The Willie Family

Old and Moldy...

2012-01-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

That is what I am. We celebrated my birthday last week. It seems the older I get, the less excited I am for my birthday...I expect it will stay that way. Matt has a clerkship with a judge up in Salt Lake, so he was there all day. So me and the kids headed up there. We picked Matt up and headed to his moms house. We hopped on the tracks and rode to The Gateway for some dinner. We saw Elder Oaks and his wife near the platform....it was hard not to stare at them:) We ate and then went back to Karen's apartment. She kept the boys and Matt and I went back to the Gateway in hopes of catching a late movie...but over half of the movies offered were rated R and the rest we hadn't heard of (probably because we unplugged our satellite.) So we decided to walk around and just talk....it was great! We rarely have much time to talk. So we took our time and strolled back up to Karens. We stopped for some chocolate on our way. It was refreshing and fun to just talk. Matt got me The Hunger Games. I have tried to read it more than once....I usually get a few pages read while I blow dry my hair. I am now on page 8:) One day when I don't have little munchkins at my feet all day long I will finish it:)

Another Chance.

2012-01-19T22:08:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a day where you felt like a complete failure as a parent? Today was one of those days where you want to pull every last hair on your head right out! I took Corbin in to a doctor this morning to get some tests done. We talked about it DAYS in advance. I told him a nice lady would look in his ears and check his eyes. Then she would play some fun games with him. I told him I would be there the entire time. And if he was well behaved he would get an entire piece of gum to himself....to do whatever he wants with. I believe he said "Mommy I promise I will be a good boy" on our way there. But sometimes it is SOOO hard to be good. We got to the school where the testing took place. Corbin was anything but an angel. He refused to cooperate. He put his hands over his eyes when the doctor tried to check them and he cried...more than once. It was a nightmare! Thankfully the next round of tests are with a different doctor. On the way home he asked if he could have his "dum" I told him that he broke his promise. I explained that gum is a privilege that only good boys get. He screamed and cried. But no way was I going to give him gum. We talked for a VERY long time about the events that took place at the doctor. We had a rough afternoon after we got home. I got angry at everything he did and said. I got snippy with him. I was so mad at the way he acted at the doctor. When Matt walked through the door I was ready to lock myself in a room and hide from my kids. But, I had a stake training meeting I had to go to.

I left and walked to the stake center. When I got there we sang "I'm trying to be like Jesus." we got to the words " Love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do. Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought. For these are the things Jesus taught." I immediately started crying. I thought of how frustrated and short I had been with Corbin all day because of his behavior at the doctor....I felt awful. Sometimes I forget that he is three...not thirteen. I love that the Lord knows me so well that he knows exactly when and where I need to hear a specific song. I'm glad tomorrow is a new day, and I get another chance to teach and love my little boy. I get another chance to love him the same way that Jesus loves me. I get another chance to try to show kindness in all that I do. And I get another chance to be gentle and loving. Whew...I'm glad I get another chance.

Primary

2012-01-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

Sunday was Corbin's first day of Primary. Our ward switched to 9:00. Getting out the door was a bit of a challenge, but we made it. We have been talking to Corb about going to primary for a few weeks. He is THE YOUNGEST kid in his class. I have been a bit nervous for him to go. He was so excited to go....until we got there. Good thing I am in the primary presidency and was able to coax him into going in the room. He sat by me during the opening exercises and told me he wanted to go back to nursery....he kept that attitude up until singing time started. That totally changed his mind. He sat and sang so well. Then it came time to go to class.....and I don't know if you know this but, going to class is REALLY hard for a 3 year old. He cried and didn't want to go. I walked him to his class and left. When I went to pick him up he was grinning from ear to ear. He got his very own CTR ring and proudly told me what it stood for. We got in the car and went home. He informed me at lunch that "the son of God is Jesus."

Just before church.

Porter was feeling left out so we had to take a picture of him too. (Don't mind the messy face.)

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

2011-12-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Christmas came and went!! I can not believe it is over, but I refuse to stop celebrating. We ran around like crazies over the break and are just now getting back to normal...sort of. Our kids took a beating. They have been consistantly sleeping in until 11. WOAH! I think all the travel and late nights got to them and they are catching up on some zzzz's. But I wouldn't be sad if it was a permanent thing:) Christmas Eve we went to SLC to have dinner with Grandma Karen Great Grandpa Wendell, Uncle Pat, and Annie. It was delish! After dinner we opened presents. We came back to Spanish so we could open presents at our house Christmas morning. Corbin woke up around 8 and the first thing out of his mouth was "Is Santa here?" Haha. Silly boy. But Santa did stop by our house. He brought everything Corbin asked for. The highlight was a trike, and some tractors. Santa brought Port some dinosaurs, and movies. Matt got an ipod and I got 2 new lenses. It was so much fun watching the boys open presents. We got ready and went to church, then off to Wyoming we went. We got to see everyone in my fam except Chet. Papa got Corb a fishing pole and football. And Grandma Mel made each of us a blanket. Seriously LOVE mine. We came back to Utah and went to SLC to see the lights on temple square a few days later. I am a little sad that Christmas is over. It always seems to get away from me. But I am so glad we got to see all the family that we did. I just love this time of year.

Christmas Eve

The boys scored some pretty awesome glasses from Aunt Annie.

My new bag.

Christmas Morning

Poter was less than thrilled that we woke him up.

Casting his new pole with Papa.

Corb spent a lot of time in the hot tub with Papa.

Porter terrorized my parents puppy.

Temple Square

Port playing dentist with Anya.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-17T19:01:00.000-08:00

Gingerbread House

2011-12-17T18:12:00.000-08:00

These are pretty self explanatory...

The End.

A Week of Turning 3

2011-12-17T17:51:00.000-08:00

This little sweet pea ...

Turned 3 on Tuesday.

My parents and Kruz came and stayed the night with us to celebrate. We ate delicious food, and shopped till we dropped. Corb, Port, and Kruz played to their little hearts content. Matt wtas busy taking his last final but made it home in time to eat cake. Corbin and Kruz had a movie party with Papa. They watched Lion King and ate popcorn.

Then Thursday Grandma Karen came to visit. She brought Corb a gift, and we went to dinner at Cafe Rio....YUM! After dinner we went to the Festival of Lights. We go every year, and this year did not disappoint.

Then yesterday we drove up to SLC to see Grandma Karen and Annie. Matt and I went to dinner (we have not gone out just the two of us in a long ol' time.) And the kids stayed with Annie and Karen. Corbin got another gift from Annie. They went and walked around downtown and got some dessert.

I have a 3 year old! MADNESS! It seems like every year goes faster than the one before. Some things about my sweet 3 year old.....

He LOVES to help me cook. He pulls up a chair and climbs up the second I walk into the kitchen.

He is a smidge OCD...I mean for real. Toys have to go in a specific place. His hats have to be hung on his bedpost every night before bed. His day has to be somewhat predictable. Everything has a place and order. Right down to brushing his teeth at night. He has to get the toothpaste and toothbrush out. Then he takes the lid off the toothbrush and toothpaste. He brushes for about ten seconds, then it is "my turn." Then I brush his teeth, then his tongue. Then he pulls his stool over to the sink, "spits." Then wipes his face off and puts things away. If anything is out of order or place we have problems.

He can't handle it if he has dirty hands or shirt. We go through about 3-4 outfits a day. Not kidding.

The first thing he says to Matt when he walks through the door after school is "hey dad, how was your day?"

Every morning he tells me he dreamed about Jesus.

He keeps reminding us that when he turns five he gets to go to school like dad :)

The kid can eat! About an hour after each meal he asks "mom, whats for lunch?"

I just love this little boy! I love how kind and compassionate he can be. I love his "fake" laugh, and how he will bust up laughing in the middle of a tantrum if you smile at him. I love his willingness to help teach Porter. I love that he is such a sweet boy and that he is a part of our family! Happy Birthday Corb!

Porter's Words- A Tree.

2011-12-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

I have separate private blogs for each of my kids. I write funny things Corbin says and does. And I write what I think Porter would say or think if he could put together a coherent sentence. I post lots and lots of pictures of them, and I keep track of their height and weight...ect. It is sort of like their journal and I plan on printing them out each year. This is an entry from Porter's blog. Matt requested that I put in on our family blog too.

A few days ago we put up a tree. We listened to music and sang songs and then Mommy and Daddy handed me round shiny things. I put them in my mouth and got glitter all over myself. I love this tree. I like to touch it and momma tells me "no no". I like to pull it down on myself. I like to hold the lights inbetween my thumb and pointer finger and squeeze really hard. Sometimes I put the lights in my mouth. I wonder why we have a tree in our house.

2011-12-06T11:16:00.000-08:00

We put up our Christmas tree last night. This morning we don't have a single ornament left on it. Porter had his way with it. Little bugger.

Corbin has had the flu. Sunday we got up, got ready for church, went, and sat down in sacrament meeting. Corbin immediately exploded. We promptly cleaned it up, got up, and left. So much for some spirit enlightenment. He still can't hold anything down....He keeps begging for ice. I am a sucker when he is sick. He said "Mommy maybe if I lay in my bed and watch spider man it will make my tummy feel better." I just hauled the TV in his room. He is tucked in watching spider man. I hate it when my kids are sick. He is the only sick one so far....keep your fingers crossed

Porter doesn't really talk much. Outside of momma and dadda we get an occasional hi, and bye. About a week ago he started saying cheese....Not as in the food cheese. As in smile and say cheese for the camera, cheese. Yesterday I had to take a lens in to get some repairs done. He saw me get it out of the camera bag and immediately started yelling cheese. Also last night we were putting the tree up and we got the cam-corder out. He looked right into it and yelled cheese. It is so funny. He also likes to hold blocks up to his nose (I'm thinking he thinks they look like a camera.) and yell cheese. He is silly.

Corbin recently informed me that Santa is going to bring him a tractor and football for Christmas. And a tricycle for his birthday. I tried to explain to him that Santa doesn't come on his birthday, just Christmas. He followed it up by telling me he will bring him an orange cake with purple ice cream... Anybody know how to make purple ice cream?

A few Saturdays ago I was bored....really bored. Matt was studying or talking on the phone. I can't remember. And the kids were entertaining themselves (Which by the way NEVER happens.) The stars were aligned. So, I decided to highlight my hair. I had some bleach and foils in my pantry, so I locked myself in the bathroom and came out with blonde hair. And arms that felt like jell-o. I had to do a few touch ups but, Im pretty happy with the way it turned out. I haven't highlighted my hair in so long, I forgot how quickly it grows and how much upkeep there is. I'm pretty sure it won't last long...No worries I have two boxes of dark brown color in my pantry just waiting for me. (or I should say waiting for you Aryn:)

This is our little tree that the boys have already destroyed. Small, but still does the job. Oh, and don't make fun of our "mantle" We do what we can:)

Life Lately

2011-11-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

Lately life has been busy busy busy! Matt is busy preparing for finals. I am busy editing photos. And the kids are busy making messes for me to clean up.

The week before Thanksgiving Matt had a mock trial. He and his partner had to come up with 3 witnesses. I got to be the lucky Ms Anne Hellman. A detective. It stressed me out a little to say the least but I am glad it is over. Matt prep'd me on what he was going to ask. I was ready for that part. But when it was the cross examination that scared me to death. I ended up saying "yes" to every question they asked. OOPS. Oh well, I am just glad it is over. And if I learned anything from the whole experience it is that I NEVER EVER EVER want to go on trial for anything. Or be a witness. Or be an attorney. Or be a jury member. Or be a judge. I want to stay far far away from the courthouse!

Thanksgiving came and went. It was super fun. We were in SLC with Matt's family. We ate and ate as much food as our little tummies would hold. All of us except Porter of course. We are still struggling getting that little one to eat anything. Everyone at Karen's house got sick a few days after. I'm not really sure how, but my little family of 4 escaped the sickness. Maybe our Father in Heaven had mercy on us since Corbin still loses his lunch regularly in the car. Who knows.

Last weekend I went to Wyoming to do some shoots in Evanston. I was really not looking foreward to it when my alarm clock went off at 4:45 AM Saturday. I laid in bed thinking "What are you doing Stefany, why are you doing this?" But I put my big girl panties on and got ready and in the car. It was soooo cold. So cold that my windshield just broke spontaneously on my drive there. My first shoot was at 8AM and when I got there it was a whopping 12 degrees. My sweet sister Jessica loaded me up with hot chocolate and I went on my way. I am SO GLAD that I did them. I had 6 ~~great~~ awesome shoots!

Corbin has been so sweet lately. He usually REALLY struggles being nice to Porter. But lately he has been doing pretty darn good. Every morning when he sees Porter for the first time he says "Hey, buddy! How was your night? Did you have sweet dreams?" then he follows it up with a long, passionate kiss on the head. It is the cutest thing. He is very excited for Christmas this year. We made a "chain countdown to Christmas" a few days ago. He gets so excited taking off a strip of paper everyday. He is such a great helper. He will clean our entire living room. I have to tell him exactly what to do of course. But he will run things here and there and put things away. The only catch is you have to time him. And he always tries to beat his time from the last run. He really does help out so much. I can not believe he will be three this month. I feel like he just had his birthday. Oh how time flies.

Porter is doing great. His new thing is to come and lay his head down on your leg when he is tired...or wants to snuggle. He has a new found interest in tractors. He likes to push them up and down the hall. He also likes to put toys into bags, cups and containers. A few days ago I found my boots full of toys. He has 8 teeth now, and he is seriously the best teether ever. I seriously don't even know when he has a tooth coming in. He is just so mellow and chill all the time.

Matt and I have been gearing up for the big move to Houston. I know it is still quite a ways in the future. But I feel like there is so much to be done. We have been researching the different areas there and trying to decide if we should rent or buy at first. And the logistics of moving an entire family across the country is super overwhelming. It is crazy to think that law school is almost over. It has gone by so darn fast. Our entire married lives one of us has been in school. We have never got a big kid job. And we have always measured our time in semesters. It just seems so strange that for five and a half years we have been doing the same thing...living the same kind of life. And it all changes very very soon. Too soon. Im a little nervous.

My Boys 2011

2011-11-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

Today we had an impromptu photo session. They were pretty good....NOT! After I bribed them with a sprite, they started to shape up. HA! I love that Corbin can no longer give a real smile. I get these fake cheesers. I guess I shouldn't make him be my little guinea pig so much.

My Lost Boy.

2011-11-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

Raise your hand if you have seen Hook. You know the peter pan movie... Anyway. You know that scene in it when the lost boys have "dinner" and they eat their fake food? Well Porter should have been in that movie! His new thing is to walk around the house with an empty cup/bowl/container of any kind and "eat out of it." It is so funny! He walks around aimlessly licking his fingers and reaching into his container for some more delicious make believe food. So funny!

Lions, and Tigers

2011-11-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

So I know I said earlier that Halloween was going to knock your socks off....Turns out class over rides trick or treating. BOO!! Anyway, we took the kids to the law school Halloween party as usual. Then I took the kids to the ward trunk or treat while Matt was in class. It was short and sweet. Just how I like it. Corbin is still the worst trick or treater EVER. His bucket was full of pixie sticks, smarties and dum dums once again. He sure does like it though.

Just after carving our pumpkin...

Porter HATED his costume!

17 Hours in Wyoming

2011-10-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we made a flying trip to Wyoming. Matt went and watched Annie's play in RS and I stayed in the Valley. I got to do an engagement session for Richie and Michele. You can look at the sneak peak HERE. They were seriously so stinkin cute. We froze our little bums off, but it was worth it. The boys went for a walk with Papa in the field. ...

Papa gave some lessons on how to properly hang a piece of straw out of your mouth.

They didn't quite get it on the first try to it had to be demonstrated again...

This sure was a fast trip. But worth the drive and car sick kids on our way home:) Next week we are headed back for round 2.

Fall is Here!

2011-10-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

A while back we went to pumpkin land an vineyards garden with Anna and Mason. Super fun! There was a cornmaze, a small (and quite smelly) petting zoo, and a few little play areas. Porter was happy to hang out in the stroller and watch the other kids play. Corbin loved just being out and hanging with his buddies. One of my boys WILL marry Anna...or there will be serious consequences...or I might cry.

Then last Thursday Matt and I hauled the kids to Hee Haw Farms. Oh man. It was also super fun. They have this huge slide that you go down on burlap sacks. Corbin loved it so much. He wouldn't go down without me of course. Then Porter had to come down with us. Im pretty sure I was the only full grown adult going down the slide. But it was fun.

This is my all time FAVORITE time of year. I love that it cools off and the warm colors come out! LOVE IT!!

Mason and Anna kept wanting to "hold" Corbin coming down the slides. This is how it went down...

Porter Bear's 1 Year Checkup

2011-10-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I took Porter in for his 1 year checkup. This poor little squirt just won't grow. He is currently 19.6 pounds which lands him in the 7th percentile. He is also 29.5 inches long putting him in the 40th percentile for height. But no worries that noggin of his is in the 90th...he has lots of brains! They took a blood draw to check for lead and anemia. He was so brave. He didn't make a peep the entire time. The doc called yesterday and informed me that his iron levels are super low meaning he is anemic and needs to be put on iron supplements. So I sat down with Matt to try and figure out what was going on. We decided that he is just so agreeable all the time. We will sit down for dinner, put a few things on his plate and then tend to Corbin, or eat ourselves. He would never complain or cry so at the end of the meal we would clean up, and that was that. So yesterday I tried something new. I put him in his chair, and sat there right in front of him and fed him yogurt and oatmeal. I never left I just sat and fed him until he was full....the kid ate an entire serving of oatmeal and half a yogurt...we have been starving him! Awesome. So I have been scouring the internet looking for high iron healthy foods. So I ask you...what healthy (high in iron would be nice) kid friendly foods do you feed your little darlings?

Wanna Know What I Did This Weekend??

2011-10-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

Click HERE (Make sure to look at all 3 sessions)

Do you want yours done too?? I am coming to Wyoming one weekend a month until December....Why? To practice and build my portfolio of course. You know what that means? FREE! Email me at stefany_gs@hotmail.com or leave a comment if you are interested. (Oh, and I made my own laundry detergent this weekend...WAHOOO!!)

Porter's Birthday Bash

2011-09-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Porter's first birthday Saturday. (He turns one for real on Thursday.) We went out to lunch, then came home and partied! You know, as much as a one- and two-year-old can. Porter had a lot of fun. I'm pretty sure his favorite part was eating his cake. He was very polite with it at first, but by the end he was ripping into it. Corbin helped him open his presents...(he basically did it for him). He got some pretty cool stuff.

I cannot believe our baby is already one. Seriously, the time is just ZOOMING by! It seems like yesterday we were rushing to the hospital wondering if we were going to have a baby in our new car. I remember driving home from Jordan and Amy's wedding and Matt telling me he felt like we needed to have another baby. I looked at him as if he was NUTS. I was convinced we had our hands full and I couldn't imagine having another baby for quite some time. But, I knew the second we began praying about it that it was right and needed to happen fast. We got pregnant within a few weeks. Now, I am so happy that Porter joined our family. And can't imagine life without him.

Porter is the happiest, most content little man ever. He is curious as can be, and is usually smiling and laughing about something. Some things about Porter at 1 year...

He can clap
Give Kisses
Walk
Say Hi
Give THE BEST snuggles before nap/bedtime.
Wave
He LOVES to dance.

Porter is also completely weaned. HOORAY!! He finally took a liking to a bottle and he hasn't looked back! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PORTER BEAR!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Books Books Books.

2011-09-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I took Corbin to the library. I thought maybe he would like picking out the books he gets to read before bed, and I thought it could become a weekly thing for us. (I also hoped he would become more and more interested in learning to read.) Nope! I am so wrong. He picked out 3 books

1. Amelia Bedelia plays baseball
2. Some boring book about Benjamin Franklin....I have nothing against him....but seriously whoever wrote it didn't really think about it being for kids. Im just sayin.
3. Gator Gumbo....half of it is in spanish.

So, now after reading all of them the one thing Corbin has got out of them is to NEVER EVER EVER play basketball, baseball or any other kind of ball without having a hat on. (All the kids in Amelia Bedelia wear a hat, so he should too, right?) Today he was playing basketball in the living room and stopped suddenly and ran to his room yelling "I need my hat on" Then after each basket he would run around screaming "We won! We won!" That Amelia Bedelia is educational I tell ya.

We only read these books once, and we are taking them back tomorrow to get some better books. I think I will help him out a little this time.

One of his favorite books that I bought him is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This morning Matt went golfing bright and early and brought doughnuts home for breakfast. Corbin was sitting at the breakfast table and ate an entire doughnut. He turned to me and asked "Mom, I can have nother one?" As he pulled out another doughnut and took a bite, I replied, "Not today Corb. You don't want to get a stomache ache like the very hungry caterpillar do you? You want to be a beautiful butterfly." He sat there for a second looking at his doughnut and then said, "Mom I don't want to get fat." He put the doughnut back in the box and got down. Matt and I about lost it trying not to laugh. He is such a fun little boy to have around.

A Little Update

2011-09-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Porter is walking all over the place! And with the walking comes terrorizing. He is my little breaker. He manages to break everything! (Like glass bowls and such.) Him and Corbin have started wrestling eachother. (I am talking to the ground.) And I either hear constant giggling or constant screaming. It just depends on the day. He is getting his 5th tooth in.

Corbin has begun that constant talking phase. He cracks me up with some of the things he says. He has such a big imagination. He is able to sit through an entire movie now!!! I haven't been brave enough to take him to a theater, but one of these days I am going to strap on my big girl panties and take him. Who can go wrong with the dollar theater right? Here are some recent quotes...

At the breakfast table eating cereal...Looking into his cereal bowl.

"I will eat you. (eats a bite) Good. MMMM you're good."

"No Mommy, dont fwip that pancake...5.4.3.2.1...doe to timeout."

Matt finally broke down and got me lightroom and CS5....and let me just tell you it was worth every little red cent! I have been busy editing and re-editing. I can't believe the difference it makes. I am ADDICTED!! I also started shooting 100% in manual...(this is the second time I have gone all manual.) Last time I didn't do it consistantly enough to remember how. I promised myself I wouldn't go down that road again. So I made a goal to shoot EVERY SINGLE DAY in manual. And now I think it would be hard to go back to auto. Anyway, Ill include a few new edits and pics.

Matt is busy as always with school. This semester has been by far the best yet. He has class half a day on Wednesday's and Thursday's then no class Friday. He has been spending alot of time golfing...with Corbin. Matt lets him take the flag in and out on the green. Corbin also gets to swing the club occasionally. We are soaking in his last year of school. (Because when it's over he has to get a big boy job, and we have to start being responsible adults...YIKES!) We have a lot of plans for this year. Hopefully homework and law review doesn't change any of them.

Some of my favorite before and afters.
Visiting Grandma Karen at her new house in SLC. (Would it kill them to smile?)

SOOC

Edit 1 and

Edit 2

Oldies of Corbin.

Do You Remember This Picture???

2011-08-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I submitted it to LDS Church Temples...and they accepted it! I know, it surprised me too. (One day when I get photoshop I will take that car out of it.) But it made my entire day, and I wanted to share. So, check it out here.

Breaking News!

2011-08-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

After many...

Many...

hours of lessons ...

from the pro...

this little sweet cheeks...

is W.A.L.K.I.N.G.

Apparently the weight gain regimin the doctor put him on is helping in more ways than one. He also sprouted another tooth...putting his final count at 3.

A Day At The Fair.

2011-08-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, that is a complete lie. It was more like a few hours at the fair. We took the kids to the Utah County Fair here in Spanish Fork. It was hot hOt HOT! So hot that at one point I just had to lie down and take a nap:

This is a clear reflection of how I felt when we got home anyway. We watched tractor pulls, watched a sheep show, saw pigs, horses, lambs, chickens, rabbits, and any other farming animal you can possibly think of. At the very end we let Corbin pick one ride....it was a tough choice but he went with the motorcycles.

Porter watching longingly from the sidelines.

Dad whispering words of encouragement.

Corbin sharing all of his knowledge about horses with Porter.

Corbin has a small obsession with tractors. He threw such a Janie when we told him we were moving on from the tractor pulls.

Porter...proud to be an American.

This picture is so funny to me....all the old farmer Joe's waiting by their tractor to see who has the best one. HAHA. Makes me laugh.

This was the first year going to the fair here. I'm glad we went. And how can you go wrong with free entertainment?

2011-08-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

We accepted the job offer from Latham. So it is official. We will be moving to Houston after graduation! We are a little scared to go so far away, but we are happy to have a job lined up.

I took my boys in for their check ups. They couldn't be more different. Corbin is in the 90th percentile for weight and height (He has been above the 50th percentile or higher for weight his entire life.) Porter on the other hand is in the 25th percentile for weight. They look NOTHING alike.

My dreams of chucking my glasses out the window were squashed last week. I went to see the eye doctor and he told me my left eye is getting so bad that I am not a candidate for lasik or contacts...REALLY?? So I will have glasses attached to my face until I die. I haven't quite accepted that fact yet, but working on it. So if any of you know of a place that sells awesome frames, send the info my way please.

Yesterday was our first Sunday in our ward since we got back. We love LoVe LOVE this ward!!! They didn't mess around getting Matt a new calling either. He was called to be a teacher in the Elder's quorum. I am still the primary secretary, and I LOVE IT!

Matt started his fantasy football league last night. Now there are two reasons I won't be seeing much of him....football and school. He starts school Monday...BOOO!

I am SOOOO excited for Halloween this year... we are all dressing up, and I have all sorts of fun little ideas running through this head of mine. So prepare yourself, and strap on your have-fun-looking-at-the-Willie-blog shoes on. It is going to knock your socks off. (Ok maybe not, but I sure am excited.)

Corbin has been so tender hearted lately. The other day he was watching The Prince of Egypt. Moses' mom had just sent him down the river in a basket and he turned to me with huge tears in his eyes and his bottom lip was quivering and he said "Mommy, where did that baby go?? I want him back." He is such a sweet little guy.

Thats all for now.

Lava Hot Springs

2011-08-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the kids and I went to Lava with my family. It was my dad's birthday so we headed there for some birthday fun. Matt was still driving home from Houston so he couldn't come....BOOOOO!!! I severely underestimated the the length of that drive with two kids. One of which can't keep anything down in any moving automobile. Lets just say Corbin rode naked for a large portion of the trip.

When we got there we went tubing down the river. Corbin went 3 times. Twice with my dad and Mindy, and once with me. He did ok. The water made him nervous and everytime we would hit white water he would have a complete melt down. Porter hung out in the truck and got to "help" drive the troops back up to the starting point. He was happy and content to be helping and not in his carseat.

Later we went to sit in the hot springs. They call them hot pools for a reason. The water temperature was just slightly too hot for me but the kids didn't seem to mind. When we got back to camp we ate dutch oven cobbler and smores. The boys were so tuckered out by the end of the day. They both zonked and slept great.

Sunday morning we got up and went to church. Then headed home. It was a great weekend and we missed my family so much while we were gone. It was great to see some of them.

Corbin and Kruz took turns pushing each other on this baby swing

The tubing gang minus me, Mom, and Porter.

Mindy and Dad were troopers!

Corbin made friends with Uncle Ted.

Kruz was all tuckered out after tubing. He snuggled up by the tree for some rest and relaxation.

Porter and Mom had some serious bonding time. She let him play dentist.

Corbin spend quite a bit of time on Papa's lap. And ate a sufficient amount of cookies.

Isn't he starting to look more like a little boy and less like a baby?

This trip was seriously FUN. Hopefully Matt can join us next time.

There is Not a Shortage of Mullet Wigs at Our House...

2011-08-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

Or fun.

Or excitement.

Or cuteness.

Thought you might want to know.

What we have been up to.

2011-07-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

We have been cleaning and packing getting ready to move back to Utah.

This little man had his last day of "nastics." He still begs to go. Here he is with his coach Ronnette.

This little boy has been teething and getting used to life without a binky....it's going well don't you think?

Corbin found Aunt Annie's sunglasses and now thinks he is too cool for school.

And last but not least. Matt got a job offer. We are grateful and excited for the opportunity....but haven't accepted quite yet.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2011-07-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

Matt's boss had four tickets to the game last night and couldn't go himself so he offered them to us. Of course we accepted and took the kids. The seats were amazing, the hotdogs were hot, and the game was....well it was uneventful. But it was still lots of fun. The game started later than usual. The kids were all tuckered out by the 8th inning so we left early.

There was a saxaphone player to the right....thats why the kids refused to look at the camera.

Harry Potter Premiere

2011-07-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Last night Matt and I were able to go to the Harry Potter Premiere. Matt's work has a big bash and then you get to watch the movie before it is released for the public. We weren't going to go but then at the last second found a babysitter (THANK YOU ANNA) and went. I am so glad we did. It was so fun... and something I will probably never experience again. Are we huge Harry Potter fans? No. But it was so fun. We got all the free concessions we wanted and free valet parking....which I have also never experienced before. It took us a few minutes to figure out how to get your car back after the show. At the end of the show they handed out free Harry Potter posters. We gave ours to a group of Harry Potter fans waiting outside in the mile long lines. We thought they might appreciate it a little more than us. It was the perfect date night for us. Matt just got off a LONG ol stretch of work...84 hours in 7 days to be exact. And they are sending him to Tulsa next week. So it was so relaxing to just have a break. This is the invite....I don't know why it came up in two pieces...but you get the gist.

This is the Pass we had to wear.

This is Anna, Matt's cousins Fiance. She was kind enough to watch our little babes while we went. She won Corbin over. This morning when he got out of bed the first thing out of his mouth was "Where'd Anna go?" He was quite concerned about where she went and when she would be coming back.

4th of July

2011-07-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

This year we spent the 4th of July at Matt's Uncle Steve and Aunt Michelle's house. Fireworks are banned in Houston right now because of the drought...BOO!! But, we had lots of fun without all the bright lights and loud noise. We had a BBQ and the food was DEVINE! I dare say it was the best BBQ I have ever attended. (Thanks Michelle!) After eating until we couldn't eat anymore, we hunkered down in Steve's office and listened to his old band, and a few recordings of Grandma Karen singing in high school. It was so fun. The kids danced around...it was super cute. Porter pestered their dog Coco all day, and Corbin thought he was in heaven when Michelle asked him to walk the dogs with her. Im so grateful we had some family to spend the day with.

I can't hear you.

Walking the dogs with Aunt Michelle

Porter and Brian bonded.

Indoor Playground

2011-07-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

One of the associates at Latham has twins that are Corbins age. His wife invited us to go to an indoor playground about 10 minutes from our house. I wasn't really sure what to expect. I had never been to an indoor playground before, but with the temperature outside steadily increasing I am willing to try anything that has AC. I was so pleasantly surprised with the entire thing. You have to register in the summer so it doesn't get over crowded with kids...which is AWESOME! It was way bigger than I expected. There was a side for bigger kids and a side for smaller toddlers. So Corbin played on the big side and Porter played on the smaller side. Both kids loved it! The slides are HUGE, and that is what Corbin did the majority of the time we were there. We will definitely be going again.

Houston Temple Day Trip

2011-06-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

The End.

Lets Go ASTROS!!

2011-06-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took the kids to a Houston Astros game. It was super fun and the best part is that the kids were FREE!! The boys loved it! I was a little worried about going to a baseball game in the heat, but Matt told me at Minute Maid Park they close the entire dome and crank up the AC. We ate pizza and ice cream. Corbin made a friend who shared her cotton candy. He was in heaven.

Corbin spotted this train instantly and informed us he wanted to go on a ride.

Towards the end Corbin started to get a little antsy so I took him to the little shops...he scoped out this bat and ball. He talked Matt into buyin it for him before we left.

Seriously family pictures are not our thing. Notice Corbin screaming bloody murder. I wasn't sure what was wrong with him. Come to find out Porter had a hold of his hair and ears.

This one is not much better. Porter was still eyeing his ears.

Little Adventures

2011-06-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago we packed the kids up in the car and went to check out downtown. Matt showed me where he works....

The 16th floor of this beauty

Then last weekend we took the kids to Galveston. It was my first time seeing any part of the ocean. Corbin LOVED it! We each took a kid out as far as we could go and let the waves crash into us. Porter wasn't so fond of the way the water tasted. We collected seashells and played in the sand.

It smelled fishy

Everyone here in Fall Creek is play date happy! We have our 3rd, 4th and 5th playdates this week! We LOVE it! It gives us something to do nearly everyday. This was taken before our first playdate here.

LAS VEGAS...

2011-06-17T21:21:00.000-07:00

Is now one of my least favorite places on the face of the earth. Not sure why...Maybe its all the sinning going on around those parts. Anyway, my sister got married. We drove to Vegas together. It went surprisingly well. Corbin didn't puke even once! WOW! We stayed in my parents condos. We swam. We ate. We got lost. We took shuttles to condos that weren't ours...Fun time huh?? But besides all of the things that didn't go well the wedding did go well. Mindy looked amazing and stylish as always. It was a short small ceremony with just close friends and family. Me being the super on top of it person that I am took my camera, and didn't snap a single picture of the wedding...not one! I am awesome. BUT if I have my way I will find a way to get some pics on here.

Annie and I went to a Garth Brooks concert....I now have a not so secret crush on a 50 year old. It was AWESOME!! The entire thing was acoustic and he is one funny old dude! Who would have thought?

Matt wasn't able to make it to Mindys wedding so Uncle Chet became Corbin's new BFF. He seriously LOVED him...Poor Corbin was SOOO confused as to who and where Daddy was. No worries he got it all figured out.

Annie on the way to the concert. I have never seen her move so fast. She was on a mission and nobody was going to stop her!

Next up...

2011-06-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

Nancy's Wedding. WOW what an experience. Matt had already left for Texas. So I hauled the kids to Utah the night before. We went swimming and gave uncle Mikey a haircut. I got up early the next morning and did Nancy's hair. AND...with the help of Aunt Annie we made it to the wedding...not on time...but none the less we made it. By the way these pics are courtesy of Emily and Jennifer. What? I had five thousand other things to carry around besides my camera and these ladies did just fine.

Enjoying some snacks

Porter being sad with Grandma

Seriously UNHAPPY CHILDREN!

Corb thought these were grapes in Nancy's flowers and was super sad he couldn't have a taste.

All the girlies...Porter was seriously grumpy...and HOT.

My favorite relative that is not related....LOVE HER!!!

Just In Case You Are Wondering

2011-06-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

I am WAY behind on blogging so there will be quite a few new posts....prepare yourself! First off...Lagoon! We took the kids to Lagoon before we left for Texas. I wanted to go for our anniversary so...we did!

Why on earth did we buy Corbin a ticket?? He got more enjoyment out of the silly water fountains than anything else. Lesson learned. I guess we will know for next year.

Corbin and Ms. Anya

Scary. White. Horse.

Porter chillin with Grandma

Have you ever seen a cuter baby? Didn't think so.

Update

2011-06-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

We are now in Houston. We survived 2 weddings in 2 weekends. It was pure CHAOS but fun. (I will be posting pictures when we get back to Utah)

Porter is adjusting great to our new home and the Houston weather. He is pulling himself up on things, crawling around, and he got his first tooth last weekend. He LOVES taking baths with Corbin and recently has taken an interest in eating with him,. They are starting to play together...sort of. Porter just follows Corbin around and occasionally Corb will acknowledge his presence. He is so so happy all the time.

Corbin is having a hard time adjusting to all the travel and change. (Aunt Annie has seen the proof) This morning when Matt left for work he cried to him begging him not to go. So sad. He loves our new house though and the big bathtub and balcony in it. He starts gymnastics lessons Monday and is SOOO excited! I'm pretty sure he is not a natural, but I will keep ya posted on that one!

Matt started his internship with Latham and Watkins....so far so good. He just got back from training in Beverly Hills. The firm is keeping him busy doing lots of oil and gas work. He has been to a few firm parties as well and it seems to be going good.

I am loving it here so far. The neighborhood is BEAUTIFUL! There is great shopping and restaurants close by. And our ward is awesome!! SUPER FRIENDLY! Its kinda strange....there are very few people over 40 and a ridiculous amount of kids. There is something like 17 attorneys in it. Crazy. I know! Me and the kids spend our days swimming at the pool, playing at the playground (if it isn't too hot) and walking through model homes in the area...sounds wierd I know, but Corbin likes it and I LOVE it:)

Some things about Texas/Texans

It is ALWAYS too hot for pants.

They call goldfish...(you know the cracker snack) goldwells...not sure why.

They never EVER return their carts at the grocery store.

The real estate here is AMAZING...don't believe me? Google it.

Welcome to the Neighborhood.

2011-05-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

Matt has been in Texas since the 15th. On the 18th someone broke into our car. Matt heard the alarm going off at about 6AM. He got up threw his clothes on and ran outside. He was expecting to find a broken windshield, but it wasn't broken. Our car was in perfect condition but our GPS was gone. Our car was locked, so how on earth did those dirty rotten scoundrels get in? I will never know. I guess we learned our lesson.....NEVER LEAVE ANYTHING VALUABLE IN THE CAR!!! I wonder if our carseats will go missing next. Texans sure do have a way of making you feel welcome:)

5 Years

2011-05-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

The 17th was our five year anniversary. Holy Smokes huh?? We weren't able to be together this year. Matt is already in Texas and I am in Wyoming with the kids. BUT we did get to go to Lagoon before Matt left. (Which is what I asked for) we had a ton of fun, and one day when I'm not feeling so lazy I will post pictures. I also got to get a pedicure....not so romantic but oh so relaxing. Happy anniversary Matt! LOVE YOU!

My Mothers Day

2011-05-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

My mothers day this year has been great! I woke up this morning to a clean house. (We are talking dishes AND laundry! PURE BLISS!!) Matt and Corbin did it this morning. Corbin's part was making sure they got up early enough to get the job done...haha! My present was my favorite part of it all. Each boy wrote me a poem with the help of my sweet hubby of course. They are seriously so stinkin adorable I thought I would share...This one is from Corbin...

From: Corbin
To: Mommy

I’ve got some things to say today, and let me emphasize,
I need to tell you ‘bout my Mom—cause she deserves a prize.
She’s cool, she’s fun, she makes me laugh; I like to play with her.
She’s my best friend. She’s freaking rad. And I think you’ll concur
There’s no one smarter, no one better, no one I like more.
She takes the cake, she cleans the house, she vacuums up the floor.

Here’s the thing—me and her do everything together.
We hang out, and go places, and talk about the weather.
We watch TV, and we take naps. She takes me to the store.
She lets me carry groceries in and open our front door.
She takes me to the playground—and sometimes to Lagoon.
I like it when she lets me eat my yogurt with a spoon.

She works real hard to be a Mom; it’s not an easy job.
Sometimes I spill or make a mess because I am a slob.
And sometimes I talk back to her, because I’m immature;
I scream and cry and throw a fit and fall down on the floor.
But Mommy always knows when I need time-outs or a nap,
And also when I just need her to hold me on her lap.

So go ahead and try, but you won’t find at any price
A mom that outdoes my Mom, or a mom who’s half as nice.
She’s number one, she’s unsurpassed, she’s paramount because
When it comes to momming, no one moms like my Mom does,
Yep, there’s no doubt my Mom’s the best. Now one more thing to say:
I love you, Mom, and hope you have an awesome Mother’s Day!

This one is from Porter...

To my Mommy on Mother’s Day:

It’s Mother’s Day today, and I don’t want to let you down.
I’d like to buy you lots of gifts or take you out of town.
It would be fun to do something—you know, just me and you,
But I don’t have a credit card, so I don’t know what to do.

I’d like to rent a movie, and watch it on the couch,
Or take you to a fancy place to prove that I’m no slouch,
Or make and serve you breakfast, while you’re still lying in bed,
But let’s face it, Mom: I barely know how to hold up my own head.

I guess that maybe I could try to just be good today,
To overcome the urge to cry, be happy when I play;
I could maybe be less stinky and throw up a little less,
But that would take maturity that I just don’t possess.

So I guess there’s really nothing new that I can try to do,
I’ll still wake you up when you’re asleep and cry and puke and poo;
I’ll still throw fits at dinnertime and drool on your new dress.
I just don’t know how else to live (and I like to be a mess).

But even though I act the same, I hope you understand,
That you mean more to me than just a mammary gland.
For every hug, and every kiss, and all you do and say,
I’m thankful, Mom, to be with you on our first Mother’s Day.

Love,
Porter

Seriously cute huh?? Everytime Mothers Day rolls around I can't believe that I am a Mom. It blows my mind how much love you can have for another person. Especially when that person poops all over you and makes all sorts of messes for you to clean up:) I still feel like I am 16 sometimes so the thought of having kids still sounds a bit foreign. But I am learning every day and hopefully I will be able to be the kind of Mom to my kids that my mom is to me and Matts mom is to him.

Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful women in my life!

I Cracked The Whip..

2011-04-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

On potty training that is.

Day 1 = 2 Accidents.
Day 2 = 0 Accidents.
Day 3 = 1 Accident.

Proud. So. Stinkin. Proud...(and beyond excited)

A total fluke? Too good to be True? We shall see.

Easter

2011-04-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

Easter this year was so fun!! Corbin was so excited about the whole thing. Saturday we colored easter eggs. We let Corb do a lot of it himself. Lets just say we spilled a large amount of food coloring in our kitchen. Sunday we got up and had an egg hunt. Corb ran around like a crazy man finding his eggs, and Porter just watched with delight. We then got ready for church and went. Corbin got a ridiculous amount of candy from grandma, his nursery leaders, friends, and the easter bunny. No worries though it is hidden in the pantry:)

My two handsome little men

A Quick Trip to Wyoming

2011-04-18T19:57:00.001-07:00

Saturday Matt had to study all day. (He just took his last final today YIPEE!!) So the boys and I hopped in the car and took a day trip to Wyoming to see my sister Jessica and her adorable little family! We had so much fun. Corbin LOVED playing with Brecken and their puppies. He asked me in the car on the way home if he could play with the them again. Corbin and Brecken ran up and down the halls screaming at the top of their lungs for hours. We ate DELICIOUS food and relaxed the day away. It was GREAT!!

We played the couch diving game. It's always a good time...

We discovered that it is a Walker trait to do the thumbs up with your toes.

Burkley started it!

Buddies.

There was a lot of finger tasting going on.

I am so so glad we went! It was long over due and well worth the drive!

Dinosaur Museum, Salem Ponds, and a Spend Over

2011-04-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week Mindy and Kruz came and spent the night with us!! We all had so much fun! We went to the Dinosaur Museum and then went out for ice cream. Later we went to Salem Pond to feed the ducks. We ate pizza for dinner and talked and played all night! I wish they could have stayed longer!

Porter got hungry while Mindy was holding him, and decided he wanted to taste her face:)

At Salem Pond

Corbin has never had his own ice cream cone before. So when the worker gave him a free one he thought he was in heaven!

LOVE this girly!

Corb got sand in his mouth at one of the exhibits and was less than thrilled about it!

This shark tried to gobble Porter up!

April Fools, And Farm Country

2011-04-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

April Fools has never been a celebrated holiday in our home. But this year I thought it might be kinda fun to do an April Fools dinner. We had cupcakes (meatloaf topped with mashed potatoes) and sliders (vanilla wafers, cookies, and frosting.) I had so much fun making it!! Corbin helped me and totally gave it away when Matt walked through the door. I think we will have to do some fun April Fools dinner every year!

Then Saturday we wanted to take the kids to Farm Country. We got up, watched the morning session of conference, then drove to Thanksgiving Point. We had such a blast there! Corbin wanted to ride the horses so bad! Right before we left we let him have a pony ride, and he thought it was "amazing" He rode all by himself on the biggest horse there! Matt walked beside him incase he started to fall off, but he did so well on his own. He had a grin from ear to ear the entire time! Porter enjoyed it too. He was happy and content to hang out in the stroller and he LOVED the hay ride. On our way home we got burgers and shakes and listened to the second session of conference in the car. It was a fun family day, and definately worth the 5 bucks!

Matt's Poster

2011-04-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

Matt was put on a poster at the law school for receiveing a scholarship. They plastered it all over the law school, and I told Corbin about it. He told me he wanted to see it with his own eyes. So I took him up there. There was a life size one, but they had already taken it down.

Play Date With The Whites

2011-04-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

A few days ago we had a play date with Mason and Anna. Corbin seriously LOVES these two!! We went to a park in Provo, then to the White's house. We took some fun pictures...there are a lot so brace yourself.

We seriously could NOT get a smile out of Porter....until Aryn took matters into her own hands :)

Handsome little Mason

Playing in the sandbox...I'm pretty sure we took half the sandbox home with us... I found at least a 1/2 cup in his bed after nap time.

These two are so stinking cute together. They are going to get married one day! They would NOT sit next to each other...no way, no how! But this little series of pics just makes me smile!

Corbin insisted going down the biggest slide by himself and came out like this every time. For some reason he couldn't figure out how to stay on his bum the entire way down. He would cry at the bottom because his head hurt from rubbing against the slide. But he just kept going down it. Silly boy.

First time on the swing... he didn't last long.

Porter Is 6 Months

2011-03-22T19:56:00.001-07:00

Today Porter and I had a little photo shoot. We were originally planning on going outside, but it was SNOWING...BOOO! So we did it in the living room. He will be 6 Months the 29th so this counts as his 6 month pictures.

This is my favorite

Towards the end he got a little grumpy and was ready to be done!

Porter at 6 months

* Says Da Da Da
*Sleeps through the night...usually 8-6:30 ish
*Is sooo happy an content.
*Idolizes Corbin
*Loves bathtime
*Likes to watch TV
*Lays his head on your shoulder when he is tired.
*Has red/blonde hair
*Has dark greenish eyes
*Pretends to chew if you eat in front of him
*Is by far the sweetest happiest baby I know
*Can roll front to back and back to front.
*Can scoot a little
*Hates his bumbo chair
*Still isn't so sure of Daddy.
*Giggles at the drop of a hat.

I am so happy that we have little Porter in our home. He is so happy all the time. It is a breathe of fresh air! I can not believe he is 6 months already I feel like just yesterday I was complaining that he didn't want to come out. I am so glad the Lord blessed us with another baby boy, and a best friend for Corbin. I always tell Matt that he should have been a girl so we could just be done. But I don't know... we will have to wait and see. I feel like Porter and I have such an amazing bond. I feel so blessed to be his Mom!

???

2011-03-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

*Every time I leave my house I feel like I am taking everything but the kitchen sink. I always go through the necessities in my head before leave...keys, wallet, diapers, wipes, desatin, sippy, binky, tylenol, nursing cover, phone, snacks, toys ect ect... My diaper bag is HUGE and half the time when I go digging in it I can't find what I am looking for anyway. So I decided that my list is completely out of control and decided that from then on I would only taking diapers, wipes and phone. I don't need all that other stuff. If I needed it I would simply stop at a store and buy it or drive home and get it. I would put my credit card in my back pocket instead of taking my entire wallet to save space. My new, less hectic, more organized diaper bag couldn't fail right? WRONG!

A few weeks ago I was in the grocery store buying weekly groceries. The cashier rang everything up and gave me my total. I reached for my credit card in my back pocket and found my temple reccomend instead!! How embarressing. This is not the only time that happend. Yesterday I went into fedex to fax a few things off and I once again reached in my back pocket and found my costco card instead of my credit card. Being a mommy makes me wonder where on earth my brain has gone. Luckily in both cases I was able to go home and get my card without much trouble. Maybe lugging around my gigantic diaper bag isnt such a big deal. Who knows!

*Yesterday while walking down the hall with Corbin he looked up at me and said..."Mommy I am so proud of you go pee pee on the potty!" I about died. Potty training is going a little better. Very little.

*Annie is here staying with us for a few days for her spring break. We LOVE having her here. Corbin is half obsessed with her. I wonder if she feels the same:)

*I miss my sisters sooooo bad...BOTH of them. I feel like it has been ages since we have all been together. I need a vacation!

*We found an apartment in Texas for this summer...and Annie is coming with us! HOORAY!!! I am SOOOO excited to go and see what it is like there, I can hardly contain myself!

Things...

2011-02-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

*Matt and I are officially going to Houston this summer. We leave the end of May and will be there for 10 weeks. We still have not found an apartment...We should probably get on that!

*Matt turned....I wont say how old. Its getting to that point. You know when kids ask you how old you are and you just say...old! We had a great day! The kids were sick so Matt went to church...ALONE!! I dare say it was probably the best Sunday he has had in a while. We watched the Oscars, ate pie, and got hair cuts. One day (in about 1 1/2 years we will have money to make birthdays a bit more exciting! But for now its homemade books and cards.

*Corbin is completely OBSESSED with books and coloring. It happened over night. One day he was chewing and eating the books for a snack. And the next he was requesting "The Crooked Man" and "Thomas" to be read OVER AND OVER AND OVER Again! He spends half his day at the counter coloring his "menu" not really sure why he calls his coloring book that but whatever works right?

*Porter has been sick sick sick. He got it from Corb but it is 10 times worse. Fever, coughing, puking, and teething all wrapped into one. He has been so snuggly. I LOVE IT! Corbin was never cuddly when he got sick so this is a welcomed change.

*Potty training is by far the most frustrating thing I have ever attempted! Corbin will run to me and say "MOMMY POOP!" We will go running down the hall to the bathroom only to find it is too late. One day right?

*I finally found a doctor for my kids that I LOVE! It only took 1 1/2 years! Thanks for the 411 Aryn!

*I feel like Porter is growing so much faster than Corbin did! He is 5 MONTHS! Rolling, talking, sleeping well, eating solids. Its Crazy!

* Matt is working on his second...yes 2nd thirty page paper for law school. So Matt has been ...shall we say absent. I HATE LAW SCHOOL! But I know that if I were to become a single parent I could hack it.

Our Sweet Little Porter

2011-02-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

Thats All.

Homesick?

2011-02-14T09:13:00.000-08:00

Last week we moved Corbin to a "big boy bed" and Porter to the crib. I have been putting off the switch for a while because Corbin sleeps so well and why mess with a good thing right? So I bought a bed off KSL...it was a steal deal...and a 4 in 1 so I felt really good about it. I was sooo nervous to switch him. I almost chickened out that night. I think Supernanny scared me a bit. You know what I am talking about...the episodes where parents are up half the night walking their toddler back to their room. I was not looking foreward to that one bit! But I can't have a 10 year old in a crib so we took the plunge and did it. We let him help put it together and he watched us move the crib out. He was sooooo excited about it. So the best part of the day came as it always does at 8 o'clock. We went through his bedtime routine...brush teeth, prayers, pushups, snuggles, beeps and eyes..and left the room. We were ready for the worst...but to our surprise he fell asleep after about 10 minuts and stayed put the entire night.. I felt so homesick...or maybe baby sick I'm not sure which. It just makes me sick that my baby is growing so fast. I was certain the whole thing was a fluke so I was prepared again the next day at nap time for a battle...but nope no fight at all. This kid is an angel baby (sometimes!) It has been a week now and he has not fell out or gotten out of bed once!

It was Porters turn the next night... bedtime routine, and bed. I was ready for a night full of screaming. But he totally surprised me! He adjusted so well! He went from getting up every 2 hours to every 4. HOORAY!!! I was once again feeling super homesick. I can't explain it. I talked to Matt about it and he said it is just me realizing that they grow so darn fast. Even though I was nervous about all these changes, I am sooo happy we did it! We are all so much happier when we sleep well!

Corbin's new bed

Porters bedding made by yours truly! I LOVE the monkeys!

Porter's new crib

What We Do Before Church

2011-02-08T13:35:00.001-08:00

This Picture KILLS Me!

Sure do love these boys!

Closer to 30

2011-01-21T10:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I turned 26. I can't believe I am closer to 30 than 20...kind of depressing right? Anyway I had a great day! My sweet husband took me to lunch at Tucanos. It was...ummm...very meaty. But good. I didn't have to cook it! Of course it was good! He got me a kindle (which I am in love with, it seriously makes me like reading...which is kind of strange for me.) and I was able to get my hair cut Saturday. (It was in desperate need of a trim!) Matt had class till 6 and got home at 6:30. We ate a quick dinner and I headed off to stake training. (Not exactly what I wanted to do, but I'm glad I went...lesson of the night...be patient!) When I got home Matt had cleaned the kitchen and picked up all Corbin's toys. We got the boys to bed and then sat down and enjoyed some delicious ice cream while watching Modern Family (which by the way is HILARIOUS...slightly inappropriate, but so funny!) I am so blessed to have all my boys! I am so happy I got to spend the day with them!

Christmas

2010-12-31T13:36:00.000-08:00

Helping Grandma play "Jigga Bells"

Helping Uncle Jess play and sing

Dancing the Night away with Anya

Porter and Papa

Corbs favorite toy from Papa and Grandma Walker

Corbs all time favorite toy...the pillow pet from Aunt Annie
Christmas Eve dinner

Daddy spinning a ball.

The decor

We had a great Christmas! We spent most of it in Lyman. We had an AMAZING Christmas Eve Dinner in candle light. Corbin and Porter got spoiled! Matt and I didn't buy them anything because we knew they would get so much from Grandparents. We were right! We couldn't even fit it all in our car on the way home. Corbs favorite present was his pillow pet from Aunt Annie. We spent 12 days in Lyman singing, dancing, playing games, sledding, eating, watching movies, and baking! It was so fun! Karen's house was decked out in pink and silver decorations... it was super cute. Matt got a Kindle (and he is hooked!! He hasn't put it down since he got it.) I got a set of belgique pots and pans, and a new bag I LOVE THEM! (Thanks Mom and Karen) Porter got some new toys and a snowsuit. We came back to Utah and went to Temple Square to see the lights. Corbin LOVED it and Porter slept the whole time. We thought we might try to watch the Joseph Smith movie (I have never seen it) but Corbin and Porter weren't having it, so Karen and I took them out, while everyone else stayed to watch. We found the cutest little play room in the geneology library, and the time actually went super fast We ate dinner at Benihana. Both of the boys couldn't take their eyes off of our chef. Im so glad we were able to see both of our families. It is pretty convenient that they live in the same place. We had a blast and can't wait to visit again!

Frosty the Snowman

2010-12-31T13:03:00.000-08:00

While we were home for Christmas it snowed like CRAZY and Corbin wanted to build a snowman. So we all put our gear on and headed outside. This was the outcome. I think we did a pretty good job considering it has been years since any of us built a snowman!

Corbin's Par-Tay!

2010-12-30T21:50:00.001-08:00

The Invite

The Cake

The Gear

The Ride

The Reaction

The Result

Daddy

This year for Corbin's birthday we decided to have a sledding party. It was so fun....for us. Corbin lasted one ride and ended up on Papa's lap driving the truck the rest of the time. Turns out he doesn't like snow in his face. Aunt Annie made his adorable cake (THANK YOU!) We had a blast and can't wait to go sledding again!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

2010-12-15T12:49:00.001-08:00

Corbin and Porter got to see Santa at our ward party Saturday. I had been talking with Corbin about Santa for a few weeks prior. I didn't want him to have a melt down when he sat on his knee. He did so good! No tears. Just a little nervous look on his face. Even though Porter slept through the entire thing, I don't think Santa will forget him this year:)

Kid Pictures 2010

2010-12-15T12:45:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU JENN!!

Big Boy!

2010-12-15T11:57:00.001-08:00

Monday Corbin turned 2! We had a great day! We went to mother goose time at the library. Had lunch at the park with Matt. Opened presents. and went to the Festival of Lights. I know I say this all the time but I CAN NOT believe he is two! Time is flying by so fast. He is becoming quite the independent little stinker. He will take out the trash for me. He tells me to go away when he is naked in the tub. He likes to climb the stairs by himself, and hates to hold my hand when we are walking to and from the car. If Porter is crying he immediately runs over to him and says "no crying baby" and will try to shove his binky in his mouth. He refuses to sit in his high chair...he sits at the table now. He is such a "big boy" and we love him to pieces!

At Mothergoose Time.

His "jigga bell"

Eating pizza at the park

We let him have his own sprite at lunch...what did he do? Drank it all, then ate the ice, then started eating the cup...thats my boy!

Driving at the Festival of Lights. He LOVED IT!

Porter's Blessing

2010-12-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we blessed Porter...of course we were flying out the door trying not to be late, and I spaced taking pictures...BOO!! But I did take some after the fact. Matt gave Porter such a beautiful blessing. I was so worried Porter would scream through the entire thing, but he did great! He waited until the Amen to have a melt down. Thanks to our family who attended and helped out!! We LOVE YOU!!

Funny Boy

2010-12-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

Some recent Corbin quotes...

After a fall...
"Mommy, Im otay"

Getting him out of his crib yesterday morning...
"Mommy, need hot dog, peaches, pickle."

Driving home from Provo yesterday (I was singing)...
"MOMMY!! SHHHHHHH!!!!! Baby Seeping!!!"

After sitting in time-out
"Sorry Mommy, Didn't mean to."

While in the tub... (I went in to check on him.)
"Mommy, go away."

"Let me show you"

Corbin has started talking up a storm lately!! He says at least 3 new words a day. Its crazy what he picks up on....the other day he was sitting in his chair eating and just started saying OMG OMG! Im not sure where he got that, but we will have to work on it.

Also, I am debating starting potty training...I think he is more ready than I am. I'm just not really sure how to go about it. Do I buy a little potty or get the kind you put on the big toilet. Do I switch to big boy undies and never look back...or do I leave him in diapers? Standing up or sitting down? Do I sit him on there every 30 minutes or let him tell me when he needs to go? Ugh just thinking about it makes me tired! Any tips?

FHE Fun

2010-11-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

Last night for FHE we put up our Christmas tree. Matt was studying until 7 so me and Corbin played with my camera to pass the time. I turned the timer on and set it up on my dresser. Corbin LOVED it. He would squeal every time the camera would beep, and we would scramble to try and get on the bed before it took. Then after it flashed and took the picture he would die laughing. We had so much fun and even Daddy and Porter got in on the bed diving action. (If you have never done this with your kids....I HIGHLY recommend it!) We had so much fun!

We got our little 3 foot tree up. Corbin had such a hard time getting the ornaments on the branches. It was so cute watching him concentrate as he tried to get them to stay. Our stockings are hung and we CAN'T WAIT until Christmas!

Corbin Fall Pics

2010-11-12T13:22:00.001-08:00

It has been a BEAUTIFUL fall day today, so Corb and I went across the street and took some pics. We had so much fun playing in the leaves. I tried to get him to lay down in them, but he was not having it! Tomorrow Corbin will be 23 months old! Almost TWO! What the heck! Where has the time gone? A few things about Corb...

He LOVES to help clean...laundry, dishes, vacuuming, scrubbing the bathroom, trash, you name it he'll do it. (I hope this sticks throughout the teen years.)

He likes to help me cook. He will push a chair over to the counter and climb up.

He is obsessed with taking things apart. The other day I found him in my cupboard. He had taken all the handles off all of the lids to my pans! I'm not sure how he did it without a screw driver, but leave it to him to figure it out.

He loves the Wiggles, Elmo, Caillou, and Barney

He still gets so carsick. But now when we go on trips in the car and he isnt feeling well, he will say "mommy puke" Its kinda handy.

Him and Matt have TOTALLY bonded since Porter was born. The other morning I went into his room and the first thing out of his mouth was "Daddy?"

He is sooo interested in the potty. I just wish he would actually go in it.

He recognizes MANY aunts, uncles, and cousins. I went to drop him off with my sister the other day. He fell asleep on the way there. He opened his eyes and said "need Amy." Then went back to sleep. Anytime I have my computer out, he will climb up on my lap and say "need Annie." (He likes to look at Annie's pics on facebook.)

He no longer cries when we take him to nursery.

He LOVES V8 juice....wierd I know. I bought some for him and he prefers it to water, milk, or chocolate milk. He must have got that from my dad.

Growing Baby!

2010-11-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Carving

2010-11-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

A Little News

2010-11-02T14:34:00.001-07:00

-Corbin fell out of his crib yesterday for the first time. I was cleaning, he wanted to read books. So I gave him a few, and the next thing I know he is red faced and crying in the hallway. I thought Matt must have got him out...I was wrong. I guess it's about time for a big boy bed.

-I packed up my maternity clothes today. I have never felt better in my whole life! I hope they stay in storage for a VERY LONG TIME!

-We are having our first family picture taken Saturday. Isn't that pathetic? Four and a half years and two kids later we will make some memories. (And I worked for a photographer for a while...there is no excuse.)

-For the first time since Porter was born, my laundry is all washed folded and put away. I'm sure that won't last long.

-For the life of me I can't get the wiggles theme song out of my head...it has been there since I had Porter. I may or may not be using the sprout channel as a babysitter. But in my defense I do need to shower daily. If you could smell me you would agree.

-I am so excited for Christmas. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because Corbin is finally old enough to enjoy it. I can't wait to watch him open presents.

-Corbin is officially the worst trick or treater ever! We took him to the trunk or treat at the church. I stayed in the car and handed out candy with Porter while Matt and Corb walked around collecting the goods. Matt came back and we went home. I went through his bucket and it was chucked full of bubblicious, pixie sticks, smarties, and many other non-chocolate candies not worth mentioning. Matt said he would always reach for the nasty candy. I guess it's good for my waistline.

-Porter is such a Momma's boy. Its getting ridiculous. I went to the store last night for 1 hour....he was fed, and changed when I left. He screamed for about half the time I was gone. Matt said he tried everything... binky, bouncing, swinging, walking around, ect and he was ticked! I walked in, picked him up and the screaming immediately stopped. This could be a problem...we shall see.

Porter Is 1 Month

2010-10-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

Porter is already 1 month old! It's crazy how time flies. He is already changing so much. His eyes are turning green, and his hair gets more red everyday. We are working on getting him on a schedule, and it has proven to be quite a challenge. He is smiling, and cooing like crazy, and we love having him here!

Do You Take Sugar?

2010-10-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

My Two Little Cuties

2010-10-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that Corbin has taken a liking to Porter. This morning all he wanted to do was hold him. In the morning when I go and get him he always asks "baby go?" Thank goodness Corbin is getting used to all the change!

2 Weeks

2010-10-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

Porter had his 2 week appointment today. He is growing as he should and right on track! His first PKU test results came back abnormal for cystic fibrosis and hypothyroidism, so a week ago they did a second PKU. Today we found he doesn't have cystic fib:rosis or hypothyroidism. We were so glad to get the good results. He has gained almost a pound and is getting taller and taller. Its so sad how fast they grow! Here are his stats at 2 weeks.

Weight: 8 pounds 11 1/2 oz (50th percentile)
Height: 20 1/4 inches (50th percentile)
Head Circumference: 37

Little Porter has been such a blessing in our lives already! It seems like we have always had him. He is such a well behaved little guy. He only cries when he is hungry. Corbin always had melt downs every time we would change his diaper or give him a bath. Porter is cool and calm when we change and bath him, (and when Corbin throws blocks at his head) They are like night and day. He sleeps well, and is eating like a champ!

I HAVE TO PUSH!!

2010-10-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

I thought I would give some details of Porters birth...lets just say it was VERY different from Corbin's. Tuesday night at around 9:30 I started having a few little contractions, but they weren't too consistent or strong. We called the hospital and asked if and when we should come in. They told me not to come in until I couldn't breathe through the contractions. I could breathe through them just fine so I decided to take a bath and relax a little. While in the tub the contractions started to come quicker and stronger so I got out and got dressed. I told Matt I was getting more and more uncomfortable and we should probably leave sometime soon. He wanted to take a shower before we left. We had plenty of time (or so I thought) so I got my bags ready while he was showering and put them by the door. By the time he got out of the shower I couldn't breathe through the contractions so we booked it out the door and started driving. We left our house at 12:33. I was too the point that I thought I was gonna die! Matt drove faster and faster. We didn't realize it but the road to the hospital was closed. Right about the time we realized that my water broke, and I felt like I had to push! Matt started running red lights and praying that we would get pulled over so someone would be there to help him incase we had the baby in the car. We finally made it to the ER. Matt ran in and told them he needed help. Four or five nurses came rushing out with a wheelchair. They wheeled me to the fifth floor. I kept telling them I needed to push, but they told me not to. After what felt like an eternity we made it to the 5th floor and ripped my pants off. They found I was dialated to a 10 and ready to roll. There was no time for an IV or a hospital gown. I asked if I could have an epidural and they said there was no time. Immediately I went into panic mode, I looked at Matt and he mouthed the words "you can do it." I assured him and the doctors that I couldn't. One nurse said 3 pushes and the baby will be out... and 2 pushes later we met our little Porter. (at 1:07) It was by far one of the most exhausting experiences of my life. I am so grateful for the student doctor that was there to deliver me, and that Matt was there to help me through it. Matt was just thrilled about the money we saved on the whole deal:) I guess I didn't realize that the second one always comes faster. I just didn't think it would be 15 hours faster.

Despite the scary experience we are so happy to finally have Porter in our home. He has such a sweet spirit. Corbin is still a little confused. Karen came by today and when she left he said bye bye...bye bye baby. Hopefully he will get used the whole idea and learn to love him.

Better Late...

2010-10-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Than Never.

Porter Walker Willie
9-29-10
7lb 12 oz
18 1/2''

More to Come...

It's A Definate Maybe

2010-09-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

So my due date has come and gone and.....no baby. I have a feeling this little boy is going to be a lot like Matt. Karen said he was a worrier from day one. He would would think about coming out but then get worried about it, and change his mind. I keep thinking right now would be the perfect time for my water to break or I could handle contractions right now. My house is clean, laundry done, food is made, bags are packed, but this little guy has plans of his own. I have been dialated to a one for 3 weeks and am 75% effaced. The doc said I just am not progressing very fast. BOO! So, I may (or may not) get induced Wednesday depending on whether or not Utah Valley is busy or not! HA! I think its so silly that in order to be induced at Utah Valley you have to just hope they have space for you. You can't just schedule it and go in, its just a definate maybe! So, I have been working on getting this kid out on my own...you know long walks, cleaning, spicy food, bumpy rides ect. So maybe, just maybe I will have this baby this week.

Baby Update

2010-09-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

I know at the end of every pregnancy you feel like you may be pregnant until the end of time. But I am really truly convinced that this kid may never come out!! In Wyoming most doctors are willing to induce you at 38 weeks. That is NOT the case here in Utah. I had my 38 week appointment last Friday hoping for good news. I am 50% effaced, and dialated to a 1. When the doc told me that I thought... fabulous, I'll go get my hospital bag and meet you at the hospital in an hour. But apparently my doctor has a different plan. Im just wondering how long this belly of mine can fight gravity. I haven't seen my feet in months, and I just know that I might fall on my face and become the first human teeter-totter at any moment! But now, 4 days after my appointment I am sooooo happy that my doctor wouldn't let me get induced. Corbin and I have been so sick (we are talking fever, headache, puke, cough, runny nose, and teething...the whole shebang.) and I can't imagine bringing a tiny little guy home just to get our creeping crud. Now I am wanting to keep this kid in as long as possible so both of us can have a chance to get healthy. Let's just hope that good things come to those who wait! (And those good things won't involve a 12 pound kid) I have another appointment Friday. Hopefully I can last one more week.

Very Tired Boy

2010-09-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while making dinner Corbin REALLY wanted me to go with him into his toy room to play. I was busy and told him to ask Daddy to go. Matt gladly went into the toy room with him. Dinner was ready and I went to get the boys and this is what I found...Apparently Matt needed a snooze in between study sessions.

And a random pic after bath time.

Shots...

2010-08-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Kicking
Screaming
Crocodile Tears
In the end, there was a cream soda flavored sucker that made it all better.

Healthy As A Horse!

2010-08-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

WOW!! Two posts in one day!! This is a rare occasion. I just got home from Corbin's baby wellness appointment and I thought I would record some stats for future reference.

Height: 32''
Weight: 28
Head Circumference: 50.1

Ages and Stages Scores (The cutoff score is the lowest score you can get without sending off red flags to the docs)

Communication: Cutoff score 33.3 Corbins Score:50
Gross Motor: Cutoff Score 40.1. Corbins Score: 60
Fine Motor: Cutoff Score 27.5. Corbins Score: 55
Problem Solving: Cutoff Score 35. Corbins Score 50
Personal/Social: Cutoff Score 33. Corbins Score 45

Corbin is growing like a weed and is healthy as a horse. He is learning and growing as he should. We have one more round of shots to go and then he is done until he is 4...HOORAY!! Wish me luck on the 5 shots he has to get next week.

Cleaning Time!

2010-08-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

This morning Corbin and I took on the task of cleaning out my closet. (And what a HUGE undertaking it was!) It took about 2 hours total. Corb was getting a little restless and getting bored of handing me hangers and making piles of clothes for me. My back was turned and it got VERY quiet. I turned around to find this...

And later...

Despite the fact that he is a little obsessed with my scarves and shoes, Im so glad he was willing to "help me" while cleaning.

Carol Dawn Hendricks Willie 1927-2010

2010-08-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Matt's grandma passed away last week. She was an amazing, talented, hard working woman and she will be missed!

MALAD --Carol Dawn Hendricks Willie, 83, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday , August 8, 2010, at her home.

She was born on March 26, 1927, in R i c h m o n d , Utah, the second daughter of Samuel Allen and Georgia Marteal Wight Hendricks. She spent her childhood in Malad where she developed her love for music, education, family , and the gospel. Carol Dawn graduated from Malad High School in 1945. She then continued her education at Utah State University, then Utah State Agricultural College, where she earned degrees in business education and elementary education. She also earned her master's of education degree from Utah State University.

She married the love of her life, Carl Ray Willie, on March 18, 1949, in the Logan LDS Temple. They spent 58 years together, working and raising their family all those years before Carl passed away November 12, 2007.

Carl and Carol Dawn spent the majority of their married lives in the Malad Valley. They spent most of their years farming. They also owned the Malad Department Store for many years. Carol Dawn began teaching school in 1958. She taught fourth grade to many students during her 37 years as a teacher at Malad Elementary. Even after her retirement , she spent the next 14 years as a substitute teacher, only giving this up when her health no longer allowed her to do this.

Carol Dawn had a great love for music. She loved to share her talents with others, both through singing and playing the piano, violin, and organ. She taught piano for many years, teaching many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Lazy Days of Summer

2010-08-10T20:35:00.001-07:00

It has been a long summer, and I am SUPER behind on blogging. So here we go! We spent a portion of it in Montana, and a few weeks in Lyman. We were busy spending time with family, playing at parks, playing games, riding tractors, soaking in the hot tub, and growing (literally). We had a lot of fun, but are happy to be back in Utah.

Adam and I showing off our bumps (34 weeks)

Dad and the grandkids at his 50th birthday party.

Playing at the park. (Corb has mastered the slides, and will go down them for hours on end.)

Corbin's newest facial expression. (Mindy used to make this face all the time.)

Playing in the rocks and Grandma and Grandpa's house

Grandpa teaching Corbin how to turn on the lawn mower. At first Corb was a little nervous to go with Papa to mow the lawn but he learned to LOVE it. He fell asleep a number of times while riding.

He spent alot of time on Great Grandpa Elliotts lap.

We went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park...It was BEAUTIFUL!

Corbin playing some ball.

Annie's graduation

My two boys...LOVE THEM!

My sweet babe posing for a shot at TRNP.

10 years!

2010-07-28T13:03:00.001-07:00

I just realized that 10 years ago today, Matt and I went on our first date! WOWZA!! Where has the time gone?

(And how did I manage to go on a date at 15?)

18 Months

2010-06-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

How did my baby go from this....

To this...

I will never know!

Corbin is now a whopping 18 months old! He is starting to talk up a storm and becoming more and more independant every day.

Some words he says... Momma, Dadda, pappa, walk, diaper, shoe, baba, bath, baby, cheese, please, bubble, no, don't, more, wipe, tiger. Some words he signs... Dadda, bath, more, thank you, please, eat, baby, milk.

We have been trying to explain to him that I have a baby in my tummy. He will climb up on my lap, pull my shirt up, stick his pointer finger in my bellybutton, and say baby. He is also fully convinced that everyone else has a baby in their tummy too. He will go to Matt, Annie, and Grandpa Elliott and try to pull up their shirt. We need to do something about that.

Corb now LOVES the park (I am talking tantrum when we leave) he thinks he is so big climbing up to the slides and going down. He is still obsessed with the baby swings, and will watch other little kids play for hours! Since we have moved up to Montana, Corb has learned how to go up and down the stairs without completely killing himself (We still have a gate for my piece of mind.)

I can't believe how much our lives have changed in just 18 months...I was thinking about how different things are now, and it made me laugh.

I never thought I would push around the race car cart at the store just to make the trip go a little smoother.

I never thought I would clean poop out of the bathtub

I never thought I would feel super productive just from getting showered, and ready during naptime.

I never thought I would drive a 7 passenger vehicle.

I never thought I would pick a park by the number of baby swings it has.

I never thought I would stress out over a babies sleeping habits.

I never thought I would get so excited to go out for a 10 minute walk by myself.

I never thought a clean house could make me so happy.

I never thought I would be willing to watch hours and hours of childrens movies.

I never thought I would be used as a human kleenex. (I must admit I have wiped Corbin's nose with my sleeve on more than one occasion.)

I never thought we would plan traveling around naps, and bedtime.

Having babies makes you grow up in so many ways. It is by far the most challenging thing I have ever done in my entire life. But also by far the most rewarding. I love it when Corbin runs to me and gives me kisses and "snuggles". I sometimes get a little jealous when he wants Matt instead of me.

We are so excited to welcome another little one into our family, and can't wait to watch the two of them grow together!

4 years

2010-05-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

On Monday Matt and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary. I can't believe it has been 4 years! The time is just FLYING! Our friend Aryn watched Corbin while we went to dinner at the Macaroni Grill. It felt so weird to go to dinner without him. I felt like I should have been constantly monitoring what he threw where, and whether or not he was standing up in the high chair. It was so nice to enjoy dinner and eachother. Thanks so much Aryn!

I remember the night we got engaged. It was Christmas Day 2005. Matt's mom lived in Springville, and Matt invited me to spend Christmas with his family. I was a little nervous to go stay with his family. I was scared to death of them! Every morning I was there I would text Matt from my room and ask him to come and walk me to the bathroom. (The bathroom was literally 10 steps away.) But he did it anyway. We spent the morning opening gifts and enjoying eachothers company. As the afternoon came we slowly started showering and getting ready for the day. I was in my room and my sister Jessica called me to tell me Merry Christmas and ask what I got. I told her every detail from start to finish...during that time Matt walked in the room and was waiting patiently for me to get off the phone. After I hung up, he asked me who I was talking to. I told him it was Jessica and she called to see how my day was going and what I got. I told him she asked me if I got a ring. Matt looked at me...worried as usual, and asked...did you want a ring? And I replied...only when you are ready to give me one. We stayed up all night talking about the logistics of getting married...where we would live. Which temple we would be sealed in. What month and day would work. Advantages and disadvantages of a long/short engagement. Our wedding colors...ect. When I woke up the next morning I wasn't sure if we really had that conversation the night before. But Matt assured me it was real. We decided to keep it a secret for a little while until Matt could ask my dad's permission. We told Matt's mom before we left to have Christmas with my family. She literally SCREAMED!! Annie came running upstairs wondering what was wrong.
We left for Lyman and we literally couldn't talk about anything else the whole way there. That night Matt mustered up the courage to ask my dads permission. We made a plan that I would take my mom into the back room and talk with her while Matt stayed out in the living room to chat with my dad. Matt told me he was pretty nervous. He sat down on the couch...the TV was on. My dad was snoozing on the couch. ( He had just got off graveyards). Matt had to wake him up and ask to talk. My dad later told me he knew it was coming....but he is wrong because I didn't even know it was coming. Matt told him all the ways he would be able to support a family, and all the reasons he thought I should be his wife. After what seemed like an eternity Matt came back and got me and my mom. He was smiling and I knew it went well. We picked May 17th to be married. That 5 months seemed like an ETERNITY! But the day finally came, and we tied the knot! I don't remember feeling nervous or unsure of the comittment we were about to make. I never got cold feet, or wished we took it slower. I knew that marrying Matt was right. We have had our share of struggles, and bumps in the road. But I love working through them with Matt. He is my eternal companion and I am so lucky to have found him in High School. I am grateful everyday for the blessing he is in my life, and the lives of others. Happy Anniversary Matt!! I love you!

Day in Malad

2010-05-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we made our way to Malad to visit some of Matt's family. It was so nice to get away and have a simple day with family. Matt showed Corbin the sheep which made him scream bloody murder as the pictures document accurately. While we were outside we had a small photo shoot. It was such a nice day, we had to take advantage! Enjoy!

Corbs face after a fall

Corb and Great Grandma Willie

Corbin and daddy after seeing the sheep

Annie and CJ

Do you think Jesse and Matt are related?

Miss Anya

Giving Smooches

More Smooches

We were trying to get a good one of Karen and the grandkids...Karen looks good

Baby Bently...seriously the best behaved baby EVER!! And a great subject to shoot! He was still, didn't cry, and didn't try to run away!

Baby Hughey...don't ya think him and Bently are clones?

Sorry it was picture overload, but I took alot... what can I say.

BOY OH BOY!!

2010-05-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

It's a BOY.
I was wrong, Matt was right...
once again.

Lagoon

2010-05-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we went to Lagoon. We had such a blast hanging out and riding the rides. Corbin rode the carousel, the dragon roller coaster, the planes, the terror ride, and the train. Annie took Corb on the roller coaster and we all died laughing when we saw the look on his face. He looked TERRIFIED! But he smiled and clapped when it stopped, and didn't cry once! It was so fun to watch him on the rides! He was attached to Grandma Karen from the second we got there. He wanted her, and only her to hold him, and he fed her some of his hamburger. By the end of the day all three of us were tuckered out and fell asleep instantly! Thanks for inviting us Karen and Annie! It was a blast!

Hello Dolly!

2010-05-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hopefully we will get a better picture at Annie's real wedding.

The Willie Clan

Jord taking a whiff of Annie's flowers

Annie and CJ (he had the male lead)

And a random one of my boys for good measure!

This weekend we were able to go to Lyman for Annie's HS play...Hello Dolly. She had the lead part, playing Dolly, and she was FAN- FREAKIN- TASTIC! It was so much fun to watch! It was a short weekend, filled will lots of family and fun! It was just what we needed. Matt has been going non stop all semester. He finished his paper for the write on competition to get on law review at five o clock Friday night. Then we went straight to Lyman. We watched the play Saturday, church Sunday, and he started an internship this morning! He is BUSY BUSY! But I'm so glad we had the time to go! It was well worth the trip!

Fun Day At The Zoo, And A New Calling

2010-04-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

Corbins favorite "exotic" animal...a cat

Riding the carousel

The HUGE alligator

Kruz on the monkey bars

The big Caterpillar

Kruz showing Corbin the way...it was SOOO cute!

Riding the train

Corbin enjoying the indoor exhibits

Corbin pointing and saying "OOOO" to the tiger

Thursday Mindy and Kruz came and spent the night with us. Corbin had a BALL playing with Kruz. We even left the two of them with Matt while Mindy and I went shopping. They were so well behaved and just adored each other. Friday morning we got up and headed to the zoo. The boys were so excited. Corbin LOVED the indoor exhibits (probably because he could actually see them.) And his favorite animal in all the zoo was the cat. How ironic. He simply could not bring himself to move on from that cat. He just kept going back to it! He would point at the animals and say "ooooooo." The weather was great! Not too hot or too cold. And there weren't too many people there. We rode the train and Carousel. We had such a blast and hope they come again soon!

I also got a new calling. I am the Primary Chorister...not exactly what I was expecting. When I went in to talk to the bishop, he told me what they had in mind, and my heart SANK! I have to admit it is one of the 3 callings I hoped I would never get. But, I know it is going to be such a fun experience (At least thats what I keep telling myself.) I helped out the old chorister today, and it went really well considering the fact that I don't know how to lead, and I only know 17 primary songs. hahaha!! I just spelled my name in cursive. The little kids will never know the difference:)...But I am on my own next week, so we will see how it goes. (So if any of you have any fun ideas for singing time PLEASE let me know!)

Jesus at Home Depot...

2010-04-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

We have a picture of Jesus hanging in our hallway right outside Corbin's room. Everytime he sees it he will point at it and say Jee-Jew. If we ask him to show us where Jesus is he will go running down the hall pointing up to show us. And at church, he can recognnize the pictures in the halls of Jesus.

A few days ago Corbin and I were in Home Depot with my parents buying a few things. Corbin was sick of being in the cart, and didn't want to be carried. So while my dad was checking out the wood and lawnmowers, my mom and I took Corbin down the light fixture aisle. (If you have never been to the light fixtures aisle in home depot...its like two or three complete aisles with fixures out, with bulbs in them, and they are plugged in, making quite a bright aisle.) As we were walking down the aisle Corbin pointed up at the lights and said...Jee-Jew. We walked up and down and he kept pointing up and repeating Jee-Jew, Jee-Jew.

Its amazing to me that little ones know so much about the Savior. Corbin knows that Jesus lives in a warm bright place, and that Jesus shines brighter than any other. I know that Corbin can feel the Saviors love all around him! Sometimes it's easy to forget that our children are borrowed from Heavenly Father, that they are given to us, and we are trusted to care for, and teach them the way that Heavenly Father would want us to. What an amazing gift to be given!

Busy Busy Boy

2010-04-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

Today we woke up and it was chilly chilly outside... We couldn't go anywhere, so I decided to bake bake bake. I was making these little jewels...

and I turned around to find this little stinker...

He took out every single cooking/baking utensil I had in that cupboard. So, I thought what the heck if it keeps him busy, who cares. He stayed in there and played for about 10 minutes. But he is a busy body and he grew sick of it, and wanted to get out. But there was one problem....that three inch ledge that he would have to climb down. At first he just pleasantly let me know he was ready to get out...

That quickly turned into his famous laugh/cry... (which he got from his dad)

He is sooooo busy these days. Last night (for some unknown reason) Matt taught him how to open our entertainment doors. So, today he had out every DVD we own. Along with Matt's playstation (which I don't feel bad about since Matt taught him how to open the doors) and our DVD player. Im hoping all this is just a phase that he grows out of soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Easter and Conference

2010-04-04T19:42:00.001-07:00

Easter morning with Corbin was super fun. Matt and I didn't think he would really understand the big egg hunt. So we colored a few eggs the night before, and bought a few plastic ones. We filled the plastic eggs with his favorite treats (marshmallows, trix, and gummy bears. We didn't plan on making a huge deal out of it. Morning came and as we walked down the hall he noticed something was different. He LOVED it! His little eyes would light up every time he found a new egg, then he would run to Matt and have him open it up to see what was inside.

It was so nice to listen to conference this weekend. Corbin was needing a little attention and getting bored of sitting there, so we put him in his highchair with a little tupperware full of flour. At first he tried to eat it. But he learned pretty quick that it doesn't taste very good. We gave him measuring spoons to measure with...and this was the outcome.

Great Grandpa Wendell

2010-03-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was messing around with some old pictures from last summer, and came up with this! I am in LOVE with this picture. We get to go stay this summer with Great Grandpa Wendell, in Montana and we are super excited!! Corb is very mobile now, and then....not so much. We are a little nervous because the last time Corbin saw Grandpa Wendell he was a sweet little man just learning to crawl...but now he is into EVERYTHING, and tells you NO! It could be a LONG ol' summer for us. But we are very excited to spend some quality time with Great Grandpa Wendell.

Cubby Fun....Errr

2010-03-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Last night Corbin figured out how to climb up into one of the shelves in our entertainment center. It started out fun and exciting. So happy with himself...

Figuring out all the different ways he could fit...

Getting nervous he won't be able to get down...

Completely upset and mad that he tried to fit in there in the first place...

We will have to see if it is as much fun the second time around.

Playground Junkies...

2010-03-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Playing with Chad in the wood chips

Trying to intimidate the other kids with his huge muscles:)

We have suddenly become playground junkies. The weather has been AWESOME, and I can't be in my house when I know its so beautiful outside. So, Corb and I have been hitting up every playground in sight. We have found some pretty good ones, but today (with the help of Whitney) we found my new favorite!! The equipment is designed for toddlers, so its super low to the ground and very toddler friendly. It also has a little duck pond that has 2 ducks and 2 geese in it. We tried to feed them some of Corbin's animal crackers but they weren't having it. (Next time we will take bread) There is a bridge that goes over the pond and Corbin loves to run back and forth across it. We spent about 4 1/2 hours (split between two different parks) today. And me being the awesome mom that I am didn't bring any sunscreen. Corb got a little color on his cheeks. Next time I'll be more prepared! Anyway, I am so excited for this warm weather! Corb loves playin outside in it, and best part is he is wasted by the time we get home so he takes an awesome nap afterwards!

New additions....

2010-03-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

We finally got a new car!!! WAHOO!! We didn't really have a choice. A few months ago we took the good ol' Cobalt to get serviced, and the company that did it (I won't say who) cross threaded the oil cap. That teensy little mistake led to Matt driving down the interstate on his way to school, and the engine blowing up! Not exactly the perfect start to his day. Anywho. The "company" payed for a new/used engine, but the new/used engine only had a 90 day warranty on it. Making us feel a little nervous driving it around. So, Jesse and Em came up a few weekends ago, and we all took the plunge...buying (almost) identical Dodge Journeys. We are so happy with it so far. I never knew a car could feel so smooth, and be so roomy. (I guess compared to the Cobalt, anything would feel roomy) Anyway its too darn cold outside to go take pics so I looked for a picture of our exact car, but this is the best I could come up with. Ours is a tanish goldish color.

And now for my favorite addition...

Baby Willie #2

Coming in September

We are so excited and blessed to have another child come into our home! At first the thought of two made me a little nervous. But as reality sets in, I know it is right, and our lives will be fuller, happier, and more enjoyable with two! I think Corbin is going to be a FANTASTIC big brother...Matt has taught him that when asked if he wants a baby sister, he shakes his head no. And when asked if he wants a baby brother, he shakes his head yes. So, I guess we'll have to wait a few weeks to see if Corbin (and Daddy) get what they want!

Please...

2010-02-20T17:49:00.000-08:00

Matt and I have slowly started teaching Corbin sign language. (through practice, and the videos) The other night I was sitting on the couch. Corbin kept bringing me book after book to read. So, he climbed up, picked up his book of choice "What makes a tiger a tiger." And shoved it in my face while saying "ugh" I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try and get him to understand when you ask please. I read the book to him once, he then grabbed the book, shoved it in my face, and said "Ugh" again. The sign for please is to rub your chest with one hand. So I told him in order for me to read the book to him again he would have to ask please. I took his hand and showed him how. I then read the book again. After he grabbed the book again and shoved it in my face and said "Ugh" I told him once again that if he wanted the book read he needed to ask please, I showed him again how to sign it. He looked up at me, climbed on my chest and started rubbing...Matt and I about died laughing. He understands how to say it, but he just doesn't get that he needs to rub his own chest! He always keeps us laughing!

I need HELP!!

2010-02-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Corbin has started hitting....anything, anyone, at anytime. I don't want him to get in the habit and think its ok. So, we started doing time outs in his playpen. At first it seemed to be working. We would give him 1 warning, and if he continued to hit, he would go in the playpen for thirty seconds. At first he would cry the entire time out. Now he just sits in there and waits happily. I don't know if he is old enough to understand why he is in there, or if I am just wasting my time. Or, maybe he will grow out of it. At first we would do 2-3 time outs per day, but now it seems like he is in there constantly. With nursery coming up in 4 months I want this naughty behavior to be a thing of the past. Any advice would be AWESOME!! I have researched it and lots of people say 14 months is to young to do timeouts, others say to hit them back (which is not an option for me) Others say to ignore it. I just don't know what to do!