New meal idea.

There are times in every one's life when money is tight. That is the case with us as well. This past week was one of those weeks and i came up with a new meal for our family. I call it "Quick Chicken Casserole".

Ingredients:

2.5lbs of chicken cubed
packages of Chicken flavored Top Ramon (# depends on the size of family, for ours I used 7)
2 cans of corn
1/3 cup of flour
1 cup of milk.
Grated Cheese

Put on a pot of Water to bring to a boil. Preheat oven to 350. Empty the seasoning packages into the water. Cube the chicken and put into water. Bring all to a boil and until chicken is cooked. Then add noodles and Corn. Continue to boil. Mix flour and milk together and then add. Boil until it is has thicken. Then put into cake pans. Size depends on how much you have made. Top with cheese and put in oven to melt. Serve hot.

Our kids loved this meal. the cost of the meal was about $10. The most expensive part of the meal is the cheese and chicken. We had leftovers as it made a lot (2- 9x13 pans full). I love coming up with new ideas for our dinners. I hope to share more with you.

Marshall.

better late than never!

I've decided that is going to be my motto from here on out -- "Better late than never" -- that seems to be the way my life goes! I finally got my mother-in-law's birthday present out to her.. yeah, that's great except her birthday was in JUNE... oh well, now she gets Christmas and birthday together!

The kids are home for two weeks now - until January 5th, yes, I am one of those mom's who loves her kids, but loves when they go back to school! Six kids produce a ton of noise, especially when the 'who's the loudest?' competition begins! They are so excited for Christmas eve (they get new pajamas) and then going up to their aunt Amy's and uncle Zorba's place on Christmas day... gonna be there a couple days and then head back home. Marshall and I will be married 13 years on december 27th - wowowowow! I can't wait for another 13 years!

So, marshall is out tonight taking "me" time and I sit here listening to peace and quiet (- ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :D ) - except for the occasional pipe creaking, and feeling so thankful for all of my blessings. This has been a year of change - with jacob being born, marshall's job, moving and just kids/life in general. And, frankly, I wouldn't want it any other way!

hopefully, as my new years resolution, I will be blogging more- at least once a week... finding time is always a roadblock!

Have a wonderful merry christmas and a happy new year!!!!

Another Week Has Passed

While the kids were in Idaho, they helped Grandma Vance plant flowers. It was hot over there so they had to do it in the mornings.

Well, things are going and moving along. Michael was suppose to have Cub Scout Day Camp, this week, but after church on Sunday, he developed a fever and missed all but Friday. Well, at least he got to go one day.

So with Michael being sick it was only a matter of time the other kids started coming down with it. Both Jacob and Sydnee came down with the fever on Thursday. So far they are the only two that have. RaChel and I are keeping our fingers crossed that is it.

Jacob had an eye appointment on Wednesday. Our little guy needs glasses. He is far sighted and has an astigmatism in his right eye. They are going to fit him for glasses this next week. Of course we will take pictures! Won't he just be cute in glasses, we think so.

Jacob is now scooting forward.



We have started buying school supplies and we can't believe that Josh is starting Kindergarten. He is really excited about going to school. We can't believe that Anne is going to be in Middle School. The kids are growing up way to fast. We keep on kidding Anne that we are going to put her back in Kindergarten. LOL.

Has the summer almost passed? It is flying. Next month the kids are excited because we are going camping with my family. This will be our first camping trip as a family. It will be a good time. Then it is time to get ready for school. We thought when school ended things would slow down, but that hasn't happened. But we are sure having fun this summer.

Well, that's about it for the Leinonen Family this week. Take Care and have a safe week.

It's Summer Time

Hi Everyone,

The summer is going by so fast. Let's see whats been going on.

We had our appointment with the neurosurgeon (sp) for Jacob and that was a waste of our time. We waited 1 1/2 hours for a 5 maybe 10 minute visit from him. But it that short time we did find out that his head is fine and the it is just BIG. I guess even though the doctor was crappy, it still good to know that everything is ok.

June 28th everyone took off to Idaho. RaChel's brother, Otis, came over and help drive some of the kids back. I then flew over on the 2nd of July and we spent the the 4th there. We all had a good time. On the 4th we spent time with Otis and he's family. That evening our family and his went to the Caldwell fireworks. What a display!!! The kids really enjoyed them. Of course we left Jacob with Grandma Vance.

Right after we got back RaChel headed to Portland for more appointment for Jacob. She met with the doctors at Shriners and they are going to do surgery on his feet. Because it is a quick surgery, they are going to work him into their schedule. Then right after they cut the Achiles (sp) they will cast his feet. Which is going to stop his scooting. Yes he is moving around and now is a vacuum cleaner...lol Below is a video of him just starting to learn to scoot around.

The other exciting thing she learned is they decided to take xrays of his hips again to see if there may be an option to reconstruct his hips. Yes, I said reconstruct his hips. We don't know all of the details yet, but we should learn more at our next appointment with them. So we will see what that is all about.

Michael has Cubscout day camp next week and he is all excited for it to begin. All of the kids are doing really well. They are all growing up so fast. We bought a trampling at the beginning of the summer and they are really enjoying it. Anne has learned to do front and backwards flips.

Well, not much else is going on. Hope everyone is having a safe summer.

Until again,

Marshall

cleft lip surgery

Such a big deal and I almost forgot all about it! It's only been a month, but his "new" lip seems like it's been there since birth. The surgeon said it was the most difficult he's done because the gap was so wide (the palate) but he's a miracle worker! The surgery took place at Shriners hospital in Portland oregon - here's some b4 and after pix!

Friday~ May 16, 2008

Man what a week it's been! We had an appointment for Jacob on tuesday at Doernbechers Hospital in portland for the cdrc feeding clinic. That went really well and learned that he can finally start solids - yeah peas and carrotS! During that appointment though, the doc decided she didn't want to wait until june 11 (jacob's scheduled mri) to find out what's going on with his monstrous head ("you could land a sattelite on that thing~!" - thanks mike myers)... so there we were with an unscheduled trip down to the emergency room for cat scans. There is nothing like watching your tiny 8 month old being slid into a HUGE cat scanner - so he does have a few issues with is head, just nothing emergent. We'll find out more at the scheduled mri next month.... thankfully my hubby will be with me then!

Had a mother's day luncheon with all the sister-in-laws last weekend. I haven't had so much fun in such a long time. We shopped all day and noshed on smoothies and olive garden - it was wonderful. I loved being able to hang out with adults - and mom's to boot! We shared all about our kids poopy diapers and tantrums that resembled tourette's syndrome... It was the best - especially our bout with dance dance revolution (Burn those pictures Missy!). Thanks for the awesome day girls!

The next big thing is school getting out (june 12) and then our annual trip back to I-dee-ho for a week. Thanks to uncle Otis for that! As usual though, my months are booked with multiple appointments for Jacob - both here and at the hospitals in Portland.

I am grateful for life's challenges, because they made me who I am today. :)

Getting Started

Since there is a lot going on in our family, I have decided that we should start our own blog and that way our family and friends can keep tabs on what is happening. First off, the picture may not be the best quality, because I bought a new camera and had it on the wrong setting. This picture was taken Christmas Eve and Jacob was not happy! He wasn't feeling very well. He ended up having an ear infection.

What an year it had been for our family. We have been through some low valleys and ended up on a high note. We have been blessed tremendously this past year. We appreciate all the prayers, and fasting that has taken place for Jacob. Our family has grown close together during all of the uncertainty of his birth. It was really difficult to hear that your child may not survive. I have never felt so much sadness and then. Then to find out he will survive; you become elated. Then the news of he will have physical abnormalities. That brings concern about how he will be treated in this life. But through it all the Spirit whispered peace to our hearts and through the power of the priesthood, we have been blessed with a healthy boy that does still have problems.

We have learned that Jacob has "Sacral Agenesis". Basically to put in layman terms; Jacobs lower half didn't form correctly. He doesn't have any hip sockets. and he doesn't have all the nerve connections to his leg muscles. So, in the specialist opinion, Jacob will never be able to support his weight. And will be in a wheelchair for his life. What news for a parent to hear? We are still trying to cope with the news, but again the sweet whispers of the Spirit have touched our hearts and he will be able to have a productive and full life.

There is so much that is going on with him I could spend days talking about everything, but i will post information about his condition through out our posts. But other news and family doings.

Anne is almost 11. I can't believe it. She is growing up so fast. She is such a beautiful girl, we are going to be beating the boys back. A father's nightmare. She is in 5th grade and is really doing awesome in school. She loves to sing and dance.

Michael is 9 now and growing big and tall. His is only 4 inches shorter than his mom. He is into Harry Potter, Spy stuff, and loves science. He loves to watch Myths Busters and How it is Made. Plus you can almost always find him on the computer playing some game.

Sydnee, curly Syd. She is now 7 1/2 and will be baptized this September, possibly August; all depends on when they hold the baptisms for August. She is now 2nd grade and loves it. She is into High School Musical. She loves to sign and dance as well.

Coleson has finally started school. He is the oldest in his class, since his birthday is only a few days after we start school here. He is a computer player as well. He loves Jacob so much, he is always giving him kisses. I swear Jacob doesn't go by an 30 minutes without getting a kiss from Coleson. Coleson has drawn the short straw of the family, he is officially the shortest member of the family.

Joshua on the other had is taller that Coleson and Sydnee. Josh is our big boy. He is another computer player in the family. The boys fight about whose turn it is to be on the computer. Josh is really smart, but it is a quiet smart. So you forget about it, until he pipes up about something. Joshua is our builder. He love to help daddy build or put things together. Some times he is too independent and we discover that he has undid a light switch or put a hole in a wall some where.

Well, the kids are doing really well. RaChel is doing good. We both are learning to deal with a high needs baby. Which is difficult and draining at times. But seeing his smile when he wakes up is precious. RaChel is busy with doctor appointments and visits here at the house. She always seem to be running up to Portland for an appointment. She loves the new house we are renting, and especially having an upstairs for the kids to go and play.

I am working as an Assistant Controller for a local seed grass company here in the Albany area. Well it is about 2o miles from Albany, but it is in the middle of nowhere. I keep busy with work and helping with the kids when i get home. I usually take Jacob so RaChel can have some time to do something.

Well that is everything for now. We hope all is well with all our friends and family.
Marshall