New York City!

So I seriously have the world's greatest best friend!! Sorry for the rest of you that don't have her as your best friend because she honestly takes the cake. (And it just so happens to be her birthday this very day...so Happy Birthday to you my friend!!) A couple of months ago she flew out to New York just to visit me for a week. I had really been missing home and feeling awfully lonely all the way out here so far from everyone, so her visit couldn't have come at a better time. She put up with my boring life, brought me some new killer music, gave me an excuse to eat massive amounts of raw cookie dough and helped take care of Corbin so I could do simple things like get a hair cut (which seems to be so hard to find time for once you have a tag along with you 24/7). But we did get to break away and head down to the city for the weekend. Casey was good enough to let us have our girl's weekend and Corbin got to have a boy's weekend with his Daddy.

The trip was eventful to say the least but we had an awesome time ignoring the street vendors, waiting in long lines, attempting to figure out the subway system, getting lost in Queen's at night, and eating WAY too much!

Time Square-

Here we are on our rickshaw ready for our tour of Central Park-

Us in front of the "Friends" fountain...it looks a lot smaller in person-

Our rickshaw driver (who was taking the picture) told us to jump at the same time...he even counted to three for us and everything...but for some reason we just couldn't get it...-


Here we are on top of the Empire's State Building-

The view from the top-

They were doing construction on some of the subway lines so they weren't running like normal. You had to get off and transfer and all kinds of crazy stuff. We had a bit of a hard time figuring it all out. We did get a little suspicious that we had made the wrong move by staying on the train when EVERYONE got off and left us on a completely empty subway car :)...good times!

Dazed and confused all alone on the subway-


Sadly, right after this last photo my camera battery died...leaving the rest of the trip to be documented by a lame disposable camera. :( but much more fun was had I assure you. It was so great to have my friend here and we had a fantastic week! Thanks again Nikkita...you are the best!

Niagara Falls!

So this post is WAY overdue but I wanted to get some pictures from this trip posted on here. So a couple months ago we made a short weekend trip over to Niagara Falls, which is only about 4 hours from where we live. We spent a couple of days there and had a really great time. Corbin was a great sport for about 97.2% of the trip. We are really enjoying living so close to so many great places to visit.

The falls from the viewing area-



Casey and Corbin in front of the falls both looking quite happy to be there-


The three of us after our 'Cave of the Winds' tour where you go down on a walkway right in front of the falls. We got super wet despite the generous (super thin) ponchos they provide for you that we are all so wonderfully sporting in this picture.

We went to an aquarium and saw lots of things that Corbin would have enjoyed-




If he hadn't spent the whole time like this-


Our last day we went on the 'Maid of the Mist' boat ride which takes you right up next to the falls. Casey and I really enjoyed...Corbin wasn't the biggest fan-

Here he is all ready to go...so happy and unsuspecting-


The three of us before the boat ride started-


The view of the falls from the boat-



Us after, soaking wet and Corbin looking less than thrilled-


It took him a while to get over the shock of it all...poor boy-


But Niagara Falls is an amazingly beautiful place and all in all we had a wonderful trip!

Our Home in New York!!

Ok, so this post is way overdue, (and therefore will be far too long...sorry in advance) but I am determined to be better about this whole blogging thing from here on out. We have been here in New York for 2 months now and I can't believe how much Corbin has changed and grown just since we left Utah. And there is so much we have been able to go and do since we have been here. I need to be better about updating so all our friends and family, where ever they may be, can know the goings on of our little life WAY out here in New York.

First things first...we actually really love New York. It is so green...trees everywhere. I can't wait until the fall and all the leaves start changing. It is going to be beautiful! There are lots of lakes and hiking trails nearby and it is close to so many cool places.

Trees, trees and more trees...and the Hudson River

One of the many lakes nearby

Look closely and you can see a little doe we found while out walking a trail

A pond in a park near our apartment

A pretty waterfall we found while hiking


So as you can see, lots of beauty all around and we are really enjoying it. Very different from the Utah desert.

Casey is really enjoying his job so far and loves being part of the working world...thrilled to finally be done with school. He is working a 9/80 schedule (which means he works 80 hours in 9 days so he gets every other Friday off) until we leave for Charleston in December. We have been trying to make the most of our time here before we have to leave so when Casey has a Friday off we have been trying to go on little mini trips and see some of the cool places close by.

We made a quick day trip to Boston...

The Boston Temple


The three of us in front of a statue of Paul Revere in downtown Boston


We went to Palmyra and were able go to all the church history sites and see the Hill Cumorah Pageant...

Corbin and I in the Sacred Grove near the 'Witness Tree'


The Smith Farm


The Palmyra Temple as seen from the road between the two Smith homes, near the Sacred Grove


We spent a weekend hiking the Adirondack mountains nearby...

Corbin loving his ride on Daddy's shoulders


The view from the top


Corbin having lunch


Happy hikin' boy


At the end of our hiking trip


Those are the highlights so far, but we have lots of plans for the upcoming months.

As for everything else Corbin is 10 months old now and I can't believe what a little boy he has become. He isn't my little baby anymore. He is crawling and cruising like a champ and loves to be on his feet all the time. He loves looking at pictures of himself, books, the bathroom (for some weird reason), the fridge (??), and anything and everything edible. I have yet to find something the boy won't eat. As for me, I adore getting to be a stay at home mom and truly feel so blessed that I get to spend all of my time with my sweet little boy. I mean...who wouldn't want to spend all day every day with this face...

Update of Randomness...

It has been too long since I have been on here so I thought I would post a quick random update to catch up...

In the past few months we have been pretty busy...

(Beware of picture overload)

~~The Easter Bunny came for a visit...


Corbin's very own Easter basket


Enjoying his new Easter binkie


His new Easter outfit




~~We took a trip to Moab...


Corbin spent most of his time in this baby carrier and was such a good sport



Just hangin' out


After the LONG hike up to Delicate Arch


Overlooking the Canyonlands



~~Corbin and I took a quick trip to Oregon to visit his great grandma...

Corbin's first time to the ocean



Corbin the Farmer and me the cow... :(


Meeting great grandma Jean



~~Corbin had his first trip to the Zoo...



Got all tuckered out about half way through



~~and went swimming for the first time...


He loved to kick and swim back and forth between us




And a few extras just to add to the randomness...





Wheewwwwww....all caught up (give or take) :)