Hy's Big Day

[Not sure why this didn't post with the pictures. . . ]

Hy was baptized on Saturday.  While we are sad that we aren't surrounded by grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, and cousins we truly felt surrounded by family.  The Speaks & Holts, our Alaska family, were there along with our neighbors the Galloways, Jimmie Michaelis, Hopkins, Porters, Turners, Bonnie Victors, Penfields, and Hy's Primary Teacher Jeremy Jensen and his family.  

I asked the twins and the Speaks to share a brief experience they had either living up to their Baptismal Covenants or a time when they felt the Spirit.  I was really touched by the experiences my boys shared.  

Christian mentioned that in Elementary School his friends were always trying to get him to use "cuss words."  He never did.  He knew it wasn't good.  Then recently he and a friend were talking.  The friend was insisting that surely Christian had used cuss words before.  Christian said that he was able to look back and honestly say that he never had.  He knew that he had been blessed for keeping himself pure and clean.  [As a mom can I say, "WOW!!"  I had no idea.  I knew this one was good and pure, but to hear this story just astounded me.  I think I often don't give these two the credit they deserve for being amazing young men.]

Tanner spoke a few minutes later about a really bad day.  When he got home he felt prompted to read his scriptures.  He kept putting it off thinking that there would be nothing in those pages that would help him.  He doesn't remember what he read when he finally opened up the Book of Mormon, and his day was still down right horrible, but he was "filled with hope.  Hope that tomorrow would be a better day."  

I know that this post should be all about Hyrum and about how he is special and marvelous.  He is.  But I was just blown away by the goodness of my two boys who could stand and share with such conviction and confidence.  

. . . Back to Hyrum.  He was the only one baptized today.  I'm not sure he loved all the attention and he was filled with an expected amount of anxiety.  Yet, he felt "special" and "excited"   He loved his new white shirt and the donuts his friends gave him that made the letter 8.  He is an inquisitive little soul who will wonder, question, and ponder about the ordinance he participated in today and the covenants that he made.  I hope he spends a lifetime discovering and rediscovering the blessings and beauty of his baptism.

Fwd: As good as it gets

I had high hopes for a decent family picture this weekend.  Too many little ones.  Too much sun.  This is as good as it gets. 

Birthday Beard

Some Bacons eat their food.  Others seem to wear it.  Mudgie is sporting some Birthday Breakfast while he reads his books.  This kid just cracks me up.

Loot

Holland enjoying some of Hyrum's birthday loot.

Hy Guy's Birthday Breakfast

Fwd: Hyrum's Big Day

Fwd: Hyrum's Big Day

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephanie Bacon <baconbits4@gmail.com>
Date

3, 2, 1

Sad story. The dishwasher died.

Happy story. We got a new dishwasher.

Sad story. It cost us money.

Happy story. It came with a box.

And that said box has provided two little Bacon boys with a day [and a
night] of fun. For several hours it was a house before it morphed
into a spaceship and is now a bed [?!? . . . reminiscent of the 6 or
so months Sam insisted on sleeping in a cardboard box].

Warner got his bike out today and was riding it around the cul-de-sac.
Around patches of snow and ice, mind you, but still riding. We are
all itching for Spring. I think if sleeping in a cardboard box would
melt all the snow, I'd schedule my overnight trip to the moon
tomorrow.

Fwd: Your high jumping boy!

C&T had their first track meet yesterday.  They did amazingly well.  I made the boys take turns telling me about their three events (they have a three event limit).  Christian shared that he ran the hurdles and did "awesome" except for the kid in front of him was a little better and faster.  Then he paused and smiled.  

"Would "that kid" happen to be your brother?" I asked.

Yup.  Tanner came in 1st place, with Christian two strides behind and in 2nd.  

Christian took 1st in the high jump.  And 1st in the 4x400 relay.  

It was a good 1st day for them.  Their meets right now are in South Anchorage, but I am looking forward to one at the end of the month that is here in town.  I'll be sure to take my camera and get lots of footage [pun intended].  Attached is a video that our friends took of Christian doing the high jump. 

FrankenThumb

I'm feeling a little Frankenstein-ish. I get to spend 10 days like
this and then hopefully I'll be as good as new.

Cuties

My little Cutie eats about 4-6 cuties a day. He LOVES loves LOVES them.

Love

I just love this sparkly little one.

Fwd: [Dingleberry's] Yankee Doodle

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WjuSiXBMlu4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Try number 2.

Hyrum wanted to try out for the school Talent Show.  He's a great little pianist but nothing that would make him stand out. . . so we put on our thinking caps and came up with this number.  It is super short (which I think makes it endearing) and unique since he's playing it on the melodica.  

He did well at tryouts and was thrilled to find out that he had made it.  I'll be sure to record the performance later this month.

Sam also made the talent show and will be playing Concerning Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings.  We are working on his hobbit costume now.  

Yankee Doodle

Hyrum wanted to try out for the school Talent Show.  He's a great little pianist but nothing that would make him stand out. . . so we put on our thinking caps and came up with this number.  It is super short (which I think makes it endearing) and unique since he's playing it on the melodica.  

He did well at tryouts and was thrilled to find out that he had made it.  I'll be sure to record the performance later this month.

Sam also made the talent show and will be playing Concerning Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings.  We are working on his hobbit costume now.  

Thumbs Up

A can lid. A thumb. A collision. Blood everywhere. (I never seen blood spurt and spray like this before). Eight stitches. 

Drive home in 8 inches of snow was scarier than the stitches. 

Picasso in our midst...

Today I was waiting in the school office while Warner was down the hall at speech therapy.

Mrs Murphy, the art teacher, stuck her head inside to say hello.

MM: Did Sam tell you the good news?

Me: No.

MM: You mean he didn't show you? I told him to show you. We'll, c'mon, you've got to see this.

Mrs. Murphy scurried down to the art room while I followed closely behind. She sat at her desk and pulled up the Anchorage School District's homepage. Then with a wave of her hand she unveiled Sam's masterpiece prominently sitting in the spotlighted column.

Horray for Sam. Art is his thing. Telling his mom about his 15 minutes of fame, not so much. I wouldn't have it any other way.

More love

Grandma showered us with some more love this week. In fact, the
package came yesterday and Hyrum was begging to make another pennant.
He does a bang up job and while his lines aren't as straight as Sam's,
he's not one bit scared of the sewing machine. He LOVES the purple
bunny fabric and made sure it made it into the middle of his creation.
Love this boy. Love his love for projects. And love his Grandma
that sends so many fun things our way!

I'm in love

I'm in love with those little smiles. I love the way that Mudgie's
eyes turn into crescents. I love the awkward pained expression on
Warner's happy face. I love Hy's inbetween phase look he's got going
on. . . baby face and big teeth. All of those things plus the arms
around each other. . . I'm in love.

happy helpers

Warner is my BEST helper. Ask him to do something and typically he
gets right to work. He's a CHAMP at garbages, dishwasher, and
windows.