Wordless Wednesday following Baggy Saturday

Two weeks ago the Hansen's showed up for Spring Break, which also means, Baggy Saturday - helping Grandpa prune the trees and shrubs. This year we set a record with 16 43-gallon trash bags. I'm not sure the boys will be looking for another year, but we are getting quicker each year. It only took about 3.5 hours to do this and it only represents 2 trees!

click on the photo to enlarge

April 17 - Becoming a Big Day for the McLean's

There are big days and there are big days, but April 17 has become the busiest family honor day of the year. Beginning at 12:01 am today Nicholas Keith McLean was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He barely made the new day.

Just ninety-two years previous to that his great-grandfather was born - on the same day! I believe this is the first child/grandchild/great-grandchild born on my dad's birthday.

It is also Sally and Jay's anniversary. Add all this together and it is a SPECIAL DAY for the McLean's!

Congratulations to everyone! What a great day!

Three Generations - Part 3

3 Generation Photo - Part 2 (Wordless Wednesday)

This is our 2nd photo of three generations of McLean's. Tim should note that
I finally learned how to use my remove! Taken at Mesa Park in Las Vegas, NV
close to our home.

The Las Vegas Park Blitz

When joAnn and and I were youth leaders at Church and helped plan a youth activity, whether it lasted for an afternoon or evening or for multiple days, one of our measures of success was to ask how tired were the youth when they went home. While I was out walking Friday morning I thought it would be a good idea to administered this same principle with our grandchildren. So, knowing the Bake children love going to the park and knowing we have a lot of great parks with playgrounds in Las Vegas, it seemed only natural that we would all want to go to as many parks as possible in one day. I called it the park blitz. I have to tell you, it was just like going to the candy or ice cream shop - my eyes were way bigger than my or anyone else's energy, except for maybe the kids.

Alexis, Dean, Hattie, Danny, Ellen

We went to a number of parks! We did have a great time! We were exhausted at the end of the day - if not sometime before!

Each park one was a little different and because of those differences it made it all the more exciting to look forward to the next park. Anticipation is always so much fun. And when you children going to the park, anticipation is rarely disappointed by the real event.

It was exciting looking forward to the next park, but we adults finally got to the point where we looked forward to home. I had forgotten in all those years of youth activities it was almost always the leaders who always wore out first.

As we pulled into each park the children could not wait to get out of the car and to begin their exploration. The parks did have some common play devices, such as slides stairs ladders climbing devices for children. But what the children didn't realize until they arrived, was that each park was organized a little differently and had some unique play structures. That made for a lot of fun. Each time we visited a park the children wanted to see what was unique and special. We watched them explore for the unique things first and then run back and play on the things they enjoyed the most and then back to the new play structures. It was back and forth, especially for little Hattie who wanted to do it all - and didn't need any help!

We did lunch at Taco Bell (not so good), and then split up with the dad and grandpa and the little ones looking for another park (I had many more on my list) while mom and grandma took the two older girls shopping. I suppose you can call that a playground too. We got a couple of more parks in until we thought everyone was pretty tired. We took them home and you put them down for naps or asked them to relax. We were tired, and we assumed they would be too. Wrong! They were still excited about going to parks and wanted to go to more. After  dinner we were off to the neighborhood park for another round of fun.

You might ask, was everyone tired? The answer was a resounding yes! Come Saturday morning and it was time to leave it was tough getting anyone up and on the road to home. It was a great activity and we will do it again, but not on the last day they are in town. Oh yes, grandma and grandpa were totally exhausted on Saturday and didn't get up until almost 9 am on Sunday. Thank goodness for grandkids and for Sundays.

The Spirit of the Eagle

On March 17, I attended the most amazing and stirring Eagle Court of Honor I had ever attended. It has been more than a few years since I attended my last Eagle Court. It was when our son Tim received his Eagle award.

The boys with red, white, and blue neckerchiefs are the new Eagle Scouts.

On this night four boys received their Eagle award and one received the Spirit of the Eagle. The young man who received the Spirit of the Eagle was our deceased grandson, Calvin. He died over 3 years ago in a tragic auto accident. Tonight, however, the Eagle Court celebrated, not just Calvin, but the work of 5 young men. The four boys who received their Eagle award had all chosen to wait to do it together and with Calvin. That alone made this a special evening. Each of the boys was justly honored, including Calvin's younger brother, Clayton. Calvin received his award in the middle of the program and I was asked by Calvin's parents to make the presentation. Words fail me as I attempt to describe my emotions on making this award. The honor, the responsibility, the joy of being asked all burst upon me and yet I felt the spirit with me and with all who were there. We knew Calvin and his grandpa Rob were present. Calvin and Clayton are 3rd generation Eagle scouts.

Presentation of Calvin's Eagle Spirit Award to his parents

There were teachable moments in this Eagle court. As each boy received their Eagle award they had the opportunity to present an "Eagle Mentor" award to someone special. Each of the boys picked a leader who had helped them on campouts, with badges and the like. Clayton, however, chose to go his own way. He selected a sister Peterson who had been one of his leaders. She made her day, week, and probably decade. He tried to shake her hand and she wrapped him in her arms and gave a great big hug. We were all taught with that insight from a 14-year old boy.

Clayton's Eagle Award

Each of the new Eagle Scouts also received an Eagle bolo tie from "Carvin Marvin" who has produced these for years. Each one is hand carved and painted. Cole received Calvin's bolo tie.

There was also a leadership group present, called Timberline. Many of the boys participate in it. It is a leadership training program. Calvin went through the training and died before he was able to be a leader. Clayton did the training and served as a leader. Two of the Timberline adult leaders had saved ashes from the last nights' fire for almost 3 years - when Calvin would have served as a leader - and put them in a nice container and presented them to Donna and Chris.

It was a wonderful evening. Spiritually rewarding. Each young man and their families knew they had participated in a special ceremony. The boys may not realize that until much later, but when they do they will appreciate it for what it was.

After we all arrived at home Chris came up to me and handed me an "Eagle Dad" pin and said, "Dad, I won't need this any more. I have one now!" I had placed my Eagle Dad pin in Calvin's casket just before they closed it. At the time it was one of the most treasured mementos I had. I'm glad to have it back. I wanted Chris to have it because Calvin was so close and I felt he would appreciate it.

Clayton with his Grandmothers, Cole in front, and the rest of the family

JoAnn and I look forward to attending many more Eagle Courts of Honor for our grandsons in the future.

Wordless Wednesday - Calvin's Spirit of the Eagle

More to come later