Two Positives Before a Negative

I have to try and think about some positive things in life right now. So I guess I'll blog them. . .

*Caleb and Jakob seem to finally be down for the night.
*Thank Heavens for Caleb's swing!

I am SO tired! I've felt like a zombie most of the day. My sleep allowance has been cut back this week.

*I was able to bake a dozen potatoes and take them to a post funeral dinner this morning. Glad to be able to contribute.
*I was able to shower and get semi put together this morning.

My hair is literally falling out. Figure it's adrenal and thyroid fatigue. I'm working on trying to rebuild strength.

*My friend Harmony came over and we were able to visit and help them out a bit with a few things. Always nice to visit with a good friend.
*Leif's mom came by to visit this morning too, we had a nice visit. They helped us again with some bills. Such a bitter sweet blessing.

Leif's manager forgot to turn in his hours this week, so he won't get a paycheck this week. Doesn't make sense, welcome to life in fast food.

*Leif was able to give two massages this morning. Sure grateful for the cash!
*Sure am looking forward to my nutrition and herbal medicine courses! I really enjoy learning about health and nutrition.

I wonder how we will balance Leif's school, his work, Jakob's school, and my school all at once. Luckily my schooling doesn't have deadlines.

*Leif and I are still loosing weight pretty steadily. Just eating healthy and taking a few supplements. I think the Omega 3 (Fish Oil) is helping the most!
*Leif found a website where I can create my own supplement regimen and they will capsulize it for me. I'm excited!

Found out that financial aid won't be available until school starts. We need it NOW!

As you can see, life is full of it's ups and downs. We're surviving. Weary, but hangin' in there! We've tried to think of all of the possible options of ways to make our life a little bit easier. We've concluded that no matter how hard it may seem, moving anywhere else right now would be harder. So we will keep going. We're praying for a better job for Leif and massage appointments for Leif until then (he's a Licenced Massage Therapist.)

I think I'll update the boy's blogs and try to get some sleep. Leif works evenings now. . . Not Fun!

Simple Woman's Daybook: July 29, 2008

For Today: JULY 29, 2008

Outside My Window... I wish that I could see out my window. They are all covered with plastic and curtains to keep out the heat.

I am thinking... That I am hungry, and that I have a lot I hope to accomplish today.

I am thankful for... My husband who will help the kids while I do this.

From the kitchen... My laundry piles beckon to me.

I am wearing... Enough to cover my body.

I am creating... An extended family blog today, for the Westwood side of the family.

I am going... To research vitamins for Leif and I, figure out my schooling plans, and work on the house today.

I am reading ... The Internet. I am hoping to purchase a few books as soon as money comes in!

I am hoping... That we'll be able to rent the house across the street, and that I can make some good headway on my projects today.

I am hearing... Jakob counting down to liftoff as he launches his toy rockets and jets.

Around the house... Everything beckons to me to do this and that they should be top priority.

One of my favorite things... Is to wake up refreshed after a really good nights sleep.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Draw up a plan for my schooling, conclude which supplements we'll be taking for adrenal fatigue, call Stacey about braiding rugs, call Visiting Teaching ladies.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Caleb is growing like a weed, more like a Sunflower:)

Married For Five Years

Leif and I have been married for five years this week. We have taken the opportunities as they came to celebrate throughout the week. We went out to dinner earlier in the week, and yesterday grandma watched the kids so we could go pick out a couple of DVD's and some ice cream at the store. It's a treat just going shopping without Jakob insisting that he NEEDS a new toy! Bless his heart!

Throughout the week I have pondered about the last five years and have been amazed by the journey that we have taken in only five years. So much happens in life so quickly. Before we know it we'll be married 20 years and our kid's will be adults.

Leif and I met in Hawaii. He was working as a massage therapist, I was working as a nanny. We were both living the single life in Hawaii. He was dating several girls and I was stuck on one certain guy. He lived alone in a little ghetto apartment, I had just moved out of a house where I had several room mates. We lead totally different lives. I loved to play at the beach and have all night guitar jamming sessions with the guys from the singles branch. Leif worked on the beach, dated, and hung out with his brother and family.

Once Leif and I finally had our eyes opened and hooked up we were practically inseparable. Living in Hawaii made for a very fun and romantic courtship! We hiked in the mountains, sat on the beach under the stars, strolled along the boardwalks, and drove along the oceans edge around the island. It all seems like a dream . . . I think it was . . . My dream had finally come true. I had found a man who was the kindest and the most peaceful man I had ever met. And he loved me! It was amazing!

It still is amazing. We've come out of the "rose colored glasses" stage. And the love is still there. I think our love stays strong because we have made the choice to keep it strong. We nourish it daily with the way that we treat each other. Our relationship is not perfect. But it is healthy and I thank the Lord daily for that gift.

A few of the highs and lows of the last 5 years have been the birth of our children. The death of two of our children. The creation of our business (Your Child's Nanny, a Nanny Agency). Selling our business. Moving to and from Hawaii. Moving back and forth from St. George to Fredonia. Starting school. Working a million different jobs and home businesses. Earning a Real Estate License. Grandma Stanger's death. Gradually turning the barn into a home. Traveling throughout Southern Illinois into Missouri. Living every day with a goal and a purpose in mind . . .

During our wedding reception a huge summer storm suddenly blew in. It had been a beautiful blue sky sunshine day up until the middle of the reception. We had to quickly gather things up and arrange our living room inside the house so that we could continue the reception out of the rain. It could have been an absolute nightmare! But with the help of family and friends and the peaceful comfort of the Lord it turned out to be a wonderful evening full of smiles and fun. That is how Mine and Leif's life together has been. Blue sky's and sunshine with some strong storms along the way. And I'm sure that it will continue to be this way throughout our life. But with family and friends and the Lord, we'll be fine.

Thank You Everyone!

I just want to thank all of you who have sent me your thoughtful and empathetic words of encouragement. I am feeling better and it was a good day. Thank you all for your Love!

Mama's Can NOT Get Sick!

I've been sick for too long. My house was clean two days ago. Really Clean. I forced myself to get it done even though I was sick. But that has to be an Every Day task. Now I feel like life is kindof melting around me. Leif is working hard to pay the bills. I'm trying to keep the family alive and well, and we're just doing the best we can. But. . .

What was/is your life like when you had two young children at home?

That is the question that I am hoping to get your thoughts on. Last night I went to bed feeling down and frustrated about our situation and I am hoping to be reminded that things really aren't as hard as they feel right now.

If you get this in an email form, I'd love for you to visit our blog and make your comments there! http://www.llbaronfamily.blogspot.com/

What year was it?
What was/is your living situation?
What was/is your employment situation?
What was/is your family health like?
Anything else you think might be applicable?

I'll draw you a short picture of our story right now. This is NOT a pity party! Honestly, I am grateful for what we have! Things just aren't easy and I'm sure we'll look back on these days and the lessons we're learning and smile. Writing it all down just helps me think things through.

Right now all the lights are off except for one, and the curtains are closed to save energy and keep out the heat and the cool air in. But I'll turn the lights on and really embarrass myself by snapping and sharing some photos of our reality...


There is a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house that is sitting vacant across the street. I am trying to convince Leif (and myself) that we should talk the owners into renting it to us and that we will be able to afford it if they will.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook is a wonderful network of "Simple Women" recording their supposed simple lives, yet often inspiring the reader of their Daybook. We write in our Daybook every Monday. Please feel free to join us! Click on the photo above for more information! Thank You Peggy for hosting The Simple Woman's Daybook!

FOR TODAY: July 21, 2008 (11:48PM) ...
Outside My Window... Right now I can't see out my window because it is covered by the curtain to block out tomorrows early morning sunrise. If I could see out, I'm guessing I would see that it is very dark out and the light of the street corner lamp in illuminating the neighbors back yard.
I am thinking... About how much I have enjoyed getting all of my blogs put together so well tonight, but I worry about how late it is and that I really should be asleep. The baby will wake to nurse before I know it.
I am thankful for... The gospel of Jesus Christ, Inspiring Women, and My Amazing Husband.
From the kitchen... I can see the glow of the nightlight that will light my path to the baby as soon as I am finished here.
I am wearing... An old button up light weight floral house dress. It was a gift from the local Humanitarian Aid Club - Thrift Store Clothes Give-Away at the local library. What a blessing they have been in our life!
I am creating... Wonderful blog (journals) for our family and my individual children. I hope that they will treasure them in the years to come.
I am going... To bed as soon as I am done here.... unless I think of something else I wanted to get done tonight.:)
I am reading... My scriptures a little bit more each week, the series Faith Of Our Fathers (a novel about life during the Civil War. Excellent!)
I am hoping... To feel a whole lot better tomorrow! My throat has been in pain all weekend.
I am hearing... The hum of the AC and the fan. Sometimes I wish I could just turn everything off and have silence. But then we can hear the neighbors dogs, and no matter how much I want, I can't turn them off!
Around the house... Things are actually quite tidy. Such a good feeling.
One of my favorite things... Is to have some quiet time to myself to do the research I so much enjoy (Natural Medicine), and to watch my three year old son dance!
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Pull a couple of big buckets under the roof where the rain runs off to catch it, then siphon it out and water the garden with the rain water. Go Visiting Teaching, Celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary, Celebrate Pioneer Day (Jakob will be on a float:)
Here is picture thought I am sharing... This is Leif and My Wedding Engagement Photo.

Still Sick But Getting Better

What a weekend! I honestly can't remember the last time I was this sick. I think it was when Jakob was 6 months old and I got Mastitis. I'm taking antibiotics and using some natural remedies too. My fave is Lavender oil. It's an anti-viral and I really like the smell.

We have missed Jakob, but it sure is a blessing that he isn't home. Hopefully he's missed this infection. I have been able to rest for the most part as much as I have needed to. Leif has been a great help!! I should be resting now... I will as soon as I'm done here.

Leif and I are kind of taking this time (even though I'm sick) to celebrate our five year wedding anniversary. With Jakob not home we can watch a movie without interruptions, well almost. We watched two movies last night and have a few more for today and tomorrow. We got a "Mormon" movie for today.

Leif's at church. He has done a really good job with his new calling as primary music chorister. He practically plans his own sharing time lesson to go along with the songs he teaches the kids every week. It has been wonderful!

Leif starts at Wendy's in the morning. No fun, but much appreciated by our little family! Thank you My Love!

Our garden is thriving thanks to Leif. I will put some pictures up soon. We should have a lot of tomatoes, peppers, squash, pumpkins, crazy corn, gourds, and cucumbers. Our wild flower garden is doing well too. We planted the first year of wild flowers when I was pregnant with the twins. It bloomed just as they passed away. We have planted it in their memory each year ever since.

Mama Is Sick Sick Sick!

Well it's official, I am sick! I've been hoping that the infection would pass by with just a trace of a cold. But it's not to be. We're in Alton resting and my body has taken to opportunity to really give an excuse to rest. My throat is really sore and swollen and my body aches all over. And I am Tired!

My sweet hubby is making me some homemade chicken and wild rice soup. MMM! It's YUMMY!

Jakob is up north with grandma and grandpa Baron and aunt Larissa and kids. He is doing well. Last night he struggled a lot before he fell asleep. Leif ended up doing story time and the rhyming game over the phone as Jakob tried to calm down. But he really struggled and brought me to tears as he cried that he wanted Mama to hold him. I sang to him as we both had tears rolling down our cheeks. He finally fell asleep while I sang to him over the phone. It was a sad but precious moment. Hopefully tonight is better.

Well, I'm going to eat my soup.

Realities Details

Our week so far has been filled with pondering, talking, and making decisions. Leif had a summer job all lined up to start when we got home from our trip. Shortly after we got home he started and soon found out it was not going to work out. The company was not established enough. They weren't really ready to have employees yet. So we have been job hunting... again.

When you live in a small town, your qualifications aren't really that applicable when you are looking for a job. The question is, who is hiring and are you willing to work for the amount that they are able to pay you? Leif was really hoping to start working for Zions Bank. But unfortunately because of the economy they are holding off on hiring for a bit. We are hoping that he will be able to work for them by the middle of next month. Until then, Leif has had to get a job at Wendys so we can pay the bills. I feel blessed that he is humble and responsible enough to take the job so he can take care of us.

Our health is still no fun. We all have colds and Jakob did end up getting it too. So we're smearing on our GOOT and taking our vitamins, and trying to get better.

We will all start school full time online the end of August. Leif will study with Dixie State, I will study with Global College Of Natural Medicine, and Jakob will be in Preschool and Dance. And Caleb will probably learn to sit up. :)

We have many blessings to be grateful for and many things to look forward to!

The Five Love Languages

Tonight I have been pondering a lot about one of the most helpful books that Leif and I have ever read together. We were blessed to read it right after we got married and we have referred to it throughout our marriage. It is called The Five Love Languages written by Gary Chapman. Rather then trying to convince you that Dr. Gary Chapman has some great advise, I will give you a taste of his great work and let you decide for yourself.

The following is from his website: http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/

"Your emotional love language and the language of your spouse may be as different as Chinese from English. No matter how hard you try to express love in “English”, if your spouse understands only “Chinese”, you will never understand how to love each other. . ."

Words of Affirmation
"Mark Twain once said “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Verbal appreciation speaks powerfully to persons whose primary Love Language is “Words of Affirmation.” Simple statements, such as, “You look great in that suit,” or “You must be the best baker in the world! I love your oatmeal cookies,” are sometimes all a person needs to hear to feel loved. . ."

Quality Time
"Quality time is more than mere proximity. It’s about focusing all your energy on your mate. A husband watching sports while talking to his wife is NOT quality time. Unless all of your attention is focused on your mate, even an intimate dinner for two can come and go without a minute of quality time being shared.
Quality conversation is very important in a healthy relationship. It involves sharing experiences, thoughts, feelings and desires in a friendly, uninterrupted context. A good mate will not only listen, but offer advice and respond to assure their mate they are truly listening. Many mates don’t expect you to solve their problems. They need a sympathetic listener.
An important aspect of quality conversation is self-revelation. In order for you to communicate with your mate, you must also be in tune with your inner emotions. It is only when you understand your emotions and inner feelings will you then be able to share quality conversation, and quality time with your mate. . ."

Receiving Gifts
"Some mates respond well to visual symbols of love. If you speak this love language, you are more likely to treasure any gift as an expression of love and devotion. People who speak this love language often feel that a lack of gifts represents a lack of love from their mate. Luckily, this love language is one of the easiest to learn.
If you want to become an effective gift giver, many mates will have to learn to change their attitude about money. If you are naturally a spender, you will have no trouble buying gifts for your mate. However, a person who is used to investing and saving their money may have a tough time adjusting to the concept of spending money as an expression of love. These people must understand that you are investing the money not in gifts, but in deepening your relationship with your mate. . ."

Acts of Service
"Sometimes simple chores around the house can be an undeniable expression of love. Even simple things like laundry and taking out the trash require some form of planning, time, effort, and energy. Just as Jesus demonstrated when he washed the feet of his disciples, doing humble chores can be a very powerful expression of love and devotion to your mate. . ."

Physical Touch
"Many mates feel the most loved when they receive physical contact from their partner. For a mate who speaks this love language loudly, physical touch can make or break the
relationship. . ."

You can define what your love language is by taking a 30 second quiz on Dr. Chapman's website: http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/ He also gives some suggestions on how to apply the love languages in our relationship as well as how to begin the reconstruction of a shaky marriage. Dr. Chapman addresses the following subjects on his website:

Making Marriage Work: It doesn't have to feel like a chore
Getting Started: Six First steps to a new beginning (from newlyweds to empty-nesters)
Conflict Resolution: Finding Hope in Anger's Clothing

The Frequently Asked Questions that are discussed on the website expand on a lot of struggles that we might face at one time or another.

Frequently Asked Questions About Marriage

1. How can I get him to really talk to me? answer
2. When do I address my spouse's irritating habits, and when do I "let it go"? answer
3. How do I nurture a spiritual relationship with my spouse when I don't feel comfortable praying out loud? answer
4. We are both working full time and when I get home, I start dinner but my husband comes in and sits on the couch. How do I encourage him to participate in household chores? answer
5. My spouse is not a believer, but I am. How do I cope with this? answer
6. My spouse professes to be a believer, but I see no fruit in his/her life. What should I do? answer
7. I found out my husband is addicted to pornography. Where do I turn? answer
8. I have tried, but I really don't enjoy sex. I am just doing it to be obedient. What can I do? answer
9. We got married because I was pregnant and now I feel like I have made a big mistake. Can I get a divorce or do I have to stick it out? If so, where do I start? answer
10. How can I get her/him to have sex more often and make sure we both enjoy it? answer
11. After being married one year, I'm not sure I'm "in love" anymore. Where could we have gone wrong? answer
12. I recently got married, but have been on my own for many years. How do we build a life together? How do I submit to my spouse's decisions after making my own decisions for so long? answer
13. My husband is in a position of authority within the church. I feel uncomfortable sharing my struggles with anyone at church and feel so alone. answer
14. My husband/wife is emotionally abusive. My friends are all telling me not to stay. When is it okay to leave? answer

Dr. Chapman also addresses a lot about anger and apology on his website and in his books. I appreciated his book titled Five Love Languages For Children too. I think it will be more beneficial later on down the road!

I really hope that you might find the Five Love Languages to be as helpful to you as it has been for Leif and I.

God Bless!

Where Does Jesus Live?

I have been thinking a lot about how we are teaching Jakob about the gospel and about the Savior. We are trying to make these subjects common topics of discussion. This morning as we walked into the church I reminded Jakob that we needed to be reverent because Jesus was with us and He wants us to be reverent. Jakob's eyes and ears perked up and he began searching. He began asking "Where is Jesus?" Then he saw the stake high councilman walking to the stand and he asked "Is that Jesus?" We would smile and try to answer him the best that we could.

He tried to figure out where Jesus was through the majority of the meeting. But as he was looking, I began to become more and more perplexed. How in the world do you explain to a 3 year old where Jesus lives? We could tell him that Jesus is in his heart. But that isn't entirely true. That is the Holy Ghost. Jesus is a physical being, therefore he can't dwell in our hearts. So where does He live? Well He lives in heaven. So, where is heaven? All around us. But why can't we see it? Well . . . ? There are answers to these questions. But they aren't the answers that a preschooler understands.

So Leif and I pondered about how we can help Jakob understand. Leif prayed about it, and this is what he came up with. Tomorrow for family home evening we are going to prepare a peach cobbler without Jakob knowing and have it cooking in grandma's oven when we go down for family home evening (we have FHE outside in the back yard) When Jakob walks in the kitchen he will surely notice that there is a delicious smell emanating from the oven. Thus the beginning of the lesson. We will talk about how we can smell the yummy cobbler, but he can't see it. But he knows it's there because of the sweet familiar smell.

That is like heaven and Jesus. Heaven is all around us. We can't see heaven or Jesus, (unless He wants us to) but we know that they are there because of the sweet feelings we feel when they are near. When Christ is near, the Holy Ghost witnesses this to our heart. It is up to us whether we recognize the feelings or not.
More Answers

Ponderings About The Girls

I often dream about the girls. Most of the time I am telling someone their story, or sometimes I am frantic because I know that I have a baby laying somewhere in the house and I have forgotten to feed it for hours and hours. Last night they were both there, but like it was when Rhea was born her sister had already passed away so I was panicking because no one had fed Rhea for the whole day. She was still alive. Caleb woke me up shortly after that dream... to feed him. Sometimes, like another dream I had last night I dream about others who have twins or triplets and I envy them.

But then, I wake up. And the emotions that are displayed in my dreams are no longer apparent. Except over the 4th of July weekend. The Sunday before the holiday there was a story shared in Relief Society about a little girl who had beat the odds in the NICU and even though the doctors told her parents she would have severe brain damage. She survived and had no signs of her early struggles. Of course not long after that someone told me another story very similar to this one. And I began to wonder . . . What if we would have held out just a little bit longer for Rhea?

I finally talked to Leif about it. He is always a light for me in dark times. He reminded me of the facts about Rheas health. She was showing signs of seizures. Her kidneys had failed. She would not have made it. And that is what the Lord told us. He reminded me that we got our answer. We knew what we had to do then. We should never question an answer from the Lord. Though we might not ever really like the answer, we must accept it to find true peace!

The House Has Been Under 80 Degrees For Two Days!

Yesterday I finally decided that I had to work harder to keep the house cool. The heat was draining all of us. It wasn't below 85 after noon. So I took action!

We made sure the AC was on from the morning light on. We didn't open the curtains. We only had two of the lights on in our house (we live in a one bedroom studio type house.) We kept the fans on high and the humidifier blowing out cold humidity. It worked! By dinner time yesterday I was able to use the oven for dinner because it wasn't too hot in the house. Wonder how I kept the house from heating up by the stove? Well, I faced a fan towards the oven to blow the heat back at it. I covered the top of the stove and the door of the oven with a blanket. And it worked beautifully! I miss the light. But we feel better.

Sometimes you just have to accept what you have and work with it! Where there's a will there's a way.

To Everything There Is A Season and Order

I was inspired this morning by my new friends blog. She shared her testimony about a few verses in the bible. It got me thinking about my scripture study. Or the lack thereof. We have family scripture study. Jakob is still willing to sit and read with us for the most part. We challenge him to listen for the different references to Jesus as we read, and then we let him mark them with a highlighting pencil.

But it's my personal scripture study that has been struggling. So I will try to do better! Right now I am consumed with the desire to move forward. I'm sure you know what I mean. The desire to provide for your family and meet everyone's needs including your own...

Leif and I are doing all that we can right now to do that. There are just many obstacles that come along the way. This morning a couple of my favorite scripture verses come to mind.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 - 8
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. www.scriptures.lds.org/en/eccl/3

I need to remember that there are many many seasons of life. All the way from losing and mourning the loss of a child, to the few months that it takes to potty train a child. The key is that if your struggling with the present season, remember that it will eventually end and the journey of a new season will soon be upon you. So, our challenge is to plant and harvest as many seeds of learning as we possibly can during that season so that you can apply them to the next season.

I also very much appreciate the counsel given in the Doctrine & Covenants Section 88: 119 - 120

119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

120 That your incoming may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High. www.scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/88

This can be our endless goal. I can work on this for a life time no matter where I am, no matter what is happening in life. If I can follow this counsel from the Lord then I will be continually moving forward.

So, now I will go and work on establishing a house of order. It does not matter the size of the home, there will always be something that needs to be put in order.

With God, all things are possible!

A Day Focused On Holistic Health: GOOT Recipe and Natural Medicine School Announcement

Last night we watched a documentary on Netflix's Instantly to our computer. It is called Super Size Me! It was incredible. Leif and I already have their same opinion, that fast food has the potential to make the world sick. They tend to see it as a conspiracy. Personally, I see it as a business situation. Fast Food and Grocery Owners are business owners. I don't think they are out to kill all of their customers. They are out to sell their product and if the customer will buy more, they'll keep selling it. I think the problem is that we, the human family, do not value our bodies. If we valued ourselves we would never allow ourselves to consume something that is harmful. Too much of any one thing has the potential to become a problem.

We need to teach ourselves and our children why our bodies are valuable. Those reasons will have to come in another entry. Right now I just want to say, I hope you'll think about the issue that this documentary is trying to get out and apply what you learn to your life.
Leif and I began pondering what will will do when we send our kid's to school (unless we home school) and there are no options for good healthy foods. We determined that of course we would send them with a lunch, be we will also continue to teach them about the value of healthy eating and hopefully they will act upon those teachings when they are more independent.

Information about Super Size Me: "On the heels of recent lawsuits against McDonald's, director Morgan Spurlock takes a hilarious and often terrifying look at the effects of fast food on the human body. For one month, Spurlock eats nothing but McDonald's food, ordering everything on the menu at least once and "super-sizing" his order if asked. With obesity on the rise, Spurlock's film begs the question: Where does personal responsibility end and corporate responsibility begin?"

Leif and I have had a bit of a throat infection this week. Unfortunately, Caleb came down with it last night. I have tried some of my home remedies to try and help him. He's laying asleep with Lavender mist blowing over him from the humidifier. This should help his fever go down. Yes dad, I gave him IB Profin;) But I know that what he has is a virus and antibiotics won't help him. I knew that garlic was the answer to his ailment. But at 3 months old even having him ingest garlic oil could potentially make him sick. So I went to my trusty friend Google, I found exactly what I was looking for!

A lady has a great blog and she put a recipe on her site for GOOT. It is Garlic, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil put together to make a salve. Here is the recipe:

" I will have you know that we have been using this remedy for a few years, and this is the first actual recipe I found for it. I am glad I found it, because my recipe is for olive oil and garlic, and I chopped it instead of putting it into the blender/food processor. I just leave the garlic chinks in mine, and I notice it does get stronger as it ages.

I love this list of all of the ailments this mixture can be used for. We put it into little noses today as well as into ears, and I can already see a marked improvement. We always rub it on the bottoms of feet and put socks on, because your feet are like a direct line to your bloodstream. Recently, I rubbed some on Isaac’s chest, and he coughed when it reached his nose… ahhhh! good! That meant that it works like Vick’s too! Great! We rub it across the bridge of the nose and the outside of the ears too.

GOOT Garlic Oil Treatment
Anti-infective/Anti-fungal/Anti-parasites
MAKING GOOT
Warm three tablespoons of Coconut oil over stove until melted and add three tablespoons of olive oil. Remove from heat and add three tablespoons of fresh chopped garlic. Blend at slow speed, then at high speed for two minutes. Use a blender or coffee grinder. Pour mixture through a screen to remove chunks of garlic that the blender may have missed. Pour into a wide mouth jar and label it “GOOT.” Place in a refrigerator.
Freshly made, the mixture is a milky color and runny. GOOT turns into a thick soft paste after one hour. After being in the fridge for several hours, it is just hard like a salve easy to spread.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF GOOT, rubbed into the skin, transfers raw garlic oil directly into the blood stream. Apply on the feet of children or infants to fight infections. Rub on chest for chest colds, pneumonia or rub into nostrils for sinus infections. Place on cotton swab for ear infections. Apply directly to sores inside the mouth. Rub on Athlete’s foot or genital area for jock itch. Insert GOOT into affected area for yeast or other related infections. Apply on rashes any place. GOOT kills Candida, parasites, bad bacteria and virus by direct application.
In addition, it treats systemic infections by absorption through the skin into the blood supply and travels throughout the body. After two weeks, make a new batch of GOOT.
http://www.nacd.org/more_information/health/goot.html
http://www.welltellme.com/discuss/index.php?topic=3310. "
-- Jacque Dixon

I'll make it this afternoon and let you know how it goes. Not that I doubt it!

Finally, I will let you all in on a possible adventure that I am pondering about embarking on. Ever since we lost the twins I have gained a strong appreciation for holistic health, meaning healthy nutrition, herbs, etc. Over the last two years I've pondered getting a Holistic Health Practitioners Certificate. Then I could actually give out my thoughts and advise legally. I've looked through many different schools over time and I found one that Leif and I are really impressed with it is called Global College of Natural Medicine. If I do decide to start school again I will do their Holistic Health Practitioner program. Here are the details of the program:

GCNM’s home-study Holistic Health Practitioner Program contains 20 comprehensive lessons, covering topics in the areas of holistic nutrition, herbology, environmental medicine, energy work, mind-body medicine, anatomy, terminology, and much, much more.
A Holistic Health Practitioner is someone who is an expert in various aspects of holistic health and is able to offer clients a wide array of natural treatment options. An HHP is able to evaluate an individual’s diet and lifestyle, and uses the latest advances in nutrition and holistic medicine to offer positive lifestyle changes and a personalized meal plan and exercise program. An HHP has advanced knowledge of anatomy, medical terminology, vitamins, minerals, and herbs, and possesses strong empathy for his fellow men.

An HHP recognizes that the whole person needs to be treated and is able to assess the client’s emotional state, while helping to establish a positive balance between body, mind, and spirit. An HHP works on the premise that the body has an innate healing ability and his/her job lies in helping to establish the right environment for self-healing to take place.

Career possibilities for Graduates:
At this point in time, many Holistic Health Practitioners choose to work in private practice offering individualized consultations. Others may be involved in:
- Manufacturing or formulating dietary supplements. - Holding health seminars - Writing articles or books on various aspects of holistic medicine. - Operating or working at a health food store. - Educating others about alternative medicine.

This is a 24 month program that can be finished earlier if needed. Of course money is the issue. We'll look in to financial aid and pray about it some more.

Summer Jack-O-Lantern

This afternoon we got a phone call from a member of our bishopric. He was letting us know that a truck carrying a huge load of watermelon had rolled near Kanab. That is not an uncommon occurrence. But when it happens they have to claim perfectly good food a total loss. So all of us in Fredonia and Kanab get the fruits of their loss.

Leif's dad brought us a watermelon this evening and when Jakob saw it he asked if we were going to cut it and put the seeds in a bowl. I asked Leif what he thought Jakob meant, we realized that he wanted to carve it like a Jack-O-Lantern. So, that's exactly what we did! We dug all the fruit out and it's chilling in the fridge. Bet you can't guess what we're eating for breakfast lunch and dinner tomorrow.

We had a fun evening making our Summer Pumpkin. If it lasts through the heat of tomorrow we will probably put a citronella candle in it tomorrow night.

Leif and I Cut My Hair Again

I know I mentioned that we cut my hair a few weeks ago or so. But once it grew a tiny bit I decided that I needed it shorter. We don't have any money for haircuts. So we dove in and took a chance again and cut it ourselves.

I put it in a ponytail right up to my head above my neck and Leif used his hair razor to cut it off. When I took the elastic band off I was worried. But once I took the scissors to it and did a little touch up work I ended up loving it. A lot of people have said they like it too. So that's fun.

Country Livin'

We had a wonderful Independence Day weekend! We drove up to beautiful Alton on Thursday and had a yummy homemade pizza picnic with family and friends. Of course there were smores and trampoline games after dinner.

Alton is a tiny town built in a green valley surrounded by red and white mountains that are covered with green pines and sage bushes. Most of the townsfolk are cattle ranchers so most of the houses are placed next to the large fields. Some with animals, some without. It is wonderfully cool temps and you almost always bid the day farewell with a stunning sunset.

With that said you can get a feel for our surroundings as we celebrated our nations freedoms as well as the town of Alton's 100 year birthday celebration. On Friday we were woke up at 5:00AM our time by the town fire truck's siren. Stacey (my sister in law) is the fire chief, so she and Leif's brother Erik drove the truck. They drove it down every street in town making sure everyone knew that it was a day to wake up and celebrate. Leif went in to the house and helped prepare a delicious breakfast. I stayed in bed with the kids:) I was thrilled that the sirens didn't wake them up. I climbed out of bed a little while later after the town played Big Band music over the town speakers, that got me smiling and hopping out of bed.

After breakfast we went to a parade and then a patriotic centennial ceremony.
That evening we joined everyone in Alton at the park and had a dutch oven cookout, MMM! That night we went home to play a game of Boccie Ball. Grandma took Jakob to the Old Time Country dance. The game was fun, but I found myself missing Jakob. I love to watch him dance! I was delighted to get a phone call from grandma telling me that Jakob only wanted to dance with me. We rushed over to the town hall and I got to dance with Jakob before we headed out to see the fireworks show. That was a special mama moment. The fireworks were a lot of fun too!

Saturday proved to be another fun day! The big event was the truck tour of Alton that we took. Erik drove us through the outskirts of town to see all of the land that Stacey's family owns. We only got high centered once on a log. Mark climbed on the back bumper and we rumbled off the log and kicked up a lot of dust. Just like a normal Baron Exploration Trip!:)

I wasn't surprised when we drove down to the shooting field. Guns are a part of small town recreation. I have tried to shelter Jakob from guns for a long time. I have finally had to accept that he is a little boy and boys are usually fascinated with guns. But I NEVER expected to shoot a gun myself, in his presence. Everyone really tried to get me to shoot the 45 caliber gun. I hesitated for a while. But they helped me realize that if I shot a gun myself, I had a better understanding of what I was trying to explain to Jakob which is that a gun is a VERY powerful thing. And it was!!! After shooting my first target I decided that I wanted to put Jakob in a gun safety and education class this summer. I want him to understand the seriousness of guns so that if he ever comes in contact with a gun while away from home, he will know what to say and do, and why. He and his cousins will start this summer. And no, I don't think I'll shoot again.

We are so grateful for all of our family. We are surrounded by fun and supportive family on both sides. This is a true blessing!