I signed it when I was 3 ½ years old. I was born on April 14, 1976. We talked about the importance of families, and what it means to watch out for each other, strengthen one another, and encourage each other. Friends come and go in life, but your family is constant. I told them about when Hayden was a few days old, I had just come home from the hospital and I was rocking him in the rocking chair. I started singing the song Families Can Be Together Forever. I had loved this song in my youth, but as a mother, the song had new meaning in my life and I started to cry. I could feel the weight of my charge as a mother to not lose this precious child in my arms. As our family welcomed more children into our home; Abby, Bastian, then Weston, I realized now more than ever the importance of the temple covenants I had made when I married Rob. I don’t want to lose one of my children. I told them, “I want all of you with me in Heaven. That is why it is so important to make righteous decisions.” I can tell they felt the importance of the things I was trying to teach. Bastian said, “You were about to make ME cry.” I am glad that they were touched by this significant message. We then signed a LeBaron Family Mission Statement with the same words that were written by Mindy. Weston is exactly the same age as I was when I signed the Bastian Family Mission Statement (His birthday is April 15, 2005). I don’t remember that Family Home Evening from long ago. Even though he may not remember our Family Home Evening taught on this day like his older siblings will, I hope that the importance of this day and this message will be as influential for him as it was and still is for me.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Special Christmas Eve FHE
We had a special Family Home Evening (even though it was Wednesday) about families on Christmas Eve. We read the Bastian Family Mission Statement penned by my sister, Mindy, 29 years ago. Here is a copy of that document, signed and dated December 24, 1979.
I signed it when I was 3 ½ years old. I was born on April 14, 1976. We talked about the importance of families, and what it means to watch out for each other, strengthen one another, and encourage each other. Friends come and go in life, but your family is constant. I told them about when Hayden was a few days old, I had just come home from the hospital and I was rocking him in the rocking chair. I started singing the song Families Can Be Together Forever. I had loved this song in my youth, but as a mother, the song had new meaning in my life and I started to cry. I could feel the weight of my charge as a mother to not lose this precious child in my arms. As our family welcomed more children into our home; Abby, Bastian, then Weston, I realized now more than ever the importance of the temple covenants I had made when I married Rob. I don’t want to lose one of my children. I told them, “I want all of you with me in Heaven. That is why it is so important to make righteous decisions.” I can tell they felt the importance of the things I was trying to teach. Bastian said, “You were about to make ME cry.” I am glad that they were touched by this significant message. We then signed a LeBaron Family Mission Statement with the same words that were written by Mindy. Weston is exactly the same age as I was when I signed the Bastian Family Mission Statement (His birthday is April 15, 2005). I don’t remember that Family Home Evening from long ago. Even though he may not remember our Family Home Evening taught on this day like his older siblings will, I hope that the importance of this day and this message will be as influential for him as it was and still is for me.
I signed it when I was 3 ½ years old. I was born on April 14, 1976. We talked about the importance of families, and what it means to watch out for each other, strengthen one another, and encourage each other. Friends come and go in life, but your family is constant. I told them about when Hayden was a few days old, I had just come home from the hospital and I was rocking him in the rocking chair. I started singing the song Families Can Be Together Forever. I had loved this song in my youth, but as a mother, the song had new meaning in my life and I started to cry. I could feel the weight of my charge as a mother to not lose this precious child in my arms. As our family welcomed more children into our home; Abby, Bastian, then Weston, I realized now more than ever the importance of the temple covenants I had made when I married Rob. I don’t want to lose one of my children. I told them, “I want all of you with me in Heaven. That is why it is so important to make righteous decisions.” I can tell they felt the importance of the things I was trying to teach. Bastian said, “You were about to make ME cry.” I am glad that they were touched by this significant message. We then signed a LeBaron Family Mission Statement with the same words that were written by Mindy. Weston is exactly the same age as I was when I signed the Bastian Family Mission Statement (His birthday is April 15, 2005). I don’t remember that Family Home Evening from long ago. Even though he may not remember our Family Home Evening taught on this day like his older siblings will, I hope that the importance of this day and this message will be as influential for him as it was and still is for me.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Christmas Morning 2008
I have figured out why Christmas is so hard for me. It is because I am usually sooooo tired! I need to remember to get my rest every year from now on. The kids were awesome. They slept in till 8am. Can you believe it? It’s true. Rob got up at 5am to put the turkey in and then came back to bed until the kids were up. Isn't he great?! We got the video camera out and got the kids coming down the stairs. Christmas was so fun. Hayden deemed it, “The best Christmas EVER.” Hayden got Havoc Helicopters, Laser Tag, Sonic Unleashed video game, a mini Ripstik Deluxe, and more. 
Abby got a camera, Littlest Pet video game, earrings, a pretty journal, make-up, slippers, a purse that she has wanted for months, and more.
Bastian got a Nerf gun Vulcan EBF-25, Nerf Dart Tag, Lego Indiana Jones video game, Wall-E (movie), a light saber that changes from green to red, Super Mario Galaxy video game, and more.
Weston got a remote control Jeep, a force action blue light saber, toddler K’nex, a Nerf gun, a Diego DVD, and more.
Family gifts were Prince Caspian DVD, K’nex, another Laser Tag (so that we have 4 guns total with Hayden’s laser tag), and more. The squeals of delight were music to my ears. The best part was that I had enough energy to get the toys out of their packaging and read about how they work so that the kids would be able to play with them immediately.
Rob was his same self—full of surprises. He kept saying before Christmas how we need to not spend any more money—yet he got me a Canon Rebel xsi camera, ipod dock with speakers, and a steamer that gets wrinkles out of clothes. Knowing he would surprise me with gifts, I swiped my debit card at a couple of stores and got him a Nashville Tribute to the Pioneers cd and an ipod. We weren’t going to give each other presents this year because we got a newly refinished hardwood floor (by Rob), new carpet in the family room and living room, and new couches. I knew better to not heed Rob's suggestion to "not spend any more money." Rob has to have me open something on Christmas, and he ALWAYS goes over the budget we set. I was NOT going to let him get me something great and then not get him something great too. I have learned my lesson….too many years in a row. Year 12 of our marriage proves that I have indeed learned SOMETHING!
While opening presents Bastian got a toy that Weston thought was cool. Weston wondered out loud if it was his too. Bastian let him know it didn't belong to him and Weston said, "But we can share it!"
Abby said over and over, "That was on my wish list!" Then after the next present, "That was on my wish list!" And so on. Little did she know that I carried that list in my purse for a month gathering her gifts. Santa is so sneaky.
Hayden was surprised to get a present and excitedly exclaimed, "This is what I wanted last year!" Weston said, "Are you so happy?"
Abby got a camera, Littlest Pet video game, earrings, a pretty journal, make-up, slippers, a purse that she has wanted for months, and more.
Bastian got a Nerf gun Vulcan EBF-25, Nerf Dart Tag, Lego Indiana Jones video game, Wall-E (movie), a light saber that changes from green to red, Super Mario Galaxy video game, and more.
Weston got a remote control Jeep, a force action blue light saber, toddler K’nex, a Nerf gun, a Diego DVD, and more.
Family gifts were Prince Caspian DVD, K’nex, another Laser Tag (so that we have 4 guns total with Hayden’s laser tag), and more. The squeals of delight were music to my ears. The best part was that I had enough energy to get the toys out of their packaging and read about how they work so that the kids would be able to play with them immediately.
Rob was his same self—full of surprises. He kept saying before Christmas how we need to not spend any more money—yet he got me a Canon Rebel xsi camera, ipod dock with speakers, and a steamer that gets wrinkles out of clothes. Knowing he would surprise me with gifts, I swiped my debit card at a couple of stores and got him a Nashville Tribute to the Pioneers cd and an ipod. We weren’t going to give each other presents this year because we got a newly refinished hardwood floor (by Rob), new carpet in the family room and living room, and new couches. I knew better to not heed Rob's suggestion to "not spend any more money." Rob has to have me open something on Christmas, and he ALWAYS goes over the budget we set. I was NOT going to let him get me something great and then not get him something great too. I have learned my lesson….too many years in a row. Year 12 of our marriage proves that I have indeed learned SOMETHING!
We had Christmas dinner here. The family in attendance were Kim, Lynne, Jessica, Nate, Annebel, Shelby, Joe, Matt, Tiffany, Libby, Kezzie, new baby Tessa (she’s so cute!), and Kathryn. We ate turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing, rolls, corn, and yams. No green vegetables for us, no siree. We sat around and listened to stories and told stories. It is so fun listening to the goings on in the LeBaron household while Rob and his siblings were growing up. There is much laughter and smiles during these tales of childhood joy and woe. It is a great reminder to me that while parents and children are not perfect, and everyone doesn’t always get a long, bonds of love are forged and warm feelings are remembered.
We were all so stuffed that we didn’t have room for pie until almost everyone was gone. Finally, Nate and I cut into the pies (pumpkin and apple). They were delicious. It was a GREAT day.
Notable Quotables
While opening presents Bastian got a toy that Weston thought was cool. Weston wondered out loud if it was his too. Bastian let him know it didn't belong to him and Weston said, "But we can share it!"
Abby said over and over, "That was on my wish list!" Then after the next present, "That was on my wish list!" And so on. Little did she know that I carried that list in my purse for a month gathering her gifts. Santa is so sneaky.
Hayden was surprised to get a present and excitedly exclaimed, "This is what I wanted last year!" Weston said, "Are you so happy?"
Santa Brings Presents
This is what the tree looked like before we turned off the lights for the night. It looks like we have some pretty good kids! Santa was pretty generous this year.
Chrtistmas Eve
At 6:30pm on Christmas Eve Rob went downstairs to take a shower and the kids were bouncing off the walls with the excitement of opening their pajamas. Hayden complained, “I want to go to bed right now! Can’t we open our pajamas yet?” It was 6:40 pm. We opened the pajamas at 7:15pm when Rob came up from the jetted tub (his shower turned into a relaxing bath). 
The kids loved their pjs. Hayden got Star Wars Clone Wars pajamas, Abby got cheerleader pajamas, Bastian got Transformer pajamas, and Weston got spaceship pajamas.
After opening pajamas Weston said, “I got the best ones! You see?” They put their new pajamas on and we went for a drive and looked at the Salem Pond lights. They call it "A Pond Town Christmas." Rob and I make fun of the name every year--it's a Christmas tradition. The Spanish Fork Festival of Lights had a line soooo long we dared not get over there and wait for ages. Upon arriving at the Salem lights, Bastian and Weston were both asleep, and Hayden wished he was. He winced in his seat at the thought of how lucky Bastian and Weston were, and tried closing his eyes only to find himself exasperated at the prospect. We watched Legacy while riding in the Tahoe. Rob and Abby voted to watch it while Hayden and I voted not to. They won. The acting in that movie is so poor, I can hardly stand to listen to it, but wouldn’t you know it STILL brought tears to my eyes. I love the pioneers.
After arriving home we carried Bastian and Weston in and tucked everyone into bed. Abby came downstairs and got a warm bag to put in her bed. We waited until we could hear snoring, or a least heavy breathing from each child and then Rob and I went downstairs and wrapped the remaining presents that we didn’t wrap the night before. We got done wrapping at 10pm and were in bed by 11pm. Yay! We have never in the history of being parents EVER gone to bed before 12:30am on Christmas Eve night (technically Christmas morning). Do I feel another Christmas tradition budding, or is it a Christmas miracle?
The kids loved their pjs. Hayden got Star Wars Clone Wars pajamas, Abby got cheerleader pajamas, Bastian got Transformer pajamas, and Weston got spaceship pajamas.
After opening pajamas Weston said, “I got the best ones! You see?” They put their new pajamas on and we went for a drive and looked at the Salem Pond lights. They call it "A Pond Town Christmas." Rob and I make fun of the name every year--it's a Christmas tradition. The Spanish Fork Festival of Lights had a line soooo long we dared not get over there and wait for ages. Upon arriving at the Salem lights, Bastian and Weston were both asleep, and Hayden wished he was. He winced in his seat at the thought of how lucky Bastian and Weston were, and tried closing his eyes only to find himself exasperated at the prospect. We watched Legacy while riding in the Tahoe. Rob and Abby voted to watch it while Hayden and I voted not to. They won. The acting in that movie is so poor, I can hardly stand to listen to it, but wouldn’t you know it STILL brought tears to my eyes. I love the pioneers.After arriving home we carried Bastian and Weston in and tucked everyone into bed. Abby came downstairs and got a warm bag to put in her bed. We waited until we could hear snoring, or a least heavy breathing from each child and then Rob and I went downstairs and wrapped the remaining presents that we didn’t wrap the night before. We got done wrapping at 10pm and were in bed by 11pm. Yay! We have never in the history of being parents EVER gone to bed before 12:30am on Christmas Eve night (technically Christmas morning). Do I feel another Christmas tradition budding, or is it a Christmas miracle?
Monday, February 2, 2009
Thankful Trees
This year we started a new family tradition. Through the month of November we write things we are thankful for on strips of paper and we put them in our Thankful Box. Then in December we make a chain out of the strips of thankful papers. We decorate our thankful tree (this year we are decorating 3 mini alpine trees with our chain) and on the end of the chain is a picture of Christ. All the things we are thankful for anchor us to Christ because He created the earth and made it possible to return to live with Heavenly Father someday. Next year we will come up with some rules for our strips of paper. I don’t like the idea of limiting writing the things that we are thankful for but it has become apparent that Abby needs a limit to her strips of paper. She really caught the vision this year and when others wanted to write what they were thankful for, often the strips were all out and I had to make new ones because Abby had filled them all and put them in the box. She is a very thankful girl and I am so glad that she feels gratitude for so much. In the month of November, Aunt Mindy died, so we felt a deep sense of gratitude in our hearts when writing things pertaining to the knowledge we have of all that our Savior has done for us. 
These are the things that were written on our word strips this year.
Rob- the gospel, Rachel and the kids, Hayden’s sense of humor, my sweet daughter Abby and all her sweetness, I am thankful Bastian says, “excuse me,” after passing gas every 10 seconds, the tornado called Weston and all his cat sounds.
Rachel-the feeling of love, laughter, health, Malinda Larie Wadley, Heavenly Father’s plan, kind and loving friends who comforted me when my sister passed away, Robert Anthony LeBaron, my sweet children, Jesus Christ, my parents, motherhood, Primary, washing machines, the great men and women in my ward.
Hayden-temple, Christmas, prayer, steak, gravy, family, chicken, Sprite, Jacob (Olson), Fablehaven, Nintendo DS, church, water, potatoes, Trenton (Teasdale), houses, trampolines, k’nex, life, pizza, cars.
Abby-feelings, houses/home, video games, trains, storage, decoracions (decorations), Heavenly Father and Jesses (Jesus), life, plants, church, world, my family, safty (safety), money, Philo T. Farnsworth, school, my pink blanky, food and water, couches, pigs, pets, veaiaculs (vehicles), compeny (company), memery (memory), jobs, cities and towns, thankfulness, cars, airplanes, maps or gloabs (globes), islands, freedom, bandaids, paint, books, wood, nacher (nature), lether (leather), rags, medasen (medicine), scriptures, friends, elactrisity (electricity), plastic, diccionary (dictionary), math, time, shapes, Aunt Mindy, shoes, trees, feet, Novoo Temple (Nauvoo), resaurekshin (resurrection), prophets, stores, fabric (fabric), words, trust, rocks, chosecies (choices),voieses (voices), body, beds, family members, colors, pjs, prayer, Santa Claus and Christmas, weather, sheep, places, Haeven (heaven), objecs (objects), boxes, mateireyal (material), manners, people, bags, Holy Ghost, Temple, docters (doctors), Snowflake Bentley (a man who studied snow flakes), Heavenly Father’s plan, cell phones, prophets, mountains, that we exist.
Bastian- hous (house), Jeesas (Jesus), food and wodr (water), I’m thankful for cows, flowrs (flowers), Aunt Christa (Krista), N-strike Long Shot, beatiuful day (beautiful), for sheep, cousins, whole world, our house, the weather, my whole family, Aunt Mindy gets to be on earth again.
Weston-toys, mom, dad, Jumping Jacks, Hayden, I’m thankful for trains, Bastian, Abby, shows, Isaac, trains (for the 2nd time).
We are so blessed and have so much to be thankful for.
These are the things that were written on our word strips this year.Rob- the gospel, Rachel and the kids, Hayden’s sense of humor, my sweet daughter Abby and all her sweetness, I am thankful Bastian says, “excuse me,” after passing gas every 10 seconds, the tornado called Weston and all his cat sounds.
Rachel-the feeling of love, laughter, health, Malinda Larie Wadley, Heavenly Father’s plan, kind and loving friends who comforted me when my sister passed away, Robert Anthony LeBaron, my sweet children, Jesus Christ, my parents, motherhood, Primary, washing machines, the great men and women in my ward.
Hayden-temple, Christmas, prayer, steak, gravy, family, chicken, Sprite, Jacob (Olson), Fablehaven, Nintendo DS, church, water, potatoes, Trenton (Teasdale), houses, trampolines, k’nex, life, pizza, cars.
Abby-feelings, houses/home, video games, trains, storage, decoracions (decorations), Heavenly Father and Jesses (Jesus), life, plants, church, world, my family, safty (safety), money, Philo T. Farnsworth, school, my pink blanky, food and water, couches, pigs, pets, veaiaculs (vehicles), compeny (company), memery (memory), jobs, cities and towns, thankfulness, cars, airplanes, maps or gloabs (globes), islands, freedom, bandaids, paint, books, wood, nacher (nature), lether (leather), rags, medasen (medicine), scriptures, friends, elactrisity (electricity), plastic, diccionary (dictionary), math, time, shapes, Aunt Mindy, shoes, trees, feet, Novoo Temple (Nauvoo), resaurekshin (resurrection), prophets, stores, fabric (fabric), words, trust, rocks, chosecies (choices),voieses (voices), body, beds, family members, colors, pjs, prayer, Santa Claus and Christmas, weather, sheep, places, Haeven (heaven), objecs (objects), boxes, mateireyal (material), manners, people, bags, Holy Ghost, Temple, docters (doctors), Snowflake Bentley (a man who studied snow flakes), Heavenly Father’s plan, cell phones, prophets, mountains, that we exist.
Bastian- hous (house), Jeesas (Jesus), food and wodr (water), I’m thankful for cows, flowrs (flowers), Aunt Christa (Krista), N-strike Long Shot, beatiuful day (beautiful), for sheep, cousins, whole world, our house, the weather, my whole family, Aunt Mindy gets to be on earth again.
Weston-toys, mom, dad, Jumping Jacks, Hayden, I’m thankful for trains, Bastian, Abby, shows, Isaac, trains (for the 2nd time).
We are so blessed and have so much to be thankful for.
My Mother's Christmas Tree
My mother called me and asked me to come help her. It seems as though life is so busy, but I don’t ever want to think that life is too busy to help the ones I love. I rearranged my schedule and had a good friend watch Bastian after kindergarten on a Monday so I could go help her. Initially I thought I was going over to help pack some of Cherisse’s things in boxes as she has just moved into her own apartment with Jesse and Annalee. She has been living with my mother for around 2 years now. But to my surprise, when I got to my mom’s house she had the tree up and said, “We’re going to decorate the tree.” I love decorating trees. I love looking at each ornament. Each one is unique and has its own beauty and charm. But what I failed to realize is that my mother has a REAL tree. You know, the kind that is cut down in a forest. It would be hours before we would pull out decorations for the tree. FIRST AND FOREMOST comes the dreaded lights. I got up on the ladder to start the lights on her 12 foot tree. My mom is the queen of Christmas and the pressure I felt to do a great job on her tree was huge. I knew that she would love ANYTHING that I did on the tree, but I have been staring with admiration at her trees for years and to mess up on HER tree was a distressing thought. It didn’t help when she said, “I want all the lights on the top to point down.” I was surprised that my lighting skills came back to me, but I had to use some pretty powerful self-talk to stay up on that ladder. I have been taking for granted my pre-lit fake trees. My mom and I had lunch together. She got out a letter that she received from someone whose life Mindy had touched. We had a good cry together.
The next day, she called and asked for help again. I decided to take Bastian out of kindergarten on Friday and I went and helped her for a few more hours. She had all the lights on! Hallelujah! So then we got to put on the decorations. The tree looks lovely. We took some pictures but they don’t capture the beauty of the tree in real life. I have come to the conclusion that it is because the camera can’t take pictures of magic.
My mom was looking through her decorations and couldn't find all her icicles. She pulled out this basket brimming with icicles and said, "All I could find were these." Then we laughed out loud.
The next day, she called and asked for help again. I decided to take Bastian out of kindergarten on Friday and I went and helped her for a few more hours. She had all the lights on! Hallelujah! So then we got to put on the decorations. The tree looks lovely. We took some pictures but they don’t capture the beauty of the tree in real life. I have come to the conclusion that it is because the camera can’t take pictures of magic.
My mom was looking through her decorations and couldn't find all her icicles. She pulled out this basket brimming with icicles and said, "All I could find were these." Then we laughed out loud.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Decorating for Christmas
I put up our Christmas decorations later than I planned to due to my sister Mindy’s passing away. It was fun to bring out all the sparkly, shimmery, shiny, and nostalgic trimmings and also many new ones that I bought at after Christmas sales last year. I had forgotten about many of them. It took me hours and days to decorate but it looks beautiful…and quite magical. I had more ornaments that I could’ve put up, but I was tired and put them back in their boxes. Maybe I’ll do more next year. 
Over the past few years a tradition has evolved in regards to our front room Christmas tree. I have received and collected several interesting ornaments that I hang on the tree and we play "I spy" with the ornaments. It has become an "I spy" tree. Some decorations that we spy are a tiger, a yellow lab, a chocolate milk shake, a snowman family, a clear star, a nativity, a picture of Jesus, a french horn, a cob of corn, a bird in a nest, a star fish, a rocking horse, an elf, and more. I like to look in stores and find things that are interesting to put on our "I spy" tree.
Over the past few years a tradition has evolved in regards to our front room Christmas tree. I have received and collected several interesting ornaments that I hang on the tree and we play "I spy" with the ornaments. It has become an "I spy" tree. Some decorations that we spy are a tiger, a yellow lab, a chocolate milk shake, a snowman family, a clear star, a nativity, a picture of Jesus, a french horn, a cob of corn, a bird in a nest, a star fish, a rocking horse, an elf, and more. I like to look in stores and find things that are interesting to put on our "I spy" tree.
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