Thriving with a New Baby

Thriving With A New Baby

(Tips from a 5 time mom)

You are going to have a baby. Congratulations! A new baby is a gift right from heaven. This going to be a wonderful experience as you watch your little blessing grow and develop.
With all the excitement of the new baby it can often be a shock when reality starts to set in. There are night feedings, lack of sleep, and lots of diapers taking up your time. It can be a bit overwhelming.
Don't worry. This to shall pass!
Until it does, here are my 4 S's that have helped me survive and the thrive with my babies.

S #1. Sandwich
I know that sounds silly but it is vital for you and your baby that you feed yourself. Being hangry is not a good thing. l say a sandwich because it is quick, easy, and only takes one  hand to feed yourself. You can even eat a sandwich while you nurse!

S #2. Shower
With all the sleepless nights and demands on my time I have found that a shower helps me feel human. Forget doing your hair and makeup, just get yourself clean and in some fresh pj's. A simple shower can be so refreshing to a tiered body.

S #3. Sleep
It's totally true what they say: If your baby is sleeping, you should sleep. Chores can wait. You need your rest! If you have older children then see if they can go over to a friends house during one of your new babies nap times. This will let you get some much needed z's.
The very best help I ever got after having a new baby was a friend of mine offering to take my older children over to her house so I could get some rest. She would even pick up my kids so I could get some sleep sooner. It was a life saver!

S #4. Scriptures
Take the time to read your scriptures. Taking care of your spirit is equally as important as taking care of your body. I like to read while I nurse. I have to be sitting down so might as well be productive. Or another way is listening to the audio scriptures. I have downloaded the LDS Gospel Library app on my phone. The app is free and I can listen to the scriptures being read to me. So handy!

So, here are my 4 S's. They are short, sweet, and to the point. But I do hope they help you as much as they have helped me. With them, I have felt like I have succeeded in my recovery from having my mew blessing.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

It's that time of the year!

I know that you can buy canned pumpkin pack in the store, but have you ever wondered what a pumpkin pie would have tasted like in the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder? Well, I sure have. And since pumpkin pie is my favorite pie ever I had to try it from scratch. Let me tell you, real pumpkin puree it is like a bite of creamy heaven.

There was one year I had a neighbor with a large garden who had grown pumpkins. A lot of pumpkins! Thankfully, she was willing to share them with the whole neighborhood.

I ended up with about eight pumpkins in my garage and no idea what to do with them. But you know me, I had to do something with all these pumpkins. Waist is not an option with me. After a few jack-o-lanterns I found out how to make pumpkin puree. It has been one of the best, the yummiest, things I have ever done.

Before I tell you how to make your own pumpkin puree there is a warning... Once you use pure pumpkin puree in a pie or other recipe you will never, EVER, want to go back to the stuff from the can. It is that good!

1st. Start with a pumpkin. Most stores sell the little pie pumpkins next to the big jack-o-lantern ones. While the little pumpkins are grown to be made into puree I have used both kinds and have ended up with great puree from both kinds. The smaller ones will usually give you a darker colored puree, if you were wondering;)

2nd. Let's gut that bad boy! Cut your pumpkin in half so you can easily get to all the gooey stuff in the middle. Discard the stringy stuff but keep the seeds for roasting. You don't have to get too picky about how 'clean' the inside of your pumpkin is.

3rd. Once your pumpkin is cleaned out, slice it into smaller sections and arrange on a baking sheet. Face up is best.

4th. Put them into the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until they are tender. Poke them with a fork to see if they are done. The pointy edges should be just about to get crispy.

5th. Let the pumpkin slices cool enough that you can handle them. Then turn them over so you can pull the skins off. Yes, the skins should pull right off. If not, then pop them back in the oven for 5 more minutes. (There was a lot happening in the kitchen right about here so I stopped taking pictures. Sorry)

6th. With the skins removed it is time to puree! I use a blender but there are lots of ways to turn a pumpkin to mush. If you decide to use a blender like I do, place several chunks into the blender and push puree. You will need to add some water to get things moving. Add water a single Tablespoon at a time, just until things get moving. You want puree, not soup! (Before you ask, yes I did make that mistake one year.)

And that is it! Once you are done blending you have some awesome, homemade puree that you can use right away.

If you have more than you need, store in in freezer storage bags for future use. I put 2 cups of puree in each  bag and throw them in the freezer! OK, not throw. I carefully make sure each bag can lay perfectly flat so they take up less room. What can I say, I am a neat freak;)

You can store it in a freezer for 6 to 8 months this way... OK, more like over a year. I made a huge batch of pumpkin puree once and only just finished it 3 years later! Wow, so glad I was honest with you all.

Coming soon... Homemade Pumpkin Pie!

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

It's always a  struggle to get really good gluten free baked goods. But fear not! I have an amazing gluten free blueberry muffin recipe for you.

Here is what you need:

2 Cups Flour (Check out my Gluten Free flour mix!)
1 Cup White Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups fresh or frozen Blueberries (if using frozen berries do NOT thaw)
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

AND a Mini muffin pan. I have tried these muffins in a regular sized pan and they just don't come out as well so we always go for mini muffins. Plus, my kids love the smaller size!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the blueberries and gently toss. (This will keep them from sinking as the muffins bake.) In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened. Don't over mix. Grease your mini muffin cups. Fill them to 2/3rd's full. (I use my cookie scoop to get them all the same size.) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Well, there you have it. Straight to the point Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins. You can use other berries if you want but these are my daughters favorite. They also keep in the freezer for 2 months. Just bake, freeze, then warm them up so you can enjoy a mini treat!

Less Expensive and Easy Gluten Free Flour

Less Expensive and Easy Gluten Free Flour

Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Starch, Xanthan Gum

I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance 4 years ago. It was shortly after my 3rd baby was born. I was in heaven with my new bundle of joy... until I started doubling over in pain.

The stomach cramps got so intense that my husband almost had to carry me out to the car so we could go to the hospital. It took a lot of coaxing to get me to cooperate but I finally agreed to a stomach biopsy. The result? I had a section of my stomach that was being agitated by the gluten I was eating and it was causing all my pain. Crazy, I know! 

My first concern was that I didn't really know what to eat. I had watched my grandfather deal with Celiac disease for years and it was no fun. I feared I would only get eat Chex Cereal and rice cakes for the rest of my life. 

Then I started to do some research and found that a lot of people had pioneered the Gluten Free way for me. Let me just say thank you to all those people! I took a lot of idea's from other people, put my own spin on it, and got some great recipes that have made my diet change barely noticeable! 

The first thing I needed was a good gluten free flour. I tried a ton, from store brands to home made mixes. (Beware! Some store brands use bean flour and that stuff has a weird after taste.) 

After a lot of trial and error, I finally found a flour blend that is great!

Here is my recipe: 2 Cups Brown Rice Flour
                              2/3 Cup Potato Starch
                              1/3 Cup Tapioca Starch
                              1 Tablespoon Xanthan Gum

First up is the rice flour. I like to grind my own rice flour (aka my darling hubby will grind a bunch of brown rice into flour for me. Thank you, honey!) You can also buy rice flour, but I find that using a food mill to make my own is much cheaper.

Next I take the rice flour my hubby ground and mix it with the Potato Starch (also called Potato Flour), Tapioca Starch, and Xanthan Gum. Sift these together really well. You want it all blended so you can use this just like regular flour.

Finally, store it all in an air tight container to use at any future time. Here you see a big container of GF flour. I make a lot at one time so I will have some on hand for several months. Start out by trying the smaller recipe you see above. If it works out as well for you as it did for me then start making it in larger quantities. It will 'keep' just like regular flour.

I find that this flour can be substituted on a 1:1 ratio with regular flour for most recipes. I will be posting some of my favorite GF recipes in following blog posts!

Settling In

Settling In

That part about moving everyone forgets to mention!

Finally made it home!

You have your new job, you purchased your new home, and after weeks of waiting to close, you are finally able to move in. And then what?
Getting settled into your new home and community is one of the tougher, though often overlooked, parts of moving. You have to undo all your long hours of packing and reestablish a routine with your children. Here are some things I have learned from getting settled time and again.

1. Kids stuff goes on the truck last and comes off 1st

Moving is rough on kids. It completely upsets their routine. And new places can be scary! The sooner you get your kids into their new rooms with their familiar toys and furnishings the sooner they will start to feel at home. If you feel your kids are old enough then have them unpack and organize their own room. This is also a great way to distract your little helpers if you are not quit ready for their help.

2. Find a Church

You may think this one is a bit different but I have found that a church congregation is an invaluable recourse for getting to know your new community. Not sure what doctor to go to? Ask someone at church. Looking for a good preschool? Ask someone at church. In my new congregation I have met people who have preschools, teach dance lessons, are delivery nurses with great insight into which doctor to use, and so on. Church is where you get all your questions about your new town answered.
Having trouble finding a congregation? Don't worry. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints loves to have visitors! Just go to www.lds.org. In the middle of the home page is a link called Meetinghouse Locator. Click on it. Enter your address into the search bar that appears on the left hand side of the page. Then a meeting house address will appear, along with the meetings time and the name of the bishop. I love that there is a map to show you how to get to the church building!

3. Story Time is Mom Time

After I get to know moms at church I always love to meet more people at community events. One of the best places to meet other moms is at the story times offered by the public library. I have met so many great moms who have children close to my kids ages this way.

4. Prioritize Unpacking 

When I unpack I go for the essentials first. My kitchen is unpacked and organized 1st thing. As for my all the pictures that usually go on the walls... Well, let's just say I am more concerned about finding a good location for the play dough than hanging my old bridal photos;)

5. Register your children for school 

If you are lucky enough to move in the summer then you have plenty of  time to get your kids all signed up for school. If you are moving during the school year then this will need to be done much sooner. Don't forget to have copies of those immunizations for the new school. I forgot to get them for this move and have had to call up the old doctors office at least 5 times now to have something faxed somewhere. Plan ahead to save yourself some time.

6. Decide which Doctor and Dentist are right for you

This always gets people really worked up but I find that if I don't like the doctor or dentist then I can just switch to a different one. That isn't to say that I just pick someone at random. I read all the doctor's bio's before our first visit. I ask all the new moms I meet which doctor or dentist they prefer. Even with all that I won't know if this particular person will work well with my family until I meet them. Be willing to try out a few people if you have the chance.

7. Set up play dates for your kids soon!

Yup. I am on of those moms that will ask you to a play date as soon as I meet you. I am all about getting a play date set up so my kids can meet other children. Again, this helps them settle into the new environment as much as me. Don't feel stressed that you have to have someone over to your house right away. Parks are great places to meet up with, or just to meet, other moms with kids. I really to find that the sooner my kids make new friends the happier they. Anything for our babies, right?

So those are some of the things that I do when I move to a new town. I have tested each one of these suggestions multiple times and find that they work great for me. What are some of the things that you do to settle in to your new home? I would love to hear what you have to say!

Kids Snack Bags

Kids Snack Bags! 

Travel food for your little ones

My kids love to have what everyone else is having for a snack. It always looks like more fun than their own snacks. So I have come up with a great idea for our family. Snack Bags!

I take the kids to the store and let them each pick a bulk snack item that they can share with their siblings. (Avoid chocolate or yogurt coating since they like to melt in heat). Then the kids get to place their snack in their siblings snack bags. It is an awesome sharing experience.

Now, I don't make just a few of these bags. I always make enough for an entire trip and then some. Sounds like a lot of work? Have your children help you out like I have mine. We have the snack assembly line down!

Ingredients for this snack bag batch are gold fish, fruit snacks, vanilla wafers, cheese-its, mini marshmallows, and strawberry wafer cookies. These bags are for our move so we made them extra fun! Make your's according to your children's tastes. We make sure everyone gets the same amount in each bag. I also got the kids new good 2 grow juice bottles. I love these bottles because they are dishwasher safe and are just the right size for water bottles.

Once done, I store all the snack bags in a sturdy box with a lid so they don't get crushed. I find a plastic shoe box works really well. Keep it in easy access so you can pass out snacks in the car. Have a great trip!

Packing With Kids!

Packing with Kids

(It's more fun than you think!)

Baby has packed up his most important things. Himself!

Packing with kids can be the most daunting task some moms undertake. But it doesn't have to be. It can be a great teaching opportunity with small children. Here are some of the things I have learned from all the times I have moved with my little children. 

1. Cut that Clutter

This is the 1st step in any move. You know that you have stuff you don't need. You know your kid has been hoarding a gift bag from some birthday party for over a month. Let's take a little time to clear some of that out. Let your kids keep their treasures but get rid of the junk. 

Do this early so the move isn't associated with getting rid of things. Help you child to consider this as a spring cleaning moment. 

2. A bit at a time 

Pack a few boxes at a time. It will be less daunting for you and your kids if the house is packed in stages rather than one massive packing spree. Seasonal stuff or things you haven't used in a while are great to start with. Keep necessities out till the end. 

I have found I can back a lot when baby is asleep so make nap time your packing time! 

Baby packed up the crepe paper for me!

3. Let the kids help 

I have my kids help me pack boxes. I teach them how to pack breakables, organize boxes, and how to use all the space. Doing this together as a family helped me to know some of their concerns. 

My 3 year old was worried that everything was going in a box and she would never see it again. I would have to tell her over and over that is was all going to our new house. Finally, the concept sunk in and she was fine to pack up everything because 'it will be at the new house with me.' 

4. Have children pack their own boxes

I gave each of my children 3 boxes. One was for the truck and one was for the things they wanted to stay with them through the whole move and the last was to play with. (Kids love boxes so let one entertain them!) The children were so excited to get to choose what went in each box. While I did have to supervise I was able to let the kids pack their own rooms! 

5. Call in the Calvary

If you have offers from friends to help you pack or watch the kids take them up on these offers! I had a kind woman from church offer to watch the kids and another offer to help me pack. Thanks to those two ladies I was able to get my whole kitchen packed in one hour!

Don't hesitate to ask if you need help. 

6. Cleaning up afterwards

Do you have to clean the house after you move out? I have always had to and paying a cleaning company is not a luxury I can afford. If you have a cleaning list from your landlord, break it up over a few days. And again, get your kids to help you. I give my kids Magic erasers and have them wipe down anything they can reach. They are such helpful children! 

I won't lie to you, moving is stressful. But guess what? You can do this! Packing doesn't have to be an overwhelming experience. At our house, we crank up Disney Radio and go to town filling boxes. My philosophy is this: As long as it gets there in one piece then it's all good!

Control is often an Illusion

Control is Often an  Illusion

There is an interesting idea that we as adults often put a lot of stock into: Control.
Control is when your personal will is what will dictate the actions or outcomes.  In parenting, we believe that we have control over our children.  On rare occasion this is true.  Our children will listen and obey exactly as we want and this produces the desired outcomes.  More often, our children do not listen and obey exactly as we want or the outcome is not what we wanted.  One of the major reasons for this is differences in perspective.
Perspective is how things are viewed.  When we have the same perspective as our children we have a much better chance of understanding them and they understanding us.  Consider this example: When you are looking at another person and say that you'd like the object on the right, the other person can be easily confused.  Do you mean your right or their right?  This is a very simple example, but it helps bring the concept out.
Another idea of different perspectives that I get all the time with my kids is what is complete or enough.  When you ask a kid to put their toy in their room, they do exactly what you ask and will usually just throw it into their room.  After several things from around the house being put in their room, I will walk by and see that there is a pile of stuff on their floor that needs to be put away.  From my parent perspective, putting something in your room meant putting it in the correct place in their room.  They were only told to put the toy in their room.  Now I have to work at a more specific level with my kids on putting away each of the toys in their proper place in their room.  After a while kids may have the same perspective on what it means to put something in their room as parents have about it, but it will take work to get there.

House Hunting with Kids

House Hunting with Kids
Part 2 of Moving with Kids

Every American has a dream of home ownership. It is something we have grown up dreaming about. We plan for it, save for it, pray for it. Then comes that wonderful day that we have always looked forward to, when we can walk into the home of our dreams and say "I'll take it!"
There is a lot that goes on before and after you get to that grand moment when you know a home is right for you and your family. I am currently going through it. There is a house that is perfect and then all the things I have to do to actually buy it.
Here are some of the things that I have found out while going through this process.

1. Make a reasonable wish-list

Despite what all the house hunter show's want you to think, not every home on the market has granite counter tops and hard wood floors. And can you afford them anyway? Sad to say it, but some of the things on most people's wish lists are out of their budget.
My wish-list for my future home was for a 4 bedroom, at least 2 baths, open floor plan, 2 car garage with two garage doors, large yard, quiet and safe neighbor hood, and only a few years old. While not totally unrealistic, a new build was not in our budget. I was willing to adjust and got everything that my family really needed in a new home. It is a great place!

2. What is your budget

What ever your budget is it is important to stick with it. Going over means a larger monthly payment, which may mean more time at the office, therefore less time in you new house. Don't you love how it always goes in a circle like that? Pick a home that you find comfortable and affordable so you can actually enjoy time in it.

3. What do your kids want in a house

As you go looking for a house, especially if you have older kids, find out what matters to them. For my children there were 3 things that they had to have in a new house.
         A. 2 bathrooms - both of their Grandparents have 2 bathrooms and that means a house is fancy.
         B. Stairs - a house is very fancy if it had stairs.
         C. A big back yard - meaning a yard that is big enough for them and a puppy.
Their wish list isn't extensive or unreasonable so I did all I could to make them come true. What are your children's dreams?

4. Pick the right agent

The agent you choose can make or break your house buying experience. They are your link between you and the seller. They help with all the paper work that is needed to buy a house. (And there is more paper work than you think!)
We met several real estate agents as we looked at houses. One was showing us houses with all the high end finishes at the top of our price range. While these houses were nice, none of them were large enough for you family. One was even smaller than our current apartment! This agent didn't listen to our needs so we went with someone who did. Choose some one who listens to what you want.

5. It will be a long day 

Unlike all the great house hunting shows you will look at more than 3 houses and it will take a while. Plan for it with plenty of snacks, potty breaks, and even a few episodes of your child's favorite show. They will need a little down time during the day.
If you happen to visit a house with lots of breakables, a grandma house as my husband calls it, it may be better to take turns going inside. We visited a house like that. While our oldest daughter was fine to go inside, the younger ones would have been much less fine. Taking turns worked out fine for us and then we talked about how we liked the house later.

6. Don't feel pressured

On my recent house hunting experience I felt so stressed about getting a home that day. We had traveled 10 hours to get to this new town just to find a home and we only had the one day to do it in.
We had all of our kids with us. At each house they asked if this was the house we were buying. No matter how many times I said we were just looking they would still decide which bedroom they wanted.
Needless to say that my husband and I felt a lot of pressure to get a house right then. We did choose one but as the process of buying it began we didn't feel good about it. Thankfully we got out of it and are now buying the perfect house for our family, but please learn from my mistake and don't be pressured!

6. Make it a matter of prayer

I feel God want's to be involved in all matters of our lives, great and small. Buying a house is a pretty big deal! Make it a matter of family prayer. Guidance and peace will come when you do. It certainly did for my family.

I truly hope that you enjoy looking for a house with your kids. It was such a bonding experience for us. I really came to understand what they needed to feel secure in their future home. They were even willing to share some of their dreams they had for our new town. (My daughter is hoping to make a best friend who only lives a few houses away so they can play together every day. Precious!) Best of luck as you go looking for your new home!

Moving With Kids

MOVING... With Kids!

I have moved more in my life than most army families I know. In the 33 years I have been on this earth I've never lived in any house longer than 4 years or any town longer than 5 years. Those are not the average numbers for me either. On average, I move every 3 years or less.

With numbers like this it may seem that all this moving must be something that I love to do. Truth is, I really get tiered of moving. Each move has been in pursuit of something, either by me or a family member. Growing up it was always a move for the better job or better house. Once I moved out it was a move for the better experiences. Then I got married and had kids. It was back to moving for the better job.

All packed and ready to move!

Some, if not all, these moves have been necessary and often inspired. I know that. But it doesn't really make the whole moving experience any more fun.
But something positive has come out of all this moving. I am a moving pro! Throw in my air force raised hubby and we are an incredible on-the-go team!
In this series of posts, I wanted to share what I have learned about moving with you. Especially if you have kids. Moving can be so tough on kids. Having moved a lot as a kid myself, and moving my own kids, I know it can be tough!

1. Make a plan
You need to have a plan yourself before you tell your kids anything about moving. Getting them involved before any plans are final could really stress a child out. Make sure you know if you are truly moving. Then, know where are you moving to. These are things that you have to have settled before you bring the news to your child.

2. Tell you kids
Once you know you are moving, and you know where, share the news with you kids. This is not something that you should spring on them. They will need time to adjust to the news so tell them before the big event happens.

3. Listen to your kids
On a previous move, my oldest was turning 5. She had just finished preschool and missed her friends terribly. She needed me to listen to her while she cried about missing those friends. While it is always hard to see your baby cry, she needed to work through all those emotions so she could feel better. Make sure you take the time to listen to your child's concerns about moving.

4. Get excited about your move
Whether you are moving across town or across the country, moving will bring out a lot of emotions. Try to focus on the positive ones. This can be hard to do, but the more excited you are about the move the more excited your kids will be also.  Are you moving to a new house? What are some of the great things about this new house? Are you moving to a new town? Research your new town with your children so you can find out what fun things it has to offer. Look forward to these new things together.
Our current move is helping my family move closer to Grandparents. Daddy is getting his dream job. We also are able to buy our own house! We find that being positive about this move very easy.

Remember, moving is an adventure! Have fun with it!

Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

I love chocolate. I love any kind of chocolate. Chocolate is just good. Add some fresh strawberries to chocolate and you have a little piece of heaven in your hand!

Here is my super easy chocolate dipped strawberry for your eating pleasure.

1 pound fresh strawberries
1 bag white chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. shortening (I use Crisco)

Clean and dry the fresh strawberries. Leave the leaves on the top. In a double boiler, melt white chocolate chips and shortening. Stir continuously until smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove chocolate from heat. Holding strawberries by the leaves, dip into melted chocolate. Place strawberry on wax paper to cool. Stir chocolate occasionally as you dip the strawberries.
If you want to add sprinkles, do it as soon as the strawberry has been dipped.

This is a great one to have the kids help you with. My kids love this treat. At the very end, I give each little helper a spoon full of chocolate!

Gender Reveal

Gender Reveal for Baby Kidd

I am so excited about this post! This is the first time I have done a gender reveal for any of my children. I didn't even know how to make it something more fun than a Facebook post until after I had announced my 4th baby's gender. So when I became pregnant with my 5th baby I was determined to have a little party! 

He or she, what can it be? Pink for girl, blue for boy. Either way, we are overjoyed!

First up was having friends and family guess the gender of the baby. Since so many of my loved ones live far away I had them Facebook me their guess. For each guess, I used a button to decorate Baby Kidd's guess tree. I let my oldest daughter choose what colored buttons we used so we ended up with two types of blue and two types of pink. She loves it!

Simple but Sweet!

Next was decorations. I will be really honest here. I am a super frugal person. I have made being frugal into a lifestyle for our family. I recently hosted a baby shower for a friend and just saved the decorations from her party to use on my own. I added some for the other gender and ta-da! I had a cute, and frugal, party set up for my family.

Surprise!!

Finally, how to tell my kids if they were getting a brother or sister. I have seen so many ways of how to do this. I had to find one way that would be fun for the kids without scaring them. Bursting a balloon was out since they are scared of the noise. Silly string was too messy. I liked the idea of making a cake with the color on the inside in some way, but I have 4 kids running around my house! I knew I would never get enough alone time in the kitchen to make a cake without someone being involved. That's when I found the awesome idea of having gender specific balloons in a box. Once the box was opened, these balloons would float up and let everyone know what you were having. Genius!!! I decorated my box and took it to the store with me so I could fit the balloons in right away. One for each kid since everyone would want their own balloon. I didn't take anyone with me so it was a real surprise!

In the end, we were all surprised! It was so much fun to have this party for my family. I kept the food simple since it was just us. A few fun treats for dessert that the kids were able to help me make was all we needed. I think the very best part was the reaction of my 4-year-old daughter. She is so excited to be a big sister!

It's a Girl!

Just in case you were wondering what the baby is;) Elizabeth Rose (A girl) is due to arrive November 16th of 2017. I can't wait to meet her!

A helpful husband

Being the husband of an amazing wife is no easy task.  Often people see us on good days when it all runs smoothly, but it takes much time and effort to get there.  I believe in my wife and all that she does.  I also take time, money, and other resources to make sure that she knows this.  She has always been totally supportive of me.  I returned to school, twice, and been supported every step of the way to earn my Ph.D.  I've also moved the family to a few different places.  Again, she has helped and supported me.  As a self-respecting human being, I should return the favor.
As we read marriage books early in our marriage I found a few for just the husbands. I decided that I really needed to take care of my most important resource, my wife.  I make sure to put in all the resources I have to keep her running smoothly.  That means time away from the family to keep her identity, a shopping spree now and then, helping her set up a blog, regular gifts, and whatever else she may need.  Supporting each other is the key to a great marriage.  I believe that and can say that it works great in our marriage.

Welcome to Writing the Rules!

Aren't blogs fun? I have always liked reading other people's great ideas on crafting, or cooking, or raising kids. Everyone seems to be an expert in their own area. It got me thinking one day "what am I an expert in?" After much personal reflection, and a lot of trips to the cookie jar, I realized that I was the expert of my family.
And why not? Are we not all doing our own lives the best we can? There are great days and o.k. days. We all try to pretend like there are never any bad days but we all have those too. Parenting can be hard. Marriage takes work. That's why we need to connect with other people.
Heavenly Father did not send any of us to earth on our own with no way to reach out to Him. He sent us to people who had already been where we once were. He gave us the great gift of prayer so we could reach Him. He gave us other human beings to connect with so we wouldn't have to do everything on our own. In short, Heavenly Father sent the experts ahead of all of us to figure things out so our travels through mortality wouldn't have to be so hard.
So that's why I am creating a blog. I am sharing what I have learned through my mortal experience with the hopes that it will help one of you out there. I know I have learned a lot from others along the way and will continue to do so. I feel that if we all work together we can help each other reach our Heavenly Father and our home above.