PVS

I think I am suffering from PVS, Post Vacation Syndrome.

Last week I spent eight glorious days in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
with my parents, sister Michelle, and brother Greg and his wife
Jessica. Oh, it was wonderful. The sunshine. The heat. The
company. The kayaking and snorkeling. The meadering downtown. The
restaurants. The games. The salsa and guacamole. The taxi rides.
The walks on the beach and even better the longs walks on the beach on
warm nights with the stars shining. Homemade pinadas at every meal
and some just because.

It was awesome. I mean really awesome. So much so that I'm having a
hard time being here. I think I'm having a vacation hangover. My
first day home I kept thinking, "Wow, I'm exhausted." "Wow, this is
hard." "Wow, I can't believe this is my life Every. Single. Day."
Today is no better.

I'm so grateful for a wonderful week. I suppose I now need to take a
vacation from the vacation and get back on the horse. It is time to
trade in the snorkling gear for the spatelas, the flip flops for the
frying pan, the magazines for the homework scene, and the pinadas for
carrot sticks and oatmeal.

How many days until our next trip??? :)

While I'm at it

I might as well share a few more "fRavorites" (as Sam would say). . .

Dreams

I have dreams of getting a Christmas card out. Yes, I know Christmas
is over. But is it every too late to be jolly? Perhaps, but I dream
nonetheless.

I think I just want to share this picture of Holland with everyone.
My dear friend Deirdre spoiled Holland and I with a photo shoot while
we were in Phoenix in October. She is just oozing with ability and we
were simply so lucky for this gift of her time and talent.

This photo is exactly how I see Holland. Smiley. Sparkley. Precious.
Oh, wow, I just love love love this little one.

(should out to Deirdre, who seriously, seriously, went above and
beyond at our scrapbooking retreat trying to stage a connection with a
previous boyfriend, showing me how to edit my pictures better, and
giving me the gift of this little one preserved forever exactly how my
heart sees him. Thanks a million friend!)

Evening Entertainment

Right now C,T& S are doing homework. Warns and Holland are playing
with the train set. Holland is chewing on a blanket and watching the
train. This is our typical evening entertainment.

I actually documented a similiar evening during the Christmas break.
Thank goodness for trains and blocks, they are our most popular toys.

Hy

Excerpt from an email to grandma:

Hyrum is my pickiest eater. So I asked him what he would like. These
are his exact words:

"Pasta
Rice
(and when he says pasta and rice he means just that. . . pasta with
butter and salt, rice with cheese. . . no frills for this boy)
Empanadas with hamburger and carrots
Breakfast Burritos
Pancakes
Waffles
Raisin Bran"

Of course, he likes all the things that will kill you: Hot dogs,
ramen, mac & cheese. He is use to just picking around things. . . and
I'm sure in a new place he'll spare you the whining. Food really is
his biggest vice, so don't take it personally. . . unfortunately, he
is his mother's son.

On a easier to please venue, Hyrum loves to DO just about anything.
I'll send him with some origami paper and shrink-a-dinks (his new
favorite). The light in our oven is out, so simply being able to
watch his creations shrink will be fascinating to him. Hy loves to
draw, play, build, read, any type of media, etc. He's a great little
cleaner and can even be coaxed into dinner dishes.

He is simply so excited to come. He gives us the daily countdown.
Today little Mudgie was asking when he could go to Grandma's for
Halloween and then a few minutes later he wanted to go to Grandma's
for her birthday party. No matter the excuse, the Bacons LOVE to be
with their grandparents. Thank you so much for letting him come!!

I have such fond memories of being with my Grandma. The food, the
smells, the special candy in the candy dish, the big bed I slept in,
the attic with all sorts of treasures, and the extra attention were
all so wonderful and comforting. I am thrilled that each of my
children have special memories of their own with you and Roger.

Steph

Fwd: Thank you for a perfect day

Dear G&G Bacon,

Thank you for the PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT family day.  OH, it was the
best, the very best.

For months we've been talking about when we were going to use the
money you gave us this summer and go to the indoor waterpark here in
Anchorage.  Eric found an online deal for the tickets 50% off and we
jumped on it.

It was just one of those great days.  The kids were SO EXCITED.
Mudgie probably spent three hours in the lazy river.  He just loved it
in there and would smile from ear to ear.  Warner finally got up the
courage to go on the orange twisty slide.  It was cute to see him so
happy.  We all took turns going with each other on the masterblaster
(their rollercoaster type waterslide).  It was fun to see the big boys
playing with the little boys.  The Bacon was EXCELLENT even though he
didn't get much of a nap.  I don't know, it was just one of those days
when everything was wonderful.

With the money we had left over we got pizza on the way home.  Ahh,
perfect end to a perfect day. Thanks so much for spoiling us.

Steph and Boys

Thank you for a perfect day

Dear G&G Bacon

Thank you for the PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT family day.  OH, it was the
best, the very best.

For months we've been talking about when we were going to use the
money you gave us this summer and go to the indoor waterpark here in
Anchorage.  Eric found an online deal for the tickets 50% off and we
jumped on it.

It was just one of those great days.  The kids were SO EXCITED.
Mudgie probably spent three hours in the lazy river.  He just loved it
in there and would smile from ear to ear.  Warner finally got up the
courage to go on the orange twisty slide.  It was cute to see him so
happy.  We all took turns going with each other on the masterblaster
(their rollercoaster type waterslide).  It was fun to see the big boys
playing with the little boys.  The Bacon was EXCELLENT even though he
didn't get much of a nap.  I don't know, it was just one of those days
when everything was wonderful.

With the money we had left over we got pizza on the way home.  Ahh,
perfect end to a perfect day. Thanks so much for spoiling us.

Steph and Boys

6 pictures for you

an excerpt from an email I sent to my dad

yesterday we had FHE. Eric had the boys bring lit candles from their
bedrooms to the living room where they placed their candles next to a
big candle on the hearth. Before starting I suggested that Eric have
them put napkins underneath the candles.

"Do you really think they will need them?" he asked.
"Do you really want to find out that they do?" I replied.

Sure enough Warner forgot his napkins and wax spilled on his hand.
There was all sorts of weeping and wailing. Nothing like screaming
during FHE. The boys brought their candles front different rooms
around the house. Eric talked about how the Savior is the light of
the world. The boys then gave their gifts to Jesus that they had been
working on the entire month of December. Christian drew a picture.
Tanner wrote a song and lyrics on the guitar, Sam put together a
booklet, Hy made a origami star and red the entire book of mormon
stories, Warner sang/recorded Christmas and church songs. It was
cute. Eric then had them write down their testimonies in a nice
journal.

At one point when the craziness of FHE was over and the craziness of
the bedtime routine had begun, Eric leaned over and whispered, "I may
just try and lose my passport in Mexico. Could a Mexican jail be
worse than this?" He was joking. . . I think.

Be The Good

This is my after Family Home Evening face. I'm tired and we haven't
even startedthe bedtime routine yet. I think I have an after
Christmas Break hangover. . . just trying to figure out how to go to
bed early and get up early. I've figured out the later just not the
first.

The boys and I made this sign during the break. I love it's
imperfections and the fact that right now the boys who made it are
indeed some of the finest good this world has to offer.

five minutes peace

I needed five minutes peace yesterday and red vines came to the rescue.

[Five Minutes Peace by Jill Murphy is a great book.]