Corrie's b-day

pics from my dad's camera

the yard and the garden

rock wall, swing, etc. BEFORE:

and after:

The pathway curves around to the stairs which are hidden in this pic, but they go up to the left behind the end of the garden.  The swing is updated for Corrie's 4th b-day (click to enlarge and see the eye bolts?) and notice how the fire pit has survived another season (without any more explosions!).  Also if you click and zoom in, you'll see Spanish Moss growing on the little wall (yellow buds), the Hostas that survived at the end (right), the 'snow-on-the-mountain' low ground cover that is slowly spreading in the bend on the left.  We'll have to take a pic earlier next year so you can see all the flowers.  (I posted the ones by our side door here on my photo blog).

Our garden has a pretty large strawberry patch that my dad started last year (with only about 6 plants).  It's almost taking over, which is nice: we get about 1 small basket of strawberries every day now :)

Check out those roses too!

and she just can't get much cuter...

We are witnessing a vocabulary explosion these last two days with mary.  This one's for G-ma Powell! (and the rest of you who check multiple times in a day :)  Two in one day... we hope it's a good day!

Mary makes you feel better

 Mary thinks it's fun to laugh.  And Corrie is reading EVERYWHERE!
...in the car

 ...after bath in her bed :)

Corrie quotes...and interpretation

"Daddy, your buffalo is almost ready!"   (the BUFFER, on the video that's loading)

"We did a hundred dogs"  (We did UNDERDOG.. pushing on the swing)

"I have verrry far eyes"  (My eyes can see very far)

"Twenty one!  There's twenty one Johnny snots on the window!"  (counting the nose prints on the window)

Catching up...

Some pictures from our camera over the last several weeks...

Corrie's pics:

Toad.

"bandaid Buddy"

(We have multiple pictures of Mary on our camera from Corrie.  Sometimes Corrie captures moment by moment the meltdown when Mary does not want her picture taken.  This one's called "Surprise!")

One from outside... where we have been spending lots of time :)

Some videos...  Mary has been doing laps with the stroller.  This night it was the monkey's turn.  Every time she came in the kitchen she said, "Hiiiiyee!"  She also says her new word at the end :)

I love it when they play nicely together so I spied on their little read-to-me session...  Ten Tiny Tickles!


And finally, Corrie had her last Cubbies night last week.  They got an award if they completed their book.  We felt like such parents, camera in hand :)  

Corrie quotes

[at Steak 'n Shake drive through]

"Steak n Shake is open even at nighttime when it gets dark??"
Yep. They're open allll the time, even in the middle of the night when you're asleep.
(long pause)
"Wow...that's awesome!"

(later at the drive through window)
"I wish I could have a sliding window..."

(Corrie picking her nose)
Corrie, don't pick your nose.
"But I'm not picking my nose, I'm just feeling the bones inside my nose"