I'm on a Boat...

It's true, Aaron and I come from VERY different backgrounds.  When we started dating few people thought this would ever work out.  Aaron was a free spirit - skater, studying fashion design/marketing, fresh back from working in New York, cashed his checks and lived until the cash in his pocket ran out, and the ultimate ski bum.  I, on the other hand, was the uptight scholarly girl with savings and investment accounts at age 20, wrangler-wearing "redneck" cowgirl, avid hunter with animal heads lining my college apartment room walls, and entirely too dedicated to my job and education.

But there is something we have always had in common... fishing.  (Okay, there are a few more, but we will just consider fishing right now for dramatics and in order to tie into the bulk of this post.)  Aaron used to love fly fishing ANY river with his dad, and my family always made ANY type of fishing a priority.  Most family vacations were usually planned around some sort of fishing excursion. 

These are some of our favorite memories as children.  And we want the same for Isla.  Plus, let's face it, many activities are limited with a 1-year-old.  So this year we tried to do as much fishing as we could.  We don't get many pictures of fly fishing because I am not allowed to carry a camera since I fall into the river frequently, and Aaron is carrying a baby on his back while flyfishing so his hands are usually full.  But on occasion, we are able to convince my parents into taking us out on the lake in their boat.  It's seriously our little piece of heaven.  Ahhhhhhh.

The first time out we caught NOTHING.  Not even a BITE.  So the next time we went out we didn't have many expectations.  But we did come prepared this time with a bag full of magazines, gourmet food, and a great music lineup.  And of course it was because of this that we couldn't STOP catching the fish.  Literally, all day long there was at least one fish on at any time.  Up to all four of us having fish on the line at one point.  It was crazy.  I think the total count ended up being over 60 fish caught that day.

We are so fortunate that my parents are willing to share their boat with us.  I am grateful for the relationship we have with my parents, which is more like we are all best friends rather than parents/children.  We always have such a great time, fishing or whatever adventure we happen to be up to.
 

 

 Aaron's fish.

The sweet thing about Aaron is he still gets excited, no matter how big or small the fish is.

 Most of the time our fishing day turns into some sort of competition.  The Bishops are all about competition.  Usually it's girls against boys.  Judging by our smiles, the girls are winning.

 

 Papa is teaching Isla how to fish.  She absolutely loves him and wants to do everything he does.

 Good thing the boat has autopilot.

 Getting bigger.

 The captain.

 Isla reeling in.

 Isla's first fish.

 She would play in this bucket of water all day.

Happy Halloween

from our sweet ladybug and the wolf-pig. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Give and Get is Here!

Give and Get is Here!: "Enjoy 30% off from November 11-14 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy plus we'll make a 5% donation to a non-profit."

Races

Upon having a conversation with our neighbors last week that started with "um, you guys like to exercise a lot, huh?"  We decided that we have 2 options.  Either (A) stop our 11:00 pm basement interval sessions with me on the treadmill and Aaron on the road bike trainer, TV turned up as loud as the volume will go (do you know how LOUD a treadmill and trainer can be in an echoing half-finished basement?), all with the windows wide open for air flow or (B) move to a home in a more remote location where this kind of behavior can't be heard by the neighbors.  Ooops. I prefer Option B.  Just so ya know.
Aaaaaanyway...
Two weeks ago Aaron and I were eating dinner (I think it was a Thursday night) when we realized that we had BOTH signed up for races the same day, the same time.  Not just any ordinary races either.  Aaron had his greatly anticipated Heber Century bike race and I had the long-coming Dirty Dash.  So we convinced Grandpa to babysit (which really didn't take ALL that much convincing) and parted ways.
I was able to make the start AND finish line of Aaron's race.  Because obviously I run faster than he can bike.  (ignore the glaring fact of bike race=107 miles, dirty dash=6.4 miles).
A little background info, the Dirty Dash is a 10k race traversing mountain trails covered in deep mud.  Oh, and add in some obstacle courses and a massive mud covered slip and slide.  Teams of five could help each other along.  It was by far the most fun time running I think I have had yet.
These ended up being the last races of the season for us - and what a great way to end.  Aaron killed the bike race and mom and I... well the Dirty Dash was more of a race to see who could get muddiest, moreso than finish time.  So I would say we were successful as well.

This is at the finish line with our good friend Travis.  Travis is his race/riding buddy.

Here is our team pre-race waiting for our start time.  Nice and clean.  I think there were around 4,000 racers.

Coming up to the finish line.  You had to go through this massive mud pit to cross the finish.

After...

Washing off via fire hose.

 

I also competed in my first triathlon this fall.  I used to swim competitively when I was young (I blame my unusually wide shoulders on being a well-versed butterflier at age 5), but I haven't swam since college.  That was over 5 years ago.  Man I seem OLD.  But how hard could it be right?  The swimming portion was just in the pool.  One of my really good friends did it with me.  Even though we didn't find out we were both doing it until a party the night before.  I was just doing it for fun, as a goal I guess to prove to myself.  But when we left directly after I finished (baby was SOOOO sick, and it was horrible weather) I got a call from Ari saying I placed!  Holy Cow! 

  

(I am the one in the 3rd lane up... next to the guy in the red swim cap.)

 

I'm Isla and I'm ONE!

My  mom is a little slow posting this because she is very busy hanging out with me and working too.

I turned one year old three weeks ago.  I had TWO birthday parties.  One with all my mom and dad's friends, and one with my awesome family.

I have to say, this birthday was way more awesome that last years.

Luckily for me, well before I came along my dad accustomed my mom to the idea of a "birthday week".  Thanks dad.  I may not remember much about my first birthday party when I grow up, but I had a great time!

Birthday week started out on Thursday when my mom and mimi took me to Salt Lake for a girls day.   We went to lunch with my great-grammy, my aunt Chrissy, and my cousin Addie.  Then we went shopping for new clothes for me, then to my favorite store Costco, and to the chocolate store to get some special dark chocolate for my birthday cakes.  I really love hanging out with my mom and mimi.

 
Friday my mom started singing happy birthday to me.  I think she is weird.  I played with my mom and dad then I went to bed and my mom stayed up late getting things ready for my big party, including making me an awesome shirt to wear.

Saturday evening we had a great party with my "aunts" and "uncles".  I had lots of pink decorations because that's my favorite color.  We ate yummy cafe-rio style pork salads and burritos and peach cobbler.  I got some really cool presents like books, a kite, a new swim suit, a John Deer farm band, some bath toys, and a Cabbage Patch doll!

And of course I had my very own dark chocolate cake that I devoured.  I wasn't quite sure what to do at first, my dad had to keep telling me it was okay.

Sunday my family all came over for ANOTHER party!  Both of my grandparents and even my great-grandparents came a long way to see me.  My uncle and aunt, and 2 of my cousins came too.  We had more delicious cake and played and laughed.  I got really tired by the end.

So by the time it was my actual birthday I was totally worn out!  When I woke up my dad had already gone to work but left me a note.  We went to the park and ate some dinner and went to bed.

A few awesome things about me now that I am one:

I love to dance to music

I still crawl.  I will occasionally walk along furniture, but if people will carry me, why do I need to walk?

I laugh at myself A LOT.  I am pretty funny

I went from being 95% in weight to 25% in weight in 3 months so my doctor wants me eating lots more food  I like to eat anything my mom and dad eat, but I especially like scrambled eggs, oranges, hot dogs, cheese, pb&j, crackers, spaghettios, and fat boys (when my mom isn't looking and daddy sneaks them to me)

I like to play in mom's garden.  She picks peas and beans and puts them in a bucket and I take them all out again

I can sort of say mama, dada, papa, mimi, baby, bye-bye, and poo

I know who my papa is!  He is the only person that I can point to and accurately recite "papa" (grandpa O)

I can whinny like a horse

I sleep so much.  Oh I love to sleep.  I like my crib but I don't like it when my mom and dad put stuffed animals in my crib with me.

I love books.  

I like to crawl on my dog Finn.

I love to be pulled around like royalty in my chariot bike trailer

I am also going through some attachment issues.  But they say I'll get over that.  Whatever.

Oh yea, and I have mom and dad wrapped around my little finger.   :)