Dig! Dig! Dig!

One of our joys this summer has been hanging out in our backyard. Thanks to friends and family we have inherited a slide, a sandbox, a tricycle, and an awning - all the ingredients for a fun and comfortable backyard.

Eli loves to be "outshide" and "dig". In fact, those have been some of his favorite words this summer (along with puppy, crocodile, choo choo, chicken, slide, book, track, bike, friends, pool, ball, shoot, moon, come on, rock, kids, baby, bubbles, where are you, and much more).

I think Eli would have lived outside all summer if left to his own devices. Most of our tantrums have been related to coming inside or not going outside. But who can blame him. Out here he has freedom, a variety of toys, water, dirt, chickens, the neighbors dog on the other side of the fence, and, well, all a little boy could need.

Although mommy was not a fan of the 100 degree days so there was not a lot of outside time in July. Now that the summer is coming to a quick close I only wish I could spend more hours, more days just sitting in the grass digging and splashing and soaking up my little sunshine.

Easter 2013

 

  This year Easter fell on the beginning of Spring Break.  We had lots of plans for fun but woke up with strep and sick tummies as often happens for me when I finally get a break.  I think my body knows I have to hold it together and then suddenly I get a day to sleep in and my immune system shuts down.  Fortunately, we were still able to pull it together Saturday afternoon for some family fun!  We dyed eggs in the backyard - Eli called them "balls" and tried to throw them into the dye, which made for a few cracks and spills, but at least he wasn't trying to throw them across the yard. That kid has an arm! - then we gathered ourselves up and headed over to the park by my school that has a great hill for some serious egg rolling.  Unfortunately, the eggs did not roll as well as we had expected and by the time we all had red noses from the chilly wind and Eli had yet another massive blowout, we decided to count our adventure as complete.  We rolled the eggs one last time and ended up with yokes bouncing down the sidewalk, which was pretty funny!  All in all, it was a great time and Eli loved the new adventure!

Adventures with Mom and Dad

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we decided to get out and have some adventures.  The weather was unseasonally nice and because we were staying at Nana's we were already in the Salt Lake neighborhood.  So we decided to visit Wheeler Farm and let Eli have a little outside time.  It was so much fun!  We wandered and looked at animals and "tromped" in the dirt.  A perfect day for a little man!

Our Pony Friend

Bundled up Watching the Pony

Goat Friend who liked the taste of Eli's glove

Eli wanted to share something besides his glove with the goat so he threw his spoon at him.  Um... pretty sure the sign said "Don't Feed the Animals" ... even with a spoon!  We tried, but couldn't get the dang thing out.  Sorry, Goat Friend! Don't eat the plastic!

Yep, it's hard to drive a tractor with your hat over your eyes!

Dad!  There's something wrong with this thing!
Come take a look under the hood with me!

Here, mom, I'll push the stroller!

One of his few words: "Duck!"

Later on we headed to This is the Place Heritage Park, but Eli fell asleep on the way.  So we just kept driving up Emigration Canyon.  Wow!  What a beautiful canyon!  I can't believe how many houses are up there!  I'm sure the pioneers never thought to stop in the canyon instead of the valley.  Maybe they should have - it's nice up there!  When Eli did wake up we stopped at Ruth's Diner and had the BEST Macoroni and Cheese EVER!!!  Eli thought he had died and gone to cheesy heaven.  Oh boy!  We're definitely going to be visiting Ruth's again.  With Eli awake and our tummy's full of carbs and cheese, we stopped at the This is the Place park and did a little walking around (good for the digestion I hear) and a little train riding (good for the resting after the walking around).  What a fabulous and fun adventure!

The Isoms

Our Newest Family Photo

The Big One!

November 8th - What a day!  I can hardly believe Eli is a whole year old.  I spent the days around his birthday remembering each of the days leading up to his birth and then being at the hospital... all the details and feelings and emotions and ... well, it was like living it again.  And then remembering that moment that I held my sweet little boy for the first time.  There is no way to forget that moment or that feeling.  What a blessing Eli is to our family.  He is life and joy for us!  Yes, there have been a few moments (most of them in the middle of the night) when I wasn't sure how we would survive, but I have loved every moment of my baby.  I love his bright eyes, his expressive eyebrows, his "oh" mouth when he is excited, his curiosity, and his ability to love all those around him.  What a boy!  I love him, I love him, I love him!!!  Happy Birthday, little Bubba!

Happy Birthday!

Birthday dinner at Golden Corral 

Daddy made the BEST cake!

Playing with my new remote car

Celebrating with the McFarlands

Celebrating the Isoms

Four-Wheelin' Baby!

What can I say? Eli loves the leaves! They make him feel like a four-wheelin' Tonka truck. So fun!

Here's to Panic Projects, Surgery, and Sleepless Nights...Again!

Nope. We are not expecting. But anticipating Kelly's second round of surgery on his shoulder felt a little like those days surrounding Eli's birth. Same: Kelly dreaming out about getting projects done before the big day (see "New Bathroom"), surgery and Percocet (see "Kelly's Shoulder Now"), and waking up every two hours either with a crying baby (yep, Eli managed to get another tooth in the midst of all this) or a hurting husband (only a little crying there) - see "Why Is Mrs. Isom Asleep at her Desk?"

New Bathroom- broken tile and a crooked toilet were just too much for Kelly to take any more. The day before his surgery I got a call at school saying the he had torn out the floor and toilet. Needless to say I panicked with visions of no toilet for the next 6 weeks. But by 9:00 that night we had new subflooring, linoleum, and a lovely new toilet. It's amazing how different it looks. We didn't have any before pics because, gross! Who wants to take a pic of their dirty bathroom?! Now Eli and I enjoy the lovely room every evening during bath time. Thanks, Kelly!

Kelly's Surgery: the first surgery in February the doc fixed the torn labrum. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only problem, but that first doc wasn't looking for anything else. So 8 months later we have a new doc who wants to find out what us wrong, not just keep saying "we'll, I fixed the problem. It shouldn't hurt anymore." This time around they cut bicep tendon and reattached it to humorous (that was the funny part of the whole deal...), 1/2 inch shaved off the coracoid (part of clavicle) because it was catching tissue every time Kelly moved his arm, and a bone spur off the rotator cuff. Geez. No wonder the poor boy is hurting! So now we've got 6 weeks in a sling and then at least another 3 months of PT. We are coming up on the year anniversary of his injury but at least we are finally making progress!






Mrs. Isom's Nap: No, I have not really fallen asleep at my desk, but the frequent yawns and dark circles under my eyes are evidence of the lack of sleep. But my boys are doing much better now and that's all I need! Oh! That and the weekend. Yeah! Saturday morning sleep-in! Wait. Does 7:30 really count as sleeping in? 😜



(Those are all his fancy new teeth. Six so far!!)