The Howe Family

Just in case you were wondering…I did decide on a domain name: www.dontpanicmom.com

I think it is absolutely perfect. I still need to design the perfect logo and header, but that will be my project during naps this coming week. I seriously appreciate your feedback. It really helped me decide on a specific angle for content.

I want to help Mom’s decrease their panic level on anxiety-inducing health topics (immunization safety, current pertussis epidemic in California, e. coli contamination in pre-packaged foods, are transfats really that bad?, etc.). Thus the name: Don’t Panic, Mom!

I even have some great professionals lined up to answer these timely questions.

Thanks for the help!

I was talking to Nate about how I needed to “give back into the internet.”  You see, I benefit from friend blogs, crafty blogs, pediatric nutrition and medical websites, etc. I take a lot from the internet. I view my relationship with the internet as any relationship- you have to take and give. I provide too much positive content at the moment- but I am going to begin soon to have a Public Health Mom blog. I will answer questions that are relevant to public health and raising children. There are plenty of legitimate sources for health information. However, most of them are looking for an extra buck. They will pick and choose according to the wealthiest sponsor or donor.  Also, many typical news sources aren’t staffed to interpret medical studies or understand the impact of public health programs on a “mom-level.”

I want to give medically accurate and current information on public health topics from a Mom’s perspective. We all have questions and concerns about:

• Breastfeeding,
• Medical Legislation,
• Immunizations,
• City Water Fluoridation Programs,
• SARS,
• International Health,
• Childhood Obesity,
• Prenatal Health,
• E. Coli… in my Spinach?
• Cancer prevention
• Etc.

I will also invite Momperts (expert moms) in specific fields to guest blog.

Domain names are hard to come by these days. All of the normal-legitimate-professional sounding ones are taken. Will you help me figure out a good one? Thanks!

Publichealthmother.com is available as of this afternoon… is that too boring? (Publichealthmom.com is taken, a decent, but not active blog)

How about Meandpublichealth.com?

Or… myfamilyandpublichealth.com?

Thanks in advance for your brainstorming help. It will be up and running soon! Wo Hoo!

I couldn’t resist a picture. Here is Eli helping me water the front yard. There’s nothing better than a chubby baby (95th Percentile!) chasing after you in nothing but a diaper.

We recently returned from an awesome road trip through Utah.  We decided to leave on a Tuesday night after Nate was dismissed from jury duty. (Driving through the night is really our only option with a two year old and a baby.) With the assistance of gummy worms and my rambling, Nate drove the whole way through the night.

We started in the southern part of the state and visited my grandma, an auntie, and an uncle. Below are some pics of Eli meeting Grandma Donna for the first time. There is also a shot of Phin with the calves at my family’s dairy farm.

We also visited friends in Provo and Salt Lake. We had a blast in Downtown Salt Lake City. We rode the train in the “free zone” and played in an amazing splash park in the Gateway. We went to Temple Square and took Phin to see the beautiful statue of Christ. It is called the Christus, and is actually a replica of one by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldse. Phin kept telling us that, “That isn’t Jesus, that’s a statue!”

(Small Rant: It made me a little depressed to return to Fort Morgan after enjoying a real city. But I am resolved to enjoy our local resources for families… like the beef processing plant and train tracks. Sadly, I’m serious, Phin loves to see the cows unloaded. I’m even frank with him and say they are going to die and become hamburgers. He also loves to go over the train tracks in the jogging stroller and look for trains. When the trains aren’t coming Phin says they are “on a lunch break.”)

Next, we stayed in Bountiful with my aunt. We swam in her pool- thus all of the pool pictures. We finished the trip in Riverside. Which is even smaller than Fort Morgan. We went on a double date with Nate’s brother and his wife. It is always a challenge to learn how to talk to adults again. Even if the adults are family. I am always struggling to find topics other than diapers. Or I am so excited to talk to adults, that I jump to all of the controversial topics that make Nate blush. My new trick is to find a topic related to my kids that is also related to their profession.

After a whirlwind tour (including a trip to IKEA) we were ready to head home to Fort Morgan. Wo hoo for roadtrips.

We took the boys to Pike National Forrest during the 4th of July weekend. More specifically, we went to Camp Firewalker. It is an amazing place nestled beside Lake Wellington. I worked there for two summers during college and my brother met his wife while working there.  When I go there it is like going home.  I almost forgot to post these pics… anyway, it was a fabulous time. However, after a really bad night and bears, we decided to go home one night early.

Phin and Eli had their first canoe ride. First s’mores. First outdoor sacrament meeting. First bear scare. First climbing harness (for Phin at least). We can’t wait to go back next summer.