LDS Womens Haven

Daily Schedules

2006-09-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

I have found in the last few weeks of my life, a need for a schedule. I felt like I wasnt accomplishing much, so I sat down and wrote out a daily schedule for each day of the week, and I am going to post it on my homesechool blog www.homeschoolblogger.com/jaelle so if any of you are interested in the things that go on in my boring little life, check it out there!!! LOL. I have been researching over the net, other women who have sat down and done this. I am so impressed. I have of course, written out my schedule, as for actually following it to a tee, it has yet to happen, but I pray that each day will be better!! If you feel the need to do this, check out my blog and then do a search over the net, for daily schedules, etc. Most homeschool families do this, I have found. It just kind of helps make your day go smoother. I feel like I'm not forgetting important things, well, things that are important to me, like I have actually had to schedule time to snuggle in bed with my kids to read books! That is how crazy my life has been. I am going to post at some point, how I am trying to prioritize my life more. I have read every self help book out there I believe! LOL. If anyone else has a daily schedule that they would like to share, please post a comment! I am loving mine so far, even though I dont follow it to a tee, but it gives me an idea of what to do!
With love,
Jaelle

A Mother's Education

2006-09-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

I have recently stumbled upon the greatest yahoo group/ website. You can join the yahoo group from the website, www.truelightacademy.com/mother's_course.html Basically, it is an educational course for LDS moms. This was an answer to my prayers. I felt for a long time like I just wasnt getting anywhere in my life. I wanted to be the mother of Zion I dreamed of. This is an amazing website. It gives you neat things to read, and study, helping you to become closer to Christ, and also to become better educated. Right now I have read a book for literature, poetry, read chapter 9 in the preach my gospel book, etc, just tons of neat things. Check it out, it is wonderful!!!! I do this at night after my kids have gone to bed, just for mommy time. I have added it into my normal scripture study time. Wonderful!
Love, Jaelle

updates!!

2006-09-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say sorry for not updating for soo long!! My life became so hectic that I just did only the absolute essentials to get by. We had our home appraised, then my son got sick, etc just so much at once!!! So I am now back to somewhat normal although I am averaging at least one bubble bath a day!!! Just to make it through! But I want everyone who does happen to come here, that I am back and in action and have lots of great ideas and posts!! Just need to get time to update! So please enjoy!
With Love,
Jaelle

Sunday morning with little ones

2006-08-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

It's saturday night and already I am thinking ahead to tommorrow morning. The chaos of getting three kids under the age of 5 ready for church, a bag packed, and praying with all my heart that I will hear at least some part of the talks in between potty breaks, and picking up cheerios off the floor! I used to absolutely dread sundays. I will be honest. It is hard for a parent to take young kids into church and sit for an hour and 15 minutes in sacrament. It is just a challenge for some of us. But I have learned a few things along the way that I would like to share. First of all, we always pray before we leave for church. When everyone is in the van, ready to pull out of the driveway, we pray. Last week, my 4 year old autistic daughter prayed, it was her turn and she prayed that we would be reverent and that curious george would help Sydney stay in nursery. hmm........ We will have to keep working on the prayer thing. LOL. Some things that I have tried to do personally on sunday mornings to make them go a bit smoother is to lay out clothes the night before, pack a small bag of things to do, no snacks anymore, my kids were at the point where we were having to come to church on monday morning just to vaccuum our pew LOL, and amazingly, they dont even miss the snacks. Also, I have packed simple quiet things like stencils and colored pencils and coloring books. Now that Dylan is 5, I am packing the friend magazine and trying to encourage him to be thinking about Jesus as the sacrament is passed, and also to think about the time that he will be a priesthood holder and pass the sacrament. He is finally sitting very very quietly during the time the sacrament is passed. I think it is because I have tried really hard to get him excited about it. That is another thing I have tried to do, we practice church at home. I know it sounds funny, but I got the idea from the Duggar family, I don't know if you guys have heard of them, they have 16 kids and they have had a couple of shows on discovery health channel. Anyway, they have their kids practice " quiet time" each day. They sit quietly for 2 minutes, then they can play, etc, then they go up in time each day. My kids loooved this. I totally didnt think they would even go for it, but I told them we were practicing being reverent , etc and so we had church music playing in the house, then they had to sit with their arms folded in a row on the couch for 2 minutes. We are going to keep trying with this. Hopefully it can make a difference. Another thing that I have learned personally is to get the kids excited about church. Every sunday my son wakes up and says " its the sabbath" they know the rules, no video games, church movies only, etc and they know that is just the way it is, we have had quite a few fhe's on the sabbath, what we should do, why it is done that way, etc. My kids are really excited about going to church, and I just love that. Last sunday, Marlee ( my four year old) opened up the door to the chapel and announced quite loudly " We're here Jesus!" She is autistic and she has a very special relationship with the Savior. She knows even at a young age, that we go to church for a reason. Anyone else have some good tips on church with little ones???? Please share!!!! I would love to hear them!! THanks!! Jaelle

Sharing our Testimonies with our Children

2006-08-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

I had the neat experience the other night of sharing my testimony with my three young children while we had scripture study. It was such a neat thing. I have always tried to be a good example to my children, to let them see me reading my scriptures, to have them see me pray on my knees, etc, and I knew that it was important to share my testimony with them, but never really took the time to do it. I am going to really try hard to do this at least once a day, even if just a casual comment, such as, I am so thankful for the gospel, i know it is true.
My experience was a good eye opener for me. We were reading scriptures at breakfast time, and I told the kids we were going to read Moroni Chapter 10, and that it was a wonderful testimony to all who read it. I read the chapter to the kids, then commented on how wonderful it was that all who read this chapter were invited to ask heavenly father themselves, if the book of mormon was true, and what a wonderful gift that was. Well, my five year old looked at me like i was stupid and said " why do they even have to ask?? it IS true." well, that was just awesome to hear. I know it is important to bear our testimonies frequently to our children, that they might also gain strong testimonies through our examples and through their own special personal spiritual experiences. I do know that this church is true, that Joseph Smith was an incredibly smart, spiritual man, and was a prophet. I am so incredibly thankful for Pres. Hinckley, and know without a doubt that he is a prophet of God. I love the gospel, I dont even want to think of where I would be without it. I love the scriptures and know they are true. How thankful I am to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and how thankful I am for my friends on the internet! I say these things in the name of our Savior, whom I love with all my heart, Amen.

Official First Day of School!!!!

2006-08-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

We are so excited! It is the first week of homeschooling here in our home!! Keep updated on all the fun going on around here with my homeschooling blog www.homeschoolblogger.com/jaelle
Check it out!!!!
Also, I have a yahoo group for lds homeschoolers, that any of you are welcome to join
it is called ldshomeschoolersrus so feel free to join!! I can send invites to anyone, just email me and let me know!! We are going to discuss weekly topics and I will be sending a weekly newsletter out!

Motherhood Blues

2006-08-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

I sincerely hope that I dont sound incredibly selfish as I write this post. Last week it hit me that I was going to spend the next 18 years, every single day and second with all three of my children. Most moms, when a child turns 5, or even younger if you count preschool, straps on their backpack and sends them to school for 8 hours a day. Not me. I am homeschooling my children. Now I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity, for knowing that Heavenly Father sent me very special children to teach, but honestly, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Suddenly , I felt like I needed a big break. A really long bubble bath, and some new magazines or something. Maybe a vacation. Or a nap. Suddenly, my mind shifted to the thought of " what exactly do I really do??" I change diapers, potty train, fix meals, and now, teach school for 3-4 hours a day. What am I???? Who am I???? It was incredibly depressing all of the sudden. I had a case of motherhood blues. Suddenly I began to remember what it was like to be a teenager and lay by the pool all day on a hot summer day. To go to a dance. To SLEEP IN!!!!!! I remembered my aspirations to become a doctor, to make a difference in this world. Suddenly, I wasnt so sure I wanted to be a mother to three children under the age of 5, one with severe health problems, another with autism. It was just to much work and worry, and no glory. I wasnt worth anything to anyone, except when they needed clean socks.
This was really getting me down. I even for half a second, considered trying to send my kids to school. Then I realized, umm.... then what would I do?? I would REALLY have nothing. My kids are my life. Then I started thinking about all the things I do, how it may not seem like much, but it does mean something. I thought, yeah, I used to be able to lounge around the pool all day in a cute swim suit with a cute adorable teenage body, but now, I get to watch all three of my adorable children play in their little pool and look at their sweet little bodies in their elmo and spiderman swimsuits and just smile. Well, I dont go to church dances anymore, but I can still dance a mean dance to Barneys I love you song. It is sooo much more fun to dance with a little toddler in your arms, then some nervous boy who really doesnt want to be at that dance! LOL. Yeah, I may never ever in this entire life be allowed to sleep in again, but I adore having little bodies come tumbling in to my bed in the morning with sleepy eyes , just wanting to snuggle mommy. Yeah, this motherhood thing isnt to bad after all.

Once A Month Cooking Tips and Ideas!

2006-08-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

I have had a couple of people ask me to let you guys know how it went with the freezer cooking. I spent a couple of hours one afternoon, and this is what I made, I put vegetable soup to cook in the crockpot, made tuna noodle casserole up and put it in a tupperware container to freeze, and then when the vegetable soup was done, I put it in a gallon freezer baggie and put it in to freeze. It was a really small start, but was super easy to pull it out and stick in the oven or back in the crockpot. This week I will be searching through ideas and articles here on the internet and hope to get some cookbooks at the library, I will post the best ideas and recipes I can find! I hope to make up a lasagna, meatloaf, and possibly chili to put in the freezer! Yay!

Once a Month Cooking/ Freezer meals

2006-07-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

In my quest for simpler living, I have looked into once a month cooking (OAMC) and I really really like the concept. Basically, you make a detailed menu plan and list for a whole month, then shop and cook in a few days, the meals you will eat for the whole month. You freeze them, thaw them out the night before they are to be made then, pop them in the oven, voila! Dinner is served. So I began researching what could be frozen, etc and how to go about doing this. There are many great websites out there that talk about it and give some great recipes. A simple web search turned up some great sites. I think that personally, cooking for the whole month is a little to much for me, with three kids under the age of 5, but I adore the idea of making extra and a bunch of meals at a time and freezing them, for whenever they are needed. My husband works a weird shift, he goes into work at 2 pm, so lunch is our main meal together, but because we are always doing errands, or just spending family time, we arrive back home around 11:30 or noon, and there is just no time to thaw out meat, plan a meal, etc and get it on the table before he has to leave at 1. So I am going to begin making meals ahead of time in the evenings when the kids are calm and ready for bed, I will start meals, and then freeze them, then first thing in the morning , grab it out of the freezer and pop it in! By the time we get home, their will be a full meal waiting for us! I am really excited to try this out. I am trying so hard to make my life more organized and simpler because we are going to begin homeschooling in late august, I need my life to be simple and organized so that I can concentrate on the kids school! If any one is interested I would love to post some of the oamc recipes that i have found and tried!

My Quest for Simple Living

2006-07-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

Lately, it has really been on my mind, the fact that I have a whole home full of clutter, that we really don't need. I mean, I have clothes that I have bought my children that I just recently found, in the back of their closet - with the tags still on them, completely forgotten. My big problems in my home are clothes and toys. I have cleaned out our playroom with garbage bags, then donated probably 8 bags of toys within two months! CRAZY! The clothes situation is even worse. I have no idea why, but my big shopping vice is children's clothes. My kids are some of the most well dressed kids on the planet! I LOVE kids clothes and accessories and shoes, well, basically I love to buy anything if it has to do with my kids. I am still wearing pants and shirts from when I first was pregnant with Dylan ( 5 years ago) and my kids get new clothes constantly. So I looked at my huge laundry pile, realized I couldnt walk into the playroom, and decided to start doing some thinking on simple living. Basically , I was thinking about how the pioneers lived with so little in our eyes, but that they had everything they needed, to survive. Why do we need so much stuff??? Why do I THINK I need so much stuff?? It just makes more work for me. I would rather be playing with my kids, than doing laundry. So in my quest for simple living I have taken the challenge to go through my home, room by room, with a pioneers eye, and take garbage bags and boxes and absolutely have a major house cleaning. I am going to donate anything and everything I possibly can. I want a simple, clean, beautiful home. It makes me feel so much better to even think about it! My goal after I get my home all cleaned out, is to remember how wonderful it looks, and to not buy more clothes and toys! My kids really dont need it!!!! We homeschool and dont go very many places, they are just mainly here at home with me, they dont need a new outfit for every day!!!! They can get by with less. So, wish me luck everyone! I want to concentrate more on other things in my life than drowning in unneccessary laundry!

Power of the Priesthood Continued

2006-07-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Another blessing that was so amazing in my life was the one I received when I found out I was pregnant with my third child. I had a blood test and an ultrasound to determine how far along I was. I told my dr, I was only about 4 weeks, because i kept track of my menstrual cycles. So I knew that I was only about 4-5 weeks along. Well, my exam showed me to be about 8-10 weeks, the hcg blood test said double what I should be, and the ultrasound showed that I wasnt even pregnant. Hmm. I asked my father to give me a fathers blessing. The spirit was so strong. The dr had called me at home to tell me that they were going to do a d and c. That what had happened was that I had something called a molar pregnancy, and that I really wasnt pregnant at all. That the body was just messed up. They were going to perform the surgery to clean me out. Well, my blessing said that things would work out , and that I had a very special spirit inside of me. I begged my dr to give me one more chance. One more ultrasound. He finally consented. There was my little Sydney, heart beating strong. What had happened was that I was pregnant with twins, and that accounted for me being " double" . The other twin had miscarried and was hiding sydney. So that was why we didnt see her! What a special blessing that was answered. What faith I had to have to ask and beg for another chance! My dr thought I was incredibly stupid !!! boy was he surprised!
My husband received a blessing that was pretty amazing. He was very ill, and was told that he had a brain tumor, that it was basically inoperable and that they would try to biopsy it, if they could, but it would be very tricky. They basically said he was going to die. My husband is only 24. We have three children under the age of 4. We were high school sweethearts. This was devestating news. He receieved a blessing that said he would live to help raise his children, but that he may have to endure some pain. We traveled to the Mayo Clinic. He endured testing and severe headaches, etc. and we were told it is bone. It is not a tumor, but bone! He was having severe migraine headaches. They were able to get him on medicine and he has done well. He still suffers occasionally, but he isnt going to die. What a blessing that was.
There have been many other occasions like this, where I have witnessed a priesthood blessing that has healed, and saved lives. It is powerful stuff. It can also be as simple as needing help through a small trial, that may seem like nothing to others, but is hard for you. God is there, he will bless us if we just ask. We have to have faith. It could be something seemingly small to others or something as large as help me to live if my husband dies. Heavenly Father hears our prayers. He wants to bless us. We just have to ask and have faith. I bear my testimony to you, that priesthood blessings are powerful. Amen.

The Power of the Priesthood

2006-07-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

I love to hear about other peoples lives. Call me nosey! I hope that no one is offended with this little post. I am wanting to talk about priesthood blessings, and I am going to share with you alot of personal experiences.
I am a firm believer in the power of a blessing. My parents joined the church when I was a year old. I grew up in a home where my father was a worthy priesthood holder and exercised his authority with love and wisdom. How thankful I am for that. I am also a firm believer that in order for you to be blessed, you have to believe. Here is my first example. My brother in law, is inactive in the church. He married a woman who has never been to church that I know of, and they gave birth to a beautiful boy. Unfortunately the birth was incredibly traumatic. My sister in law, died on the table, and was brought back to life amazingly. But my little sweet nephew was in the birth canal at the time and they were trying to save my SIL so he was without oxygen for an amazing amount of time. He survived to everyones amazement. But not without injury. He is now 6 years old, and gorgeous, but lives a terrible life. He is basically a vegetable, for lack of better term. He can't eat or swallow, or move. He has seizures and other health problems. He lies in a hospital bed, staring at the world. Because of him, my husband and i were married. I was there at his birth and drove Keith and his mom to the huge hospital that the air evac helicopter took Moses. My SIL was to ill to be moved. As I walked into the NICU ( consequently I used to work at the hospital so I knew my way around, etc) and I stood beside the bassinet and looked across it, I met the eyes of Keith and realized then and there that I was going to marry that man, and we were going to have gorgeous children of our own. I have such love for my little nephew. He was born for a reason. Because of this traumatic experience , his father, my BIL, remembered the gospel, for a time. He decided to have Moses named and blessed by my father. We were all very good friends. I wasnt able to be at the blessing because of my job at the time, but my parents stopped in and told me about it. Such amazing words were spoken. That Moses would live, and that he would be an active loving child, he would run and talk like any other boy, but that it was dependant on his parents faith.
Could you imagine hearing those words? They werent even sure that he was going to live one day, let alone to an age where you could walk. His parents were there, they heard these words. They heard that it was dependant on THEIR faith.
When Moses finally got out of the hospital, his parents sad to say, decided that it was just to much to have a kid like him. They have since divorced and only pretend at times to care about him, and they have received a large amount of money because of what happened. Neither of them have ever had to physically care for him, a nurse does 24 hours a day. When I hold this child in my arms, I weep for him, knowing that if he had just been born into a different family, things could be different for him. If his parents had faith. This is an example of a beautiful blessing, but no faith. We HAVE to remember to have faith. Their was a reason that this child was born, and suffers. He was born to get his Uncle Keith and Aunt Jaelle to stop beating around the bush and pronounce their love, lol, and he is an amazing example to so many. What a precious child in the sight of God.
I have seen so many miracles in my life. I should write a book! People wouldnt believe the things Ive been through! So many of these miracles were brought to pass through the priesthood. Almost every member of my family has been profoundly touched by a priesthood blessing. Im sure that given time, I will be able to say that about all of my children. I would like to share some experiences with you, to lift you up, and to bear my testimony of the priesthood and the power of blessings.
When I was 6 years old, my mom was having back pain, to the point she had to go to the dr. They were shocked at the x ray. Her spinal cord was wrapped around her lung. She had such severe scoliosis, it was going to kill her if they didnt act immediately. So she was rushed to Cleveland Hospital, and underwent a major operation . So major they didnt think she would make it. It was traumatic for me, who at 6 years old, knew that my mom was the world. She was everything to me. She was in the hospital for over 2 months, and my little sister and I were shipped to different loving families in our ward, and our grandparents and aunt. We were very well cared for, but it wasnt our mom. I remember seeing her for the first time in the hospital. My mom knew that we probably shouldnt see her like that, but she was just so thankful to be alive, and missed us so terribly, that she asked to see us. I was very unprepared for what I saw. In order to straighten her spine, the doctors had drilled two big screws into her temples and attached a metal "halo" and connected it to her spine. This kept it straight. I was completely unprepared and was traumatized. I screamed and ran out. It broke my mothers heart, and left a lifetime of scars for me. Long story short, she lived and was able to come home and raise her two little girls. She was amazing. The best mom ever. But I was traumatized and scarred. I developed a huge case of seperation anxiety, marked by throwing fits and crying and lying about illness just to stay home from school. I just knew that if I went to school, my mom would die. This continued until I was in 7th grade and my parents learned about homeschooling. What a relief. But it was always in the back of my mind that something like this could happen again. My absolute worst fear. That she would be sick again, or have to have surgery.
When I was 16, my absolute worst fear became a reality. Once again, my mother was in pain, to the point of needing major surgery. This time, they would take out the metal rods they had inserted into her back, clean them, replace them and then fuse her hips to them. Major surgery. She made it through the surgery as well as to be expected. My dad called my sister and I ( she was 12, I was 16) on the way home from the hospital 2 hours away, saying she did good, I will be home soon. Ten minutes later, we received another call. It was my dad again, he was turning around and going back to the hospital, the dr called him on his cell phone saying to get there as soon as possible. My mother was going back in for an emergency surgery. It seems that someone "forgot " to clean and sterilize the surgery room between surgeries. My mother had a fever of 107 and was in severe pain and they were taking her back in to find the source of infection. We found out that she had a staph infection. 5 emergency surgeries later, she was able to come home. I was 16 and suddenly responsible for a home, a family, and everything that goes with it, along with doing school, and caring for my very ill mother. It was extremely touch and go for 6 months. They didnt think she would live. I woke up each morning and started her iv antibiotics, and stayed with her, caring for her, and also the rest of the things I was suddenly in charge of. I honestly thought she wouldnt live, as did everyone else. She received a blessing. It said she would live. But she was dreadfully ill and in pain for about 2 months after that, and we all began to doubt the blessing. How could it be possible??? She was wasting away before our eyes, strapped to this huge hospital bed in our living room. Then we realized that we werent having faith. It didnt say, you will be healed instantly. We still had some trials to go through. My attitude changed, as did the rest of the families and my mom lived. She lived and one day, she got out of the bed. Slowly, she took back her life, and was cleaning the house, cooking meals, and helping me with school. Sadly, my moms battles are not over. She was just diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis this past month, and we are all trying to have faith once again.

Email Address

2006-07-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

I just want to thank everyone for their comments. They really warm my heart and make me feel great! I wanted to leave my email address here, posted so that you can feel free to email me directly. Unfortunately with the comment system on blogspot, I can't see the email addresses for you, or I would email you back and thank you!!!!!
So please feel free to email me and give me your comments, or ideas! I would love to have ideas!
Thanks!
Jaelle
momtothreebabies@aol.com

Nauvoo, the city of Joseph

2006-07-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

For my anniversary on saturday, my husband and I decided to go away on a little day trip. So we left all three kids with their grandparents, prayed really really hard that they would be ok ( alright i admit it , i am a nervous mom!) and then took of for Nauvoo!!! We are sooo lucky to live just an hour away. This would be the first time for Keith and I to get to go alone! We put the windows down in our mini van, cranked up Silverchair and Bob Seger ( oh yeah we are so cool!!) and let the wind fly threw our hair as we sang along really really loudly ( and off key i might add). So the trip up was totally fun, and when we got there we realized that we weren't to late to catch the new Joseph movie in the theatre. If you havent seen this movie, find a way to see it. It will change your life. I am still , two days later , so emotionally affected by it. I couldnt sleep last night, and all I could think about was this movie. I am looking forward to the next time that I am inside the Nauvoo temple. I will be focusing alot of my prayers on gratitude for Joseph and Emma . We have it so easy these days in our church. We don't go to sleep at night, waiting for the door to bust open as we are drug outside and tarred and feathered, we arent killed for our religion. We must always, always be thankful for that. For our religious freedom.
Next we headed to the Lucy Mack Smith home. So adorable! The missionaries there call it " the dollhouse " and it really looks like it! I am so fascinated by the clothing, and dishes, etc of that time. They just have so much in Nauvoo!
We went to the Brigham Young home and I was very touched by going into the room that he had built on for the 12 apostles to meet. We stopped in that room and the spirit was very strong as the sweet missionary read to us a portion of a letter that Brighams wife wrote to him while he was on a mission. Such love.
I think the place that we went that impressed me the most this trip, was Heber C Kimballs home. The love he had for his wife Vilate, was so pure and sweet. I love the story of how she was soo sick, and in bed, and had all these sick kids, and Brigham Youngs wife was there trying to help, and was sick herself, and they had to say goodbye to their husbands, who were off on yet another mission ( dear souls served 8 missions each if I remember correctly!!) and they went to the door to wave goodbye, and they were so sick, and Heber C and Brigham drove by and cheered for them three times " hurrah hurrah hurrah" just to lift them up!! While I was in that home, I thought of a dear friend of mine who has 6 children and another on the way, and she just kissed her her husband goodbye again, he is off to serve our country and she is home with the children. I admire her so much, and I just really felt so close to Vilate Kimball, in their home, knowing that I could never be like her. She was so strong. I throw a fit if Keith has to work overtime!
Wilford Woodruffs home is one of my favorites. It was especially neat to get to go there on saturday because we are studying his teachings in Relief Society this year. I love his home because of the little childrens toys. They are just so precious.
Well, Keith and I finished our date with dinner at the little cafe there and a trip to LDS harvest where we were suckered in to buying way more than we should! LOL.
Being so close to this amazing city, is such a special blessing for me. I feel their spirits as I walk down the street, at times you feel as though you are there back in the 1840's and you are just headed to a friends home. They are such amazing examples to me and I thank them so much for their courage.

Vacation

2006-07-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

It has been over a week since I have posted, thanks to vacation!!! My husband gets the week of the 4th of from work, because of a company shutdown, and it is awesome! We didn't go anywhere, just lived and relaxed. We enjoyed the fireworks, catching fireflies, swimming, and so much more. We even found time to paint our master bathroom! I am going to work hard and get stuff caught up , not only in my home, but in my writing too. So look for a few new posts to go up here in the next couple of days! I have a blog on yahoo 360 that talks about my daily life, if any one is interested, lol. Here I try and keep things a bit more spiritual. I will be writing here in the next couple of days about Nauvoo, preisthood blessings, and a great book I have just read that really is changing my life.
Hope everyone is having a great day, and I just want to thank everyone for their comments! I want to email everyone and tell them thanks but it doesnt show email addresses!
Have a great day!
Jaelle

How to survive sickness in the family.

2006-06-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

As I write this, all three of my babies, plus my husband (my 4th baby, lol) all have pnuemonia. All of us moms have been through a time like this, where they are all sick with the stomach flu, colds, or in my case, pnuemonia! We know what it is like. So lets go over a few "rules".
Rule number one- chicken noodle soup doesnt always work. In my case, it could induce vomiting. lol. gross i know.
Rule number two- Make sure that your card to the local blockbuster is good. We have been making alot of trips to Blockbuster for kid movies!
Rule number three- Johnson and Johnson baby Vapor Bath is AWESOME!!!! Gave all three babies, and one hubby a bath in it- totally helped.
Rule number four- Mommy needs a nap. Even if it means having three sick coughing kids lying on you in the same bed, take a nap. You need it.
Rule number five- Laundry and dishes can wait. Your family is first. You should see my kitchen! I had to wash four plates, just to make dinner, but my kids know i love em! LOL.
Rule number six- This too shall pass. That is what my mom used to tell me. It does. They are starting to get a little better, and I know we will be okay.
Rule number seven- It always helps to be rocked to sleep. My son will be 5 next month. When he was first born, I rocked him to sleep every single night in a rocking chair that was given to us by my husbands great aunt. I played the same lullaby tape , same time, same chair, etc. One of my greatest memories. It stopped when he turned about 6 months old. When he is sick, he sometimes comes to me and says, " mommy remember when you used to hold me in the chair??" So yes, tonight, I held him in the rocking chair, and his coughing subsided as he fell asleep, and I got the chance to just look at him and be amazed at how big he has gotten.
Good luck, hope everyone is healthy in your house.
Love, Jaelle

Birthday, Fathers Day, and Parenting

2006-06-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

Tommorrow my baby turns 2. I always get soo emotional on my childrens birthdays. I have no idea why! I am just an emotional mess I guess! LOL. I was pondering my little Sydney's birthday tommorrow. I realized that my kid's lives are just flying by. It really seems like yesterday that I was bringing Sydney home from the hospital. She was the most adorable little thing. Had tons of black hair, and was really dark, from being jaundiced. She was born with a baby tan! She was incredibly snuggly, still is, and so soft. Still is! LOL. I realized that sometimes as a mom, I feel like I am not really looking at my kids. One day I am going to wake up, and Sydney is going to be 20. Will I remember how she smelled? How soft she was? What her favorite color was when she was two?? ( purple by the way.) I realized today, that I need to really look at my kids. I need to stop worrying about the house, what people think of me, etc. and look at my kids. Stop and smell them. Touch them. Hug them. Ask them what their favorite color is that day! Which brings me to Fathers Day. Sydney was born on Fathers day. What a cool gift huh! Yesterday, in church of course the talks were on Fathers. The 1st counselor in our presidency talked about the responsibilities of fathers. He basically said- are you ready to stand up to your Heavenly Father and be held accountable for what kind of parent you are? It hit me hard. All my life, I have only wanted to be a mom. Heavenly Father made me that way I guess. I never wanted to really go to college or have a career, I wanted to be a mommy. I prepared for it from the time I was old enough to carry a baby doll around. People were asking me to babysit when I was 8 years old!! I loooved kids. I wanted a million babies! Still do- but thats another story LOL. I know that I am a good mom. But I know that I can be even better. I want to be able to look at my Heavenly Father and see the love He has for me. I want him to be able to say " you have done well. You have raised your children in a way that makes me happy." So here is where my title of this blog ties all together. Parenting is soo hard. I make mistakes. You make mistakes, we are human. But we can try our best. We can do like what the talk on Fathers day said, we can be prepared to stand before our Heavenly Father and say we did our best. My baby is turning 2 tommorrow. I am going to make a commitment to love my children, to do my very best for them. How about you?????
Happy Birthday Baby Sydney!

Birthday Party Themes and Ideas

2006-06-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some Birthday Party Ideas!!

Dinosaurs- Scavenger hunt- take pictures of things around your yard with your digital camera, print them off in index size, and glue them on a piece of cardstock- put a check box beside them. Mix them up! Have the kids each take a card and then run around trying to find the items on the list! Have a good ole fashioned scavenger hunt!!
Dino Dig- this is awesome if you have a sandbox, sand table, or garden, any where with dirt or sand. Go to the dollar store and buy a bag of little play dinosaurs. Bury them in the sand and have the kids go digging for dinosaurs!!!!
With another bag of dinosaurs from the dollar store, make cupcakes with green frosting and put one little dino on top of each cupcake!! Enjoy!

Monster Truck- This was one of my favorite parties I did- Set up special "stations " in your yard or the place of the party.
Each person gets his own monster truck - can be found at dollar store or walmart for very cheap!!! This is what they will take around to all the stations.
Tire tread testing area- Have pieces of poster board cut up and ready, set bowls of poster paint out, all different colors! Have them roll their monster trucks tires in the paint, then roll them on the paper, to "test" the tire treads!! Makes awesome posters to take home!!!
Race Track- on a flat concrete surface make a masking tape race track, make a line down the middle and a finish line, two by two race your trucks!! Whoever makes it across the "finish" line first is the winner!!!
Detail Shop- Have a station set up with stickers, etc for them to "detail" their trucks!!
Obstacle course- Another good thing if you have a sand box, sand table, garden, etc. Set up a little obstacle course in it, with rocks, sticks, hills, then they can "race" their trucks through the obstacle course- if you want to get messy and make a boys dreams come true- add water! LOL
Fuel station- every man needs to fuel up! Serve chocolate pudding for "mud" and oreo cookies for "tires"!!!!!
Have fun!

Doll "tea/juice" party- Have the girls where there best party dress and bring their favorite doll. We are having this party for my soon to be 4 year old! We are having it in our backyard under the umbrella at the patio set. The table will be set with beautiful plates ( fancy paper ones of course, lol) and their very own tea cups that I will be purchasing from the dollar store- they will each have their own to take home. Have a pitcher of lemonade, pink, yellow, whatever they like, and that is the "tea". I actually found a play tea set at walmart for really cheap, and the cups, etc are really small, and that is what I am using for the dolls. Each doll will have her own cup. They will be eating Little Debbie Fancy Cakes, and having their "tea". Then for the activity I am printing off paper dolls and accessories from my scrapbook program on my computer!! They will be using crayons and stickers ( no markers for my pretty girls dresses LOL) and decorating their dolls to take home. Hopefully this is going to be a sweet little party.

Fish/Swim party- Fish theme, goldfish crackers, cake with blue icing and frosting fishies,etc. Have kid pools set up all over yard, and sprinklers on!! The kids "swim" and have a great time!! For the take home gift, if you really want to go big- give them their own betta!!! LOL!!!

Making your home a haven

2006-06-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

This is something that I have wanted for my own home. I longed for my home to be a haven to my family. A place where we could come inside from the world, and relax. To feel safe and secure. The most important thing in your home should be that the Spirit is always there. I liked a quote from one of the leaders of the church ( I am soo bad at who says what! I need to write it down when i hear it! LOL) about asking daily that the Spirit will be in your homes. As women in Zion, it is our duty to make the home a haven. When we kneel down to say our morning prayers, we need to ask Heavenly Father to help us have the Spirit in our homes. To make our homes a haven. One thing I like about my home, that makes me feel like it is a haven, is that I have pictures of my children and church things up. I have pictures everywhere of my kids, of Jesus Christ, of the Temple, I have taken scriptures that I loved and printed them out on pretty paper and framed them in places. I have taken poems that I loved and put them with pictures of my family and placed them in frames together. My children have pictures of Christ and President Hinckley in their rooms. This is something that was important to me. i am a nervous mom, lol, and my kids' bedrooms are at the other end of the house. I feel so safe knowing that they are sleeping in rooms with our Saviors picture up. It just makes a mom feel good. Another important thing in making our homes havens, is that we feel safe and good inside of them- that we feel clean and happy. Now I have three kids under the age of 4!! My house is not spotless! I am a firm believer in a home that looks like you have kids. I have been in homes where they have children- I know they do- but it looks like a museum, there kids highchairs are stored in closets, there are no toys anywhere, they have immaculate white carpet and heaven forbid a sippy cup be left on the dining room table. That is not home to me, that is a museum. I want my home to be clean, comfortable, homey, and look like I have children! I am proud of my children. There artwork is displayed proudly on my refrigerator and their toys are kept in cute baskets by the couch and in the playroom. My kid movies are displayed in a nice shelf beside the tv. It looks like I have kids! But not a gross mess! Decorate in a way that makes you happy. I have americana stuff in my kitchen, it is so cute, and it is something I like. Other people may not think it is good for a kitchen- who knows or cares?? Do what you like. What makes you happy. If you love to read, then buy bookshelves and display your love. Make your home a reflection of you. In my personal opinion, if you are happy and safe in your home, and the Spirit is there because you are behaving in a way that you should, your children and husband will feel safe and secure and your home will truly become the haven from the world that you want it to be.

ENEWSLETTER Coming!!!!

2006-06-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am going to start sending out an enewsletter every monday- anyone who is interested please email me and give me your email address and any topics you would like to see on either ldswomenshaven or in the newsletter!!! Thanks a bunch! First newsletter goes out next monday!!!

Family Home Evening for a month!!

2006-06-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

This was an idea I came up with from needing to teach my children some basic rules for our home. We are doing this for the month, having one fhe a week, focusing on one rule. These are the rules we are using for our home , but of course, feel free to change them to fit your home. With three kids under the age of 4, things can get a bit chaotic. We are taking the time to refocus on 4 specific things:
1-No yelling
2-Obey your parents
3-No fighting
4-Clean up your messes!
Each week we focus on one rule. We have made a poster with the family rules on it, and we will go over it each day. Here is the outline that we are using for the month for fhe, remember this is just what we are doing personally, feel free to change it as needed.

Week one- No yelling!!
Memorize Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger."
We talked about what grievous words could be, how a soft answer is what we want to strive to have. When we catch someone raising their voice ( mom and dad included!) we say " soft answer". This totally worked for us!! We kind of laughed the first couple of times that we had to say our "catch phrase" but soon the kids really got into it, and it has worked out really well.
We sang "the chapel doors" to remind us about being reverent and that our home is as much of a haven as the chapel.
We made ice cream sandwhiches out of two chocolate chip cookies with ice cream in between!

Week two- Obey your parents!
Memorize Exodus 20:12 "Honour thy Father and Mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God give thee."
We talked about how very very important it is to obey your parents. So very important that the Lord has made it one of the Ten Commandments.
Our catch phrase for the week was " honor your mother, or father" whichever it was in the situation.
We sang " Quickly I'll Obey" and we actually sang it alot throughout the week, just because it is fun! My aunt actually used a neat way to "train " her children to obey. She would sit in one room, and have her child in the other and she would say " Mark" and if he came to her right away, he got an m&m. They would do this quite a few times a day, and it got to the point where she would say his name, and he would either come straight to her, or he would immediately answer " yes ma'am" and their was no m&m's required! He just learned respect! I am sooo going to try this on my kids! LOL
For a treat we made pudding pops!

Week three-No Fighting!
Memorize John 13:34 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
When we begin a fight, we say " love one another" then we stop and hug. We are really working on this between the children, now my kids are very small and usually extremely kind to each other, but I have an autistic child and a child with severe health problems and a very onery two year old, so it can become a bit, umm.... tense! So to curtail any thought of an arugment, we say "love one another." My husband had an amazing idea one time, my children were fighting over a toy vaccuum ( i know crazy huh!! they can use the real one if they want! lol, my floors could use it!) anyway, he made them go to the dining room table and he got out two pieces of paper and had them draw a picture of them sharing the vaccuum. This toy had been fought over many times. He put the pictures on the wall, and whenever they would start to fight over it, he would say " go look at the sharing picture" and they would have to go over and look at it, and they would immediately start sharing!!! Genius!! LOL.
We sang " love one another" and talked about the words and what they meant to us, and how very important it was to remember that we are a family and that families watch out for each other, not fight.
For a treat we had Jello with fruit and cool whip

Week four- Clean up your messes!
Memorize D&C 42:41 " And let all things be done in cleanliness before me."
When you need to pick something up, mommy and daddy will say " all things in cleanliness" yes, it is kind of long, you can make your own catch phrase here!! LOL.
We sang " I am a child of God" just because we like it!
Treat was fruit smoothies.

Hope you like these ideas! We are still working on them all of course, but it was a fun month of fhe's!!!

Scripture Study

2006-06-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

As a youth, I have to admit, I did not get what I should have out of scripture study. Now that I am a mom, it is a whole 'nother ball game!!!! Some of the best tips I have found that personally work for me are listed below.

*Pick a quiet time- this is your time, no matter when you are able to get this time- make it yours. There is a time to read scriptures as a family, but there needs to be a time for you to sit alone and let the spirit whisper to you personally. I have found that for me, after the kids have gone to bed, and Keith is still at work, I can sit quietly with no distractions, and read and concentrate.

* Always begin personal scripture study with prayer. Ask Heavenly Father to show you what you need at that time in your life. I find I am able to concentrate more ( because face it, we moms are TIRED! LOL) and I am able to have the Spirit with me more after prayer. I am able to let go of the day, the trials I have faced, the distractions of the world, and I am able to enjoy my scripture study.

* For some it is important to have a plan, what you will read what day. For me personally, when it is family scripture time, we have a plan, we read this chapter of this book , etc. For personal scripture study I let my heart guide me. Maybe I am feeling the need to read a favorite passage. Maybe I feel the need to just let the Spirit guide me and I just let the book fall open and read. Maybe I want to continue what was read that morning in family scripture study, or maybe I want to re-read something from church that caught my eye. It is important to enjoy it.

*I keep a scripture journal. Actually it is my regular journal, but I put a little star next to the scriptures that I find uplifting. When I am reading my scriptures or I hear a quote that uplifts me or touches my heart, I immediatly write it in my journal, and why it touched me , or what I have learned from it. Then when I am going through a trial in my life, I can look back through this book of personal, uplifting things, all written specifically for ME! There have been times in my personal scripture study where all I have accomplished was read one verse. That verse would have such an affect on me, that I would immediatly have to write it down, then write out my feelings, why it meant this to me, what else ties in to it, etc. That, to me, is scripture study.

* Do this daily. Don't feel that just because you have already had your family scripture study, and maybe you have already had your personal scripture study time too, that you dont need to read more! There have been days, where the kids are playing nicely, the housework is close to being manageable ( HA HA) etc. and I feel the need for some peace. So I pull out my scriptures. I feel very strongly that your children need to see you read your scriptures for pleasure. Example is the best. My mom read her scriptures after my sister and I were in bed. She was able to have peace, quiet, and concentrate. Now she says she regrets it, because we were never able to actually witness her reading for pleasure. I make it a point to let my kids see me read my scriptures at least once a day, if not at family time, then when things have quieted a bit, I will pull out my scriptures and read a couple of verses. It provides quite a pick me up in the middle of a trying day, and it also shows my children a good example.

* ENJOY IT!!!!!

The Loveliest Woman

2006-06-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

". . . the loveliest women [have] a glow of health, a warm personality,a love of learning, stability of character, and integrity. If we may addthe sweet and gentle Spirit of the Lord carried by such a woman,then this describes the loveliness of women . . ."
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland , General Conference Address

Mommy Manager Binders

2006-06-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

I have found that it is absolutely imperative that I have some form of organization and planning to get through my day as a stay at home mom to three kids under the age of 4!!!! So I went and bought a cheap binder at Wal-mart, and I bought the little index tabs to make categories, and I listed all the things in my life that i was responsible for!
Such as:
Meals
Family Home Evening
Scripture Study
Cleaning
Homeschool
Garden
Calling
exercise and diet goals ( LOL)
Visiting Teaching
Finances

Then in each category I have blank paper, and I just go at it!!! I plan meals and write down meal ideas , shopping lists, etc. I write down what family home evenings I want to have, a bit of an idea as to when I will have them, etc. What scriptures I want to study and what times of the day, such as morning time at breakfast read book of mormon with kids, evening time, read bible joshua, etc for personal time. I keep the flyladys cleaning schedule in my binder, so all i have to do is take a peek and see what zone im supposed to be on that day. I have a little map drawn of my garden that shows me what is where! This has been my life saver!!! I can add to it whenever I want, put whatever I want in there. Trust me it is worth it!!! If anyone has any ideas of what they would add to theres, please comment! I would love to get input on this!!

Starting a Homeschool Support Group!!

2006-06-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

This is something that I have always wanted to do!! My kids are only , well, in two months they will be 5,4, and 2. But I loove homeschooling and want them to have fun activities to do. Here are some fun ideas to get you started!

service activities
*sports
*Choir/piano recitals
*pizza party
*spelling bee
*skating party
*talent show
*fall family formal
*family picnic
*field trips
*seasonal parties
*theatre workshops
*photography classes
*language classes
*newsletters
*email groups
*websites
mom's night out
*craft day
*book club
*used curriculum sale
*a day in the life of.....
*Book-it
*library
*YMCA
*art classes
*gym class
*music classes
*fundraisers
*child first aid class
*Babysitter clinic
*sign language
*games
*volunteer opp. mathathon st jude
nursing home

These are just a few ideas to get you started!!!!!

Relief Society- Where I belong

2006-06-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

Right after I graduated high school, I was called to serve in primary- I've been there ever since! Now at age 25, I get to be in Relief Society for the first time ever!!! I was nervous my first Sunday. I thought it would be so different, I was the youngest one there, I mean there was a huge age difference, the sister who was next closest to my age had been my Young Women President! Now here I was with three children of my own! As I sat in the cold relief society room with my sweater tucked up under my chin, alone in the back row, looking at the sweet faces of the women I had known from my youth, I had this huge rush of the Spirit and suddenly I was very warm. I looked at their smiling faces, saw how excited they were to have me in their with them, I knew I had found where I belonged. As I listened to the lesson, my mind kept drifting to thoughts of Emma Smith, I could almost imagine all the sisters in my ward, dressed in pioneer dresses sitting in the second story of the Red Brick Store. I felt the Spirit whisper to me, You are like them, this is where you belong. As the lesson progressed I realized in my heart, that it was perfect, it was what I needed to hear that week. I wanted to serve, I wanted to do more. I wanted to be like those sisters of old, serving others, loving each other. I knew I could do that. Each week as I sit in Relief Society I feel the same love and warmth as the first time. I feel part of a divine sisterhood. I feel I have found where I belong.

Coming Soon!!!!

2006-05-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

Starting a homeschool support group!!

Teaching your Children about the Proclamation on the Family

2006-05-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

What an important document! We need to read this with our children! Pick a family home evening, and devote it to this. Here are some neat ideas for teaching your children about the proclamation.

* Watch "together forever" then discuss how families fit into the great plan of Happiness!

*For couples only- write notes of gratitude to each other, listing ways you have been blessed by your spouse! Give it to them!

*Have each child choose a picture of their favorite temple, let them put it in their room and help them to write down goals that will help them to be prepared to have a temple marriage one day. j

*Read 1 Corinthians 13 and Moroni 7:44-47. Talk about how marriages and families can be improved when people act toward each other as paul and moroni taought!

*During dinner one night, have the family come up with names of movies, songs, etc. that have a positive view on chastity and fidelity. Enjoy at least one of these with your family!

*Take your kids on a date, individually. Have them tell you what they like and dislike about your family. What can you do to make it better?? What should you not change?

*During a fhe one week, compare your home to the temple. How are they different? How are they the same? What can you do to make your home a sacred place? How can you make your home more temple like? If you have a picture of your family in front of the temple, display it in your home!

*Choose a grandparent or aunt or uncle, etc that you admire- have the kids come up with questions to ask them about their life, etc. and interview them! Don't forget to video tape, or write down the answers!

*Talk to your children about how Heavenly Father blesses us each day. How He is concerned about us. Have family prayer.

*Evaluate the media that is used in your home. Have the kids help with this. Are there any movies, music, etc. that shouldnt be in your home? Set a goal that you will only view or listen to wholesome media.

*Study the parable of the prodigal son ( Luke 15). Remember that we are to forgive others.

*Have a special fhe on family work. Thank each member of your family personally for the work they contribute to your family.

* As a family, plan wholesome family recreation. Make lists of things you would like to do together- then do them!

*Have each person make a list of things that remind them that God loves them. Have them read it each day for a week.

* Create a family checklist together including things like family prayer, family scripture study, fhe, family recreation etc.

*Create a family calendar where all of the important dates in your family are listed, such as church activities, school activities, etc.

* Ask grandparents about traditions they remember from their families when they were young. Incorporate traditions in to your own family.

*Hug your kids!!!!!!

These great ideas were taken in part from a textbook on the proclamation on the family. these are such good ideas. I had to share!

Starting a Book Club

2006-05-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

Starting Book Club

First things first, you need to find people to join your club! Ask friends, co-workers, and post a flyer at your local library. Decide how many people you want to have, 8-9 at least, to make the discussion interesting. Decide where to hold it. Your living room, the local library, a comfy restraunt, the park! The places are limitless!
At the first meeting, set some guidelines. How often to meet? What time of day to meet? Who will choose the books? One book per meeting? Get an email and phone number list of everyone, so that you can easily get in touch to cancel if needed or to move meeting times. Try not to do that to often though! It can get confusing.
How do you choose the books? If it is an lds women book club, choose lds favorites, or new releases, trade books around until everyone has read it ( just dont forget to keep track of who has what!) If you are inviting general public, remember to choose books that are clean, and reflect your values.
Next step is to get a discussion going. Here are some good ideas for questions to start the discussion.
*What was unique about the setting of the book?
*Did the setting add to the book or take away from it?
*What do you think the author was trying to get across to the reader? What was the point??
*Were the characters real and believable? Which was your favorite and why? What did you learn from the characters and there problems they faced? What were there joys?
*What was your favorite part? Favorite line? Why?

Don't forget to serve some simple refreshments, or just make some hot chocolate and hot spiced apple cider. Everyone curl up and discuss! Enjoy!!!!

Visiting Teaching Tips and Ideas

2006-05-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

Visiting Teaching Tips and Ideas

Recently I went to Nauvoo ( we live close by , lucky us!) and as I was driving by the Joseph Smith Red Brick Store, I couldn't help but think about all the amazing things that happened there, on the second floor. I have been inside of it countless times, but always when I was younger, before I became relief society age. Now that I am a member of this great society, I have such a different feeling about that special store. I imagine Emma and the other sweet women organizing, praying, serving. What an amazing society to belong too. We are no different. Yes, we live in modern times, but we have just as much of a duty and responsibility to love and care for others. Visiting teaching is one way we can serve others, and honor our Heavenly Father, sweet Emma and all the other sisters who sat in that store and started the relief society.

We have duties as visiting teachers. Our duties include praying for our sisters, deciding who will drive, who will make appointments, who will prepare the lesson, who will report to the supervisor. Always, always pray together with your companion before you go visit your sisters. This is something that I have forgotten to do, but I know how very important it is, you need that Spirit there helping you, so that you can see things that you may not have seen, to hear things that you may not have heard, to know the things that this sweet sister needs to hear and might need help with. After your visit, talk about what needs this sister may have and how the two of you can help, whether it is making a plan that just includes the two of you, or getting involved with your relief society president and getting her input. Report any problems or concerns to the relief society presidency. They are there to help.
Mosiah 18:8-9 states that we are to "Bear one anothers burdens,.... to mourn with those that mourn; yea and comfort those that stand in need of comfort."
Remember their birthdays, send them a card! Be friends with them. Pray for them daily. Teach with the Spirit, and with love. Listen to them. Really listen.
Notes, treats, cards, flowers, love them!
When a new sister moves in the ward, and gets put on your list, give her a care package. I loooved this idea when I first heard about it. Make a little folder and put in it important info like the bishops number, relief society presidents number, you and your companions numbers. Include a map of the town ( easily found at the local chamber of commerce), important numbers like police, hospital, etc. The local temple schedule. Ward building times, any activities that will be going on etc. Throw in some cookies and off you go!
Good luck, and remember this is one of the most important things you will ever do.

Bed Making tips and Linen Care

2006-05-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

Bed Making Tips and Linen Care

*Use different patterns in two or three colors, like light pink, green, and blue and then use different patterns, like stripes and flowers.
*Keep monochrome beds from looking dull by using different fabrics and textures for accessories, such as wool pillows, and chenille throws.
*Egyptian cotton feels the softest for sheets, not neccessarily a higher thread count! Look for sheets with Egyptian cotton and when you find ones you love, take home two sets!! ( dont forget to take one out of the package and feel it first before you buy it, to make sure you love it!)

Linen Care
*Wash your sheets and pillowcases once a week in cold or warm water with a speciality detergent that will make them smell fresh and clean! Try woolite or something more expensive ( since you will just be using it on your sheets and piilowcases) from a specialty store. YUM!
*Dry sheets on permanent press, remove them when they are still a little bit damp, so that you prevent wrinkling. Don't forget in the spring and summer to hang them out to dry!! Makes them smell amazing!
*Every once in a while, set your down comforters and pillows out into the fresh air- they will fluff right back up and smell amazing. Dry clean them once a year, but remember, if you have a cat or dog on your bed, you will want to do this at least twice a year.

Have a good night's sleep!!!

Spring Cleaning 101

2006-05-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

Spring Cleaning 101
By Jaelle Kaylor

March bustles in on windy feet
and sweeps my doorstep and my street.
She washes and cleans with pounding rains,
scrubbing the earth of winter stains.
She shakes the grime from carpet green
and naught but fresh new blades are seen.
Clean, house in order, all neat as a pin,
She ushers gentle springtime in.
Author: Susan Reiner

Room by room tips!

Kitchen
*Give all your kitchen cabinets a good scubbing.
*Clean out your fridge. Check all expiration dates on food and condiments, toss out the bad ones. Using windex on the shelves gives it a good shine. Also replace your opened box of baking soda. Now is also a good time to go through your freezer to check for outdated food.
*Scrub your vent hood filter over your stove. Change the filter if applicable. Use a good cleaner or scrub with baking soda to get your sink sparkling clean.
*Wash out your garbage can really well, and disinfect it.
*Check pantry and cabinets for outdated food and nonperishable items you haven't used in over a year. Try and get rid of the clutter.
*Clean your oven. Spray cleaner inside before you go to bed the night before, it makes cleaning so much easier!
*Clean inside your microwave. Use one of the great products out there for cleaning inside, or make your own- Fill a paper cup with water and a few tablespoons of baking soda. Turn on the microwave for about 30 seconds and watch the contents explode! Take a paper towel, and wipe it up!
*Dust and clean your ceiling fan.
*Shake out kitchen rugs and wash if necessary. Hang out to dry for a clean smell!
*Wash windows.
* Scrub the floor.

Living Room
*Check ceiling corners for cobwebs ( something I always forget to do!)
*Wash all the windows
*Dry clean draperies or wash them yourself if you can safely, Hang them out to dry!
*Vaccuum upholstery, flip furnitures cushions.
*Dust everything! Don't forget your pictures on the walls.
*Clean under the couch cushions with a vaccuum ( don't forget to collect all the extra change, whoever finds it keeps it! HA HA)

Bedrooms
*Wash Windows.
*Flip mattresses.
*Dust lampshades.
*Clean out under your bed ( scary thought for some of us, but it needs to be done at least once a year! HA HA)
*Vaccuum the whole room, including under the bed!
*Clean up any clutter, especially beside the bed.
*Take mini blinds outside and spray them down.
*Closet tips- Have family members each tackle their own closet. Have them put winter clothes away in a box clearly marked "winter clothes, and size"
* Dust and clean ceiling fan.

Baths
*Wash shower curtains, according to directions. Replaces your plastic liners with a fresh new one.
*Scrub everything! Shower walls, floors, countertops, make sure you use a good disinfectant.
*Clean out your medicine cabinet. Check all expiration dates and throw out the expired ones, dont keep any medicine that you havent used in a long time.
*Wash your bath mats.
*Clean and sanitize waste paper basket.
*Shake out bathroom rugs and wash them if needed.
*Don't forget the mirrors!

General Tips
*Throw away anything you don't need. BE RUTHLESS! Get rid of clutter- the pioneers lived quite happily without all the junk ! Donate as much as possible to others who really need the stuff!
*Play some fun upbeat music and dance while you clean ( also a great workout!)
* Open the windows and get some fresh air while you clean.
* I also recommend rewarding all your hard work with some chocolate! HA HA!!
Good Luck!!!!

What is in store! Homeschooling, Church, Homemaking, Scrapbooking and more!!!!

2006-05-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

I am soo excited to finally have a little place of my own on the world wide web! This is a dream of mine, to write the articles and get the feedback and to meet other LDS women who share my beliefs, and love being moms, teachers, women of zion, homemakers, all of the wonderful hats we wear! I hope to be adding articles daily, and that everyone will benefit from them. If you are interested in having an article placed on my site, please feel free to email me!
I have a huuuge list of articles that will be coming up on here, with topics that we all can relate to, like parenting, spiritual things, homemaking skills, health topics, all kinds of awesome things!!! Welcome, and please enjoy looking around the site, reading the articles, all feedback is welcome! Thank you! Jaelle