Law Office of Kevin Jensen - February 2021

Law Office of Kevin Jensen - February 2021

February 2021 480.632.7373 jensenlawaz.com

A Year of Gordon The Yost Family Spends Their Youngest’s First Year of Life in a Pandemic

In early February 2020, our fifth and youngest child, Gordon, was born, and his entrance into this world was scarier than our other children’s births. If you remember from my April 2020 cover letter, where we first introduced readers to Gordon, his heart rate dropped a number of times throughout the course of JoDee’s labor. We were blessed to have a nurse who guided JoDee through the entire process, and we once again heard that beautiful sound of Gordon’s first cry after he was born. Since then, life with Gordon has been smooth sailing! He loves taking baths, and he’s our only baby to be unfazed by water dripping down his face. Gordon is also a great sleeper — not to brag — often letting us know when he’s ready for bed each night. When we lay him down, he grabs his blanket and peacefully drifts off to sleep. JoDee and I hope this is a sign of many peaceful nights of sleep to come, but after five kids, we have learned to roll with what will be. As for Gordon’s older siblings, it’s a constant fight over who gets to love on their little brother next. The nightly argument in our household is over whose turn it is to hold Gordon, but when I come home from work, it’s always my turn. They really can’t argue with Dad! It’s been so joyous to have Gordon, our second son, and watch him grow for the last year. By the time you read this, I have no doubt that he will be up and walking around, too. Right now, he grabs onto the sofa and teeters back and forth, launching himself forward or sitting back down. I could spend minutes just watching him do this. It’s so cute!

The silver lining in this past year with Gordon is that we have gotten to savor his first year and our time together. Just six weeks after Gordon was born, we went into COVID-19 lockdown. The kids had school from home and sporting events, movie theater trips, and other activities that were outside of our home or yard were put on hold. Typically, we’re pulled in all sorts of directions with the kids’ sports and homework. This year was a rarity. We got to bond in ways we never did before. I had more availability to be more involved with my kids’ schooling and homework. It was a blessing to see how their little minds worked and what they learned. We talked more about the lessons they had in school, and we read together, too. We had extra time to talk about their other interests and favorite subjects. We also played family games, like Cherries Drop, which is actually a game my wife and her family invented. The game starts with one person blindfolded in the center of the room. Everyone who isn’t blindfolded grabs one finger on the blindfolded participant, and when you all say “Cherries Drop,” everyone holding fingers drops them and scatters across the room. The blindfolded person then has to walk around and find everyone, sort of like in hide-and-seek. I loved watching from the sidelines, especially when my 5-year-old would innocently cheat and peek over her blindfold! There were so many benefits to the time we spent at home. We may have missed our friends and family, and we certainly wanted to do many things that just weren’t possible. We did worry

that Gordon would shy away from strangers or family and friends, since many of our normal interactions at church, school events, and family gatherings didn’t happen. But, as with many things in his first year of life, Gordon has surprised us. On the few occasions we have interacted with others outside of our home, he’s still his happy, easy-going self. We are blessed to have had this unique time together during a year that felt a little too overwhelming at times, and we are grateful to have Gordon with us.

Happy birthday, Gordon! Thank you for making a strange year much, much better.

-Brandon Yost

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Warm Up to These Small Projects

For Better Home Insulation

Install thick curtains over your windows.

Are you feeling a draft, even when you’re nestled on the couch? Even though good home insulation is important every part of the year, chances are you notice its absence much more in the winter months. But before you call in a construction crew to tear down your walls and fix your insulation, try these simple, budget- friendly ways to keep heat inside your home. Weatherproof your doors. If you can feel chilly air coming through the crack between the bottom of your door and your hardwood floors, putting foam or rubber weatherstripping under your doors can stop the cold air from getting into your home and circulating through every room. Even if the crack between your floor and your door is extra large, you can double up on weatherstripping. Plus, it can be easily removed when necessary!

If you have drafty windows, invest in some thick curtains. Light curtains are great when the weather is warmer, but a good set of heavy curtains will keep the heat from escaping. For added insulation, you can also find curtains with thermal backs. However, if saving money is more important than aesthetics for you, you can also insulate your windows by blow-drying some plastic wrap onto the windows to fill any holes. Keep up with your HVAC maintenance. Maintaining your HVAC system means changing out filters once a month, cleaning ducts regularly, and watching for leaks in the air duct system. (Some key indicators of leaks are higher energy bills during the summer or dust accumulating more in one room than

in others.) You can also maintain your HVAC system by simply moving furniture out of the way of vents so it can disperse heat more equally throughout your home. The cold may be sticking around for a while longer. But with some proper insulation, you won’t have to be reminded of that when you’re indoors, all while saving a pretty penny.

Fun for All 3 Hobbies Adults and Kids Can Do Together

As children grow, their interests change with them. It can be difficult to find new hobbies and activities to enjoy with your children as they grow into their own people, but it’s not impossible. Here are three great hobbies that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy together! STARGAZING There’s always something cool to see in the night sky! Whether it’s shooting stars or meteor showers, you and your child can go on an adventure together to see the night sky light up with celestial activity. Start with your tools. You’ll need a kid-friendly telescope, a sky map, and some warm clothes. Head out of the city and find approved trails and viewing sites to get the best view possible.

Track what you see and keep a record of sky events, which you can look back on in later years to find patterns in the night sky! WOODWORKING At the onset, woodworking may seem overwhelming, but there are simple projects you and your children can enjoy together. Create birdhouses, picture frames, small tables, and even wooden toys with simple how-to guides or kits. Start with a project that is at your expertise level and divvy up the work. Younger children can help with the less tool-intensive tasks, while older children can operate hammers and drills. As you complete each project, work your way up to more challenging tasks and see what you can create! Your children will learn math, building, and safety skills, and you both just might create your next family heirloom. (Or something to laugh about!) GEOCACHING Get ready for an adventure! This hobby is perfect for tech-savvy children and families who want to explore their region a little more. Geocaching involves searching for hidden treasures using specific GPS coordinates. Once at the specific location, participants use clues to find a hidden box or log. Some geocaches have little trinkets, like toys or books, while others simply ask that you sign your name in the guest book. (You can even see who else has found your site!) Visit Geocaching.com to get started.

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You CAN Make Changes to a Parenting Plan

HERE’S HOW

If you have been divorced for an extended period of time, your children have likely adapted. You may have watched them mature from a rambunctious kid into a thoughtful yet moody teenager just itching to take the keys and hit the open road with their friends. In essence, your children change, and that means your parenting plan may have to change, too. As a refresher, a parenting plan is a legally binding document that outlines the parenting terms and expectations between your ex-spouse and you. It includes visitation schedules, child support, and more and is formulated for what’s going to be best for your children — at that time. Children change, as you may have noticed when you look at your child and see they are 6 inches taller than you remember. Their needs change, and sometimes, your life circumstances change, too. The same old parenting plan that was created five years ago may not be relevant enough for your lives today. Updating

it can ensure all parties — you, your ex-spouse, and, sometimes, stepparents — are in agreement about the expectations of parenting. Thankfully, these documents were meant to adapt, and it’s possible to make changes. But we do not advise that you notify your ex-spouse first. Instead, the first step you should take when updating a parenting plan is to talk to your attorney. Just like with divorce, there are a lot of complex scenarios and options an attorney is well-versed in, and they can help you navigate these potentially difficult conversations with your ex-spouse. After all, making waves in calm waters can become chaotic without the proper plan. Your attorney can advise you on the next best steps for your parenting plan, whether it’s to suggest you proceed without changes or to lay out the next tasks in changing the plan. This may include mediation, which can be an easy, fair way to hammer out new details in a parenting plan without going before a judge. As children grow and their lives change, they and you do not have to be bound by the same parenting plan put in place years ago. If you believe your parenting plan needs updating, or if you have questions about it, please contact the Law Offices of Kevin Jensen today at 480.632.7373.

Strawberry Kissed Almond Butter Muffins Enjoy this Valentine’s Day-themed muffin with your Valentine or treat yourself!

LAUGH BREAK

Ingredients

• •

1 cup ripe bananas, mashed

• • • •

1 cup oat flour

3/4 cup natural creamy almond butter (can substitute creamy peanut butter)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

• • •

2 large eggs

1/4 cup strawberry fruit spread, divided (we recommend Bonne Maman INTENSE)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 3. In a large bowl, mix bananas, almond butter, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. 4. Stir in oat flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth. 5. Evenly divide batter into liners. Add 1 tsp strawberry fruit spread to the top of each muffin.

6. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the spread into the batter. 7. Bake for 22–27 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 8. Transfer muffins to wire rack to cool and enjoy!

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Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com

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Gordon Yost Turns 1!

A Few Ideas to Better Insulate Your Home

3 Hobbies Your Kids Will Love at Any Age

How to Change Your Parenting Plan as Your Children Grow

Strawberry Kissed Almond Butter Muffins

The Benefits of Spending Time in the Mountains In the famous Swiss novel "Heidi,” a little girl recovers from her fragile health — both physically and mentally — by spending time in the mountains. There are plenty of anecdotal stories about the medicinal effects of mountain air, but how much is supported by research? Here's what there is evidence for so far: metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of conditions that include high blood pressure, excess body fat, and abnormal cholesterol. Even more interesting, mountain air may passively improve your weight loss journey as well.

Cleaner, Pollution-Free Air One basic but important benefit of getting to a higher altitude is the escape from city pollution. It may surprise some city dwellers that air pollution is linked to asthma attacks for those with sensitive lungs and also to more serious conditions. Research suggests that prolonged exposure to air pollution may lead to chronic illnesses such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and other lung diseases.

Natural Weight Loss One German study followed 20 obese men who lived in an environmental research station below the highest peak in the country. The subjects reached the peak effortlessly by railway or cable car, and they were allowed to eat as much as they liked. By the end of the week, however, each had lost an average of 1.5 kilograms or 3.3 pounds. Two factors are thought to have contributed to the weight loss: A naturally decreased appetite from the altitude (the men ate nearly 700 fewer calories than usual) and an increased metabolic rate. While there is still more to learn about the potential benefits of spending time in the mountains, these three studies give the greenlight for more high- altitude adventures.

Up in the mountains, you’ll likely be able to breathe a little easier.

Reduced Risk of Obesity and Heart Disease People who spend more time at high altitudes may also experience a decreased appetite and lower risk of obesity. One study from 2017 even found that living at a higher elevation is associated with a lower risk of

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