Spring Break!

So, this week is spring break. We have been really busy! Here are some of the things we have been doing.


These are the hats that Josh brought back with him. The kids love wearing his hats. Sunday was a relaxing day!


This is the Trampoline that the kids got. Josh got to put it together. The instructions say you need 3 adults in good physical shape, but we did it with two adults and two children. It's together and it works!!

Evan and Josh got to jump on it first.



They had fun.


Once Brayden woke up from his nap he got to go out too.


Josh also let the chickens out from their winter captivity. He put a new roof on for them with a fancy perch. They were very happy to be free.


They are getting really big!! Or they did get really big! Hopefully they start laying eggs soon.


We put the kids to work washing the car. I used the water to rinse my paint stuff off, and they wanted to spray the water too, so we told them they could if they washed the car off!! They agreed! Wonder how long that will last?




I've been finishing off our bathroom. Spakle, sand, prime, paint, and floor. Now that that is done we just have to get the light back up without burning our house down!! Wish us luck!

Josh's Trip to Mexico

Well, Josh got back from Mexico last night, thank goodness!! We missed him and we are very glad he is home. He was able to tour the site where the corn grows he will be doing his PhD dissertation on as well as the company he will be working with as well as the area surrounding and including Texcoco, Mexico. It was a good trip for him. He was able to take some pictures while down there which always helps me see what it's like and where he was at. It was also good because he was able to tour different areas of places we might look into living while we are down there. Of course, more picts. would have been better, but he got some good ones and it was good to "tour" around with him this morning via the picts he did take.



He stayed at CIMMYT's guest housing area. He stayed in room 15. His first "Dr" Cobb in writing.


This is CIMMYT's main building. Kinda far away, but there none the less.



This is the corn field where they are doing their drought studies. They aren't kidding!! That is bone dry dirt, and the corn is growing well. I thought my father would find this picture pretty cool.


Here is a better perspective of the corn. You can see how tall it is as you can see the guys in the background. The "little" corn is having a problem because that particular variety needs more nutrients from the soil than it is able to get. I'm sure they will fix that (or they'll just throw it out!! The best usually are the ones to survive!)!! The other corn though is huge!! I asked Josh if they ever water it and he said that they do just after planting and up until the seed pops through the soil. Then, it's all up to nature!! From the pict. before you can see they don't get much rain. Hence the drought study. :)


This is one of the "villages". As you drive down the street all you see are walls, but behind the walls are the houses. Nice and private. You even park inside, no one parks on the street.


This is another village. This one is just a little more hilly.


So, that is the little picture tour you get. Yes, he did get more than just these pictures, but to blog them all would be silly.

Day at the park

We spent the afternoon at the park yesterday. The weather was fairly nice, but the ground was dry and not muddy at the playground. This made for a great day to let the two kids run around. It was so nice to be outside. I hope spring doesn't take to long to get here!! It's funny. . . Ithaca has no snow on the ground, but out were we live I've still got a few inches and a huge pile of snow from the drive way being plowed all winter. We defiantly got more snow out here!! Hopefully it will melt soon, I have a lot of weeds to pull up!

Weekend with prospective students

So, this last Saturday Josh had the joy of taking some prospective students around on a tour of Cornell Campus and of Ithaca. Being his family, we got to come along. It was fun to see some of the sights I had not yet taken the time to go and see. Josh took them first up to the bell tower, we picked them up, went to lunch and them up to the falls. I would tell you the name of the waterfalls, but I would spell it wrong, pronounce it wrong, and overall, get it wrong. So "waterfall" will have to do.
This is Evan and Josh in the bell tower. Evan got a kick out of going up there with them.


I couldn't believe how frozen the waterfall was. It was beautiful. Can't wait to see it in the summer!


This is the river down from the falls. It is headed into the lake (next picture). I was amazed at the ice field. Some of the chunks of ice were HUGE!! It was really cool to see. you cold also see the water running under the ice, but only a small stream in the middle.


This is the other side of the street where the water enters the lake. One thing is for certain, if Ithaca holds nothing more than beauty, at least it does it well!!


We enjoyed the day looking around. It happened to be the nicest day of the whole week. Thank goodness the sun came out and the wind stopped, if only for that one day!!

Congratulations Grandpa Cobb!!

We just wanted to congratulate Grandpa Cobb on his recent marriage. He married a wonderful woman named Julie on February 14, 2009. We really like her and we hope they are very happy together. Congratulations Grandpa and Grandma Cobb!!!

Valentine's 2009

So, Valentine's day for us this year was pretty busy. We had fun making pancakes and getting haircuts and making cupcakes and eating chocolate valentine's candy. Here are some of our fun family picts. for that day. We decided it was better celebrated as a family, at least for this time in our lives, so that FHE Monday we made a "heart sun" with rays coming off of it and all week whoever showed love got to fill in a ray. Evan of course took right to this and smoked us all!! But, since it was a lesson geared to him (as Brayden doesn't quite get all concepts yet) it worked out great! The reward or having a full shining heart was the Valentine's candy. Anyway, here are the pictures!!


Brayden's Haircut after the actual haircutting.


Evan's picture is also the after shot.


Brayden just LOVES cleaning out the batter bowl!!


He tries to get every last bit!

Silly Pictures and Silly Brayden

So, to describe this picture. . . Josh drew it. We were playing picture the Prophet (game he made up). The object of the game was to draw picture's that would help someone guess what Prophet you were thinking of. Well, the first two picts. the one with the "white" house, and the "monsoon" is President Monson. I guessed that one fairly easy because Evan let it slip. The bottom half of the page is a different story. I would like to know if anyone can guess what Prophet he is trying to draw. Only look at the picts. on the bottom half of the page (notice the folded line). Comment, and let me know what you think. I will comment later and let you know the answer.


Evan had treats that same night for FHE and I had helped him make caramel apples. I think it was their first time with this food. It was a hit.


So, I've been potty training Brayden latetly. He has been doing fabulously. The first day he had about four accidents. The second day only one, but had two success. Today is day three. We hope for more success. On day two he decided that he wanted to go outside. I locked the door, but the stinker is not clever, but stubborn. I heard him go out but I thought he would be right back in as it is so cold. Well, I didn't hear him come right back in so I went to look. He had put his boots on by himself, and his coat was on backwards. I brought him in, put his coat on right and told him if he wanted to go out he needed pants. Next thing I know he's back outside. So, I gave in and took a picture. It was to cute to pass up. I came and put the camera away and Evan says, "We have a Brayden emergency!" I look out to see that Brayden has made it to the garage, his original intention. So I did proceed to go get him and bring him in. That was the end of his adventure. It was cute, though, seeing him like this outside. To bad it wasn't warmer for him!!