March 2013 and Visitors!

Here are a few pics of the kids.

This is a cool wintery tree that Eve made at school and a poster for an oral book report she gave.


All dressed up,


or not dressed up.


March 23rd was a wonderful day! We had family come into town for a visit and we celebrated Matt's birthday. Here we are with cake.


I made an Italian creme cake (dairy free) and I gave Matt some flowers for our front yard, which arrived later.

We spent the next few days enjoying our company- catching up, seeing some sights, and just being together.

The cute baby cousins


At the Mormon Trail Center on Monday

My Mother helping with little Christian.


On Tuesday we went to see Oz at the theatres. It was a special treat for my family since we usually wait for the movies to go to the Redbox. It was a fun one to see in 3D!

Wednesday, we went out to lunch at a German restaurant downtown after the kids got out early. It was a half day of school and the beginning of their spring break. I must admit that it is fun to try new restaurant experiences, especially as you seek out the lesser known gems. It can be a bit daring though with little ones. We definitely got a unique experience. Some dishes were a hit, others just ok. However, none of us left hungry and we avoided meltdown with the kids, so I guess you can say- All is well that ends well.:) I appreciate Catherine and Aaron's attempts to mix it up and keep us on our toes! After lunch, we went to the Kanesville Tabernacle in Council Bluffs.


Thursday Annie and I (with our kids) went to the zoo and Cat, Aaron, and my mom went downtown. We decided to split up because everyone wanted to do different things. It can be hard when we are all in different phases of life to make everyone happy doing one thing. :) I really do love our zoo! If you ever get a chance to visit Omaha it is a great place to go. Fortunately we finally got some sunshine and warmer temperatures for the day. Annie and I sure enjoy being mothers at the same time. I sort of feel like we are playing dolls or "house" like when we were little. We love to share ideas and give each other advice. We love to talk!

Friday, everyone loaded up and headed back to Colorado. I admit that I felt a bit limited in all that I could do and wanted to do with them. I guess with a new baby that is just the way it goes. I appreciated all the help my family gave me, holding or playing with my kids as well as dishes and other tidying that was done! I couldn't have hosted very well without all the help! Thank you to my wonderful family for making the HUGE effort to come out and see me! It was so nice to connect with you all again. Thanks Mom and Cat for playing the piano! I enjoyed it so much! I sure do love my family and I am glad they put up with me. :)

Visiting Illinois

We were happy to be able to return to Illinois this month. The Owen's son, Andrew, turned 8 years old and made the decision to be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Isn't that a beautiful and monumental thing to say? I have been studying the restoration of the church lately and realizing what a miraculous and truly joyful thing it was! I have so much joy in my life because I have the teachings of Christ, and the church to bless me with the ordinances that prepare me to return to live with God.

It was wonderful to see Andrew take this step as he exercised his faith in Christ. It was also SO beautiful to see how the choices his parents have made have blessed him to have the happiness that he has.

Matt was scheduled to work in Alton for the end of the week and so we drove out as a family on Wednesday night, March 6th and stayed through the weekend. It was great to see our former neighbors, teachers, and of course our ward friends!

Here are some pics of Andrew's special day.



We had a great time at Andrew's Birthday party, swimming, hanging out, and talking!

I think Sterling was more excited than Andrew about the gift he was giving to him! :)


Thanks to the Owens for their hospitality, and friendship! We are excited to see you all again soon!

Happy Homemaking

*WARNING* - LONG POST! - Feel free to skim or skip to the pics!

For those who wonder what I have been up to lately, I will sum it up by saying that I have been focusing on my career/calling, that of homemaking. Some may not feel that homemaking is worthy to be called a career, but it is definitely a full time job that requires one to constantly refine skills, manage time, plan, research, teach, and a million other things. I don’t know how others do it when they can’t make it their primary career. I feel like there is always so much to accomplish and so many goals to achieve! Although I am not paid formally, I know that my services would not come without a price, were I not here (hence the life insurance, I guess.)

Anyway, I love my career/calling and am always trying to be more effective! I recently read a book written in 1969 called “The Art of Homemaking.” I think my mother used to have this book on her shelves and shared many of the insights it contained. She was a wonderful example to me, always very devoted! Yes, the book is a bit “old school” but had some great tried and true philosophies. I especially like the 20 facets of an ideal homemaker listed near the beginning. Remember, they are the “ideal” and not something that we can achieve all right now. But it doesn’t hurt to work toward the ideal. Here they are for us to think about:
The Ideal Homemaker from “The Art of Homemaking” –by Daryl Hoole

1. An ideal homemaker is lovely to look at and lovely to be around-she has a wholesome attitude and a pleasing appearance. She has the courage to be happy and strives to live above the grievous faults of moodiness, sulkiness, and complaining. She is gracious and thoughtful and is consequently adored by her family and admired by all who know her.

2. An ideal homemaker is ambitious and enthusiastic through application of the law that how one feels emotionally greatly determines how she feels physically. She finds that a creative approach to homemaking gives her (a) “pep pill” . . .[I think of “excitement” about her work]

3. An ideal homemaker is devoted to the great career in which she is engaged. She is a professional in her field by being a homemaker every day and letting her devotion and sense of duty, rather than her moods, dominate her.

4. An ideal homemaker realizes that order must be the first law of her home. With her home free of clutter and confusion, maximum progress and accomplishment may be enjoyed by family members. This helps bring about a tranquil atmosphere which is a blessing to all.

5. An ideal homemaker makes the best use of her time and energy by being efficient so that she is able to not only keep up with her housework, but she is able to be a companion to her husband and a friend and a teacher to her children. She is also able to pursue some personal interests which contribute to her happiness and development.

6. An ideal homemaker realizes that many of life’s choicest blessings are gained through hard work, and she therefore accepts work as a challenge and an opportunity rather than a burden.

7. An ideal homemaker plans a program or a schedule for each day so that she is the master, rather than the victim, of her work.

8. An ideal homemaker is prepared to perpetuate the good things she has learned in her own home and is ever alert to new ideas and hints which will make her more effective and help her to be an increasingly better homemaker.

9. An ideal homemaker is consistent in applying the best skills and methods she knows. She has a built-in self starter.

10. An ideal homemaker’s activities are well balanced. Though she may be noted for a specialty and devote a major part of her time to one particular phase, she doesn’t spend all of her time cooking, nor does she concentrate on just sewing, or on cleaning, or on reading, or on outside interests. She reaches out to include in her life stimulating projects which serve as an incentive to her.

11. An ideal homemaker is able to transform four walls into a home by creating both spiritual and physical beauty therein.

12. She will be ideal in her role as a homemaker not only because of the countless current values, but because her example and teachings will live at least another generation through her children.

13. An ideal homemaker will encourage family traditions to add color and depth to the great picture she is painting. Instead of her home being just a “short-order house,” it will be a hallowed place where children learn life’s great lessons, gain proper values, and build memories which will enrich their lives and help determine their destinies. She knows that to be a mother in the highest sense of the word will add [eternal worth] to her.

14. An ideal homemaker exercises patience, understanding, and imperturbability unless controlled anger and reasonable discipline are justified. She will do her best to take those occasional “bad days,” when everything seems to go wrong, in her stride, realizing that she needs some valleys in order to appreciate the mountains. She has a sense of humor. She should not take herself too seriously . . . and is able to withstand life’s blows.

15. An ideal homemaker is the type of companion and wife who merits the appreciation and cooperation of her husband and helps him want to do his part well as husband, father, and provider.

16. An ideal homemaker is skilled in the handling of money, in intelligent shopping, in careful storage, and in clever preparation of food. She is able to conserve the family’s possessions through good management. She doesn’t economize out of self-pity, but because it is a challenge to get the very most out of the resources available. Skill and talent are used to make the most of what is available.

17. And after all these facets have made our ideal homemaker like a sparkling diamond, she will add a few other special facets of her own to set her apart from all the rest.

18. An ideal homemaker is an artist in general management so that her home is able to function at its peak performance and fulfill its lofty purpose, and so that she along with her husband and children, can reflect the joy, order, and progressive spirit therein. She doesn’t try to accomplish this thirty years at a time, but strives to practice being an artist in management and homemaking JUST FOR TODAY.

19. An ideal homemaker will seek divine guidance through prayer, so that her home may be an extension of heaven, and so that she may walk in partnership with God in the rearing of the precious little souls he has sent to her.

20. An ideal homemaker will be able to take pride in her noble calling and in the great work she is doing.


Isn’t that list remarkable? We have so much to strive for not only in homemaking, but also in life!

Because it has been winter and we have had a bit more time to focus on things here at home, I have been focusing on a few aspects. I will tell some of the things that I have learned or do, or goals I am striving for, to give you a flavor of things. Let me start with my basic daily schedule:
I wake up and feed the baby, exercise, wake up the kids and help them get ready. We then eat breakfast, make lunches, read scripture stories (a great time to teach and testify), have family prayer, brush teeth, and the older kids go off to school.
Then I clean the kitchen, feed the baby, get ready for the day and then start morning activities. M,W, F Sheri has preschool and so Mondays I clean and do laundry, Wednesday I do errands, and Friday I grocery shop. On Tuesdays I go to an extra exercise class and playgroup. On Thursdays I volunteer, meal plan, and bill pay.
We have lunch and then learning/reading time for Sheri. Then I prep and cook dinner as much as possible to be ready later. I usually get a bit of time to then check email, plan, read, etc. before picking up the kids at 3PM.
After school we do snacks, homework, reading, piano practicing and then dinner and evening activities (Piano, Tae Kwon Do, Activity Days, Presidency Meetings, etc.)
Bedtime includes brushing and flossing teeth, pajamas, scriptures, prayers, and sometime a family book such as Harry Potter.
(I feed Christian about every hour or two.)
Weekends are busy with soccer, dance, friends, movies, family activities and church.

Here are a few of my new favorite ideas/things:

Dinner Duties – The kids each have a different weekly duty to help with dinner clean up each night. This has been a lift for me, especially since we usually need to minimize time for clean up, and Christian usually needs more attention from mom. I also feel that the kids need to learn to work and contribute.

Saturday work jobs - Since I can’t clean everything on Mondays anymore, it became time to train the kids to help. Each Saturday the kids each have a job that I train or supervise them on. January was vacuuming, February was cleaning bathrooms, and March will be mopping. Again, this is good for the kids and helps me stay on top of the cleaning.

Confiscation – This is something I learned from my dad. If we left something a mess for too long, he would take items and make us pay him to get them back. I got tired of reminding the kids to pick up (and so did they.) Now if I have to pick up for them, they have to pay me a quarter or do a job to earn an item back. It seems to help them remember not to leave things out of place as much. I plan to do less reminding as they continue to understand what is expected of them. Also, the little things they do to “earn back” items really help!

Cloth Diapers – Now I know some of you will think I am crazy, and I never thought I would, but I have started using cloth diapers. The new diapers they make these days are so SMART! They are easy, adjustable, economical, and I hope that Christian will potty train earlier because he will sense better when he is wet. I have started signing to help him understand the potty training process. If you are curious like I was, go to Charliebanana.com or Target now carries them.

Homemade Bread – I used to think I would never have time or an easy enough recipe for making my own bread. I have found an awesome recipe, with basic ingredients that is HEAVENLY! If you want it, it is from my friend Sheri’s blog – crazyfaves.blogspot.com. Now I pine for a Bosch or Kitchen Aid and am researching which one I want.

My treadmill – I picked up a basic treadmill last summer from a garage sale for those days when I just can’t get out and walk. It has been perfect all winter and so convenient!

My foam roller and tennis balls – These are awesome for stretching and massaging my sore muscles when my dearest husband is not around to do it (and he is so amazing that he often does!)

“Homework” packets and reading lessons – Sheri has been doing a little packet each week filled with reading, writing, fine motor, and reasoning skills. This is from a compilation Janet Dorny and I made for our preschool co-op during the year Eve was preparing for Kindergarten. Sheri and I also do a lesson each day from “Teaching Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.” She is excited to be sounding out words and learning some sight words as well. This allows me to be more involved in her Kindergarten preparation. We enjoy the one on one time together.

Our sock bucket – I put a little bucket by our shoe area specifically for socks. It makes it so much easier for the kids to put them away when they take them off. Each week I take the filled tote and add it to the laundry and then place the clean socks in another tote near our main exit. I love not having to make extra trips to retrieve or put away socks!

Stainless Steel Pots and Pans – This was a Christmas gift to me! I love them, feel good about them, and think they look so pretty!

12 Steps to Whole Foods – This is a book that I heard about from a friend. I agree with many of the ideas. It has been a wonderful resource for me as I have tried to move away from less healthy foods to more nutritious foods. Many of the concepts were already ideas I have been working toward. This book has given a lot of knowledge on how to be successful. I could write a whole post about that, but I will save that for another day. If you want an idea of what it is about, go to greensmoothiegirl.com.

Well, that about sums it up for now.

Now for some pics:

My growing baby boy


Sloppy Joe fun


My "sleeping bats"


Valentine's fun


I was also able to make a photo book for Matthew with photos of our family that Sara Ker took in December.

Alpha breadsticks


Cute and fun Sheri


Bluberries for Sheri, and "homework packets" with graham crackers & milk.


Snow Days


Handsome Sterling (he doesn't mind wearing a tie now that he doesn't wear the clip on kind which used to bug him.)


And finally, I FINALLY made graham crackers from scratch! I have wanted to try this for years! They were tasty!



Yes, I am happy making our home (even if it can be challenging at times). I hope I will be better each day, so that we can continue to grow and be happy.

January's Journey

Where do I begin? January has been a challenging month and an exciting month - back and forth. I have made a series of changes that have changed my way of living (at least for now). I know this may not interest others, and some of you will think I am crazy, but here is a glimpse into my brain and life.

My main challenge for the past few months has been trying to meet Christian's needs. He often has seemed uncomfortable (gassy) and hungry.

The solution I implemented - Giving up milk products (milk, cheese, butter, sour cream etc.) I also began herbs to increase milk supply (Fenugreek, nettle, fennel, blessed thistle, mix) I nursed on demand for long periods every day and drank a lot. This seemed to help his gas a bit and my supply was adequate off and on. More on this in a minute.

A side note is that I began using almond milk which I have really enjoyed. I also like vegan butter.

Another change is that Ivan gave us raw honey for Christmas. Yea! Because of this I started morning hot cereal- my dad's concoction (a Oatmeal, Millet, Buckwheat, Amaranth, Quinoa mix with honey) plus flax seeds, except Saturdays for a different breakfast. I really like it! - -Note: I LOVE my water pik! I have to use it each morning to clear everything, and it has helped my gums improve!

I've also tried a new idea that I had been pondering - green smoothies - (1 C almond milk, 1 cup fruit, 1 banana, a handful or 2 of greens -spinach, chard, & collard greens) every other day as a way to increase our vegetable/ fruit intake. (I help my children count servings -aiming for 5 a day- before they turn to less nutritious options. My kids enjoy them! I have been making these on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. I have a very large salad on opposite days.

One side effect has been that I feel GREAT with lots of energy. I finally feel like I have the energy to wake up at 5:30AM to nurse and then exercise. (Cardio -20+ min 6x/wk, Resistance & Flexibility 3x/wk -ideally.)

But, Christian was still fussy and seemed constantly hungry.

I tried - Lots of water (10-14 cups/day) and tracking calories to make sure I was getting 2050. I have really relied on the MyFitnessPal application on my phone and online.

It wasn't adequate and I offered formula 2 days in a row. Christian broke out in a rash. I receive formula samples for babies with milk/soy allergies, but tried not to use it. His rash cleared. I did supplement once with the new formula and I think it gave him a mild rash as well.

Christian went to his 4 month well check with the pediatrician. His head and length measurements maintained or increased but weight% had dropped. What to do?

I decided to start brewer's yeast and calcium/magnesium/zinc. I gave up most common allergens for babies - milk (already), most soy, peanuts, chocolate, and citrus.

I continued to feel frustrated and asked for a Priesthood blessing. That evening/next morning I realized that I should recheck my caloric needs. I realized that I should have more calories (2450+). I immediately increased my intake by 400-500 calories. I focused on more nuts, avacados, whole grains, and protein. I have had to find the balance in my choices so that I am maximizing my nutrients but not overloading my system with bulk.

Immediately Christian seemed more content after feedings. He seemed to be swallowing a creamier sounding milk. I have continued to nurse as often as possible and I also have a new double electric pump that I use when I can. Now he is able to nap and interact while he is awake without seeming hungry. He isn't very fussy in the evenings. He is interactive and happy to watch what is going on.

To be honest, I am so relieved! This has been a huge weight off my mind. I truly feel that I was blessed to have this insight. I honestly wouldn't have considered increasing my calories because I have always heard that your body takes what it needs for the baby. I will be taking Christian in to be weighed in a few weeks to make sure that he is gaining weight. His skin is clearing and almost perfect. Once it is clear I will begin to add back peanuts, citrus, chocolate, etc. one at a time to see if they bother him. I really don't know about milk. I will live without it while nursing and hopefully longer. I don't think it is good for me since I am sensitive to it anyway. Time will tell. For now, I feel like I am able to meet the needs of my family. I feel healthy and happy.


Here is Christian - 4 months old

Happy New Year 2013!

We had a wonderful holiday season! I am so glad that we went to Colorado! I haven't yet written about our time with Matthew's family. Here are some of the fun things we enjoyed.

Rest and relaxation at the "dome home". I RELISHED the R & R!

Time with Grandparents.

Time with Jeff and Noah.

New Year's Eve fun. Only Matt and Eve stayed up until midnight.

Snow shoeing in the mountains.

Great Grandparents (Sabey)

Our 12th Anniversary date to the temple and dinner.

And more wonderful time with Grandpa and Grandma!

We are so blessed to have wonderful, loving families. I am grateful that we can be together for eternity!

I am also grateful for a new year with new opportunities and for January, a time to rest, reorganize, and reevaluate our lives.