Her's a Queen!

This morning, after a very late night, we told Sariah to tell the boys what happened. She said, and I quote, "Laryn's not a princess anymore, her's a queen!" And so she is. Laryn was named Miss North Franklin last night! We all knew she would do a great job, but truly she was stunning. She swept all of us off our feet.

What made it even more special and fun was that lucky number "7" you see on her dress. That 7 represents each of her seven older siblings who came from near and far, through all hours of the day and night, to support their baby sister on her big night. Her support crew included our more refined in-laws, Jennifer and Severin; Kase's girlfriend, Brielle, Mom (the seamstress) and Dad (the one with the most mixed feelings), and her biggest fan, Sariah. It was so fun to be all together! Thanks Laryn for bringing us all together and representing us with such poise and dignity.

Messes

Sick kids translate as mess. Sariah has finally pulled out of her three days of digestive problems and Hyrum has passed the 24 hour mark and still has a fever. One week after his first birthday he had his first experience vomiting---all over both of us. Then he smiled and gave me a big hug. Then straight to the tub and the 7th set of clothes for today! All this with my own terrible head cold and I'm ready to be done.

We've got to get better quick! Everyone is coming for Laryn's Junior Miss pageant, and I mean every sibling. The first time we've been together in a year and a half. Jennifer and Hayden get here tomorrow and by Friday we'll all be home. Kase is even bringing home Brielle.

So, to bed I go for what kind of night, I do not know.

First Birthday

Hyrum turned one year old today. Even the kids have vocalized disbelief at the thought. There was something very special about his first birthday that he probably won't appreciate for years to come. He got to spend the day with his namesake, Grandma Hales (Barbara Joan Barrow Hales). This is a special treat since Grandma lives in Utah and just happens to be here on the day that she and Hyrum share as a birthday.

How did Hyrum celebrate his first birthday?

His first well-wishing came from Sariah at about 6:20 when he joined us for family scripture study.

At Shopko, he tried on his first pair of shoes, size 5, which he later unwrapped. This was his second birthday gift. Grandpa and Grandma beat us to it with a tub toy this morning.

He licked the maple frosting from the beaters with great delight and protested when it was all gone.

He ate pizza for dinner.

He treated his birthday cake more like play dough than a dessert.

He performed pat-a-cake by request several times today. We all love it.

Grandpa Hales coaxed and coaxed to get Him to walk, but not today.

In general, Hyrum...

can scale up our entertainment center with nothing but molding to hang on to and to put his little toes on.

saw the ocean for the first time this week.

woke up at 11pm, 12:30am, 4:30am, and 6:20am last night. This is a typical night for him.

is a carnivore; loves turkey, ham, and roast beef.

drinks water from a sippy, but gives anything else a very strange look.

has had two haircuts.

has eight teeth with molars on the way.

Happy Birthday Hyrum, we love you very much!

Yellow Roses

These showed up at my house, as they do every year at this time
...and not for Valentine's Day.

Can you guess why?

Ten years ago this month I agreed to set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
I knew I was in for a great ride. I had no idea just how great.

I should have known from the very beginning how special James would make me feel. I know it doesn't look like much, but he proposed to me in a place near and dear to my heart. These winter-barren crags are the apple orchard in which I spent hours and hours and hours with my family during my formative years. Yellow roses (and tulips) are my favorite.

Oh how beautiful are the blossoms and fruit of that engagement.
I truly believe if everyone felt the love and selflessness of one person like I do, the world would be a different place.
Thank you James, for the way you love me.

National Pancake Day

James called me from work this afternoon and suggested we go to IHOP for dinner in honor of national pancake day. YES! We NEVER go spur of the moment to dinner. We NEVER take our kids to dinner because they wouldn't want to eat anything at the restaurant. It was so nice. Pancakes with Butternut Syrup was a huge hit with everybody. No prep, no dishes. And the bill...$0.00. Free "small stacks" of pancakes for national pancake day with an encouraged donation to help children's hospitals. Gladly. What a treat!

Pirate and Princess

We love Fridays for several reasons. We get James home for two days, it's homemade pizza night, and the kids love Friday because they get to sleep on the air mattress. This Friday we had a Bryant who insisted he wear his pirate costume to bed. On that note, Sariah insisted she wear her princess dress to bed. So, we had a pirate and a princess on the same air mattress that night.

Our Bishop asked James and I to speak at a single adult fireside tonight. Following an impression this afternoon, we took Talmage with us to give part of his talk he gave in primary last week. He did an amazing job. As he stood there in front of that room full of adults, not the least bit nervous, I had tears in my eyes as my mind's eye saw a missionary in the making, boldly teaching the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He really does have a gift for memorizing, and public speaking.

Two days left and counting on Hyrum's antibiotic. Oh, how I hope it has served it's purpose. I wonder how long it will be until he eats again.

Inevitables

Hyrum has his first ear infection. The fever started Sunday afternoon and because he won't take any medicine, was relentless through most of Tuesday. No fever now, but he's still not himself. In fact, I reserve the word "hate" for things I really feel that strongly about, but I can honestly say I hate giving my kids medicine. All of them fight it with everything they have and it is an all out battle of restraining limbs, forcing open jaws, and praying that they don't choke while the medicine in squeezed into the back of their mouth, and the jaws are held open until they have no choice but to swallow. It's awful, awful, awful. And we've tried all the other alternatives. In fact, Hyrum has had so much food with "hidden" medicine that currently he won't eat anything off a spoon. It makes me a little angry because it took him so so long to eat any solids at all, and now that he has done so well for a month or so, he won't eat anything again. That episode, three times a day for 7 days is dreadful.

I have now exchanged one pair of Bryant's school pants at least 4 times under Shopko's tough kid policy since the beginning of the school year. Thank you Shopko.

While Talmage was doing his homework this afternoon, he randomly asked me, "Can men have pepper spray too?" (For Christmas, Grandpa Wells gave me pepper spray to take jogging early in the morning. It must be on Talmage's mind.)

Sariah spent the day talk, talk, talking to Grandma. A fresh ear for a conversationalist.

My Mom was here for several hours today between her ride in and her ride out. It was so nice to have her here. I told her the only way we get to keep her here for any amount of time is if she can't drive. She made Hyrum smile, played school with Sariah and read her her naptime story, did dishes, coaxed me into having a nap, and was all the moral support I could ask for after a couple of rough nights. There is always a spirit of peace about her.

She told me to cherish the fact that Talmage had asked for and was eating raw lasagna noodles while I cooked dinner. She said Laryn used to do that with spaghetti. I never would have thought to cherish that so now it is in black and white for years to come.