Boy Howdy

We had our ultrasound today and it's a . . . 

[wait for it. . . wait for it. .. ]

a baby!  We didn't find out the gender, which means you, our friends and family, get to wait too.  Isn't it great to be friends with the Bacons?   The baby looked to have all 10 fingers and toes and appears  very much like a Bacon (surprise, surprise) nose and all.  

As if we didn't already have long list of reason to look forward to summer. . . here's one more.  Only 130-ish more days to go.  

Christmas Break

Yesterday Hyrum sighed, "We had a good Christmas Break, didn't we?"

Oh, we did, we did!!!  

I about wore myself silly the past 18 days.  We took the boys hiking, and sledding, and swimming, and tubing, and rock climbing/bounce house/minature golfing, and then swimming and back to the bounce house/minature golf place.  We watched movies and played games (jacks (in addition to Dungeons and Dragons) was the big game this break) and colored a thousand pictures and drew comics.  We did something out of the house and active almost every day.  We invited people over and then invited more.  We even splurged and went to McDonalds one day and Coldstone (thanks to a gift card) another day.*  We took down the Christmas tree and kept up the outdoor lights.  

When I asked Christian and Tanner what their favorite thing we did during the break they replied without hesitation, "Movies and candy."  At this point I could barely keep my eyes open and I thought, "Really? After all that work and effort we put into entertaining, it was the movies and the candy?" 

I would have listed:  sleeping in.  outdoor adventures.  naps.  christmas treats.  sleeping in.  cooking delicious dinners.  naps.  being routine free.  Take away all that sleeping and I guess I'm not much different than my boys.  Regardless of our Christmas break preferences, I think the Bacons all had a good time. 

*we were lucky to eat, breath, and play with the Speaks family during all these adventures.    

Christmas Traditions

It took a little scheduling miracle, but we were able to take the
family to Palmer for the Nativity Display. The kids LOVED the eye spy
this year and it kept them entertained for about an hour. I quickly
discovered that Talmage was the wrong age for a Nativity Display and
we found a seat and listened to the high school Jazz Band.

A few other Christmas Traditions we've tried to keep going this break:
Tubing, Swimming, lots of Dodgeball, Gingerbread Houses, Movies, and
Games. Still on the docket: Family puzzle, sugar cookies, and
delivering warm Bread to our friends and neighbors.

Bacon Loot

Pictorial documentation that are kids are spoiled. . . rotten.  

We celebrated Christmas this year on Friday, the 23rd.  It was a great day.  The kids were up around 7AM and we mosied up stairs just a few minutes later.  Hyrum oohed and aahed over every gift. . . he's fully on board with every bit of Christmas magic.   Warner was quickly absorbed into imaginary play.  Tanner was there for the candy and gobbled up his stocking contents in record time.  Sam guessed every gifts contents. . . the rattle of Legos are a pretty dead giveaway.   Christian was thrilled the most with the gift that cost the least (99 cent Wii basketball game).  Talmage slept through it all.  

We took a mandatory breakfast break and enjoyed Monkey Bread and OJ.  

The rest of the day was filled with instant entertainment.  Toys, games, reading, and eating.  We didn't want to ignore the great weather and took the kids on base that afternoon for tubing and came home to warm chili and donuts.  Yum!!!

Lots of this

Last night it rained and rained and rained; and then it snowed and snowed and snowed; so we shoveled and shoveled and shoveled.  8 inches of snow on top of slush on top of ice and they canceled school today.  Both freeway entrances had multiple car pile ups which meant no work.  So today we've just enjoyed a spontaneous stay-at-home day.  It has been wonderful.  The kids, after doing their jobs, are now enjoying some game time with Eric.  I'm thinking soup and homemade rolls for lunch followed by some sledding and hot chocolate.  Ahhh. . . I love stay-at-home days.

guess who

Guess who found and managed to squirt your shaving cream ALL OVER himself and the entire bathroom?  Yup.  You're right.  Please pray that he is still alive when you come home.  While I was cleaning up the mess he sent his first FAX.  How can I keep up?  Please remind me how much I adored and loved him just a few weeks ago.  Where did that darling little boy go?

Gobble Gobble Gobble

We had a great Thanksgiving.  G&G Bacon, Fishers, Holts, and Speaks all came.  10 adults.  15 kids.  I made Roast, Gravy, Stuffing, Salad, & Sweet Potatoes.   Eric successfully tried his hand at stuffed mushrooms and Christine whipped up some delicious rolls and pomegranate salad.  Everyone else brought the rest. . . the ham, potatoes, pies, jello, gluten-free rolls and dessert, and veggies.  I just love Thanksgiving.  The cooking in the kitchen together.  The smells.  The crowded house with good friends everywhere.  The kids sledding the yard.  What a great holiday.  The fun started at 2 and we ended the evening at 11 PM with 17 Miracles.  

Here's a video clip of Talmage half-heartedly singing I Heard Mr. Turkey.  I lost him after about ten seconds . . . 

Fwd: Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Our family LOVES to have Christmas early . . . but we've never had it quite this early before.  With Grandma and Grandpa in town, it was fun to have a little Christmas celebration so the boys could open their gifts in from of their Grandparents.  Whether it is December 25th or November 25th the excitement and happiness are the same.

lunch time lifesaver

School lunch here costs $3.15 for the scariest assortment of processed food you've ever seen.  Times that by 4 kids and it would be $252 a month for school lunch.  I remind myself of that when on those tired mornings, I find myself making lunches again.   On Fridays I make bread for the institute, and recently I've been staying in the kitchen a little bit longer and prepping for a week or two of school lunches.  Pizza Rolls & Empanada Rolls are my lunch time lifesavers.  This week I'm going to try cheese and ham and see how that works.  It is wonderful to just run out to the freezer in the morning, pull out a zip lock back with eight slices of "roll" in it, thaw, and shove a slice or two into their plastic ziplock compartment containers.  

Mean Old Witch

Along with Dan, Dan the Funny Old Man & I Heard Mr. Turkey Say, I remember singing this song with my Mom growing up.  I'm sure it was one from her preschool collection.  I taught it to the kids at our church music group, and Talmage LOVED it.  I particularly love how BIG he opens he mouth to say Hat, Cat, and Out.  Of course, his favorite part is the Boo at the end, but it often times comes early a time or two.  

Over the River

Well not quite over the river. . . but definitely over the woods and ocean.  We were thrilled that Grandma and Grandpa Bacon came and spent the long Thanksgiving weekend with us.   We were able to celebrate C&T's birthday, Thanksgiving, an early Christmas, C&T ordination, and just lots and lots of much needed down time.  

Big Family

I LOVE to have people over.  Neighbors.  New people at Church.  The boy's friends and their families.  It is not uncommon at Thanksgiving to have the house packed with 30 or more people.  I love a happy crowd.  We've have "We're not watching the Super Bowl Super Bowl Parties," and "Adventure Races," and lots and lots of game nights.  Just last week we had two big families for dinner:  six adults and 16 kids.  It was awesome.  

I can remember one night in Flagstaff spontaneously inviting the Fisher Family of 7 (their oldest was serving a mission) over for dinner.  

"Really?  Really?  Are you sure?"  Sister Fisher asked again and again and again.  At that moment there was an excitement about them that I had never seen and an hour later we were really enjoying our dinner and conversation with them.  What great, wonderful folk that Fisher Family is. . . absolutely dynamite.  

It would be about 5 years later that I would really understand their excitement.  Big Families do not get invited for dinners.  Big Families do not get invited for dessert.  Big families do not get invited to play games.  When we were a family of 2 adults and 4 kids, we invited and got invited to do things all the time.  Then along came #5.  Our invites dropped drastically, probably 75%.  But we still got the occasional brave family who would welcome us into their home.  When #6 made his arrival, we continued to invite families over at least two or three times a month and the invites in return disappeared.  In the past two years, aside from our very best friends (we love you Speaks!!) and the Mauger's/Neighbors we have been invited over for dinner once. 

I get it.  I do.  Big Families are BIG and scary and noisy.  I've heard the comments, "Where will they all sit?   and how many times do I have to double this recipe?  and you have kids that are older/younger than our kids, what will they do?"    

In so many ways we are our own party, and I love that.  I love that we fill every seat in our own living room and that we don't need extra bodies to play hearts or rook or blockus or kickball.  I love that dinner conversation has improved 100 fold over the last six months. . . the twins are becoming inquisitive and enjoy engaging in adult-ish conversations.  It is great that some of our best company is found within the walls of our home.

But with that said, can I be honest. . . every now and then I'd love to be invited over. . . even just for hot chocolate . . . or cookies . . .  or cards.  

[this isn't a call for action. . . my blog it not intended for people in Alaska. . . so I'm not expecting my phone to ring . . .  it is more of a personal reminder to ME that in the years to come when we become comfortable with "small,"  to reach out occasionally and embrace the "big."]

Tie on your Bonnet

I adore my friend Heather.  Heaven gave me the gift of a true friend when Heather walked into the Electrical Engineering department my junior year of college.  We began as workmates, quickly became roommates, and ended (can I be so bold as to say) as soul sisters.   

When I left Ricks College, I left behind my very best friend Brooke.  Oh how I love Brooke.  Starting my Junior year of college without her was torture.  I went from giggling with my girlfriend every night to feeling so alone and so different.  

And then I met Heather.  We ate noodles and sauce together, looked at clouds and went hiking, bought the same pair of comfy gap jeans, brought her plant "furful" back to life, chanted the motto "pure doctrine", and sweated together up that silly BYU hill on our nightly runs.   We've found and lost love together, attended each other's weddings, been pregnant together at least 4 times, and continue to celebrate the ups and downs of life and motherhood.   I'm not someone who has a million close friends. . . maybe more like four or five. . . so to find Heather and to still count her as a close and dear friend is one of my greatest joys.  

Here's a excerpt from her blog:

Last night I was instant messaging with Stephanie in Alaska (isn't technology amazing?!). We were talking (rather… typing) about all the fabulous blessings/hardships/callings we deal with in this life. Even after a hard day … and realizing things were not going to get much easier in the immediate future … what did she say?

Oh, how I laughed.
I absolutely loved it!

Best Encouraging Sentences EVER!

And while I may make Heather laugh and say some random encouraging things every now and then, believe me when I say I get every bit in return.  

Another blog

For those of you who are google reader fans, I now have a non-private blog:

http://baconbits8.blogspot.com/

I sent my posts to both sites, so it doesn't really matter which one you follow.

Just thought I'd let you know.

Mudge

Anemic no more.  (and yes there is a part of me that wonders if he ever was. . . our doctor's machine read much lower than the lab in town.  The doc's said he was anemic, the lab said he was perfectly normal.  After a year and a half of testing with the doc, we went to the lab.  same day, hours apart, two different results.  hmmm. . . )  

Yesterday I took my baby boy into the lab for his last hemoglobin test.   The nurse called and confirmed his normal results.  The call was proceeded by some whooping and hollering and overall jubilation--which means for the three of us at home we high fived, toasted our glasses of milk, and found room for another cookie.  It was a great morning.  

What have I learned from the whole Anemia experience:

1.  My we are healthy.  Spending time in the lab waiting room and see others with significant worries and ailments makes you appreciate a little anemia blood draw.  Can I say that those people, the ones who are sick and suffering, also happen to be some of the nicest people in the entire world!!  Especially the older ones and the immobile ones. . . they were always saying hello to Talmage and were the first ones to offer a smile, a little pat on his head, and a comment about energy and youth.  What examples of great service amid suffering.  

2.  Mudge is an amazing little boy.  I never once went to the doctor's office or the lab and didn't receive a compliment on his behavior.  He would sit soundlessly while getting poked (please don't think this is the Bacon norm. . . I have a few needle phobes in this family and others who are just plain wiggly all of the time).  There was a time when Mudge was taking a M&M sized supplement each morning.  All be it covered in Hershey's syrup and all, he would swallow the pill whole.  It took me until I was pregnant with Christian and Tanner to really learn how to swallow pills. . . the kid has got me beat by twenty years.  

3.  I am so grateful for Health Insurance and Eric's great job that provides it for us.  Seeing as though our employer/insurance company is Utah based, we have little if any in-provider coverage living in the Last Frontier: only 1 oncologist, 1 physical therapist, 1 obstetrician, and 1 hospital.  No pediatricians or family practice.  Fortunately under our insurance all lab work is covered 100% which has saved us hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

Talmage and I have been sick this past week.  Stomach Flu, Head Colds, and Fevers.  Talmage has wanted only to snuggle.  And snuggle.  And snuggle.  He's got the death grip on his sippy cup, but other than is content to just be held.  It is endearing to have this sweet little one so near to me and I am grateful that in another week or so his body will be healthy . . . a gift, a miracle, another reason to count our blessings during this season of Thanks.

Turning Teacher

Every Thursday morning I'm frantic gathering construction paper, searching for glue, thumbing through the books on the bookshelf.   I pull down the carpet squares for circle time, gather ingredients for cooking time, and print of words for seasonal songs.  When the last piece of paper is in it's place, I smile.  This is where the fun begins.  Josie and Kohen ring the doorbell, peal off their snow clothes, and come inside to learn and play and I transform into Teacher.  I was born to teach; I thrive in the classroom of 30 or of 3.  So despite the madness of the morning, I love Thursdays and the opportunity it affords me to formally turn teacher.  

Halloween

One of our favorite Fall traditions is the elementary school's Harvest Fair.  Costumes, 120 tickets, an hour of running from game to game, lots of treats and prizes, six very happy boys.  

Actual Halloween was cold and snowy.  Costumes were covered by coats and hats and gloves.  The boys came home with their bags filled with candy at the Trunk-or-Treat.  The little boys were content to spend the rest of the evening sorting and eating.  

Best Little Cheerleader

Donna (Harry's mom) and I cheer on our big boys every Saturday together.  I usually bring along this little cheerleader because 1).  He's so cute.  2).  Ironically he can sit still the longest out of the youngest four.  3). He doesn't whine or beg for treats or need to be taken out to get a drink.  4).  I think Donna likes him.  He stole his fair share of her camera time.  

the 3 amigos

It is strange to see my little boys growing up.  In three weeks they'll be 12 and they can hardly wait.  Today was the primary program and they simply looked awkward.  A good 8 inches taller than everyone else, their voices are changing and they can barely sing the songs, and they had to bend over to speak in the microphone.  When I asked them how the practice went the week before they had one word for me, "BOWWWWW-WING!"  (Boring. . . but in their Uncle Bart's voice).

They do a lot of this with their friends this day.  Hanging out has become the new play . . . my baby boys are growing up.