I copied this from my friend Naomi’s blog…

A Christmas Meme

The last time I went caroling – Probably when I was in high school and still in Young Women’s. We used to take fruit baskets to the elderly people in our ward and ride on a huge flatbed of hay and sing. The funny thing is….my parents got caroled to the other night!!! Hahahah (the ward claimed they were visiting the “empty nesters”)

My favorite Drink in the winter is – Dr. Pepper. It works for all seasons. I don’t like chocolate so Hot Chocolate is pushing it. Maybe once a year???

My favorite Holiday meal – Umm, definitely the Christmas Eve dinner at my parents house. Each year my parents have everyone over and cook more prime rib than I care to ever see. I hate prime rib more than anything but we all LOVE to watch my parents fight about if it is cooked rare enough. My mom prefers meat that can walk across her plate so between her and my dad fighting for a few hours, we definitely get some good holiday entertainment.

I think Fruit Cake – something I’ve never eaten!

One tradition we had growing up – we always got to open our presents to each other on Christmas Eve. We still get together on Christmas Eve with the whole family and exchange gifts with one another.

One tradition we have now –
- We choose an ornament to hang on the tree each year.
- There is also a house on 800 S. in Orem that we always have to drive by to see what extreme holiday décor they have displayed in their HUGE front room window.

I get my Christmas tree from – the basement.

I decorate – The week before Thanksgiving.

On Christmas Eve I/we usually – go to my parents for the annual prime rib fight, exchange gifts with the family and then go home to get the kids to sleep and get all of their stuff put out.

On Christmas morning I/we wake up – We wake up before Addison does so we can see her reaction when she wakes up.

One special thing I make at Christmas time is – hmmmm, I don’t bake, so……

My Favorite Christmas song is-
“Ave Maria”,
“Carol of the Bells”
“Oh Holy Night”,
“Celebrate me Home”,
“Still, Still, Still”,

Every Christmas – we go to my siblings house to see what they got, play with toys, sometimes we go to a movie, sleep, relax, feel sad that it is all over!

I hang my stockings – on the stair railing.

Something I look forward to at Christmas time is – the Christmas music, singing around the tree at school, Christmas lights, finding just the right gift for people, the annual prime rib fight.

My Favorite Thing about the Holidays – EVERYTHING!!!

Something I want to start incorporating is – not eating so much crap! (yes, mom, I used the “C” word)

"The Blanket with Sleeves"

This is Becky, a fellow teacher, and I modeling the snuggie at our school. These "blankets with sleeves" are in our faculty room for the teachers to use when they feel like cuddling up on the couches. (I'm assuming, though it is only my guess)

Becky and I decided to try them out last week when our school was doing our S.E.P. conferences, (a.k.a. Parent/Teacher) and we were at the school until 9:00 at night. Unfortunately, the lovely Snuggies hadn't been washed, delinted, defuzzed, or whatever you want to call it and I met with three parents before I realized my BLACK shirt was COVERED in blue Snuggie fuzz. I'm very thankful to the kind parent that started to de-lint me in the middle of our meeting.

"Yes, your child needs to work on turning in assignments and getting those multiplication facts memorizzzzzeeedddddd....excuse me! Why are you slapping my arm like that? OOOHHHHH, well would you look at that!

DARN YOU SNUGGIE!!!!"

Ichthyosis Awareness!!

With Jace's 6 month milestone reached last week and as I was "greasing him up" in preparation to take him to his 6 month well child visit tomorrow, I realized that October celebrates Ichthyosis Awareness. Jace, my nephew Stockton, and my little brother Matt (as well as my mom's two brothers) all have an x-linked ichthyosis skin condition. Luckily, Jace and Stockton have a lighter complexion so it isn't as noticeable. Unfortunately, my brother Matt is very dark complected and spent most days of his childhood "greasing-up" in order to hide the scales that covered his body from people. We always joke, that when short and sandal season comes each spring, Matt complains because he "hasn't shed his winter coat." Luckily, most days I don't even notice Jace's skin....just when I hold other babies and realize how soft their skin is compared to his....

If you have never heard of it before, It is a genetic skin condition that causes "scales" to build up on the body. In "normal" skin, there is an enzyme that causes the dead skin cells to shed constantly. With Ichthyosis, that enzyme is either missing or malfunctioning so that the dead skin cells collect as scales. This skin is tight and itchy. When the scales do come off, they can tear the thin skin beneath. We try to keep Jace's, ( as well as Stockton and Matt) skin well moisturized with creams to help protect it, but it leaves them feeling greasy all the time. We use medicated creams because it can help remove the scales, which are very uncomfortable, but sometimes these creams burn, and so we have to be careful. The thickness of the scales also makes them prone to overheating...and ALL of them sweat so abnormal because the scale build-up. Not to mention that Stockton can't hear most days of his life because he has so much dead skin skin and wax in his ears!!! =)

Here are some pictures of what it can look like, especially if it isn't treated regularly....Thank goodness for lac-hydrin!

preview of things to come

Here is a sneak peak of our photo shoot from Payson Canyon.

White Snake, eat your hearts out!

Lucky Number 7!

Yesterday, the 14th, marked our 7th wedding anniversary. I heard a saying once that said if you can survive the 1st, 7th and 15th years of marriage, then you've got it made forever. We had an AMAZING 1st year of marriage where life was so simple and free of responsibility. The biggest decision we had to make was what movie we wanted to see or what was for dinner that night.

We just finished our 7th and have had more chaos this year than all the past years combined...

I was pregnant with baby #2 for a good portion of our 7th year. While this should be a celebration, I'm here to say, I HATE every moment about pregnancy. I don't have pictures taken, I don't cradle my belly as I walk around, I don't keep a journal of weird pains or take notes during my Dr's appointments. However, at week 14, I was happily in the middle of teaching school when I thought I was going to pass out from pains that I've never felt before. After throwing up all over the main office, I was taken straight over to the Dr.'s office and he admitted me into the hospital for a week with kidney stones. Positive point: during ultrasound after ultrasound, we found out we were having a boy!

3 weeks after kidney stones, we move into our new house in Santaquin. We decided that my kitchen table was just too big for the space it needed to fit in and also allow room to go out the french doors to the patio. Because I loved my table more than the countertops that were in, we decided to get new counters that didn't include the bar area. This wouldn't have been so bad had the contractors not measured wrong, and left us without countertops for 5 weeks. I think the whole, "measure twice, cut once" philosophy should be their company motto. (this time period also had no kitchen floors, no lighting, no trimwork, no appliances hooked up, etc)

A few weeks after we finally get a kitchen again, and didn't spend our entire salaries on fast food 3 meals a day, Willie starts feeling major pains in his lower abdomen Diagnosis.....DOUBLE HERNIA SURGERY in February. So NO lifting moving, bending, driving, sitting, etc for 2 weeks and then only light lifting for the next few months. This means a pregnant wife, an energetic 2 year old, and a slug of a husband (and a kitchen that still needs the floors finished, trimwork, paint, grout in the tile backsplash etc)

In the midst of all of this, I had my district portfolio due which was a pain in a half to do as well as my state test. So I was basically writing and studying all day and night while enduring the most challenging bunch of 4th graders every day. Willie was also hot and heavy into his BioMedical, Pathophysiology, Pulminary Anatomy classes etc....which means he was going a few days without seeing the kids during the week because he got home so late and left so early.

A few weeks after hernia surgery, we had Jace in the middle of April. He was born and had aspirated the meconium which made him a delightful shade of green and blue. He was rushed to the NICU and later developed a pneumothorax condition (tear in lungs) because of his mechanical ventilation. He also was Coombs Positive and had horrific jaundice so lived under the lights round the clock. This resulted in him being incredibly dehydrated and so was put on a feeding tube along with IV's in his arms and head. Jace was finally able to come home when he was able to maintain his body temperature and oxygen levels and eat on his own. Yahoo! Thank heavens for PROZAC!!!! (for me, not him)

We hadn't even been allowed to bring Jace home from the hospital when Willie went to the dentist and had 3 major root canals in one day! He was NOT pleasant to be around during this time, let me tell you. If you want to see a grown man cry, touch his teeth! He thought he was going to be strong and not have any pain pills after....HA! You couldn't pry those little white pills out of his hands when he got home.

A few other side notes, we got a dog, got rid of a dog, potty trained Addison, bought a new car (I know, we do this every year), went on a few mini vacations, enjoyed doing our yard, getting to know our new ward, had family dinner at our house each Sunday and basically have tried to keep our heads above water most days. By the way, the tile in the kitchen still does not have grout...any volunteers?

If our 7th year was this crazy...what will year 15 be like?

Enjoy some pictures from 7 years ago....

8 Years Ago Today....

I know it's not the best, but I'm glad I have it because this is our first picture we had taken....on the day we met 8 years ago!!! (He'd only got home from his mission the day before so he was literally shaking when the picture was taken!)
Gosh we were skinny then!
Happy Anniversary of the Day We Met!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Addison!!!

Addison Brianne Corbin
I’m 3 years old!

July 17th, 2009

Things I like to do…
Squish bugs, ride in the truck, go to the “big shopping”, swing, swim, go on walks in the stroller, play monsters with dad and “help” him fix things.

I like to eat…
Chickens, juice packs, noodles, the chocolate out of E.L. Fudge cookies.

Things I always say…
““Go away!” “Mom, Mama, Mommy, Mama, Mom, Mommy”
“Let’s see what else is on” “It’s a scary mannequin”

A few of my favorite things…
Anything silky, my spider-man underwear, taking bubble baths, being lightly tickled, my helicopter book, singing songs.

I love to watch…
Scooby-Doo, Sponge-Bob, Monster House, Bolt, Dragon Tales, Spiderman

I’m really good at…
Going potty, doing puzzles, counting, giving loves, and running away.

Things I really hate…
Having my hair done, going to time-out, brushing my teeth, going to the nursery at church.


Wow, I can't believe she is already 3 years old! I remember when she was first born, I never thought I would survive 3 months, let alone years. She has been so much fun to have around our house. Addison makes us laugh (and sometimes cry) every day! While we were up at Fish Lake last week, we were talking about how we went 4 years married with no kids how that seems so long ago because we've filled these past 3 years with so many fun memories! I could fill pages up with all of the funny things she says and does.

I took her to her 3 year "well- child" check up on the 22nd and she passed it with flying colors! I was prepping her on the ride over to the Dr. with certain questions...colors.....counting.....boy vs. girl..... When I asked her, "Are you a boy or a girl?" I was expecting her to say, "boy!", but instead I got the answer " I'm a yellow spiderman!" I was like, oh, no! , we're going to fail this appointment! But luckily, Dr. Clark didn't ask that!
Here's some fun pictures of her over the past 3 years!

Just call me Betty Crocker!!!

Addison will be 3 years old on the 17th of this month...HOLY COW!!!! Anyway, we usually do the whole "family-get-together-at-our-house" thing, but this year, we'll be on our annual Fish Lake camping trip during her birthday. So we're celebrating it with the WHOLE family this Sunday, the 12th, at our house so everyone can come to her party. (Plus, I don't even want to try to bake a cake in a trailer oven and expect it to look good.)

It's no secret that Addison is going through what I like to call a "phase" where she thinks she is a boy, loves spider-man, wears little boy's briefs, hates her hair done, plays in the mud, and wants to shoot guns. Since her gifts this year include....a spider-man bike, spider-man baseball and glove, and a spider-man movie (nothing I picked out, mind you...)I was drawing the line at a spider-man cake. I decided I was going to make sure her cake was super girly, frilly, poofy and PINK just to remind her, and the rest of us, that SHE IS A GIRL!!!

So I thought to myself, "Self, if you knew how to bake, you could actually make a cake". Normally, I consider myself pretty creative and crafty. I can make all kinds of gifts, crafts, and decor for my house, but I don't pretend that I can bake. I mean, I think in the 7 years I've been married, I've made two cakes. Any wedding presents that were given to me that had to do with baking something, are still in a box somewhere in my basement. I'd rather buy it than bake it. In fact, the white frosting that has been sitting in my basement expired in Spring of '07. I guess that is what they mean by rotating your food storage.

So I call up my sister Lindsey and between the two of us, we decide to take upon us the grueling task of making a "GIRL" cake. Can I tell you....7 HOURS LATER....$46 LATER ..... 2 ANGRY HUSBANDS LATER, We finally finished! We had no idea what we were doing because we each had a different "vision" of what this masterpiece was going to end up looking like. I originally wanted to make some super cute cupcakes (in a cupcake tin that has never been used). But then after googling and shopping all day, we kind of originated away from that idea and came up with THIS....along with a few other exciting moments in our day.

One of many Dr. Pepper's...


I haven't used my mixer enough to know that I only have one beater...


My amazing frosting skills...





Um...we're not quite sure what it was supposed to turn out as....but it IS pink and NOT spider-man!


What happens when you ignore the kids for too long, they wet your couch!

He's fired!

Let me just start by saying, I'm married to one of the best men on the earth! He has so few faults that it's almost hard to find anything wrong with him. (don't worry, I've found one to share)... Before I get to that, in light of Father's Day this month, I thought I would share some of the things I DO love about him....

Not only is he the Priesthood holder and provider for our family, given us a roof over our head, food on our table, a safe car to drive....here are a few more things about him that are pretty cool:

~ He will hang and rehang any picture, shelf, mirror, etc and help move furniture around the house depending on how I want it that day.
~ He lets me keep him awake until all hours of the night while I ramble on about pretty much nothing. (In almost 7 years, he only fallen asleep 1 or 2 times)
~ He calls me multiple times during the day to see how I am, what I'm doing and how my day is going.
~ He surprises me with little things I love like Gummy Frogs from the gas station, new stickers/post-it notes, and my favorite cereal.
~ He'll pretty much let me buy whatever I want (within reason) and decorate the house however I want.
~ He's always shoveling someone's driveway, cleaning the church, giving money to every person with a cardboard sign on the corner, giving away his skateboard to a little kid at the skate park, mowing someone's lawn, listening to someone's problems, running people on their errands, and will go without what he wants or needs so others can have what they want or need.
~ He lets me rock out to my music selections in the car. He's learned to tolerate some country music and even Michael Jackson.
~ He takes care of bath time with Addison, helps out with late night feedings and rocks Jace to sleep every night.
~ When he unlocks the house door, he lets me go in first.
~ I get to pick where we eat and he always pumps the gas so I don't have to get out.
~ If I'm at work and I forgot something at home, he'll go back and get it for me and bring it to the school so I don't have to.
~ He paints mine and Addison's toenails.
~ He has seen me at my best (25 lbs and 2 kids ago) and my worst (first thing in the morning and 22 hours into labor with both kids), and he still seems to love me!
~ He takes me out for ice cream and likes to go on walks and drives just to spend time with me.
~ He's given up the sunshine of Southern California, sandy beaches, palm trees, salty air and early morning surfing to be stuck here in Utah with me. (don't get him started on it by the way)

WITH THAT SAID..... This is why he is FIRED!!!!!

My adorable, sweet (matter of opinion), darling little girl is wearing a spider-man t-shirt and a new present from dad....spider man swimming trunks. I'm pretty sure he's aware of the fact she's a girl, but doesn't seem to be encouraging it!!! (What you can't see is the spider-man briefs under the suit.) So unless I find a cute bikini/tankini top that will match the shorts, I'm afraid I will have a topless swimmer at the pool this summer.

Anyway, check out some pictures below of the "Man of the House"

Fun Pictures!

"
With Dad shopping at the "Big Shopping" a.k.a the Orem Mall.

Riding the bike at the "White shopping" a.k.a. the Provo Mall.

2 cute kids taking over Mom's bed!

Hanging out bored in the stroller!

My favorite place to hang out and watch TV.

All ready for church!

Washing the bikes off from all the dust in the garage!

BIG SMILES!!! 2 Months old!

Happy Father's Day!

For Father's Day, the whole family came over to our house for a barbeque in the back yard. We were lucky it didn't rain considering it was incredibly windy and the sky was full of dark clouds for most of the afternoon. It was nice when the sun came out and made it possible for all of the kids to play outside and not have to be cooped up indoors. So all the kids spent most of the night chasing the dog or fighting over the 4-wheeler and scooter! Here are some pictures of the night!

Aunt Lindsey holding Jace.

Hanging out in the backyard.

"Bunca" opening his presents from the grandkids.

Grandma helping with dinner

Dad's Father's Day present...a new OGIO backpack for all his skating stuff. Having a brother-in-law that is one of the designers for OGIO is awesome...his basement is like an OGIO Mall!

Bruce chasing Addison

Dad and Jace hanging out on the couch watching Discovery Channel after everyone went home.

Potty Training Rewards!

Addison has been working really hard on potty training....actually, I have been working really hard on potty training Addison. I've decided that she is too put out by actually having to make the effort to go find a toilet somewhere. Most days, she tells me she needs to go, as she is in the process of wetting her pants. Yesterday, she actually told me BEFORE she went twice. So as a reward, we went to Target (aahhh, my happy place) and I let her pick out a toy and some new panties to add to her collection of the ones I have already bought her over the past year.

I drover her up and down each aisle of toys to let her pick something out the she wanted....past the princess clothes, the barbies, the baby dolls, the stuffed animals......all the while she drummed her fingers on the cart silently saying to me, "Can we go now?". Then I turned the cart down towards the transformers, the racecars, the legos, the pirates and finally.......her selection of any toy she could have .....

A Ford truck pulling a boat!

I should have known this was coming. Not only does she think she is a boy....she is obsessed with my dad's truck and his boat. When we take him lunch on Saturday's at his work, we have to drive past the boat that is parked in the back. She even begs my dad to ride in his truck, even if it is just around the block one time. So she's pretty excited to have her own truck and boat and hopefully will stop begging to drive up to Provo to see the boat!

After picking out her toy, we headed to get some panties. What do we come home with....little boy Cars briefs. She kept saying, "Look at my panties!" I was like, "No, look at your crushing your mother's hope of turning you into a princess little boy Tighty Whities!" Oh well, if it motivates her, I'm game.

But how can you get frustrated with a face as cute as this?