friend party

Today was Corbin's first friend birthday party (which Corbin has been referring to all week as his "other birthday"). Tommy, Ethan, Max, Jack, and Haden all came over for a Kung Fu Panda party. I loved planning the party. It was so much fun! We threw water balloons at pictures of bad guys, then we did a pinata. After that we had the kids use their hands to karate chop strips of styrofoam. I think the styrofoam was my favorite part of the party. The kids were really great choppers! Corbin said that his favorite part was everything!! I think that Corbin is lucky to have such a nice group of buddies. My only regret is that I forgot to get the camera out to snap some pictures during the party. Darn it.

Corbin tasting the cupcake batter

Here are Corbin and Clark after the party, sporting their Kung Fu Panda masks.

Happy birthday Corbin!

Corbin is 4! For his birthday, we went to McDonalds for lunch. Clark was even able to meet us there for about half an hour. Then we came home, and Corbin watched a movie while I baked his cake. After that we got out the little swimming pool and invited over two neighbor boys to play. After Clark came home from work we opened presents, ate dinner, and had cake and ice-cream.

Corbin requested a rainbow cake, like on "Word World."

After he blew out the candles, Corbin said that he wished that Dad wouldn't have to go to work. Corbin treasures every minute he gets to spend with Clark.

Opening presents

Corbin loved the baseball mitt that we gave him.

Playing basketball at McDonalds

About Corbin, by Corbin:

Favorite color: green and blue

Favorite food: dinosaur oatmeal and cereal

Favorite candy: jellybeans and smarties

Favorite movie: Kung Fu Panda

Favorite book: Book of Mormon, The Hungry Caterpillar

Favorite toy: baseball mitt ("my catcher thing"), my basketball hoop and dad, my toy phone

Favorite tv show: Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Elmo, Word World

Things about Corbin:

* He loves to be outside

* Corbin loves sports. We got him a little over-the-door basketball hoop a while ago. It counts how many shots he makes, and Corbin made 133 before he took a break.

* Loves to play games on my phone, he especially loves Angry Birds

* Continues to love garbage day

* Corbin has a very sweet heart

* Loves to play board games. He is very good at Cootie. He rarely loses.

* Corbin also really likes to play the Wii. He is getting really good at Mario Kart, and he can finish in the top 3 when he races in the 50cc (the beginner) cup.

* He is very inquisitive

* Corbin cannot sit still to talk on the phone, he paces the room the whole time he talks (a trait he inherited from Clark)

* Loves books

rocket pinewood derby

Today, the men from church had a rocket car pinewood derby. It was really fun to watch. And, even better, Clark's car "Night Rider" was the grand champion! In the video below, our car is on the far left for both races. Corbin loved the races, and he is so proud of the trophy. Clark and Corbin just left for the store, and Corbin asked if he could bring the trophy to show it everyone at the store.

4th of July

We decided to make a trip out to Utah for the 4th of July weekend. I am glad that we did. We packed in a lot of fun while we were there! The drive is always long, but this time around we were really packed in like sardines with 2 kids in carseats, 2 adults, and our large dog Izzy (who weighs about 56 pounds) in the Mazda 6. Izzy had to lay down under Avery's carseat, because there was absolutely no other spot for her. But she didn't seem to mind. And then every three hours I got to climb into the backseat to feed Aves her bottle. This was no small feat. I had to squish myself between the large carseats, with my torso slightly twisted to the right, and my right arm draped on Avery's carseat because I couldn't fit sitting straight. And then because Izzy was beneath me, I had to stick my legs up on the console between the 2 front seats. Thank goodness the kids and the dog were really good for the long drives. We had to pull over to the side of the road for a few poopy diapers, and Izzy nearly had an accident in the car on our way back to Utah. We pulled over just in time. Thank goodness!! I'm sure in a few years I will really look back and laugh at the drive (heck, I already laugh about it), and that is why I am including all these details that no one but me probably cares about. Oh well. That's what you get for reading my blog.

So, that is probably enough about the drive. We had a lot of fun visiting family while we were in Utah. Corbin absolutely LOVED playing with his cousins, and jumping on the tramps at the cousins houses. It was nearly impossible to get get him off the tramp. We also went swimming, watched fireworks, did sparklers (a first for Corbin), played baseball, Avery cried when anyone tried to hold her (although by the end of the trip she let both Grandmas hold her for a few minutes if I wasn't close by), we watched movies, picnicked, went to Jungle Jims, ate out (and found out that Avery really likes to suck on pickles), and Corbin ingested glowstick and had glowing saliva (I panicked a little. Grandpa G was kind enough to call poison control. Totally non-toxic. Just has a hot peppery taste. Which makes sense, because Corbin kept saying that his tongue was burning)

Corbin's reaction while watching fireworks

8 months!

* Avery has started sleeping 7:30 pm until about 7:30 am. It is blissful.

* She loves finger foods, especially baby puffs.

* Avery crawls like a pro. She tries to find power cords, or any scrap of paper to stick in her mouth.

* Has turned into quite the Mama's girl.

* Moved out of the baby tub and into the normal bath tub.

* Enjoys chewing on Corbin's toys.

* Avery can pull up to a standing position, but only against the Love Sac.

* Says, "dadadadada" all the time. Corbin insists that is how she says his name. :)

* Loves to climb all over Corbin.

* Avery likes to pull a shy act. If someone talks to Avery while I am holding her, she will usually smile, and then immediately bury her head in my shoulder. I love it. She is the sweetest thing.