We love Dad

Father's Day Presents to Dad from Spencer. He filled out a questionaire about Steve with a picture of the two of them. 

He also made this at Church in his Primary class. Steve: "You drew a pig?" Spencer: "It's not a pig, it's you!"

The Saturday after Father's Day Steve took Spencer out for a special "Guys day out". They bought a packed lunch from the store and then drove up the Canyon by Cedar. Steve saw a nice spot with a pavilion to stop and have lunch. 

After lunch they went to leave and find another spot to go hiking but the van wouldn't start. Steve didn't know what to do and there wasn't anyone around so they said a little prayer that their car would start and then decided to explore (Hoping the car just needed some rest from going up the canyon)

They eventually found a little pond not too far from the van. It's a stocked pond that is free for kids 12 and under to fish at. (So we came back another day to fish). There were also other people up there, including one of Steve's co-workers, so he went back to the van with a little lighter heart, knowing there was help if he needed any. But when they got back to the van it started just fine. We've been driving it and gone up the canyon several times since then and have never had trouble again. So we're not sure what happened, but it was a fun adventures for the boys. What a great dad!

End of Preschool

Spencer attending On My Way Preschool with Danielle Orton. He loved it! His teacher said he was friends with everyone and always very kind. His best friend was Emma. Mrs Orton said they bickered like an old married couple but still always wanted to sit by each other. 

Fieldtrip to a local bakery. 

Spencer and Emma at their final recital. 

Easter 2014

On the day before Easter we did our annual BBQ and Easter Egg hunt. 

The hunt started out well enough but towards the end it all went down hill for Spencer. First he hit his head really hard on the corner of our mailboxes and then he tripped and got little rocks embedded in his hands when he fell. He was trying to be brave for the pictures, but he wasn't very happy. 

Once we cleaned out his hands and got some sugar in him though, he was just fine. 

BBQ with potato salad and deviled eggs. 

Spencer took one bite of hit hamburger and then went over to lay on the floor and crashed. It was a rough day. 

Easter Dinner on Sunday. Yummy yummy. 

(We let Spencer take the picture which is why it's at a weird angle)

Trouble Maker

Rod has been a trouble maker lately with markers, pens, pencils, paint, anything that draws. We find little souvenirs like this all over the house lately. When I catch him at it I say, "Rod!" and jumps a foot in the air, drops the pen and then starts crying (because he  knows he's been naughty)

This unfortunate pillow has been assaulted several times. 

Caught in the act. 

One Day Road Trip

The week after my friend's road trip, Phil and his family was in Provo so we took a one day trip up to go see them. We went to eat at the BYU creamery and then hiked Bridal Veil Falls. Then let the cousins hang out at Grandma's. It was quick but many memories were made so it was definitely worth it.

Friends Road Trip

For my birthday this year I treated myself to a roadtrip. I went up through Utah stopping to see friends and family. I left Rod with Steve and took Spencer with me. He watched movies and napped in the van while I listened to my audio book. It was very relaxing. 

First I met my cousin Keola and her little girl at Spicy Thai where I also got to see my cousin Samuel and Aunt Somrong. Then I drove over to my Uncle Greg's and visited with him and my cousin Paula. 

 Then we drove to Pleasant Grove to visit my high school friend/college roommate Jessica her two little boys. 

We drove up and had dinner with my high school friend Michelle and her little baby girl in Salt Lake. Forgot to take a picture of us. :(

Then Spencer and I jumped on the trax line and went to visit temple square.  

 He loved the Christus Statue

On the way back to our car Spencer saw this and wanted to take a picture with it. (It was in front of a bar so I quickly took a picture and hurried us on)

We spent the night at Robin's apartment and then drove up to my old home Brigham City. We met my bestie Maranea and her little baby at the temple and then met our friend Lyndsi for lunch. 

That night I also saw my friend college friend Tara and the next day visited my high school friend Brenna and her family (also forgot to take pictures). Then we headed home. It was so fun to re-connect and to spend some quality time with Spencer. 

Spencer said

1/1/14:

Dinner was ready so I called to Steve to come to dinner. But instead of calling him Steve (like I usually do) I said, “Dad come to dinner.”

Spencer: “Who are you talking to?”

Me: “Dad.”

Spencer: “My dad?”

M: “Yes.”

S: “The dad in the office?”

M: “Yes.”

S: “The dad that I call dad and you call Steve?”

M: “Yes.”

S: “Oh…why did you call him dad?”

M: “Cause that’s his name.”

S: “No, that’s the name I call him. His name to you is Steve.”

2/2/14:

Spencer gave his first testimony in Church today. He saw another little boy get up with a dad and give one. Spencer saw the little boy, who is his friend, and he wanted to go up too. I told him he could only go up if he did it all by himself. Spencer said “what do I say?” I told him he starts by saying that he wants to say his testimony and he ends with ‘in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen’ and then I told him to just say whatever he felt about the church or gospel or Jesus. Finally he decided what he wanted to say and practiced a few times whispering in my ear to make sure he could remember what to say. Then he walked up by himself, went up to the microphone and said, “I want to say my testimony. I know Jesus loves me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” Then he ran and down and said in a very loud whisper “I did it!!” Then everyone around us started laughing. It was really cute. And I was very proud of him.

2/9/14:

When I was growing up I called the weapons the Jedi’s used in Star Wars “life-savers” because I knew the candy before I knew the movie.

Spencer, however, we are raising as a nerd apparently. Case in point: Spencer was eating a life-saver candy and he said, “Mom this light saber is really good.”

2/21/14: Spencer and I went to the doctor because he had what turned out to be hand, foot and mouth disease. While the doctor was examining him we had to pull down Spencer’s pants to examine the sores on his bottom. After the doctor was done looking I was helping Spencer pull up his pants and Spencer leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Awkward.”

3/5/14:

Spencer loves Jillian Michaels (trainer from The Biggest Losers). I do work out videos on my ipad in the morning and several months ago he discovered ‘Jillian Michaels 6 week ab workout’ and I guess he really liked it and her because now he says “That is my exercise teacher”.

Today I decided I wanted to do one of her exercise videos and Spencer woke up to find me using his exercise teacher and he had a bit of a fit. “That’s my exercise teacher! Not yours! She loves me to exercise with her, not you!” It went on and on until I was done with the workout. I finally gave in though and I will no longer work out to Jillian Michael videos (unless Spencer is asleep).

3/26/14: Spencer has an imaginary friend named Jones. He doesn't play and talk with him but they have a lot of adventures together. We’ll be eating lunch and he’ll say that him and Jones went to climb a mountain today or went for a drive “because Jones knows how to drive.” A few weeks ago I asked how Jones was doing and he said he was dead.

Me: “Oh! I’m sorry how did he die?”

Spencer: “Someone just killed him. I don’t know who.”

Me: “That’s sad.”

Spencer: “Actually I do know who killed him. It was Lord Voldemort.”

But a few days ago he decided he was alive again. Today he told me all about his family. It started off with Spencer coming up to me wearing his Superman outfit holding a blue ball.

Spencer: “Hmmm I wanted to put this ball in my shirt but I can’t because this superman costume is all one piece.”

Me: “Why did you want to put that ball up your shirt?”

S: “To pretend to me a mom.”

M: “But only girls can be mommy’s. Boys are daddy’s”

S: “I know, I just wanted to pretend….I have pink lips like mommy’s”

M: “A lot of people have pink lips, even daddy’s.”

S: “Jones doesn't have pink lips he has white lips. He wears white lipstick. It’s boy white lipstick. But his mother has pink lips. Her name is Mary Lapoota. And Jones doesn't have a little brother like me he only has a big brother. But he does have a baby. His babies name is Rod Lalaloo. And he has a little, big brother named Spencer Arona…It’s Spencer like me! Cool huh?!”