Spencer cousins- March 2013

My lucky kids and I got to spend some really fun quality time with our Spencer cousins during March. One day, Catherine had a commitment and my parents tended Mark and Elizabeth at their house. We joined up with them to play and lend a hand. The kids were so happy playing outside on the playhouse and fort, even though it was naptime and pretty cold!

Mark impressed us all with his toughness and crawling skills

George loves the little house

Another day we went to City Creek mall where there's a really fun playground at the food court. It has giant, foam rubber dinosaurs that the kids climb on and jump off.

One day we went to Sam and Lily's school to pick them up and saw this really cool mural on the wall depicting the neighborhood around the school. Charlie thought it was so fun and I loved how bright and colorful it was. It reminded me of my childhood, because I went to a school in that neighborhood, too!

After we picked them up, we went home to our house and played in the backyard. The Jeep we inherited from Steve and Kerry is still a big hit! Charlie and Lily took turns driving the little kids around.

Lily is turning into such a big helper girl!

Five out of six of the cousins, all in a row!

Charlie enjoying the view from the top of the slide at Grandma and Grandpa's

I can't believe I'm gonna have one of these...

Sam and Lily have been my little babies for four years and I can't believe I'm having one of my own! I still will love them and think they are the cutest children on earth!

In-church entertainment

Lily joined us today for church. She had already been to 3 hours of church earlier in the day, and then Grandma picked her up and brought her to our last hour, which for us is sacrament meeting. She was very well behaved, especially when I found a little card for her that had a picture of Jesus. "JESUS!" she kept exclaiming loudly. The real kicker came when the bishop (who happens to be her father) got up and began talking at the pulpit. Lily stood up on my lap, pointed at him and yelled, "Jesus!" Well, hmmm, not quite. Then, a sweet little old lady got up to speak and she, too, apparently reminded Lily of Jesus. She just really wanted to think about Jesus, I guess.

Later, Sam and Lily played for a while and after dinner, Steve (daddy) came to take them home. When I was helping get the kids buckled in, I saw a piece of ribbon that I swiped. I put it on my forehead and waved goodbye to them as they backed out of the driveway. Steve rolled down his window to let me know what Sam thought of my improvisation. He said, "Daddy, I think Barbara looks more like a non-ja." Four years old, people, and he's making up puns.

(A little photo evidence of my nerdiness that my nephew called me on.)

Lily's birthday party!

Sam chose the venue for Lily's birthday party and so we ventured forth to Chuck E. Cheese's (where a kid can be a kid, you know). Sam and Andy (Kerry's friend's little boy) were LOVING it. Lily was a little bit more unsure. She did love playing skee ball and the creepy, singing, animatronic animal band. Mom, Aunt Barbara and I made Lily a Tinkerbell costume (if you have ever met this child, she definitely has the "Tink" personality.)

Happy Day!

Today is my darling niece Lily's 2nd birthday!! I love this girl! While we were in Disneyland, this normally brave and assertive girl was a little fearful. She found the train that goes underground through dioramas of dinosaurs and volcanoes especially frightening. Now, every time she sees me (weeks later) or hears her parents talking to me on the phone, she has to tell me, "Shoo-shoo 'cary!" Indeed, little girl.

It's also graduation day for many of my friends, including my brother-in-law, Mark! Congrats!

Happy Birthday, Lily!!

Lily Isabelle is going to be one-year-old on Wednesday! We're going to be in Philly so we celebrated yesterday with a family dinner. Both her sets of grandparents were there, plus all the rest of us, to celebrate her big day!! She's so cute! And growing up so fast! John was the lucky one that got to hold Lily while she experienced her cake-- lots of frosting mess!!