The Nitty Gritty

Traits from Mommy: eye color (blue) Traits from Daddy: Everything else!

Over the 4th of July we went to the Orme Family Cabin in Island Park. The Orme's from Oregon were there along with Aunt Sally, Reid, and Mom & John. As you can see there was some singing. There was also Back A Rack playing, snack eating, cabin napping, and fireworks watching. We had a great time and look forward to visiting again over Labor Day. We took a day trip to Yellowstone to show Will Old Faithful and the Paint Pots. It was pretty dang cold. It's tradition to bathe the babes in the kitchen sink. Did I mention Isaac's grandpa built this cabin with his great grandpa? It is the best cabin I've ever seen, very authentic. He loves the cabin! Happy in the little cabin. Gettin all cowboyed up in West Yellowstone.

William had his nine month appointment Friday. He weighs 19 lbs 10 oz and is 28 1/4 inches long. His weight is PERFECT for his height. The doctor said we get a gold star as parents for bringing a baby without a sunburn. Everything else is looking good too so hooray for Will! O.k., so this is Isaac writing. My Dads birthday was the 12th of July. In honor of his 54th and William STEVEN being able to crawl (army style) I made this awesome movie. I thought my dad might like it because he doesn't get to see Will often and it is something he can show off to his fellow professors. Happy Birthday Dad and enjoy the show.

I have a new fan! This person loooooooves me. He loves me so much he cries if I leave the room, whines when I set him down, and holds onto my neck like a koala bear. Yes, this person is William. Last week I had my first summer course. It is usually a 15 week course, but in order to accommodate year round teaching schedules it was compacted into 4 days. That meant that I was gone from 8 AM to 6 PM last week M-Th. The other times I've had class, I'd come home and it was like William had no idea I was gone. Well this time around as soon as I walked in the door his face lit up, he started bouncing up and down and squeezed me so tight around the neck I thought he'd never let go. It was sweet for about a day. Now it's kind of annoying. Even when Isaac is holding him, as soon as he sees me he wants ME. I keep telling myself that someday he won't want me so enjoy this time, but it is pretty hard and I'm only on day three. I've heard this stage can last for as littl...

Isaac had a teaching conference at the Cliff Lodge in Snowbird all last week. It was very refreshing to be in the mountains and have someone else make the bed everyday. We took the tram ride (I had no idea I had the guts to ride in a mechanism hanging by a cable at an elevation of 11,000 feet), had some fine dining, and watched a large amount of television. I'll never forget the breaking news of MJ's death during Oprah! It was funny that TV was a luxury for us. I was reminded of how much I despise local news and commercials, and how thankful I am we don't invest in cable. Will and I hung out during the day at the swimming pool. Grandma brought cousin Deacon one day to swim. It was very fun. Will's ready for a dip in the pool! Here's his first time swimming. I couldn't get over how adorable he looked in his swim gear. I can't wait to go again! After Snowbird we babysat Deacon for about five days. Aunt Sophie left matching pajamas for the boys. What cute cousi...

Isaac celebrated his FIRST Father's Day. William is soooooo lucky to have Isaac as his dad. Whenever Will sees his dad his eyes light up. I've never been able to get the laughs and giggles Isaac can get out of Will. Thank you Isaac for being beyond helpful with our little boy. I think we make a great team and I'm so happy you love being a father. It's so fun for me to watch you interact with William and see the sweet bond between the two of you. Happy Father's Day.

Happy Birthday Mom! The three words that I think best describe you are: FAITH, HOPE, and CHARITY. First, faith. In my life I have learned how to overcome hardships from your example. When experiencing your own tribulations, you share the words from the serenity prayer, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" or "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all thy ways and He shall direct thy paths." You've always had faith that Heavenly Father will help you no matter what. The greatest thing is that He has. It seems most of your sentences begin with "I have the faith that..." I hope to have your faith someday. Next, hope. Whenever I envision a hopeful person, your countenance enters my mind. You radiate hope and uplift those around you. You see the good in everything and encourage others...