Cinco de Mayo

We visited family for Cinco de Mayo! 

The boys did very well at their own little table. Food is serious for Eli. :)

 The weather was very nice! After we ate a delicious dinner, we spent the evening outside, making homemade ice cream and generally playing around. Eli liked the slide and would go down by himself, after someone helped him to the top. Otherwise he would try, and fail, to climb UP the slide instead of using the ladder. 

 Then Scout and Eli went on a bike ride with Grandpa! Scout was all excited for it, Eli was a little confused about it at first, pulling at the straps and wanting to get out. They went on a little 10-15 minute ride... and Eli fell asleep in the middle! In his defense, it had been a long day with a short nap and it was getting close to bedtime. The ride must have been very relaxing. 

They're back! Eli just woke up as I was trying to take a 'sleeping' picture.

Then Scout and Eli played on the teeter-totter; Josh had to hold Eli up so Scout could go back down. Yep, Eli has caught up with Scout.

It was getting dark, so I apologize for the fuzzy pictures, but I wanted to get some of Eli eating ice cream. He was 'sharing' with me at first, but then I ran out... somehow... mystery, so he went begging to everyone else!

The boy loves his ice cream, just like his daddy.

Random video from a few days ago. He could see himself and he was cracking up and acting goofy!

I forgot to post this last time, but at Eli's 18 month doctor appointment, he was 34 pounds and 34 inches tall (99% for height and 91% for weight). The doctor said, he's big, but he is proportionate. I haven't had any pictures with him lately, about he's about half my size. Basically. People ask all the time how I carry him, I just laugh. I have no idea how I carry him! 

"This is my muscle shirt"

Easter and Renovations

I know, it's been a while! Life has been busy, I don't always remember to take pictures, and when I do... well, let's just say, my subject isn't always cooperative (I get a lot of 'Mom, get out of my way' looks). I'm sure Rachel can sympathize with this, but it seems like for every picture that makes it on the blog, I have 10 to 15 that I delete. Give or take. 

That being said, enjoy these pictures!

This is one of my favorites lately! He is looking
right at me, and his expression is perfect. 

 Just playing outside... we've been doing so much of that lately. The weather is mostly good, a few cool days, a few windy days, but we get outside almost every day regardless. He begs for it most days; "sshooe" and "jacket" he knows and repeats until I put them on and we go "ouside" (the 'T' is silent). :)

Easter

My family came the day before Easter to celebrate birthdays and Easter and just be together. 
Aunt Abby took this fun collage of pictures while Eli made faces to her iPhone camera (he can see himself in the screen while he makes faces),

Playing outside, hunting for eggs. Eli couldn't care less about finding silly eggs in the grass, that is, until he figured out there were things to eat inside! 

Easter Sunday

This is his face when he sees a pretty girl he likes
at church. She's blond and has a beautiful smile,
and is way too old for him (I think she's 14)!

Sitting outside with Dad,
greeting people coming into church.

Laundry Room Project 

Last week and weekend we (and by 'we' I mean mostly Josh) replaced all the plumbing under the house, tore out the carpet and replaced the floor in the laundry room, painted the laundry room, changed out all the electrical outlets and covers in the laundry room, and moved the washer and dryer to a different wall (meaning, moving the plumbing, electric, and vent for both). And the majority of this was done in 2 days. My husband is an amazingly hard worker. Joseph (our friendly 18 year old neighbor who has worked with Josh on numerous occasions) helped on the plumbing day, staying for dinner and helping until after 9:00 that night. I think they made somewhere around 46 trips to the hardware/plumbing store. Or 6. Something like that. 

This is the manifold system... thing... that my genius
husband made. Apparently they can be $200 to buy.
 Also, he put in a whole-house water filter.

Eli wanted to help so badly, but mostly ended up
getting into things he shouldn't. Like paint.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you with my eyes closed."

This is the 'finished' pantry/laundry room (we still have some minor things to do, shelves above the washer and dryer, etc). I love the blue! It's vibrant and perfect, I think the color actually makes the room feel bigger. It's bold, but not overwhelming because there are quite a few things on the walls to give balance and cover some of the brightness. 

My pantry shelve are on the right, and
the extra fridge/freezer is on the left.

I think it's hard to get good pictures of rooms, unless they are huge, and this room is not. :) I am so happy with the way it turned out!

More playing outside! Today I just followed him around the yard, exploring, picking through the dirt, and occasionally trying to get him to look at me.

What a cute face!