Frolicking in San Diego

We spent a weekend in San Diego with some awesome friends. Our group consisted of 5 families: 10 adults, 5 babies (2-6 months), and 3 kids. It is strange adjusting to Elliot being promoted to the "kid" category. It was a 7 hour drive, and totally worth it. 

First lemonade encounter. His eyebrows went up super high with every sip.

Driving through some never-ending sand dunes. People that make fun of Tucson for being a desert need to eat their words.

The wall & Mexico in the distance

We stayed in two adjacent houses that shared a yard in Oceanside. I was super impressed by it- they had a fire pit, and indoor and outdoor kids toys. 

Robb Hays, master vacation planner and finder of the great house

Getting the wifi password #priorities

Alice & Elliot playing in the backyard

Sitting around the fire

Elliot was adopted into the Wiscomb clan

A happy boy drenched in watermelon juice

That night, we enjoyed a cut-throat game of Bonanza mingled with some planning. The next morning we loaded up and drove to Coronado Beach! It was overcast until right before we left, and only 62 degrees, but we still had a blast. We braved some boogie boarding. The freezing water fueled the activity with much more adrenaline than I'm used to. 

The sand was all too throwable

Looking for the sun and not finding it. We all got sunburns anyway.

Elliot had a great time and got drenched. Eventually he realized that he was cold and wanted to be cuddled in a towel. 

After lunch on the beach, we headed back to the house for naps and showers. We got in a game of Kuub while the Crows went on a (sadly not very successful) scuba diving adventure. 

Baby parking

We decided to walk to Rockin' Baja Lobster for dinner. It was 2 miles each way and we ended up getting home pretty darn late for the little kids, but it was cool to see more of the town. Our route there took us along the main strip, and on the way home we walked along the beach. Our massive stroller brigade was more than a little bit out of place with the normal 'scantily-clad-friday-night-beach-people' crowd. 

Me & buster bubbs in front of the restaurant

We really need to work on the whole not-throwing-food thing.
Why would you chuck something so delicious across the table?

Aaron was a champ and carried Elliot on his (slightly burned) shoulders for most of the 4 miles

The whole crew! We are so blessed to have great friends.

The next morning we packed up and left. We stopped at Cabrillo National Monument to see the tidepools on our way back. It was cool, but the accumulated sleep deprivation caught up to Elliot so we couldn't stay for very long. 

Looking at hermit crabs and whatnot

He was only happy while throwing rocks

I was probably saying something like "why does this kid scream whenever we interrupt his rock throwing"

He had a total and complete meltdown shortly after that picture was taken, so we loaded up and drove home. Elliot did really well for the first 4ish hours, but I had to dive into the backseat to cheer him up for the last few hours. When we got home, he staggered about laughing and checking up on all his toys.

So happy to be home!

Super Elliot

Super Elliot likes to:

Fly

Hop on Pop. This usually ends in injury for Pop. 

Throw balls up the stairs. Over. And over. And over.

Go on walks

Stand up and turn around in moving strollers

Play with the playhouse Mimi got for him

All in a day's work for this super little fella!

Flop

Elliot's latest love is flopping onto soft things. Pillows, stuffed animals, blankets, and piles of laundry are all frequent victims of Elliot body slams. 

Laundry flop

Pantless Blanket flop

Pillow flop

Aaron was throwing all the pillows down from upstairs. Elliot loved it. 

We had his old bassinet out for another baby. He likes to climb into it and chill. 

For the Fear of Yoda

What is the scariest thing you have ever seen? For Elliot, it is this 2 foot tall, very realistic Yoda doll.

The face of terror

While we were at Mary's house between wedding events, Elliot was crawling around Andrew's room. The Yoda doll was face down on the floor. We left the room, then came running back when Elliot started screaming like he had been mortally wounded. He was untouched, but Yoda was now face up. Elliot cried inconsolably for a while while we mocked/comforted him, and we put Yoda in the closet.

The next morning while we were getting ready, we heard screams from Andrew's room again. Elliot was playing in the middle of the room, then looked over and saw Yoda looking at him from the closet. 

The force is not strong with this one. 

Aaron Johnson Wedding

The main excuse for my mom's trip to Arizona was so that we could go to my cousin Aaron's wedding. They were sealed in the Gilbert temple, which is right by Mary's house. Aaron and Elliot hung out with Mary and the kids while mom and I went to the sealing. 

.

Mother Daughter complimentary outfits.
You can tell that she did my hair because it is something other than down or ponytail.

Mom took this great picture in front of the temple

Aaron got to come with us to the reception with us while Mary watched Elliot

The reception was GORGEOUS, and dinner was delicious

Quite a few of my aunts, uncles, and cousins made it down. I love being around my extended family and loved catching up with people, even if it was only for a few hours. 

Congrats to Aaron & Kelly Johnson!

Aaron Turned 27

Aaron's birthday was the same day as cousin Aaron's wedding, so birthday celebrations got spread out over the weekend. We did lasagna dinner, cupcakes with friends, and presents on Thursday night, then on Friday we had to repeatedly restrain Mom from telling every single wedding attendee that it was Aaron's birthday, and on Monday we went out to dinner at Tucson Tamale. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Deliciousness

Sadly, the cupcakes were the only part of the birthday celebration that was documented. Happily, they were delicious. Aaron didn't even get mad when Alice blew out his candle for him. 

Trauma and Redemption

We made the very poor choice of taking my mom to Colossal cave with our good pals the Hays. Or rather, the Hays said they were going and we tagged along per usual. The cave was super cool, buuuuuuuut there were tons of drop offs and chasms and my mom has extreme anxiety attacks when she is around heights like that, especially when there are kids around. We hadn't been before and should have researched it more before coming with her.

By the mouth of the cave

 Elliot was having a rough day for some reason, and had a complete meltdown in the cave because I wasn't letting him walk around. He was squirming all over the place trying to jump out of my arms and into various death chasms, which was terrifying my mom, and then he started screaming and no one could hear the tour guide over him. I surrendered and took him back out not too far into the tour. 

Mom, Aaron, and the Hays persevered and learned many cave facts.

 Elliot and I hung out enjoying the gorgeous scenery and cool water sluice thing. 

Much splashing was had

Two cave survivors

 We had to redeem ourselves from choosing such horrible morning activities, so after Elliot's nap we headed over to Tucson Tamale for dinner. We hadn't been before, and we loved it!

Eating all the tamales

Seriously. All of them. 

Elliot approved of the venue

Elliot liked making faces at the friendly kitchen staff

 After dinner, we went to the nearby Reid Park. We were just going to play on the playground, but then we realized that there was a giant duck pond! It was gorgeous, and Elliot loved the ducks.

He was quite upset that he couldn't get into the water with the ducks

Duck friends

 In the end, Mom claims she forgives us from subjecting her to cave trauma. She already has tickets to come back and see us in September after dropping Breezy off at BYU-I, so I guess I believe her. 

Mimi Comes to Town

My mom came to town for a whole week! It was great having her around. We all loved it, especially Elliot who really flourished having an extra person around to give him an abundance of attention. He was walking maybe 25% of the time when she first got here, and was up to 75% when she left due to being consistently walked around everywhere. 

Asking for some kisses through the bar
(He was happy to comply)

Serving up some wood chips

Great friends having a great time

We have this book that has foods of every color. Red is Tomato and Purple is grapes. We have both growing in our garden right now, and mom kept taking Elliot outside to show him how they matched the pictures in his book. He is super enthusiastic about it, and now sprints for the back door whenever we get to the red or purple pages of the book so that he can check up on them.

The first of many grape harvests

Hanging out with the grapes

Elliot does this thing where he insists on you reading your own book while he reads his own.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work when I'm reading my actual library book, has to be a picture book. 

He loves throwing things up the steps and rolling balls down the railing. And pretty much everything his Mimi does.

Another advantage of having Mimi around: We get lots of cute pictures of Elliot in the backseat of the car!
Here he's looking dapper for church.