair. Ahhh, yeeah!
Evening thunder storm, dinner, and pictures. Baron blanketed calendar pics. - "Say What!?"
NIGHT GAMES! It's Family Tradition!
A game of Dominoes anyone!?
Cookies, Chips and Soda for lunch. Energy Food!;)
Corner Store trips.
Where is the Insurance Inspector!?
"Caleb! Where are your pants!?"
Jakob's quarantined! Thank Heaven's for antibiotics!
Lena's List.
"There has to be a story..."
To Save, or Not to Save, That is the Question!

As you can see from my highlights we had an amazing time this week. One might think that Leif's parent's were cheering us on in our endeavor. Actually, they have been a little shell shocked by it all. It is extremely difficult to let people come and go through your things, throw things away, and still maintain your dignity. Well, I would have to say that for all that they have been through this week, Leif's parents have maintained their dignity and more. They have allowed their children to show their love in a very direct way even when it was extremely uncomfortable. That is very admirable. I just pray that as time goes on and things settle they will feel peace with all that we have done this week.

The ripple effect and the power of family was so clear this week. I truly feel that this was a moment in time that was meant to be within this family. I am so grateful for the blessing that I have been given to be a part of this precious family.

The End of an Era: The Hunt Family and Hunt Mysteries

2011-07-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

My brother, Jared, took over the family business that we grew up with. Tonight his finace' Heidi is throwing him a farewell party. Jared is selling the business and moving to Alaska. This is a good thing. However, it is a momentous step in our family life. A life without Hunt Mysteries is a foriegn concept for us. This will be good for us. I wrote the following memoir as I took a moment to process my thoughts and feeling on the subject.

July 14, 2011

Farewell to the Coal

Thank You for the Diamonds!

Hunt Mysteries became the refining and defining mark within our family up to this point. Its influence and the roles that we each played within and because of the business sculpted us into who we are today, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Family businesses often start with a small need like making ends meet financially. If they are meant to be and the dreamers are determined enough, one little need will ripen into a vision, and that vision will someday become a reality. This reality will be molded from years of sacrifice, sweat, and tears.

This brings me to the point I want to emphasize through this memoir. One family built Hunt Mysteries. It was then sustained, and maintained by the talented people willing to share and labor in our journey.

Mom and Dad gave their all to the business. They gave their time and their money. Gradually they gave most of their friendship and respect toward each other. Dad gave his civic life. Eventually, mom gave her “room mother” days up for it. Dad sacrificed relationships at Deseret News for the business. Mom sacrificed any potential friendships and outside hobbies…

Heather gave her time and efforts on the home front as she took on much of the weekend childcare needs along with Lena until we were all old enough to go it on our own.

Lena took on the mothering role like it was her own, trying desperately to fill in the missing pieces within the boys’ world that stemmed from “the business.”

Before anyone knew what happened, all of the kids had grown up and were involved in the behind-the-scenes of running Hunt Mysteries. The girls would help cut clues and fold programs. Eventually they were old enough to drive around and pick up programs and tuxedoes. Often they would go to the shows and help set up the tables. Most of the time Lena would babysit for the actors and actresses during rehearsals or shows.

By the time Jason and Jared were barely reaching towards their teenage years they were working right along side mom doing the sound for the shows. It didn’t take long for them to completely take over that department. All of the boys were born with a gift especially for this work. Jason worked in this department off and on through the many years as he struggled to maintain a sense of personal identity and social life and still fulfill his family duty and earn his dollar with Hunt Mysteries. Jared on the other hand defined himself throughout the years by Hunt Mysteries, as if he were born for the business.

Jared was born with independence and determination flowing in his blood, as well as charisma and charm. With these traits and his talents, he has stood by mom and dad faithfully as the vision of Hunt Mysteries became a reality.

Though Jared has never been friend-less, his sacrifice was the greatest of the Hunt children. He sacrificed much of his childhood. He completely sacrificed his high school years, no proms, no seminary, no choir tour… The list goes on.

Nathan. That’s what I named him. Nate. Our baby brother grew up with five parents. We all played one roll in his upbringing or another. Gradually, he followed right in the steps of his older brothers. That’s probably why we call them “the boys.” They were usually together. And if they weren’t, they knew what the other was up to… Some things never change. Nate only know life with Hunt Mysteries.

Looking back, perhaps the greatest sacrifice that The Boys made for Hunt Mysteries was their educational and spiritual possibilities.

As a family, we sacrificed the normalcy that “could have been.” However, we made “what was” work. As siblings, we were close, very close. We all had our rocky spots but somehow we came out still liking each other. We were all in the same boat experiencing the same storm, shipmates.

All of us learned how to, and how not to, run a business. We learned how to work. We learned our individual strengths and weaknesses. We learned how to act in professional settings. We learned how to conduct ourselves in fine dining settings. We learned family loyalty (as dysfunctional as it is at times.) We created our own sort of “normal”, our own kind of Love.

Somehow, mom and dad always found a way for us to travel together. Ways to make memories. Whether it was camping, parties, or great trips, we have many memories of good times together.

We all sacrificed much, sweat much, and shed many tears throughout the refining process of Hunt Mysteries and the Hunt Family. Sometimes it may feel that it was all in vain, that the vision wasn’t completely met, that all was a failure because there were failures. Truthfully, all was not lost! Much was given. But much was received. The key is to find the diamonds within the coal. For in the end, that is the reality. That must be our focus for this new beginning.

Accept the diamonds, allow the coal to be taken away, look forward, and live for Eternity.

Literature Rich Home School Curriculum

2011-07-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

My home schooling planning time doesn't look quite so beautiful or delicate as this picture. But it shows the love that goes into it anyway. I've linked to the blog that I got the image from for anyone who is interested in a Home School Planner (Personally, I use my computer. But just in case...)

I just wanted to share how things are going with my home school plans for the upcoming year. My plans haven't really changed from my previous posts. I have however added a few things. Well, more like several things. I found a wonderful website for my family and our style of learning. It's called The Best Children's Books.Org These great teachers have listed several books for every subject that should be taught throughout the year. They have also labeled them according to grade and ages levels. This is exactly what I have been looking for. We have a busy little family. I want to have a stack of books that I can pull from every day organized by subjects. This will make it possible for me to be able to include the littles in our school day.

This website also gave me a clear idea of what subjects are appropriate for each age and which topics aren't. I often feel that I need to cram everything into one year. This helped me get an idea of what to teach for the next few years.

They haven't added The Classics yet. So I did find a list HERE that lists the classics for children. I will incorporate these as well.

So as it turns out our curriculum will be very richly "literature based." Jakob loves documentaries. So I have gone through Netflix and found plenty of great shows mostly about science and history. I will also show him the videos based on books after we finish the books. I think it should be a lot of fun. Jakob has watched me looking at the books and he's very excited to get started! My next step is to find out what books my libraries have and don't have, what they'll order, and what they won't. So I still have a lot to do. But I'm getting excited!

A Flash From the Past and Into the Present

2011-07-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

I got a phone call this evening from a man wanting me to give a reference for a nanny that worked with our nanny agency back in the day. That all seems like a lifetime ago... In reality it was only around five years ago. Leif and I lived in Hawaii in 2004 just after Jakob was born. I was working as a Mommy-Nanny and Leif was a Massage Therapist. I interviewed with a nanny agency on the island at the time and quickly realized that the island could use some new blood in the Nanny Agency department. Thus, Your Child's Nanny was born.

Leif and I gave our all to the agency for the next year and a half or so. Oh, those were good times! We built a great business. It had a lot of potential and was headed in a good direction. It just needed continued and constant attention and money. To make a long story short, we sold the agency in March of 2006 and from that moment on our life was never the same. That truly was the moment that the defining year of our life began. Or maybe, it was when we started the agency? Either way, I haven't really had a moment to look back on that time in my life. So I took the time tonight to look back. Such good memories. Leif and I make good business partners...

And here we are again folks, welcome to Desert Springs Day Spa. I'm amazed that we haven't done this sooner (like years ago.) But now is the right time. It feels right and things are rolling along. It takes a lot to build a good business especially in the beginning. So Leif and I are trying hard to get things in order so everyone will have a great experience at the spa. Tomorrow we will put the Spa Menu together and that is a big deal. Lot's to do! It's different this time. We don't just have one baby crawling around our feet and desks this time. We have three! So it takes more patience and juggling. But it's coming along well. Nothing would be possible without Leif's parents. We are profoundly grateful for their help!! Thank you!

Well, thanks for joining me down this memory lane and back to the present. I hope you've enjoyed the ride!

A Good Day!

2011-07-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. Just one of those days where I woke up a little bit earlier than usual (on my own without a child screaming.) I was able to read the scriptures for a minute (always a nice thing.) And things never really went down hill from there. I was able to catch up with a few family members while doing laundry. I didn't fall apart at the fact that the house isn't perfectly clean. Leif took Caleb with him while he ran errands and JJ napped. This gave me the time to finish a paper for my class.

I also had the chance to work some more on my plans for home school. I found an excellent website that lists age appropriate books for the different subjects that we need/want to cover throughout the year. It is AWESOME! It's www.The-Best-Childrens-Books.org It's gotten me really excited for the upcoming year. I feel a lot more confident in what we will be covering.

Leif and I went and set up the Day Spa that he's starting in Kanab, Desert Springs Day Spa. It was nice to get things cleaned up and organized. I think it will turn out great! I'm really excited and so is Leif.

We closed the day by weeding in the garden. It was so pleasant outside. The air smelled like rain and the wind was rustling the trees just enough to notice. The clouds were rolling around as a storm was brewing. And it was so cool with the gentle breeze. Perfect!

Mama's Thinking Corner

True Enduring Love

Jakob's Special Trip With Mama and Papa: Aviation Nation Air Show

Who Am I?

Now That Jakob's in School

First Grade Home School Martin Luther King Jr. Lesson Ideas

A Lovely Birthday!

A Great Big Hug! - Caleb's Potty Trained

Now What!?

Home School Month in Review December

For the Record: Changes Taking Place in the New Year

Our 2011 Christmas Story

Ways to Fight the Flu and Diarrhea

Have I Ever Told You?

I'm Praying...

Going on Three Weeks

3rd Annual Country Women's Christmas Candy Making Party

Home School Month in Review November

The Lighting of the Christmas Tree

Healthy Habits Contest!

Christmas Tree Hunting 2011

Tom the Turkey Stole the Show This Year! - Pit Roasting a 36 Pound Turkey!

A Great Laugh to Start Your Day!

Traditions! Traditions! Traditions!

This is So True and So Funny!!

My Precious Children

Foto Friday: October

Halloween 2011

Just One Of Those Great Days!

While the Cold Winds Blow

Trading Places

Five Years Ago

Child Guidance: Gordon's Theory

Home School Month in Review October

Praise Be! I Passed The Exam!

Bronchitis... Lovely!

Stress Update!

Stress Management Assignment 2: Anger - Fear - Hope - Faith - Balance

Jakob's Attic Loft

Child Guidance: Skinner's Theory

Stress Management: Is it Possible As a Busy Mother?

Evening Update

Foto Friday September Weeks 3 and 4: School, Jared's Wedding, Fall Fondue

Pinterest Ideas Please Come True!

First Grade Home School September Review

How to Cope

Mama Bombed Her Test

Confessions of a Home School Mom

General Conference Prep Week for Children

Fabulate

Stress in Review

First Grade Home School: First and Second Week Review

NOT HOLDING BACK - BE GENTLE AND FORGIVING

A True Gift! Massage Therapy

Top Ten Stresses?

Stress Management: Detailed Assessment

Too Much Going On

The Tenth Anniversary of 9/11: A Day of Remembrance

Foto Friday September: Week 1

Just a Little Break

Thoughts in Bulk

A Parent's Most Important Role? Child Guidance Discussion Question 1﻿

Over Before it's Begun?

Foto Friday: July

Foto Friday: August

Anemia: Not a Welcomed Guest!

Flora Floradix Floravital Iron and Herb

Summer's End... Already!?

Parenting is like Ice Cream

Unpublished Drafts Published

I Live Next Door to an Angel! - Seriously!

Slow Down and Play

Forgive Me As I Complain

Anniversary & JJ Birthday (By Hubby)

A Simple Reminder: Prepare! (Following Up on my Last Post)

WOW! This is Exactly What I Needed!

A HUGE Mistake!

The Truth Behind My Busy-ness

Not Exactly the Mopping I Had In Mind...

The Ripple Effect and the Power of Family

A Parent's Most Important Role? Child Guidance Discussion Question 1