Christmas Lights @ Temple Square

We had to go up to Salt Lake on the 15th so we decided to go to Temple Square and see the lights. We picked one of the coldest days to go walk around and see the lights! Spencer and Jake enjoyed going into the north visitor center and looking at the Book of Mormon exhibit. They also enjoyed throwing snow up in the air any chance they got!

Halloween and Pumpkin Carving

We had a Construction Worker and a Fire Fighter in our house this Halloween! This year they went to more houses than in the past. Spencer wasn't even going to go out at first, but he decided he could go to a couple of houses. He then decided that maybe he could handle a few more.

The best part of the night came when Jake and Spencer were handing out the treats at our door, Spencer would open the door and Jake would be holding the bowl of candy and say in his best grown-up voice "ONLY ONE PIECE KIDS".

We also carved 9 pumpkins this year! Shelley thinks we went a little overboard. I think we may have done one or two too many.

Fishing!

Bingo at the Senior Center

I am lucky to have a spunky little Grandma. She lives in Riverton, so we get to see her a lot. Last weekend she mentioned (several times) the Riverton Senior Center is having a spaghetti dinner fundraiser. Grandma always comes to our family "stuff" so we thought we ought to go support her "stuff". So Monday night we headed to the Senior Citizen Center for dinner. We were treated to a nice dinner, the RHS Jazz Band and BINGO of course! During the Bingo game Spencer and Grandma had unlucky cards. Spencer asked Grandma if she wanted to trade, Grandma agreed. So the next round guess who had the lucky winner card--Spencer! We laughed and Grandma insisted Spence keep the prize, a camoflauge Ford hat, it probably wouldn't look as good on her! On the way home we all agreed it was the best Family Night we'd had in a long time. This is a picture of Grandma with the kids on Halloween a few years ago.)

I give up!

Last week will go down in history as one of the craziest weeks in our parenting lives. It started on a Sunday afternoon, Dave & I hear Spencer in the bedroom yelling "Jake now I don't have my glasses! I'm STUPID BLIND because of my STUPID BROTHER!" (editors note: stupid is a garbage word in our house, we don't think his brother is stupid, but it was kind of funny). So I'm planning on taking Spencer for new glasses on Monday. Sunday at midnight Spencer comes in and wakes me up just in time to hear puking on my carpet! Oh YUCK!! Luckily, (and suprisingly) Dave jumps out of bed like Superman and saves the day while I get Spencer cleaned up. Unfortunately the poor little guy got sick a couple of times throughout the night. Even more unfortunate, poor Dave got sick too! Then Tuesday came and poor little Jake woke up with a fever. He was a little trooper, insisting he's not sick and wanted to go to daycare. I took him to the Insta Care after we took his temperture at 104°! Turns out he had Strep! So I had an instant vacation (hooray?). Anyway this fun week ended with Spencer putting holes in his door (anyone know how to fix that?), Spencer loosing the cap on one of his teeth (Mom look! I lost one of my silver teeth!), and Jake trying to strangle Spencer by wrapping his hands around his neck and squeezing as hard as a 5 year old can (Yes, actually Spencer does have bruises--fantastic). All this excitement we need another vacation!

We Love Dad

I feel bad we've missed Dave's birthday & Father's Day! We are so lucky to have a good dad in our house. I really could not have asked for a better eternal companion and father for my kids. He is so patient with me (I can be a little high maintenance) and a good example for Jake and Spencer. I'm grateful that we compliment each other. I love him lots and lots!

Jake, Jake, Mom's Cupcake!

Jake had birthday #5 on May 24th. I don't think a day was ever more anticipated at our house! Jake loves to have special days. (Spencer got his nose bent out of shape a little, and walked around saying, "Geez Jake, you're not the king!") We are so lucky to have a Jakey Bug at our house. Here are some favorite things: Phineas and Ferb, Backyardigans, Cars, Hot Wheels, Blue, his crocs, his brother, his bike, cuddling with his mom and playing games with his Dad. He was our surprise, I sneezed 1 month before I was due and my water broke! I can't believe my baby is 5 and starting kindergarten in August. We love you Jake!

What?!?

This morning on the way to school I heard an interesting conversation in the backseat. Spencer told Jake very matter of factly that boy pee is good for the grass. As I cringe, I turn around and say What? Where did you hear that? Spencer said, "I think Justin told me". (Justin is my 11 year old nephew.) Well I guess I know why their lawn is so green!

We got Jake and Spencer Nintendo DS's for their birthdays. Jake will not put his down, I think he'd sleep with it if he could. So Dave & I picked Jake up from our babysitter's house and the first thing he askes for is his DS. I said, "No, we just want to talk to you for a minute, how was your day?" "Fine," he replies and tells a story about Michael and building a fort in the backyard. As soon as his story is finished he asks again for his DS. "C'mon Jake, we just want to talk to you for a minute!" I get an "Oh puhlease Mom!" look and he says, "Well that is all I have to say, can I please have my DS now!"

Our kids have nicknames. Spencer is "Pencer Pie". Jake's are "Jake the Snake", "Jakey Bug" and my favorite, "Cupcake". One morning Jake needed to clean his room and asked for help. I told him if he started I would help him after I finished making my bed. He replied back to me, "Well if you don't help me I won't be your Cupcake any more!"

I love to listen to the boys play together. One day Jake and Spencer are playing animals in Spencer's room. Spencer's getting a little bossy and is telling Jake he has to do something with the giraffe. Jake asks "WHY?" Spencer simply tells him, "Because I'm my Mom's oldest son, and you have to do what I say." Apparently that's good enough for Jake, who just replies "Okay."

Upon realizing the Jake is no longer a little boy, I asked him to please stop getting so old. "Mom, I just want to be old enough to drive a car!" Oh good, that's what I'm afraid of!

First Grade Program

Thursday was Spencer's program at school. This is a picture of him waving to Jake and I when he came in. He did a really good job on his part "a friend is like an owl, beautiful and wise". (I didn't get it either.) They sang lots of songs about friendship, "Let's Get Together", "With a Little Help From my Friends". After it was over he said to me, "Mom are you so proud of me?" I am proud of him.

Happy Birthday Spencer

(editors note: Spencer's birthday was on April 29, and I know I'm a little late in posting.) Spencer turned 7 years old, I can't even believe it. He got just what he wanted-a Nintendo DS and an animal game. Grandma and Grandpa Maynard gave him a gift card to get whatever he wanted and Grandma and Grandpa Coleman gave him tickets to see Walking with Dinosaurs when it was here in January. Spencer is a sweetheart in our family. He is usually willing to help with anything, especially if it's making a treat. He's a good big brother to Jake and a really good big cousin. Spencer loves to read, especially about dinosaurs and animals and really likes school. His favorites are: Blue and yellow, Phineas and Ferb, Steak and raviolli, Sea World and Yellowstone, Magic Treehouse books and Zoobooks, and playing video games and outside. When he grows up he wants to be a zookeeper. We are so happy to have him in our family.

Spencer's Surprise

Last week Spencer called me all sorts of excited. He had this long story that started with biting into a pretzel, had a lot of blood, and ended with a lost tooth! He was so excited - until we talked about the tooth fairy, then not so much. On the way home we stopped at the grocery store, and he told me, Mom, you can just buy me a toy at the store and then we don't need to worry about the tooth fairy! We made a deal with the tooth fairy, just leave the loot in the kitchen, DON'T come into Spencer's room!!!! Well, he made out with 2 dollars and got to keep his tooth. Here are some pictures of the exciting event. His tooth is sooo tiny, I thought it looks like a little piece of rice.

Silly Boys

Today Grandma C told me a funny story about Jake. She picked them up from the babysitter and the first thing they told her is Noah kicked Jake. Grandma said, "Well, did you tell Kelly?" Jake said, "No, I took care of it, Noah is Kung Fu Panda, but I know karate". Oh dear! I'm a little worried now!

For some reason, Spencer is really worried about how he looks in his glasses. He keeps asking me if he looks cute. Monday night he got in his jammies and asked me again (for like the 27th time) if he looks cute. I told him that he did, then he asked if I wanted to take his picture. I kind of laughed and said "Yeah I'll take your picture, go lay down for bed and I'll finish up and come take your picture." So while I'm finishing up in the kitchen I hear Spencer telling Dave in the bedroom, "I can't go to sleep, Mom wants to take my picture!"

Talkin' Trash

Jake is in the ZONE! We're bowling on the Wii tonight. We all started off a little rough, but then Jake started getting a running start from the kitchen to the family room and then lettin' his ball fly! He started to get the spares and then he started to get strikes. Dave was getting a little frustrated with the whole process, and started getting after Jake. That's when the talkin' began. Jake pulled ahead of Dave, and then turns to him and said-"That's what you get for makin' pun (fun) a me!" Turns out he won that game. Not to be beat by a 4 year old, Dave challenges him to another round. And the trash kept comin' - "take that" after 4 strikes in a row. Jake took the second game in a score of 204-193. Good job Jake!

New Glasses

In October we got a note from school, Spencer failed the eye test. About that time we also noticed him squinting a lot. Anyway we went to the eye doctor last week and found out poor Spencer has -300 vision! We were so surprised, we had no idea he couldn't see very much. So we headed over to Super Target for some glasses (and another eye exam - I know I'm a worrier, but really -300!). Spencer picked out these cool blue frames all by himself. He's been really excited to get them, and luckily they came in time for him to go SEE the Walking with Dinosaurs show on Saturday. He's got a whole new perspective on the world now, he can read signs, watch tv and just plain see a lot better now!

Christmas, I almost forgot!

Oh yeah, Christmas! We had really fun Christmas, except we actually have no proof that it happened - we forgot to take pictures! Thank heavens for Dave and the video camera though, we at least have that. Spencer only wanted Gorilla Mountain from Santa. After a shopping trip, I told him, "Dad & I looked at the toy store and we didn't see any Gorilla Mountains, what if Santa can't find one?" He gave me an "are you for real" look and said "Mom, if he can't buy one, his elves will just make one." Hellllooo, DUHHH!!! Jake just wanted a Pirate ship, mom wanted a sewing machine and dad wanted BYU to win the Las Vegas Bowl (oh well, 3 out of 4 still isn't bad!!!). Well everyone got what they wanted, except Dave, who got a BYU hat instead, and we had a nice cozy White Christmas, I did get a picture of that.