It's Conference Time!

 I love General Conference! It's a great time to feel renewed and received personal revelation as we listen to prophets and apostles! We have felt around the last couple of conferences, trying to create an atmosphere that would help us get the most out of these 5 sessions of conference.
 This year, I've been feeling around more for ideas and traditions that help children get more out of conference. I've started a "notebook" of sites and ideas I found helpful in my search.

What do we do to create a reverent atmosphere?
 1. Dress your best. We stay at home most of conference, but we still dress up. Doing so helps our children (and us) recognize that it is still a sacred and special occasion (though I wear my most comfortable church dress and don't put shoes on)
 2. We clean the house. Then I'm not worried about it through conference.
 3. Set the stage. We set up Austin's big computer monitor from work in the living room, and rearrange the furniture so it's most comfortable for watching a long period of time.
 4. Keep meals simple. We try to have a good size breakfast and then snack or simple meals through the day.
 5. Take naps! I still let the kids take their regular nap times, a luxury we don't get on regular Sunday's for church. However, with the whole weekend adding to 8 total hours of church for them, I don't feel we can afford to let them not nap for two days. They seem much happier and get more out of the experience.
 6. In the past, we've let Cadence play, as long as he's in the conference room, and we make sure he's sitting for prayers, sings the songs with us, and stops to listen to the prophets speak. Now that he's 2 1/2, we're ready to move to more of the ideas below (though I haven't quite chosen what we'll do).

More ideas on preparing children for conference check out these links:


1. Oopsey Daisy (Ideas for Tots)
2. Family Home Evening Planner (Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers)
3. Deseret Book (Free Conference Packet Download)
4. Mormon Momma (a TON of Ideas)
5. SugarDoodle (another link list to a TON of ideas)
  - My Favorite - Conference Baggies
6. Official Church Website (Ideas from the April 2009 Ensign)
7. Prepared LDS Family (Conference Activity Notebook)

Homeschool: The Search Begins

Homeschool, to me, really just means more options. I can put my child in a variety of programs. I control the curriculum. I get to tailor the needs to each child. I get to say when they go on vacation, or if they need a sick day. I just love being able to use my agency as a mommy in their schooling.

Though Cadence is only 2 1/2, after it weighing on my mind the last couple weeks, I've decided to start the long research project of deciding what to do for his schooling. The truth it, it doesn't start the August after he turns 5 years old. I need to help prepare him for whatever we're going to do now. I regretted not preparing until the 3rd trimester for his birth, thinking I'd get to anxious. We won't be making that mistake with home school.

So here is the beginning notebook.

School's/Curriculum I'm looking into (please comment if you have others you think I may be interested in):

American Heritage (Home & Distance Education)
Benjamin Franklin Homeschool Academy
Montessori Schools
Montessori Homeschool
A Beka

Whatever we do, I plan for it to be at home at least until the 3rd grade. It seems like more schools to "at home" options than I realized. This is just the start list. I'm sure there will be PLENTY of revisions before the final decision. I'm hoping that by educating myself about lots of options now, I can save some work when each new child goes to school, as I'm sure they'll each have different needs. If you have thoughts or experience with any of these, I'd love to hear about it!

Hypnobabies: Afterbirth

 Right After Birth: 
  Kory went through a bunch of medical precaution drama right after birth. It meant for a really tired mother!! I was grateful again for my hypnosis for many reasons including:
1. During afterbirth pains, I didn't have to take any medication. I must admit that I forgot that they existed until the day of his birth (he was born in the middle of the night) and was surprised and frustrated by the pain a felt. When I prepared to nurse him each time after, I tried to prepare by putting myself in center-switch first, which helped immensely. I was still completely medication free.
2. In the seemingly LONG hours he was in the special care nursery, I used hypnosis to help me relax, when I couldn't be in an actual bed to sleep. It helped me to think level-headed so I could make better choices. It helped me with patience and most of all hope that my baby would be healthy and normal (though I must note it was only one factor to this end).

 Adjusting to a new "Normal": 
In the months following Kory's birth, I struggled to feel like my "normal" self again and to adjust to having him as part of our family. Hypnobabies helped me in the following ways:
1. I used the After Baby is Comes script, which I borrowed from a close friend. It helped me to relax before sleeping and to remember my priorities.
2. I still (5 1/2 months later) use my off switch to help me get to sleep at night. I'm a busy mom of two children and our house is hectic! It can be difficult to find time to think, but also difficult for me to turn the thinking off. Use my off-switch - goodbye emotions and thoughts, hello sleep! I love it!
3. It still seems difficult for me still to apply what I've learned to the rest of my life. A relaxed, optimistic (yet still impressively productive) me did not really exist before hypnobabies (at least outside of vacation). I still find myself stressed and struggle to balance life. I wish there was a script for everything...perhaps if I use my off switch more often or put myself in center while I try to memorize meaningful scriptures.

Reflection:
 In my quest to have this birth, I became passionate and desired to help other women find what I have found birth can be (which is not necessarily a "natural" birth experience). I recognize now though that extreme caution comes with such the sharing of such personal experiences. Not everyone wants a natural birth and even more, not everyone can have a natural birth experience. Yet every woman can have intense joy and wonder at choosing to partake in such a beautiful miracle; in giving bodies to God's precious children. I do not desire to make anyone feel shamed or guilty because they have not experienced an unmedicated vaginal birth.

 Instead, I hope that I can positive and encouraging of each unique mother and her beautiful baby. I hope I will have many more opportunities to testify that our purpose as women truly to is give bodies to these precious children of God. It is to nurture them by teaching them, loving them, and directing them to Him, their loving Heavenly Father. We should not be comparing or judgmental. We should not be negative or depressed. Pregnancy, birth, and motherhood are not easy, but that is all the more reason we need to cheer each other on! We can do it! It is our calling from On High and we will surely have His help as we seek for it.