tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57908881792166018902024-02-21T16:39:18.473-08:00Hotel HernandezDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11852442590429493357noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-28919202638642441802021-02-26T21:03:00.003-08:002021-02-26T21:03:56.591-08:00New Beginnings<p>After a family fast and some serious praying, we felt led to pack up our family, sell our Lynnwood, WA home, and move to Post Falls, Idaho this past Autumn. Covid-19 created many changes in our lives this past year, one of which was that David and the kids all ended up fully-remote, working and doing all their school learning at home. This new location-independence opened the door for the move to the place David's late mother had called home for the final 13 years of her life. It's bittersweet to be here without her. Upon arriving in Idaho, we learned that the local schools were opening for in-person learning, with masks and other covid-prevention precautions. The kids each opted to attend the local schools in person rather than continuing online with their WA classes. It has been a real blessing for them to have a return to a sense of normalcy and opportunities to socialize and make friends. The kids are thriving and happy. Our new home has parks and kids nearby, adding to our kids' enjoyment. I don't know if this is where we'll have our forever home, but I know this is where God wants us for now.</p><p><br /></p>J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-67607613879376550132017-07-08T22:11:00.000-07:002017-07-08T22:17:39.690-07:00The Math of Injustice<div dir="auto">
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While on our camping trip in Seaside, Oregon last week, there was a night where Liliana and her 2nd cousin, Maddy, were given the opportunity to sleep in a tent together without any grown-ups. They thought this was excellent fun. Emmett (age 7) repeatedly tried to climb into their tent leading up to bedtime, hoping he'd be allowed to join them. I pulled him aside and let him know that we were only going to have the 2 girls sleep in there together (for various reasons). I reminded him that both the girls had had to wait until they were 9 and when he turns 9 we will let him sleep in a tent with cousins without grown-ups as well. Tears ensued, punctuated with some questions and comments between sobs...</div>
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"Mom, a year is 365, right?" Emmett tearfully inquired.</div>
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"Days? Yes," I replied.</div>
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A loud sob preceded his next comment - "But that's over 700-something days!" A brief moment to inhale and cry was followed by, "It's 730 days!"</div>
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"Wow, Emmett, that's really good adding, buddy." I told him. " But it's actually less than that, because it's already July and you will be 8 in November. Then you'll be 9 one year after that." </div>
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He sniffled and wiped his cheeks while the wheels turned and then he looked up and said, "485 days."</div>
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At first I didn't realize that he had actually done the math, but after a minute it dawned on me that he had calculated the four months between now and his birthday at 30 days each, to be 120 days, and then added that to the 365 days in a year to make 485.</div>
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"David, are you hearing what this kid is doing?" I asked my husband who was getting our 4 year old situated in his sleeping bag for the night.</div>
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David was about to respond when Emmett said, "Actually it's 487 days because of the two 31 months." </div>
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Now I just need to inform all of Emmett's teachers that if they are ever having trouble getting him to focus on a math problem, they can turn it into a scenario in which he is being treated unfairly and he will solve it with a precision and speed well above grade level expectation<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-86337414018255682042017-03-17T23:26:00.001-07:002017-03-17T23:27:19.220-07:00Eager readers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a common scene around our house. Kids sitting together, but each immersed in their own literary world. Our four year old doesn't fully read yet, and the almost two year old doesn't even know most of the alphabet. However, they are content to flip through the pages looking at the pictures. Our littlest was excitedly jabbering about and pointing to all the different items he could in each picture. I love our little family of eager readers.</div>
<br />J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-1812965473816147682016-08-14T20:52:00.000-07:002016-08-14T20:52:01.912-07:00Liliana's baptismA couple years ago, Liliana and her 2 cousins (that were all born within a couple months of each other) decided they wanted to be baptized together in what they titled, "A triple baptism." We all liked the idea and even though one of the cousins lives in Utah and the other lives in Connecticut, we decided we wanted to make it happen. Last weekend was the big event. Liliana, Mason, and Daxton all got baptized by their fathers back-to-back in a wonderful "triple baptism." We were blessed to have many wonderful friends (both old and new) and family members come from near and far to show their support for these young folks and their decision to follow the Savior and live Christ-centered lives. It was a spectacular day.<br />
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J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-44279145807643039802016-06-20T19:47:00.002-07:002016-06-20T19:47:47.623-07:00Discussing Marshmallow Cereal Emmett speaking to his cousin during breakfast: Good?<br />
Elliott nods in response while chewing.<br />
Emmett: Yeah, it's sooooo good! You can't even believe your mouth!J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-36039317633718652632016-06-11T23:42:00.000-07:002016-06-11T23:42:13.458-07:00Liliana's future home Last week Liliana's class went on a field trip to a park near her school to collect soil samples for science. When she got home I asked her about the field trip. She told me it was good and she liked seeing the park because she might like to live there when she grows up. I asked her for clarification and she told me she wants to live in the wild instead of a house so she won't have to have a job and can do whatever she wants. I asked her how she'll get money for food and she said she'll just hunt. I pointed out that it might be hard for an animal lover to hunt, but she basically said, "I need to eat." So there you have it. If 10 years from now you see a young woman living in the park with stacks of books and hunting squirrels and crows, don't judge her parents too harshly. They tried to raise her to be a successful contributing member of society.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-29652074478386306502016-04-01T23:43:00.000-07:002016-04-01T23:43:08.457-07:00Strange conclusion On the way to church a couple weeks ago, the kids were getting a bit cantankerous. I decided to try to soften the mood by singing the primary song, "I'm trying to be like Jesus." As I finished that first phrase of the song, Liliana somewhat rudely said, "No thanks!" To which Emmett responded, "You don't love your family?" David and I just laughed.<br />
<br />J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-84469785956309512912016-03-29T23:19:00.000-07:002016-03-29T23:19:26.739-07:00A dose of sunshineSetting: A sunny, yet not-so-warm early spring day after many not-so-sunny days. <br />
Mommy: "Edison, why are you sitting in the middle of the driveway? I asked you to get in the car. Everyone is buckled and waiting for you."<br />
Edison, an adorable 3 year old is sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, leaning back on his hands, which are placed on the ground behind him. His face is toward the sunlight, but he turns it back towards mommy to respond: "I'm sunralizing." And he turns his face back toward the sun.<br />
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<br />J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-37364223835320898472016-03-29T19:54:00.003-07:002017-03-17T23:29:14.082-07:00Whoops- Here's Solomon's birth announcement... the week before he turns 1.So I guess I'm a terrible mother because I never did get around to posting that our clan had a new member added to its ranks... almost a year ago. Solomon James Hernandez was born April 7, 2015 at 10:30am. He weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20 3/4 inches long. His was the fastest labor of our 4 and the only that didn't require pitocin to complete. He's so loved by his big out sister and brothers. He has brought so much joy to our family. Solomon, it may have taken me a long time to get your birth mentioned on here, but that's because we've been so busy loving and enjoying you, we haven't had much time to spare! J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-3102096604110827922015-11-18T23:01:00.002-08:002015-11-21T23:01:46.414-08:00Mr. Incredible Goes to the DoctorA couple years ago, we received a Mr. Incredible costume along with some other hand-me-downs. Liliana tried it on once, but she was too big for it. Emmett wore it a few times, but outgrew it quickly as well. Then it sat in our dress up bin, largely untouched, for the bulk of the time we've had it... until recently. Edison pulled it out a few months ago and put it on. He became a big fan of the costume, although at that point he had never seen the movie. He would pair the costume with his green monster slippers and we'd call him the Increda-monster. He'd pair it with tap shoes and we'd call him the Increda-tapper. Today he was wearing the costume and didn't want to take it off when it was time to go to his Dr appointment. He simply added some red rain boots, informed me he was "all red," and got in the car. In the elevator at the doctor's office, a woman asked, "Are you Mr. Incredible?"<br />
"No," Edison replied, "This is an Incredible <i>costume</i>." As if he thought she really believed him to be Mr. Incredible, and he needed to set the record straight so she wouldn't run off and tell people she had just met the real Mr. Incredible. She chuckled and I said, "Yes, it IS an incredible costume!" J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-89906287348370106512015-11-18T22:48:00.000-08:002015-11-18T22:48:12.538-08:00Emmett's Invention Last week while I was helping the boys fold their laundry, Emmett sat down in a huff and started whining about how much he hated folding clothes. I told him he may as well get over it, since he'll have clothes that need folding throughout his life. After a few moments of grumpy contemplation, Emmett exclaimed, "I'm going to build a robot that folds clothes for me so I never have to fold laundry again!"<br />
To which I responded, "If you come up with a robot that folds clothes, many people would buy it from you and you'd become a very rich person."<br />
Emmett looked at me like I was slow in the head and grouchily said, "I'm not going to sell it! I'm going to use it to fold my laundry."<br />
"I meant you could make more than one," I replied.<br />
"Ok. I'll make two. One for me and one for Liliana," he said - still grumpy.<br />
I hope he does figure out how to make one someday - not because I care about him making tons of money, but because I'd love one of those machines!J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-69399270480862288862015-03-30T13:38:00.001-07:002015-03-30T13:38:59.500-07:00Over and OutEmmett and Liliana camped out in the back yard with David this weekend. They had a walkie talkie in the tent with them and while David was still inside finishing up some work, Emmett kept using it to call inside and ask questions or share random thoughts and comments. When David first gave the kids the walkie talkie, he told them that when they are all done talking and want to let the other person know that they are ending the conversation, they can say, "over and out." Emmett didn't quite remember the phrase, so he would finish with "Good night. Love you. Out and in." It took us a few minutes to realize what he was saying and why, but it was so cute and sweet that we couldn't bring ourselves to correct him right there and then. Love that kid. J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-48513243151520187452015-03-06T23:40:00.000-08:002017-03-17T23:39:30.594-07:00A date with a toddler <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For Valentine's Day, David and I sat down with the Liliana and Emmett and scheduled a date with each of them over the following few weekends. Liliana and I went to see a movie (Paddington Bear) together and Emmett asked to go to Dairy Queen for treats, followed by perusing a store nearby. Liliana scheduled a swimming date with David, and Emmett is going with David to see a movie. As the older kids began to go on their dates last week, Edison, the 2 year old decided he wanted to go on one as well. When asked what he would like to, Edison said, "Get a cupcake." I told him he and I would go out for a cupcake on our date this weekend. Almost every morning and after most naps this past week, Edison has awakened saying it was time for his date and his cupcake and has been sad when he found out he still had to wait. This morning he woke up crying about it, and luckily I could tell him we'd be going after nap time and dinner. When we parked at the mall where there is a cupcake shop and I opened his car door, Edison giddily said, "I'm so excited!" He was so happy to finally get out on his date. We wandered our way through the mall towards the shop and Edison stopped to check out fountains, lights, store displays, and even the sparkly design swirling through the floor. Once inside the shop, he picked out the most frosting and sprinkle covered cupcake available. He then proceeded to eat the cupcake... one sprinkle at a time - hopping out of his chair to pick up each sprinkle he dropped (which I quickly snatched away before he could put them in his mouth). After awhile, he decided he wanted the cake more than the frosting, and started eating bites from the bottom. He made it about halfway through and then we took the rest home for later, stopping to check out anything eye-catching on the way out - including a puddle to jump in outside. Luckily Edison was ready for the puddle, since he had put his rain boots on to go with his Micky Mouse PJ's that he wouldn't allow me to change before leaving the house. To top off his date outfit, his hair was sticking pretty much straight up because David had blow-dried it that way yesterday and Edison didn't want it combed today.<br />
He had a great time and I enjoyed being able to give him my full attention and let him lead us along in our activities, so I'd say our first official date was a success.<br />
...... J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-44408779298585562932015-01-28T19:19:00.000-08:002015-01-28T19:19:07.647-08:00Understanding Yogurt Liliana: Mom, does this yogurt need to be stirred?<br />
Me: Does it say, "fruit on the bottom"?<br />
Liliana picks up the yogurt and looks at the bottom of the container.<br />
Hahaha! After David and I chuckled, we clarified what we meant. Kids are awesome.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-27342057123259956592014-10-03T14:26:00.003-07:002014-10-03T14:26:44.922-07:00Edison and the airplane Edison headed out the sliding glass door to the back yard with a small toy plane in his hand. As he went, he told me, "I go fly the plane in the clouds." <br />
"Ok. Have fun!" I called after him.<br />
"Bye bye!" he replied.<br />
I watched him through the window as he reached up as high as he could and stood on his tiptoes, straining to reach the clouds. After a good 30 seconds of effort, Edison returned to the screen door and announced, "I can't reach it."<br />
How adorable is that? He thought he was literally going to be able to fly his toy up into the clouds! This kid is such a sweetheart and he brings so much joy to our family.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-55641500460359058662014-07-16T08:27:00.001-07:002014-07-16T08:27:27.221-07:00Emmett's Reading of Matthew 7:9Our family recently finished reading the Book of Mormon from beginning to end and moved on to reading the New Testament together. Last night we were reading in Matthew chapter 7. David was helping Emmett read verse 9, which says, "Or what man is there of you, who if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" To help the kids understand what was being said, David asked, "Emmett, how would you feel if you asked me for some bread and I gave you a stone?" ...Emmett smiled and nods his head. I figured maybe he didn't know what a stone was, so I rephrase the question, "If you were hungry and asked Daddy for some bread and he gave you rocks instead, would that make you happy?" Emmett's smile broadened and he exclaimed, "I love rocks!" <br />
After David and I stopped laughing, we tried asking if the rocks would help him not be hungry anymore. I'm not sure how much he got out of that, because when we moved on to the next verse that says, "Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?" and explained that serpent means snake, Emmett responded with, "The caterpillar ones are my favorite!" <br />
I guess this particular scripture is one we'll have to revisit when Emmett's a little older.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-55526090743985388982014-07-09T17:56:00.002-07:002014-07-09T17:56:54.695-07:00Edison Plays Hide and Seek As I was cleaning up after this evening's meal, I hear Edison - who had shoved his way behind the ottoman - say, "A, B, C, here I come!" He then dashed out from behind the ottoman, raced around the kitchen island, and laughed at Liliana, who was still seated at the table. He's so much fun! J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-87024839737816585612014-06-29T20:39:00.001-07:002014-06-29T20:39:15.884-07:00Edison's first complete prayerWe have tried to help Edison say prayers several times before, but he usually just says, "no" and that is that. Tonight Edison actually repeated the words of our family prayer at bedtime. All was going well until David said, "We thank..."<br />
Edison repeated, "We thank..."<br />
David: "thee..."<br />
Edison: "thee..."<br />
David: "for..."<br />
Edison: "five..."<br />
Laughter ensued -especially from Liliana and Emmett - and it took awhile to get everyone calmed down, but he did manage to complete the prayer. It was a sweet and silly moment.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-59647432989981542842014-06-16T09:11:00.000-07:002014-06-16T09:11:23.779-07:00Liliana's dance recital and Emmett's thoughts about it On Saturday, Liliana had her first dance recital. She performed a tap number with the girls from her pre-ballet/tap class, combined with another class. The girls had so much fun, and I was able to be with them backstage as a parent volunteer and see how excited they were. <br />
Earlier that day, Emmett asked why he wasn't going to the recital. I explained that we thought he'd get bored, so we arranged for a babysitter to watch both Emmett and Edison during the recital. Emmett told me, "Next year I will do a recital and nobody can come." I guess he was a little jealous, but when we got home, he admitted he had a lot of fun with Tori (the babysitter) and said everyone can come to his recital next year, except Liliana.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-82215673664722949432014-05-21T10:56:00.000-07:002014-05-21T10:56:01.183-07:00Midnight ReaderI think it's safe to say that homeschooling has been pretty successful for us thus far. A few nights ago I went to check on the kids before going to bed myself. Seeing as it was 10:30pm, I fully expected to find all the munchkins sawing logs. Emmett and Edison were out, but Liliana was huddled under the nightlight in her room, reading a book. I asked her why she wasn't sleeping and she told me she liked the story so much that she didn't feel tired because she just wanted to finish. She was about 3/4 of the way through the 2nd book in the Boxcar Children series. We had just begun reading that book together the day before! Way to go, my little kindergartener.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-80623152648055745042014-03-31T09:32:00.001-07:002014-03-31T09:32:56.444-07:00Emmett's morning musings Emmett, while eating breakfast: "I think when I'm done with this pancake and I go potty, it will be like a flat poo."<br />
I guess he thinks the shape of his food will affect the shape of his you know what. Kids think of the most interesting things.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-38396266314563668612014-02-27T13:43:00.000-08:002014-02-27T13:43:50.331-08:00Heavenly Father, Are You Really There?Emmett offered to say the prayer before we ate dinner last night. As he started, he obviously got his little mind mixed up with a primary song because rather than saying, "Heavenly Father, we thank thee..." he said, "Heavenly Father, are you really there?" ...long pause, then "wait..." and he looked up at me, confused. I started to chuckle and reminded him that those words are the beginning phrase of the primary song, A Child's Prayer, and that he must be getting mixed up with that. He and Liliana started laughing hysterically. Every time we tried to start the prayer over again for the next five minutes, they'd begin cracking up again. At least I know he is paying attention during signing time at church, right?J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-39849617686267581992014-01-14T17:52:00.000-08:002014-01-14T17:52:45.149-08:00Edison's new chompersEdison didn't start getting teeth until he was 9 months olds. Between 9 months and about 11 months he popped through his two bottom center teeth and the four center top teeth. Those 6 teeth remained his only real chewing power until Edison turned 16 months old and began cutting a molar. Up until this point he would look like he was pursing his lips every time he chewed because he would have to hold his food right in the front of his mouth in order to chew it. Last week, as Edison hit 17 months of age, he popped through another lower center tooth and a molar on the other side. His gums must be pretty sore because although Edison is not a finger sucker, he has spent much of the past couple of days with his fingers in his mouth, gnawing on them and drooling like crazy. Poor baby. I hope he feels better soon.J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-90566994653576713392013-12-05T23:34:00.002-08:002014-06-16T09:30:05.461-07:00Things Emmett blurts out randomly ~Driving into Seattle I hear an exuberant cry from the back seat. "The Space Noodle!" I love that kid!
<br />
~While visiting David's parents in Idaho, we decided to eat at a restaurant. Rather than switch all the car seats into grandma's car, we drove separate vehicles. As we pull into the restaurant parking lot, Emmett notices his grandparents walking toward the restaurant door. "Hurry! We have to capture up Boppa!" Emmett yells out. <br />
~Christmas music was playing in the background while I helped the kids work on a Christmas craft. "Let it snow" began to play and suddenly Emmett says, "No place to go? That is so sad." I love this kid so much! He is always listening...unless I ask him to do something he doesn't want to do. Then he becomes deaf to the world.<br />
~David's parents came to stay over a holiday weekend. Early one morning while they were here, the kids, Grandma Mary, and myself were up and playing for awhile when Emmett noticed that Boppa was still in bed. "Boppa is the hero sleeper!" Emmett exclaimed cheerfully. Grandma said she believed Boppa was actually watching a movie in bed, so Emmett said, "Then Daddy is the hero sleeper."<br />
J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5790888179216601890.post-71402501173097491672013-12-04T23:44:00.000-08:002013-12-05T15:05:24.590-08:00Why NOT to spend $100+ on your kid’s Christmas present – Things to consider<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As Christmas is fast upon us, I have been surprised to
see many people discussing which very costly gifts are best to purchase for
their children. As someone who has never spent that much money on a gift for
any of my children, I am beginning to think perhaps I am a scrooge. But when I
dig down into my reasoning for being what others might perceive as a
cheapskate, I feel it is my duty to try and proselytize others to my form of thinking
– rather than jump on the “keeping up with the latest and greatest” bandwagon.
The following are some of my core reasons (in no particular order) for not
spending oodles on my kids and are things I hope will at least cause others pause
when considering whether a costly gift is in their kid’s future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Financial stability/avoiding debt.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> I
never have and never will purchase gifts with money I do not have. I will not
ring up a gift for my child on a credit card that essentially puts our family
into financial bondage for the next several months until it is paid off. Don’t
get me wrong – I am not anti-credit card. I just advocate for never charging
anything onto your card that you can’t pay off before it accrues interest –
costing you much more than you originally thought you were going to pay for it.
If I don’t have the money to pay for it, it doesn’t belong under my Christmas
tree. Placing things under my tree that I can’t afford is a form of coveting,
and I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that coveting is not good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Emergency preparedness.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> In
recent years we have seen many natural and man-made disasters tear through the
lives of everyday people like ourselves. For those who share my belief in the
teachings of the LDS church leaders, we have been told that “The revelation to
produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as
boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.” (Ezra Taft Benson).
Until I feel my emergency food and supply storage is up to snuff, I cannot in
good conscience spend large sums of money on items that cannot meet my family’s
needs in times of trial. Is your supply sufficient to provide for your family
for twelve months of the unexpected? A layoff? A debilitating accident that
leaves you unable to support your family financially? A natural disaster? Maybe
I sound apocalyptic, but there were many who rode out hurricane Sandy who said
the main thing they needed access to in the immediate aftermath was edible
food. The disaster was so terrible that it took weeks, and in some cases months,
for some areas to have the roads cleared out and be made accessible. Perhaps
you missed the news clips of individuals and families rummaging through
dumpsters looking for food because the stores had either been destroyed or the
shelves had been wiped clean and no delivery trucks were able to get through. I
saw those clips and I will not soon forget them. I would hate to look at my
starving kids in a scenario like that and say, “I’m sorry, but I felt it was
more important that you thought I was a cool mom for getting you _____ so I
didn’t have money left to plan for the unexpected.” I love my kids enough to
say no to the pricey gifts and yes to planning and preparing for their
protection, comfort, and ultimately their survival.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Emergency cash supply</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. In
addition to having food and other supplies, most decent financial advisors say
it is in your best interest to have 3-6 months’ worth of cash stored away -
enough to cover all your fixed expenses in the event that something unexpected
happened and you suddenly had no income. In today’s economy, a sudden layoff is
not uncommon. You cannot foresee traffic accidents or other physical incidents
that could result in sudden disability or predict serious health-related
surprises. Before shelling out for the hottest cell phone, tablet, uber-pricey
doll, etc., please ask yourself if such a purchase supersedes your family’s
financial security. After all, luck does favor the prepared. If your emergency
cash supply is not at the minimum 3 month recommendation, what on earth makes
you feel that you are financially stable enough to be spending tons of money on
gifts?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Charitable
giving</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">. I will begin
the discussion of this topic with a quote from CS Lewis in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mere Christianity: </i><em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">”I am afraid the only safe rule
is to give more than we can spare…If our charities do not at all pinch or
hamper us,… they are too small. There ought to be things we should like
to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures excludes them.” We are
not charitable if we are simply tossing our scraps to those in need. Charitable
giving means truly giving. How can someone who calls themselves a Christian feel
that they are doing their part to follow the Savior if they are heaping the things
of the world upon their children while neglecting to care for the needy, feed
the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.? Let’s say you buy some expensive toy or
electronics or whatever the hot item is at the moment and average $271 per kid
on Christmas morning (*apparently that is the average amount that was being
spent per child in 2012 in the US, according to <span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"><a href="http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1112/average-cost-of-an-american-christmas.aspx"><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">this</span></a></span>. All I can say is that some people are spending
insane amounts to balance out the fact that I probably spend less than $30 per
kid for my family of 5, and my husband will be lucky if I spend that much on
him – I’ll talk more about how I do this and still have an amazing Christmas
later in this post). Ok, where was I? Oh yes, $271 per child – enough to feed a
family of four for nearly two weeks on the “Thrifty” meal plan according to <span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"><a href="http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-feed-your-family/"><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">this</span></a></span>. I would hope that at some point during the
season of giving, everyone would pause and think of those who are truly in
need. Can you in good conscience spend this kind of money on your kids while
dropping only your spare coins into the charity bucket in front of the store? Let’s
say you have 2 kids and are blowing just $100 on each one, do you feel like you
still have room in your budget after spending that much for meaningful giving
to someone who actually needs it? According to the <span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"><a href="http://americanresearchgroup.com/holiday/"><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">American
Research Group</span></a></span>, the average adult shopper in each home surveyed
is planning to spend $801 this Christmas. </span></em>How much of that is going
toward something more than spoiling already well-provided-for youth? You want
to get into the spirit of Christmas? Give. And give in a way that makes a
difference – by giving to someone who actually needs. Now don’t go patting
yourself on the back for being charitable just because you pay your tithing.
Tithing is really paying off a debt to God for granting us all the blessings
that we have. If God didn’t see our tithing as a payback for what we received
by his hand, why would he say that holding back our tithes is robbing him (see
Malachi 3:8-10)? So, excluding tithing, how charitable have you been –really? I
cannot in good conscience purchase my kids more stuff they don’t actually need until
I have done my duty to share of my abundance with people who have real needs.
Not sure where to find someone in need? Ask the principal at your child’s
school if there is a family you can “adopt” for the holidays. Talk to your
ecclesiastical leader – guaranteed they know someone in need and can probably
make suggestions as to what would best meet their needs. Perhaps a coworker was
recently laid off and could use a surprise package for their family. Really
listen as you interact with people and be observant. Often needs are expressed
in subtle ways during every day conversations or are visible if you are really
paying attention. For example: I had the opportunity to spend last year’s Thanksgiving
with family members who live in another state. One morning I needed something
out of my parents’ room and tried to slip in quietly since my dad works nights
and sleeps during the day. I noticed that his window coverings did very little
to block out the light and invited my siblings to go in on a gift of black-out
curtains for my dad. It was an opportunity to give something that helps his
quality of life, but I never would have thought of it if I hadn’t been observant
on that occasion. That same Thanksgiving weekend I also was able to visit my
brother at his home and saw him go to his garage where he worked as a mechanic.
He was wearing thread-bare sweats over his clothes and appeared to be freezing
in the 28 degree weather, but said he did not want to get his good winter coat
covered in grease. I took mental note of the need to make his work more
comfortable during the long cold winter months and got online to find lined coveralls
rated for cold weather. When I discovered they would be over $150 for a good
pair, I again invited my other siblings to go in on the gift with me – which they
were all happy to do. Another opportunity to give a gift that mattered, and to
share that gift giving experience with my siblings, because of being observant.
Now these two examples are of family gifting, but the idea of observing holds
true for charitable opportunities as well. And, as a last little thought on
this topic: It may sound strange, but we have generally spent more on giving to
people outside our family than on gifts for our own kids. We have almost always
done our charitable giving anonymously (whenever possible), which adds to the
excitement and brings a sense of Christmas magic to whomever we have helped.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
meaning of Christmas</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">.
Somewhere along the way, the actual meaning of this day has been minimized (and
to some, completely lost). Please, someone, explain to me why the birth of the
Savior means kids somehow need or deserve expensive gifts. If we buy into that,
we are not truly honoring what this day is supposed to mean. Christ was born to
be our exemplar and Savior. He taught us how to live – with love towards God
and towards our neighbor (meaning all mankind). He asked us to follow him. He
spent his time visiting the sick, lonely, poor, blind, maimed, feeding the
multitudes (both physically and spiritually), etc. He says that if we love him,
we are to feed his sheep and walk in his way. Want to teach your kids the true
meaning of Christmas and really feel the spirit of the holiday? Take them to
visit an elderly home-bound person. Your ecclesiastical leader could probably
name at least a dozen lonely hearts that would welcome some Christmas cheer. Take
your kids to a food bank and volunteer. Find a church that is serving meals to
the homeless and take your kids to volunteer to help serve or wait tables. Go
to the cancer ward or pediatric ward of your local hospital and visit, sing
songs, tell stories, and show love to people who won’t be sitting around the
Christmas tree in their own house this year. It will do a lot of good for our
kids to see that there are people out there with much more pressing struggles
than they have ever had to deal with. If you and your kids are animal lovers, go
to an animal shelter and volunteer to walk dogs and help in whatever ways are
needed. Maybe you’ll even find a pet to adopt as an early Christmas present for
your kids (and for the pet that is saved from an unpleasant, but likely fate). If
your kids are too young to be allowed to serve in some of those more official
volunteer opportunities, select a name off your school’s giving tree and involve
your kids in making an amazing Christmas package for the individual or family
you selected. Pick a family you suspect is going through hard times and have
your kids be “spies” as they are playing with the kids from that family to
listen for and take note of specific needs you can meet. Then take your kids
shopping for that family and have them help you ding-dong-ditch a package for
them. Perhaps you learn they have outstanding medical bills that are a stress.
Rather than buying your teen another Apple product, tell them the situation and
ask them if they think their upgraded smart phone is more important than
helping someone in need. Your kids will surprise you with their capacity for
empathy, if you give them opportunities to develop it. Maybe what is needed is
a service, rather than items. If you have the skills, help mend a fence or
broken vehicle – and take your kid along to help. Offer to babysit for free for
a stressed or overworked parent and have your kid help. Make a meal together
with your kid and deliver it to someone who has been ill or recently had a baby
or other significant event in their life. If you know someone who doesn’t drive
or is having car trouble, offer your services as chauffer for a day to help
them get some errands and holiday shopping done…and bring your kid along to help
or have them babysit while you provide the transportation. As mentioned in the
last section – people in need are not hard to find if you take a look around
and ask. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my own best memories of
Christmas is from my early teen years. My mom took my siblings and I downtown
to a warehouse where a local news station was organizing toys for their annual foster
kid toy drive. Mounds of wrapped packages were organized by gender and age (such
as girl gifts – ages 5-7, boy gifts – ages 14-16, etc). We were given an “order
form” listing the gender and ages of foster kids in a particular home and we
got to run to the respective mound and compile gifts into a box for that home. Things
were very tight financially for my own family at the time, but this was a way
to get into the spirit of Christmas that didn’t cost our family anything but
our time. We volunteered to help with that program a couple years in a row, and
I still remember it and the amazing way I felt knowing I had helped make
Christmas a little more cheerful for kids in foster care. There really are so
very many ways to serve and bless others, if we are willing to take the time to
discover them. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></i><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Kids
need our time and attention WAY more than they need the fancy toys we toss at
them</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">. Seriously,
there is no better gift you can give your kid than the gift of yourself. If you
want to really give your child something meaningful, give a gift that guarantees
together-time. What kind of gifts do I mean? Tickets for just you and your
child to something they are interested in. Perhaps a children’s museum, musical
theater, ballet, concert, etc. Give them a package with all the materials and
tools needed to complete a project together AND days and hours marked off on your
calendar for when you will work together to get it done. Sign up for a class
you can do together where you both are learning something new (photography,
cake making, dance, art, electrical engineering,…whatever) and let them unwrap
the syllabus or receipt from the purchase or a funny picture clue as to what
the gift is. Plan a day trip for just the two of you and let your kid unwrap
the itinerary. Maybe you’ll go on a hike, bike ride, scavenger hunt through the
city (some city’s visitor center websites offer scavenger hunts), swimming,
site seeing, ice skating, bowling, or to an old-school arcade. It will mean a
lot that you have taken the time to plan and make arrangements for such an
excursion. In the end what really matters is that kids get the message that
they are important to us. No matter what the commercials have you believing,
this is NEVER measured by the size of the price tag on the gifts we give our
kids. (Veruka Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a perfect example
of that!) Our nonverbal communication provides 80% of the message others
receive (thank you, Speech 205, for that tidbit), so the only way our kids are
truly going to believe the message that they matter is if we SHOW them with our
time. Think outside the box. Yes, it takes more effort and time and requires
actually paying attention to what ways our children would enjoy spending their
time, but that effort and time send the message that your kid is worth more
than a lump of money and a quick trip to the mall. I really try not to buy
something for my kids just for the sake of buying something – even if they
really want it. I have tried to develop a habit of asking myself if the gift in
question gives something of myself and will facilitate further interaction and
quality time between the two of us. If not, then it is definitely not worth
hundreds of dollars.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">To
those who are thinking my kids are going to be empty-handed and miserable on Christmas day, I will
share what gifts are in the works for them. There are basically only three
gifts total for my three kids. First, my husband and I found a few Disney movies
on sale at Costco for about $14 each. Since our kids only watch 1 movie every
other week or so, this is a pretty special gift. (*Maybe I’ll get around to writing
another post all about limited screen time and try to convert people to my
thinking on that topic as well – some other time) Second, my kids are pretty
obsessed with the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How to Train Your
Dragon</i>. My husband and I made their Halloween costumes and they dressed up
as Astrid, Hiccup, and Toothless the dragon (I promise this is relevant). When
making the Toothless costume, we found a <span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"><a href="http://nooby-banana.deviantart.com/art/Toothless-Tutorial-Part-1-165345913"><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">pattern online</span></a></span>
to make a large plush Toothless doll and converted parts of the plush into the
costume for our littlest guy. We kept the original pattern and instructions and
bought enough material to make both the costume and the actual plush. We spent
about $30 for the fabric and stuffing we will use on the plush, which is way
cuter than the official Toothless plush you could buy in the stores at one time,
though I’m not sure they are even available anymore. The finished project will
be about 3 feet long from nose to tail, and we are pretty sure there will be
some stoked kids on Christmas morning. Lastly, a couple years ago I made “table
forts” for my nephews similar to <span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"><a href="http://heidirohrblog.com/2011/03/18/diy-thursday-fabric-fort/"><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #1F4E79; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">this</span></a></span>.
My kids have been asking me to make them one as well, but I have been dragging
my feet because our table is oval-shaped, making the project a bit more
complicated than the simple rectangle-shaped table forts I made previously.
This year I bought a king size flat sheet at a thrift store for $5 and will
make them their fort. After sewing it all together, I will cut the windows with
pinking shears and ask my artistic sister to decorate the thing with my
colorful sharpie markers. The kids will probably spend the rest of Christmas day
in their fort once they have opened all their gifts (our few, as well as those
from extended family) and we will play in there with them, giving them our full
time and attention. In total, we will be spending about $90 on our three kids,
once we factor in a couple small stocking stuffers. (*Thought - perhaps one of
the reasons that they will be thrilled with their gifts and not feel deprived
stems back to our very limited screen time – including almost no access to
television commercials, so they don’t get all hyped up about whatever item is
being marketed to kids at the moment. I’ll have to muse on this thought further
when I get around to that other post.) I am looking forward to hearing the
ultra-happy giggles on Christmas morning as my kids enjoy gifts that my husband
and I put time, thought, and effort into, more so than simply swiping our credit
card. In addition to these gifts, we will be spending the Christmas season
involving our children in service and charitable giving – teaching them the
true meaning of this season. I encourage and invite everyone who happens upon
these words to do the same. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Merry
Christmas and God bless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">*This
is my personal blog that I have almost exclusively used as a family journal of
sorts, and therefore encourage readers to respect my space and avoid posting
rude comments. You are welcome to disagree with me, but please link to your own
space in the comments if you wish to rant or be harsh in response to my post. I
will remove impolite or crude comments simply because I want this blog to be a
safe place where my kids can come to read about our family’s experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
J9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11175712903458105782noreply@blogger.com3