Traditional Families = Better Economy

Okay, so I don't normally blog about things I learned on a documentary, but I want to share the one I watched today, and this blog is kind of like my journal too, so if you don't read it... I'm okay with it, but I hope you do. It was inspiring. Now I majored in this subject and knew a lot of the things that they mentioned but a lot of things I didn't know or realize, one in which I want to share.

So one of the main things this documentary talked about was how traditional families need to be reestablished to better help our economy and the welfare of our nation and our world. The coolest part is that this documentary was held with multiple professors and researchers across the nation and world, of different beliefs and faith. In fact a lot don't even have a religion or believe in god. But they all agreed on one thing that research is showing more and more, that traditional families are very important to the world and that with them diminishing we are headed for harder times. Less and less people are getting married, even more people aren't having children, and a significant percent who do both of these things (get married and have children) are divorcing.

How they said diminishing of traditional families is effecting the economy, and will greatly effect the economy, is because when a child is not raised by both a father and a mother, and the stability and interaction that that entails, they are far more likely to not develop as well cognitively and mentally. So thus they struggle through school and learning and life, which ultimately leads to less and less people who are capable of running our country at the level that it needs to be ran. We then have less competent leaders, engineers, doctors, teachers, professors, etc., the main people who run and work this country, which isn't good for us. They then showed stats...

Children the least likely to do drugs: have parents who are married/come from traditional family

Children most likely to go to college: parents married/traditional family

Children most likely to have good physical and mental health: parents married/traditional family

Children most likely to have good relationships with their peers: parents married/traditional family.

Etc. (there were a ton more, I just dont remember all of them)

Now I have to say a disclaimer, because I know that not every person that comes from a broken family has these struggles. There are many who come from hard working single moms or dads and have become amazing and awesome people. My mom is one of quite a few people I know, who came from a broken home, yet turned out great and has done great things for the world. They are talking about majority here.

Another thing they mentioned: that people who are not being raised in families, or who aren't creating or wanting to create families are creating individualism, which isn't good. They talked about how families create an environment that promote selflessness, putting others before yourself. Without this family environment people are becoming more selfish and more focused on the self, which is destroying the "group effort/team work" community and nation that we know (or knew) and love.

Basically their message was that if we keep seeing the family diminish... then our prosperous world in which we know it, will basically diminish as well.

I just thought that this was cool to learn, because not only do we know through the gospel and through our prophets and apostles that families are important, but through researchers and data as well. That having as many children as possible come from solid families is a necessity for a prosperous life for all of us. Not saying we all need to have a ton of kids (cause that's very personal), but that getting married and having children, whatever amount you have, in a stable home is more important to our country, and to ourselves, than I realized. I just really think it's neat to learn both spiritually (most important) but logically as well. "I will tell you in your mind and in your heart," that families are important.

Thanks to anyone who reads this, I hope you found it interesting as well.

Video birth to 1 yr

So I recently finished a video of Jace with a lot of his pictures and videos from birth to his one year mark all summed up into 8 mins. I am planning to do this for each of my kids to keep inside their baby book along with other things. I have been working on it every now and then during my down time. I don't know why it took me so long to finish cause I started it in the fall. Maybe it was just because I knew I would realize in full picture and music how fast my boy is really growing up. It is crazy to think that he will be 2 in June. I have found that motherhood is a lot of work and at times overwhelming, but it is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. It has changed me for the better through the hard (pregnancy:) and the happy and wonderful times I have with Jace everyday. There are many times when I am praying at night and tears are brought to my eyes with the love I have for him.

So like I said it is 8 mins long. So if you don't have the time I completely understand or if you simply don't want to, I can understand that too. But nonetheless, here it is. :)

Ps. I need to explain the 1st song played and the reason I chose it. It's "God must have spent a little more time on you" by Nsync. I realize that it is written for a girl and what not. But when I heard it on the radio while pregnant with Jace and listened to the words. I knew it would be how I would feel about this special person that was coming to our home and it was exactly how I felt when I saw him and still how I feel when I interact with him and watch him interact with others. He is very special son of his Heavenly Father. I am blessed to be his mom.

Being Big . .

Okay, so you're about to hear about my emotional morning, so if you aren't in the mood or just don't want to read about it, I completely understand.

Anyway, so lately I have been having a hard time accepting what is to come pretty soon. . .
Being Huge the last 3 months of my pregnancy. . . And trust me, if you didn't see me at the end of my pregnancy I am one who gets really big and swollen, not the cute petite kind you see around. I remember people's intial faces when they would see me. Seriously! I would post a picture but I know you would all probably have that initial face too. I have been dreading it more and more lately, especially as I am about to enter my 2nd trimester, knowing that it is just getting closer. I stayed up worrying about it last night and trying to brush it off all at the same time. And then this morning I and someone I know, saw a pregnant girl and they mentioned how big she was. . . and that was it! That was the last thing I needed to hear! I came home a balled my eyes out for a good couple hours, for me and that girl (and she wasn't even as big as I get, cause she wasn't swollen too). I know I am probably just being super emotional about it and that being big pregnant is temporary. But even with it being temporary it's still not fun to go through. And dont get me wrong, I also know that I am very blessed that I am even able to be pregnant and I don't take this blessing for grantite. I am very happy to be a mom again. I just wish I could skip the huge swollen part. But I guess who knows? Maybe I won't get as big with this one as I did with Jace. I am trying to eat better and drink more water. Oh please, be the case!

Anyway, thanks to anyone who reads this. Today has just been rough and I needed to share it or even just write about it so I could get it out. I promise my next post will be more positive. Thanks again for listening or I guess reading. haha yeah.

-Sarah

Baby on it's way. . :)

It is what it sounds and looks like! We are having another baby! Our due date is Oct 2nd and I'm 12 weeks along. We are excited! I think Joe is more excited than me right now, cause he's not sick. But I am excited too. I'm excited that Jace gets to have a sibbling. It will be fun to add to our little family :)

These pictures are really bad, cause I just took them with my camera. But here is the side profile.

And here is the face and front of the baby.

I know, you can't really tell, but I thought I would at least put them up

Happy St Pat's day (haha)!

So the reasoning behind the "haha" in my title is because in my post below this I put that st. patricks day has already passed. Yeah, leave it up to me a stay-at-home not know what day of the week it is or the date is. Every day is basically the same routine for me and Jace. Anyhow,

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

A little of EVERYTHING

Okay, so I know have been horrible at posting lately(last 2 1/2 months), but here is everything from then. Please don't delete me off your blog list. I will still post.


So this is a blanket that I finally finished in January (folded in half, you can see the two hemmed ends on top. Dont mind all the fuzzies it was still in the washing mode, to make it frilly, when I took this pic). I have been working on it off and on since before Jace was born. haha yeah, and it's finally done. It's a rag quilt, animal themed. It was fun to make and actually pretty relaxing when I would do it. But yeah I just had to post it, not because it's the best quilt made, but because it took me so long to do. It felt like a huge accomplishment once I finally finished it, and I was happy with how it turned out.


And this is a preview of pictures to come, maybe! This is a blanket I made for Jace to go in his new Seasame Street room! Most of it is done, but there's still some things that need to be done before I post pictures. And I know this pic looks posed, but he was actually watching Elmo with his blanket and ball next to him, cute huh. He loves elmo/seasame street! I knew he would like the blanket.


And this is Valentines Day! (Yes, really behind. St pat's day has already passed) This is what he came out to find. Not much, but he liked it, which was enough for me.


Discovering what's inside..

Yay! Some candy and a Elmo movie!
Oh and I did get my husband a gift too! Haha. Just so all ya know that!


And Jace has been our little artist. He loves to draw! Of course they are just scribble-looking, but he draws them like they really are master pieces. He even sticks his tongue out, like his mom. You can tell he's very concentrated. He's gone through like 5 or 6 notebooks already.


And his latest milestone has been moving from his highchair to a booster seat. He was so happy to be able to sit at the table with mom and dad.

His first lunch in his booster seat.

That's it. Thanks for bearing with me everyone!

My boys

Leave it up to my boys to make me smile. . .
So our washer is one of those crazy ones that just spins out of control and sounds like it's going to take off. So randomly the other day I noticed that it wasn't being it's wild self and decided to go see what the miracle was. . . and lo and behold it was my boys taking a ride on the washer. Jace thought it was pretty fun. Thanks boys!


And this is Jace's latest face expression that just cracks me up.


He thinks its pretty funny too. He laughs every time he does it and thinks it's even funnier when I do it.

I love my boys