Traditional Marriage for Ants

So, J is truly on one this week. Today we discovered an ant wandering in our kitchen. Needless to say it was a MAJOR source of excitement and entertainment -- poor ant. I'm sure it was just trying to make its way across the vast wilderness of tile when it was encountered by a 4 year-old and 3 year-old. Let's just say, the end was not pretty.

After the demise of said ant, my son asked what kind of ant it was? I told him it was a queen because it had wings. Of course we then embarked on a discussion of queen ants and how come there aren't king ants, and how is it the queens can lay eggs if they're not married to king ants?

I tried to explain that ants are different from people and they do not live by the "marriage is between one man and one woman" rule. With an incredulous look upon his face, J said, "No, that's not true Mom because I have seen teeny tiny temples for ants!"

Do you think in ant temples the queens are reprimanded for treating their males as nothing more than "workers" to be used and discarded at will? Maybe PETA should look into this.

Hello, I'm God

Having a four year-old son is a little bit like living with someone with multiple personality disorder. They are constantly trying out new identities, and it can be difficult to keep up. Case in point, a while ago at breakfast I had the following conversation:

(The breakfast table was loud, as usual, so it made it difficult to hear what was being said at first)

Son: (Looking at me, but speaking with a mouthful of cereal) "I'm God"

Me: (Not knowing if I heard correctly, since it's not one of the usual Superheroes he usually claims to be.) "Who?"

Son: "You know, God. That dude who lives up in Heaven!"

I tried to maintain my composure in order to further the conversation, but I had to smile at God being referred to as, "that dude."

Me: "Okay, well what does that mean? What does God do?"

Son: "You know, He reminds people He loves them."

Out of the mouth of babes. What more can I say? Maybe we should all pretend to be God!

Decorating Tips From a Nine Year-Old

A came up to me and said she had a decorating suggestion which she came up with all by herself. She said, "Mom, you know those funny balls people have in bowls in their houses? You know, the ones that you can't touch or play with and they're made out of funny sticks and things?"

I replied that I did indeed know the balls to which she was referring.

"Well, I think we should make popcorn balls and put them in a bowl on our mantle instead. That way they'll look good, smell good and you can actually do something with them, like eat them."

So, world, if you want to decorate your home in order to please children, utilizing popcorn balls, which would definitely be more affordable and enjoyable, would be the way to go.

Apparently Reptiles Need Reminding...

Tonight, when asked to say the prayer, four year-old J said the following:

"Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Please bless the reptiles at the zoo so they can follow God's rules. Please bless the sacrament, to be safe (from all the people sneezing of course). Please bless Dad to kill the monsters. Bless the troops. Bless the brethren to be strong and brave. Bless those who die. Thank you for our food. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

How cute is that? I would love to go to the zoo tomorrow and see the way in which the reptiles are now following God's rules better because you KNOW the prayer of a four year-old rings loudly in the halls of Heaven. What a kid!

Jimmy Carter -- Mysologist

Last night I found out I'm a racist. According to former President Jimmy Carter, my objections to out-of-control spending, a government takeover of health care, and a lack of willingness to make a decision about Afghanistan while our soldiers are dying, are not due to my personal convictions and beliefs, but can be boiled down to race. I thank the former President for clarifying my beliefs. Here I had the audacity to believe I was actually thinking for myself -- reading columns, listening to interviews, skimming bills, and forming opinions. Apparently, however, I was wrong. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact I feel like our country is moving in the wrong direction and that I would like my elected representatives to reflect my beliefs. It is nothing more than my DNA reacting to the DNA of somebody else. Thank goodness for people like Jimmy Carter who can so clearly point this out and make sense of it all. Now I don't have to think anymore. I can just go back to shootin' clay pigeons out the back of my pick-up truck, while pregnant with my upteenth child. That certainly wouldn't be a racist thing to do.

Does this also make me a misogynist because I disagree with Nancy Pelosi? Or perhaps I'm misanthropic (the closest word I could find to "hating one's own people) because I disagree with Harry Reid and his policies in the Senate? Since I'm LDS and so is he, maybe that means I hate my own people.

Wow, thank you President Carter. You saved me from a lot of stress and intellectual strain.

Tena-Syddy

Sydney, once again, is surprising me. Up to now, she has been the "little princess" of our home. She loves anything and everything pink. She actually wants and plays with the dreaded Barbies. She loves to wear dresses and be as girly as can be. And yet, a new side is showing up -- a competitive, athletic side. So far, in her first two soccer games, she has scored a total of 13 goals! Now granted she plays on a small field with just a few girls, but still, the girl in an animal!

At practice yesterday I offered to give the girls a water break. All of them were relieved but Sydney who said, "No! No water break! Let's run to the fence (about 50 yards away) and back!" A few of the girls started to run with her but pooped out and quit. Sydney, however, ran the entire way and, upon returning said, "Let's keep playing!"

Last night she asked me if I wanted her to "win the game" again by scoring lots of goals. When I told her I did, she got this really excited look on her face and could hardly go to sleep because she was so excited to play her game today! It's pretty fun to see this side of her. Who knew?

RamPaige!!!

What I think went through Paige's mind when she woke up Thursday:

Hmmm...sometime today I absolutely want to use Avery's red nail polish. I love it and I will have it. The problem is Mom. I know she won't let me have it because she thinks I'm not big enough. Ha! I draw beautiful pictures on the walls and have even made circles so I don't understand what Mom is thinking! She is going to be a problem though so I'm going to have to think of something.

(laughs deviously) I've got it!!! I will distract Mom by taking the pistachios and putting them all down the kitchen heating vent -- which I just figured out how to take off!!! Perfect!!! She'll be so busy trying to get those darn things out of there that she won't notice me climb up the shelf, get the polish and sneak into her room to make myself look beautiful!

Of course, now that I think about it, I don't just want to paint my nails, the color is too pretty! I absolutely need to cover, and I mean cover, my hands and feet and maybe my lower legs for good measure. Red is soooo my color and I really need to play it up. Come to think of it, Cooper's bed could use a little decoration so I'll just add some there, too. And maybe a little on Mom's walls because I know she likes red, too.

It's going to be a great day! Can't wait to get started!

Mayan Adventure Here We Come!

After many mornings (and evenings, and nights and whatever time worked best) of "reading" the Book of Mormon with the kids -- and I use the term reading loosely -- we finally finished it, again, and we're going to celebrate by going to the Mayan Adventure restaurant tomorrow! However, I was just looking at the menu and realized the prices have changed since we were last there -- ouch -- but it will be worth it.

I don't know how much the kids got as far as plot, story line, deep inspiration, etc... but I do know that they were, in fact, paying attention most of the time. I know that because sometimes in the middle of a story or verse I would simply say, "And, he died. The end." Heads would pop up with confused looks on their faces and question what I had just said. Of course, some story lines were more interesting than others -- Ammon cutting off Lamanite arms with a sword was definitely a story talked about for awhile by my son. Also, the kids thought Abinadi's courage in standing down the wicked King Noah was amazing. And they couldn't believe the Jaredites could be so full of hate as to completely wipe out their entire civilization and wondered how anybody could do that!

Most reading time, however, consisted of us reading while Paige and/or Jack was crying or someone's dirty diaper needed changing, or big girls poking each other and me saying, in a not so nice voice, "Hey! We're trying to read the scriptures here so knock it off!" But, for those times when it was somewhat quiet and the story could come through or some great scriptural thought could be talked about, it was great. I felt like I came to understand the Book of Mormon even that much better and that my kids added a little more to their testimony foundation. I even think they liked it. In fact, when we reached the end we kind of looked at each other like, "Now what do we do?"

This morning we decided to embark on The New Testament while interjecting verses from the Book of Mormon that coincide with what we're reading. The kids are already looking forward to hitting a Greek restaurant upon completion. Can anybody say, "Cheap Gyros here we come!"

A Challenge for the Verbose

I am currently in a classics study group which has the end goal of establishing an academy for kids ages 12-18. We are reading and writing and trying to hone our study skills in order to teach the kids the same skills.

Our most recent book discussion was on Les Miserables. If you've never read the book, I encourage you to take six months (yes, I said six months) and read it. It's 1100 pages of beauty, depth, description (if I ever get to Paris, I'm going to visit the sewers), triumph, defeat, tragedy, generosity, and every other human emotion possible. Our discussion leader challenged us to write ONE sentence which summed up the entire book! She talked about how easy it is to have an abstract "idea" of what a book is about, but how much more difficult to actually think about what a book and then to articulate it in writing. I'm still working on my sentence, but so far I have:

Les Miserables is a story about justice and mercy and the difference an individual can make in the lives of others by choosing to be merciful or just.

My challenge to you is to take a book you have just finished or are very familiar with and do the same thing. I would love it if you would post your books and sentences here.

A Five Year-old and Three Year-Old Discuss Marriage

I overheard this conversation between my son and daughter as we were driving one day:

(Five year-old girl) "When I grow up I'm going to be a Mom and an Artist because I am really good at coloring. What are you going to be when you grow up?"

(Three year-old boy) "A cowboy with a REAL gun so I can shoot bad guys."

"Don't you want to get married?"

"No!"

"Well, don't you want to be a Dad like Daddy and have kids?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to get married!" (a pause) "What is 'get married'?"

"It's when you have a wife and have kids."

"Oh. Well, can I have a gun?"

"Yeah, but only if you shoot bad guys."

"Ok, then I'll get married."

"Good. Then you can buy my pictures."

It was so cute just to listen to them try to figure this whole thing out. It was also interesting to hear the difference between the girl (already relationship oriented) and the boy (action oriented). Anyone who says boys and girls aren't different, but that we just socialize them to be that way has never had a son and daughter. Men and women are different from the start and I'm grateful for it.

The Lehi and Sariah Family: The Story of Us All

The kids and I are coming to the end of the Book of Mormon once again. Together we've crossed the ocean, fought battles, buried weapons of war, witnessed the coming of the Savior, and watched as an entire civilization destroyed itself. Truly an epic story, and one I'm so grateful to know about.

However, this means we will be starting, from the beginning, again. We will once again immerse ourselves in the troubles, triumphs, and tribulations of Brother and Sister Lehi and Family. They could be the "family next door." He's a successful businessman and she's an upstanding mother trying her best to raise her children in difficult times. When Lehi receives the inspiration that it is time to "leave the world," he faces incredible opposition, even from within his own family. His sons are at times righteous, judgmental, divisive, loyal, faithful, full of hate, worldly, etc... as they try and follow their parents on their quest to follow the Lord's instructions. Even Lehi and Sariah have their moments of triumph and failure which is written down for millions of us to read about. I don't know about you, but I'm glad my failings aren't etched in gold for the world to read.

One of the most famous stories in church history is how Joseph Smith lent his good friend, Martin Harris, the first 110 pages of the translated Book of Mormon so Mr. Harris's wife could see them. Although the Lord had warned Joseph against this course of action, Joseph chose to go ahead. The pages were lost and the Lord forbade the re-translation of the work. Thus, the overall order of the book was changed moving 1 Nephi to it's place of prominence as the first book in the Book of Mormon.

Looking ahead to those who would be reading this book, it was clearly an act of wisdom to put the story of this family first. We all have the struggles they do, though maybe without some of the more dramatic elements. The part I find the most fascinating is how many times people read 1 Nephi, over and over, because they "resolve" to read their scriptures again, and of course, start at the beginning. There are all sorts of reasons why 1 Nephi is read and re-read, but I think there is great purpose in the placement of this story. Heavenly Father knew we wouldn't be perfect scriptorians, spending all our time in study, and therefore, placed this story first so it, at least, would be read.

In fact, I think we can find ourselves in every single one of the characters at different times of our lives. The faith of Lehi, the hope of Sariah and their sadness as they watch people they love make terrible choices. The courage and leadership of Nephi who spends some time later in life crying for those he, perhaps, pushed away by the zealousness of his youth. The loyalty of Sam who doesn't earn great amounts of glory, but just quietly goes about trying to obey, but perhaps didn't do his part to help mend the rift among his brothers. And then there's Ishmael and his family, but that's another post for another time.

The Lehi Family saga is classic in its story and timeless in its truth. Although I'm glad we made it all the way through, I'm looking forward to heading out into the dessert again as they make their way to their "promised land" helping me make my way toward mine.

Another Weekly Round-Up

Avery asked me if I thought she should find a sneaky way to get a boy's email she thinks is cute. In my shock I told her, "No way!" and then calmed myself down enough to have a rational conversation with her about it. I think I was able to make her see that she should wait longer before doing stuff like that. She also wore a little bit of eyeliner to church today! Am I ready for this?

Addison has a real talent for playing musical instruments by ear. Her Grandpa Elvin gave her his harmonica and she has been figuring out all sorts of songs on it! I can't even come close to that! She started figuring out how to play the soundtrack to Pride and Prejudice on the piano the other day. However, as a result, she thinks she doesn't need piano lessons anymore. I'm trying to tell her she still needs to learn how to read music so she doesn't always have to wait to hear a piece before being able to play it. Any suggestions?

Sydney learned how to braid he own hair and put her own pigtails in for church today. She is my most independent kid by far.

Jack had the "binky fairy" drop by, which he wasn't too thrilled about. The binky fairy gave him a cool fake aquarium which lights up and the fish swim across. It serendipitously showed up in a D.I. pile and was just what the "fairy" had been looking for. We're on day 4 and it's going better than I thought it would.

Jack and I were talking about the movie "Chicken Little" and he asked me if he could watch "Chicken Big" instead. :)

Paige's latest new phrase is, "two minutes" which sounds more like "ooo inits" and is her answer for things like having to clean up or having to go somewhere. She wants two more minutes.

Super Cooper started eating mashed bananas this week. He seems to like them. I can't believe he is old enough!

The Law of Attraction as it applies to Mothers

Recently I have been studying laws of Physics, one of which has to do with attraction, and have observed a subset of laws. These laws seem to primarily relate to mothers, which makes me wonder if becoming a mother introduces an entirely new set of laws? Anyway, the law is this:

A mother with a phone to her ear attracts all the children in the house who must begin fighting within a two foot radius. This law also seems to apply to the mother using the bathroom as well.

Anyone who has called me recently has been the unlucky observer of this law in action. Sorry everybody!

So Many Questions, So Little Time...

Recently I have begun writing on a large piece of paper in my kitchen the random questions my kids ask, such as how old George Washington was when he died, so I won't forget to research them when I have the time.

My oldest daughter asked this question: If the three main colors are red, yellow and blue and all colors are made from those colors, how do you make "white," And, more specifically, how do you make white paint?

Well, today we began our research and here is where it led us:

White pigment can only be made from plants or chemicals.

Which led to:

What are chemicals?

We ended up reading about titanium dioxide which is the main component in white pigment because it naturally blocks sunlight -- a most useful ingredient for sunscreens which is why sunscreen tends to be WHITE!

Which led to:

What is titanium dioxide?

A mineral

What is a mineral?

Which led to an entire discussion on the periodic table, atoms, and eventually electrons and neutrons. I then realized I don't know very much on the subject and I got really excited about the periodic table and I want to go to the store tomorrow and buy a bunch of styrofoam balls and construct giant atoms. My daughter decided she wants to know more about the atomic bomb and how it works.

We then looked outside and noticed the snow -- it's white. However, since snow is not made from a plant or chemical it has an entirely different reason for being white! Snowflakes are transparent. But because they have an irregular shape, the light reflects, causing snow to look white! I love this stuff!

When we were through, I asked my daughter if she realized we had been learning "science" because, recently, she has been complaining about how she doesn't like science. She looked at me with all this new wonder in her eyes and said, "Oh yeah, I forgot that I don't like science. Hmmm.... Maybe I do like science!"

All that from one little question. No textbooks, just fun exploration. I can't WAIT for the next question and for the new discoveries waiting for me to find them.

Weekly Round-Up

My parents are always asking me if I am writing down the funny things my kids do. I'd like to say I am, but I'm not. So, as of today, each Sunday I'm going to try and jot down a few of the highlights from the week. It's not much, but it's something:

Sydney lost her first tooth while chewing on a rubber worm at Grandma Edie's annual Halloween party. Of course the tooth fairy did not come and owes her a "note" as well as some cash.

Paige painted herself with sour cream, tried to clean the toilet with a roll of toilet paper, and puts everything she can down her undershirt where it lodges, uncomfortably, in the top of her diaper. Tonight we found a yellow crayon, a small "people" and many pieces of chicken and rice. Yum

Avery dressed as a "rock star" for the Halloween party and ended up looking like she was ready to hit the town. She looked fabulous -- too fabulous.

Addison finished reading Freckle Juice, her first longer book. She decided she wants to be a doctor and a Mom when she grows up.

Jack will only wear his tractor pajamas to bed and has been unrolling all my rolls of wrapping paper in order to get to the cardboard "sword".

Cooper discovered his tongue and sticks it out of his mouth constantly. He is currently slightly above the top of the growth charts.

I have to write a paper this week for my class. Any ideas?

The Birth of a Mother

One week ago today, I watched a new mother be born. As she labored, without medication, for 24 HOURS, then with an epidural for another 8, and then pushed for 2 hors, I watched as she fought desperately to overcome last minute self-doubt and fear of the unknown. Her body, mind and spirit were straining to come together in order to allow the birth process to happen. I could almost physically see the struggle pass through her like waves, mimicking the contractions themselves.
First, there was staunch determination to go through the birth process unmedicated in order to fully "experience" birth and the wonders that come with it. Coupled with that fierce determination was absolute terror which would wash across her face and practically paralyze her with each contraction. She was already learning the lessons all mothers feel when they have to sit at the bedside of their sick child, determined to stay awake all night if necessary, experiencing fear at the prospect of their child's future.
Next, I watched with relief as she realized her own limitations and that of her body's and accepted an epidural. She had to go through the mental turmoil of questioning herself and her decision, and wondering if she could still be considered "tough" or "strong enough." What mother doesn't question that constantly? "If I had just..." "Would it have made a difference if...?" She was required to let go of whatever control she thought she had over the situation and allow the process to happen. This is a lesson experienced over and over in motherhood.
Last came the true work- that of releasing her baby into the world. Although completely exhausted, she had to dig deep within herself and find the strength to do for her son what he could not do for himself. She had to push past the limits of her own mind and body and find a new, deeper place--that of mother -- and she did. It was a beautifully painful thing to witness. Allowing our babies to go out into the world is a task which, thankfully, takes about 20 years to complete, but starts with that first great effort.
She is already a fantastic mother. Just as her birth story was unique, so her mothering will be also. She will bring new understanding and depth which will add strength and beauty to the millions of other women who call themselves mother. I was proud and honored to be witness to a birth of a new mother.
I love you sis!

Lessons From a Mini-Van

Freedom is a difficult concept. We all say we want it, but do we really? I think we all want freedom as long as everybody plays by the rules, but as soon as someone breaks a rule, we're ready to yank our freedoms away. I had an experience with my kids the other which brought this into perspective for me.
All God had to do to teach me little lessons in patience each day was to make me have to pile six children into a mini-van. Due to the space constrictions, it's not too long before somebody has "touched" somebody else, or looked out "their" window, or "breathed" on someone, etc... Sometimes, as was the case the other day,a full on hair-pulling, pinching, pushing fight breaks out and intervention is required.
I was about 1/3 of a mile away from home when one of these occurred so I did the stereotypical thing and pulled that little van right over, got out, came around to the side, yanked the door open and pulled the two offenders out. Then I did the un-stereotypical thing and walked back around the driver's side, got in and started to pull away, just so I could see the looks on their faces. It was totally worth it and allowed me to cool down enough to think about what I was really going to do. I wanted to send a clear message because I was tired of the whole "don't make me pull this car over" routine. I then stopped the van, rolled down the window and told them to start walking. They were going to walk the rest of the way home. They looked at me like I couldn't possibly be serious. I "seriously" rolled the window back up and drove up ahead about 100 yards and waited. It took about a minute for them to realize I wasn't coming back, so they started walking. Every time they got close to the van, I would pull ahead another 50 yards until we reached our street. Since then I have had fewer disruptions because they know they may end up walking again.
My thoughts during this whole thing, however, were centered on who was observing this and wondering why these children were walking by themselves, during the middle of the day, along a busy road, and deciding they should call the police. I was just waiting for CPS to show up when I realized how much we have limited our freedom to parent how we see fit. I wasn't doing anything abusive or dangerous. I was trying to teach my children a lesson by using natural consequences and in a way that, I hoped, would be really effective instead of just more threats. We've become so judgmental and intrusive into everybody's lives that we've forgotten there are many ways to live and parent.
Freedom means allowing some bad things to go on. With freedom comes the possibility of wrong choices and hurtful actions. Obviously I would never want to see a child intentionally hurt or neglected in any way and I would kick the crap out of anybody I saw participating in such an activity, but I'm not ready to live in a "Big Brother" society for the sake of preventing any deviance from the prescribed path. However, I think we've become lulled into this false sense of "freedom" by listening to all the "experts" telling us what to do, think, wear, drive, eat, etc... We need to wake up and reclaim our true freedom before it is too late. If that sounds a little revolutionary, maybe it is.

Happy Birthday Peaches!

After the birth of two healthy daughters, I experienced two devastating miscarriages. If you know me, you know I don't like feeling like I can't do something, so I was absolutely determined to get pregnant and carry a healthy baby come what may. Ten weeks into yet another pregnancy, I was cleaning my grandparents house when I felt a sudden cramping and a whoosh. I ran to the bathroom and couldn't believe what was happening -- another miscarriage. My cute Grandma tried to help me as best as she could by providing what she had at the time -- Depends Undergarments and words of comfort but I was shocked and angry at having had to experience this again and starting to wonder what was wrong. I called my midwife and made an appointment to try and decipher the problem.

A week passed and finally it was time for my appointment. I was really upset. Not only because of the miscarriage, but I was still nauseated and feeling pregnant. I didn't know the universe could be so cruel as to make me continue to feel crappy while not being pregnant. When I told my midwife how I was feeling she suggested an ultrasound just to make sure everything had been cleared out. I didn't even want to look at the screen and view my empty uterus, but I was compelled to. And there, to our complete surprise, was a baby! A perfectly healthy looking and growing baby! I couldn't believe it! My midwife thought I must've been carrying twins and miscarried the other one. I believe Sydney had been trying to come and wasn't taking any chances, so two bodies were created and she picked the healthier of the two and the other body was discarded. The universe had been merciful and I proceeded to have a pleasant, healthy pregnancy.

Eight months later, and the most pleasant of all my pregnancies, Sydney Alisha was born August 31, weighing 9 lbs 2 ounces. She was so big she broke her collarbone upon delivery but she healed well and didn't seem to be bothered by it. She also had two knots in her umbilical cord which, according to my midwife, can cause death in an infant if they tighten during delivery. Her delivery was fast and furious because she must have known she just needed to get out of there before anything happened with those knots. Aside from that, her delivery was relatively easy and was the first time I didn't have to deal with stitches afterward so I felt GREAT!!! Angels were continuing to watch over her and me.

I consider her my miracle baby. Heavenly Father had sent me another beautiful girl who loved to smile at everybody. Her disposition was so sweet we started calling her "Peaches" right from the start. She loves anything pink, still smiles at everybody constantly, is extremely articulate and wants to be an artist when she grows up. I think she has a lot of my Grandma Foo in her, who died the year Syd was born. In fact, sometimes I wonder if my Grandma just found a way to turn around and come right back.

After Avery and Addison, I didn't know what more a third girl could possibly bring to the table. Well, Sydney is wonderfully unique and adds so much to our family that I can't imagine not having her. I love you Sis! Happy 5th Birthday!

He Could Sell Popsicles to an Eskimo

I have to give a virtual high-five to my terrific husband who landed a new job within Fidelity Investments! Forty people, most of whom have been with Fidelity longer than Bret, applied for a position for which there were only FOUR slots available. Not only did Bret get the position but he was told he "blew the interviewers away" during his interview!

Bret is a very charming guy and genuinely enjoys talking with people. He is truly interested in what they have to say and is good at drawing them out. This new position involves a lot more sales and I know he'll do a fantastic job. Heck, he charmed me into marrying him and look what I prize I am :)

Anyway, way to go babe! Your family is proud of you!

I Think I've Found "The One"

I think I have finally found a Pediatrician/Family Practice doctor with whom I will be for eternity! My personal wellness philosophy includes a good mixture of western and eastern medicine. I'm all for antibiotics -- when they are absolutely necessary. I'm all for hospitals -- when they are absolutely necessary. However, I think there is so much that can be done to actually heal the body instead of just treating a symptom and I think that's where eastern/alternative medicine, such as homeopathy, comes in.

I've had a difficult time finding a doctor who is comfortable with both aspects. Usually they're one or the other and won't really discuss the other side. Well, two weeks ago that all changed for me. I met Diane Farley-Jones MD AND certified Homeopathic and her husband Steven Jones NP at their clinic in Lehi and felt like I didn't have to hide anymore. I could actually discuss my feelings and questions concerning vaccines, homeopathics, nutrition, etc... The doctor didn't even wince when I mentioned home birth, homeschooling and noticed my son was uncircumcised. I could just be myself.

If anyone has been looking for a doctor who doesn't seem to have a God-complex and is willing and wanting to discuss all options and is extremely knowledgeable in all areas, then Alpine Clinic is the place for you. Yes, I'm shamelessly plugging these people, but I can't help it. When you've found the one, you want to share it with everyone.