Happy Birthday Spencer

So I know time flies, but really, where did it all go. I love this little guy, he makes me so happy. I don't remember this with my other kids, but every time he sees me, Steve, or the kids his face and whole body lights up. We love having him in our family, he is truly the best, happiest baby. I feel so blessed to be his Mom.
So, enough of the cheesy stuff, on to what he is doing. He is into everything, he is not supposed to get into. He loves to unload any drawer and doesn't put anything away (hopefully this changes by the time he is 20). He smiles at everyone. He loves to swim, He loves to eat, everything. When you put him to bed, he opens the curtains, stands in his crib, and looks outside. He has a stool by the window that he stands on, it looks out at the lake. He cries at the window until you take him outside. He even cries when you try to bring him back inside. He is almost walking, he could if he would try. He has been taking a few steps here and there, but he is comfortable crawling. He does say one word, and that is OOS (sound it out, just as it's spelt.) This is what he says when he sees Lucy. That's right not Mama or Dada but OOS. He loves to dance. He makes the cutest fish lips and he puckers those lips up all the time. There is a lot more but that's all I have time for. The girls want to wear my dresses and I have to make a birthday cake for his party.

I can't wait to watch him grow.

Assassians

Assassins is a night game that Dallin, Eliza and their friends love to play. They always beg Steve and I to play and we always do, it really is a lot of fun. Let me explain. You have 2 assassins, they are trying to hunt you down. There are boundaries, you have to stay undetected and uncaught for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes you have to try and make it back to base with out being tagged or hit by the stick. Last night we played after dark, Spencer was asleep, usually he plays with us and sits right on my hip. He really is a great hiding companion. He can be very quite (just hard to run with). Since Spencer was asleep Lucy (our yellow Lab) was my hiding buddy, she is not very quite and breaths very LOUD. We were out hiding and managed to not get caught the first 20 minutes. I was sneaking up on home base and was close enough that I knew it was going to be close but I was sure I could make it. So I got up from behind this bush and started sprinting for base. I was really running and Lucy was at my side. I had Dallin and Chase, the assassins, on my tail. I guess that spooked Lucy a little so she decided to cut right in front of me. I not only tripped over her but when I hit the ground I slid for a good 10 feet. Steve thought I was going to slide into the cement. Well I did stop and I was a little hurt, but laughing. The funniest part is laying on the ground and looking up at 4 boys, Eliza, Steve and Lucy all standing over you. Then having the 2 assassins, not help you up but, TAG YOU OUT. I was so close to winning the game, I was robbed. I do think I should grow up but, really who wants too???
So I have to tell you what the kids and I did all day. It was me and 7 kids. MOM, Dallin, Taige, Chase, Spencer, Madison, Brooklyn, Eliza, and Lucy. I took them all to West Fork, in Oak Creek Canyon on the way to Sedona. I was already feeling, a little "Sound of Music" seeing as how we sang the whole way up. We hiked into the river and then made our way through the "mossy" rocks to our spot, that's right I slipped a lot. I have a cut up knee, ankle, a jammed finger and thumb from saving Spencer, the towels and food in the fall. So this is what really made it the "Sound of Music." We did climb trees and there was wild blue berries (they were really black, but the kids called them blue) and raspberries growing all along the banks of the river. For those of you who haven't seen Sound of Music a million times, remember when the kids sneak off to see Maria at the Abby. She leaves because she has released she loves the Captain. (It's such a great movie) Anyways back to the story line, the kids sneak off to the Abby and when they get home Captain Von Trap questions them about where they have been. Well the 7 children lie, and say the were out picking blueberries. So yesterday I was feeling very Maria. If you haven't seen the Sound of Music in a while you really should watch it.

Summer Fun

The kids have been playing soccer for the last couple of months, I have just not been taking pictures like I should I get to help out and coach Dallin's team. That means I am busy yelling at the defence with a baby on my hip. Dallin reminds me of, ME. He is so intense, I love to watch him play. The picture below he is chasing down 14 who is on a break for goal. Dallin is a boy after my own heart. I just need to teach him how to slide "tackle" legally. He was a little behind the guy. The ref didn't blow the whistle, which is a good thing seeing as they were in the box.

I also love to watch Eliza play she makes me smile. She loves to play soccer and I just love to cheer for her.

Eliza loves soccer because she really wants to score a goal. She also loves her friends "A Lot." So much that sometimes she just gets talking and the ball will go right by her. All while she is smiling and laughing away. Which makes her Mom smile :))

Here she is after warm ups, taking a little break.

Spencer at the soccer games. He didn't sit here for to long.

Serious TROUBLE, and he isn't even walking. I can't get this boy to play with any baby toys. He just wants to unload and destroy my entire home.

Here he is at his favorite drawer in the whole house. It is full of all safe cooking utensils. The problem with this arrangement I have made with him is; While he has full access to the drawer and carries things off to different places through out my home and then it comes time for me to make dinner I can never find what I need. Here he is finally noticing that I am photographing him, and......

He thinks he is so funny!!!!

Some of the kids in the neighborhood. I love it when they are all at my house.

Swimming fun. I really think we go to our country club more than most people (we as in me and my girlfriend Gretchen)

My kids with some of the Moore kids.

We have been up to so much more more, which I will have to tell you about tomorrow. Steve wants to use the computer. It's Tuesday which means he and his buddies meet online and play killing X-Box games. That's right he is in the 3rd grade.

One liners and some other funny things

So today both Dallin and Eliza have said some pretty funny things. Dallin said to me today and I quote, "Mom, you need to shape up or get some plastic surgery." I really didn't take it personally(But it stung a little) I asked him were he heard that word and what it meant? He said, he didn't know and that he heard Uncle Tom say it in Midway when they were watching TV. Funny Boy.

Eliza cracks me up every time it's her turn to say family prayers she blesses me to clean the house well and be happy doing it. Apparently that's what I do, just clean!!! Today she said to me, "Mom you really love to vacuum." I said, "Oh yeah, why so?" Eliza, "because you do it all the time."

On more funny thing so Eliza panics if she is watching Spencer and something goes wrong. She starts yelling, "Spencer, Oh my Gosh, Oh my Gosh." Each time getting louder and louder until someone gets there. So the other night Eliza and Spencer are in the shower together and the yelling starts. It really scares you when you hear this hysterical yelling and its about your baby. So I go raising in there and there is a BUG in the shower. I guess it was really close to Spencer and Eliza had to quick, pull him away. When I got there, well first she had to calm down. Yes, there was tears. Then she told me how she had saved his life.

I'm telling you my life is FULL of excitement.

Trip to Orem and Midway Utah

Concert in the Park at Sundance

We went up to Sundance Friday night to listen to the Utah Symphony. It was a Patriotic Concert, it was a gorgeous night and the music was great. It's a hike up to the amphitheater, especially in heels. Thank goodness they have a tractor to drive you up. Coming down was a little tricky but I held onto Matt and Thomas on the way down.
Dallin and Eliza playing in the field before the concert started. My Aunt Stacy and Kendall came up for the entertainment, so did Robert Redford.
Dallin found the perfect spot in the grass, to relax and listen to the music.

The 3 girls!

4th Celebrations

Swimming at G'ma & G'pas

Dallin and Eliza are fish out of water. I swear, they could swim all day, everyday and they love to go to there grandma's and grandpa's pool. They had so much fun playing with their Grandpa. Joyce and I got to relax and talk, while Bill played with (got climbed all over) the kids.

It has taken all summer to get this little guy comfortable in the water. I just have to keep him away from all the other kids splashing and trying to get in his face. So Dallin, Eliza and Grandpa made up a game on the water slide. You have to hit the float "oh so perfectly," that would be in laying down position, to get all the points. Of course Grandpa would always pull it away on Dallin's turn. I have videos of it however I left the battery charger in Ut.

Eliza with her "Oh so Perfect" hit!

After swimming my very bestest friend, Kristi Garrett "Smith," invited us over to jump on the bounce house they rented for the 4th. It was funny to watch the girls slide down so nicely and then watch Dallin try and catch as much air as he possibly could.

FIREWORKS, Stadium of Fire!!!

I love the 4th and I love dressing my kids up in 4th of July outfits. I always make Eliza's outfit. However, I have a feeling by the time she hits 10-11 she is not going to let me sew for her any more. So in the mean time I am going to have fun dressing my little doll.

We talked Dallin into wearing the tutu for a picture. he is such a HAM.

We also talked Uncle Matt into wearing it for a picture. He tried to put it on his waist, however, when he heard it tear he stopped and decided to use it as a hat.

See what I mean by HAM, Dallin is defiantly 8. Spencer stayed at home with my Mom. I wish they could have come but, Spencer needed to go to bed and my Mother was kind enough to offer and stay at home with him. Thanks Mom.

While waiting for the fireworks to start we hung out on the grass and played soccer. It was Uncle Matt, Eliza, and myself vs. Uncle Tom and Dallin. Of course we won but, I have to tell you what my son did to me. When we got there I realized I was wearing the wrong cloths for a soccer game so I kicked of my heels, rolled up my jeans, and took of my jewelry. I was running all over the field and playing pretty well, even if I say so myself. I will also add there was a lot of people out there watching us play. Well Matt passed it to me and I had a break for goal. I picked up my speed when all of a sudden my son, slide tackles me from behind. It was not a very graceful fall. I just laid on the ground and laughed, because, my son just cheep shoted (not a word) me.

Roasting Marshmellows

As if our day has not been long enough, we thought we would throw in a couple more things. Uncle Tom got the fire pit, in the back yard, all ready for making Smores.

They were delicious!!!

After smores we went out front and did our own fireworks. Dallin and Eliza danced all around and had tons of fun learning how to light them. Thanks Tom and Matt for teaching them:)) They also thought they were so funny lighting off the loud fireworks at midnight. I have to admit I was in on it as well. Good fun, is just FUN. Finally I got to go to bed, it was a long day but such a great 4th. God Bless America.

Midway Trip, up to the Cabin

On Sunday we went to church and then came home and headed up to my Uncle Bruce's cabin up in Midway. I have never stayed there but have heard all about the fun. I have been trying to get my family up there forever. So, my Mom made all the arrangements for us to go up and it was such a fun, beautiful trip. Thanks again Mom. We went on a lot of walks, played a lot of tennis, biked, swam, shopped (in Park City), ate and relaxed. The funnest night was when we were all in the hot tub and played truth or dare. Of course when you are playing with Dallin and Eliza it's all about the dares. Dallin dared me to touch Matt's feet (I HATE feet). We dared Eliza to walk around like a penguin. We dared Matt to climb a tree and act like a bird. We dared Dallin to yell 3 times, "I'm a poop stain." The funniest dare according to Dallin was when Tom was dared to present Spencer like Simba out on the street. Oh boy, good times. I wish I had taken pictures while we were there.

Hiking to Timpanogos Caves

We got home from Midway, Wednesday night. The next morning we were up early to hike up to the caves. It is not an easy hike. In a mile and a half you climb over 1,600 feet in elevation. I thought it was a great work out. The next day Dallin came to me to show me were his bum was hurting, I could relate mine hurt in the same place.

Everyone is holding up the mountain.

They ask and stress to please NOT TOUCH any of the rocks inside the cave. So we took this picture. Thomas will probably go to jail.

Eliza thinks this rock looks like it has chocolate and carmel running down it.

Meeting up with some of my Girls

From the top left, Sara Archibald, myself, Kristi Garrett, Kelly.

bottom left, Emily Aldrich, Valerie, And Tiffany Gatherum.

Some of my favorite Halo's missing, Tiffany Goodman, Becky Snarr (we were like salt and pepper) and Jeni Hadley. Wished you could have been there.

Kristi and myself, I really miss her.

My Grandma Estelle, (yes the one I am named after) came down for her birthday. We were able to spend some time together and go out to eat.

Uncle Thomas has the same birthday as my Grandma so we had a party for him as well.

This is "The Lego City. " Dallin and his best Buddy Ford spent 2 days working on this. As well as any free time Dallin had while at Grandma and Grandpa's. It really has everything, even right down to a work out facility with treadmills.

Last night

This is the first trip back to Utah that we actually went and did some things. We usually spend the whole time visiting family, since they all live in Utah, and don't get me wrong we LOVE to see everyone!!! But, It is the first time in 6 years I was able to get together with my friends, which was so much fun for me. I got to spend a night with the Williams, who I love. We got to do a lot of outdoor stuff which my kids and myself love. Also my kids love their friends in Utah and they got to play a lot. The last night we invited some of there friends over for a smores party. From the left, Noell, Uncle Matt, Dallin, Bella, Eliza, Emme, and missing Ford.

Bella, Eliza, and Noell.

Our trip had to come to an end. We had Steve and Lucy missing us at home. Poor Lucy was so upset she threw up the first 2 days we were gone, and while Steve showed no phisical signs of missing us, I know he missed us (ME) desperetly.