Summer Vacation

We had been planning our summer vacation for several months and then about 4 weeks before we were supposed to leave, a friend came up to me at church and asked if I wanted to drive with her and her two kids to Utah... in three days. I COULDN'T pass that up! A chance to see my family and just hang out for a few weeks before the crazy vacationing started? Yes Please!!!

So we headed out on Wednesday, June 3. I was a little worried about being in charge of four kids 3 and under. But, her 3 year old was pretty self sufficient, and my friend has really long arms, and can reach her from the drivers seat, so she was able to give her her water and such.

We were packed in there... Two women, 4 kids, and a dog! What a story!

We drove till we couldn't drive anymore, which was half way, and then crashed in a hotel room. Unfortunately, my kids woke up way earlier than anyone would have liked. But that got us up and on the road. We made it to Utah really late (I don't remember how late... but we were all zombies) and I was so glad to be there! 

We got reacquainted with everyone (we meaning, my kids), played outside with Nana's awesome toys in her awesome back yard! Amy came over with her kids and we went on a walk. It was good to talk to her and catch up. Depending on the day/time both kids loved my mom's dog, Jazzie. 

On the weekdays we stayed with Amy, since my mom works. It was so fun to see my kids interact with their cousins!

Cambria and Shaylee are buds! They all are, but Cambria loved looking up to a girly-girl like Shaylee!

We went to the park. Corbin wasn't too excited about sharing his swing, but it makes for a cute picture!

I went to yoga class with Janelle, in the church building that Jonathan and I met each other! It was during Corbin's nap time, so about half way through I decided to take him on a walk. I went to all the rooms that had significance... It was so nostalgic! Picture a cheesy movie where they have flash-backs with the cheesy music. It was almost that good. 

We went to the museum of natural curiosity and this was the most fun my kids had. It was a little old for them (developmentally) and there were TONS of kids there. It was still fun though!

Cambria and I went to the Provo temple and walked around the temple grounds. That place holds a lot of special meaning for me too! It was crazy to walk around there and think of how far I have come since I left Provo.

a bit blurry but this captures the amount of change that happend to this boy within the three weeks I was gone. He learned how to crawl, pull himself up, and feed himself all within the time Jonathan and I were apart!

This is a crazy high rope bridge. It's at the aquarium. Cambria was super brave and walked across several times! 

petting the fish! Poor Shaylee was too short to touch anything, but she sure did try!

mom took us to the Barn at Thanksgiving point. Cambria was so brave! She wanted to touch all the animals! She litterally got about three inches away from a full size cow! And she rode a pony!

Shopping trip with the girls!!

This was a failed attempt at Cambria's first sleepover! Can you tell why? Yeah, Cambria was too excited to go to sleep. Shaylee came down several times saying that she wanted to sleep but Cambria wasn't letting her. Maybe next time she'll be old enough to understand how it works.

Any excuse to get her nails done, Amy will take it. So we went out and did our nails together! So fun!

This is the only pic I got of the three boys. Oh what fun they will have as they grow up (these boys are all born within 3 months of each other)

This is also the only pic I took of our sibling reunion. We had a first-time-ever siblings reunion and it was a BLAST! We went to Couer D'Alene Idaho and rented a cabin on a lake. Unfortunately, it was record high heat and the AC broke and the lake was gross. But we still had a blast and made some good memories.

On our way up to Alberta we stopped at the worlds largest dump truck. This is us at the tire, if that gives you any idea of how HUGE this thing is!

my boys!

In Alberta, for my Cousin Tacy's wedding! We spent a lot of time setting up, but with our family, it doesn't matter what we do, we always have a good time!

This is Cambria at the grave site of my cousin Danae, Cambria's name sake. I cried, but I don't think she quite knew what was going on, but she liked looking at her picture.

I told her before we left that she had the same name as my cousin, and her face lit up! I told her that she died, so we were going to go to the place where we can remember her. I don't think she understood but it was good for me to see her there.

I was secretly hoping that Cambria would recognize her... that she had some sort of relationship with her. Maybe she does, maybe I just can't know about it...

At the Bingham family reunion down in Idaho. These boys are 8 months apart! They are going to have a lot of fun when they grow up too!

Cambria's closest cousins her age. They were all playing on the same trailer, but I couldn't get them close enough to get  a pic. 

What a wonderful trip! We drove a lot, saw a lot of people, and renewed some awesome relationships! The only thing I would have changed about it was Cambria's stress levels. As the trip went on, the more cranky she got and the more she wanted her own space, her own toys and her own quiet... 

But all in all it was wonderful! I'm so sad that we won't be seeing several of the people we saw for a very long time. I'm already day dreaming of being able to go out soon... even though I know that isn't possible. 

My responsibility as an aunt

I have spent almost a week at my sister's house and its been really fun. But I have been struggling with how to treat my niece and nephews. I have seen the things they do when mom's not around, and I have felt a need to be a second mom. I had an epiphany today. They don't need a second mom, or a second discipliner, they need a person who loves them the way they are. They need an adult friend and playmate. I'm going to try harder to be that rather than what I have been this last week.

Moments

Here are some awesome pictures/videos from the recent past

I didn't know she knew this song till she started singing with me.

If this is the only video you watch. Watch it. SO CUTE!!

I just love sleeping babies!

We went to an event on campus with a petting zoo. She loved the chicks!

she did touch the cow... but wasn't too excited about it.

LOVE this pic!!!

sometimes Cambria wants me to play Barbies... and sometimes I play longer than she does...
(my first waterfall braid. Success!)

my first ladder braid :)

Cambria was playing in her box and insisted that Corbin join!

I seriously love the way he looks at her!

For our five year wedding anniversary, we went horseback riding! Since neither of us had really ridden, we had a beginner lesson, but it was still fun!

We took family pictures (thanks Jenn!) and here are some faves!

Love their relationship!!

Pure joy right there!

Teaching Cambria how to blow dandelions. 

my cuties

he loves his daddy!

again, love their relationship!

Moments like this don't happen often, but I love them when they do happen

I love holding her hand

mmmm! mum mum!

temple snack buddies!

Swing-cheese! (lol... it's late)

"beep beep"

Cambee with some friends. They played almost independently the whole time. Then when it was time to go, this moment happened.

We take our smoothie mustaches very seriously around here. If we get lucky, they turn into goatees. 

look! Curls!

Corbin 9 months

Dear Corbin,
Well, I did it, I'm a little more on the ball! I'm only two days late rather than a few weeks or months!

This month I feel like you have developed your gross motor skills quite a lot! You are now a full blown sitter! I feel confident enough in your sitting ability (and your ability to get to your belly from sitting, since you rarely sit still) that I can put you down and walk away. You are also an awesome scooter! You now get to where you want to go. I often find you following Cambria or me around the house. Then when you finally get to the room we are in you give the biggest grin and start laughing, almost as if you are saying "I did it! I'm so proud of myself!" You have crawled a few ... crawls? Is that what you call them? You have done up to 4 hand-knee movements before you fall over. With just a little more core strength, you will be crawling all over the place!

You also are very interested in what's around you. Often what's around you are all of the toys. Cambria has never had an experience where the toys in her house weren't just hers, so she is learning how to let you play with things. One time you were interested in a toy that Cambria was playing with (the stacking cups) and scooted over to get some. Cambria didn't know how to handle that, so she wrapped her arms and legs around her toys and got stressed "No! Mine! Noooo! Miiiiiiine!" you didn't seem to understand what that meant, so you just kept trying to get them. I tried to offer help to Cambria by handing her toys to let you play with, but since she still thinks everything in the house is hers, anything I handed her was added to the pile she was trying to protect. Does this mean you are going to be a tease? I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised... you would come by it naturally if you did. ... What are brothers for, right?

You have also discovered the feeling of shoes in your mouth. And oh, how you long for the glorious taste of rubber in your mouth! Today you found the shoes, so daddy picked you up and put you down about 5 feet away from the shoes, and as fast as you could, you B-lined it to those shoes again. Good thing you aren't that fast yet, we caught you before anything got in your mouth.

I feel like you have been teething for months, but I think you might actually pop one through in the coming month, there are three, maybe four that are very close. The top two are quickly moving down, and hopefully out soon. I would love for you to have some relief in that department. I can't imagine the constant ache/pain you feel as you are cutting teeth.

Cambria loves to hold you! You don't seem to mind. Your relationship is so sweet. Cambria loves to be close (when she wants to be). Close, like, in your bubble close. But you just take it, and love her back. It's very sweet to see.

You have started giving kisses! I love your slobbery token of love!

Corbin, you are such a sweet boy! You have a tender spirit, and a way to brighten up a room with your smile.

We love you!

Mommy and Daddy

It's a little blurry, but this was the first time you wore a white shirt and "tie" to church! Too cute!

You just take all the love, and give it right back!

Corbin - 8 Months

**although this is posted when Corbin is 8 1/2 months, everything is written as if it were right when he turned 8 months (April 30)
Dear Corbin,
You are 8 months old! You have been out of mommy as long as you were in (since you came a month early). You are such a happy boy! You are finally starting to feel well on a regular basis (aside from the second ear infection you had). Even with your ear infection, you were still pretty chill, I wouldn't have caught it except you had a fever. I have found that you are like mommy, and you sleep when you don't feel well. So you slept a lot that week.

You are now finally starting to sit. You still don't sit for very long, but it seemed like one day you just figured it out.

You also have decided that you like rocking out! Both on your hands and knees, and also to music. You pushed yourself up on your knees this month, and now you really like to rock. I have a feeling it won't take long before you are crawling. You also do this awesome dance move. You like to rock from side to side over and over again. You do it when you are happy, so after you eat something yummy, or if you found a toy you really like, or when you catch someone giving you attention :).

Mommy also put you in the top of the shopping cart for the first time this month! You love being able to see when we go shopping! Cambria doesn't mind, because she has recently discovered that it's fun to sit inside the cart where all the food is.

You are a mover! You aren't scooting yet, but you definitely get around! You roll all over the place, I don't think you get where you want to go, but you get places :). It's time for mommy to really start sweeping a lot more often, and making sure small toys are put away.

We love you so much Corbin-Boy! We love seeing you grow and develop, and watching your personality emerge!

Love,
Mom and Dad

You still love any sort of cloth. It always ends up in your mouth!

This picture is a little blurry, but we borrowed this toy from a friend, and it shows the true joy this toy brought.

"woah guys... I'm sitting"

Cambria is observant!

Today we went on a walk. As we were walking, she saw a yong teenager (maybe even pre-teen) girl practicing her back bends. When we came home, she tried to do it.

I showed her how to Summersault instead... That's a little more developmentally appropriate.

As I was thinking about that tonight, I realized how much she is picking up and learning. It's a good thing, but i just need to be very aware of what I let her see and observe.