Little Princess Ellie Bug @ 9 months

I finally got Eleanor into the doctor for a well child appointment today (she hasn't been seen since 4 months) and decided it was about time I updated the blog too.  Things are definitely busy with 5 kiddos and it being summer and all.  Sigh....

I get asked all the time if Eleanor has any nicknames.  The answer is:  YES!  A lot of them!  To name a few:  Ellie, Ellie-Ru, Bug, Lady Bug, Little Bug, Gus, Princess, Lady, Little Lady, and Sis.  But, mostly we call her Eleanor (except daddy...he seems to like Princess the best).

How time flies.  I can't believe she is 9 months old.  Every time she accomplishes something new I am flabbergasted.  Not because I have never seen it done before (she is our 5th after all) but because I can't believe she is old enough to be doing it, no matter what "it" is.  It kills me.

At 9 months she:
*weighs 19.13 lbs  (50%-ish)
*is 28.75 in tall (90%-ish)
*is crawling and pulling herself up to standing
*eats some solid foods, her favorites being ice cream and popsicles (so naughty, I know)
*has 4 teeth (bottom two front, and top two canines
*says:  a breathy "hi" (while waving her arms), "dada" (semi-associated), and "mama" (no association), among a bunch of other babblings (mostly when she's getting tired), and she still LOVES to growl.  I hope she doesn't grow out of that one for a long time but hopefully before teenage-hood.
*is still a SUPER easy going kid...much to her advantage(and ours)...and rarely RARELY cries.  While she is still somewhat of a somber little thing, she is very quick to smile (even if it still looks like a grandma without her dentures in), and is much easier to coax a laugh out of.
*loves to look at herself in the mirror and, even more so, loves to look at pictures of Jesus.  She has one in her room that she gets very excited about and "talks" to regularly.  She even imitates the word "Jesus", in her adorably lispy way.  There is no doubt in my mind that the veil is still thin and she remembers her loving big brother.

Wearing her handkerchief dress and cowgirl boots at her very first rodeo this past week.

And now for the video visual.  Nothing too exciting.  Just a bunch of Eleanor cuteness...for the grandparents/family, ya know.


 

She is absolutely adored by this entire household of boys....and her mama too.  She is getting SO BIG and looks more and more like her daddy every day.  We just love our little ladybug. 
 

He's 5...no wait, He's 7!

Lots of things goin' on over here at the Gillespie house with PLENTY of reasons for celebration.

Our little Mini Rob (aka Isaac) celebrated his 7th birthday this week.  SEVEN!  I can't believe it.  For some reason this kiddo will always be five to me.  He's growing up TOO fast.

Isaac is still the same amazingly adorable boy he has always been and it's still a really good thing because he is STILL just as naughty as every.  :)  I really don't think he means to be, he's just incredibly independent, curious, and self motivated.  All good things...within reason.  His crazy deep dimples soften my heart and keep him from getting the severest of punishments.  Usually.  I think God knew what he was doing when he designed him that way. 

He had a super fun day with his friend Landon, enjoyed not having to do his jobs for the day and eating his favorite food and getting "awesome" presents.

My favorite moment of the day was when he said to me, "My tummy is feeling VERY excited for my presents and cake." After laughing about it, we determined that he didn't actually want to EAT his presents, but was just experiencing the familiar "butterfly in the stomach" feeling we all get when we're really excited about something.  It's a good thing too, whew.  I wouldn't put it past the kid.  :)


When asked what kind of cake Isaac wanted me to create for his birthday he said, "A surprise cake that looks like fathers and sons". A WHAT??? It took 10 minutes....no joke, 10 MINUTES....of him trying to describe a very specific idea to me and I finally got it. He wanted a cake with a camping scene (aka fathers and sons) and he wanted it hidden from sight so that he would be able to surprise everyone with a "reveal".   Where does this crazy kid come up with these ideas?  


Without further ado....the pictures:

"I'm despicable," he says

 

Isaac 7 years
*starts first grade in a few weeks
*still loves all things little (tiny toys, tiny bugs, babies, etc)
*LOVES pokemon
*LOVES to play in the dirt
*collects things....anything small/tiny/little...even trash....even if it's not his (sigh)
*loves to organize, and reorganize and arrange and rearrange his room (reminds me of myself as a kid)
*Isaac is incredibly loveable, makes friends easily and loves to make people laugh
*He and Gabe have a very close, very lovingly antagonistic relationship, he and Cael, a lifelong rivalry, and he is Kian's idol and Eleanor adores him too.

We love our Isaac and are so glad he is a part of our family!

Cabbage Patch Lady With A Cold

Eleanor is just so dang cute with her little Cabbage Patch wig on.  Even when she's hacking.  Poor thing.

Makes me smile every time.

 
 and of course.....she can't get away from those brother's of hers.

 

Oh man we love her!

 

Garden Wonder 2014

I love gardening! LOVE IT!

I still have A LOT to learn about it but I'm willing to try. My heart feels joyful when I watch things grow. :)

Remember the "RV parking" the boys and I spent HOURS raking rocks out of?

 Yeah?  Well....take a look at it now!

All sorts of yummy goodies!

This is one of our two "three sisters" crop planting sections. (genius...check it out here)

This bed just happens to be corn, peas and pumpkins.

Look at the baby pea plant getting ready to climbing up the corn...

This one was planted a week behind the other and is still playing catch up. In this "three sisters" bed is corn, pole beans (climbing green beans), and a variety of squashes (zucchini, yellow, spaghetti) and melons (watermelon, cantaloupe).

It all just makes me so very giddy. I'm diggin' this green thumb thing.
 

First Annual "Harding Family Circus" Run

Our trip to Utah this year was definitely not all that we had hoped for.  With puking boys, a puking baby girl, a puking mama, a daddy who was taking care of everyone and a terribly timed thunder/lightning storm, most of our plans were significantly washed out.  Literally.  Sigh....

However, the main event planned for our trip was the first ever HARDING FAMILY CIRCUS RUN.  What originally started out as an idea to run a 1/2 marathon with my sis Stacy, blossomed into a family race/event......1/2 marathon, 10k, 5k and 1 mile walk, COMPLETE with t-shirts, and a celebratory finish line feast. 

Well...that was the plan, anyway. 

Because the week had been a disaster and I had been totally puking the day prior to race day, the grand event was downgraded, last minute, to a 1 mi FUN-RUN (which was totally enough for me...cold sweats and all).  The t-shirts my parents spent so much time and money on were bubbly and (semi) peeling, and a the grand feast became a bring- your- own- food- for- your- family- because- I- didn't- get- anything- else- organized- sack lunch. 

Oh well. 

I all worked out and totally lived up to it's name of "FAMILY CIRCUS".  Complete 3 rings, out of control, crazy, and yet, a LOT of FAMILY FUN! 

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Gabe even did me the greatest of honors, after completing an additional 2 mile walk/run with Rob and a few of the other older XY's, of crossing the finish line at the park with my signature move, "the cartwheel" (yeah, I wasn't feeling up to it, go figure). 

I was one very proud mama.  Made me feel kinda choked up like.....like I must be doing something right.  Yeah.  It was that kinda feeling.  What an awesome kid!  (I only wish I had gotten it on tape.  Boo!)

Great times.  Great memories.  Hopefully a greater success NEXT YEAR (right, guys?)

 THE HARDING FAMILY CIRCUS

(minus 5 adults and 9 children)

The HARDING FAMILY---THREE GENERATIONS OF CIRCUS FUN

Generation #3 (plus Leesa).  What will this circus be like when THESE guys and gals start adding to "the lot"?

Oh...another note worthy tidbit:  Before the race started Eleanor was seized by a coughing fit that triggered her barely recovered from the stomach flu gag reflex and she puked big time all over Roberto (oh....and herself....and the sidewalk...and.....).  It was lovely.  :)

Isn't Mi Roberto crazy handsome, even with that look of barely contained frustration, and barf dripping off of him?  I think so.  :)

For additional insight into the "Family Circus" and "The Cartwheel" see here and here and here.

 

Omak Orchard Bloom Run

Today is the day I've been waiting for for the last 4 months.  Omak Orchard Bloom 1/2 Marathon Race Day.

I trained....I tried....I finished.  That's the jist of it.

For more details, read on.

I was so hyped up.  Rob warned me not to start out too quickly.  I warned myself not to start out too quickly.  But I didn't listen.  I had trained at 9.5-10 minute miles....but mostly 10.  When running with my friend on mid week runs, mostly, we trained at 11-12 minute miles and I was okay with that.  I LOVE running with someone else and chatting.  Makes things SO MUCH EASIER.

I told myself over and over again to just run my race.  10 minute miles was all I needed to do.  But like I said...I didn't listen.

After finishing the first 7-8 miles in 9 minutes each I was beat and knew I was going to burn out.  I hate the half way point.  HATE IT!  I always feel terrible knowing I still have half way to go...doesn't matter the distance.  The next few miles were somewhere around 10-11 minutes each (I stopped looking because I didn't want to focus on time anymore...just finishing).  At 10 miles I hit a terrible wall.  I had pushed it too hard, too fast, and I was out of steam.  And...I had never trained past 10 miles.  I didn't think I could do three more.  I walked.  I swore to myself that I wouldn't walk but I just couldn't keep it up.  For half a mile I wasn't sure what to do...not sure I could finish....but, just like natural child birth, I couldn't go back.  I had to go forward.  1/2 mile down the road was a water station.  I voiced my woes and they were so kind and boosted my spirits.  One grandpa gave me a goal to reach, "once you reach that sign....start running again"...so I did.  There was also a lady at that station playing music on a keyboard.  I thanked them for bolstering up my confidence again.

Just around the next corner my good friend (and running partner in crime) was there to cheer me on.  I told her I was dying and asked her to come along for a bit.  So she did.  Jeans and all (at least she had her running shoes on).  She stuck with me to the end.  So glad she did.  Not sure I could have kept going without her.

We got to mile 12 and I mistakenly thought it was mile 13.  Talk about a crushing blow.  I seriously almost started crying.  But....Shonta kept me going.  One foot in front of the other.

So glad I did.

I finished.  Once I saw that finish line (up over ONE LAST ROLLING HILL) I was able to pick myself up.  Shonta phased out at the last bit  (you'll see in the video) and I finished off...with Roberto and some of the kiddos cheering me on (the others were playing in a field).  And...of course I finished off with the Family Circus Finish-line Cartwheel (FCFC).  My signature move. 

The End

IT'S DONE!  YEAY!

Will I do another one?  Will I train for a full marathon?

Just like I felt after having Eleanor naturally, it might take me a few days to answer this question.

Here's some proof:

Friends Rebecca and Troy

My cheering section

Totally happy to be cheering

Signature Move "The Cartwheel"

The Finish Line