Santana Row

The last week before we headed home for Provo, we decided to do something fun for FHE night. (Because we didn't do anything fun whilst in California!) There is this beautiful, expensive, funky street, 1 mile away from us called Santana Row. Fancy restaurants and boutique stores line the streets. We enjoyed window shopping and looking around the lovely fancy gardens and watching the bands playing. I made the mistake of "popping" into one store at the "sale" items and then turned around to see little Beth all decked out with the latest accesesories. A very impressive attempt for a 5 year old. At the end we went to this very yummy shop and spent $10 on 2 very yummy gourmet treats to share amongst us. Being students again we have learnt to enjoy the experience, but in little amounts. The children are getting very good at sharing and not complaining for "more!" (Well, as good as can be!)

Hyrum, the photographer.

I hope this isn't a sign of things to come!

People were already using the chess set. We had heard about this though and I had told Hyrum about it so he was a little sad that we couldn't play. (Evil mum was secretly thrilled that it was being used!)

Hyurm asked if this was the type of car dad would get when he graduated? Driving the minivan through here is a little out of place. Within the space of 10 minutes we saw 2 Lamborghinis and 3 Ferrarris, not to mention numerous other European cars.

So much money was put into maintaining the gorgeous gardens. So pretty.

Triple chocolate mouse cake and banana choc delight. Yummy. We just had to keep reminding Hyrum that when it was his turn, not to take GIANT bites.

The Isaac fan club

"At a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity" Eleanor Rooselvelt

With Isaac's delay due to siezures, this quote struck me to the core. At 14 months Isaac started on epilepsy medication and it was like a little switch was turned on and he began to enjoy the world around him and became curioius with life and the beautiful things around him. It was such a blessing and a relief when he started becoming curious, something, I have simply taken for granted with my other children.

Our beautiful Isaac turned 2 last month and it was the first time in all my children's little lives that I have truly appreciated "celebrating" a birthday. I remember clearly, being outside on this picnic table a year ago celebrating Isaac's first birthday. We were in the middle of many medical appointments, and hospitial visits. The doctors had a huge list of concerns and tests to do and we were waiting for results. We hadn't yet had him on medication for his siezures and as we were singing happy birthday for him, I had tears in my eyes worrying over his little future.

In one year, he has come soooooo far. And yet he has sooooooooooo far to go. Once again, after returning from a wonderful summer in California, we are in the middle of heavy medical appointments with horrible diagnosis and concerns for his future. Once again, we are waiting to try new drugs for his seizures as he is at the highest dosage of the medication he is currently on and his seizures are once agaiin out of control. In the last 2 days, they have gotten worse. All week I have been on the phone to therapists or specalists and it has been a little draining.

However, through these trials, are tender mercies. Both Dave and my family have fasted and prayed for our little man and this week we have seen such a huge amount of blessings coming our way. In ths photo, this is one of our beautiful neighbors, the Lloyds and they are very loved by us. Susan is just one of our many tender mercies. Dinners, friends commiting to do therapy with him once a week, wonderful new therapist helping him out, friends reseraching medicines and other medical information for me, flowers, kind & thoughtful words, hugs, shared tears, the list could go on and it has helped strengthen us so we can carry on and fight a good fight. The news that mum and dad are coming over for a few weeks in November was the icing on the cake for us. We are so excited and appreciative for this.

Isaac brings nothing but joy to this family and he wll always smile for you. He hates to see anyone sad, and if he see's a frown on you face, he will come and give you a big hug.

Isaac adores Susan. Whenever he see's her, he has to give her a bigggggg hug!

His siblings just adore him and what a huge blessing this has been. They help read him books and do therapy. In every prayer we all think of Isaac and it just brings our family closer together. It also takes the load off me a little. Isaac is the happiest when he is surround by his brother and sisters.

He just loves to have fun!



Isaac
Isaac has done soooooo much in this chair. He is just wonderful and happy when we are out and hiking. Gives dad a great work out too!

My beautiful boys.

He is not the best in the car on the long trips we have made. So this doesn't really tell the story very well!

My mini-mum!! Savannah is extremely sensitive and worried about Isaac. We sure appreciate all her effort!

This isn't a fantasitc picture, but it is one of my favorites, because it shows a beautiful moment with all my children in it. Isaac sat down loving looking at the flowers and the nature and the others flopped down beside him and had some wonderful moments together, whilst Dave and I had some even more incredible, non-interuptiing children moments together. Priceless!

This is a happy moment for me, because just a few months before, he didn't even understand the concept of drawing or paints etc. He has come so far!

Super loved by his siblings!

It just makes me so happy to see him playing and getting it!! Months ago, he didn't even know how to push a car on the carpet. Some of his therapy was to show him simply, how to play with toys correctly!

The children's museum in San Jose, California was fantastic for stimulationg his curiosity.

One of my favorite shots of Isaac. He really looks like his older brother in this photo.

Some of these photos are just for my documenting. Even though Isaac has huge developmental delays, once he finally got used to using utensils, he has been our best and tidiest eater. He always has to use a a spoon or fork and it keeps him amused and tidy.

This was a very fun day out with Megan, but my camera stopped working. We were on a train, which took us all around these beautiful redwood trees, in California and we had a magical time on this slow and powerful steam train. In this picture, Isaac is having a silent seizure. His eyes flutter and he just looks very sleepy. It pulls my heart strings every time I see one, and that can be 10 times in 5 minutes!!! You don't want to have to dwell on it and the seizures are a constant reminder for us.

I remember when Hyrum was this age, he constantly had a lot of anger and aggression issues. He had also had already spent half his life in time outs!!! To this day, I have not seen Isaac use this emotion at all. He has a gentle, placid, easy going nature and it just adds to his sweet nature. It's what gets me through the hard days.

Yosemite Part 2 - We're going on a bear hunt

This was one incredible view, we were on our way to Glacier Point lookout and the drive with the 4 children was a little "hairy". We saw bear signs everywhere and it is a little weird. I'm much more used of signs like "kangaroo crossing" or warning signs for tiger snakes. We all really wanted to see a bear, but from far, far away.

Unfortunately Isaac failed to see the importance of pictures for the blog and did not want to sit still for this picture.

This is at Glacier Point with the famous Half-Dome in the background. One day we hope to do the 10 hour hike to the top.

When we finally arrived at our destination, I (the clueless Aussie) thought it would be a good idea to bring the food out for a little picnic. David didn't realize I had a bag full of food and when I claimed a great spot for a picnic, Dave looked at me crazy and quickly explained that I would be eating with hungry bears. Well, no one wanted to hold the bag full of goodies after that. (I guess that is one way to meet a bear up close and personal.....bring a container of shaved turkey breast to go with your sandwiches?)

He has become quite the poser!

This looks like a nice quiet picture where Hyrum is appreciating nature.....however, what you are not seeing out of view from this camera is Savannah and Beth fighting and screaming that it is their turn! "Hyrum had longer than me!"

So, we "managed" to do quite a lot with our 4 young children but this was one of my simple and favorite moments. The children were all out of the car and able to do what they wanted and instead of encouraging a 5 year old to "keep going "up a crazy steep mountiain in pursuit of a waterfall, we could all relax and no one was complaining! We even got to enjoy some fish swimming by and being entertained by our children's optimistic thoughts of being able to catch them with there bare hands!

We would love to come again and see much much more! 2 days just wasn't enough!

Yosenite Part 1 - Rainbows and waterfalls.

Yosemite National park is probably on the top 2 things we have done this summer in California. It was just incredible and two nights was just not long enough for us to explore all the beautiful spots. We had this very cute and tiny cabin but it was just perfect for us. It also had this great swing outside and whilst Dave and I were waiting for all the children to finally fall asleep, we rocked outside looking into the dark night.

First we headed to bridalveil waterfall, nice and early.

Savannah has her foot taped because she got a bad sprain falling out of a tree! (That doesn't sound like Savannah!) It was very painful for her and she hiked alot on it, so when Dave was giving out awards in the car on the way home, she got the "Legend" award.

For lunch we stopped off here and sat down and this is where the children played with the chipmunks. Isaac just loved them so much. As you see here, he was looking down on them, and he still majorily dribbles and it actually landed on one of the chipmunks and this little animal kept trying to wipe it off in the dirt, it was rather funny!

This is on our way to Vernal waterfalls. We were hot and thought we would have a little wade in the rock pools to keep cool. Divine!

Bathing suits are over rated!

Now for the hardest part of the hike...

Isaac is fantastic in this chair! Just chatting away to Dave.

Almost to the waterfall...

Beth and Savannah admiring the waterfall. You should have seen all these incredible rainbows. It was just beautiful.

Right around here, it was getting extremely steep, wet and slippery, so we asked the children if we should turn around. Savannah said..."let's keep going to the top." So Dave turned around with Isaac and Beth, while Esther, Savannah and Hyrum got to see the good stuff. It was sad they missed seeing the top...they only had about a few minutes more of hiking.

We were very glad that Savannah didn't want to give up... it was very much worth it!

On the way down Savannah's foot was really bothering her.

Savannah needing a break and in alot of pain.

Isaac saved the good stuff till last. When we got home from hiking we played at the camp park and it was just to much fun to roll in the red dirt! Love it!