More Than Just a Workout

Today I witnessed the sweetest thing...while at the gym no less! I was running away on the tread mill (I've been challenged by the insane amount of running my hubby's been doing lately and thought I'd give it a go)and I was people watching to keep my mind from focusing on the pain and jiggling that I was experiencing. I noticed an elderly couple come in and get on the bicycles. They were smiling, teasing and peddling away in all of their silver hair glory. Then I noticed another elderly couple that were rotating on the weight machines. The husband was recommending a stomach crunch machine to his wife and she playfully walked right past saying she couldn't fold her body enough to get on the machine! As I finished up my workout another elderly couple walked by. They were happily chatting away as they made their way to the treadmills.

It was such a fun thing to see older couples (I'm talking 70's) enjoying their time together, being active and still lovingly teasing each other. I never thought I'd get marriage inspiration at the gym but I guess you just have to keep your eyes open...God can use anyone, anywhere to inspire and motivate us!

18 Months

We had Eli's 18 month check up today. It is amazing to me that this little rambunctious boy was a tiny (or not so tiny) little bundle only that many months ago! He has changed so much and its exciting to see his traits and personality emerge more every day.

The STATS:
Height - 2' 9" (hee hee, 2 feet sounds so funny!)
Weight - 27.5 pounds

The LINGO:
Eli "talks" all the time (see video post below) but we are always having to decode! Here a few things we don't have to decode...

Baby
cold
beep - beep (this used for anything electric that makes a beeping sound)
hot
hat
kitty/meow
duck
Belle (our dog)
Raisin (our other dog)
Daisy (my parents' dog)
milk
food
truck
MORE!
These are just a few that top his list lately.

I am working on getting some pictures taken of him but for now a few of my snapshots will have to do.


Eli decided to pull up a chair one morning so he could listen to his music!


Still loves bath time!

Bragging Rights


Every once in a while I have to use my blog to brag about my hubby! Now, I can assure you he does brag worthy things more than just every once in a while, but I don't always take photos, sorry honey!

Last Tuesday morning Grant came home from his guy's meeting at 7am with flowers in hand! What a fun surprise!!! They were beautiful and the timing couldn't have been better. Eli has a tendency to get up shortly after Daddy leaves on Tuesdays (usually around 6am) so we had been up, eaten breakfast, played, gotten dressed and I was up on the couch dusting the blinds by the time Grant walked in at 7am.

Project Update #2

The deck is in full swing and starting to take shape...literally. My cousin's husband has been building it, working hard to make our vision a reality. Eli loves to be right in the middle of it. Good thing Jake likes kids and doesn't mind having little fingers grabbing at tools! :)




Caution: Men At Work

We have just now managed to get around to our list of "summer" projects for the outdoors! A little behind schedule I know, but at least its still sunny right? There will be many more pictures to come but I couldn't resist a few of my two manly men!

Project Wish List
1. A new side fence (more of a need than want!)
1. A retaining wall so we can store our trashcans and actually use the gate.
2. A new deck covering where grass won't grow and is usually just muddy!
3. New drainage in backyard (discovered need during inquiry of deck bid and was added to the list)


Daddy and Eli putting the finishing touches on the retaining wall. (sorry, you missed the super manly, dirty, sweaty, shirtless shots from yesterday. This looks tame but it was really a lot of work!)



Notice the new fence in the background. We didn't attempt that ourselves...we left that up to the professionals. It only took 1 day!


Just the beginning! The trench was dug in search of our old drainage system and the main line that drains out into the front yard...it was never found. Eli gave it his best effort though!


We learned that Eli is ever so helpful when it comes to home projects! Along with the work he undid, he also took off with a tool as soon as we set it down. He came up with some pretty good new uses for tools though!



The Greatest Show On Earth!


Last weekend we got to go to the circus!!! Our friends had extra tickets at the last minute so we jumped at the chance. Eli didn't know what he was in for. He sat mesmerized for the first hour or so just trying to take it all in. Then he really got into it and started clapping after the acts and racing around the box with his friends. He was on such a high when we finally left that evening. He jabbered all the way home (and we thought he would sleep!). I'm sure he enjoyed dreams of elephants, tigers and crazy motorcycles that night!

Unfortunately our camera is not the greatest but you can see even more (and better)pictures on my friend Sandy's blog.



Monkeying Around

Lately Eli has become obsessed with a new game. We call it 1...2...3...Go! Here's the latest version




He is also chatting up a storm these days, however most of it is undecipherable to the untrained ear. See if you can pick out any words (we can't!)

My Little Studmuffin!




I am amazed daily how clever and perceptive Eli is at just 17 months. (I know, its not just Eli, it's all kids at this age!). The other evening Grant and I were installing a few shelves in our office closet (yeah for scrapbooking supply organization) while Eli played along side us. He was very interested in the Stud Finder Grant was using I think mostly due to the lights and beeping.

Fast forward a few days and Eli is buckled into his car seat as we back out the garage in the car. He is frantically saying "beep, beep" and pointing. I could not work out what he might need that was in the car and beeped. It wasn't until the garage door was half way shut that I realized he could see the Stud Finder hanging on the peg board!

And just today, we were getting him out of the car and as he turned towards the door, he began pointing and saying "beep beep" again. This time I knew what he was looking at so I handed him the Stud Finder as we came inside. While I was pretty impressed that he had once again spotted it on the wall and remembered it beeped, I was even more impressed when he brought it inside and proceeded to drag it along the walls while holding the button down so that he could hear it beep when it found a stud!!!

Even when it seems Eli is in his own little world, he is still absorbing everything he sees and hears. It is funny most of the time, a bit scary some times and definitely a good reminder for Mommy and Daddy to teach by saying and doing cause little eyes and ears are always on us!

A New Generation

Maybe it was nostalgia or just plain curiosity, but whatever it was, I just couldn't help myself...yes, I watched the season premiere of the the new 90210. 2 whole hours of it! And I have to say, as one of the original 90210 fan club members, it just wasn't the same.

We should probably be grateful, as that was a "special time" in our childhoods that would be better off not repeated, but I can't help feel sorry for this next generation of tweens that are going to fall in love with these new characters, having no idea that what they are watching is just a cheap imitation of the real thing. They probably have no idea who hunky motor cycle riding Dylan McKay is or that Brenda reportedly insisted on having bottled water on the set to wash her hair with. Or that all these actors playing teenagers were actually in their 20's & 30's! Sad, sad times!

But for those of us original fan club members and those of us that had posters plastered to our walls, click on the title of this post for a walk down memory lane...oh the sweet melody!

We'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain....

The descent from the mountains which are home to Hume Lake Christian Camps is always bitter sweet! I have been making that trek for years and although its always nice to "get home" after time away, leaving Hume Lake is just as hard as when I was a little camper and got to spend a glorious week there every summer!

Grant, Eli and I spent the past week and a half (hence the lack of blogging) at Hume and had a blast. My parents' cabin is in the finishing stages of a remodel to transform the loft into two bedrooms and adding a bathroom. It was amazing the see the changes and it was great to have space for Eli that was quiet and tucked away.

For those of you that have been to Hume I don't need to say more (you know you are already picturing the lake, the crazy games campers play, the smell of clean air, repelling, hiking, milkshakes at the Snack Shop, etc.) but for those that haven't, maybe these pictures will entice you to visit. It is one of the most amazing places you will ever go and you can almost feel God's presence as you drive down into the camp.

Aside from all the fun that campers and staff have all summer, it is the place where miracles take place, God works in people's lives and you create friendships for life! As a former camper and staffer, and now a regular visitor with my family, Hume is full of silly memories, crazy stories, God lessons and so much more! Here are just a few pictures, well maybe more than a few, of our great escape to Hume.