6 Month Update and Stuff

The boys are 6 months old! Going in reverse order on the July going-ons. On Thursday we took Jordan to the nose/throat/ear doc (forget what they're called) to get his throat looked at. When he coughs, sounds like a goose...kind of a croup type cough. Hes not sick and doesn't seem bad...just playing it safe. Doc said it didn't seem like anything, but he can't see past the vocal chords. In order to do so would mean putting Jordan under and sticking a little camera down his throat. Don't think its anything to worry about and feel like putting him under isn't worth the risk. Jordan next goes to the doc on Monday to get his eyes (tear ducts) looked at. Poor guys hasn't gotten over his blocked tear ducts. They been pretty goopie since we left the hospital.

Sorry...this looks like its going to be another long post. On Monday we took the boys to their 6 month check up. Jordan weighed in at 16 lbs 3 oz and Jeremy tipped the scale at 19 lbs 2 oz! After a quick look over it was time for their shots. This time the boys got their shots at the exact same time. So no one had to go 2nd and listen to his brother's cries and realize something wasn't kosher and he should probably bail. Like before the shots were a shock at first and after a quick cry it was all over. Best of all, boys did NOT get sick after going to the doc...first time in their life!! They did get a fever and felt pretty cruddy from the shots for a day, but they did great.

And...one last entry...last weekend we had the Mills/Chisums over for a cookout. Grilled some chicken and ribs. I botched the chicken and pulled it off the grill too soon. I was worried about burning it because last time the grill was dirty and there was an extra grease fire going that cooked the chicken too fast. This time was worried about them burning and they weren't cooked to perfection. The ribs were delici-oh-so! Highlight though was just hanging out...Holly and Cin played with the boys in the pool and everyone else got into throwing themselves down the Slip n Slide. *Note to self, do not attempt sliding down the ramp on your knees again.

So here is a photo album for the month of July that has random pics of the boys and the cookout last week: PHOTO ALBUM

Make sure you check out the series of pics at #62! Jordan discovers himself in the mirror in the new exersaucer Jessica lent us. Holly got great shots of him admiring himself.

Oh I lied...one more thing. Last month the boys started eating solid foods. So much fun. Jeremy loves it. Jordan REALLY loves avocado and bananas, but not much of anything else. He does like the kids cereal (kinda looks like the grain pieces in lucky charms) and Kix cereal. Jeremy pretty much likes it all and opens his mouth wide for food. Here is an album of the boys eating: PHOTO ALBUM

And finally, we leave you with a video of their very first time eating solids and some other shots. Bye!

Father's Day Photo Shoot

Well, I didn't post pics of Holly's Mother's Day gift (studio photos) until June. So posting Father's Day gifts (more photos) in July is par for the course. Last month I posted pics of Holly's gift, pics of me and the boys. For Father's Day Holly got me the same gift. I wanted pics of just her and the boys, but she insisted on family pics while the boys are still "young." So here they are. Oh yeah, Miranda has been here all summer and she even got in on the action! We spent way too much money the first time, so don't expect to get pics in the mail this time...except for parents/grandparents. If there is a shot you know you want, let us know and we can either get for you or tell you how to order :)

Here are the pics we got...we didn't get a CD with the order this time (again, expensive), so these are scanned in photos. Don't recommend using this for prints.

Slipitty Slide Happy Fun Time

Last Thursday was another consecutive day over 100°. We decided to try and beat the heat with our a slip n slide! Can you believe Alyssa has NEVER been on a slip n slide before!? We all (adults, kids, dogs) went for a mile jog then walked another mile. Pulled out the toy from the garage. Sparked up the grill, we call him 'ol Grillie. Then cooled off. After trying teach 'lyssa how to slide she gave it a few attempts. No matter how hard she tried to slide Superman style, she always ended up on a knee or hip.

Holly did her best to give an all out slide and didn't ease on to the slide, but instead went airborne Superman style then came down on a knee and hip. She's got a bruised knee to show off now. Its beautiful. "The Slide" was capture on film and is displayed proudly now at the top of our blog!

The boys had fun cooling off too. Splish splashin' and trying to grab the water shooting out of the slip n slide. The burgers and dogs Holly grilled up were yummy and it was the perfect end to perfectly hot day.

Need A New Banner Here

Seems like I always put up a new banner that gets old fast. The mother's day banner stayed up for a long time after mum's day. I need to act fast before August rolls around and the 4th of July EPT banner is still up.

Hmmm...but what pics to use...

Jeremy Being Goofy

He had been sticking his tongue out a long time and making bitter beer faces...once I got the camera, not as much tongue hanging out, but still goofy.

Austin to El Paso in 2:39 (Highway 40)

The 4th (and 5th) In EPT

July 4th and 5th came and went. Spent the whole time with family and it is still not enough. Saturday morning it was off to Great Grandma Licha's for breakfast. Food never tastes as good as it does at Grandma's kitchen. We got a pic of her and all the great grand-kids. There was one...and only one pic that came out where Bella wasn't making a funny face. I don't know if she always does it on purpose or by accident, but she makes the most hilarious faces in front of the camera. In the photo album you will see one where it looks like Jeremy is choking the life out of her.

After eating at Grandma's, it was off to Grandpa Andy's for more food! Gotta have a 4th of July cookout. Pops grilled up plenty of BEEF! The weather wasn't bad if you stayed in the shade. It was just about as hot indoors as outdoors, but the breeze outside was fantastic. After eating too much, we headed out yet again over to Tia Esther's for, you guessed, another cookout. Man oh man, so many kids in our family who were just lil' tikes the last time I saw them and now they are mini-adults...just flat out weird to see them after all this time.

We really got to get back home more often. We really miss you guys! Miss the El Paso sunsets and mountains too. Austin is beautiful and we love it there, but I do miss the mountains. These were the last 2 sunsets of our trip.

Today we hung out with the Chisums (Poppy and Pops) and went to church at Westside. Our old family home. Miss them too. They were a huge blessing for us when we had the boys with all their prayers and support. Got to see Jim Leeah too who I haven't seen in a long. He helped me get into guitar and showed me a lot. He is playing in 2 bands now, NarroPath and The Polynomials. Nice!

After church is was off to lunch the the Chisum's wacky crew from church. Funniest bunch of ol' folks you ever did see. Delicious lunch at The Magic Pan and then back home to finally chill out. The boys were WIPED OUT and slept almost the entire afternoon. I headed out to my dad's again and took the kids to Peter Piper Pizza. Holly and the boys relaxed with the Chisums. Jordan helped Poppy out with her crossword puzzle.
And now...some final packing and sleep before the long journey back home. Hopefully we get some clouds and/or rain along the way to keep the sun from beating us down. Sleep boys...sleep...

EPT Photo Album #2

Back in the EPT

4AM Thursday morning, packing, feed the kids, pack some more...out the door about 5:45AM. 290 from our backyard to I-10 and all the way back home to El Paso, Texas. Randy rode shotgun and Holly rode between the boys in the back. The boys did amazingly well...way better than we expected. They played with the toys dangling from their car seat, yelled at Holly and slept. We had the extra stops for diaper changes and feedings, but it went pretty fast. Our first stop was less than a couple of hours into the trip on 290, Jeremy needed a diaper change. Picture 1: Our first rest stop on 290.

Picture 2: Stopped at a Sonic in Sonora for a baby feeding and a big people feeding...free Route 44 upgrade! Side note...you can't see it, but Randy is standing on a bunch of ants.

Picture 3: The flower (weed?) behind Holly, Randy and the boys looks like the flower Horton carried around.

Picture 4: Jeremy is very happy to be on a road trip with everyone. So much fun.
Picture 5: Jordan is not so happy to be on a 600 mile road trip...and he is not afraid to tell you just how he feels.
Picture 6: Stopped in Ozona for gas and another chance to stretch the legs...Mohair...does that come from a mo? If so, what is a mo? Oh ho ho, this is a mo!

Back home we got to see my Pops and the kids, Mari and the girls and then my Grandma Licha. Boys weren't to happy to finally be home (we stayed at the Chisum's place) and then hit the road again to go see their Great Grandma, but again, they did really great and were smiling for Grandma. Pitcure 7: The boys first visit with Great Grandma Licha.
On Friday we to Grandpa Andy's for lunch. Later that afternoon it was off to Great Grandma Soco's place for a visit and to introduce her to her newest great grandsons.

Plenty of road trip and family photos in this PHOTO ALBUM of the first 2 days. 4th of July pics with more of the familia coming up soon.