South Fork Falls

South Fork Falls.

Cub Scout Camp

Sam just finished cub scout day camp. He looks forward to this week
all summer long. Could it be the archery? pellet guns? swimming?
capture the flag?

This year his group of 7 won 2nd place in the dodgebal tournament. Sam
was selected MVP. This was the first year that they had to complete a
100 yard swim test to go out in the canoe. Sam failed the first test
but came home all smiles when he completed it on his second attempt a
few days later.

Green Thumb

My first EVER fruit yeilding attempt at gardening

Hoilland Bednar's Blessing Day

Last week we were going to bless Holland. I got up early. I got
ready. Eric and I made a wonderful breakfast for the boys. The boys
headed downstairs to get ready. Hy couldn't find his church pants and
when he finally did we noticed that there was an enormous hole in the
knee. Then he couldn't find his belt. And finally he realized he had
misplaced his shoes. We looked and looked and looked as the minutes
raced on. Finally, a completely embarassed Hyrum--wearing some too
short and too wide church pants barely staying on with the recently
found belt--was thrown into the van along with his summer flip flops.
Just close your eyes and imagine the screaming we enjoyed for the next
10 minutes on our way to our church buildinmg. Wailing. Screaming.
Outbursts. Begging. (in that order).

By the time we wiped the scream induced scowls off our faces and
sprinted into the church we were too late. It was a frustrating end
to an already frustrating morning.

Yesterdays attempt met with success. The kids were up, completely
dressed from head to toe, and ready to go an hour before church.
Everyone was happy and we were even thrilled that not only our friends
the Speaks were there WITH Jared who was home on R&R from Afganistan,
but also our cousins the Fishers from South Anchorage joined us for
the day.

After church we had those two families over to our house for a meal.
It was such a good day with so many reasons to celebrate.

Blessing Highlights for Holland Bednar Bacon

[Named after Elder Jeffrey R. Holland & Elder David A. Bednar]

Be like namesakes. Look to them as models and guides for decisions
and choices. Blessed to be a Spirit-led teacher with gifts of
tenderness and wisdom. Blessed to humbly lead, to motivate others
with messages of truth & light. Blessed to be a student of the
scriptures; to be creative, innovative, immovable in all good works.

Brothers

My big boys sure love my littlest boy. You should have seen us on
Sunday passing this little one up and down the aisle. . . a family in
constant motion even when we are trying our hardest to sit still.

life as number 7

doctor

I woke up the other morning and found three of my boys playing doctor.

lunch

Greg, while this may feed you for a month. . . this is what feeds our
family for just one meal. An array of sandwiches for an average day
of eating. Our kids were recently introduced to grilled PB&J. . .
yum.

Warns & Holl's

Love this

My friend Heather made this. I love it.

Christian's Camera

next two weeks

Facetime

Too sick to want hospital visitors...this is how the boys caught their first glimpse of holland. 

Sent from my iPod

Cinco de Mayo Surprise

Friday I sent my parents this email:

So sick. Caught Mudgie's fever. Praying for a quick recovery...and no baby until my strength returns. Ugh.

Love you both!

Steph

I felt the chills and aches and pains coming on Friday afternoon.  We had a dinner party and a church baptism planned that evening and after going back and forth, I finally conceeded that surely I was contagious and only getting worse, I decided to stay home and rest.  I felt awful.  Downright awful.  Cold and hot, aches and pains, sore throat, and a hacking ugly cough.  But I had time on my side.  I was only 37 1/2 weeks . . .  

Eric got home from the dinner party and baptism where he gallantly filled in for me; as requested before he left he had a movie in his hand for us to watch together.  The moment he put it in the DVD player I felt a contraction.  This wasn't unusual, I had been getting those in the evenings for a couple of weeks now, but the one that followed three minutes later and the next one three minutes later and the next one, and the next one, and the next one were a smidge alarming.

I kept leaning over to Eric and saying, "I'm having contractions three minutes apart and I'm not in the mood."  or "Not tonight, please not tonight."  This went on during the ENTIRE movie.  Contractions anywhere from 2-3 minutes apart, I'd push the button on my watch, note the time, and roll my eyes.  Despite my protest, I knew that this baby was coming whether I had the strength or not.  I gathered a few belongings and we jumped in the car.  I knew I was still several hours away, but I was determined to get an epidural this time.  

I'll spare you the mundane details. . .but yes, I was giddy when I got the epidural.  Yes, I TRIED to sleep for a few hours.  When my water broke I was dilated to a 7.  Three minutes later I was ready to push.  The doctor was frantically trying to get to the hospital.  I breathed through several contractions (by this time I think the epidural had worn off completely on my right side) and finally with one push welcomed Holland Bednar Bacon officially into our family.  7 lbs. 6.4 oz.  20 3/4 inches.  Slightly low blood sugar (thus the bottle).  The most hair on any of our newborn baconbits.  First impression was that he reminded me of Talmage.  

It has been a whirlwind since that moment.  My fever has spiked and broke and spiked and broke.  I've coughed so much I'm convinced that everything around me is covered in an inch of germs.  I've gone through three packages of kleenex, a bottle of advil, and most of a bottle of tylenol.  And that is just the sickness, not the delivery recovery/nursing/sleep deprivation etc.

So it's been a unique couple of days.  Eric has been my champion.  Catering to my every request.  Bringing me food.  Calling the doctor for me when in a irrational moment I stopped taking the tylenol and advil in an attempt to get warm which only made me achy and unable to sleep and frustrated and emotional.  He went to the neighbors and got movies and a humidifier.  He woke up Sunday and took the troops to church & then Monday morning got the kids up and off to school.  Life was good and then Eric came downstairs and announced, "I've got the chills . . . I'm getting sick."  We smiled.  By that afternoon all three of us were in the bed with fevers (Talmage's fever is lingering).  I'm trying desperately to keep the baby away from a coughing Mudge.  We are a sight for sore eyes.  

Today was better.  As long as we are drugged up, we can function and for now functioning is good enough.  We can only hope that tomorrow will be better than today.  I've leaned over to Eric and said several times in the past 48 hours, "I've got a fever and I'm not in the mood."  and we just smile.  Mood or not, this is life.  Can someone pass me some Advil?

37 weeks

Here I am at 37 weeks.  Measuring 37 inches.  Weight gain 9 lbs (a shocking difference from the usual 35+).  Still adhering to a fairly strict diabetic diet.  Exercising daily--M,W,F walking for 45 minutes, T&Th just switched from playing basketball to bike riding.  

Sugar for me equal heartburn.  Baby gets the hiccups a lot, especially in the evening.  Everyone has an opinion on the gender and tells about their friends/neighbors/relatives that have 5,6,7,8, boys and then got a girl.  It is getting old but we smile.  They mean well.  I really just want another boy.  My dream has always been 8 boys.  

Hy's Birthday

My "Hy-Guy" turned 7 in April.  We had a small and perfect party at home.  He invited Korben and Keaton from school and his best friend Corbin.  They jumped on the trampoline, at ice cream sandwiches, opened presents, and raced around the house and yard on a treasure hunt to find Lego cars. . . every activity planned by Hyrum.  He was in heaven and so was I as I sat in the recliner in the living room and participated in the party primarily as an observer.  

His favorite gift hands down was a gift certificate for Build-A-Bear Workshop.  He had been talking for weeks about how he could work the into his Birthday regimne for the year. The result was Soldier Bacon, a camoflauged bear complete with a camoflauge outfit.   [The Build-A-Bear Workshop store was an adventure all of its own. . . it is where I quickly learned that our van is taller than 6'7 as I clanged my way past the height restriction bar and BARELY (like a quarter of an inch) made it through the parking structure to the exit.  I about had heart failure and later happily shoved my six dollars in a parking meter on the street.]

odor

We were having a conversation with some friends about the odor emanating from our teenage boys bedrooms in the mornings.

Eric chimed in and said, "Yah, the other morning I walked in and it was so foul in C&T's bedroom . . . so I cracked open the window and even the fresh air refused to come in."

update

Yes, it's been a while since I've posted.  And lots of people have been asking.  

Yes, I do have Gestational Diabetes and to be honest it has probably been the best thing in the world for me.  It has forced me to give up my candy addiction and to really look at what I eat.  I'm sure I'm eating the healthiest I have in my entire life.  Vegetables, Cottage Cheese, Triscuits, Eggs, and Whole Wheat Toast are my daily staples. I cannot eat an evening snack, as suggested by the dietitian, or I pay dearly with heartburn but otherwise follow a fairly strict diabetic diet.  I honestly feel like I'm doing a bang up job keeping my glucose numbers exactly where they should be and will hopefully avoid delivering a 13 pound baby in five weeks.

At my last doctor's visit I lost 6 pounds.  My doc looked at me and I just shrugged and said, "That's what happens when you give up a pound of candy a day."  A pound of candy is an exaggeration, but probably not by too much.  All told I've gained 9 pounds this pregnancy which for me is a personal best.  I attribute a lot of that to diet and exercise.  This is the first pregnancy that I've exercised the entire way through.  It helps when you are the only person in your basketball group with church keys and when you know your best friend Megan is waiting in your driveway on the other mornings to go walking.  Every morning at 5:40 I groan and force myself out of bed but an hour later I feel it was worth every ounce of effort.  These days I'm not much of an asset to my team on the basketball court but still enjoy running up and down the court and making as many shots outside the key as I can (outside the key simply means I don't have to run all the way under the basket).  

I can tell this baby is getting stronger.  Everyone in the family has felt him/her except for Tanner who is dying to feel anything.  I have one more trip to Washington in a week and then will become anxious for this little one to arrive.  5 more weeks.  According to Bacon standard arrival I'm planning for the 15th'ish of May.  Hip hip hooray.  

Bacon, bacon, bacon

Sam just decided on this design for his pinewood derby car.  Hopefully it turns out to be a sizzling racer! 

Ice Fishing

Sam and Hy went ice fishing with the Speaks boys.  Three hours on the ice, three fish for the Bacons.  

It was cold and Bob, our neighbor who lead the adventure, brought and shared hot chocolate and girl scout cookies.  At one point he asked Hyrum, "Isn't this the best hot chocolate you've ever had?"

"Kind of," Hyrum replied.

"Well, isn't Ice Fishing the best?"

"Kind of."  

Sam however thought it was the best.  He LOVED catching his fish which we'll be eating for dinner tonight.