Splish, Splash...We're Having a Blast!!!

We finally did it! We caved and bought the Boys new bunk beds. Their old beds were hammered from two cute little stinker boys bouncing, climbing and jumping on them so much. When the beds became hazardous we decided it was time for the bunk beds. We did our research and lets just say you can spend a ton of money on fancy beds but 'cause we're cheap we just went with sturdy and cheap.

Corbin and Aidan love their new beds and have slept very well in them since the first night. Aidan even decided to sleep in really late(9:00a.m.) the second day. This is very rare for Aidan for he is usually the family alarm clock and wakes us all up at 6:00a.m. every morning. I often find both Corbin and Aidan playing or pretend napping on their beds through out the day. They both love climbing up the ladder and hiding on the top. Corbin calls it his cave. Corbin now has a Star Wars Bed and Aidan has a Handy Manny. I'm so glad they like the bunk beds so well.

Now the Splish, Splash part. The last few days have been unusually warm for us. So I broke down and got the Boys this water ball. They love it and spent a good 2 hours outside running around it and trying to get each other wet. Today we were out there again and invited our neighbors, two little girls that are the same ages as Corbin and Aidan. They all had a great time and spent about 3 hours outside today. Corbin and Aidan are so exhausted they are currently taking a late nap from all the play.

Aidan loves, loves, loves playing in water. It only takes him a few minutes before he's soaked from head to toe. He can be freezing cold and shivering like mad and he'll keep playing in the water just 'cause he loves it so much. I have so much fun watching him enjoy it so much.

Corbin loves water too but when he gets cold he finally has had enough. He loves to get everyone else wet but doesn't appreciate it when everyone gangs up on him. He was making foot prints then making them disappear by stomping more all over them so no one could see them. I enjoy watching him make a game out of everything he does. He always has a great plan in works going on in his head.
It has been a great week spending time with my Boys and playing hard. The last two days they have started a water fight with me and it was a ton of fun, even if I ended up the wettest in the end. Last night we spent the night as a family since Nate had the night off. We went to the Park and attended a Work Potluck Picnic for Nate and we stayed and played on the playground for a long time. Then we went home and did yard work as a family before we called it a night. It was so fun and I was glad to have all the help weeding our flower gardens. And I'm sure Nate was glad for the little Sidekicks he had pretending to help him mow and aerate the lawn. It was pretty cute for me to watch them trailing behind their Dad acting so big. Corbin and Aidan have been very good little helpers this week and I appreciate them and their Dad for all they have been doing lately to help me around the house. It's so much more fun to do house and yard work with helpers. I'm very thankful for the Awesome Family I have...I love them beyond words.

He Did It!...Nate's Graduation!

Way to go, Nate! We are so proud of you! Nate graduated from USU with his Masters in Natural Resources. He has worked very hard and put in a lot of late nights and sacrificed a lot of fun time to get it done. He has always been a good student and we are so glad he made it! We Love You!!! Corbin and Aidan were so happy to celebrate this great accomplishment with their Dad! They thought it was great!

The Graduate himself. What a handsome Guy! Love You!

After receiving his diploma....a.k.a fake one, since the real one comes later in the mail. We were all happy to watch him receive it. Graduation was held on May 1 and we went all the way to Logan just so Nate could do the campus walk and Commencement exercises at USU.

All his supporters! Thank you all for coming and showing us your love and support! We Love You Guys!!! Nate's Parents, my Parents, and my Brothers and their families were all there. I was so proud to see my whole family came to support Nate and it really means a lot to Nate and I that they were there. I never doubt that they will show up to special events that happen in our lives...they seem to always make it to what ever we are doing and I love them for it. My family is Awesome! Thanks again!

We Love You, Dad, and are so proud of you! You're Awesome! It was a happy day and we had a wonderful time visiting our old stompin' grounds and showing our Boys were Nate and I met and our family began! Good Times....Good Times.

More Funny idea's Kids Have and the Things They Say.

Just a few funny things my kids have said and done the last week or so. So we recently had a neighbor that just up and left his family and Corbin has been a bit obsessed with it. He just can't figure out why a Dad would make such a bad choice. Anyway he was asking some questions about it and said to me the other day " What if I'm a bad Dad?" I of course told him as his Mother I'd be disappointed because his Dad and I are trying so hard to teach him how to make good choices now so when he grows up he'll be a good Dad. He then proceeded to tell me that he was going to be a good Dad like his Dad. Corbin also said that he was going to get married and he'd go to work and take the Kids to visit his work once in a while and that his wife could go shopping all day with the kids....how nice, I'm sure she'll love to go shopping after that. The funniest thing was when he told me he was going to take his wife on dates to the Temple and then they'd eat lots and lots and lots of ice cream together and have lots of kids. I still laugh just thinking of that conversation. So I guess Nate and my problem is we don't eat enough ice cream to have lots and lots of kids. I think I might try it, can't hurt, right? So anyone struggling in the the baby department just start eating more ice cream with you husband. It should do the trick. I think I'll let Corbin think that's the way it all happens for as long as I can. No need to burst his little bubble that it isn't that easy.
Another thing was we are currently staying at Holiday Inn. We stayed the night with Nate since he worked last night and again early this morning. So he invited us to come stay since Corbin had requested to stay for his Birthday and we haven't done it yet. So I attempted to take a shower earlier and put cartoons on for the boys hoping they would stay on the bed and actually watch it. Ha Ha Ha...after I heard screams bumps and crying, I made the Boys come sit on the bathroom floor until I was done. I could hear Aidan repeating everything Corbin was saying, so I looked out to see what they were doing. They were kneeling down if front of the tub and Corbin informed me he was helping Aidan practice saying he prayers so he could learn to do it on his own without Mom and Dad's help. All I could think was "how cute, at least it was something constructive that they were doing and Corbin was helping Aidan instead of picking on him". Never mind that they were praying for Mom and Dad to let them get a pet "Alligator", not likely to ever happen I hate to tell them. It was funny and it made me smile. I was glad to know that they are learning the important things we are trying to teach them each day especially when it comes to the Gospel. I love my Boys and am so glad to be their Mother...they make everyday an adventure, usually a fun one.

My Dad...Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Dad! We Love You! My Dad is "Awesome"(as Corbin says). My Dad and I have a somewhat unique relationship...we get along great! I always say I'm as much a Daddy's Girl as I'm a Momma's Girl, because I have such an awesome relationship with my Dad. I still to this day can call him up and tell him all my problems and he just listens. Then he gives me a few bits of Fatherly advice and gives me some insight that I probably didn't think about that helps me get over it or solve my problems. I don't know very many Daughters that have a great relationship with both their parents let alone their fathers, so I'm grateful I do! I have to say being the only Daughter has gotten me pretty spoiled. My Dad is very protective of all of his Kids and now he shows that same care and protectiveness to his Grand kids. He also is pretty good at spoiling them too! Of course my Boys Love Grandpa and love to tease him but mostly they just like being his Buddy and "going crazy" with him. We grew up with the phrase "going crazy". It means my Dad's going to go get a treat whether it's to the gas station to fill up the car or going to the grocery store or even going to grab some dinner. If he says he's "going crazy" then you hurry and get in the car and just enjoy the ride to where ever you end up. Because no matter where you go you'll have fun and get a treat while you're at it.

Grandpa and his Buddy C.J. Corbin was following Grandpa around as his little sidekick, as you can see anything Grandpa did C.J. had to do it too. This was taken in the yard of what we call the Escalante House. It's the house my Grandma(my Dad's Mother) grew up in. Every Spring and through out the Summer my Parents and and our Family go down and clean up the yard and have a fun little vacation going around the area. My Dad is a very hard worker. He never does a half job when it comes to yard work or working on someones cars, or anything else. He gives it all he's got and doesn't quit until he's got it right. My Dad is a great example to me and my Boys and I'm very grateful for all he's taught me.

This is the Escalante House. I've had the opportunity to go with my Parents and take my Boys the last few trips they've taken down to Escalante. Grandpa and Grandma always make sure we have a great time with lots of fun and spoil us rotten every time. I'm glad for all the great memories we make every time we go. This is probably my Dad's favorite place on Earth to be. I know he has many, many great memories all the way back to his childhood of this town and this house.
Here is one of the fun things we do often when visiting Escalante. This is part of Devils Gardens, a bunch of tall sandstone rock formations that you can climb all over. We often take a picnic and go climbing around for a while after we've been cleaning up around the house. When we took Corbin and Aidan there for the first time, Corbin wasn't feeling very well, but he was in heaven climbing the rocks with Grandpa. Aidan was sleeping in the car during this picture, but he and Grandma joined us later and we had a blast. Grandpa was so attentive to Corbin and stopped and showed him a bunch of cool formations across a dry river bed on another hill, it was way cute. I think Corbin made Grandpa a bit nervous with his "no fear" attitude and daringness to climb anything.

My Dad and his "Sweetheart", my Mom. Aren't they cute?! I know my parents love each other very much and I'm glad for their great examples and showing us that they do care for and love each other.

Another shot of Grandpa and C.J. Corbin got his middle name "John" from my Dad who's name is "John Claud". There for they both share the same initials and a name. We hope this will be always be something special for them. I hope my Dad knows we did this to honor him and hope he knows how much we love him. Since Corbin was the first Grandson we thought it was fitting to taken on part of Grandpa's name.

Grandpa loves his Grand kids to pieces and always shows them a good time when visiting.
My Dad! I Love You Dad! I hope you have a wonderful day because you deserve it! Here my Dad is watching the Drag Races in Vegas about 2 weeks ago. He along with Nate and my Brothers and a few friends and relatives, went together and had a great time. This is another one of his favorite things fast cars and if they are old classic muscle cars that's even better. He has rubbed this love for cars off on my Mom, all his Kids, and even some of his Grand kids....Corbin thinks are Jeep is a race car. And even though I have a lot of pictures of Corbin and my Dad and not many of Aidan with Grandpa, don't think that my Dad doesn't love his little Aidy just at much as the others. He sure does and they are great Buds. Aidan looks Grandpa up every time we visit just to say "hi" and give him "knuckles". He loves to follow Grandpa around too and is often found just sitting in his lap talking to him. I'm just a bad Mom that doesn't remember to take pictures of all the cute things they do together. Happy Birthday, Dad! Thank You for all you do for all of us! You're Awesome!!! Thanks for being my Hero! Love You!

Happy Easter!

Saturday Morning before Easter, the City of Naples and a local Radio Station put on a huge Easter Egg Hunt. It was held at the City Park and it was all divided up by age, from 0-4 to like 15-18 year olds...yeah we thought that was a bit old too, but it could have been fun to watch. Don't tell, but Corbin got to go in the 0-4 year olds with Aidan so we didn't have to separate them. We figured that since he had only been 5 for 2 days he was o.k. Nate's parents were still visiting and went to the park with us to watch all the excitement. Afterward they traveled back home. We wish they could have stayed for the rest of the weekend, but we were grateful for them coming to visit and all their help with Corbin's party. We love to have Family come stay with us so please anytime any of you want to just let us know and come on out. We'll do our best to make it a fun time! Corbin took off on his own and at one point we panicked because we couldn't see him for about 1-2 full minutes. I spotted him just moving a long with the crowd picking up candy as fast as he could. He had a blast and next time I think he will be holding hands with one of us.

Aidan stuck right with his Daddy and had a great time. He went for all the little candy stuck in the grass and didn't miss a thing. He was so excited every time he found a new tootsie roll or sucker a long the way.

Just a cute shot of Daddy and Son strolling around on the hunt...and yes for some reason they both had to hold on to the basket.

Here's the Boys with our cute little neighbor girls, Amy and Megan at the Easter Egg Hunt. They are all good friends that play together often and also are in our ward, so it's great fun! What's kind of funny and unique is that both these Girls birthdays are about 1-2 weeks after each of our Boys. So it's fun they are the same ages.

After the Egg Hunt at the park we let the Boys go play on the playground while the traffic died down leaving the park. They had a Blast! We also met some other neighbors while we were there, a couple of little Boys that live across the street from us also. They are good friends too. It was fun to see a few of our neighbors out at the Egg Hunt. Here Aidan is climbing through the tunnel on the playground. He had his little mouth full of candy and was grinning and laughing as his Dad was taking pictures of him as he ran and climbed all over the playground.
Here is our little Monkey. Corbin has loved to climb from the time he could crawl and walk. He's amazes us with what he can do sometimes...this is why he is now in a Tumbling class....to teach him how to be safe while he's being wild and crazy. He had a great time at the park also and loved running around and climbing everything.

As we were driving home from the park we discussed with our Boys, why we really celebrate Easter and that we're celebrating Jesus Christ and his Resurrection and that he gave us the chance to have Eternal Life and be together forever as a Family. Corbin thought this was pretty neat and I was happy that he understood more that I thought he would about it. Of course he asked lots of questions, but he really wanted to know all about Jesus and Easter. I'm glad we took the chance to talk to both Corbin and Aidan about it, so they don't just think it's all about Eggs and Easter Bunnies.

Later that day we dyed Easter Eggs. The Boys had so much fun coming up with weird designs for their eggs. I'm surprised to even say it, but they also like to eat the hard boiled eggs when they are done dying them. Few Kids I know like eggs at all, but they eat them almost any way they can be cooked. Mostly we made them for Nate since he likes to take one with his lunch everyday for a snack, but I'm sure we'll eat a few plain with salt and make a few egg salad sandwiches too.
We had planned a small Easter Egg Hunt for outside in our yard, but not long after we got home from the Park it began to rain and didn't let up till late evening time. So we made a change of plans and did it in the house instead. The Boys though this was great and it was so fun watching them run around the house looking for hidden treats. By this time, both Boys had really caught on to what your suppose to do at a Easter Egg Hunt and they went full force around the house in search for treasures.
Corbin found a few in the tub and in the process accidentally dumped his basket out while trying to climb out of it. He was so good about it and quickly gathered his treats and kept going.

Easter Morning after the Easter Bunny left a treat for the Boys. They both came running in to wake Nate and I up and Corbin said "come look at this so special surprise that the Easter Bunny left us, it GRREAT! We must be good Boys!" I thought that was pretty clever. They are good Boys and I love them dearly! After Church, Nate had to work at Holiday Inn so we made up a ham dinner and went and had our Easter Sunday dinner with him at work. It was a Great weekend filled with lots of fun! Happy Easter! We hope you all had a great time too!

Corbin...5 already...Wow! Happy Birthday!

Yikes! My Baby is already 5 years old! Boy how time has flown....but we've been having such a blast as it has all been flying by so fast! Corbin or C.J as some call him has been growing up so much, especially this last year. I can't believe Kindergarten is just around the corner. Man how I wish I could freeze time and go back and watch him from day one to now again, just to recapture how amazing my little Boy is. What awesome memories I have of both my Boys and the amazing adventure I've been blessed with called Motherhood!

Corbin about 3 years ago! What a cutie! Boy how he's grown!Happy Birthday, Corbin! We Love You! You are a very special and important member of our Family and we are so glad you're part of it! Some of Corbin's favorite things are playing at the park and climbing as here in the picture. He loves Star Wars, Spiderman and anything Action Hero. He also really likes Lego's and building things with blocks. He is great at being a awesome Big Brother to Aidan and tumbling and trying to Choose the Right. He is also a pretty good helper. He's favorite color is either blue or green depending on what color light saber Luke or Aniken has as he is playing their character in his imagination.Corbin chose to have a Star War party for his Birthday. Here is his great invitations that his Dad made for him. Corbin and Aidan liked them so much they carried their own copy around everyday until the party.We opted for Cupcakes and Corbin insisted on having his own cake...he had a vision of having a Aniken Face cake, but he finally settled for just having Cupcakes and a small cake just for him. Thank goodness, because I had no idea how I'd pull off an Aniken Face cake.Here they are during some of the games.They played several games once they received their light sabers after completing a game of Star Wars Bingo. They were on a mission to becoming true Jedi's.Here they are starting their obstacle coarse during their training.Here they are still doing the obstacle course up through the playground.And now they are battling with Nate and each other. Poor Nate had to give up his Darth Mal dual light saber and ended up making 2 separate light sabers for the few extra Kids that just showed up. What a great Dad! Also Nate's Dad, Grandpa P. made all the light sabers earlier, thank you! Here they are trying to find and rescue Princess Leigh. They had to pop the balloons and find her in one. Let's just say it was pretty funny watching them come up with methods to pop those balloons. This was the most effective...using their butts.Opening presents...Corbin was spoiled and loved every minute of it...at least he said thanks to everyone afterward.Here they are enjoying Star Wars rations. Yoda Soda, Luke Hot dogs, and Aniken Chips, and pretzel light sabers. We also had Obi-One Hamburgers. Then they got cupcakes and the party was officially over. They all seemed to have a great time and were way excited to get to take their light sabers home. Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa P. for coming to visit and all your help. On a last note Corbin got to blow out his candles(with the help of little brother Aidan) and get sung to one more time before bed. Corbin sang to himself at least 2 times through out the day, it was pretty cute. Corbin was spoiled rotten by all his Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles and Cousins. He had lots of treats like going to lunch and to the store to pick out a present with Grandpa and Grandma P. and going to the store and picking out a present with Grandma H. and getting gifts from his Cousins while we were home while the guys were gone to the Drag Races. He was very happy and thankful for all that treated him so special. Thank You!

Update!

O.k. So I'm really lame and I haven't kept up my blogging very well lately. I can say that I've been super busy and that is why I haven't had a chance to sit down and get all our activities up on our blog. Anyway here's just a few things that have been going on this month.

Here I am with my favorite Boys and we are swimming at Holiday in while Nate is working. Since we get to swim for free we decided it was a good time to get to go and spend some time with Nate before he went to the Drag Races.Corbin preferred the hot tub and was toasty warm all night. He was like a little fish just floating and jumping here and there. He has really taken to swimming,as he does with any thing active and he loves it. It's swimming lessons this summer for sure and he is so excited!Aidan finally ventured out without me holding on to him. He's been a bit hesitant with the water and usually has to have constant contact with me. He really enjoyed floating around and kicking for all he was worth. It was fun see him enjoy swimming so much this time.The week after we went swimming we took a trip home and Nate was off to the Drag Races in Vegas with my Dad, and Brothers and a few friends of theirs. As usual they made sure they all had a great time and I'm glad they did! This is one of the Force Family's Racing Cars. I think they have become one of the favorites to watch. Here my Dad is calling my Mom and letting her hear the cars as they race down the track. She loved it but always thought it was funny to hear all the guys hooping and hollering after the race was done...there were some pretty funny comments coming from them in all their excitement.

While the Boys were all away having a great time, we girls and kiddy's were trying to keep everything under control and have some fun of our own too. The cousins all got lots of play time in and thanks to my Mom we had a fun Easter egg hunt and yummy pre-Easter dinner as we attempted to listen to Conference over the weekend. Since most of us weren't going to be together over Easter we just had it early at Grandma's House. Thanks Mom for all your hard work and being such a Great Grandma!