what happend to my toy

Have I mentioned that we were hit by a C R A Z Y summer storm this past week! Well, Dalton slept right through our 70-80 mph winds, rain and hail but when he got up he wanted to know what happened to his toy. He looked out the back window and simply said..."what happened to my toy?" I guess that is a pretty logical question when your toy looked like his did even though there was quite a bit of other damage to be assessed! Have I also mentioned that we are in the middle of a backyard remodel that didn't initially include a new fence and now it does! We have been working with Red Rock Landscape & Design since the beginning of July...they have planted a total of 10 trees and are currently working on a patio/sidewalk project! SW corner fence down, hammock turned over and trees tilting just a bit!
Dalton's toy #1 over turned!

Dalton's toy #2 turned over and the north side of our fence down! Panels, posts and all!

North side fence completely down...wide open spaces!

NW corner fence down on the west side and trees with significant tilting...Redrock Landscape & Design was kind enough to come back out the very next day and reset ALL of our trees! They said they had never had their stakes be pulled out like that before...first time for everything!

We are so thankful that no one was hurt during this surprising summer storm. I got home from running an errand about 10 minutes before it hit! However, it was quite a mess and Dalton's daddy and the neighbors decided to take it on themselves and they did a GREAT job! But I think they are all thankful for their regular day jobs...building fences is hard work! But for the most part it's done and we are back on track with our backyard remodel...patio was poured today! Be looking for more pictures...we are so excited!

who knew storm damage clean up could be so much fun

Well, I am not sure if Dalton's daddy would consider this past weekends storm damage clean up fun but Dalton sure did! Our backyard was wide open to two of his neighbor friends...made it pretty convenient to play and all of the adults were outside so there was a lot of adult supervision! Oh and of course the fact that the tractor driven by one of his uncles was at our house for two days in a row...which meant tractor rides for Dalton two days in a row! Daddy, Dalton and Uncle Todd discussing their next move!
Barely fits through...

Hey where are you going with my kid...come back!

Just a short ride down the street...he was loving it and I think Uncle Todd was having fun too!

On day #2 Uncle Todd let Dalton help him scoop up the sand and dump it out...pretty cool stuff!

"oh my gosh"

This past weekend Dalton's Grandma Wanda came to visit and with her she brought this gently used john deere tractor trailer from Dalton's Aunt Cindy and Uncle Mike in Texas! Mommy and daddy were outside getting it out of Grandma's car and Grandma was inside with Dalton and he wasn't supposed to see it until he came outside! But we all know that Dalton can spot most tractors, trains, fire trucks, mail trucks etc. from FAR FAR FAR away and this tractor was no different! Grandma said he spotted it through the window and said "oh my gosh" (one of Dalton's favorite phrases...picked up by his older nieces! Straight out the door...and jumped on the tractor!
Taking her through the Smith Family Car Wash...mommy and daddy forgot to check to see if the battery was charged! And it wasn't so we had to think of something for him to do with his tractor that he couldn't drive yet!

Day #2 on the tractor...it's all he wants to do!

He is very interested in watching his shadow...mommy wishes he would watch what was going on in front of him:)

"it was an accident"is what he said!

This is what mommy found when I caught up with Dalton...this wasn't the first or last time the plants have gotten knocked over...but he is getting better!

We decided to take a water break... it's not 100 degrees anymore but it's still in the 90's!

Checking out one of several sand piles at the house...can't wait for backyard redo to be done!

Thanks Aunt Cindy, Uncle Mike, Cousin Brandie and Arlie! It was a very generous donation to Dalton's collection of toys...he ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT! And of course thank you to Grandma Wanda for transporting from Texas to our home in Oklahoma!

hot hot hot

Yesterday afternoon our air conditioner in our house decided to stop working so...Daddy called the air conditioner repair guy and he said he would be there in the morning! So Mommy and Dalton packed up and headed to my parents for the night...it was already 78 degrees in our house! Daddy had to work late and didn't get home until after the sun went down anyway...he's a trooper there's no way I would have stayed!

Dalton did great at my parents house...we played, had dinner and my dad aka Pa took Dalton to see his lawn mower! Dalton ALWAYS asks to see it...we finally had to tell him that Pa was the only one that could show him the mower so we don't spend every minute of every day we are there checking out Pa's lawn mower in the shed! Bath time and our bed time routine went great and Dalton slept through the night...you just never know in a new place!

We checked in with Daddy in the morning and the air conditioner repair man was working and as of 10pm tonight our house is back to cool...it takes awhile when it's 100 plus degrees outside! Did I mention that we have started a patio remodel in our back yard today too! They were there bright and early with a jack hammer breaking out the old patio...Daddy said that it was so loud and that it shook the house. It's a good thing Dalton and Mommy weren't home that might have been a bit much to tolerate! Dalton will be much more excited when the concrete mixer comes next week!

So while Daddy worked from home and supervised the backyard renovations Dalton and I played at my parents house and tried to beat the HOT HOT HOT weather! Mommy had the great idea to let Dalton play outside for about 20-30 minutes because it was BLAZING HOT outside and he LOVES it out there no matter what the temperature HOT or COLD! What could be more fun than Dalton's one-ring splashing pool! Dalton had other plans...

Much more fun to play with the water hose...and by the way his cast is water proof!

We were all a little muddy...Dalton had over watered the yard a little bit...if that's possible in this hot weather! Here he is washing off my toes!

Oh...another great idea...tasty drink from the water hose!

Dalton's idea not mine!

OOPS! I think he got too much what do you think?!?!?

The picture is a little blurry...but too funny not to share:)

Helping Grandma turn off the water faucet...time to go inside for a rest!

before and after pics

A couple of weeks ago daddy bought mommy and Dalton a new vehicle! Mommy was only a little bit sad to say "good-bye"...it was the first new car I had ever bought myself, it's the car we brought Dalton home from the hospital in and lots of other memories but it's a 2-DOOR and this momma needed a 4-DOOR! 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT...SEDAN
2009 Saturn Outlook XE...CROSSOVER

Mommy and Dalton are still getting used to the new car and daddy likes it very much too! Dalton loves that he has his very own window now and LOVES to ride with it down...my sister started that with him! Mommy feels like she is 16 again learning how to drive and park...not so fun and I have yet to figure out what all of the buttons and knobs are for yet! However, we are SO EXCITED for our new family friendly vehicle...thanks daddy for making it all possible! Dalton asks everyone if they have seen his new car...he has yet to ask to play in it like he used to like to play in my old car...with supervision! I don't think we will start that with this one!

happy belated birthday america!

Happy belated birthday America! Once again this year we went to the BIG 4th of July Parade downtown...the difference this year is that there was shade and we were able to stay for the WHOLE parade because of the cloudy skies! Usually its BLAZING hot...the only issue this year were the loud noises! Dalton would say "cover ears momma!" There were lots of SUPER COOL emergency vehicles one of them even sprayed out water...but no pictures of them because I was too busy covering those little ears! We spent this 4th of July parade with my brother, his wife and baby girl as well as my parents and of course almost every other resident in town...it draws a pretty big crowd! Blast from the past...daddy, mommy and Dalton 2008 parade!


Daddy, mommy and Dalton at the 2009 parade!

Daddy and Dalton so serious as they watch the parade!

John Deere tractor...one of Dalton's favorites on the parade route!

The party train...another favorite!

And anther favorite...BIG yellow school bus!

After the parade we headed to my brother's house to eat hot dogs...another one of Dalton's favorites! And then headed home for our BIG nap...yeah for naps! After naps we played outside and waited for the storm to move in...we had mean looking clouds but there was just a lot of wind, thunder, lightning and a little rain! Luckily Dalton isn't afraid of the thunder...we talk about what it is and about the rain and somehow he remembers that sometimes a rainbow comes after the rain...not this day though!

Mommy and Dalton being silly taking self portraits...we were watching the storms move in on the back patio...wondering if the fireworks would get rained out! Well, Dalton probably wasn't wondering that but mommy sure was...I LOVE FIREWORKS!

Some of you may want to call me a party pooper but we put Dalton to bed at his regular time...just about the time the fireworks started going off in our neighborhood! And of course he said "Dalton hear something" and mommy told a little white lie and said "Oh, it's just thunder!" And he believed me and went to bed...I felt a little guilty when my hubby and I joined the neighbors outside as they launched off a good 30 plus minutes display of fireworks (of course I had the monitor with me and we were sitting in our driveway)! But my mommy instincts tell me that he wouldn't be too crazy about all of the loud booms, etc. that come along with those pretty displays of light in the sky! I still can't believe he slept through it...because it was REALLY LOUD! I guess I no longer have the excuse "that Dalton is sleeping" when I don't want to do the load of dirty dishes in the sink...I guess he would probably sleep through that too:)

We hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July and in the words of Dalton Thomas...Happy Birthday America! He has been saying it a lot today...and Happy Birthday mommy...apparently he is into birthdays this week! And of course so thankful for all of the service men and women past, present and future that make it possible for us to live in a country where we are free to do pretty much whatever we want to including blogging about my most amazing almost 2.5 year old!

P.S. For those of you who are wondering...Dalton is doing great with his broken arm...it has yet to slow him down too much! And he hasn't complained a bit I am blessed to have such a happy boy...most of the time...he is 2 after all!

zoo extras

A couple of weeks ago my mom and I took Dalton and one of his cousins to the zoo to do all the extra stuff! You know the stuff that you don't normally do...or maybe you do...but we don't! It seems like I always say we will do that next time and then we don't...Dalton asks about the Centennial Choo Choo train every time we go! So this time we did it all except for the tram...we will do it next time...I promise!

We started with the sea lion show...Dalton almost lasted through the whole show and he didn't seem too impressed with the show...lots of talking and not a lot of sea lions jumping, etc. After the show we went down below and got to see them swimming in their BIG tank...that was pretty cool! Mommy, Dalton and his cousin! I think we found one of the few spots in the shade and we were still hot at 10am in the morning!
Good morning Sea Lion!

Dalton actually wanted to ride the carousel...you just never know what he will be shy about and what he won't these days! But he loved going up and down and round and round! I know the picture doesn't look like he was too excited but he really was!

Mommy and cousin on the choo choo train! SO EXCITED!

Finally a ride on the choo choo train! He was SO PUMPED and then...

They blew the whistle...he rode the rest of the short ride like this barely looking up to see the animals! Apparently it was tooooo loud! He looks really sweet though in Grandma's arms!

Much better from a distance!

All in all it was a great day at the zoo! We saw the sea lion show, rode the kid train, rode the carousel, had some cotton candy, saw the construction trucks in the children's zoo area that is obviously under construction, rode the Centennial Choo Choo train, played at the jungle gym and ended with a McDonald's lunch at Grandma's house in the air conditioning!

a lot to post about

Well there has been a lot of excitement around our house lately...some of it good some of it not so good! And tonight I only have time to post about what is most important and that is how brave my little boy Dalton has been today!

It started out with a hair cut with absolutely no tears...it may be a first! And it ended with our second trip to the doctor in two days...yesterday he fell on a climbing toy at Chick-fil-a OUCH! Yesterday it looked like we were in the clear...the Dr. thought maybe he had dislocated his elbow and then it popped back into place on it's own. But they didn't do an x-ray! It was his left arm and he's a lefty so I could tell he wasn't using it and if he couldn't put much pressure on it. It seemed like it was getting better today maybe a little sore...then he tripped on the water hose outside...OUCH...instant repeat of what happened at Chick-fil-a! Not able to soothe him and he was SO UPSET and his little arm was just limp! After talking with my nurse friend and fellow mommy we (mommy and daddy) headed to an after hours clinic and...our little guy has his first broken bone before his 2.5 years old...UGH!

He was such a trooper during the exam and the x-ray...he wasn't crazy about the x-ray at first but we kept telling him it was taking his pictures and we would say "cheese and crackers" (that's what we say when we take his pictures)! He would just smile so hard and say "cheese and crackers" and was trying so hard to be brave and he was...he kept himself together! Dalton in his room before we got PJ's on...we skipped bath time tonight! He is sleeping sound as can be...what a long day it has been!

And did I mention that we have 3-4 weeks of keeping his arm wrapped! This should be interesting...and he just started liking to swim:( The good news is he doesn't seem to be in much pain or at least the Motrin is taking care of it! Would love any ideas for inside activities or ways to keep my little guy busy over the next several weeks!