I Double Dog Dare Ya. . .

Last week I got a call from the school.  It was Mrs. Jordan, Hyrum's Kindergarten teacher.

M. J.:  Mrs. Bacon it's Mrs. Jordan.  I just wanted to let you know that the boys will be a little later than usual getting home.

Me:  Thanks, I appreciate the call.  (I just assumed that C or T had forgotten little H.  and had double backed to pick him up.)

M. J.:  I have Hyrum here in Nurse Cottle's office.  While waiting at the parent pick up, Hyrum stuck out his tongue and it got stuck to the pole.

[here is where I'm sure she expected concern and empathy]

Me:  Laughing.  Laughing.  Laughing.  More Laughing.   I just could get the image of my Hyrum's tongue frozen to the pole, the panic in his eyes, the funny sounding pleas for help.  It was all to Christmas Story-ish for me.   When I finally stopped laughing I commented, "Mrs. Jordan, apparently I have failed to educate my Kindergartner on proper cold weather etiquette."

M. J. laughed:  Don't you worry, we'll be going over all of that first thing tomorrow in class.  

The Nurse did her magic and bandaged him up and a few minutes later when the boys arrived home I heard the story told and retold and retold again.  My favorite part from Christian and Tanner, "And Mom, we went back to to spot, and guess what?  Some of Hyrum's tongue was still there.  It was so cool."

Hyrum, of course, is not the first to get his tongue stuck on a pole at Ravenwood; but to his credit he is the first to keep it there long enough for the Nurse to run into the school, get some warm water and return.  

When I questioned him later about his choice to stick his tongue out he replied, "Mom, it's not the first time I've stuck my tongue out on things, it is just the first time its gotten stuck."  Hopefully it is his last.  If not, next time I want a picture!

Kowabunga

We bought snowboard sleds on a Christmas Eve whim last year. They quickly became one of our boys favorit things. They do a great job down steep hills and can even take jumps.

The Magical Word

Mudge isn't one for words . . . but we finally got him to "talk"

Christmas Bells are Ringing

Tonight was the Ravenwood Elementary Christmas Concert. It started out with the Hand Chimes Choir. They played A Little Bit of Bach [which Tanner pronounces Batch]. They did a phenomenal job.

Tanner, Grant, Christian, and Harry
The boys and their best friends. Harry played the bass guitar for one of the choral pieces.

Grant is a cool kid. He's military and just moved to AK this year. You can't tell from the picture but he has a mohawk. He is in Mrs. Campbell's class with C&T, does choir, hand chimes, and active kids club with them.

My three little singers. Oh how I loved listening to them sing. Mr. Lum has the choir singing two part and three part songs. It is amazing to me and I'm sure I'm the classic proud parent beaming from ear to ear.

Seriously?

Seriously, what kind of mother forgets one of her kids on the family Christmas Card. Lucky for me Warner can't read.

O. . . the frailties of man

Bacon Family Health Update:

Eric-Mastering GF Cooking.  Wednesdays, while I volunteer at the school, he stays home with the little ones an makes bread, tortillas, pizza, breadsticks, and cookies.  His patience has paid off and his food is delicious.    I am so glad that he's taken the initiative to learn how to make so many essentials.

Mudge-Still anemic & smart enough to recognize his iron supplement no matter how hard I try to hide it. . . but really, how much can you hide liquid nails??  One of the biggest challenges is that he has to take it in something acidic and the other boys are suffering from severe juice envy.

Me-Went in for a Lasik Exam, only to be told that my corneas are too thin and I'm probably suffering from Keratoconus.  [(Ker-a-to-co-nus)Keratoconus, often abbreviated to "KC", is a non-inflammatory eye condition in which the normally round dome-shaped cornea progressively thins causing a cone-like bulge to develop. This results in significant visual impairment.] No Cure.  Surgery not an option.  Glasses not an option.  Soft contacts not an option.  What does that leave?  Special Fitting Gas permeable contacts.  Ugh.  I grew up in a house of Gas permeables. . . expensive little things that quickly turned into your worst nightmare in a wind storm.  (Luckily we don't really have wind in Alaska.)  I cried.  Just sad for myself, and mostly shocked.  Eric was speechless.  That is probably the fourth time he's seen me cry--EVER.  A minute later I was done feeling sorry for myself. .. . I've got friends with cancer and friends who can't have kids and friends who husbands love pornography more than them . . .  seems silly to be sad about bad eyes.  Someday I hope to pop my contact out, slobber all over it, and pop it back in with as finesse as my Mom!!  Here's to gas permeables

Green

I love Green.  It is my favorite color to wear.  Not the deep somber greens, but the light and playful shades.  Green is the best. .. except for when it is paired with that ugly envy word.  Unfortunately I've been green inside and out lately.  I've been consumed by the envy monster, which I'm convinced is the nastiest shade of green out there.   Sure I've wanted things before. . . but never like this.  And the hardest part, I'm reminded of it EVERYDAY!!!  Sometimes four or five times a day.  I sit in my living room and STARE at it.  I dream about it.  I say I don't have time for hobbies, but this envying thing has squeezed itself into a full-time hobby.  

What is so tempting?  So consuming.  Four walls, a door, a garage, some carpet, and a heater.  Just a house.  A little silly man made house.  

Our next door neighbors are selling my. . . oh, i mean their house.  Funny things is. . . it is a cheaper, smaller, older house.  And yet, I want it. . . real bad.  And even though my brain tells me it isn't going to happen. . . my heart just yearns.  This is the very same house we wanted four years ago.  The same house that went under contract the very day we got up here for our house hunting the trip.  The same house with a BASEMENT family room, a game room, 600 Sq ft. of walk-in storage.   I'd even give up my kitchen for this house. . . and that is saying A LOT because I LOVE my kitchen.  

Funny how one moment you are perfectly content and the next moment you're green.