The Van Derens

New Years Eve

2012-01-04T10:22:00.001-07:00

We had a wild New Years Eve party at our house. Ok, so maybe it wasn't so wild, but we did have fun. I had bought some glow sticks and blowers (NOT noise makers) at the dollar store and the boys had a blast! We turned off all the lights and the boys danced with the glow sticks. With my night exposure on my camera, this is what it looked like:

They also played hide and go seek with the glow sticks (for a very long time). Matt would hide and the boys (with their glow sticks) would try to find him. When they got close, Matt would jump out and scare them. They loved it!

They also tried to hop with their feet together. Not so exciting, but it was pretty funny!

They wanted to take a bath with their glow sticks. Definitely a good investment.

I think we let the boys stay up until about 10:30-- pretty late for them. Judy was over to join in our festivities (and our wonderful bean dip I made). It was fun, but I don't think Matt and I even stayed up until midnight because we were both so exhausted from letting the boys stay up.

Happy New Year!

Zoolights

2012-01-04T10:21:00.003-07:00

I'm not sure why, but I didn't take many pictures at Zoolights. Maybe it was the enormous crowds of people. Maybe I was mesmerized by the lights. Maybe it was because my boys were all over the place. Anyways, I took a picture of them in the stroller waiting to get in:

And a picture in front of the zoofari express lights:

And a few pictures of the lights:

The lights were pretty good. And there were a ton of people there. It was a decently warm night for winter. It was just hard to keep track of my boys when there were so many people. It was neat to see some of the animals that are more awake at night (mostly the cats). It was too bad that a big chunk of the zoo is still blocked off because they are doing construction. It was a fun night though.

Temple Square and the Front Runner

2012-01-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

The boys and I went down to visit my parents and go to Zoolights at the Hogle Zoo. The night we were going to go, my sister's little boy, Lincoln, got sick, so we decided to ride Front Runner down to see the lights instead and wait a day to go to Zoolights when (hopefully) Lincoln would be feeling better. My boys LOVE to ride Front Runner! Spencer has been asking about it for a while now, so he was super excited to ride.

We transferred from Front Runner to Trax and then walked to Crown Burger to eat dinner. It was a zoo there! After dinner we walked over to Temple Square to see the lights. Corbin has been asking about seeing the lights at Temple Square, and I thought we were going to have to miss them this year, so it was fun to get to go.

Random

2012-01-01T15:46:00.002-07:00

I did my hair curly on Christmas, and it still looked cute the next 2 days! I loved it! Nothing like feeling and looking pretty without much work involved!

Spencer (and Corbin) got goggles in their stockings. Spencer insisted on wearing his to pretend he was going swimming. Unfortunately, the next day he found some scissors and cut the strap so they are now in the garbage. Oh well.

Mining

2012-01-01T15:41:00.001-07:00

Corbin got a mining kit from my sister, Amy, for Christmas. That might seem like an odd gift for a 4 year old, but he asked for it, and she delivered. He was so excited! It was a block of plaster with crystals in it that you had to dig out. At first it was slow going:

Spencer got kinda bored:

After Matt got home from hunting, he broke out a real chisel and then things went by much quicker. Corbin LOVED finding all the crystals.

I think the final total was 16 crystals (even though the box said there were 8-- maybe some were broken in the chiseling process).

It was such a fun activity for Corbin. Thanks Amy!

Christmas

2011-12-30T17:33:00.004-07:00

Christmas morning started out with stockings.

Then we went to church. I made these cute ties for my boys from a pattern I found at the Purl Bee. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take a picture of the boys together wearing their ties. I did get one of Spencer though.

I got to sing in the choir. I love to sing with the choir, especially on Christmas! We sang hymns mostly and a few songs by Sally DeFord that were beautiful. Judy, Aimee, and Caleb came with us to church, so Matt wasn't left alone with the boys for all of Sacrament meeting.

After church, we went over to Judy's house to talk to Josh (Matt's brother). Josh is on a LDS mission in North Carolina, and he only gets to call home on Christmas and Mothers Day. We didn't want to miss it. We ate some lunch and chatted. After the phone call, we decided to head back to our house and open presents. Well, Judy, Caleb, and Aimee watched us open presents. They were such good sports! We didn't want to haul everything across town (I know it isn't that far, but it was a lot of stuff).

Then we headed over to Judy's house so Judy, Caleb, and Aimee could open their presents. We were so spoiled. Judy had some more presents for us too!

It was a fun day! We are so blessed.

Hardware Ranch

2011-12-26T11:19:00.004-07:00

On the 23rd we decided to head to Logan again and go to Hardware Ranch in Hyrum. Matt and I went with our college ward (before we were even dating!), and we've wanted to go back, but we hadn't. 10 years later, we finally made it.

First we stopped at the visitor's center. Spencer loved all the 'stuffed' animals:

Corbin liked making animal prints in the sand:

Isn't Corbin's hat cute? I found a crochet pattern for a santa hat, and tried it. It only took me about an hour, so I made one for Spencer too, but we opted for a warmer hat. I found the pattern here.

Here we are waiting in line to go on a sleigh ride. I guess technically it wasn't a sleigh ride because there wasn't enough snow so there were wheels on the trailer, but still. . .

I didn't get any good pictures on the ride because I was holding Spencer, but I think Matt got some. I'll have to check with him. Here's where the sleigh ride was. All of those little dots in the middle are elk. They said that they had 300+ elk that day.

After our ride, we had some hot chocolate and doughnuts in the back of the car.

We made a couple stops on the way home (last minute shopping and all that), and then headed home. We timed it right, so it was dark on our drive home so we could see all the Christmas lights. The boys really liked the display in Preston. What a fun trip! I'm so glad I have such a fun husband who drags me out of the house (yes, I'm a hermit in the winter) to do stuff!

Daugs Christmas Party

2011-12-26T11:03:00.002-07:00

On the 17th, we got to go down to Logan for the Daugs Christmas Party. It started at 9:30 am, so we got up pretty early to get there and got some doughnuts for the drive. This is Spencer after his 1 doughnut:

The boys wore their Santa hats (Corbin's is too big and Spencer's is too small):

The party was lots of fun. Unfortunately, I didn't take many pictures. I did get a picture of Corbin and Spencer after they opened their presents from their cousins (actually Matt's cousins, but their still cousins, right?).

We talked a lot about traditions and how important they are in remembering and keeping families together. It was a fun party. Matt and I had to leave early to get to a wedding, so Judy kept the boys and brought them home for us.

Ice

2011-12-26T10:50:00.001-07:00

I'm really behind.

A few weeks ago Corbin discovered this icecycle (sp?):

Matt convinced him to lick it:

Then Spencer had to lick it:

Who knew ice was so exciting?

Christmas Update 2011

2011-12-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have had a wonderful season so far. I can't believe Christmas is getting so close!

This year has been one of change (good and bad), but blessings without number. The biggest (and best) change we've had is Matt coming home from Iraq in September. We have loved having him home! He worked hard in Iraq and we are so proud of him and his love of our country. The boys have enjoyed having a dad again (they weren't big fans of the phone or Skype). Our house is noisier, but usually with sounds of laughter and rough housing (what boys need, right?)

Unfortunately, with his homecoming, we've also had some other (not so wonderful) changes, such as Matt looking for a new job and the possiblity of selling our home and moving. The uncertain future ahead of us is unsettling, but we trust our Heavenly Father to watch out for us and guide us to where we should go.

I have been working on home preschooling (I doubt that's a word) Corbin. Since I knew things were going to change with Matt coming home, I didn't want to put him in a preschool in town. Plus, I know he needs the extra attention from me. I started a blog with information about where I get my resources: http://childrenheritage.blogspot.com/. I've also been getting back into my craft phase and have made lots of fun things (to help me keep my sanity). I have especially loved having a husband again-- the nights are less lonely, and I'm actually able to do things WITHOUT the kids every once in a while.

Corbin is 4 (almost 5 as he reminds me everytime I say that he is 4). He loves preschool and socializing with his friends. We have a playgroup and I switch watching kids with some friends of mine so he can fulfill his socializing quota. He continues to be one of the smartest little kids I know, and just soaks every bit of knowledge up that he can. Since Matt has been home, he has switched from a pirate phase to a hunting and fishing phase.

Spencer is 2 1/2. He adores his big brother and tries to do everything he does. He is such a sweet kid, but slightly clumsy, which calls for a lot of crying in our house some days. Spencer talks and talks, even though we thought he would be the quiet one of the two. We love his sweet smile and cute laugh! He loves having Matt home and if he can't see him, he often asks where he is (even if he is just in the next room).

We would like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas season! We have been so blessed to be together again and with amazing family and friends. We are so grateful for our Savior who came to earth and sacrified so much so that we can be together eternally.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T15:16:00.001-07:00

For Thanksgiving, we went down to Eden, UT to celebrate at my parents' condo there. All my family was there (well, Robbie and Kiersten didn't stay the night, but they came up on Thanksgiving). For Thanksgiving Day, we had a bunch of my dad's family, the Newlands, come up and we rented the clubhouse. My boys had fun playing with their cousins and their distant cousins (I'm not sure if they are 2nd cousins or 3rd cousins).

We ate dinner and then played games and watched football games.

It was kind of a zoo, but it usually is with the Newlands. It was fun though!

Lookin' Cool

2011-11-29T15:12:00.001-07:00

Spencer Coloring

2011-11-29T15:11:00.001-07:00

Halloween

2011-11-14T21:02:00.001-07:00

My boys are nuts! They kept going back and forth between what they wanted to be for Halloween this year. Finally, they settled on something (luckily, I didn't have to buy any costumes!) only to change their mind Halloween night during dinner. Luckily, their new chosen costumes didn't take long to put together.

Corbin was going to be a pirate. He had been excited for it and planing on it for weeks. He ended up being a fisher man.

Spencer was going to be a bumble bee (using Corbin's old costume from a couple years ago). He ended up being a pirate (since Corbin didn't want to be one).

They were so cute! I was sad that these were the only pictures that I took. We went to the Trunk-Or-Treat at Judy's church. Then Judy took Corbin around to some houses while the rest of us went back home. Spencer never really quite got it at the trunk-or-treat, but he was sure excited about all the candy that he got!

Carving Pumpkins

2011-11-14T20:59:00.001-07:00

We waited to carve pumpkins until the night before Halloween-- partly because we didn't want the Jack-O-Lanterns to get mushy and partly because the boys weren't cooperating other nights ("be good or we won't get to carve pumpkins tonight" was said many nights before this night). When we did finally get around to it, they acted like they've never done it before! Corbin was scared of the goop in the pumpkin, so Matt started a little 'war' of throwing goop in which there was a lot of screaming. Spencer didn't really know what to think, but at least he tried to clean out his pumpkin. In the end, everyone (except me) ended up covered in pumpkin goop. It was fun though. I got some great pictures and videos and we made some good memories.

Pumpkin Walk

2011-11-10T12:30:00.003-07:00

This year we almost missed the Logan pumpkin walk (my boys were being stinkers the day we were going to go, so we didn't go), but we got lucky because we needed to go to Logan and the pumpkin walk was still going. The boys were so excited (mostly Corbin because Spencer really didn't remember what it was from last year). There were some really cute displays, and I definitely like going during the day better than at night when everyone else goes (and it takes you an hour or more to walk through it). It was also warmer, and that is a definite plus.

Christmas Advent Calendar

2011-11-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

I made this cute Christmas advent calendar. I found the idea at The Craft Patch. It took a lot of work, but, amazingly, I didn't get bored of it (like I usually do with my projects) and I finished it in just about 3 weeks. My boys and I can't wait for December to start so we can start hanging ornaments!

Fall Decor

2011-10-31T21:06:00.002-06:00

This year I actually tried to decorate our house with fall decorations. I had fun putting it up and I think it turned out pretty good.

Miniature Golfing at Cherry Hill

2011-10-22T15:10:00.000-06:00

After our little getaway (we had to check out at 11), we saw that the miniature golfing was open at Cherry Hill and decided to go. We took Corbin with us because he's been wanting to go for a long time. It was cute how Cherry Hill was all decorated for Halloween. They call it Scary Hill. Corbin liked seeing all the different holes. This first one was cute. I liked the gigantic spider!

We all pretty much sucked at miniature golfing, but I still had fun. By the end, Corbin was getting grumpy. We turned in our clubs and got some frozen yogurt at the Pie Pantry (I think that's what it is called). Then we went back to my parents' house and chilled (my dad, Aubrey, and Matt watched a BYU football game) and then got ready for pictures. I'll try to post those soon!

Little Getaway

2011-10-22T14:59:00.002-06:00

My parents scheduled a family picture day last Saturday, so we headed down there. Matt and I (ok, it was pretty much all me) that it would be nice to have our little getaway that my parents had given us for our birthdays (they gave us the money for it and offered to watch the boys). So, we booked a room at the Alaskan Inn in Ogden Canyon. It was a quaint little place-- outdoorsy themed obviously. We had a giant king sized bed, which was heaven after having a queen sized bed to myself for a year and then going back to having to share it when Matt came home. We went to dinner
at Goodwood in Riverdale and stuffed ourselves. Then we went to our room and tried to watch tv/a dvd (the speakers were having problems). I was just exhausted from our day and eating so much that I fell asleep pretty fast.
The next morning, we had an amazing breakfast in bed (I ate too much again) and then went for a little stroll at the Ogden Nature Center on 12th street. It wasn't all that great there, but we got to be outside in the beautiful weather. It was a fun little getaway!

Chillin'

2011-10-16T17:33:00.000-06:00

While we were waiting in the car while Matt and Corbin went in a store, Spencer was just looking at himself in the mirror chillin'. I thought it was so cute that I had to take a picture!

Making Cookies

2011-10-16T17:30:00.003-06:00

I have a cute video of when Corbin was 18 months or so and I was making cookies with him. I realized that I don't do that kind of stuff with Spencer much. I get frustrated too easily. When did I get so uptight? Anyways, Matt was good enough to ask Spencer to help him make some cookies the other day. They had a fun time, and Spencer was so excited that he got to wear an apron!

Grandpa Daugs' Pond

2011-10-08T13:37:00.003-06:00

We got to go back to Grandpa Daugs' house the next week because Matt was going to help him clean out his big pond. They needed to drain the whole thing, catch the fish, dig it out, and then fill it back up again. I don't think anyone realized how big of a project it would be. The pump took forever to drain the pond, so we just played around the yard/farm. Corbin and Matt went fishing at the stream. Then the water got low enough to try to catch things, but all they saw were crawdads. Thousands of them. The boys loved watching Matt catch them.

Corbin with a crawdad. He was scared to hold it any other way than by it's "whiskers" (as he called them).

It was a long day (longer than expected), so we skipped the shopping we could have done and headed straight home. We did stop for dinner, but no Cold Stone (dang).

Apple Juice

2011-10-08T13:20:00.001-06:00

Matt's grandpa lives in Logan and has an apple orchard Every year we go to make apple juice. Last year we went just after Matt had left for Iraq, so we were happy to get to have him with us this year! The boys love it! We first pick apples-- usually just from the ground (that way we know they are ripe).

We usually eat some while we are picking.

Then we put the apples into the apple squisher (I'm not sure of the official name of this machine) and turn the wheel to chop them up. Here's Grandpa Daugs taking his turn with turning the wheel while the boys and Aimee put apples in.

Matt was the main turner since he's the guy with the muscles.

Of course, we had lots of fun while we were there too. The boys love playing with Grandpa Daugs! Spencer especially had fun with him.

It was a fun day. We took home 4 bottles of apple juice (of different sizes) and Judy took home a bunch more. We also played at the park and got ice cream at Cold Stone before heading home.

Painting

2011-10-08T12:44:00.001-06:00

Going to the Lake With Matt

2011-09-24T21:26:00.000-06:00

This was so great! We had the beach to ourselves for the most part. It was warm (but the water was cool, and it wasn't hot, so I didn't get in the water much). We found this hole and the boys thought it was so neat.

Pirate Week

2011-09-23T16:52:00.001-06:00

This week for Corbin's preschool stuff, we did a pirate theme. He loved it! He especially loved to dress up and play in daddy's fishing boat. We also went on a treasure hunt, and he kept asking to do it again and again.

Of course, Spencer wasn't left out of the action the whole time!

Quick Trip to Logan

2011-09-23T16:44:00.000-06:00

With Matt home, we do stuff, so I take a lot of pictures. Of course, I need to blog/scrapbook them, so there are lots of posts. Sorry.

We went on a quick trip to Logan the other day. Matt wanted to cash in on his birthday present that I promised him (a new shotgun), so we went. We also took a little trip to Willow Park Zoo to see the animals and feed the fish. After grabbing a few things at Walmart, we headed home. Like I said, a quick trip, but it is good to be doing stuff.

Fishing With Daddy

2011-09-23T16:24:00.001-06:00

Sunday evening, we went on a little drive to Dingle Pond. The boys absolutely ADORED fishing with daddy. Corbin now daily asks to go fishing. He's gone 2 times besides this first time and it's looking like we're gonna go tonight. I'm glad they love their daddy so much and that they enjoy spending time doing boy stuff with him.

Mayan Adventure

2011-09-23T16:18:00.003-06:00

Just before Matt came home, my parents took us to the Mayan Adventure restaurant in Salt Lake. We've been there before, and the boys really like it (for the most part). I didn't take many pictures (my camera doesn't take good low-light pictures), but I got this one of Corbin on top of the snake in front of the restaurant.

Matt's Homecoming

2011-09-20T13:09:00.001-06:00

After much waiting, Matt finally came home! They told us they would be in Fort Lewis for 7-9 days, and Matt ended up being there for 11, but it is over now! Hooray! We didn't know when he would be coming in until around 4 pm that day. He ended up flying into Salt Lake City (he almost had to go to Pocatello) at 11:20 pm on Wednesday, September 14th. It was a challenge, but I decided to put the boys to sleep at their normal time and then wake them up to go to the airport. Matt's family drove all the way from Montpelier (I was staying with my family in Farmington) and all the way back home after he got in.

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-20T13:01:00.001-06:00

For Labor Day Weekend, my parents brought their camper and boat up to visit us. They came up Saturday night and just parked their camper in front of our yard. They went to church with us on Sunday, and then (after naps) we headed over to camp at East Beach at Bear Lake. It was a fun little campground. The boys had fun playing in the gravel with the sand toys.

Spencer was scared of the fire. He would put his hands over his ears whenever he got close to it (like it was loud or something).

On Monday, we woke up early, packed everything up, and launched the boat early and claimed our beach at North Beach. We were one of the first ones there-- good thing too because the beach got super crowded as the day went on. Judy, Lance, Caleb, Aimee, and Lisa came over and met us at North Beach for lunch and some boating. Spencer, once again, was scared to ride on the boat, but we had fun playing on the sand. He did really like the water rocket (when it wasn't attached to the boat), and both Corbin and Spencer had fun playing on it.

Happy 30th Birthday to Me

2011-09-02T15:50:00.000-06:00

This year I turned 30! My wonderful mother-in-law, Judy, gave me the day off. She watched my boys so I could go to Logan and do. . . whatever I wanted! It was so great! I did some shopping, went to the chiropractor, and just sat on the tabernacle lawn and read a book. Then I came home to a decorated house (thanks to Aimee and my boys, I think), some homemade cards from my boys, and some delicious cake and ice cream. Such a great day!

I also decided to throw myself a party. I had a couple of friends over Saturday night (my birthday was really friday, but when it's 30, you can celebrate for 2 days, right?) for self pedicures and cake and ice cream. It was so good to get together and have a girls' night!

Judy was here too, but she insisted on being the camera woman instead of being in the photo.

Bear Lake County Fair

2011-09-02T15:38:00.000-06:00

We weren't very involved in the fair this year, but we did go one evening to look around. We got dinner there and the boys played on the bouncy things. Corbin rode a pony (Spencer was too scared). It was hard to get them to leave because they were having so much fun!

More Lake

2011-09-02T15:31:00.000-06:00

We've been out to the lake a lot this year. It is so fun to have it so close, and we need to take advantage of the warm days. I've been fortunate enough to have my sister-in-law, Aimee, come with us most of the times we've gone. The boys love having a playmate, and I love having a little time to relax.

North Ogden Aquatic Center

2011-09-02T14:07:00.000-06:00

Finally to August!
A while back I bought a Groupon for the North Ogden Aquatic Center, so we finally got around to using it. I didn't realize how far away it was from Farmington. Oh well. It was fun to go to once. It really is a nice place-- there are just other places that are closer. Anyways, my boys had a blast! My mom and two of my sisters, Angie and Alyssa, came with us. They were a big help!

Angie trying to convince Spencer to go down the little slide. He loves slides, but I guess sliding into the water was a little scary. After a lot of trying, Angie finally just went down with him. He loved it!

Swimming

2011-09-02T13:51:00.000-06:00

We got to go to Pineview Lake this summer with my family. Spencer was scared on the boat (surprise, surprise), but otherwise, we had a fun time. Corbin even rode on the water rocket with his cousins and aunts!

While we were visiting, we also got to go swimming at the condo. They have a cute little kiddie pool that is maybe a foot and a half deep. They had a blast! My boys are definitely water boys.

My Lamanite Warriors

2011-09-02T11:57:00.000-06:00

Back in July (yes, I'm that behind and out of order), I woke up to this:

Corbin said that they were "practicing their lamanite skills." I'm not sure what brought that on, but I think it was either a primary lesson or reading "Who's Your Hero" books. Now, I can laugh about it. At the time, I was a little mad since they used a dry erase marker that didn't come off. They looked like they had sunburns for a couple days.

New Blog

2011-08-30T20:51:00.000-06:00

I taught Relief Society a few weeks ago. My topic was "Developing Our Talents." During my lesson, I encouraged everyone to pick out one talent that they were willing to work on and write down specific things they could do to develop that talent. I did the same. My talent was organizing and preparing. I decided to focus on how that could help my kids. Since Corbin is not doing joy school or preschool this year, I know I need to work with him (mostly to keep him busy). I also know that I need to be better at teaching my kids values and church principles. As part of my challenge to the women in my Relief Society, I told them I would record my progress and thoughts as I developed this talent. Instead of putting all the information in with this blog, I decided to start a new one. If you are interested, please take a look. It is mostly how I am organizing all the information I have found to teach my boys. I am also trying to include things to help me better appreciate my boys on a day to day basis.

An Heritage of the Lord

Lagoon

2011-08-27T10:08:00.000-06:00

In July we got to go to Lagoon. My mom got some discount tickets from the school district that she works for, so we took advantage. First, we went to Lagoon-a-Beach. That was Spencer's favorite part of the day. It was a hot day, so we spent a lot of time there.

Then we headed off to ride the rides. Corbin loves rides! We stayed there so long because there was always another ride he wanted to ride. He says his favorite ride is the boat ride:

A week or so later we were able to bounce back. I just took Corbin because we were just going on rides and Spencer does NOT like the rides. It was the first time Corbin had been on a ferris wheel. He was nervous at first, but then loved it. I am grateful that I have such fun and willing parents and sisters to go with me and help me out!

Bear Lake Pictures

2011-08-26T09:12:00.000-06:00

Other Pictures From Oregon

2011-08-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

We went to a fish hatchery and saw tons of fish. Corbin thought it was pretty neat. I didn't take many pictures, but my dad took some of me and my boys.

While the girls went shopping, the boys hung out at the house. They found a lizard that they called their 'pet lizard' because it let them hold it. My dad got lots of cute pictures!

Hanging out at the beach:

Angie, Amy, and me looking out the windows of the (fake) Mary D. Hume at the castle park.

It was such a fun vacation! Thanks mom and dad for letting me and my boys come!

Jet Boats and the Mary D. Hume

2011-08-20T12:25:00.001-06:00

We went on an awesome jet boat ride up the Rogue River. The jet boat is a motor boat with a bunch of benches. Corbin loved it! Spencer was ok until we started doing 360s and then he screamed most of the time (until he cried himself to sleep in Angie's arms). We saw some deer, some otters, and even a harbor seal! The river was fairly slow, but there was a spot that we got to go through some white water. They dropped us off to get some lunch and then they took us home. It was a fun day!

Here's a mini jet boat that we posed in. I'm sad I didn't get a picture of the actual boat we rode in.

For some odd reason, Corbin took a liking to this boat: the Mary D. Hume. He found a post card about it and my dad took him to see it. He became obsessed! We all went over to see it and take some pictures.

Corbin gazing at the Mary D. Hume

The Hike

2011-08-12T15:48:00.000-06:00

One of the days we were in Oregon, we went on a hike. It was longer than I had expected since we had 4 little boys, but we had plenty of adults to help with them. I think Spencer was carried most of the time.

The boys "taking a break" during the hike.

The view to our left as we decended down the mountain to the beach.

Spencer was given some Red Vines to eat and ended up getting his whole face red. He looked like a clown!

We finally got down to the beach. Then we had a long trek back to the car. We had parked on car at the end of the hike so someone could drive back and get the camper.

It was a fun and beautiful hike. The only real problem was the wind (which wasn't a problem until we got down to the beach). All the boys did so well! I was amazed!

Picnic at the Windy Beach

2011-08-12T15:32:00.001-06:00

Some of the days we were in Oregon were very windy. One day we decided to go to a petting farm we read about, but either couldn't find it or it was closed (I'm not really sure which it was), so we went to the beach for a picnic. We found a not so windy spot right by a huge rock and settled in to play. It was so beautiful that I took a ton of pictures.

We ended up going back to the camper to eat our lunch since it was windy. It turned out ok. Thank goodness for the camper!

The Redwoods

2011-08-11T11:50:00.000-06:00

We took a little field trip to the Redwoods while were were there. We didn't drive all the way to the tree you can drive through because we were told that the camper (that's what we were riding in) wouldn't fit through anyways. We did stop and go on a little walk. The trees were amazing!

The Castle Park

2011-08-11T11:37:00.000-06:00

We discovered this fun park a couple of blocks from the house we were staying in. It was like a castle. I guess it was someone's Eagle Scout project a while back. Corbin was too busy playing inside it that I didn't get many pictures of him.

Here are some random pictures from at the house.

The Oregon Beach

2011-08-11T11:16:00.000-06:00

One of the first things we did was go to the beach. It was overcast and a little cold, so we didn't get in, but the boys loved playing in the sand! There were all sorts of logs and stick to play with and seashells to find.

The boys loved playing in this little fort that was on the beach. They even added some sticks to it.

Crater Lake

2011-08-10T19:45:00.000-06:00

We just got back from a trip to the Oregon coast. I took a ton of pictures, so this is going to take up a lot of posts. We left on Friday evening and stopped for the night in a small little town in Nevada. Saturday morning we woke up and drove all day. We did make a stop at Crater Lake. It is beautiful! There was even a little bit of snow still because we were so high in the mountains.

My boys did not cooperate for many family pictures:

Corbin and cousin, Lincoln:

All four boys: (L to R) Spencer, Corbin, Mason, Lincoln

Aubrey was such a big help! All the boys love her!

We got to Gold Beach, Oregon late at night on Saturday night. We stayed at a vacation home of a friend of my parents'. It was right across the street from the beach, and the view was gorgeous!

Independence Day

2011-07-05T21:27:00.001-06:00

We had a busy, fun filled 4th this year. It started off with the patriotic program at the Paris tabernacle. Judy and I sang with the choir, and it was really a neat experience. I haven't been able to be in a choir for a while, so it was fun for me to get to do that. The choir sang 3 songs for the program. The rest of the program was other musical numbers and narration. It was a good program, and I think the choir has the best seats in the house as far and comfort goes.

Caleb was so good to watch my boys during the program, and he brought them over after it was done to watch the parade. Spencer was excited to see the parade, but he didn't know what a parade is, so after it started, he wasn't so excited. He was so scared of the horns honking and sirens. Silly boy. Corbin loved getting the candy and necklaces. Yeah, they threw Mardi Graw beads. Why? I have no clue. All the kids were excited about it though.

My boys with their 4th of July shirts on. Aren't they so cute!?

After the parade, we went home to recoup for a while. We had a good dinner over at Judy's house with everyone. Then the boys and Aimee played on their slip-n-slide in the back yard. When they got sort of tired out, we did some fireworks. I didn't buy any of the big ones this year-- that's Matt's department. We just had the little fountains and flowers and stuff. Spencer was still scared. Corbin loved the sparklers!

After we finished our fireworks, I took the boys home for baths. Then we headed back over to Judy's (good thing we live less than 5 minutes away) to watch the city fireworks from her backyard. It has kind of been a tradition to lay on the trampoline to watch the fireworks. I was planning on getting Spencer to sleep in the house before we watched them, but he wouldn't. So, we went out and layed on the tramp with him. Corbin had a hard time settling down. Spencer was fine as long as he had a blanket over his head. It is neat to watch the fireworks everyone in the neighborhood does-- most people go to Border, WY to get fireworks, so it is quite an impressive show. The city ones weren't anything great, but combined with everyone else's, it was worth staying up.

Good Ol' Bear Lake

2011-06-30T23:08:00.000-06:00

Today we went to Bear Lake. The weather was beautiful! The lake is way high, so we can't drive onto the beach anymore. That's too bad, but at least it isn't much of a walk down to the water. At least there is a beach at North Beach. I've heard that other places around the lake the beach (sand) is completely gone.

Spencer loved playing in the sand! I sat a played with him for a bit. We tried doing sand molds that he got for his birthday, but the sand was too wet where we were, and he didn't want to leave the water (and I didn't want to either). So, we made sand turtles and such. It was fun!

Corbin had a blast playing with his digger! This was the first time he's been able to use it at the beach (seeing how it was our first time there this year). He started out by digging a pool. It entertained him for a long time, and he kept going back to it.

This turtle was another big hit. I was surprised at how well they all took turns on it. Corbin, Spencer, and Aimee all loved riding it. Caleb was good to push my boys around on it.

Corbin, Aimee, and Spencer had fun working together building something. I'm not sure what, but it was something for the turtle-- a house or something? Whatever it was, they sure had fun playing in the sand.

Since I'm always the camera woman, I never have any pics of me. That's usually a good thing, but I thought I'd try to get one of me (since I feel so dumb asking people to take pics of me just posing).

Spencer eating some snacks:

We stayed at the lake for 2 1/2 hours or so. We would have stayed longer, but I was starting to worry about everyone getting sunburned (we did put on sunscreen-- twice), the wind was picking up, and I needed to cook dinner. It was a fun little jaunt. I'm sure we will be going back soon.

The Pool

2011-06-30T22:55:00.000-06:00

Last year we bought a little pool for our back yard. I put it up last week, and the boys LOVE it! I filled it thinking they could just play in the sprinkler that day and use the pool the next day after it warmed up a bit, but they got right in and didn't want to get out. Aimee came over and convinced them to run in the sprinkler a bit, but mostly they played in the pool. Every day since, they've asked to play in the pool. Most days they do-- the weather hasn't completely cooperated, and one of the days was Sunday, but other than that, they go in it al the time. It is great to keep them busy and to tire them out. Some days I go out and bask in the sun with them. I love summer!

Cooking Marshmallows and Running in the Sprinkler

2011-06-27T21:51:00.000-06:00

Pedicures

2011-06-27T21:37:00.000-06:00

I got to go to Logan this month with Judy to get pedicures. Judy discovered the place called Serendipity that gives amazing pedicures. For Mother's Day I bought us gift certificates to go. We finally found a day that would work, and Lisa (my new step sister-in-law) said she would babysit (basically all day). It was so nice to get away for the day. We left around noon and were able to do some shopping before our pedicures. After our pedicures, we got some dinner at the Beehive Grill. I had to take a picture of my dessert that I got. It was giagantic! Don't worry- I didn't eat the whole thing that day. I took it home and shared with my boys the next day. Then we did some more shopping and headed home. We didn't get back until late that night.

The only way the day could have been better is if I hadn't gotten a humungo headache after dinner. Oh well. It was still a great get away!

The Circus

2011-06-27T21:27:00.000-06:00

The circus came to Montpelier! It came last year too, but my boys were too young for me to want to take them. This year, we went during the day to watch them get all the animals out. We saw goats, a zebra, horses, camels, a baby hippo, elephants, ponies, a bull, and more. They loved to see the animals!

Then Corbin saw the train. Of course, they were just setting it up at the time. All day he begged to ride the train. Since some of my friends were taking their kids to see the circus, I figured I could brave it too. We went to the 4:30 show so we wouldn't be out too late. Corbin, of course, wanted to ride the train very first. Spencer cried the whole time he was riding it. Poor boy is scared of any kind of ride.

This is one of the few pictures I took during the show before my camera battery died. It was a pretty fun show. My only complaint is that it was too long for my boys. They were ready to go home even before intermission. Corbin just kept asking if he could ride the train again. I thought the show was very entertaining though.

Corbin even rode on a pony during intermission. He was too scared to ride the elephant. Spencer kept saying that he wanted to ride the ponies too, but there was no way that was going to happen. I could just see him getting scared, letting go of the reins, and slipping off the pony mid-ride. Maybe next year. I was sad that I didn't get any pictures of Corbin riding though.

Crazy Pancreas 5K

2011-06-27T21:15:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of June, I ran/walked in a 5K. For those of you who don't know, a 5K is only 3.2 miles. Nothing too exciting for an avid runner, but I am definitely NOT an avid runner. In fact, I really hate running. I signed up for this 5K for a few different reasons: 1. my friend was in charge of it, 2. it was for a good cause (juvinile diabetes), and 3. in hopes that I would learn to like running. Due to the incredibly cold and rainy weather we had in May, I didn't get much time to train. I pretty much just trained the week right before the race. That being said, I finished the race in just over 37 minutes. Yeah me! I wasn't even last. That was my biggest worry. I knew I would finish since it wasn't that long. I just didn't want to be last. As it turned out, I finished about in the middle.

I was lucky enough to convinve Aubrey sign up to do the race too, so we got a hotel in Pocatello the night before the race. My mom came up too so she could watch my boys. Here's me after the race, back at the hotel. Don't I look so pretty?

My boys LOVE to swim.

After we checked out of the hotel, I took the boys to the zoo in Pocatello. Pretty much a waste of time and money. Now I know. The zoo is ona cliff. It was almost as big of a workout just pushing the stroller around the zoo as the 5K had been! Spencer did like seeing the bear though.

Resting mid-way up a giagantic hill.

The boys found walking sticks and walked around for a bit.

It was a good trip. It felt good to get out and do stuff, and I'm proud of myself for doing the 5K and pushing myself. We'll see if I feel like doing it again next year.

Spencer's 2nd Birthday

2011-06-02T08:13:00.000-06:00

Monday was Spencer's 2nd birthday. We had a fun day! I made cupcakes (I hate having leftover cake, but leftover cupcakes are easy to freeze) and decorated them with M&Ms (Spencer's favorite). The boys had fun helping me decorate.

We had a barbeque lunch over at Judy's house. We had cupcakes and ice cream for dessert. Spencer picked off the M&Ms and then went to town on the ice cream. He didn't even try the cupcake. He was so excited for the ice cream cone that he bit a big hole in the side when he first got it!

Some of Spencer's presents:

a giant ball (well, to him it is giant)

a tricycle

After the birthday festivities, we make the long journey to Lava Hot Springs to go swimming. It was a rainy day, so we just went in the hot pools. Spencer loves to swim! I put both boys in life jackets. Corbin loved it-- he didn't have to rely on someone to always hold him. Spencer liked his, but wasn't confident enough in it to not have someone hold him. He liked to walk up and down the ramp into the pool since the pools were all too deep for him to touch.

It was a fun day, and I think Spencer enjoyed it. He especially liked being sung to and blowing out the candles. Good thing Caleb had his birthday on Sunday so Spencer knew what to do with the candles.

Random

2011-06-02T07:50:00.000-06:00

Spencer loves our flat daddy. Every once in a while I'll find him hugging it, giving it a kiss, or talking to it. He misses daddy!

Corbin's joy school graduation. It was quick since the boys are 3-5 years old and don't have very long attention spans, and Corbin wouldn't sing the song with them, but he thought it was neat to get a certificate. Joy school was so good for him this past year. I'm glad to have a break, but hopefully we can do it again next school year.

Corbin and cousin Lincoln jumping on grandma and grandpa's trampoline. The little boys (Spencer and Mason) wanted to jump too, so they had to take turns. They love the tramp!

Taking a camper ride. Corbin LOVES Grandma and Grandpa's camper! Every chance he gets to ride in it, he takes. I took this picture when we were just taking the camper back to Grandpa's office to drop it off, and all the boys wanted to go for a ride. Corbin can't wait to go camping this summer!

I got to go to the Miss Farmington pageant a little bit ago. My sister, Alyssa, was in it. She was amazing! For her talent, she did a ballet dance (on pointe) AND twirled a saber. Talk about talent! I am a bit biased, but I was kind of disappointed in the judges. Alyssa did win a scholarship for the essay contest that the girls did. It was fun to watch though, and all the girls looked so beautiful.

Temple Square

2011-05-16T21:15:00.000-06:00

While I was down visiting my family, we took a little trip to Temple Square. I had heard that the flowers were blooming and about how beautiful it was (we usually only go during winter to see the lights), so I thought it would be fun. I've been trying to teach my boys about the temple lately, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for them to walk around the temple grounds.

We rode on Frontrunner down there. Corbin and Lincoln were so cute on the train! They just sat next to each other and talked about how neat it was to be on a train. Since we had all 4 little boys and two strollers, we opted to walk from the station instead of taking Trax. We walked over to the food court at Gateway for lunch. Then we walked over to Temple Square. It was so beautiful! Unfortunately, there was a little bit of a cold breeze, so we still had to take our jackets, but at least it wasn't freezing cold! Luckily, my sister, Angie, had the day off work so she could go with us and help corral the kids. She was a HUGE help! My double stroller was out of commission, so I just had my single stroller. One boy had to walk, so we rotated. Amy was nice to let Spencer ride in her stroller for part of the time.

Riding Frontrunner home. The boys were so wiped out! The trip back was full of grumpy boys, but overall, I think it was a fun trip.

South Davis Recreational Center

2011-05-10T08:18:00.000-06:00

Last night we went to the South Davis Rec Center for Family Night to go swimming. The boys loved it! Spencer loved to walk around in the water. Corbin loved to splash and get wet.

Both boys even went down the big yellow slide! I was a little worried, but they loved it and wanted to go again and again! Aubrey took Spencer the first time he went.

My dad took Corbin. I know the pictures aren't that great-- sorry.

I hadn't been to the rec center since it was the Bountiful Bubble before I was married, so it was fun to go and play. They have a shallow play area for kids, a lazy river, a deeper pool, and the big yellow slide. I SO wish that we lived by something like this! I guess I should be grateful that my family does so we can go when we visit.

The Outback

2011-05-10T08:07:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, my dad took us out to dinner for Mother's Day. We went to The Outback Steak House. We waited outside for a bit, and the little boys had fun playing.

The food was yummy and the boys weren't too bad. It was a good night.

Hogle Zoo

2011-05-04T13:11:00.000-06:00

While down visiting my family for Easter, we went to the Zoo. Amy and her boys and my mom and dad came with us. It wasn't the warmest day, but we still had fun.

We rode the carousel. Spencer was so scared of it once it started that my dad ended up having to hold him. Before it started, though, I got a picture of him sitting on an otter.

Amy with Lincoln and Corbin (Corbin's wearing orange).

The famous ball. Well, it is famous to my boys. They LOVE it! I'm not sure why. Especially since it was a cold day anyway, and the water on it definitely wasn't warm.

We also rode the train, but I didn't take pictures-- mostly because Spencer was deathly afraid of riding that too. The funny thing is that Spencer has been talking non-stop about riding the train and the carousel since we've been home. We're planning another trip to the Zoo soon...

Easter

2011-05-04T12:58:00.000-06:00

I've been trying hard this year to help my boys understand the reason why we celebrate Easter. We spent the week leading up to Easter reading the Easter story and I tried to explain pictures to them. We, however, could not escape the egg part. I guess that's ok-- my boys had a blast doing egg hunts. We went to one in Kaysville (yes, we were down visiting my family again). It was the worst Easter Egg hunt ever. My boys were supposed to be split up because of their ages, but I couldn't very well be in two places at once, so we all went to the area for 0-3 year olds. It was a big baseball field with eggs everywhere. The fence around it was lines with tons of people! Then they told everyone to go. You would think with Spencer being in the middle of the ages that he might do well. Not so. He got one egg and one piece of candy. Corbin, since he was older, got about 6 eggs. The hunt lasted about 15 minutes. Amy's two boys each only got an egg. There were some really nice girls (probably around 8 or 9) that gave us some eggs when they saw that my boys didn't have many. So sweet!

Easter morning, my boys loved seeing their baskets. Corbin was so excited to get Dash (or Bash, I get them mixed up all the time), a Thomas train. Grandma and Grandpa were so good to them. Aubrey helped them get their presents out and put together.

Here's me in my new Easter dress on Sunday. Not the best picture, but I don't post many, so I thought I should post this one.

Sunday afternoon we had a big egg hunt for the 4 little boys. There were tons of eggs! I think all the boys filled their baskets twice. They had so much run though!

Corbin and Lincoln examining their loot.

Boxes

2011-05-04T12:39:00.000-06:00

This is what has entertained my boys for the past month

BOXES!

Never mind that they have tons of toys. Never mind that they picked out most of those toys themselves. They toy of choice is a cardboard box. Same with when we had joy school at our house this past week. Boxes. I guess I should be happy that they have good imaginations, right? I'll try to ignore the fact that those boxes were supposed to hold items that go in the basement.

Baptism

2011-04-17T13:56:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we drove down to Stansbury Park to go to Matt's cousins' baptisms. Logan and Ellie are so cute, and I loved going down to see them take such an important step in their lives. My boys did rather well considering we drove 3 1/2 hours both ways. They LOVED the weather! They really liked watching the actual baptism too (they weren't too crazy about sitting still during the talks and songs).

After the baptisms, we went to a nearby park and had an Easter Egg hunt. It was so much fun to see all the kids scramble around being so excited! Corbin and Spencer absolutely loved it!

It was a really good day. I am so blessed to be part of such a wonderful family that is so close and so accepting and so supportive of one another. I was around some truly great people, old and young. Thank you Logan and Ellie for letting us be a part of such a wonderful time for you!

Like Father, Like Son

2011-04-06T23:15:00.000-06:00

General Conference Weekend

2011-04-06T23:14:00.000-06:00

Be prepared for a lot of pictures.

We went down to my parent's house for the weekend. The boys LOVED the weather! We played at the park on Friday, and they had a blast!

Corbin got this digger from Matt in the mail just before we went down, and he was obsessed with it!

We went up to their condo in Eden for the weekend. My boys love hanging out with their aunt Alyssa!

Corbin coloring during Conference.

Swimming in the hot tub at the condo:

Grandpa playing playdoh with the boys. He is the favorite!

We went for a walk on Tuesday morning on the Lagoon Trail. Corbin and Lincoln thought they wanted to walk too (instead of riding in the strollers). They are such great friends!

McDonalds

2011-03-25T08:53:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday we took a little trip to Logan. I was way overdue for a chiropractor's appointment and we needed to get away from the snow (yes, we still have about a foot of snow here in the arctic). For dinner, the boys wanted to go to McDonalds. I know there are a lot of moms out there that hate taking their kids to McDonalds. I love it. Mostly because my kids love it and they don't drive me crazy while I eat. Spencer LOVES slides. He has even learned how to climb up through the maze to find the slide to go down. It takes him a while to find it, but I'm amazed that he does it. I don't think Corbin ever would without Aimee's help until he was older. Corbin loves McDonalds (and Arctic Circle, or any other play place) because he gets to make friends. My kid is the friendliest kid you'll ever meet. He has absolutely no reservations about just going up to someone and flat out asking them if they want to be his friend. Wednesday was such a day. He quickly made a new friend, and their conversations were so cute while they were up in the tubes! Luckily, there weren't many kids there so I could hear much of what they were saying (it doesn't hurt that Corbin is a loud talker). At one point, Corbin was asking his new friend if he wanted to come meet his mom. "My mom is really nice. She said if I was good she would let me look at the Thomas toys at Walmart." You know, as much struggles there are as a mom, I LOVE the rewards! Here are some cute pictures of my boys:

More Fun with Grandma and Grandpa

2011-03-15T15:28:00.000-06:00

While down visiting my parents, we also got to go 'swim' in the hot tub up at their condo. The boys loved it!

Cousins left to right: Corbin, Spencer, Lincoln, Mason

Playing at Barnes Park. The weather was awesome!

On the drive home, we stopped at McDonalds so the boys could get out a play for a bit. Spencer made a new friend and followed him up all the way to the top of the slide. He's never done that before! He came down twice, but then decided that it was too scary the 3rd time, so I had to send Corbin up to get him (a few times).

Chuck E. Cheese

2011-03-15T15:16:00.000-06:00

While down visiting my family, we went to Chuck E. Cheese. My boys LOVED it! Corbin loved the rides and games:

One of Corbin's favorite things to do was to put the tickets in the ticket counting machine. Silly boy!

Spencer, too, loved the games. For some reason I didn't get a picture of him playing any games though. I guess it is just too hard to take pictures and help him at the same time. Spencer's absolute favorite thing was the Chuck E. Cheese balloon I bought him (he saw someone else with a balloon from a birthday party). He loves that thing! It is even still floating at our house and he still plays with it!

It was a fun little outing until Corbin threw a fit about not getting the prize he wanted (he didn't have nearly enough tickets). So, we ended the evening with me carrying Corbin out kicking and screaming (literally) and Spencer holding my hand. Of course, we had to make the stop at the exit where they have to check your stamp (on the way out, really?) before they let you leave. I was mad. So, we will probably go again, someday. My boys keep talking about it, so I'm sure I'll give in sooner or later.

Renewal

2011-03-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

I skipped out early on my week and my boys and I headed to warmer country-- Farmington, UT. The snow was getting to me, and my boys needed some change in atmosphere, so it was just what we all needed. My parents are awesome! We did lots of fun things there, and the weather was perfect. My main excuse for going down there was that I had a $50 voucher for Kiddie Kandids that expires on the 15th, and my boys haven't had professional pictures taken for way too long. Here are some of my favorites:

I was so amazed at how great they both did! The biggest reason why I haven't taken them to get their pictures taken is because the last time I went I didn't have a very good experience (because of my kids, not the photographer). I was dreading fighting with them trying to get smiles out of them. My mom was so nice to go with me. But my boys were angels. Corbin tried so hard to do what the photographer asked-- even when he didn't understand what she wanted him to do. Spencer was a little confused about what was going on, but we still got some cute smiles out of him and he stayed relatively still. I love my boys! They are so cute!

After our much needed break from the snow, we are now home. Back to our foot of snow. I can tell it has melted a little. I have wonderful in-laws that made coming home so much better. I feel renewed and able to get back to life. Thank you everyone for helping me so much in my little crisis!

Fun With Daddy

2011-03-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

The boys had a blast with Matt while he was home. The house was a lot louder, that's for sure. They have definitely missed wrestling with daddy. They were constantly jumping and climbing on him or having pillow fights.

We took the boys over to the ice skating pond. Corbin loved it and didn't want to leave. Spencer, on the other hand, didn't think it was all that neat and got cold quickly. We didn't stay long, but Corbin had to show us how he could run and slide on the ice. Then Spencer tried to run on the ice and it didn't work so well for him. It was cute to watch them play though.

Spencer never wanted to leave Matt's side. One of the first things he would check in the morning was if Matt was in bed. Even when Matt was watching tv (or especially while he was watching tv), he had to climb on him.

One day we bundled them up and played outside. The boys convinced Matt to pull them in his sled after he was done unloading his duck hunting gear. The neighbors were nice enough to let us use their snow pile.

Enjoying Idaho-- by Matt

2011-03-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

I was happy that I got to spend time outdoors with the family while I was home for leave. Corbin and I went ice fishing twice and he loved it. I had to bundle him up like a marshmallow, but he didn't complain until he had to pee. We could have caught nothing but a stick and Corbin would have still loved the trip. It is always a bit slower pace when I take him on outings with me, but I am always happy when I do.

Caleb and I went up to American Falls for the opener of the Spring Snow Goose season and that turned out to be an interesting hunt. The weather has been far to cold to get the birds migrating to Utah and Idaho and we didn't see near the number of Snows that I had hoped for. The birds we did see were just too high to shoot at. We did, however, see one amazing waterfowl show. We called in hundreds or Canada geese and ducks the entire day. I don't think that 10 miunutes went by the entire day when we were not having birds flying around us. It was a field hunt with layout blinds so we just got to lie there and watch tons of birds try to land on us. I won't give them enough credit to say that they knew we couldn't shoot at them this time of year.
I had a great time with the family on my leave. I know Amber was worried about how things would go. I am always thankful for her and her hard work with the boys. They are incredibly smart and I know it has a lot to do with her dilligence in teaching them and playing with them. One of the guys I work for told me to "try and forget this place (our house in Iraq) for a while," when I left. Being with the family was a great break for me. I'm now sitting back in Baghdad ready to endure the next few months.

Happy Birthday Corbin!

2011-02-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today Corbin turned 4! It is so hard to believe that it was 4 years ago that this smart little boy entered my life. It seems as if he's always been a part of our family.

We've been celebrating his birthday pretty much all week long. Earlier in the week we went to Discovery Gateway. Today was the big celebration at home. We woke up, and immediately Corbin wanted to open presents. The only problem was that they were not yet wrapped, so I had him eat breakfast while I wrapped them (with new baby wrapping paper because I spaced buying birthday wrapping paper). After he opened his presents, he played with them. For a long time. I love giving him presents for that reason. New toys always occupy him for a long time so I can get stuff done. Anyways....while Spencer took his morning nap, I ran to the grocery store, and then we headed over to Riverdale to go swim at the hot pools. The boys loved it!

After swimming, we got some ice cream and then headed home. The boys had a blast swimming! At home we made Corbin's birthday cake (Corbin had fun decorating), had dinner and then Matt's family came over for cake and ice cream. Corbin also got to open a present from them:

It was a long, but fun day. I love my Corbin. I love how he gets so excited about things that he can hardly contain his energy. I love that he is passionate about things. I love that he has no fear. He loves to talk to people, and he is sure that everyone wants to hear what he has to say. I hope he never looses that. Happy Birthday Corbin!

Discovery Gateway

2011-02-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

On Monday we took Corbin to Discovery Gateway for his birthday (his birthday is Saturday, but he really wanted to go there, and we won't be down in Salt Lake for his birthday). The boys had a blast!

Corbin playing with the crane

Spencer and Lincoln in the car

Spencer driving a little car (he didn't really like it for some reason)

The big hit for the little boys was the water area. They got soaked! Spencer even decided to climb up in it and sit in the water.

Corbin and Lincoln playing with a crane.

After the Discovery center, we went to Applebee's for dinner. That was a mistake. The boys were so wound up that they weren't very good at the restaurant. Now I know not to do that. It was a fun trip though.

Projects

2011-01-31T20:13:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, you know that I constantly have a million projects in the works. I recently started (and actually finished!) some ABC fabric letters to use with preschool activities with my boys. I got the idea for them here. I used up a bunch of scrap fabric, and I didn't even use the same fabric twice! Corbin and Spencer had a blast playing with them today, but not as I would have thought. They pretended they were coal for the train. Oh well! Someday I'll think of an activity to play with them that actually involves letters.

Good Morning!

2011-01-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is how I discovered Corbin and Spencer's room this morning. I swear it wasn't this messy when they went to bed last night!

Notice the side of the crib. That's right.....propped up against the crib like a ladder. Somehow Corbin figured out how to take off the side of the crib to "let Spencer out" (as Corbin put it). Then they were using the side as a ladder to get up to the changing table. I'm in trouble now!

Logan Fun Park

2011-01-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided we needed to get out of the house and out of town for a bit. We've been going a little stir crazy, and I've been feeling a little trapped. So, after Corbin got done with Joy School and Spencer woke up from his nap, we headed off to Logan. First, we stopped in Preston and went to a fabric store. I love buying fabric! I spent way too much time there, but I didn't spend too much money, so it was ok. They had a little play area for kids, and there was a little boy there that Corbin, of course, went and started talking to and playing with. He's so friendly! I love it!
Next on the agenda was the Logan Fun Park. The boys had a blast! We went and played in their 'soft play' area, which is just like a giant play place like at McDonalds. It was nice because I could go in it too. Spencer was a little scared at first, but after he got used to it, he kept wanting to go down the blue slide (which was hard because it was a maze to get up to the top of it). Corbin kept wanting to play the arcade games (which he was too little for most of), and we got some nachos and chicken nuggets for our snack. After spending a few hours there, I wanted to do a little shopping. I was hoping that their wiggles were out and that things would go smoothly. Not so much. Spencer had skipped his afternoon nap, so he was a little grumpy. We survived Staples, Honks 1.00 and Joann's and then headed home. We stopped in Preston at the pizza place and got pizza because my boys were insisting on pizza all day and that was the only place I knew of where they actually had a dining room. We didn't stay long (thankfully the pizza didn't take too long), and then we headed home. The only pictures I took were from the pizza place:

It was a fun day. So good to get out of the house and do something different! I was a little wary to go do all that with my boys by myself (I go shopping with them all the time-- I was mostly worried about the Fun Park), but we had a fun day. Making memories. That's what it's about, right? I love my boys!

Playing

2011-01-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the activities we have been doing to keep up busy during the cold days.

I bought some glass (plastic?) clear hearts that are supposed to be table decorations, and my boys LOVE them! They love to dump them out, put them in other containers, throw them everywhere, play games, etc. Here they are just making a mess:

Corbin loaded his train up with them, and Spencer loaded his heart measuring cup with them:

I got this idea from the 1+1+1=1 website. Spencer loves to put all the playdough containers in the cardboard box they came in. He can't yet pull them out because they are too tight, so he brings it to me and says, "dump," and I dump/pull them out so he can put them back in.

This is Spencer 'helping' with the laundry. I had two baskets to fold, and he thought it was great fun to just move the clothes back and forth between the two baskets. He did get frustrated trying to get the clothes out of the very bottom of the tall basket, so he gave up and moved on.

What My Boys Love

2011-01-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Spencer loves playing with my money box. He dumps it out, puts money in this green cup, and puts it back in the box. It entertained him for a long time the other day!

Corbin loves puzzles! Today we did his tractor puzzle in the kitchen. It was a tough one because of the shape, but he is getting really good at puzzles and even does his 50 piece (under the sea) puzzle almost entirely by himself!

Activities

2011-01-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

One of my goals this year is to have activities for my kids to do during the day. I used to be good about this....until I had Spencer. Then I kind of forgot that being a mom is more than just cleaning, cooking, and changing diapers. So, in my efforts to do better, I have been searching the internet and have found some blogs that have some really good ideas. My two favorites (for now) are: http://activitymom.blogspot.com/ and http://confessionsofahomeschooler.blogspot.com/

So far I have printed out letters for Corbin to trace, a dinosaour shape matching game, made a match the picture to the letter game, and a few more. There are great ideas! Some take more work than I am willing to put into it, but I was amazed at how much Corbin enjoyed even the simplest of things. There was one page with 3 lines (curved, zig-zag, wavy) and all you do is cut along the lines. He loved it!

Now I need to find some activities for Spencer....

The New Popcorn Machine

2011-01-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

For Christmas my parents bought us a popcorn machine. My boys have been begging to use it every day (probably because I left it sitting out in the family room). Tonight I finally decided to get it out. I didn't know where to put it, so I figured I'd just make it in the family room and we'd watch a movie and eat it. I don't know what I was thinking! In my defense, I did put down a drop cloth to try to keep the mess to a minimum. It didn't work. The boys loved it though! Spencer thought it would be fun to just dig both hands in the thing of popcorn and see how much he could grab, and then dump it on the floor.

We started watching Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and they actually watched it. We only watched about 20 minutes of it because it was getting late. It was a fun little treat though!

Stickers

2011-01-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what can be said about this picture........

Christmas

2011-01-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

This year for Christmas, we went down to my parents' house in Farmington, Utah. I was a horrible photographer because I couldn't find my camera Christmas morning, so I didn't get many pictures. I'll have to get a copy of the video my dad took. The hard part about Christmas morning is deciding to either enjoy the time or get out the camera and take pictures. I'm glad my dad is the designated video taker. I really enjoyed just watching my boys (and helping them) open presents and be so excited!

Christmas Eve-- Spencer and Corbin love having Grandpa flip them.

All the boys LOVE Grandpa, and he often ends up on the bottom of the dog pile.

Corbin with his new camera. He took something like 250 pictures that day.

Spencer with his new train making a funny face.

It was a wonderful Christmas and so much fun to get to spend so much time with my family. We ended up staying an extra week since Corbin's joy school was postponed and I got a cold. My boys had a blast playing with everyone, and I loved having the help and just getting to talk with my family. They are the greatest!

Temple Square

2010-12-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to Temple Square to see the lights. My mom, dad, and sister, Aubrey, came with us. We rode Frontrunner to Salt Lake and then took Trax to Gateway where we ate dinner at the food court. Then we hopped on Trax again and rode over to Temple Square where we were met by my sister, Amy, and her husband and 2 boys. It was a little rainy/snowy, but at least it wasn't too cold like it has been in past years. It was a fun little trip. The lights were beautiful (as always), and we made some good memories.

Spencer trying to push Corbin in the stroller

(left to right) Aubrey and Spencer, my mom, my dad, and Corbin in the front

My boys thought the Christus was really neat

Lincoln and Corbin holding hands as we walked around

Me and Spencer in front of the reflection pool

Firing the AK-47's at the range. We got a chance to open up the arms room and play with some new toys today.

2010-12-19T11:21:00.002-07:00

Daugs' Family Christmas Party

2010-12-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the Daugs' family Christmas party in Young Ward (Logan). We had lunch and talked over at the church. Then we told of our service that we did for their little service exchange. It was so neat! They each had a name of one of their siblings and were supposed to do a service in their name (something that would be meaningful to that person). It was neat to hear the special services that were done in honor of their siblings. What neat people do to do such special services! I am truely blessed to be a part of their family.

After we finished up at the church, we got to go on a hay ride. I thought that was so much fun! Corbin enjoyed it too! Spencer loved seeing all the animals, but wasn't a big fan of the hay ride (mostly because it required him to sit still). Someone took a picture of everyone sitting on the hay ride, so hopefully I can get a copy of it. Here are some pictures that I did take:

Joy School Christmas Program

2010-12-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

This past Friday, our Joy School has their little program. We went to the nursing home here in town and the kids acted out the Nativity story and sang some Christmas songs. It took a little while to get all set up, but it turned out really cute. They were a little shy with the singing (which is totally NOT how they were when we practiced), but it was good anyways. I was the narrator, so I couldn't video tape or take pictures, but some of the other moms did and they said I could get a copy. I did take a picture of the cookies they made to hand out to the 'grandmas and grandpas' that they sang to:

They had been learning about giving themselves for Christmas by doing service. We read a story about a little boy who did that for his grandma and on Christmas Eve he climbed in a box and fell asleep, so we took pictures of the boys in a box (that they wrapped). They all made some pretty funny faces. Here's Corbin:

They are a cute little group of kids that keep me on my toes. They people at the nursing home kept saying how sweet they were to come visit with them.

Christmas Update

2010-12-13T16:59:00.000-07:00

I opted to not send out a Christmas letter with my cards this year. Instead, I just put a little note to see my blog, so I suppose I should put a little family update on here.

Matt- He spent the first 9 months of the year training to go to Iraq with the Idaho National Guard. In September, they flew to Mississippi for the last bit of their training. Late November they started their long journey to Iraq. He is doing well and keeping busy....for now.

Amber- I spend most of my time being .mom' to my two sweet little boys. I always have lots of projects in the works.

Corbin- He's 3 going on 4. He talks and talks all day, but is loving life. He is very into trains, especially Thomas. He started Joy School in October and loves it. He is a very social boy and tells everyone everything.

Spencer- He's 18 months and just started nursery. He likes it, but it takes him a while to get used to being there. He's shy, but so loveable. He is learning lots of words, and loves kitties.

This year has brought a lot of change for our little family. I am so grateful for the knowledge we have of our Savior and the Plan of Salvation. We are extremely blessed despite our trials. In this beautiful season of loving and giving, my prayer is that we can all learn the importance of our Savior and one another. Merry Christmas!

Pictures From Matt

2010-12-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

Matt sent me some pictures and wanted me to post them on our blog. Love you honey!

Ward Christmas Party

2010-12-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight was our ward christmas party. I braved going with my two boys, and it went ok. I've been trying to be more relaxed about things, and I was....a little. We had some good food, heard good stories, and the boys got to sit on Santa's lap. EVERYONE kept asking me if I needed help. I must have looked frazzled all night, but I really wasn't. The most embarassing time(s) was/were when Corbin slipped out of my sight (I was trying to be more relaxed, right?) and made his way up to the stage where a lady was reading a story. He just kept trying to talk to her while she was reading. After the first time he went up there, he told me he saw Santa behind the curtain (oops!) and he was so excited to talk to him! At the end of the story, (his 2nd time up there) he informed her that Santa lives at the North Pole.

Corbin finally got his wish to see Santa and tell him what he wants for Christmas. We waited in the long line (I swear our Primary was double what it is on Sundays!) and Corbin talked Santa's ear off. Spencer was so excited to see Santa, but not so much to sit on his lap. Spencer just wanted to wave and say "hi" from a distance.

Snow!

2010-12-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

It was finally warm enough to take the boys out in the snow yesterday. I'm a wimp, and these Montpelier temperatures to not make me want to go outside. Ever. My boys were getting cabin fever though, so we went out to play for a little while. I put a little snow suit on Spencer that is a 12 month size, so it barely fit him. And he didn't have any traction on his little booties, so he spent most of his time either just standing there or falling down. He loved it though!

Corbin loves the snow too. This isn't his first time out playing because I don't need to constantly supervise him. Mostly he just likes to make tracks in the snow. He also likes to eat it. Very sanitary, I know. He loved having me and Spencer out there with him, but he really needs waterproof gloves (we can't find one of his old ones, and one glove doesn't do much good). His dream this year is to build a snowman.

Video From Dad

2010-11-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Today in the mail we got a book and DVD from Matt. In Kuwait they had a place where the soldiers could record themselves reading a book to their kids and then the DVD is mailed to the kids along with the book they read. Cute idea. Corbin was mesmerized. Spencer loved it! As soon as it was over, Spencer would want to watch it again. After a couple times, they would get bored of it, but as soon as it was over, Spencer would walk up to the tv and say, "dada." My cute little boys! They miss their daddy. I am grateful that the army is sensitive to the needs of families and provided that service free of charge (even shipping).

Random Pictures

2010-11-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

Curious George night at the Bear Lake Library.

My boys playing with Grandpa while we were visiting for Thanksgiving.

Spencer sitting IN the toy box at Grandma and Grandpa Newland's house.

I got my hair dyed and cut thanks to my amazing sister, Amy.

Corbin loves Grandpa's new Christmas train!

Spencer learned to love the play place at McDonald's on our drive home from Farmington.

Matt in Mississippi

2010-11-21T11:34:00.001-07:00

Matt has finished the first (little) leg in his journey: Mississippi. They have now begun their journey to Iraq. He sent me some pictures from Mississippi, so I thought I'd share this one with you. I SO love my man in uniform! Your prayers are felt and greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for all your support!

My Mississippi Trip Part 3

2010-11-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

I know this is getting long. I just wanted to post some pictures of the National Parks and Wildlife Preserves that we went to. Matt is such an outdoorsy guy, so we couldn't skip these. They were so beautiful!

I love the 'fuzzy' trees.

You can't see very well, but there is an alligator on the bank behind me.

My handsome hubby.

My Mississippi Trip Part 2

2010-11-12T11:47:00.001-07:00

Matt's favorite part of the trip was getting to go fishing. I even enjoyed it. We went with Matt's buddy, Dennis, and his girlfriend, McCall.

I caught the first fish and my first fish ever.

On the last night, we went to watch the sunset at the beach. It was so beautiful!

My Mississippi Trip Part 1

2010-11-12T11:40:00.001-07:00

My trip was so great! Matt and I haven't had a vacation with just the two of us, so it was much needed. Matt commented that it was like a four day long date. I am so grateful for friends and family who helped me out and made it possible for me to go. I am so amazed at how willing people are to help me out. I am truely blessed.

Anyways, here are some pictures from the trip. I took a ton (I love digital cameras!) because I wanted to remember as much as possible from it. The weather was so wonderful! It was in the 70s the whole time. The beaches were gorgeous and pretty much empty, and that made for some awesome pictures!

Matt found a dead sting ray at a beach, so we took a picture for Corbin.

We drove to New Orleans one day and looked around. The steam boats were neat, and it was a good one day experience. I am glad that we only went for one day though. I was sad that the aquarium was closed (it is closed on Mondays, and of course, that was the day we went) because I heard it was awesome.

Halloween

2010-10-31T10:14:00.001-06:00

Thursday :Corbin's Halloween party at Joy School- He wore his bee costume. He's been so silly this year. I bought him a skeleton costume (that he picked out himself), but as soon as he saw his bee costume he didn't want to be anything else.

Friday night: Halloween Carnival at the elementary school- Corbin decided he wanted to dress up as an army guy (he has some dress up clothes). That was fun for Corbin, but not so much for me and Spencer. He did win some prizes though.

Saturday: the big trick-or-treat day. We went to the city trunk-or-treat in the rain (Corbin went back to being a bee) and then went to Arctic Circle for dinner. After the kids played on the play place for a while (and the rain let up a bit) we went to Judy's ward's trunk-or-treat. Luckily, that was a quick one. Spencer even started to get the hang of things.

I didn't take very many good pictures, but here is what I got:

Corbin as a bee (sitting in the car)

Spencer as Tigger (sitting in the car)

Spncer with his candy when we got home

Corbin getting ready for a trunk-or-treat

Random Pictures From October

2010-10-27T20:52:00.000-06:00

I have some pictures that aren't worthy of their own post, so I'm grouping them here. Enjoy!

Corbin helping me make plum jam (thanks Aleisha for all the plums!)

Painting/Carving pumpkins for FHE (Corbin's pumpkin ended up almost completely painted with blue, red, and purple)

Corbin with Flat Daddy

Spencer with Flat Daddy

Corbin and Spencer in their matching Thomas pajamas (they actually both picked theirs out and wanted the exact same ones!)