He's Sleeping In His Room!!

Sometimes we just have to focus on life's little joys. Sometimes, those little joys seem really big! Leif worked really hard this weekend and built a room for Caleb. And Caleb is asleep at the moment. I love that life can go on and he can still sleep!

The room isn't completely finished. We want to sound proof it is much as possible. We're going to put carpet on the walls. Hopefully this will help a little bit. But for now, I'm grateful to have him enclosed in four walls!!!

Thank you My Love for your HARD work!! I truly appreciate your willingness to help my life be a little easier!

Walls, Organization, and Building Plans

My previous post mentioned that I thrive on change. One of the ways that I keep my sanity is by constantly making upgrades to our living space. My husband is a very patient man. He is the one who has to carry out my "projects." I try really hard to keep my projects as realistic. But realistic doesn't always mean easy.

Yesterday was "Wall" day. For the two years up to this point our walls have been sections of paneling and curtains. We had the curtains up because we needed to be able to get behind the wall to the storage space behind. But I am weary of the inconsistent wall design. So... Leif made some Wall-Doors. We put panels up that are secured by hinges and a little lock. This makes it so we can open and shut the door, but it looks like the rest of the wall (for the most part.)

Before the Wall-Door, Jakob's extra toys were bagged and tossed behind the wall. I knew he had a lot of toys, but I didn't know exactly how many toys he had, until yesterday. Jakob and I organized his toys yesterday. Leif helped me set up some makeshift shelves (some of you might recognize our old camping cot) and I was able to neatly organize the family toy space. Now we can open the "toy wall" (as it has now been labeled) every Monday night after Family Home Evening and switch out toys. We can only have about three buckets of toys out at a time because of our little living space.

Last night Caleb helped us make up our minds to move forward on our next building plans. We are going to build two closet size spaces off of our bedroom against the back of the kitchen wall. Caleb will sleep in one room and the other nook will be our clothes closet. Caleb had to fuss himself to sleep last night and it was really nerve racking trying to keep him from waking Jakob up, let alone falling asleep ourselves. I really look forward to being able to put Caleb in his own room.

Once all of our projects are done I will be able to paint. I look forward to that. But I am having a problem deciding on the colors... What colors go well with sunshine Yellow? That's the color of the current walls. I will be sponge painting accent colors in each of the rooms. I think we will let Jakob paint murals on his walls.

These changes are good!

Fall Is In The Air

Fall is in the air. I really enjoy the Fall season. I think it might be because Fall symbolizes change and I really enjoy change. There are only three things in my life that I do not like changed. They are 1. The presence of my family members on earth 2. The companionship of my husband 3. My membership in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Other then that I thrive on change. That's another reason that I don't just have one favorite season. My favorites are Spring and Fall. I love the holidays of Winter and the holidays of Summer. But the seasons themselves are not necessarily what I enjoy. However, I enjoy the Fall season.

We live in a very small community and with that comes the small town festivities. Sometimes the town themselves put on the events. Other times our church will sponsor the events and everyone in the town is invited. When Fall comes around we have our annual Fall Festival.

Yesterday we went to the Fall Festival at the LDS Stake Center in Moccasin. The scarecrow and cornstalk decorations along the road leading to the church were so inviting and set the stage perfectly. They had a wagon pulled by two little mules for the kids to ride in, an Ol' Ragtime band singing live, old fashion games like marbles and donuts on a stick, a Washbasin Train custom made for the kids, and an amazing roast beef and dutch oven potato dinner, topped off with a million different homemade cobblers for dessert.

I love this event because it is always so fun for the kids. But it is also a time where all of us as adults are able to gather and renew old friendships and strengthen the current ties we have. It is wonderful to have something that draws Everyone out. And Fall is just the beginning of the seasonal small town festivities we enjoy!

The following is a sldeshow of the fun we had at the festival.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

This quiz was really fun!
-Thanks Wendy:)








I am Belle.
"Intelligent and kind. Your beauty goes much further than your apperance. Also, you make judgements of people based on their personality and not their looks. Attaining all the knowledge that you can is one of your major goals in life, but you are also a person who can make things happen."

PRINCESS QUIZ

Little One's Got The Flu

Wowsers! I think Caleb has the flu. I feel so bad for him. He no longer has a fever. But he is still really sick. He's thrown up all over the world at least 3 times. Last night and in to the morning was a nightmare. Our best hour is the hour directly after him throwing up.

He just lays around and moans. Leif and his dad gave him a blessing this afternoon. I hope he starts to feel better soon!!!

I made a lotion with garlic and lavender oil. It doesn't smell as bad as GOOT and it spreads easier. Hopefully that will help too!

Jakob has been really cute lately. Let's see if I can remember the cute moments...

He's starting to draw pictures of faces. He just brought me one that has eyes, ears, and a nose, with ears that stick out on sticks from the head. It's really cute! I love all of the color he uses too.
Yesterday Jakob was practicing his dance moves all day. We would ask him to walk somewhere and he would do his side skips to the destination instead. It was very cute!

Fevers and Clogged Up Noses

Ahhh, the joys! Caleb and Jakob are sick Again! I'm not even sure if Jakob has a new cold, or this one has lasted so long that it just feels like a new one. Caleb has a fever and is Extremely fussing when his medicine runs low. Jakob just has a lot of junk in his nose, head, and chest.

I have got to find a miracle cure for the common cold besides antibiotics. I'm still working on it. I know garlic would probably help, but I can not stand the smell! ....

We'll survive. I just like to keep updated on things like illness for records sake.

I'll spice this post up with a photo:

Isn't He Precious!

The Girls Would Be Two

It often feels like the evening hours bring out underlining thoughts and emotions. Throughout the last week or so I have pondered thoughts and memories of my girls. Jakob has mentioned them on occasion lately too. He speaks about them more then Leif and I do. He says that he misses them and asks when they will come back...

When you lose a child (or two), and then give birth to another one there is often the question in your mind whether this new child will feel like a replacement of the children you lost. We have learned that no child can be replaced. You truly love every child that you have as individuals. I have been amazed at how I have fallen in love more and more with Caleb (just as I fell in love with my other children) and yet, I still ponder about my girls and I miss them...

They would be two years old this October. A day before Halloween to be exact (how bizarre, isn't it?) On good days, I think that Leif and I could have handled twins. On the not so good days, I think we would have survived and my life would have been incredibly different. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever get the thought of having another set of twins out of my mind. I wouldn't call it a desire... it's just this strange pondering I have.... I think it goes along with the desire I had to have a girl (when I was pregnant with Caleb) and I found out I was having a boy. I cried and realized that what I really wanted was just my girls.

So, yes, we still miss them. It is so strange! We didn't even "know them." Emotions and Spirits are so strong! The connection evolves as our family relationships evolve.

BUT! I have made another conclusion this week. There are many layers of healing after you lose a loved one. I believe that I have overcome another layer and that is why I am able to do all that I am doing. I have not gotten outside of my "box" in the last Two Years as much as I have in the last two Weeks. I am driving again, I am visiting teaching again, I am going to school again, I am willing to make phone calls again... It is refreshing!

We will be able to go to the cemetery for the anniversary of the girls' birth this year. It is always a bitter sweet experience. I will go visit my grandma's grave too. I haven't been since her funeral. I still miss her too... It will be nice to pay a visit... I think.

Women's Forum and What I Learned

Today has been a Great Day! The town of Kanab had their annual Women's Forum today. I have always wanted to go to something like this where women come together and are edified by different people sharing thoughts on different subjects according to their expertise. I finally took the opportunity thanks to Leif who graciously care for the kids the whole time. He even brought Caleb to me twice for feedings. (Thanks My Love!)

The keynote speaker of the forum was actually a woman who has impacted my life for the good. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit with her for a moment as well as hear her address the women on a couple of occasions. Her name is Anita Stansfield. You may be familiar with her work. She is the author of 39 published books. The majority of her books are romance novels written for Latter Day Saint and other Christian readers.

I was introduced to Anita's books a little over two years ago when I was pregnant with my twin daughters. I love her books because every single book focuses on change and healing. Two subjects that I am poignantly familiar with. I love being able to read a book and feel like I am a much better person because of reading it. That is how I feel every time I finish a novel written by Anita Stansfield.

I received some valuable information for me personally at the forum today. The first was an answer to my question: "How can I help my children respect my work rather then resenting it when they get older?" The answer that was given by Anita (who has juggled writing and motherhood to five children) was this: Allow the child to come to you as you work as often as it is possible. Address the child's need. Ask them if whatever they need you to do is something that has to be addressed immediately or is it something you can set a time to come back together to and address later. Then, Follow Through with the appointment!"
I know that this simple technique will be very helpful for me in the long run of my life.

I believe that by establishing guidelines of communication between parent ans child and respect for each other's time and circumstances we can help our children recognize that they are valued. And in turn, they will learn to value their parents and the parents personal life. In my opinion, when we constantly drop everything we are doing so that we can help our child with things that they can do for themselves, we are crippling them. I hope that one day I will be able to look at my teenager and see some initiative and independence. Not too much:) Yet, enough to make them a healthy confident adult.

Today was an eye opener for me. I realized that I was on a dangerous path. As a nanny, for many of the jobs it was part of my job description to "wait" on the children and also the parents at times. I did this for over 10 years. It was not uncommon to make 3 different meals for one meal setting. As a mother, that has trickled into my mothering job description. Granted there are some things I WILL NOT do, separate meals is one of them as well as Sippy Cups constantly full of chocolate milk. But up to this point, Jakob has had A Lot of help.

But this afternoon, I took my first conscious step in a healthier direction. I was standing at the sink up to my elbows in suds and dishes. Leif was downstairs working on homework. And Jakob asked for some ketchup to eat with his snack. My first instinct was to drop the dish I was washing, wipe my wet hands on my shirt (for the tenth time) and grab him the ketchup. But I stopped, smiled, and I said "ya think you can get that all by yourself:)" He of course thought that was so cool and jumped down and got it out of the fridge, poured it, and put it back in the fridge without me asking him.:) Mission Accomplished! Only 20 more years to go!:)

Our Favorite Television Show

When Caleb was born I was converted to http://www.abc.com/. We don't have a television and I needed a show to watch that could entertain me during the late hours of baby time. So I started watching Dancing With The Stars. Jakob started watching it with me during the day and it gave us some special yet, down time. Of course it gave me teaching moments about modesty and valuing our body, as well as some intro to dance time for Jakob. It was fun while it lasted. But the season ended and life moved on without television.

And then we found Extreme Makeover Home Edition. This is now our Favorite television show. Leif and I Love this show because it is purely an act of an incredible service. Jakob Loves it because of the demolition of the house at the beginning and the fun bedrooms and houses that they build. But we can tell that the "goodwill" part of the show reaches him too. He is calm and kind when the show is on. There is just a good feeling while we watch the show together. That is a VERY rare opportunity now days while watching television. I sure hope that the series doesn't change and only continues they're great example of service.

If you ever feel like you just need to refill your cup a bit, maybe you could try a round of Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Yes, it is hard not to feel a bit envious of the new home owners. But at the same time, it kind of gives us some motivation to reach out and strive to be worthy of the blessings that come when you serve others.

Remembering September 11, 2001

I was on a mission in Northern Illinois for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on September 11, 2001. I had been on my mission for over 1 year. The majority of the time on my mission was spent serving the Sailors in the United States Navy on their training bases in Chicago. The Navy Boot camp is located in a suburb outside of Chicago.

As a missionary, we serve with other missionaries (called companions) by teaching the people in our area about Jesus Christ and his gospel. Serving on the Navy base was a different type of area in a regular proselyting mission. It was a non-proselyting area. We did not solicit religion. We simply lived the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Lord directed people to us who were interested in learning more about the gospel.

The months leading up to September 11, 2001 were packed with what we would call a season palnting and of harvest. The Sailors were so ready for the gospel. My companions and I volunteered in many different ways on the Navy bases. In their USO's for example, their Thrift Stores, and in many other ways. We would attend every single Pass and Review (Boot Camp graduation.) During these ceremonies we sat on the stand with officers and honored guests. When we were not volunteering we were teaching the gospel. During this time the director of the USO had a religious meditation room built for the Sailors and us to conduct our spiritual discussions. This time was an incredible experience. Little did we know what lay ahead of us.

On the morning of September 11th we woke up and studied just like every other day. That morning after study time we left for a District Meeting with all of the other missionaries in our area. I remember that the sky was a beautiful blue, the sun was shining, and the air was perfect temperature, and it was quiet. It is important to mention that as missionaries we do not watch television of any kind, we don't listen to the radio, and we don't read newspapers while on our mission. So we live quite a secluded lifestyle.

As we entered the parking lot of the church the first thing that struck us as odd is that the other missionaries were still sitting in their cars. We parked and began walking toward them and they rushed to us and told us that someone had flown into the twin towers in New York. They had been told by one of their neighbors and they immediately turned on their car radio. We rushed to listen just as the second plane flew into the second tower.

The feeling that overcame us was chilling. I can feel it even now as I write this. For my companions and I this single event impacted us more then any of the other missionaries in our mission. We instinctively knew that this blatant attack was an act of war. War had taken on new meaning for us. We now knew and loved those men and women who would fight this war for us. We knew that the Navy base that we served would be strongly secured and there was a very real possibility that we would not be allowed on the base ever again. But we also knew something else...

We knew that our Father in Heaven loves the men and women serving in our armed forces. We knew that we had very pure intentions to serve these Sailors and bring them the hope and guidance that they would need in such a difficult time. And we KNEW that it was the will of the Lord for us to serve them directly and be in their midst. We knew that without a doubt.

When I need a reminder of what it feels like to have true faith, I think of this moment. We knew what the Lord's will was, and we knew that He would open up a path for us to do His will. We just had to move forward.

After our meeting we went directly home. I will never forget how it felt to be so clearly guided by the Lord. We as sisters (missionary companions) were all of one mind and one spirit in this endeavor to go out and gather our Sailors. The following is what we were directed to do through the gift of the spirit.

We went home and began a batch of chocolate chip cookies to give to the Sailors, just like we always did. As they cooked we all changed our clothes into our most professional looking dress suits with our military issued black dress shoes. We knelt down and prayed fervently for guidance and for a miracle. We then left for the Great Lakes Navy Base. As we drove we were all in a state of humbled silence and prayer.

We had a list of Sailors that we had to talk to. These were Sailors who were scheduled to fly out that day (before the attacks), Sailors who were scheduled to be baptized during the upcoming Sunday services, Sailors who were in the middle of learning about the gospel, and the Sailors who were members of the little Branch of the church organized on the Navy Base. Before we left we prayed for each of these Sailors by name and asked the Lord to direct them to us.

As we got closer and closer to the base we realized that Every Sailor had been called to report to the base. We also realized that the base was under lock down (meaning no civilians allowed.) We knew what the protocol would be as we arrived on the base. We knew that they would search our car and review our entrance pass. When we finally arrived at the gates we knew that if we were allowed onto the base at this critical time, we would be able to continue to enter throughout the months to follow.

The entrance was lined with military police, with their guns and their dogs. We said one last prayer that the gates would be opened, and drove forward. We had a car in front of us that was being search and a car behind us that needed to be searched. Just as we got to the point that the guard taking care of us would have needed to pay closer attention to us if he wanted to send us away, he got distracted for a second. Whether he already knew who we were (which is possible) or he just felt that all was well, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that, He Flagged Us Through! We drove onto the base and away from the earshot of the guards and we let out a celebration filled scream! Behold, the gates were opened!

We knew that a miracle had taken place. Because of this, we had no doubt that we were supposed to be there and it gave us a tremendous amount of confidence in the will of the Lord. We parked our car and literally said, "Father please lead them to us." We could not go into their living quarters like we usually did. They had to come to us. And they did!

As we walked up the streets, one by one every one of the Sailors that we had on our list eventually found us. Truly a humbling experience... We wanted to learn more about what was happening in New York and now that we had all of us together we went to the Galley where there was food and televisions.

As we were there visiting with all of the Sailors, the acting Admiral of the Great Lakes Navy Base came into the Galley to mingle with the Sailors. When he saw us he came to us and gave us a hug. We knew each other from attending the pass and Reviews together as well as other events. He told us that we were needed at Great Lakes at this time and if Anyone tried to give us a hard time, to let them know that they could contact The Captain. We appreciated and used his suggestion on more then one occasion throughout out the next couple of months.

That night after we came home I will never forget the feelings of sadness for the tragic events that took place that morning and the life's that were taken. As well as the incredible confirmation of the power of our Savior Jesus Christ and His will and work.

I sat in our little apartment and recorded the address to the nation that President Bush gave. I remember the patriotism that I felt at that moment and was overwhelmed with gratitude that I had been allowed to witness the hand of the Lord so clearly that day.

There are many horrible things that happen throughout our world. Things that can weary the mind and tear down the spirit. But, if we will try to change our perspective a little and focus on the little miracles that take place after these horrible events, it makes things a little bit more bearable.

Thoughts about my selfish wife :)

This is actually the husband mentioned several times in Lena's Blog. She asked me to post a quick thought.

Interestingly enough, Lena's last entry created some concerns with loved ones and friends about her becoming selfish or at least thinking more about herself more then others.

First off, as her husband, that isn't true. I have a very sweet, loving, unselfish wife.

But for all those who had concerns let me tell you that I see where you are coming from with her last entry. I believe she wrote something like "I need my needs met and then everything else will work out." It was just a poor wording. Lena and talked about it and this is more of what it should have said.

"As I do those things that make me happy and do those things that bring light and enthusiasm into my life, I am then able to share that light, happiness, and joy of life with those I serve. As a young woman's leader, I have to show up fill with this genuine energy and enthusiasm that is so desperately needed in the life of these girls. If I show up depressed and lifeless, the girls will respond in the like manor. Think of the "goth" look that is so prevalent these days! I have to be able to share light! Look around you. Some people have a beautiful light in their eyes. They make you smile with their spontaneous smiles. These people are happy because something in their life is fulfilling them...something is filling their cup so it spills over onto us. I gather MY personal light from learning, helping, writing, and staying close to the Lord. This is why my plate is full. Or I should say, this is why my CUP is full. I am now constantly filling it and sharing it with those I love."

This is just a thought. Don't take anything too serious or get offended at anything here. We love you and we know you all love us. That's all that is important. We thank you for reading our blog and staying in touch with us and hope you will continue to do so and continue leaving your comments.

Thank you again,

Leif (the hubby)

Mission Accomplished! ... Reasons For Doing So Much

Thanks to my mother in law, I finally took my Entrance Exam yesterday! Everything went very smooth. The results were exactly as I predicted great reading and writing, poor math. I'm enrolled in English 101 and a basic computers (an easy class to get me up to 6 credits.)

I have been lovingly warned on a couple occasions that my plate might be too full right now. Let me share my reasons for this. Before I signed up for all of these classes I had to do a lot of pondering. I had to decide where I was personally and where I wanted to be.

My first question to myself was:
Who am I? Well, I am Lena Baron: Wife, Mother, Daughter, Young Women leader, Visiting Teacher, Friend, and a Daughter of God.
My next question: What do I Love doing? I love spending time with family (especially when Leif is with me.), I love gaining new knowledge in many subjects, and I love sharing the knowledge that I gain, most of all I love helping others feel better because of the knowledge that I share. Next Question: What can I do to meet my needs of gaining and sharing knowledge and also fulfil the other responsibilities that I have? Well, my first priority is my husband and children. You know the phrase "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"? That is most definitely true in our home. So in order to meet everyone else's needs, my cup has to be full first. If my cup is full, I am able to spread myself thinner and make the sacrifices necessary for everyone else including my church callings.

That is where the schooling, blogging, scriptures, and prayer come in. If I'm able to dabble in all of these things each day, then my cup is full enough to fill the other cups I need to fill. It's pretty much as simple as that. I need to fulfill my needs and then everything else falls into place. The key is to reevaluate often how everyone (including myself) is doing and rearrange accordingly. So far, our current plans are working out fine.

Jakob Started Dance Class Today!

Well, I feel good about the day. My mother in law and I decided to spend today doing the things that we needed to do and then spend tomorrow taking the test that I need to take.

I was able to get the house clean, do some shopping, and take Jakob to his first day of dance class. It feels good to go to bed with a clean house!!

Jakob really enjoyed his dance class. Leif and I stuck around and watched. It was an eye opener. He did just fine. It was cute. But it was interesting to see Jakob in the class setting from a far distance. He was the only boy in his class, so I wasn't surprised that he had a bit more energy then some of the girls. It was also his very first time learning any type of dance technique. It will be so good for him. His little body is still trying to grasp coordination and balance. So this will be really good. He will require practice outside of the class if we want him to grasp any of what the teacher is trying to teach him.

We made a balance beam for Family Home Evening tonight. We then spent the evening going through some of the things the teacher taught Jakob and played on the balance beam. He really enjoyed having Leif and I so actively focused on him. It was good for me to get up and be more active. I have never taken a dance class or anything like it. So "grace" is not in my physical nature. So Jakob and I will learn together.

This class is technically ballet and Jazz. But to 4 year old's, it's just dance!

Test Results

We had everything planned out for my "Testing Day" so I would be able to feed Caleb enough times and make it to all of the tests in one day before the school closed. Well, our plan didn't go exactly as planned. I sat in the audiologist office for 2 hours. So that messed everything up. But I did get the results back from my Dexa Scan (bone density.) My bones are at T -2.0. What that means is that I am half a point better then Osteoporosis. This may sound terrible to you, but my sister is only 2 years older then me and she is at a T -2.9 and officially has Osteoporosis. So I consider myself lucky!

I did eventually get in to take my hearing exam. I was surprised when he told me my hearing is perfectly normal. Honestly, I am questioning his opinion and am going to look into some things he mentioned. But, I do take it as good news that he didn't immediately detect a problem. He just told me to focus better when people are talking to me:) Gee...thanks!

I still have my college entrance exam test I need to take. So I will try to fit it in tomorrow. Problem is it is a 45 minute drive to get there, Leif is working, and I have the kids. I might have to take Caleb with me and they'll just have to deal with it. We'll see what happens. I would leave Caleb, but he refuses to take a bottle. Leif did get some pumped milk into him using a syringe on Friday. There's six teaspoons in one ounce. He only eats about 2 ounces per feeding... a syringe might work.:)

Tomorrow Is Testing Day

I'm not sure what has gotten into our family this year, but we are on the Education Journey for sure! I have decided to take two Community College courses as well as the Holistic Health Practitioner course. I will begin an English Composition course, as well as a Basic Computer course in mid September. I'm looking forward to a refreshers course on the technicalities of writing.

I have to go to the college tomorrow and take their placement exam. I'm confident that I will do fine on the English portion of the test. But math will most definitely be a joke. You might think I am just being modest. But I am not. I will be honest with you and tell you that my math level is literally probably at a 3rd grade level. There is a very real chance that I have a learning disability. I am actually going to talk to the college tomorrow about being tested. If I am officially diagnosed that will answer many questions from my whole life's journey. Wish me luck on the drive (by myself) and the test. Big steps for me. If you know me well, you know that I am NOT one who enjoys driving long distances.

Tomorrow is a day of tests. I will go to the audiologist and get a hearing test tomorrow afternoon. The genetic condition Osteogenesis Imperfecta runs in my family and it often causes hearing loss. I have shown signs of marked hearing loss in the last year. So I am finally going to be tested. Osteogenesis Imperfecta is also known as Brittle Bone Disease. That kind of sums it all up. My little niece had broken bones while in the womb. My father and my sister both have Osteoporosis. I haven't looked into my own personal bone health enough to tell you the stage that I am at. I am looking into that with my doctor right now.

So, life is moving along. I like the feeling of progressing. Jakob loves his school. I love my schooling. Leif enjoys his job and doesn't mind his schooling except the fact that he doesn't have enough time to focus on it. And Caleb enjoys the education that life brings.

Life is good!

New Family Christmas Tradition

When the wise men visited Jesus after his birth they came bringing gifts for him. As far as we have been told, there were three wise men and three gifts. Special, yes. But there were only three. Not the dozens of gifts that we tend to find under the traditional Christmas trees in our generation.

For the last couple of years Jakob has received many gifts for Christmas. All ranging from the new size of wardrobe needed, to the classic toy that we just HAD to get him. We started to notice after two years that he really didn't care about ALL of the gifts. He just enjoyed the whole thought of it all.

So when my friend told me about their "Three gifts for Christmas" tradition. We grabbed it! As you have probably put together, just as Christ was given three gifts for Christmas, we will follow this tradition and each person in our family will receive three gifts for Christmas from this point on (except from other outside sources of course like family and friends, though we have asked Santa to keep his present giving to one gift per child:)

We will spend the weeks after Thanksgiving leading up to Christmas focusing our teaching moments on the true meaning of Christmas and the gift that our Savior is. I found a few different families who follow this tradition and they have nothing but good things to say. Their children even say that it isn't a concern to them not to get dozens of gifts on Christmas morning. The feeling of the Christmas Spirit steels the show!

But what about all of the NEEDED items that are purchased and put under the tree each year. You know like undies, new clothes, socks, etc? I am not going to wait when the kid's need these items. We will just purchase them when needed and not make them such a huge event. This might help us give special gifts for Christmas.

My Personally Made Formula Arrived

Today I received something special in the mail. It's called Adrenal Mega B. It is a Vitamin B Complex that I formulated and had a company make for me. Throughout my studies I have concluded that I am in serious need of a mega dose of Vitamin B's. It is not easy to find a vitamin B complex that has a huge amount of vitamin B's and nothing else. As a nursing mother, I have to be careful what I take. So, I formulated this myself. There is a company who will allow you to formulate your product and they will fill the capsules for you and send it to you.

I'm excited to put it to use! I think my next product will be a Calcium-Mag-D supplement specially designed for myself and my family who has a genetic condition called Osteogenesis imperfecta.

Our Family Schedule

This is just for our family's benefit. It might be fun to look at later on down the road.

MONDAY
8:00AM (Feed Caleb, keep him up)
Breakfast
Accountable Kids
10:00AM (Mamas school time, Nap Caleb)
Play date
12:00PM (Feed Caleb)
Home
Lunch
12:30PM (Nap Caleb @1, School time until 2)
Nap
2:00PM (Feed Caleb)
Wake up
2:45PM
Leave for dance (starts @ 3:00)
3:00PM Leif’s Home (Leif’s School Time)
3:45PM
Pick up from dance (ends @ 4:00)
4:30PM (Feed and Nap Caleb)
Start Dinner
5:00PM (Leif’s done with school)
Eat Dinner
Clean Up
Garden
Bath
5:30PM
Family Home Evening
6:30PM (Feed Caleb)
Accountable Kids
7:00PM
Visit Grandma
7:30PM
Get Ready For Bed
Article of Faith
8:00PM (Feed and Sleep Caleb)
Be in bed!
9:00PM
Lena asleep

TUESDAY-THURSDAY
8:00AM (Feed Caleb, keep him up)
Breakfast
Accountable Kids
Snack
10:15 Feed Caleb
10:45AM Leave for school (school @ 11:00)
Mamas School Time (2 hours), Nap Caleb
1:15PM
Feed Caleb
1:30PM
Leave to pick Jakob up (ends @ 1:45)
2:00PM (Feed Caleb)
Lunch
2:30PM (L&L School time until 4:30, Leif until 5)
Nap Jakob and Caleb
4:30PM (Feed Caleb)
Wake up
Start dinner
5:00PM
Eat Dinner
Clean Up
Garden
Bath
6:30PM (Feed Caleb)
Accountable Kids
7:00PM (Wednesday Lena YW until 8:30)
Visit Grandma
7:30PM
Get ready for bed
Article of Faith
8:00PM (Feed and sleep Caleb)
Be in Bed!
9:00PM
Lena asleep

FRIDAY
8:00AM (Leif School (?)
Feed Caleb, keep him up
Breakfast
Accountable Kids
10:00AM
Start Laundry
Grocery Shopping
12:00PM
Lunch
Clean up
Laundry
1:00PM
Nap
3:00PM
Laundry
Leif School until 5:00
4:30PM (Feed and Nap Caleb)
Start Dinner
5:00PM (Leif’s done with school)
Eat Dinner
Clean Up
Garden
Bath
6:30PM (Feed Caleb)
Accountable Kids
7:00PM (Wednesday Lena YW until 8:30)
Visit Grandma
7:30PM
Get ready for bed
Article of Faith
8:00PM (Feed and sleep Caleb)
Be in Bed!
9:00PM
Lena asleep

SATURDAY
8:00AM (Leif School (?)
Feed Caleb, keep him up
Breakfast
Accountable Kids
10:00AM
Start House Project
4:30PM (Feed and Nap Caleb)
Start Dinner
5:00PM (Leif’s done with school)
Eat Dinner
Clean Up
Garden
Bath
6:30PM (Feed Caleb)
Accountable Kids
7:00PM
Visit Grandma
7:30PM
Get ready for bed
Article of Faith
8:00PM (Feed and sleep Caleb)
Be in Bed!
9:00PM
Lena asleep

Our First Day Of School and Our Food Philosophy

Well, as you may note from my last post we started school today. I'm actually not worried about Jakob's school day. Of course we explained to Jakob that when the teacher said ugly, she didn't mean it in a mean way and that the ugly duckling wasn't really ugly, it was very special, just like all of us. When it comes to snacks, I just thought it was very ironic that the teacher provided that kind of snack after she and I had an in depth conversation about healthy snacks. But, I can't worry too much about those things. We had to except long ago that Jakob is a member of the world out side of our little family bubble. We try not to shelter him to an extreme from different foods that he might be offered. We don't eat some of them in our home, so when he gets them I just tell myself it's not a regular part of his diet and move on.

Jakob understands that there are healthy foods and foods that are just made to taste good and eat at special times. One of the ways that we have taught him this is to play a game while we eat. As we eat we go around the table and quiz each other on what each of the foods on our plate does for our body. Jakob loves this because his goal right now is to grow as big as he can, as fast as he can! So the thought of food and sleep helping him reach these goals are very exciting to him.

ANYWAY... sorry about the tangent. Our day went really well! Last week I took a day and made a detailed schedule for our family to follow as we try to juggle everything that we've taken onto our plate. It Worked! Life could have been a nightmare today. But everything went really smooth. I think the only person who might not get all of the time that he needs is Leif. I do worry about this... We'll have to try and make a point of sending him off to do his homework when it's time.

I have already learned some fascinating things and look forward to learning more. Jakob is excited to have some friends and it makes life so much easier to have him be entertained by someone else for three hours of the day. Caleb slept during those three hours. So, I'm set!

I realize that it's only the first day. But it sure will be nice if things keep going like this...

What Did Jakob Learn At School Today?

So Jakob ran out of his first day of preschool and Ran into my arms. What caught my eye was an orange powdery ring around his mouth... Hmmm? I thought... We had a bit of trouble getting into the car, but I'll write that later. Right now I have to tell you about the conversation that Jakob and Leif just had. It went something like this, "So Jakob what did your teacher teach you today?... Umm, a new bad word... Oh... what was the word?... Can't remember. How did you hear it?... With my ears. Jakob so what did you have for snack? Umm... two marshmallows and Cheetos."

Should I be worried about Jakob's first day of school?:) Well, we did discover that the new bad word was ugly. Stemming from the story the teacher read called "The Ugly Duckling." The subject for the day was "You Are Special." As for the Cheetos, I have no idea what's up with that!! You may note in an earlier post that the teacher expressed her serious intentions to keep the snacks healthy. Today was her snack day, I guess I'll just have to hope that she had a serious misunderstanding of what carrots look like!