Monday, August 31, 2009

Food?

Morgan and Josh were reading a book about food and naturally had to taste some of the pictures.

Brothers

The other day I let the boys share a blue popsicle. I tried to take pictures of their blue tongues but they weren't very helpful. They did have fun together though.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Happy Face

Monday night Morgan was gone so it was my job to get the boys to bed on my own. Eli knew it was getting close to bed time and as usual was not interested. He kept saying, "Mom I want to be awake."
As with many children Eli gets extra tired and upset at bed and naptimes so one of the things we often say is that he needs to go to bed so he can be happy the next day, and that he is obviously not happy since he is crying.

Eli: Momma, I want to be awake. I'm happy, see my happy face!

Then he showed me a face that looked just like the one below.
Eli's happy face.

I couldn't help but laugh and take him to the living room to get these pictures. I did convince Eli that it would be best if he went to bed. I did also manage to get a picture of Eli's real happy face.

Box Baby


Who knew the places Josh could get into with the cast.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Jokes

Today at lunch Morgan decided to start telling jokes. He began with one of his, and his mother's favorites.

Morgan: Eli, ask me if I am a tree.
Eli: Are you a tree.
Morgan: No!

(Followed of course but mounds of laughter - Eli especially thought that this was funny.)
We continued with jokes, Eli then having Morgan ask him if he was a squirrel, but the best was yet to come.

Eli: Daddy, say Eli are you a horse.
Morgan: Eli are you a horse?
Eli (after a short pause): Neeeiiiggghhhh!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Peggy Walks




So Josh has figured out how to walk a little bit with his cast. He was taking five, six, seven steps. This video isn't that good, he crashed at the beginning and wasn't too interested in trying, but you can see a few steps.

(As for the title of the post, Morgan sometimes calls Josh, Peggy - for the obvious reasons.)

Cinnamon Nachos



We had a bunch of extra tortilla shells and were tired of tacos so I decided to try and make some Cinnamon Nachos. (The exact recipe called for them to be with chocolate and pecans but we decided to try something different.) Anyway, we ate them with ice cream and they were AWESOME! What a fun easy treat.

Basic Recipe:
Tortilla Shells
Melted butter, brushed on each side
Sugar & Cinnamon sprinkled on one side

Cut into wedges, bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Lawnmowing

Yesterday I mowed the lawn for the first time in my life. Crazy I know, I'm 27 and had never mowed a lawn before. I grew up with 4 brothers, 2 older and 2 younger, there was never a need for me to mow the lawn. I may have pushed a lawnmower for like 10 seconds, but yesterday I did the whole yard by myself.

I told Morgan recently that I would like to try mowing the lawn - try something for the first time, see what all the complaining is about. (Not Morgan complaining, but general lawn mowing complaining.)

Last night Morgan got the lawn mower all ready for me, showed me how it worked and sent me on my way. I half way expected him to come get the mower after I did the front lawn and do the rest himself (I still have knight in shining-armor ideas) but he and the boys did other yard work and I mowed the front, back and sides. It wasn't the best job, the lawn still needs edging, but I am proud of myself.

I may even mow the lawn again in the future, in fact you can count on that. After all I had a good hour or so when I couldn't hear my boys complain or whine at all!
But I had no idea that my hands would fall asleep, I think it took over an hour before they were feeling like themselves again!

State Fair

We recently went to the Iowa State Fair because Morgan needed to help out another attorney and did a mock Trial by Jury exhibit. The boys and I didn't stay to listen to the trial because Josh did not want to sit still, and it wasn't really the type of place I could let him down to crawl, so we went out and went to a petting zoo at the fair and just walked around until Morgan was done. Once he was done we checked out the animals - especially the largest animals and then ate dinner and drove home.

Eli and Josh with the largest pig - 1100 pounds.

Eli and the largest bull, I don't remember how big it was, but it was HUGE.



I had to get the picture of the elk for all of my brothers.

Eli feeding a camel.

Eli and the Zedonk - 1/2 Zebra, 1/2 Donkey


Eli wanted to climb in and see them.

I think this was a water buffalo.
You've got to love this face!

Happy Birthday Peter!

We stopped by in Ames to celebrate Pete's birthday with him. Here he is blowing out candles.


I know this is blurry, but I love how Josh DOES NOT want Eli sitting in the bumbo. And yes, Eli fits in the bumbo.

More pulling

Playing with cousins.


Josh eventually was able to get his cast leg down in the bumbo, but this was too cute to pass up.

The Park

Last week we went to Valley View Park to play disc golf. Afterwards we always let Eli play at the playground there. We had a really good time just being together as a family.


Families that play together, stay together!


Joshua swinging


Eli and Josh swinging


Eli, hanging out.


Josh is still getting around with his cast on.


This is Josh after having some fruit bar. Yummy!
Last week we went to Valley View Park to play disc golf. Afterwards we always let Eli play at the playground there. We had a really good time just being together as a family.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Results

Josh is now in a cast. He will have to wear it for 4 weeks (if it stays on that long). He is really frustrated with it. He has a hard time moving/crawling around, and is really upset that he can't stand up. He tries to pull up on couches, chairs, me etc, and his cast just gets in his way. Poor kid!
This is hard for me because he used to be a pretty independent child, crawling and walking wherever he wanted to go and didn't need me with him 24/7.

That has all changed.
Now he wants me all the time, and needs me to get around. He is getting faster though, and it has only been 2 days. So hopefully things will continue to get better.
Josh and Eli



Josh trying to move around with the big cast in the way

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Was Walking

Josh took his first steps on Eli's B-day, July 25th. While we were gone on vacation he honed his skills. Here is a video I took of him walking yesterday at home.





Now the only problem is this.



Eli tried to carry Josh outside and dropped him, landing on top of him. Josh got his face scraped up a little bit, but he apparently also has a Torus Fracture on his lower leg by his knee. We took him to a clinic last night and today we will take him to an orthopedic doctor to decide if he needs a splint, cast or something.
The poor boy has been very sad and doesn't want to put any weight on his leg. I gave him a bath this morning and he enjoyed splashing in the tub, and we've got him on Tylenol and IB Profun so hopefully he'll start feeling better soon.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Photos on the Beach - Take 2

Eli the Tiger

I love this picture, he's so thoughtful.
My happy boy!
Going to take pictures
Josh and Eli
Cousins!
Eli and Josh
Cousins
Josh is clapping
Morgan and Joshua
Eli's happy to be on a boat

Showing me sand
Josh on the boat
Such a cute kid!
I love this shot of Josh

Ripley's Aquarium

Eli and Josh on our balcony
Don't get swallowed!
Eli and the horseshoe crab
Morgan picked one up but Melissa was too chicken
Fish!
Jaws
Duh, duh, duh, duh...
Aahh!
Lots of sharks!
Melissa
Erin and Daniel
Stingrays
Eli' checking it out
Josh LOVED to watch the fish
Joshua
Josh and the Giant Sea Turtle