Helpful Baby Tips

It seems like with each baby we have, I need a 'Baby 101' refresher course. I forget so much. Luckily, our dear friend from college shared these tips with us on caring for a baby. Hopefully these will be helpful to you other moms out there too. ;)

Father and Son Campout

Jon and Benny went to a father/son campout together for the first time yesterday. Benny had been looking forward to having some one-on-one time with his Daddy all week. He was just thrilled... it was the cutest thing.


Here's Benny and his buddy Nathan and the ENORMOUS bonfire in the background!

Benny's all-time favorite activity!Wiped out from all the fun!

Although we definitely missed our boys, I have to admit that us girls had some fun of our own! We had our first annual all-girls (and Jakey) pampering party. A tradition that's sure to continue!!

Tagged

My friend Jill tagged me to answer a few random questions, so here goes...:)

What I was doing 10 years ago:
Let's see, I was a junior in high school and we had just moved to Orem, Utah. (See previous post 7 random things for the reason) I was in a serious relationship with a guy who later proposed... (soooo glad I listened to the spirit on that one!) I felt lost and alone during those years. Thank goodness I gained a solid testimony in later years and married the right guy!!

5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Practice sextet musical number for Sunday at my friend Jessica's house
2. Bake 2 cakes for book club (strawberry cream, and german chocolate, my Aunt Linda's recipe... my all-time fave!!)
3. Take care of my sweeties: (dress, feed, bathe, learning time, send a couple kids to the naughty chair, probably pop in a movie when I need a break from them... and they need a break from me. :) etc. etc.)
4. Sing 'Amazing Grace' at a memorial service
5. Host a book club... woo-hoo!! (I always look forward to book club night!)
Whew! It's gonna be a busy one... but I love it like that.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Put some money aside for our family and loved ones for our needs to be taken care of
2. Donate the rest to worthy causes I believe in (church humanitarian fund, helping end poverty and world hunger... btw... did you know that every 3.6 seconds someone dies from hunger? And to satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost only $13 billion- what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year. Ahhh, don't even get me started! This leads me to the next topic...

Bad Habits:
1. Worry about things that are for the most part out of my control, like world events, tragic stories on the news, etc.
2. Consume too much sugar
3. Nag my hubby to take out the diapers

Places I've lived:
1. Washington
2. Utah
3. Texas
4. Ohio

5 jobs I've had:
1. SuperTarget bakery employee/cake decorator
2. Florist... kind of... it was my very first job and I was in 7th grade, so I didn't really know what I was doing
3. Waitress at the Palace Cafe in college
4. Dickens Caroler- The coolest job ever!! I was part of a quartet that was hired to sing at private parties, community events, etc. We dressed up in traditional victorian costumes and sang christmas carols. Our repetoire consisted of over 100 Christmas carols... definitely comes in handy every December ;) Here's a link for a picture: http://dickenscarolers.com/pictures.html
5. Rise, Inc.- I worked with developmentally disabled youth- caretaking responsibilities, and tried to help them get integrated into society.

Tag, you're it!
1. Caroline
2. Tresa
3. Michele
4. Jennifer
5. Sarah

Ode to my mother

While I love and respect both my parents, in honor of Mother's day, I thought I'd share some thoughts about my angel mother.

My mom has been the most influential person in my life. I have watched her since I was a little girl and wondered what it was that made her personality so magnetic. EVERYONE who meets my mom is drawn to her. For years, I thought it must have been her genuine and warm smile. But it wasn't until I developed my own testimony and came to know the Savior that I realized that my mom's charm was far deeper than her smile. My mom emanates Christ-like love. Although she is not perfect, she is the closest thing to true charity that I have ever known. She chooses to love all people without reservation. When I was growing up and I would criticize, judge, or gossip about someone, she would gently correct me with these three simple words... "Just love them." Those words have become ingrained in me through her teaching and example. Although I still struggle to "just love them", I have been so deeply influenced and inspired by her, that I will continually seek after this gift.

My mom is an inspiration in so many other ways as well. For those of you who don't know her, let me help you understand the type of woman she is:

This is a woman who has been stunningly beautiful since the day she was born, but doesn't have one ounce of arrogance or conceit in her body. I'm convinced the emotion of jealousy is completely foreign to her, and she is constantly building up and supporting others.

This is a woman who has her priorities straight. She was Miss Washington and Top Ten in the Miss America Pageant, and had multiple offers to sing professionally, but she sacrificed it all to become a wife and a mother.

This is a woman who realized that she could still pursue her professional goals and dreams after raising children. Her career in opera and musical theatre has taken her all over the world. And due to her great intellectual ability and a strong work ethic, she went back to school to earn her Master's Degree and Ph.D. over the age of 50! Since then she has continued singing, and helping others develop their own musical abilities and find joy in expressing their own talents.

This is a woman who is so loyal and supportive, she has been here to welcome each of her grandbabies into the world... even if it meant abandoning other ambitions, and traveling great distances (from Florida to Texas, and Pennsylvania to Ohio) on very short notice!

This is a woman whose grandbabies squeal in delight and shout (Nana! Nana!) when a picture of her comes up on our computer screen.

This is a woman whose contagious laugh (snort, and all!) and optimistic attitude were the greatest sources of light in our home growing up. When mama was happy, we were all happy.

This is a woman who has endured heart-wrenching trials relating to our family but continues to be an example of faith. She has never wavered in her testimony of the gospel, and devotion to its principles.

This is a woman who loves her family. She has a pure and unconditional love for me, my brothers, and my dad. My parents' love is stronger than ever after almost 30 years of marriage. They have a loving relationship that has been a model for my own marriage in many ways. Their love and devotion to one another is a beautiful thing to behold.

Ok... I could go on and on. And if it sounds like I'm bragging... I am. ;) I couldn't be more proud of my mother or more grateful that I was fortunate enough to be her daughter. The scripture in Proverbs is surely coming to pass; that her children, (and grandchildren) "will arise up, and call her blessed". She is leaving a Christ-like legacy for my family and for generations to come, and for that I am eternally grateful. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you!

4 months!

I can't believe my little guy is 4 months already! I'm totally head over heels for this sweet boy! Who wouldn't fall in love with this face?

Patience

It's been one of those days. Mama said there'd be days like this... but I didn't think they'd be this bad!! I seriously think Heavenly Father is trying to teach me patience. The following picture should explain everything:







I took the kids with me to my friend Jessica's house yesterday, and they had a nest in their front yard with baby birdies inside that had just hatched. The kids were fascinated. So today I overheard Celeste pretending she was the Mommy birdie, and Benny was the Daddy birdie. So cute... until I saw this mess. They spent the rest of the afternoon hosing down the trampoline (and each other). That was interesting.


Then tonight one of the young women in our ward asked for a ride to the church for our activity. She lives all the way in Vandalia, which was no problem, I just had to make sure I left early so I could get to the church in time. So I left 40 minutes early, at 6:20 just to be sure. I drove all the way there, and then realized that I had been going the complete opposite direction! I had accidently typed in the wrong address in the mapquest directions. How dumb is that?! So there I was, TOTALLY lost, driving in the pouring rain, with Jacob in the backseat screaming his head-off. And I was supposed to be in charge of an important activity which was already starting by that time. So I pulled over, called my hero hubby for help, and he got me phone numbers to make the arrangements I needed. But I didn't even get to the church until 7:45! For anyone who knows me and my control-freak tendencies, you know I don't handle things like that very well. Luckily, I have an amazing hubby and presidency to support me.


A day like this definitely called for some homemade chocolate eclairs. Luckily, I had just enough eggs left... ;)

'Snores'

It was so gorgeous out on Sunday that we thought spend the afternoon outside and have a BBQ after church. For dessert, we made "snores" (that's what Celeste thinks s'mores are called) over the grill. The kids were thrilled!

I think Jakey was ticked-off that he didn't get any! ;)

Carriage Hill

One of the things I absolutley LOVE about living in this area is the MetroParks system. There are over 20 parks in Miami Valley that are replete with recreational opportunities, and in my mind, there's nothing better than being outdoors with my family. So last week, I was feeling daring, so I took all 4 kids to Carriage Hill, my very favorite park. It's a historical farm with over 900 acres of scenic woodlands, there's also a visitors center, and even a cute country store that sells (penny) candy. I just love it there, plus we've been reading Charlotte's Web together, so it was good for the kids to see some barn animals.

I had Benny and Charity in our jogging stroller, Jakey was strapped to me in the baby carrier and Celeste walked next to us. I always find it amusing to see the looks I get from people when I take them out. They ALL say the same thing... "Looks like you've got your hands full" or "Are they all yours?" I just laugh and say something positive, like, "Yeah, it's great!" and if the kids are behaving, I try to bring up the gospel somehow by saying something like, "We're all about family in our church." Anyway, we had a great time! Here are a few pics from our fun day:

Family Home Evening

I have to admit that our family home evenings with the kids at these ages can be down-right disasterous. I'll put a ton of work into a special lesson or activity, (and a treat of course) only to have it end with all the kids crying in tandem. There are moments when I just look at Jon and say under my breath, "What's the point?"

But we keep on persevering, week after week, because I whole-heartedly believe the prophet Spencer W. Kimball, when he promised that, "Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellowmen, and trust in our Father in Heaven. It is my promise that great blessings will come to all who consienciously plan and hold weekly family home evenings."

I also am inspired to keep trying when I think about the Chinese bamboo tree analogy by Stephen Covey. "After the seed for this amazing tree is planted, you see nothing, absolutely nothing, for four years, except for a tiny shoot coming out of a bulb. During those four years, all the growth is underground in a massive, fibrous root structure that spreads deep and wide in the earth. But then in the fifth year, the Chinese bamboo tree grows up to eighty feet!" He goes on to compare that to family life, and that we work and invest time and effort to nurture, and build relationships and that sometimes we don't see any results for weeks, months, or years, but that finally that "fifth year" comes. And it makes all that effort worth it.

Our FHE tonight was crazy as usual, but great. I thought I'd post a video clip of the kids singing. Celeste and Benny are trying to sing the second verse of 'I am a child of God', but then Charity was feeling left out, so she steals the show. Jon and I laughed ourselves sick!! She's such a sweetie. :)

Going to extremes...

I'm getting pretty desperate in my attempts to keep the kids happy (and relatively quiet) while on our shopping excursions, so today I gladly accepted not only a cookie for each kid, but a baker's hat too!

Gigantic FUN!

My weekend started out pretty crappy. I stepped on a rusty nail while helping to build our new fence, and had to get a tetanus shot. :(, Charity spilled milk all over the carpet, and it seemed like the kids were fighting all morning. It was starting to feel like a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, until... we went to the circus!!! (Although Jon pointed out that we wouldn't have to leave the house to do that. ;)) To be perfectly honest, I think I was probably more excited than the kids were. I LOVE getting out and being together as a family and taking the kids fun places. We had such a great time! Here are a few pics from our adventurous afternoon:

Celeste and Benny were totally into it! They loved every minute of it!

Charity loved it too!

Jacob on the other hand... wasn't so impressed!

But the very best part of the day was getting to ride an elephant!! I think the kids will still be talking about this day for quite some time. By the end of the day, I had totally forgotten about my rotten morning. It's amazing how having kids has made life so much more enjoyable!

Child of God

We've taught the kids from before they could even talk that we are all children of God, and that we need to treat one another accordingly. But I didn't really think it was sinking in, particularly with Benny, since he rarely seems to pay attention when we have those discussions. (Plus, we occasionally catch him stepping on an unfortunate ant after repeatedly telling him that God made animals too). But I was pleasantly surprised today. I overheard him and Charity playing together in the play room. Then Charity hit Benny and he started crying. So I went in to deal with it, but I decided to peek around the corner to see how Benny would react. I figured he'd do what any 3 year-old boy would do and whack her back! But to my surprise, I heard him say, "Charity, we don't hurt each other! I'm your brother, and Jesus made me special!" He said it with no hesitation and with such confidence that it totally made my day. Maybe it's sinking in afterall!

Tornado Alley

I don't understand how these kids can COMPLETELY trash the house in a matter of hours! I was feeling great yesterday... I spent almost the entire day cleaning and organizing the house and I even took Jon through on a special tour to see all my accomplishments. ;) And then we let out the "beasts" this morning and in a few hours it seriously looked like a tornado went through the place! Although I guess it could have been worse...


Here's what happened the day after Celeste's ladybug birthday party. I made these cakes for her, and then the leftover frosting was left out on the countertop which we soon realized was a big mistake because the kids got into it (duh!) and here was the result... brace yourself... this is UNBELIEVABLE!




I warned you! ;) When I came upon this disaster I wanted to burst into tears, but Jon and I ended up just laughing our heads off in disbelief and whipping out the camera to capture the moment.



Deep down, I really do know that this job as a homemaker is truly the most important thing I could be doing right now but it's hard to feel that way sometimes when I'm on my hands and knees, with my hair thrown up in a bun, still in my workout clothes, trying to scrub kool-aid out of the carpet. Anyway, so on days like this, when I'm feeling completely exhausted, unappreciated, and mundane, surrounded by burp rags and dirty diapers, I reread my favorite quotes from our church about motherhood to remind me that it's all worth it. I'll share a few in case any one else has days like this:



"Motherhood is near to divinity, and is the hightest and holiest service to be assumed by mankind." -J. Reuben Clark Jr.



"She who can paint a masterpiece or write a book that will influence millions deserves the admiration and the plaudits of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters, whose influence will be felt through generations to come... long after paintings shall have faded, and books and statues shall have decayed or shall have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God. In her high duty and service to humanity... she is co-partner with the Creator himself" -David O. McKay



"If it so be that you should labor all your days... and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy." D&C 18:15



And I think about how Christ commanded us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked... and who does that more than a mother?


So after I'm reminded of these truths, I feel like I can clean up all the messes with dignity, and remember what a blessing it is to take upon myself the sacred calling of motherhood.

April Fools!

Jon and I love this holiday. In fact, we love this holiday so much we celebrate it year-round. It helps keep things spontaneous and interesting around here (as if 4 kids 4 and under isn't interesting enough). We have this realistic fake spider and this really freaky bobble-head that we take turns hiding for each other. (I know, it's soooo bizarre). The head of the bobble-head fell off, so instead of throwing it away, it became a weird way to have a laugh and amuse each other! This head has been hidden in the craziest places- in my underwear drawer, in my shoes, even in my cereal bowl!! But we save our extra-creative gags for April Fools. The only rules are that the pranks have to be harmless and FUN!

A few of the pranks of the past include...

-lemon juice in a 7-up bottle

-saran wrap over the toilet in the middle of the night

-a rubber-band tied to the spray nozzle pointed directly at the person using the faucet

-a fake fly in an ice cube

-the clock moved forward a couple hours

-a bucket of cold water dumped on each other while relaxing in the shower

I know... it's a wonder we're still together! But this year, I thought I'd include the kids since they're getting old enough to enjoy it with us. So I surprised them all at dinner with a more delicious version of the hamburger made with york peppermint patties and Nilla wafers. The kids were thrilled! I got this idea from the Family Fun website if anyone is interested. They're super easy and yummy too!

Blessing Day

Jacob was blessed in church today. It was really beautiful. One of the men standing in the circle said he usually keeps his eyes open to make sure the baby is doing ok, and apparently Jacob was looking up at Jon through the entire blessing, with this sweet trusting look on his face. He said it was almost as if Jacob understood what was happening. I'm so grateful to have a worthy and faithful husband to perform that sared ordinance. I'm also grateful to have the most amazing family ever! My mom (who has been to all 4 blessings) and my little brother drove 8 hours Saturday morning, and drove home (another 8 hours) right after Sacrament meeting just to be there to witness the blessing! Talk about loyalty! Plus, with the prices of gas these days... wow... they're just amazing.

Anyway, so we got baby Jacob all dressed up in his handsome white outfit this morning for the occasion. As I was getting him ready, I changed his diaper and noticed that he hadn't gone number 2 for over a day. So I knew something was coming and that it wouldn't be pretty... I even mentioned to Jon, that we had better not forget another diaper. So as predicted, right in the middle of church (gospel doctrine class) he had a HUGE blow-out! I had to hurry and go change him because I knew it was going to get all over his outfit if I didn't. But I was too late. His white blessing outfit that I was going to save forever and pass down through the generations was completely ruined. It now has a nasty poop stain all the way up the back. Isn't that just so typical?? Anyway, so we had to wrap him up in his blanket for the rest of the meetings, so no one would see it, (or smell it). I was going to take a picture, but I didn't want to gross everybody out. I'm just glad it didn't happen during the blessing when the microphone was close by! Anyway, we just had to laugh. I guess it made the occasion even more memorable. ;)

I was reflecting today about how fast these kids are growing up so I thought I'd make sure to document the blessings of days gone by...

Celeste Elizabeth 8/03 (2 months)

Benjamin Joseph 11/04 (1 month)

Charity Lynn 9/06 (2 months)

Blessings indeed!!!

Happy Easter!

I'm just overflowing with gratitude right now for my family and for the blessings in my life. This has been such a wonderful weekend. For our date night on friday, Jon and I did some cleaning/purging/organizing around the house. Not the most romantic date ever, but I can't believe how much better I feel when the house is orderly. It's been such a challenge lately to keep it that way. I heard a quote once that is so true... "cleaning the house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing". So we watied until they were in bed, and took advantage of the opportunity. :)

Then on Saturday we went to an easter eggstravaganza in Piqua, and had a great time, despite the fact that it snowed again this year! Here's Celeste trying to fake a smile through her frozen lips...

Ironically enough, the kids got coupons for free ice cream cones from DQ which we had to redeem because they were only good at the Piqua store! But the kids were thrilled, they didn't seem to care that it was 30 degrees outside!
The best part of the weekend of course, was going to church as a family and celebrating the real meaning of Easter. I am so grateful for the resurrection of Jesus Christ which makes it possible for us to live again after this life, and to have eternal families. I KNOW that Jesus Christ lives, and I am forever grateful for this knowlege which has brought such indescribable joy to my life. Happy Easter!

A must-have...

So a huge package arrives the other day, and I wonder what it is. Jon starts laughing, says it's a necessary addition to our home, and asks me to close my eyes. So I'm thinking maybe it's a pretty floral arrangment or a framed picture or something, but no. It was a gong. Yes, that's right... my husband bought a gong. This is NOT a joke. I think he was tired of me screaming at the top of my lungs, "Come and eat!!! at dinner-time." But instead of summoning my family to meals with the traditional dinner bell, or a triangle, we now have a GONG!!! He was too thrilled with it to even think about trying to convince him to return it, (plus it was on sale!) What am I going to do with this man??? He certainly keeps me laughing. ;) So it hangs right there in our dining room. The modern gong- a must have addition to any classy home.

Winter Adventures

As spring is quickly approaching, I thought I'd document some of the adventures we've had this winter...

This is a picture from our family Christmas concert at the Washington D.C. visitor's center.

Here's Charity, all bundled up for our first snow day in December. I swear, it took me a half an hour just to get her ready.

When we finally got her outside, she was completely miserable... (all that work for nothing!) But a little hot cocoa made everything better... she's definitely her momma's girl ;)

The frigid temps couldn't keep us from geocaching and playing at the park together!

Feeling the Christmas spirit!

Jon and I celebrate our anniversary every year by going to a temple we've never been to. We're starting to run out of temples in the area, so we went all the way to Chicago this year. We take turns surprising each other with the accomodations. This year was especially amazing.

I'd have to say the greatest adventure (and I mean adventure) of the winter was welcoming our newest bundle, baby Jacob, into our home. He has already been such a blessing to our family.

My little man's first day as a sunbeam. I bawled my eyes out that day :( .

The last snow of the winter was a doozy! We were hit with a blizzard and a whopping 13 inches of snow. We definitely took advantage of it though!

Here's the snowman the kids made (with Daddy's help)...

and here's the snowman the kids made (without Daddy's help) ;)

Whew!!! What a winter! Here's hoping spring will bring just as much fun!

7 random things...

I've been asked to write 7 random things about myself, so here goes... (and they are totally random):

1. My husband and I were neighbors for 5 months before we met. And it's kind of a cool story... We were both in college at the time, and I was feeling very reflective one night, so I sat on my windowsill and wrote a poem about my future hubby. Here's the last few lines of it...
You're out there somewhere,
Perhaps far far away,
Or maybe even next door,
When you find me, will you stay?
Well it turned out that I could actually see his window from mine that night! He really was next door, in the same apartment complex! We officially met in a theatre class, and then we recognized each other at a backyard barbeque and we've been best friends ever since.

2. I rode on a camel in the Sahara desert during a study abroad program in college. That was an amazing life experience.

3. My dad has Tourette's syndrome. We had no idea he had it until around 10 years ago. He was taking some medication (Zoloft) for depression, and the doctor increased the dosage dramatically. The symptoms of Tourette's were unmasked overnight, including vocal and physical tics. It was pretty devastating to all of us because at the time he was a middle-school teacher and he couldn't continue employment there obviously, so we moved to Utah (my senior year in high school) so he could work for my uncle. He still suffers from the disorder. Fortunately, there's a happy ending... after years of struggle, he went back to school for his Master's degree, and then his Ph.D., and he's now a school psychologist, helping other young children with disorders like his own. He has been an amazing example to me of triumph over tremendous odds. I'm so proud of him.

4. I am thoroughly addicted to sugar. I read a book last year called, "Sugar Shock" and decided to take the author's recommendation to give up all refined flour and sugar for 21 days. Well I did it, but, I determined that it was a miserable way to live. So now I'm back to "moderation in all things".

5. I have a secret dream to be a "Turbo-kick" (kickboxing/dance) instructor someday. I love almost all forms of exercise- especially aerobics classes and I always feel so happy when I'm active. Plus, it would help me burn off the extra calories from all the sugar I consume.

6. I had a unibrow as a kid... up until 7th grade when I discovered tweezers. I still remember being teased about it. But I'm grateful, because now I'm super passionate about helping the underdog. When I see someone being teased or picked on or hurt in any way I stand up for them. I think I feel more empathy for people since I wasn't the most attractive girl.

7. We don't watch tv. Ever. Well, I take that back. We own some rabbit ears that Jon insists on taking out for the world series and the basketball finals. We also have a huge movie collection. Most people think we're crazy but I try to explain that it was one of the best things we did for our family and that we have more time for reading, playing games, and getting outdoors... and now blogging. :)

Send in the Clowns

Every morning the kids wake up and the first thing they do is pile on our king-sized bed and geronimo Daddy (They all yell "GERONIMO!" at the top of their lungs and jump on him). I know... it's definitely a rude awakening. We then attempt to have scripture time together. So anyway, last night I was listening to Barbra Streisand: The Broadway Album (one of my favorite CD's) and the song "Send in the Clowns" came on. So I hear my ever-amusing husband mutter, "That should be our morning theme song." He cracks me up. :)

Hudson Haven???

Woo-hoo! I'm finally starting a blog! We've had a family website since Celeste was born, but every time I updated it, my past entries and pictures would be deleted. So I'm excited to have a forum to keep in touch with loved ones and to keep up on my journaling. I hesitated a little to name our blog the "Hudson Haven Happenings". Jon and I joke that it's more like the "Hudson Hellhole" around here sometimes. But what can you expect with 4 kids 4 and under? ;)