Guests

Last weekend, our friends from FF came to visit! It was so fun to have guests!

Their little boy is 2 days older than Elias. He is absolutely adorable!

There really isn't much to do in Rolette. We toured the town on foot...including the "Mall"...in the morning. In the afternoon, we decided to go to Rugby to supper. Mandy has so many creative ideas! Corbin and Mandy looked through Cheerios to keep Corbin from jumping off the walls! Thanks Mandy!!! We enjoyed supper at the HUB.

We took the back roads home and drove by a "Self-Serve Veggies" stand owned by some of our friends.

The boys picked apples from our tree. They are very sour...as you may be able to tell from Eli's face!

Thank you so much for coming up! It was so fun to see you!!!

some things should not be shared.

This morning when I was doing the 2nd round of diaper changes, Corbin was on the changing pad (not interested in the potty today...go figure) and Elias went to his first stop in the bathroom...the toothbrush holder. Elias always grabs a toothbrush and starts brushing. Today, instead of grabbing one of the 5 he usually chooses from, he chose MY toothbrush. I told him to put it down and take a different one. Corbin, always on top of it, told me, "You should share with Elias, Mom."

These two are going to keep me busy for life! They are always into everything. Little stinkers!

Corbin is THREE

Happy 3rd Birthday Corbin!!!

Corbin was given some really big, awesome gifts from his grandparents this year!

When Corbin and I (Emily) went into the party store to pick out his theme, he went straight to the Thomas the Tank Engine area! After picking out everything he wanted that was Thomas, he went to the fire engine area, then Spiderman, and finally the construction themed area. But when he realized he only got one choice, he stuck with Thomas.

When I starting thinking about how much he loves trains, I thought it would be fun to do a train cake. I googled "train cakes" and this is the idea the website gave me.

Corbin relaxing in his new set of wheel!

Waiting to open his gift!

We had a party in our backyard on his birthday. All of his friends came to help celebrate!

Corbin picked out the "car" he wanted (topped with M&M's of course) and we put the candles in there. He blew out 2 of the 3! He knew that he had to save one for his girlfriend!

The boy table!

Presents!!!

It still hasn't fully sunk in that Corbin is already a three year old! He is old enough to go to preschool (but we aren't sending him), old enough to ride a bike with training wheels, old enough to say his own prayers at night, old enough to dress himself (and he actually picks out stuff that matches sometimes), and my personal favorite...he is old enough to help with chores!!! He can make his own bed, set the table, fold *some* laundry, put his clothes in the drawers, pick up toys, vacuum and dust!!!

God is good

i scream

goofy

sharing

While Daddy's away...

...we went down to Grandpa Don's and Grandma Cathy's to PLAY!!!

A majority of time was spent in the sandbox!

Some time was spent cooling in the pool!

We also cooled off with some freezie pops that turn your tongue fun colors!

Went over to see Simon's latest project. Corbin watched the box go down.

Bath time is necessity! And can't forget the lotion smiley face!

Sing a few tunes...like Bob the Builder!

Lots of rides on the 3-wheeler!

And pretend to ride the dirt bike!

I even took the boys on around the yard a time or two!

We had a first while we were at Gma and Gpa's too! Corbin hit his head on a rock and got his first stitch! He did a great job at the Dr.! He came home with a blue stitch and some stickers! We went out for ice cream to make it all better.

It was so nice and (pretty) relaxing! Can't wait to come visit you again soon!!!

Roosevelt Zoo

"Can you say baa?", Corbin asked the sheep.

We took a day and went to Minot with the kids for a little family time before Joel leaves for Youth Convention tomorrow morning. We had a wonderful day! We had a picnic in the park, rode on the train, went to the zoo and shopped a bit. Corbin didn't know what a picnic is, so right away he said "No, tank-tuo." (no, thank you) But when he found out what it was, he was very excited and all for eating at the picnic table.

The boys...Elias and his cheesy grin and Corbin showing off as usual!

This picture cracks me up!

Corbin could ride in any of the cars and of course chose the caboose...who wouldn't choose the caboose, right?

We bought some of the 25 cent corn to feed the deer, which Corbin spilled all over the ground, so we got on our hands and knees and fed the deer!

The zoo just got a pot-belly pig. It was ugly, but Elias walked right up to it and was so gentle! He kept petting it and petting it. He giggled every time he looked at us. He was so cute (Elias, not the pig)!

The zoo has giraffe feeding times...so next time we go we will have to be sure to schedule that in.

The otters were so fun! They really put on a show!


This was the first trip we have taken to the zoo this summer! Next time we need to see the penguins, too. They were just going in for the night when we walked by.

summer at its best

Our backyard has lots of raspberries. They are huge and yummy and shout summer at its best!

The boys have tried to be helpful and pick with us. Corbin learned that he doesn't have to pick many because he can just come to mommy or daddy and take from our buckets.

Elias is funny to watch. He will play in the sandbox or with the lawn mower for a little bit and then he gets the munchies and takes a raspberry or two off the bush and goes right back to playing. He seems to have learned that the red ones are the best. For a while he would grab at the green ones and would soon spit it out...but the red ones stay in!

Elias has been changing constantly! He has got 4 teeth in the past week. He has climbing up the stairs mastered and is working on going down. He has found a love for raw veggies (peas mainly). And the part that I enjoy the most is that the boys have finally started to play together. Corbin will "roar" at Eli and Eli will giggle and run away. The run after each other all day long. Corbin also enjoys rolling the ball around the floor with Elias or playing puppy, with Elias holding onto his "leash".

Corbin has a bubble mower that blows bubbles out where the grass should come out. He thinks it is the greatest toy on earth! He runs around the yard and Elias follows him trying to pop the bubbles.

Elias got Corbin's hand-me-down mower. It doesn't do anything but make a popping noise...bubbles are so much cooler! Someday something better will come along and Elias will get the bubble mower and Corbin will have a brand new something-or-another.

Tuesdays with Eli

Tuesdays are one of my favorite days of the week. Almost every Tuesday morning, Corbin goes along with Joel to XYZ Bible Study. The ladies love him there and bring him candy or treats. He is able to play and color and watch cartoons (we don't have tv). It is his break from Mommy and Eli, too.

The reason why I love Tuesday mornings isn't because I get rid of Corbin, but that I am able to spend some one-on-one time with Elias. Eli eats it up. He makes sure my eyes never move off of him. He helps me with every chore I do...from moving laundry downstairs in the clothes basket (rides in the basket and enjoys every bump down the stairs) to wiping down the table with his own washcloth! Tuesdays seem to work out best for grocery shopping, paying bills, folding laundry...one kid seems so much easier than two!!

Eli is so cute on Tuesdays. He smiles from ear to ear and knows full well that brother isn't around to take Mommy's attention away from him.

Tuesday mornings are so much fun!

Bad Habits

Both Corbin and Elias have acquired some bad habits within the past few days.

Corbin thinks that burping is the best thing in the world and has trained himself to do it on command. He will burp over and over again until we go crazy! He thinks it is hilarious! It really was funny the first time...but not at all anymore!

Then there is Elias, our sweet, always smiley little guy...who now says "no" all day long! He points his finger, just like mom, dad and Corbin, points to what the "no" is and says "no, no, no" over and over again! So, he officially has a first word! "NO!"

Raising boys is so much fun.