Thanksgiving Point Give-Away Winner

The winner of the Thanksgiving Point Give-Away is:

Budandlissa

Congratulations! Send me an email with your address and I'll send your prize package right away. I hope you have a great time at Thanksgiving Point.

Coupons

I just subscribed to the "Savvy Shopper" deal at the Provo Daily Herald. For years now, I've been hearing about how much money my friends save by using coupons and the store ads when they go grocery shopping.

Last week I sent my husband to the grocery store with our list. He came home and told me about the man in the check-out line before him. His grocery cart was loaded with food and he only paid ten dollars. My husband felt like a dork paying nearly $100 for a lot less food.

So, we're going to try it. I'm sure most of you already know the ins and outs of saving money on groceries. If you have a great tip, please share it here. I could use the help. Thanks.

Banned from Nursery

To be considerate of the other twenty children in Nursery A and the ten Sunbeams in the B class, I'm staying home from church with my little ones today. They have runny noses and coughs and we decided not to recirculate the germs.

We hate being sick. I don't know anyone who especially enjoys it. I also don't like missing church. And there are times when I'm tempted to just pack up the little sick ones, wipe their noses really well and send them into Nursery/Primary. But, for years I've heard my mother-in-law complain in her not-so-soft church voice: "Just listen to that cough. They should be at home in bed and not spreading the germs." So true. If you're sick, why do you go to church? Do you think we will admire your dedication to come even with your head full of snot?

Now, my mother-in-law is the type that if she or a loved one gets sick, she'll try to track down the germs and if she could, she would sue for damages. We all know that it's nearly impossible to contain cold germs, the Swine flu, or the especially dreaded stomach bug. We can stay home. We can spray down the world with Lysol; wash our hands every few minutes and down copious amounts of Vitamin C but occasionally we will still get sick and even spread the misery.

During the summer of 2004, my husband and our two oldest children were living with my in-laws. On a Tuesday, Amberly, who was just one year old, threw up a few times. She didn't act very sick and was completely better and eating by Wednesday.

On Friday, I packed up Neal and Amberly and we drove to my parents' house in Vernal to attend a baby shower for a sister-in-law. My entire family was there. I put the kids to bed and stayed up late playing games and visiting with my siblings and their spouses. I finally headed to bed about one o'clock in the morning. I wasn't in bed for very long when I started to feel awful. I spent the rest of the night sprawled on the hallway floor outside the bathroom door or draped over the toilet.

I was just feeling better (although exhausted and weak) when the sun started coming up and Neal (three years old at the time) woke up crying. I wish he had been able to make it to the toilet. Neal and I quarantined ourselves to the back bedroom where we spent the day alternating between sleep and cleaning up messes. My mom watched Amberly and the others went to the baby shower.

Meanwhile, my in-law's home was full with the regular summer visitors. My husband's sister and her family were visiting from Texas. His brother was also visiting. The stomach bug was wreaking it's terror on them as well. Picture a house full of whining, sick adults--it's ugly. My husband and his sister were the only ones spared. They went out to dinner together and made grisly jokes about later vomiting their delicious meal.

My niece had gone with her fiance to meet his family that weekend. They were just arriving at the cabin when she started feeling sick. She made quite the impression on her "new" family.

Saturday evening, after the baby shower, my siblings headed back to their homes along the Wasatch Front. Still feeling weak, I decided that the kids and I better wait another day before driving home. I didn't want to clean up vomit in the car. By Sunday we were fine and ready to go home. We were barely out the door, when my mom got sick.

My brother and his wife and their little son and daughter were also sick by Sunday night. Her mother came to help take care of them and . . . well, you know the rest.

We never knew the full damage of that special stomach bug and although we tried, we weren't able to determine just where Amberly had picked up the germs (no one would admit anything). But I felt horrible and responsible and just really grateful that my family still speaks to me.

And so, today we are staying home. We are missing four baby blessings. My husband and Neal will have to report back on the meetings. This afternoon, we'll watch Legacy or The Testaments and read an extra chapter from The Book of Mormon while relaxing in our jammies and feeling confident that the sick kids in nursery didn't get it from us.

Don't forget to enter to win the Thanksgiving Point Give-away. Click here for details.

Adventures at Thanksgiving Point - Out and About in Utah

As soon as I figured out what to do with Lilly on our day at Thanksgiving Point, I suddenly had a new concern during those insomniac hours in the middle of the night: there would be other bloggers there. I'd read their very cool, much more professional blogs. I'm really just an amateur. I was about to be exposed for what I really am: a mom without a clue. My kids wear clothes from JCPenney (my father-in-law was an executive of the JCPenney company, thank you) not J.Crew. They're lucky if they have clean faces and they almost always need a haircut. I never get pedicures and occasionally I get a chance to shave my legs. What's more, I can barely walk in high heels (just ask my friend at church who saw me literally tottering down the hall and nearly fall right over). If I do happen to wear something "cool" it's because either my niece or my younger sister gave it to me. And I still have at least 20 pounds of "baby fat" to get rid of before I can fit into the majority of my not-so-cool clothes. Besides all that, I find other women extremely intimidating.

I shouldn't have been so freaked out, because the other mommy bloggers were cool in a nice way. They were surely more pulled-together than I was, but they were also friendly and "normal". I met and visited with several very cool women and I was very impressed (and still a little intimidated, I admit).

We started our day at Thanksgiving Point by riding on the Trolley Car to the Gardens. The ride on the Trolley Car was three-years-old Thomas's favorite part of the day. He's "into" rides. We gathered with the other bloggers to learn a little about the history of the Gardens. I had to smile when the guide asked if anyone had any questions and Amberly's hand shot right up. She asked if the gardens had purple pansies (our family's favorite flower). The answer was simple: not right now. It's too hot for the spring flower.

A guided tour of the gardens was offered and I really wanted to go, but my children insisted that we explore on our own. Fine. The Gardens offered the use of umbrellas to keep us out of the sun and Amberly insisted on carrying one (she started out carrying one--I ended up carrying one).

The Gardens were beautiful. The first thing we saw was this marvelous hill. And there's really only one possible thing that you can do if you see a hill this marvelous--run! We went the opposite direction from the tour and spent quite some time viewing the beautiful, though man-made waterfalls. My eight-year-old son Neal, who knows all kinds of interesting facts, told us that the waterfalls were the tallest man-made waterfalls in the world. I haven't actually verified that this is true, but my past experience with Neal's "facts" are that he's usually right. Whether or not they are the tallest, the waterfalls really were very inspiring.

We wandered through the Gardens and I discovered many great locations for photography shoots. My subjects were not terribly willing to pose but perhaps some day we'll return just for pictures. I did manage to get them to hold still for one shot. It was a really hot day and we don't really enjoy the heat (we keep our house very cool all year round). I actually thought that I might melt. So, when we do come back to the Gardens, we will be sure to pick a cooler day.

At noon, we met for a catered picnic lunch. I had the turkey sandwich with avocado, the fresh fruit and pasta salad. The kids enjoyed the fruit, salad, chips and cookies. It was all delicious. We had one minor melt down by Thomas when his peanut butter cookie broke, but other than that we enjoyed a lovely picnic in the shade while we visited with new friends. We took our time eating and didn't get to spend much time in the Children's Discovery Garden. It looked like a lot of fun and we will definitely have to return there.

Much to Thomas's delight, we rode on the Trolley Car again from the Gardens to Farm Country. During the ride, after explaining our next adventures, the guide asked if anyone had any questions, Amberly's hand shot up again. This time, she wanted to know if we could ride the ponies. Yes, we could. So, we rushed out, first thing, to ride the ponies. Amberly LOVES horses. When we spend time at my parents' farm, she spends her time with the horses. Amberly and Neal enjoy riding but Thomas has typically been terrified whenever we put him on a horse. These ponies were smaller and apparently less scary. Thomas enjoyed his ride and described it to his father later as, "I rode on the merry-go-round with real horses".

We also visited with other animals and rode on the wagon driven by a friendly farmer with a great sense of humor. The heat was getting to all of us by then and we were glad when it was time to move on to an indoor, air conditioned venue. We'll have to visit Farm Country again on a cooler day. And we'll bring Lilly next time because I know she would love seeing the farm animals--everything from pigs to llamas.

Our next venue was the Museum of Ancient Life. My parents live in Vernal, Utah and we frequently go to the Utah Field House of Natural History in Vernal. We always have a good time there, but the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point is bigger and more thorough with a lot of hand-on activities for the kids. Again, we were offered a guided tour given by the palaeontologist himself, but my kids again begged to go it on our own. So we did.

There was one area that was completely dark except for the pin pricks of light (like stars). I couldn't see anything once I was inside. My kids went in before me and when we got out, only Neal and Amberly were out. Thomas was still somewhere inside. Neal went back in and fortunately came out with Thomas, who was completely fascinated and spent much of the time asking to go back to the "dark place".

My kids and apparently all the kids especially enjoyed playing in the water/erosion exhibit where they could really get dirty (the kids without the special aprons would be mine) and learn how water erodes the dirt over time. They also enjoyed the area where they could use tools to carefully brush away sand from the buried dinosaur bones.

Neal weighs approximately the same as a small dinosaur. He insisted that I join him on the scale and unfortunately, together (with the other kids) we weigh about as much as a parasaurolophus.

Molly spent the entire day in her little stroller sucking on her fingers. Sometimes she was awake. Sometimes she was asleep. But the fingers were always in her mouth.

Unfortunately, the battery on my camera died about this time. Our day at Thanksgiving Point was far from over. After our tour of the Museum of Ancient Life, the kids were able to make a plaster mold and use drill to carve around a fossil in the Junior Paleo Lab. They looked very cute with their safety goggles.

Next, the group walked across the plaza to the Emporium. Amberly's comment when she saw all the beautiful fabrics, home decor, trinkets, and jewelry made me smile. With a big smile and her eyes open wide she said, "Well, this is interesting." We walked carefully through the store with constant reminders from me to look with their eyes and not with their fingers. We had a quick "rest" stop and then we went to the kitchens in the back of the Emporium for our special cooking class.

Neal and Amberly got their own cute aprons and they got to learn how to decorate cookies and brownies. We do a lot of cooking at our house, but this kitchen is cool and much bigger than ours with lots of counter space for the kids to work their "cooking" skills. Sampling their creations was definitely my favorite part of that experience.

My dear hubby met us as the cooking class was finishing. From there we said good byes to our darling children as they went to have pizza (not pepperoni but still good, according to Neal) and do crafts (Amberly was in her heaven). Hubby and I joined the other couples at the Harvest Restaurant for a very delicious meal. It was so nice to spend some time without the kids (Molly stayed with us and was pretty good) and eat incredible food (my husband wants to write the review of Harvest and I'll let him).

We were definitely ready for bed by the end of the day but we had such a good time and made some great memories. Thanksgiving Point isn't exactly an inexpensive experience so we were grateful for the opportunity to go for free. Because we live relatively close to Thanksgiving Point and we have a rather large family we are considering the more economical choice of a family membership next year. Perhaps we'll have to ask Santa Clause for one this Christmas.

Don't miss your chance to win tickets for a family of four to attend the venues at Thanksgiving Point. Click here to enter.

A Free Day at Thanksgiving Point--Could it be True for You?

I couldn't wait any longer to announce the "Thanksgiving Point Give-Away"! Besides all the other goodies and free swag (my husband was using that word a lot after he attended the State Republican Convention this summer. I was convinced he was using it wrong, so I looked it up. Sure enough--one of its meanings is cool, free stuff) the marketing team gave us during our free day at Thanksgiving Point was a generous package to offer as a give-away to our loyal readers.

I'm not sure if I have many loyal readers since quite honestly I haven't been a very loyal blogger. But the baby is four months old now and on a lovely schedule and I've made all kinds of resolutions to blog more. So, really, become a loyal reader. I'm tempted to beg, get down on my hands and knees . . .

Anyway, here's the deal:

I have in my hands an envelope loaded with tickets for a family of four to all of the venues at Thanksgiving Point. Can you believe that? It's awesome and you are really going to want to win this give-away.

So, here's how you enter (and yes, I'm using this for blatant self-promotion of my blog):

1. Leave a comment on this post. Tell me anything you want. What you like about this blog. How you found it. Anything. But be nice, please.
2. Become a follower of the blog. (It's always nice to have two chances to win, right?!)
3. Tell everyone you know about Utah Mom's Life. You can write about it on your own blog, tell all your friends in FaceBook, shout it from the rooftops, however you choose . . . (see I'm shameless)

Because if I get more than 50 followers, I will offer another really cool give-away next week (it's not as cool as the free passes to Thanksgiving Point, but it is cool).

I'll announce the winner (chosen randomly) of the free passes to Thanksgiving Point in one week--Friday, August 7, 2009.

This contest is now closed. Click here to see the winner.

A Free Day at Thankgiving Point--Could it be true?

Early last week I got an email in my inbox reminding me to RSVP for the special Mommy Bloggers' Day at Thanksgiving Point. I scrolled to the bottom of the email and discovered that my children and I had been invited to spend the day touring the various venues at Thanksgiving Point for free. Shocked, I realized that I had deleted the first email the week earlier without even looking at it! I can't believe we almost missed this awesome opportunity to visit Thanksgiving Point. I talked to my husband and tried to convince him to take the day off work and join me. It was too late for him to take the entire day but he was able to arrange to meet me for dinner at the end of the day. I quickly returned the RSVP. We would of course LOVE to attend.

As soon as I sent the RSVP, I started fretting about how I would be able to attend this event with all five of my young children--BY MYSELF! I admit, I am terrified of taking all five in public without additional adult support. Seriously, just the idea of walking into the grocery store (any store) with all of them is enough to make be break out in a sweat. And, really they're not even that bad. I don't think any of them have ever sprawled themselves out on the floor and thrown a screaming fit, which I've seen other kids actually do. (Oh, I hope I don't jinx myself. I better knock on wood or just delete that last part.) Really, I'm most afraid that they will scatter in opposite directions and I won't be able to chase them all and lose one or two. This fear is the main reason that I shop at Costco--I can put three kids in one cart. Of course, there isn't any room left in the cart for the big box of diapers but . . .

I spent the week trying to figure out the best arrangement. The oldest three can walk pretty well on their own so I just needed to figure out what to do with the littlest two girls. I could put just-turned-two-years-old Lilly* in the stroller and carry four-month-old Molly in the Snugli. But I needed to be able to take pictures and it's nearly impossible to have a baby in the Snugli and my big camera around my neck at the same time. I could dust off the double jogging stroller for both babies. But that thing is a beast and I think the front tire is flat. I could hire one of my Beehives to come along and hold the baby. I could probably even talk one of them into coming for free but then I remembered that they were all away at Girls' Camp. I could invite my mother-in-law to join us, but she likes to wander off to enjoy things in her own special way and I didn't want to lose her too.

I finally decided that, even though I knew Lilly would love Farm Country, the easiest thing to do was to leave her with her doting grandparents for the day. Fortunately, they were willing and delighted to spend the day with her. So, yesterday morning, we got up extra early to drive Lilly to Salt Lake and return to Thanksgiving Point for our awesome day.

My oldest two children have both been to the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point but I had never been there for anything. Wait, I take that back, my husband and I once ate dinner at the original restaurant right after Thanksgiving Point opened in 1996. We had just gotten married and could still go out to dinner alone. Anyway, that was a long time ago and Thanksgiving Point has really grown up and I have missed out. So, I was very excited to spend the day there with the majority of my kids.

I'll be writing more about our awesome adventures at Thanksgiving Point all week, so check back to read about how much fun we had discovering The Gardens, Farm Country, Museum of Ancient Life, the Emporium and Harvest Restaurant.

And because I just can't wait to announce it, Thanksgiving Point also gave us a lovely, amazing gift to give to one lucky reader of this blog. So, be sure to check again for details about how to win the special Thanksgiving Point give-away. You really won't want to miss it.

And guess what! Two-Buck Tuesdays are back during the month of August at Thanksgiving Point. So, if you're on a budget (like me) then here's your chance to enjoy the venues at Thanksgiving Point for just $2.

* These are not the real names of my children, but they are ones that we liked and were the "runner-up" to their real names.

Reading in the Car

I'm a bit old fashioned or maybe just mean, but I hate the idea of my kids staring at a screen while we're in the car. I suppose this isn't terribly surprising since we don't watch television at home and monitor the movie viewing as well. The one time my kids got to watch a movie while in the car (my sister's much-cooler-than-our-minivan LandRover) during a three-hour drive home from Vernal, they were much more badly behaved than they usually are (which is saying something).

We had several short car trips planned this summer and I wanted to pick something fun to read to the kids while we were all in the car. Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls was my very favorite book in the third grade. My very favorite third grade teacher read it out loud to us during my very favorite year of elementary school. (Can you tell that I LOVED third grade? Fourth and fifth grades, not so much.) I ordered a copy (I wonder which of my siblings "borrowed" mine) from amazon and made sure that I got the vintage cover just like my old paperback version (occasionally, I am actually a little sentimental).

I am delighted to report, that all of my kids (except my three-year-old who is just grouchy right now and who mostly slept in the car, thank goodness) fell in love with the book. A few times when we reached our destination they expressed disappointment that we had to stop reading. My husband even got choked up in the final chapters.

Summer of the Monkeys is both poignant and funny. It is a coming-of-age story about a boy living in the Ozarks of Oklahoma and his dream to get a pony and .22 gun. Not only are the characters well developed and the dialogue absolutely believable, the writing flows so smoothly that it is an excellent book to be read aloud. I thought it would be fun to read the dialogue with a drawl. My children immediately insisted that I stop.

My eight year old son who been reading since he was two and read all seven of the Harry Potter books in two months this spring, still loves to listen to my husband and I read aloud. And of course, the younger children enjoy hearing the stories from the books that they can't yet read on their own. They love it. I love introducing them to the books that I love and to books in a different genre than fantasy.

So, I encourage you to take some time, turn off the TV/DVD player and read a great book (like Summer of the Monkeys, the Narnia series, anything by E.B. White, or your favorite book from third grade) out loud to your older children. And if anyone knows where I can get a microphone that could plug into my car stereo so that I can save my voice, please let me know.

Happy Zucchini Day

The rest of Utah is celebrating Pioneer Day today but my husband doesn't have the day off from work. We're hanging out at home like we do on most Fridays. We didn't watch the parade and we probably won't go watch fireworks either. Instead, we're celebrating "picking the first zucchini from our garden day" by making and eating a batch of our favorite fried zucchini. We made some onion rings from the batter too. I posted my recipe last year but I did make a few updates to it this year (I added an egg to the batter). I hope you get to enjoy a zucchini from your garden soon. And have a great Pioneer Day--however you get to celebrate.

Winner!

I was so excited to win the Bow-dacious give-away from Baby Blvd. The bows and flowers arrived in the mail this morning and they are too cute. I'm anxious to have my girls wear them in their hair, appropriately. My two-year-old daughter just put all of them in her hair at once as we took them from the package.

Thanks, Jen! The bows are awesome. Check out Baby Blvd. for bows and other awesome handmade accessories.

Space Shuttle Sightings

Last night my family joined my brother's family and some of our neighbor friends in our backyard for a little party. We hung a sheet from our house and watched a movie with my brother's projector (that he needs for work, of course).

During the party, my brother, who knows nearly everything, announced that in a moment we would be able to see the space shuttle docked with the space station orbiting through the night sky. Sure enough, we all turned to look to the North West sky and we watched for a few minutes as the space shuttle (picture a bright orange light) zoomed across the sky. For a space loving family, it was indeed a special treat. And guess what, it will be visible again tonight, assuming the sky is clear. It might help that we live in the middle of nowhere and don't have a lot of light pollution. But if you can see the stars, you'll be able to see the shuttle.

You can find out the right time to head outside to view the orbiting shuttle at the NASA website. And you can follow the details of the shuttle mission too.

And I just have to add this little tidbit. While we were watching the sky, my three-year-old son announced excitedly: "Hey! There's the Double Dipper." I suppose that would be the constellation that's not very welcome at parties.

Baby Blvd. Give-Away

Don't miss the Bow-dacious Give-away at Baby Blvd. this week. It's awesome.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Accomodations

If you are planning a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming take my advice and make reservations at The Lodge at Jackson Hole. You DO NOT want to stay at The Jackson Hole Lodge. It's worth it to pay a little more. Trust me.

True Stories for Kids

We ventured out in the rain last week for a trip to the library. This was our first trip to the library since we had the new baby, so I hired a neighbor girl to go with us to hold the baby. So glad that I did. Our library is pathetically small but the kids quickly found some books to take home. The boys had their books about space and anatomy. The girls found some "princess" stories. And I picked up a couple of story books that caught my eye.

This morning my daughter climbed in bed with me while I was nursing the baby and asked me to read some books to her. She brought one of the books that I had picked up at the library. I read it to her and nearly cried. When my husband came in, I insisted that he read it. He did cry. And then he read it again when the boys woke up and joined us in bed (it might be time for a king-size bed).

Nora's Ark by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock is based on the a true story of neighbors who helped each other survive the devastating 1927 flood in Vermont. It is charming, sweet, funny, sad and poignant. The beautiful illustrations are done by award winning artist Emily Arnold McCully.

While you're looking for it at your local library or buying it from your favorite book seller (I jumped on amazon.com and ordered our own previously-read copy first thing this morning) check out a few more great children's books based on true stories.

Letting Swift River Go by Jane Yolen has been my husband's favorite children's book since we checked it out from a different library years ago. We loved Yolen's Owl Moon and went searching for other books that she has written. Letting Swift River Go tells of her childhood home in the valley that would one day be covered by a reservoir.

We also like The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. This book tells the true and somewhat crazy story of Phillipe Pettit's tight-rope act between the World Trade Center Towers in 1974. And if the adults are interested in learning more about Pettit there is a recent documentary titled Man on Wire about his daring and illegal act. My husband and I watched it last week and were thoroughly entertained.

These are just a few children's literature gems. Have a great time discovering more this summer!

Happiness

I am once again the sleep-deprived, engorged, emotional mother of a gorgeous new born with jaundice.

Car Seats

By the end of the month our new baby should arrive. We have been trying to prepare. We've painted the kids' bedrooms and moved the girls into the bigger room. We've purchased new blankets and onesies. We got a second crib. We've been throwing stuff away.

This week I bought a new infant car seat. The car seat that has faithfully kept my other babies secure has expired. Yes, expired. I always thought expiration dates were for milk and driver's licenses. Who knew that car seats expired as well? At first, I was incredulous. Then, after a little research, it began to make sense.

Car seats spend a significant amount of time in the car. They are exposed to extremely cold and extremely hot temperatures. The plastic can warp. The straps and fabrics wear out. Technology and advances in safety, such as the LATCH system, change and are updated. You can read more about car seat expiration dates on the Safety Squad website and others. Check out the car seat manufacturer's website. By the way, toddler car seats expire too.

So, I bought a new one and will throw the old one in the garbage--where it apparently belongs. It was an expensive purchase for a last baby but it is worth it to keep the little one safe.

Once this new baby joins our family, every seat belt in our car will be filled and all five of my children will be safely secured in car seats or booster seats. My oldest two are in booster seats. My three year old and 20 month old are in forward-facing car seats (my 20 month old just barely hit 20 pounds a few weeks ago and got to face forward). The hand-me-down car seats from their older siblings have also expired. Fortunately, we recently bought a minivan with two built-in car seats.

Utah State Law has recently been changed so that all children under the age of eight are required to be buckled in a car seat or booster seat. Utah Safety Council's website has important information about safely securing your children. Please make sure they're safe.

HypnoBirthing - My Experience

We had been told by the medical professionals that it was unlikely we’d ever have children without costly procedures, so when I began feeling fatigued and nauseated I blamed it on my current work schedule that had me flying back and forth between New Hampshire and Chicago. After weeks of feeling ill, my husband practically dragged me to the doctor and we both gasped at the results: we were expecting our first child.

For so many years our focus had been on getting pregnant, that I hadn’t even considered how or where I would have the baby. Our primary care physician suggested that we see the group of obstetricians at the local hospital. My husband took the day off work and we went to our first appointment with high hopes. I was already far enough along to be able to hear the baby’s heart beat. When we arrived, the nurse insisted that my husband remain in the waiting room during the examination. The doctor conducted a very clinical examination and seemed irritated by my questions. Before the doctor started to listen for the heart beat, I reminded him that my husband was waiting and would like to be present to hear the heart beat. The doctor responded that my husband would be able to hear it another time and proceeded without my husband.

Furious, I cancelled all future appointments that afternoon and made a few phone calls. My friend had recently delivered her baby and recommended her midwife. Lucy White, a certified nurse midwife, had recently opened a practice with an obstetrician in the neighboring town. The first time we met Lucy, we knew we had found the right person to deliver our baby. She welcomed my husband at every appointment and answered our questions in a thorough and genuinely concerned manner.

It was during an appointment with Lucy’s partner, Dr. Segel that we first heard about HypnoBirthing. He asked us if we had thought about pain control methods during labor. I hadn’t even thought about it. He told us about several patients who had recently delivered using the HypnoBirthing method and the wonderful experiences they had. My first reaction was disbelief. I associated hypnotism with the comedy shows I occasionally attended in college. It was certainly not anything I was interested in. I prefer to be in full control of my body at all times.

I went home that afternoon with the book HypnoBirthing by Marie Mongan—and out of simple curiosity began reading it on a business trip. Her belief that a woman’s body was created to give birth and that birth was a natural event was something I already agreed with. I learned that HypnoBirthing uses self-hypnosis techniques that allow the woman to relax her body and let the muscles work naturally without tension caused by fear. While in this relaxed state, the woman is not in a trance or under the influence of anyone else. She is aware of her surroundings and in control of her body.

I finished the book before I returned home and convinced my husband to enroll in the classes. Initially, he thought I was ridiculous and made jokes about witches, crystals and magic potions. My sister-in-law accused me of wearing Birkenstocks and eating granola. I simply wanted to have the best birthing situation possible and I didn’t mind avoiding the epidural—like I said, I prefer to be in full control of my body at all times.

My husband and I took the classes offered at our midwife’s clinic from Deb, a local doula and licensed HypnoBirthing instructor. We learned several techniques for relaxation, including my favorite—the light touch massage. We practiced the techniques each night. I would almost always fall asleep before we finished and experienced very restful nights even at the end of my pregnancy. I was ready and I was looking forward to labor and the delivery of our first child.

My water broke at four a.m. on the day before my due date. After a check-up later that morning confirmed that my water had broken and I was in labor, I returned home. I was quite comfortable in my bed but as my contractions were consistently two minutes apart my husband insisted that we go to the hospital. I remember being very aware of every detail as I prepared to leave my home and I insisted that my husband didn’t need to drive so fast.


I was dilated to an eight when we arrived at the hospital. There were moments, as the nurses were trying to slow my labor so that my midwife could arrive, that I struggled to stay calm. My husband was a wonderful birthing partner and helped me return to a peaceful state. My midwife arrived and I gave birth to our beautiful son who weighed in at nine pounds six ounces.

We moved to Utah in 2002. I delivered my daughter the next spring at the University of Utah Hospital. The certified nurse midwives at the Madsen Health Clinic were wonderful and anxious to participate in a HypnoBirthing delivery. Since then, I have delivered two more babies using the HypnoBirthing method. In the subsequent deliveries, my husband and I have been able to control the birthing situations better and have had positively wonderful experiences.


The idea of HypnoBirthing, or relaxation of body and mind, has been around for centuries. In the 1920’s, Dr. Grantly Dick-Read pushed the idea of natural childbirth forward but was largely ignored. Years later, Marie F. Mongan would develop a unique method using self-hypnosis techniques during labor and delivery. There are now hundreds of trained HypnoBirthing instructors around the world.


The HypnoBirthing courses teach a woman to rid her mind of the fear of childbirth. When fear is removed, the body and mind are able to relax to a state where a woman can control how she feels the surges and the progress of the baby. During labor with my first son, I used deep relaxation techniques and felt very little discomfort. With my later deliveries, I remained relaxed and able to control the level of discomfort but turned my focus completely to my body and the baby inside. It was during these deliveries that I became a true believer in natural child birth. It is difficult to describe the sensation as anything less than powerful and exhilarating.


Besides the obvious value of avoiding drugs, there are additional benefits to natural child birth. Being able to walk around can hasten labor. It also allows a woman to get into better birthing positions. During labor with my second baby, I was able to get on my hands and knees and using a pelvis rocking method, rotate my baby from a posterior to an anterior position. For those who are concerned about the expenses of childbirth, delivering naturally can save money. The charges for the epidural and anesthesiologist are eliminated.


HypnoBirthing requires a quiet birthing room. This also allows for a spiritual atmosphere where a husband and wife can connect and experience the birth of their new child without the noise of outside interference. Hospital staff, who are familiar with HypnoBirthing, will be happy to accommodate a woman’s requests for a quiet birthing room.


When considering a HypnoBirth delivery, I definitely suggest taking classes from a trained instructor. Success rates are much higher with women who have taken the courses than with those who have simply read the book or tried it on their own. These classes are comprehensive and can take the place of other birthing classes. Some insurance companies will even pay or reimburse the tuition for the course. Success is also higher for those who practice regularly before delivery.


It is also very helpful, possibly necessary, to have a supportive birth partner. The birth partner should attend the classes and be willing to practice. Before the delivery it is important to have a discussion regarding the woman’s ideal birthing experience and plan with the care provider and the birth partner. They will serve as the woman’s advocates in the delivery room.


I recommend reading HypnoBirthing by Marie F. Mongan. It is a great resource and guide. The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer and The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin are additional resources of great value to the woman considering a HypnoBirth natural delivery.


Open your minds to a truly incredible experience—learn more about HypnoBirthing.

Give-a-way

We are having another give-a-way for the items pictured above at www.babyblvd.blogspot.com for anyone interested. THANKS!

Christmas Movie

In the winter of 1914, Europe was deeply embroiled in World War I and soldiers hunkered in trenches along the front line. Enemy lines were separated by a narrow stretch of land referred to as "No Man's Land". Fighting had been vicious and brutal but on Christmas Eve the sounds of men celebrating the holiday with music and the familiar spirit of Christ united the men. The enemies fraternized and "No Man's Land" became a place for building friendship, worship and even an occasional football game.

This true and moving story is portrayed beautifully in the French movie "Joyeux Noel" made in 2005. My husband and I fell in love with the movie last Christmas season. We watched it again last night. I highly recommend it. It is a story of the true spirit of Christ and Christmas.

Add it to your Netflix list or look for it at your local video rental store, but definitely watch it this season. It is moving and beautiful. Be sure to the watch the director's interview in "Special Features" to find out more about this amazing event in our history.

You can read about this story in the picture book "Silent Night, Holy Night" illustrated by Robert T. Barrett and featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Sandra Boynton

If you're a mom of toddlers/preschoolers/children and you're not already familiar with Sandra Boynton's adorable books, you are definitely missing out (and maybe not on our planet). My kids and I *LOVE* Sandra. Her illustrations are darling and her writing is poetic, ironic and funny.

My kids and I and even my husband especially enjoy her music. Her lyrics are hilarious and endearing and the music is great. The songs are performed by professional entertainers such as Kevin Bacon, Meryl Streep, Allison Kraus and Hootie and the Blowfish. We love to get up and boogie to "Philadelphia Chickens" and rock out to "Dog Train". You can find these and her latest book/CD at any local book store. And don't forget to check out Sandra Boynton's website.

Book Review: Room for a Little One

Our family loves books. I am not sure if a love for reading is one of those nature or nurture characteristics; it is probably a little of both. My dad loves to read. I never saw him without a book in his hand, books in his car, books at the breakfast table. Whether I inherited that quality, or just learned it by example, I am the same way. I read at least a book a week, and rarely go anywhere without a book shoved in my bag or car - just in case. I am afraid I have passed it along to my son, and my daughter might be doomed for the same destiny, it is too early to tell.

At nursery, my two-year-old son spends his time with the books. At home, he sits for hours reading his books, or being read to. He lugs them all over the house with him, and will ask just about anyone to read to him. When I took him to the children's museum in our town, I lost him for a second, only to look over and one of the workers was sitting with him, reading a book he had found. I was not at all surprised.

So those are my qualifications for writing book reviews: I love books. My kids love books. We rarely buy our children any other kind of present besides books. I am not an expert in children's literature, just a lover of words.

Book Review #1: Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft

We bought this book for my son's first Christmas. What a terrific find! We read it all year. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is so simple. It begins: "Kind ox lay in his stable."

Kind ox encounters several kinds of animals: a dog, a cat, a mouse. They are all invited into the stable, a place of love and devoid of fear. Each time, kind ox tells them: "Come inside, there is always room for a little one here." Finally, tired donkey comes. He carries Mary, and is led by Joseph. They are invited into the stable. And Mary has her baby with the animals all around. It ends, "That cold winter's night, beneath the star's light, a little one came for the world."

The poetic verses are beautiful and capture the spirit of Christ, and the spirit of Christmas. And, my son loves animals, making this book even more enticing.

I usually cry when I read this book. I usually finish with a resolve to be a little more welcoming, a little more loving. And I always love feeling the spirit of that stable, where Jesus was born. Like the birth of the Savior, this story is simple. It is beautiful, and it is poignant. Whether you are two, or thirty-two, you will love Room for a Little One.