Casey, Ryanne, Spencer & . . .

It's been awhile but we're here......

2012-02-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long since I posted anything so I thought I would post the one picture that I've uploaded recently - more will be coming!

Spencer is 22 months and full of life. Unless he is sleeping he is exploring the world around him. I'll be honest, there are moments where I think "can't you just sit down for a minute?" but then I realize that wouldn't be him. He is speaking more and more each day and is very definite when he answers someones question with a "yeah". He is fascinated with airplanes and can hear them no matter where we are. He also loves cars, trains, and cooking in the kitchen. Oh and how can I forget to mention how much he loves to be outside running around, riding a bike, or climbing a tree. He is a 100% boy and I love it.

Pregnancy Photos

2012-01-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I'm already 26 weeks along and haven't posted a single picture. Below are my 20 week and 24 week belly shots. I definitely feel bigger this time around.

20 weeks

24 weeks and wearing maternity pants.

They are just more comfortable then my normal jeans.

My Inner Martha Stewart

2012-01-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

So awhile back I saw a 3 tiered ruffle cake highlighted in a Martha Stewart Living magazine and decided I should make it. The only problem was that I didn't have a reason to make it so I patiently waited for my friends birthday. I don't know why I wanted to make the cake so badly. I've never gotten into cake decorating or baking for that matter. I think I did pretty good for decorating my first cake but you'll have to let me know what you think.

Homenade Ugly Sweaters

2011-12-21T08:51:00.002-07:00

Last night we went to a cousins get together hosted by Casey's cousins, Jordan and Jason Gleave. It started off as an ugly sweater party but quickly became just an ordinary dinner get together.

Due to the fact that the Robles' don't do ordinary we visited Savers, warmed up the glue gun, got the scissor, threaded the needle and got to work.

Here is our end result:

*Spencer has lights, pine cones and poinsettias.

*Ryanne has lights, poinsettias, holly berries and pine cones.

*Casey's sweater has lights, poinsettias and holly berries with garland on his sleeves.

He is Casey's son

2011-12-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

For a while, Spencer would get up and have cereal for breakfast. Now he has become an oatmeal and egg eater for breakfast. He will even ask for it.
The other day Casey got home from school and was caring in the bowl he had eaten oatmeal out of that morning. Spencer saw it and started saying oatmeal and pointing to his mouth like he wanted to eat it. So that night for dinner Spencer had oatmeal and we had something else.

Days 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 of Christmas

2011-12-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

We started out so well with the advent calendar and then as the month continued we started to slack with photos and blog posts. Here's what we've been doing.

Day 8

Made gifts for our neighbors and friends

Our final product - pretzels with chocolate & peppermint, white chocolate & peppermint, peanut butter & chocolate or candy canes with chocolate

Day 9

Color a Christmas Picture

Day 10

See the lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake

Day 11

Wrap Gifts

Day 12

Decorate Gingerbread Houses

We had Casey's sister, Melissa, and her family come over for the activity. I bought kits from a lady in Melissa's ward and even though everything was lined out for us it was still difficult to construct them.

Teenagers!

Ours didn't have a lot of decorations because Spencer at all the candy. And, Casey couldn't get his walls to stick so he made it look like a tornado hit his - so creative!

Day 13

Design and Order Christmas Cards

(I'm well aware this should have been done sooner!)

Day 14

Caroling

Day 15

Finish Gifts for Neighbors and Friends

(it took a little longer than planned)

Day 16

Watch a Christmas Movie

Day 17

Attend a Friends Christmas Party

(we forgot to take pictures even though they had a pinata and gift exchange. We gave a fish and everyone loved it. We thought the parents would hate us)

Days 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Christmas

2011-12-08T20:21:00.005-07:00

Here are the activities:

Day 4

Decorate our Christmas tree

Day 5

Drink hot chocolate

Day 6

Make cookies and decorate them

Day 7

Make paper snowflakes

Spencer has started to realize what happens when we turn on the camera. He will walk in front of you and keep saying, "Cheee, cheee, cheee," till you take a picture of him and then he runs next to us to see what the picture looks like on the screen. During our snowflake shoot Spencer wanted a picture with him standing in the tree. What a weirdo, we have no idea where he gets it from.

Days 1, 2 and 3 of Christmas

2011-12-03T20:31:00.000-07:00

Ryanne made an advent calender for Christmas this year. Here is what happened on the first three days:

Day 1

Make a Christmas Countdown chain

Day 2

Visit the Reindeer and buy a Christmas tree

Day 3

Hang lights and attend church Christmas party

Christmas Crafts

2011-12-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some Christmas crafts that I've been working on lately so I thought I would share them. Enjoy!

Over Thanksgiving break my sister and I found some activity advent calendars online. I decided to do my own for Spencer. This is the final product. I had a great time coming up with activities and so far each one we've done has been a success (countdown chain, visit real reindeer, buy a Christmas tree and decorate it). I promise to post pictures as we do some of the activities:)

Last year I bought the wreath mold but did nothing with it. So this year I was determined to make a yarn wreath. I wasn't planning on doing an argyle one but saw one somewhere and fell in love with it. I really liked how it turned out and it didn't even take much time. The part that took the longest was threading the yarn around the mold - so boring!

Pumkin Patch

2011-10-28T13:25:00.000-06:00

We decided to go to the same pumpkin patch as we did last year. When we pulled in there were no signs or anything showing they were open. Casey knocked on the door and come to find out they had decided not to do it this year. They had planted lots of pumpkins so the sweet lady decided to let us pick some anyway - phew! We don't think our friends would have been thrilled if it was closed after we drove at least 20 minutes to get there. Spencer definitely was more into it this year. We ended up with 5 pumpkins.

Spencer and Casey scoping out their options

Just the perfect size of pumpkin for Spencer

This one was a little big for him but it didn't stop him from trying to pick it up.

Spencer spotting another pumpkin while Ryanne poses for a picture

Family photo

The Smith family

Casey hauling out all our pumpkins plus some other special cargo:)

We got a steal of a deal on pumpkin prices. The lady said she would only charge $0.10 per pound which was at least $0.20 cheaper than any of the stores around. We ended up paying her more because we were so grateful she let us in.

Spencer around the house

2011-10-22T12:54:00.000-06:00

Our little boy loves to cook, bake, eat, and be in the kitchen. If you try to fix a meal without him he absolutely melts down. Mommy doesn't mind the mess, but daddy can't stand it.

Spencer really likes chocolate and we don't know why or how. Both Casey and I don't like it so we rarely have it in the house. Maybe it was his aunts, uncles, or grandparents that introduced him to it.

Spencer also loves, loves, loves books. He likes being read to or doing it on his own. Sometimes he will have you read the same book over and over and over again. I have most of our books memorized which is quite impressive since we have a small library.

Another favorite pastime of his is playing in the dirt. He takes my kitchen utensils outside and digs forever. Many times he eats the dirt while playing. He doesn't think it's gross yet.

One afternoon Spencer grabbed Casey's bike helmet and was obessed with wearing it. We had to put mine on him instead because it fit better and stayed on. He hasn't really worn the helmet since, but that day it was his favorite thing.

Spencer wondering why mommy is taking pictures of him doing nothing.

Spencer showing his mouthful of teeth for the camera.

Spencer really likes to help with the laundry - highlight of his week! He has now figured out how to climb into the dryer and likes to play in there. Don't worry, I watch him close.

This is what happened when I told him I would shut the door:)

Our little big guy is now officially a toddler. Where did the time go?

3rd Anniversary

2011-10-20T12:20:00.000-06:00

So I don't have any pictures for this post but I wanted to let everyone know how great my husband is. Our anniversary was actually on Tuesday the 18th however; we had decided to celebrate last night since Casey has fall break today and tomorrow. We said we were keeping things simple so I thought we were going to dinner and maybe a movie. Along the way Casey tells me that we are going to see the movie The Help in Salt Lake City. I was excited because I just finished the book for my book club. Anyway, he said we had to make one stop first. He pulled into a Little America Hotel and I looked at him and said "are you lost? Tell me what restaurant you're looking for and I'll help you find it." He looks at me at says "I got us a room for the night." I was so surprised and excited at the same time. I had no clue he was planning this. I think I was more shocked that my good friend didn't say anything to me. It was so fun to sneak away for a night and enjoy a good movie and a nice dinner. Sleeping in this morning was equally as great. I am so blessed to have Casey as my husband. He always knows what I need even when I don't know myself. I'm thankful everyday for it working out between us. It might have taken a long time to figure things out, but it was worth it. Here's to another 50 years!

Montana

2011-10-18T15:30:00.001-06:00

After spending time in Idaho with Ryanne's mom we went to Montana to spend time with the rest of Ryanne's family. Below are the highlights of our trip.

Spencer with his cousins - Justin, Caleb, and Jessica

Spencer and Casey

Because Ryanne had to work she didn't get to do a lot of the activities during the day. It didn't stop Casey and Spencer from exploring Libby.

Uncle Josh was a trooper. He put the kids into his kayak and pulled them around. They just loved it!

Casey taught the kids the fine art of parading. First, stand as close to the edge as possible second, make eye contact, and third say "happy 4th of July". The kids came home with triple the amount of candy as anyone around us.

The grandparents surprised the grandkids with a day trip out to a friends farm. They had lots of horses and 2 minis. All the kids loved the pony rides.

In the evenings after grandad got off work he'd take the kids on 4-wheeler rides. Spencer got to stop at the creek and throw rocks in. He was the happiest boy ever.

Spencer getting into the fire crackers. We did not go to the firework show in Troy because it didn't start until 11:00 pm. That's right, it stays light until around 11 pm in the summer time. We splurged on our own fireworks so the kids would still have a show.

Spencer went to bed before we lit all the fireworks, but we think the sound woke him up. Perfect time to take a family photo!

Grandad loves to fish and so do the grandkids. We went to the pond a couple of times and caught lots of fish.

Justin with the big catch of the day.

For Casey's birthday we spent the day at Glacier National Park. He had never been nor had Spencer so it was time. Unfortunately not all the snow was melted so half the park was closed. I guess that means we have to go back next year.

The only hike we did was along the road that was closed to cars. Most of the other trails were closed off. It was still beautiful scenery even though we were on the road.

We went on one hike for maybe 5 minutes before Ryanne wussed out. At the entrance a sign was posted about a mountain lion who had been frequenting the area. Ryanne does not liked to be stalked and made us turn back. Maybe next year we'll be able to go on the hike!

Hiawatha Bike Trail

2011-10-13T08:33:00.001-06:00

As you know it's been awhile since we've updated our blog. We had such a fun summer that we didn't make time for blog posts. Even though we don't have a lot of spare time now we've finally committed ourselves.

We visited Ryanne's mom this summer for a week. During that time we biked the Hiawatha Bike Trail. It starts off with a 2 mile long tunnel that is pitch black and freezing cold. We were not prepared for it and poor Spencer screamed the whole way through the tunnel. The other tunnels along the 15 miles trail weren't as long so he did fine. The beautiful scenery definitely made up for that one scary tunnel.

Spencer chillin in his bike carrier.

Ryanne, Amber, Leslie, and Josh

We stopped half way to eat lunch and to rest our legs. Spencer did not want to get back into his carrier, but he had no choice.

It took us a few hours to complete the trail. Somehow Spencer found a comfortable spot and fell asleep for an hour. This is a family photo at the very end of the trail.

Instead of biking 15 miles uphill back to our cars we paid to take the shuttle. However, it doesn't take you the full way back. You still have to go through the 2 mile long dark, scary tunnel. Spencer was not happy about this but Casey sang and I rode behind him so he had a light on him. He did much better this time, but we can't say the same for Amber. She looked right into an oncoming bikers light, lost her balance, and crashed. We all laughed because painful accidents are funny, but we're glad she had a helmet on because otherwise it would have been her head that cracked open. Her legs were pretty beat up but she survived to tell the tale. What a fun trip!

FATHER OF THE YEAR ALERT

2011-06-05T22:08:00.000-06:00

This weekend Casey showed his true parenting skills.

We were at a friends house for a 1 year old birthday party. Casey and Spencer had to change to go swimming. Casey took Spencer into the bathroom to change. As Casey entered the bathroom he knew there would be trouble because the lady that owned the house had it decorated with antique pieces throughout (a one year old's dream). Casey set Spencer down and was getting ready to change. Spencer found the soap and soap dish. Played with them both and both ended up in the tub. Casey is starting to change. He sees Spencer trying to get into the tub. Spencer has gotten one knee up on the ledge of the tub and is trying to pull himself up. Casey grabs Spencer off, sees the tub is lower set, places Spencer back on the ground and decided to quickly finish changing. Casey is only able to get his pants off only to look back and see Spencer further up on the tub and watching gravity take its course. As Spencer falls he finds the antique soap dish he threw in earlier and says hello with his forehead. Casey grabs Spencer, notices he has broken off two of the legs from the soap dish, and then sees the bump that is growing on his head. What does he do now? Get help! But he can't because he doesn't have any pants on. Now Casey has to find a way to get a pair of board shorts on with only one free hand. The trickiest part was trying to velcro with just one hand. Some how he did it and went out to find Ryanne. He found Ryanne and motioned her to come in the house. When she saw Casey's face her stomached dropped. When she saw Spencer before an explanation was given she felt sick to her stomach. Luckily no serious injuries occurred. Once Spencer calmed down and we got his speedo on (a birthday gift from Grandma Robles) and into the pool, he was just fine.

Just after the incident.

You would never have guessed our little big guy just face planted in a tub.

Spencer wanted to make sure you got a good look at his bump.

Spencer was still mad a Casey for not watching him just a little bit closer.

Let the summer of swimming begin!

It was a big day for this Little Man.

Ryanne = official triathlete

2011-05-22T15:09:00.001-06:00

Yesterday Ryanne took part of her first triathlon. She did amazing. Because of her busy work schedule and taking care of Spencer, she was not able to train the way she would have like to, but she said she signed up for it and was determined to do it. Here is a recap of her race through photos:

Pre-race prep- Ryanne getting her bike and clothes situated.

Attaching her race number to her belt.

Officially marked and ready to go.

She was going to lie about her age but i kept her honest about turning 30.

Finishing her first 50 meters and in great form.

Finishing 150 meters, half way done.

Spencer left on his own. He's fine as long a he has some food.

Coming up on 250 meters, only 50 meters left.

I hope you noticed the chick on the wall and Ryanne swimming away from her.

That's right, Ryanne passed her! HOLLA!

The worst part is over and now to get on to the rest.

Running from the swim to her stuff and getting ready to start biking.

Notice all the other bikes still there. That's right, they are still waiting their turn to swim and she's done.

Successful transition and hopefully she can get on her bike.

Successful bike mount and she's off for a 13 mile bike ride.

Finishing her 1st loop, 6.5 miles and giving shout outs to all her fans.

Finishing the 13 mile bike ride and looking awesome.

*Casey did not get a better photo of her finishing the bike because if you look to the right of the picture you will see two women. The one to the furthest right forgot about being done after two loops and is cutting across traffic. The woman behind her got cut off, she has only done one lap, and went down. Casey was right there and helped out the woman that went down. She was fine and only scraped up one of her palms.

2nd transition successful and off to the run.

We have no idea what happened after she passed that black flag in the previous picture but this is what emerged. Watch out ladies, Ryanne's coming!

As we get back to Spencer we see that he is just fine once again as long as he has some food.

Coming down the finishing shoot. We are glad things turned around after the start of the run.

Spencer was crying as Ryanne was finishing and she just saw him and is overly concerned.

Ryanne becoming an official triathlete!

Look how amazing she looks!

One proud husband

The family that tri's together, stays together . . . . .

Boston Marathon

2011-05-13T13:10:00.000-06:00

Casey ran the Boston Marathon 3 1/2 weeks ago and ever since then I've been meaning to post the pictures. We flew home the same day of the race and since we landed in Utah we haven't stopped - Easter, Spencer's birthday, Mother's Day, and a race in Moab. Anyways, here are the photos.

Casey holding his bib number.

Checking in for the race did not go as planned because Spencer was tired and hungry. After trying to feed him baby food I resorted to whipping out the boob in front of everyone because we couldn't find a private spot in the convention center. After Spencer got food things were better.

Spencer eating breakfast waiting for Casey to run by

All of us waiting to cheer Casey on

Casey after the race. He finished in 2 hours and 49 minutes - I wish! We didn't find him for awhile after he crossed the finish line because he made a stop at the medical tent first. He was cramping so they massaged him real good.

Since my birthday was the same day of the race Casey decided to give me a clever card. He wrote this on his chest and when he ran past us he had his shirt off. I'll never forgot this card.

All of us at the end of the race

Family photo after the race

One Robo-tastic Party

2011-05-01T18:03:00.001-06:00

When Spencer was just about 6 months old he asked his mom if he could have a robot party when he turned 1. Ryanne looked at him with so much excitement in her eyes and said YES. The planning started then for the big day. We first had to put the invitations together.

In the process of getting all the materials ready for the party we had to find the perfect gift for Spencer. We noticed that he loved getting rides in the wagons our neighbors have when he is outside playing with his friends. We went on a search for a wagon and we think we found the right one. We gave it to him on his birthday. He went for a ride in the house because it was too cold outside. After the rides we think he then got in and out of the wagon about 50 times. Opening and closing the door. He loved it! We can't wait for the weather to get nicer so we can go for a walk around the neighborhood.

Saturday came and we were ready for everyone to show up for the party. With the help of Casey's mom and Ryanne's sister and mom, the decorations were in the right spots, cake ready to be eaten, camera ready to snap shots and the pinata ready to be busted open.

Then it came time for Spencer to devour his cupcake, and that he did!

Somehow we found time to snap a family photo.

One last photo with the robot heads.

Happy Birthday Spencer!

2011-04-29T15:30:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that our little man is 1 year old today. It doesn't seem like a year has already passed us by. We love having Spencer in our lives and we can't imagine what our lives were like without him. We'll post party pictures tomorrow, but for now here is a photo of him on his first day in this world. If only he would sleep and sit still now!

Boston - day 1

2011-04-29T15:20:00.002-06:00

On our first day in Boston we toured the Freedom Trail. We did the 2 hour bus tour first and then got off on stops that seemed interesting to us.

Family photo at the Paul Revere statue. The statue is actually facing the wrong way, but who cares, it's just history, right?

Paul Revere's house is the only wood house standing in the city. All the other houses are made out of brick. We didn't go inside but we heard it was pretty small.

The outside of the First Church

Church goers would sit in their individual boxes instead of pews

We visited the USS Constitution. It was huge and in good condition.

Ryanne ready to launch a cannon

There are 3 levels to the ship but we only got to see 2 of them. The bottom level was under construction.

After a long day of touring we had lunch at the TV show "Cheers" bar. The fish n' chips were delicious!

New York City minus 1

2011-04-20T11:10:00.000-06:00

Spencer still had a fever the morning we were supposed to go to New York City so we were going to cancel our trip. Thanks to Ryanne's sweet Aunt Holly we were able to still go because she offered to watch Spencer. Ryanne felt bad leaving a sick child, but her aunt convinced her to go. Ryanne's aunt has 3 kids and one on the way so she is a pro with kids.

When we arrived in NYC it was pouring down rain and cold. We knew we made the best decision with leaving Spencer behind. We quickly stepped into a McDonald's so Ryanne could use the bathroom and it wasn't until then that we noticed it was a little different. There was a doorman, a piano player, marble table tops, and flowers on the table. We had read about this fancier McDonalds, but had no intentions of finding it in the city. What's funny is that the menu is the exact same - go figure!

Our first stop was Liberty Island. It was a cold ferry ride followed by a windy and cold outside tour of Miss Liberty. We wanted to go all the way up to the crown however; the tickets were sold out so we settled for the pedestal. We had a fun time but because Ryanne was so cold we opted not to stop at Ellis Island. Plus neither of us had any relatives that immigrated over and stopped there so we didn't feel like we needed to make the stop.

Ryanne on her way up to the Pedestal level

Casey next to the ear mold that was used when making the statue

The two of us on the pedestal with Manhattan in the background

When we found out that we would be going to NYC we thought it would be so much fun to bring Spencer to the Central Park Zoo. Even though he was home sick we still went and saw the animals. It is a smaller zoo but the layout was cool.

After the zoo Casey mentioned that he had eaten at this delicious pizza place in Brooklyn. We thought it would be fun to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to get there. It started out fun but quickly became a disaster when the rain started pouring down and Casey couldn't remember exactly where the pizza place was. After running through many streets we found the pizza place and lucky for Casey the pizza was so delicious that Ryanne forgot about the rain and cold.

We are already looking forward to visiting NYC again and hopefully Spencer will be able to come with us. We'll be heading up to Boston in the next day so stay tuned.

A quick tour of Philadelphia

2011-04-15T20:35:00.002-06:00

The next stop on our east coast trip was Philadelphia. We got a late start because we decided to let Spencer sleep in and try to get better. It ended up working in our favor because once he got up he was ready to go.

Spencer and Casey in front of Independence Hall.

A family pic with a bell you may have heard about . . . The Liberty Bell

As we toured the city we found the location of where Benjamin Franklin lived. His house no longer is there but they have a metal frame in a court yard of where it was. There are some foundation pieces you can still see. As we were leaving we saw this sign.

Our next stop was Independence Hall. We took a tour and learned many important things about our country's history.

This is one of the rooms where the colonists would gather and discuss matters.

This is the room where they got the 13 colony leaders together and decided to declare our independence from England. We learned of the men who were there and the roles they played in coming up with the declaration.

We just missed seeing inside Betsey Ross' house. She, as you know, sewed the American Flag.

We also just missed touring the US Mint. And why not take a pic any way.

When in Philly one must partake of a Philly Cheese Steak. And that we did. It was an amazing sandwich.

After our dinner we were back to the airport to drop off the rental car and wait to be picked up by Ryanne's aunt Holly. Next stop, New Jersey.

Day 2 in DC

2011-04-13T21:49:00.001-06:00

Yesterday while we were site-seeing we found out that the Parks and Recreation Department were giving out free tickets to tour the outside grounds of the White House. Since there were limited tickets we had to be in line at 8 am. Once again Spencer was a trooper and stood in line in the cold with us. After we got the tickets we rewarded him with a venti vanilla cinnamon dolce steamer from Starbucks.

It was so early that only a few tourists were around so we took a quick family shot in front of the White House knowing we would have a closer shot later in the day.

We had to wait about 15 minutes to enter the National Archives building, but seeing the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and the Constitution were well worth the wait. We only have a picture of us waiting in line because we weren't allowed to take pictures inside.

We had a little bit of time before our tour of the White House grounds so we stopped by the Smithsonian Museum. Spencer loved all the animals and wanted to touch them so bad.

Spencer's hand is the same size as a koala bears - so cute!

Spencer with Mommy at the entrance of the mammals section of the museum

Family photo on the south lawn of the White House

The First Lady's garden. It was interesting to see how excited other tourists were about the garden. To us it was just a large garden.

Looking at the Washington Monument from the White House

We purchased tour tickets to see the monuments at night, but Spencer got a fever and wasn't feeling well so we did our own quick tour. We picked up our rental car from the subway station and drove into the city. Casey got out at the State Capital for a photo but the rest of the photos were taken from the window of the car. We'll post those another day.

The Robles' go to Washington

2011-04-12T20:44:00.001-06:00

First stop in Washington DC was Ford's Theatre. It was a quick stop because we started our day later than we anticipated and we had more places to see.

It was a cold day but we were determined to walk along the trail and see the monuments. We stopped at the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial and looked at the thousands of names on the wall.

We were on our way to the Lincoln Memorial when we saw some black SUV's pull up and heard people cheering. Casey went ahead since we had the stroller and sure thing he did because he got great pictures of the President waving at everyone. Spencer and I got to see the President as he was pulling away in his car. We were not expecting to actually see the President while we were in Washington - what a nice surprise!

Casey at the Lincoln Memorial

Shortly after this photo Spencer took a turn for the worse. He was freezing cold, hungry, and tired - bad combination. We quickly found a restaurant and got him fed. That helped a little but then we realized that we lost his binky. We found a local drug store but they didn't have the kind he liked so we tried to give him a new one but he didn't buy it for one bit. Since he had been a trooper all day we decided to call it a day.

Spencer passed out after a long day of site-seeing.

On our way back to our friends house we swung by the Washington DC LDS Temple.

Spencer was passed out in the car so no family photo for us.

11 months old

2011-04-03T23:32:00.000-06:00

First and foremost, we would like to apologize for not blogging more frequently, but there just isn't enough time in the day for everything. So within the next week we will be catching up and making many back-posts.

Spencer is no longer a baby, well, he hasn't been for awhile now but it seems to be more noticeable these days. He's been walking for a few weeks now and just recently moved onto climbing. He is into everything and I mean everything. Nothing is safe in our house anymore. The good thing about Spencer is that he always has a smile on his face so even if he's being naughty it's hard to be upset. We love him and are so proud of his development. Here are some of the things he was up to this past week.

While I was on a conference call he got into the diaper bag and got into the bag of brownies that we were going to bring to a friend. He was not happy when I took the chocolate away. He will forever know what a treat is!

We enrolled Spencer in Little Gym and he loves it. He loves doing gymnastics and absolutely loves the other kids in the class. He is such a social butterfly.

Miss Sarah is always impressed with his strong core and grip. He hangs on longer than most of the older kids.

We are remodeling our bathrooms so we had the new sink lying around. Before we could move it Spencer was in it and having the time of his life. Who needs toys when you have a sink basin?

If Spencer could live outside he would. On cold days he stands and knocks at the window so we usually cave and take him outside. The neighbor boys love Spencer and always pull him around in the wagon. The other day while I was talking to one of the moms they took Spencer to the top of the driveway and let him roll down on his own. Spencer laughed the whole way down while I prayed the wagon wouldn't tip over. It was decided after that that someone has to go down with him.

After lunch Spencer decided to play with his tray. He's seriously happy playing with whatever.

He was so proud of himself for making it to this shelf. Shortly after this was taken he fell off and bit his tongue. I could see it coming but Casey wanted more photos. The additional photos were not worth the blood that came from his mouth. He's one tough little boy though!

In one ear and out the other

2011-03-21T10:18:00.000-06:00

Within a 2 month timeframe Spencer had gotten 6 ear infections so we saw a specialist who recommended putting tubes in his ears. On Monday, February 7th we took Spencer to the hospital for his very first surgery.

We checked in at 6:15 am and checked out at 8:00 am. We were glad that we didn't have to stay longer than that.

Spencer was not afraid of the nurses which made it easier for us when they had to take him. We could not be in the surgery room.

Spencer in his little gown.

Spencer letting everything hang out in the back.

Spencer was fascinated with the chord that was hooked to his big toe.

Mommy saying "I love you" before the nurses came to get him

Spencer with Daddy after the surgery. The doctor said that when they went to put the tubes in he had a double ear infection so there was a lot of blood and puss. He also said that Spencer didn't cry at all and handled everything really well.

It's been almost two months since we put the tubes in his ears and our lives have changed dramatically. He sleeps through the night except for when he's teething and he smiles a lot more. We are glad we did the surgery

Spencer's Chores

2011-03-08T23:18:00.000-07:00

Spencer is 10 months old now and we feel he is old enough to start doing some chores around the house. By the looks of it he really enjoys doing them as well.

Chore #1 - loading and unloading the dishwasher

Chore #2 - rearranging the items in the fridge

We have to limit his time for this chore because if he does it too long his little hands freeze.

We're so glad that he likes doing the chores we gave him!

Our little vampire

2011-03-08T23:04:00.001-07:00

Spencer got his bottom two teeth over Christmas so we thought he would get his top two next. For a good week he had been showing signs of teething (drooling, runny nose, eating everything, and waking up at night), but every time we checked his mouth there were no signs of teeth coming in. Well, there were no signs because we were looking in the wrong spot. Who knew he would get his fangs in before his top two teeth. We've given him the new nickname of "little vampire". Luckily he hasn't tried to suck our blood yet! Here are the best pictures we could get of his new fangs.

If you look close enough you can spot the two white fangs.

To Aunt Amber's House We Go

2011-02-19T23:45:00.000-07:00

It was a quick trip to Seattle but well worth it. We got to spend time with Amber, my mom, and all my friends. We want to give a special shout out to all those who attended our chili get together (The Curtis', The Cornell's, Carrie, Carolyn, The Hammond's, Kathy, P & Kim, and Jenn). We really appreciated you making the time to see us.

Spencer and Charisse hadn't seen each other in months but they hit it off just like old friends. If you look close enough it seems like Charisse was making a move on Spencer (her hands on top)!

Considering their ages they did pretty well with sharing with each other

Spencer absolutely loved Steve, but I don't think the feelings were mutual. By the end Steve stopped barking at Spencer's every move which was a good sign that maybe he was starting to like Spencer.

Amber's kitchen sink was perfect for giving Spencer a bath. I think he loved all the extra attention he was getting.

Christmas Vacation

2011-02-04T22:40:00.000-07:00

A Christmas write up in February?

That's just how busy our life has been.

Here is a quick recap of how our Christmas Break went through pictures

It started off with a visit to our niece Reagan's Christmas program at school

Spencer was extremely hungry this particular evening.

Our first evening in California and we had dinner with my parents, my bother Brady and his family and my Aunt Robbie. We got together for her birthday dinner. As we were getting ready to go home, Brady noticed the quarter machines. One of them offered mustaches. This may have been one of the best purchases for 50 cents.

Spencer and his cousin Scout were reunited after they spent a summer together. Well it didn't go exactly as we thought it would.

Spencer having a great time with Mom.

Spencer's first encounter with ornaments. The bottom row was redecorated many times.

Our check list for Christmas included getting a picture with Santa. Spencer was so good as we waited over an hour and a half to see the old guy. We got Spencer on his lap and Spencer was interesting in only two things. The person over his right shoulder and Santa's beard. Sorry no great smiles here.

Scout ended up stealing the show with this one.

With our photo we got a free ticket to ride the carousel. At this time in Spencer's life he was teething and everything was in his mouth. He went to town on this particular pole. He started before the ride began and finished only because the ride stopped and we had to get off. As the ride went on, people that were watching on the outside noticed Spencer and he gave the quite a laugh every time we came around.

We were luck to get this just as we sat him down.

A quick family photo.

We decided to start a tradition of opening a present on Christmas Eve. Can you guess what it is . . . . pajamas!

Keeping Robles Family Traditions alive. We always lined up in order from youngest to oldest.

If Spencer could have run on his own I think he would have.

We all must have been good this year.

We were luck to have my younger brother, Brady, his wife Jennelle and their daughter Scout stay at our parents house so we could spend Christmas morning together.

For the first part of the morning Scout had the hardest time deciding which set of presents she wanted. Spencer's or hers?

Before Spencer opened his presents he told us he would let us know which gifts were his favorite by putting them in his mouth.

Grandma Robles wanted to make sure Spencer knew that he could call her anytime he wanted.

Oma, Ryanne's mom Leslie, knew Spencer loved a stuffed turtle his Aunt Aymee had given him named Booger, so why not get him a giant sized one? Who knew Spencer would love putting a Big Booger in his mouth.

Grandma Karen didn't want Spencer to be behind in school. She started him early with a set of blocks with letters, numbers, and animals on them. I guess we now have to start a college fund, there goes our traveling $.

One of the gifts we saw ourselves using the most was given to us from Ryann's grandma Lois.

This gift was special to me. My brother-in-law Chad did not know it but he gave me Peggle Nights. I almost cried.

Spencer with his cousin Owen. They got matching flannel shirts. Too bad Spencer has to wait quite some time before it's going to fit him.

Spencer LOVES baths. He was able to have is first cousins bath.

Spencer's aunt Cassie got him his bow tie. I think he may be a bow tie wearer from here on out.

There are two things the Robles family loves doing, ROLLER SKATING and BOWLING!

Casey's sister Aymee and her husband Mike put on a Christmas Skating party. We did not have our camera. Sorry, no pictures.

We did find a night to get together and bowl a few frames.

Here are some photos of the action that took place.

I love this before and after picture. Priceless.

After all the commotion of Christmas and people coming over to my parents house, Spencer finally got some to to just crawl around for a bit.

Casey and his mom Sue took Ryanne and Spencer to see the floats for the Rose Parade. Unfortunately Spencer had an ear infection at this time and was not too happy to be there.

We spent New Year's at Brady's house with one of his friends and his family.

Just like Brady to do this and what's worse is the support he gets from his wife.

We could not believe our eyes and could not turn away.

She sure does love the taste.

We finally got back to Utah and Spencer was having a hard transition.

A few days later and he was back to himself.

Sleep over time!

2010-12-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

We have started a tradition where we invite our nieces and nephews over for a sleepover. We try and do this at least once a month. This month Regan and Cooper were able to make it. It started off with dinner at Jason's Deli. After dinner it was off to Target to get last minute cooking supplies to make holiday sugar cookies. We got home and went to work. Regan and Cooper loved using the electric mixer to make the dough, so much they fought over it. While we waited for the dough to chill we played our most favorite gave, Ticket to Ride. We stopped part way through to roll out the dough and cut some cookies. We had so much fun. I think we had a total of 4 nice and neatly cut out trees and gingerbread men. All the others had a little touch of Cooper and Regan all over them. Finally with all the cookies baked it was time to decorate! We leaned something new, the actual amount of sprinkles that can fit on a single cookie. Finally at 11:30 it was off to bed. In the morning we had waffles. We definately took our time getting ready and of course finding time to play with Spencer. It finally came time to take Regan and Cooper back home. We were very sad but knew they would be back next month.

I'm not sure I would want Cooper to make me anything other then sugar cookies.

We love Reagan so much. She is so animal minded she can't help but have it show through anytime you want to take a picture of her.

The morning after. What is better then waffles on a Sunday morning?

One last photo before heading home.

Suprise Grand Dad!

2010-12-13T18:28:00.003-07:00

Spencer is great at keeping secrets. Spencer has known for months about this trip and he did not tell one soul. We told him if he did not tell anyone he would be able to go on an airplane. He earned it! A few days before we found out he had an ear infection. Both mom and dad were very concerned. Come to find out it did not effect him at all. He took a bottle just before taking off and then fell asleep for the rest of the 2 hour flight. He woke up when we landed. Score! After a brief stop at Grandma Leslie's house it was off to surprise Grand Dad for his 50 birthday. We made it Libby with some time to spare. We stopped off to see Grandma Karen at work. Then it was finally time to surprise Grand Dad. We went to Rosauer's and come to find out, no Grand Dad. What? This surprise sucks! We found out Grand Dad went home early because now that he's 50, it's harder for him to work a full day without something aching in his body. So back in the car to go home and surprise him there. Sure enough he was there. We snuck inside the kitchen and waited. Grand Dad came around the corner and we got him good! Too bad he was on the phone with his parents and then we had to wait for them to finish their conversation. After he hung up we let the party begin. We were lucky enough to have almost the whole family there; Grand Dad, Grandma Karen, Aunt Riki, Uncle Levi, Aunt Amber, Cousin Steve, Uncle Josh, Ryanne, Casey and Spencer. Unfortunately Aunt Cassie, Uncle Chad, Cousin Justin, Cousin Jessica, Cousin Caleb and the other Uncle Chad were not able to be there. Here are a few photos of what took place. . . .

Spencer is ready for this!

Spencer got hooked up with a sweet winter suit to keep warm all winter long.

Ready to take a ride with Grand Dad on the 4 wheeler.

Trying to figure out what is all over Uncle Josh's face.

Taking a breather from all his moving around with Aunt Riki.

Spencer and Great Grandpa Holder

Great Grandma Holder and Spencer.

Spencer's first wrestling match. It was also the first night Grand Dad refereed a match.

Spencer's wrestling stance. Watch out Uncle Josh.

Grand Dad declared Spencer the winner!

Making a quick trip to Post Falls, ID

2010-12-13T18:01:00.002-07:00

On our way up to Libby, MT we flew into Spokane, WA and then made our way over to Post Falls, ID to visit Ryanne's mom Leslie. We had a great time there. Spencer was able to visit his Great grandparents. Spencer also was able to open his first Christmas present. It was the first time he meet his cousin Steve (Amber's dog). Spencer and Steve had a rough go at the beginning where Steve wanted nothing to do with Spencer and Spencer wanted everything to do with Steve. Then it turned into Steve wanting to lick Spencer's ear whenever he could. Finally they were able to be in the same room with each other and both be okay.

Spencer and Great Grandpa Foder

Ryanne, Spencer, Great Grandma Foder, Grandma Leslie

Both Steve and Spencer trying to figure things out.

Spencer's first unwrapping of a gift. Watch out Christmas morning, he's ready!

Spencer and Grandma Leslie

Spencer, Aunt Amber, Grandma Leslie and Mom

I'll do it all by myself

2010-12-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

We started Spencer on some solid foods and he has loved it. His first introduction was to sweet potatoes. After a few days this is how his feedings ended up. . . .

Snow Time

2010-11-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

We got home from our trip to Arizona and woke up to snow all over. Thanks goodness it fell after we got home. Ryanne got Spencer all dressed up to enjoy the snow. Here is what happened:

Here is what happened after Ryanne brought Spencer back inside:

Thanksgiving with the cousins

2010-11-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

After spending time in Tempe watching our friend John Emmett finish his first Ironman and then spending time with our friend Jason Mathew Fuller down in Tempe, AZ we headed up to Snowflake, AZ to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with Ryanne's sister Cassie and her family. We were able to spend almost a whole week with them. We had a great time relaxing and having time for Spencer to play with his cousins. They had so much fun together. It was nice for Casey and Ryanne because Spencer's cousins Justin and Jessica played with him so much that we got some time off. Here are some photos of what we did:

The first time eating carrots

The boys (Justin, Caleb and Spencer)

Thanksgiving dinner

There was snow on the ground Thanksgiving morning, Justin and Jessica made sure to get outside and have some fun.

Justin having some great fun with Spencer.

The cousins

Our little Indian ready to attack

Ironman Arizona

2010-11-28T23:31:00.000-07:00

I (Casey) have to take a moment and congratulate a good friend of mine, John Emmett. John recently completed his first Ironman in Arizona. For those of you that know me, I love triathlons. If it wasn't for John, I would never have gotten into triathlons. It was a couple of years ago that John asked me if I would go with him down to St. George and do a triathlon with him. I found out later he asked me because he didn't want to do it by himself. I'm glad he did. We were able to go over to Arizona and cheer him on. It was so much fun. I ended up signing up to do my second Ironman next year in Arizona.

Great job John!

While we were cheering on John, Spencer was staying busy as well.

In the end, Spencer had just too much fun and tuckered himself out.

6 month photos

2010-11-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

We took Spencer in to get some photos taken for his 6 month mark. As first time parents we did not realize how hard this was going to be. During the shoot Spencer did a great job, that would make our job harder later. When it came time to review his photos we had the hardest time deciding which photos to buy. If we had it our way we would have bought every single one. After going back and forth many times we finally decided on the following photos. Hopefully when we go and get his 1 year old photos it will be a lot easier.

Bath time fun!

2010-11-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

We gave Spencer a bath this morning and ended up having lots of fun. Because he does not like to sit still, we think he gets it from his dad, we have found putting him in a little tub helps keep him in one spot, well kinda. As Spencer was playing today he found the edge of the tub and next thing you know he is holding onto the edge and standing up. WHAT! This happened as Casey had a computer next to him and was looking at something and as he looked over at Spencer, he was standing. Casey's first reaction was to call Ryanne to come and see this awesome event. Ryanne came in and Casey explained what happened with him looking at the computer and then looking over and seeing Spence standing. Ryanne responded with, "You need to make sure you are watching him. I don't want a kid with brain damage because he fell out of the tub." Thank goodness Spencer has a mom that is always looking out for his safety.

Fall Fun

2010-11-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

The other day we were out at a park with some friends. I took Spencer over to a pile of leaves to take some pictures.

Then Cooper and Jackson saw what was happening and wanted to be a part of the fun.

The the other neighborhood kids did not want to be left out and this is what ended up happening.

As you can see Spencer has lots of neighborhood friends and he can't wait till he learns to walk and can go and play with all the boys that live around here.

Feeding Frenzy

2010-11-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

We started Spencer on rice cereal. The first day he did not know what to do when we put the cereal in his mouth and did not eat a lot. The second day he opened his mouth and was eating a little bit. He would even lean forward into the spoon to get some of the food stuff. On the third day he started grabbing for the spoon and would help us put it in his mouth. We would then let him hold it as he would keep it in his mouth and play with the spoon for a bit before wanting some more.
In a few days we are going to try out some vegetables and see how that goes.

Halloween

2010-10-30T17:59:00.000-06:00

We have had a busy last two days as far as Halloween goes. It started off with a late night on Thursday. We finished Spencer's costume at 1:00 am. Why you ask. . . . because he had to be ready for the parade at Casey's school on Friday. Spencer and Ryanne made it to school just in time to start the parade. Spencer made it through all the 6th and 5th grade rooms and part of the 4th grade rooms before he decided he was done for the day.

It was just getting him ready for the big day on Saturday.

We started off with a photo shoot up the canyon where we live. Spencer did a great job.

With the photo shoot done we raced home and got him fed before our wards Trunk or Treat. Spencer was a hit at the Trunk or Treat. He actually lasted longer then the day before. Who knows, maybe he loves this costume thing after all.

Spencer chillin' with his friend Sammy after Trunk-or-Treating."

Then we raced over to visit the cousins for a bit and then to our friend Cody and Trevor's house. We put the costume on one more time and this time Spencer had had enough.

It's safe to say the Spencer officially loves Halloween and can't wait till next year to do it all again.

Off to the pumpkin patch we go. . . .

2010-10-12T20:49:00.000-06:00

We decided to hit up a local pumpkin patch this year to get our pumpkins. We found one in Lehi, not too far from us, that's run in the family's back yard. When we got there Spencer was passed out in his car seat, not good since we wanted him to be a part of the picking process (I think he zonked out because we have been telling him all about the pumpkin patch for the last few days and he was soooooo excited to be going). Once we got him out he was awake, he was not going to miss this adventure. We were greeted by the lady that lives there and she showed us to the back yard where the hunting began for the perfect pumpkin. Here are some moments we were able to capture.

Spencer trying to figure out what this whole pumpkin patch thing is all about

He finally figured it out!

We decided to get three pumpkins after we got there so we had to bring in the wagon to haul off our treasures.

The dirt was way more interesting then looking at the camera.

Ryanne and Spencer discussing if this is the best pumpkin to get.

Spencer felt they he could get a good pair of triangle eyes on his pumpkin so they went for it.

Spencer examining the pumpkins.

There is something there that he does not like

Trying to figure out if he can get the stem in his mouth


Taking one last look over the field to make sure we did not miss any good pumpkins.

Now it's time to get those pumpkins home and carve them up into jack-o-lanterns!

Rolling in the grass

2010-10-07T22:43:00.000-06:00

Spencer loves playing outside in the grass. In fact he just loves being outside. The thing that fascinates him the most is the leaves on the tree. He would watch them for hours if I'd let him. Here are some pictures of him playing in the grass.

Ready or not.....

2010-10-07T22:36:00.001-06:00

Spencer has been sitting up on his own now for a few weeks so I thought he was ready to sit in the grocery basket. Well, it was a good idea that went bad real fast. He couldn't seem to hold onto the bumpy cart tight enough as we walked through the store. Plus all that extra room made him a bit uncomfortable. Not long after we entered the store I found myself carrying him in one arm and pushing the cart with the other. I'm going to wait awhile before we try that again.

Spencer and Casey

2010-10-07T22:28:00.000-06:00

Spencer was happily playing with his daddy and before we knew it he was asleep. At least this time Casey stayed awake!

I guess his first sleeping position wasn't comfortable enough so he had to move a little

After he repositioned a few times he found the most comfortable spot

Spencer at 4 months old

2010-09-20T22:17:00.000-06:00

Spencer is so active these days. He is sitting up on his own, rolling around, grabbing everything in sight, chewing on anything that fits in his mouth, and giggling. I'm really enjoying this stage of life with him. Whenever work is stressful all I have to do is look at Spencer's smiling face and everything seems better. We are so blessed to have him in our lives.

Now when I take a photo of him he instantly reaches for the camera. It's so much harder to get a good photo these days.

One morning after our shower he was rolling around in the sheets and giggling. I tried to get a photo but once the camera came out he stopped. He's got some fascination with blankets/sheets. He loves them on his face. In fact he has to have a blanket over his face to fall asleep. Don't worry I always remove it once he's asleep!

Spencer got his first bump/bruise (on his forehead) but not on mommy's watch. The story is that Casey set the carrier too close to the car door so when he opened the door it hit Spencer. He didn't realize it until Spencer started crying. I wasn't there which was probably better for everyone involved.

What Spencer does in a day

2010-09-16T22:29:00.000-06:00

Spencer starts his day by logging onto work with mommy.

Then after going to Zumba he plays dress up

Some days he goes on a walk. Side note.......I've been trying to find a hat that fits his head but they all seem to be too big. This one said it was infant size but I don't believe it.

In the afternoon he takes a nap.

And then when daddy gets home he takes another nap. This picture was taken after Casey raced in the 1/2 Ironman and Spencer had a fever. Both my boys weren't feeling well at that time.

Spencer sitting up

2010-09-14T21:46:00.000-06:00

With a little bit of help from the Bumbo chair Spencer is sitting up better and better each day.

Relaxing in Libby

2010-09-14T21:41:00.000-06:00

After camping we stopped by Libby for a few days. My parents loved spending time with Spencer and we enjoyed relaxing. One afternoon all of us went fly fishing deep in the woods. We drove as far as we could and then we rode the four wheeler the rest of the way. It started out as a fun activity but then quickly turned into a competition - I won! It's probably the only thing I can beat Casey at. We typically catch and release the fish but this time we kept a few and cooked them over the fire before heading home. They were delicious.

Spencer loved playing with Uncle Josh's beard.

Grand Dad took every opportunity to hold Spencer.

Visiting my grandparents

2010-08-29T10:03:00.000-06:00

After camping we stopped by my grandma and grandpa Fodor's place. They hadn't met Spencer yet so they were super excited to see him. We don't get very many opportunities to visit them since they live up north, but we always love spending time.

Amber and Josh with all of us. My grandma didn't know what to think of Josh's long hair so she kept starring at him.

Camping at Sullivan Lake

2010-08-23T22:36:00.001-06:00

This year we went camping for 4 days. Josh surprised my mom by arriving early on Wednesday. We were glad that we set up our tarp because it poured rain all day Thursday, but the rest of the time it was nice and sunny.

As always food was a big part of our camping experience. This year we tried some new items such as dutch oven pie, kabobs, biscuits and gravy, and BBQ ribs. The food gets better and better each year.

When all of us set out to hike around the lake Spencer decided he was hungry so we stayed behind. By the time he was done and we headed out to catch up with everyone they were already coming back. It was getting too hot and they wanted to go swimming. We went hiking until Spencer fell asleep and couldn't keep his head up anymore. What a trooper!

After hiking it felt good to go swimming in the cold lake water. Spencer didn't like it too much so instead he took another nap.

Josh brought his kayak up to practice and Casey thought he would give it a try. It was harder than he thought it would be but he had fun playing around.

Spencer and I waiting for breakfast

Piper and Spencer became fast friends and spent a lot of time together. Piper made Spencer an adorable ABC book. He loves it when we read it to him.

Games were a big hit at night after dinner

We celebrated my mom's 50th birthday while camping. Each morning she would wake up and find a mystery box (Farmville people know what this is) that had 50 of an item in it. Then throughout the day she would receive additional mystery boxes. We thought this was a fun way of celebrating!

Island Park

2010-08-10T23:15:00.000-06:00

This year we spent a few days in Island Park for the Erickson Family Reunion. This year was extra special because it was my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary and we surprised Karen for her 50th birthday. It was a lot of fun spending time with family. And, like always, Spencer was easy going and did everything with a smile on his face. Man do we love that kid:)

This was Spencer's first canoe trip and he loved it!

Spencer with his cousin Justin at Moose Manor

A lazy afternoon at family vacation

The family waiting for Old Faithful to explode

Spencer slept through Old Faithful

On the last night we had a bonfire

Swimming at the Timeshare

Spencer being his happy self

Spencer's first wreck

2010-08-08T17:20:00.000-06:00

Like everything Spencer handled his first car wreck so calmly. It was me, his mother, who didn't handle it very calmly. I have to mention that Casey was driving when it happened because out of the two of us he is the most daring behind the wheel. Anyway, we were pulling out of a parking lot when Casey realized the oncoming traffic was coming too fast so he stopped but the gigantic truck behind us didn't. After the large bump I turned around and sure enough the truck was on top of our back end. My first thought was "we have a baby in the car" but after looking back at Spencer and seeing him smile I calmed down. The best part of this was that the guy that hit us just worked on Casey's car at the Honda dealership so he kinda knew him. Anyway, all of us are fine so there is nothing to worry about.

The last few days in Cali

2010-08-04T08:23:00.000-06:00

One afternoon we went to Brady and Jennelle's place in Pomona. Spencer had fun playing in the pool with daddy.

Isn't it funny that crack on an adult is gross but on a baby it is cute?

Spencer loved when Cooper would read him stories.

Spencer hangin' out with his cousins - Cooper, Reagan, and Sophie. While we were in Cali Spencer learned how to fit his whole fist in his mouth. Sometimes he would choke himself while doing it which always scared me.

Spencer absolutely loves his Grandpa Ron. It wasn't hard to get a smile out of Spencer for the photo but Ron on the other hand!

Spencer and Grandma Sue

Spencer and Cooper. Spencer has already mentioned that he is excited for Cooper to move back to Utah. I bet he thinks Cooper is going to teach him naughty boy stuff.

Spencer already going in for an open mouth kiss - ladies watch out!

A day at the beach

2010-07-30T23:29:00.000-06:00

The weather wasn't the best while we were in California but Casey and I were determined to take Spencer to the beach. He didn't mind the cold water but it's probably because we had him all bundled up. Maybe next year the weather will be nicer.

Casey's 32nd Birthday

2010-07-30T23:13:00.000-06:00

We spent Casey's birthday down in California with his family. Unfortunately this year we did not go to Disneyland, but I believe he still had fun.

I made Casey a fruit pizza for his special day. Spencer and Schoo-dooby Sweet Cheeks (gnome) jumped into the photo at the last second.

Casey opening his gift with Spencer

Spencer and I got Casey a 1 1/2 hour massage.

After eating his birthday dinner (traditional beans, rice, and enchiladas) he opened gifts from the family. He got a fantasy book from Mike, yummy food items from Melissa & Co., power bars from Brady and Jennelle, and another 1 1/2 massage from his parents. He scored big this year!

Happy 4th of July (a bit late)

2010-07-15T09:41:00.001-06:00

Today started off with the annual 5k/10k race. Casey, Aymee, and Mike (Aymee's fiance) ran in the 10k and Patrick ran in the 5k. Sue, Brady, Spencer, and I cheered all of them on. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of this event because I was distracted by Spencer - sorry!

After the race some of us went to church. It was neat hearing testimonies about sacrifice and independence on the 4th. And, it was fun seeing family friends and introducing them to Spencer.

Before the fireworks we barbecued and played games. Later on we met Sue's sister, Janie, and her kids/grandkids at the park for the beautiful firework show. Once again, it was cool to see everyone.

The gang chillin' before dinner

Jennelle saluting the flag. I guess Brady got this shirt for $3 at the Goodwill. Great find Brady!

Family portrait

Melissa and I. Spencer was grateful she brought an extra blanket even though it was pink.

When the firework show was over we looked over and Spencer was asleep. Clearly loud noises don't bother him at all!

Pre 4th of July

2010-07-15T09:24:00.000-06:00

Because the 4th fell on a Sunday some of the activities were on Saturday like the bike parade, ward breakfast, and swimming at the lagoon. We had a special 4th of July onesie for Spencer and although he started the day out in it he didn't last but 20 minutes in it before his diaper exploded. We tried!

Grandma Sue and Spencer

Sophie and Reagan at the start of the bike parade

Casey, Reagan, and Spencer. He was dipping his toes in to test the water before getting all the way in.

Spencer is like a little fish. He loves being in the water.

Spencer hangin' out with his daddy in the lagoon. I can't wait for Casey to teach Spencer how to swim. I don't want Spencer to grow up and have water issues like me.

Cali or bust

2010-07-15T07:48:00.000-06:00

After Casey finished teaching summer school we packed up the car and headed to southern California. Since we didn't know how Spencer would travel we broke up the trip by staying at our friends house in St. George (thank you Jen and David). It was a good thing we stopped because I somehow contracted a UTI and had to go to the hospital at 2:00 am. I'm so thankful we weren't traveling while I was in pain. When we got to California we stayed with Ryan (Casey's brother) and his family for a few days. Spencer was loved very much by all of them.

We stopped to feed Spencer and change his dirty diaper in Parowan. This wasn't supposed to be a stop on the trip but because I hadn't looked down at the gas gauge and we were running on fumes we decided to stop. To this day I am the winner at pushing it to the limit. This time we filled our tank with 13.6 gallons of gas and the tank is only a 12 gallon tank. This is one thing I can beat Casey at:)

Spencer partied too hard with his Uncle Ryan that he passed out while eating Cheetos.

We want to thank Logan for making sure Spencer had a cute, new outfit on every 5 minutes. Boy did she love changing him or his diaper. She was willing to do anything in order to be closer to him.

We want to thank Ella for doing silly things to get Spencer to smile. He loved being around her.

We want to thank Avaree for spending hours rocking Spencer. He loved being in her arms so much that he would just fall asleep.

Owen with Scout and Spencer at Sushi. Spencer felt like one of the boys with the twins!

Spencer really liked to talk to Zachary especially on the way home from the Sushi place. Thanks for listening to all his sounds Zachary.

2 month check-up

2010-07-08T09:08:00.000-06:00

Spencer had his 2 month check-up right before we left for California. I thought I was prepared for him to get shots but I wasn't. I cried when he started screaming when they held him down - poor boy! He recovered quickly and before we knew it he was showing off his bandage and smiling. And, for those of you who are interested, he now weighs 11 pounds and is 22.5 inches long. Our little boy is growing up so fast!

Fun at the Park

2010-07-07T11:21:00.001-06:00

Spencer absolutely LOVES being outside so we've added picnicing at the park to our nightly activities. We've gotten really good at making sure we have everything before we head out the door on our walk to the park.

Spencer enjoys being outside so much that he typically falls asleep before we're done playing games.

Casey has gotten extremely good at grilling:)

One evening we met our friends The Bullard's at the park. Their son is a month younger than Spencer and we know they are going to grow up to be best friends.

When Spencer doesn't have time to be outside he makes sure to get some suntanning in through the windows. He just loves the sun!

Father's Day

2010-07-07T11:09:00.000-06:00

Spencer and I made sure that Casey had a fabulous first Father's Day.  We started off the day by sleeping in and then making blueberry pancakes.  Before church we gave him a card with a rain check on his gift (I didn't finish it in enough time because one of the items was on back order).  He received his gift the following week which was a shadow box of his St. George Ironman.

For dinner Spencer and I grilled some Red Snapper.  We ended the day by going on walk with our friends, The Smith's.

Spencer Moments

2010-06-22T17:57:00.001-06:00

Spencer hangin' out. I can't believe how grown up he looks.

So I'm still grossed out by this massive booger that came flying out of Spencer's nose. He had been congested for a few days but I could never get anything to come out. Then one afternoon while he was chillin' in his swing he sneezed and this booger shot out. Who had the snotty nose kid? I did!

If you know me you know that I absolutely LOVE snow cones so it makes sense that Spencer would love them too. I think we should try a different flavor next time though because it seems like he was a little unsure about that flavor.

It never fails that when Spencer and Casey spend time together this is the end result. I love my two boys!

Spencer with his best friend, Elliott. I think Spencer is crying because of the hideous outfit his dad put him in but I could be wrong. And, I don't know how Elliott learned gang signs so quickly!

Spencer felt so comfortable with Elaine that he slept in her arms the whole time she visited.

After we had driven by McDonald's a few times Spencer started asking for a Happy Meal so we decided it was time for him to try one. He was a good boy and ate the whole thing. His Aunt Amber, who loves McDonald's very much, was proud of him.

Spencer's Blessing Weekend

2010-06-16T06:13:00.000-06:00

We blessed Spencer at our church on Sunday, May 30th. We want to thank our family and friends for their support on this special day especially to those who traveled to be here for it. Here are some photos from that weekend.

Spencer relaxing with Grandma Karen and Grandad

Spencer chillin' with Grandpa Ron and Grandma Sue

Spencer with his Great Grandma Lou

Family photos before heading to church to bless him

After church we had a picnic for all our family and friends. At the park we took some photos of Spencer in his blessing outfit.

Spencer with his "favorite" uncle Brady. To be fair to his other uncles Brady is the only one he's met so far so of coarse he is his favorite but that could change:)

Spencer hangin' with his cousin Scout. They had so much fun playing together and can't wait until this summer when we go to California.

The Robles-Hardy clan

Time with Spencer = no computer time

2010-06-10T03:59:00.000-06:00

It's crazy how little time you have for emailing, blogging, and playing on the the computer when you have a baby. So I hope everyone can understand why we haven't been posting pictures. At least we've been taking photos along the way. Here are some Spencer highlights from the past couple of weeks.

Spencer zonked out in his bouncer. He loves to cuddle so a lot of times we have to put a rolled up blanket next to him so he feels like he is cuddling with someone.

Spencer taking a nap

Spencer got invited to his first birthday party to Chuck E Cheese. I was a little concerned about all the germs but he survived so I have nothing to worry about now.

Some of Casey's family came up for Spencer's baby blessing. During their stay Spencer went on his very first walk. He absolutely loved being outside so much that he slept during the whole thing.

After a bath we put Spencer in his bouncer while we cleaned up. When we checked on him we no longer saw Spencer but a little duck instead. He wiggles so much that the wiggled the hood onto his face - too cute!

Spencer is getting so big!

Spencer met his cousin, Scout, for the first time when she came to visit for his baby blessing. She was a little unsure what to play with him and he definitely did not like playing with her. I'm sure they will be best-cousins when they grow up.

We took Casey's parents to Bridal Veil Falls and it happened to be Spencer's first time there as well.

This is what happens when I leave Casey in charge of changing Spencer.

How many diapers Spencer goes through in two days - gross!

Spencer at his first triathlon cheering his daddy on and sporting his "Team Casey" onesie. The onesie that was made for him for the Ironman is too big so I look the logo from another t-shirt and sewed it onto a onesie that fits him now.

Spencer and I bring Casey lunch almost everyday after summer school. It's fun to picnic out in the schools front yard. Usually Spencer sleeps through it all.

A couple firsts for our little Spencer

2010-05-17T20:26:00.000-06:00

The first time Spencer got feed in the back seat of a car.

The first real bath after 2 weeks.

Finally. . . . . . . .

Look who found his thumb!

A few moments from Spencer's life

2010-05-16T21:07:00.000-06:00

Here are a few photos we have taken of Spencer.

Spencer's usual position after feeding

Passed out on the pacifier.

Wonder what he is thinking about

Spencer kickin' it in his sneaker socks and hand mittens

Is that a smirk?

Spencer decided he wanted a Faux hawk to show off to his friends.

Just got done feeding now waiting for a burp

Why does he seem so much older in this picture?

He's growing up so fast.

WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THESE 5 SPECIAL PEOPLE

2010-05-15T21:56:00.000-06:00

We find ourselves with an apartment that seems a lot more empty. The last of our help has left us and we are not sure what to do next. Over the last two weeks we have been spoiled rotten. It started when Grand Dad and Grandma Erickson showed up only hours after Spencer was born to give Ryanne support while Casey left for his Ironman. We are so grateful they decided to jump in a car and drive down from Montana. Thanks for helping her get through the beginnings of being a mom.

Grand Dad and Spencer

Grandma Karen already being put on diaper duty.

This is actually why Grandma Karen came, to hold Spencer.

Not too long after Grandma Leslie arrived. Grandma Leslie was able to stay with us for over a week. She was more helpful then she will ever know. Thanks for keeping the house cleaned up and the delicious meals.

Grandma Leslie and her first grandchild.

Next to show up was Grandma Sue. She was at Casey's Ironman and decided to drive back up with him after the race to spend some time with Spencer. Unfortunately Grandma Sue was only able to stay one night with us before heading back to California for work. We are so glad she came and helped us run a few errands.

Grandma Sue with Casey and Spencer just before she had to go back home.

Rounding off our top 5 list is Aunt Amber. She waited a week before coming out. Aunt Amber loved holding Spencer. Any chance she got she made sure he was being taken care of. Aunt Amber was able to help us slow things down. It was sad to see her leave.

Aunt Amber earned her status as "Aunt" after being peed on.

Just before leaving, Aunt Amber held Spencer for one more time.

A gigantic THANK YOU to the 5 of you.

We love you so much and are glad you were able to spend the first few days of Spencer's life with us.

Casey, Ryanne, Spencer & . . .

It's been awhile but we're here......

Pregnancy Photos

My Inner Martha Stewart

Homenade Ugly Sweaters

He is Casey's son

Days 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 of Christmas

Days 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Christmas

Days 1, 2 and 3 of Christmas

Christmas Crafts

Pumkin Patch

Spencer around the house

3rd Anniversary

Montana

Hiawatha Bike Trail

*FATHER OF THE YEAR ALERT *

Ryanne = official triathlete

Boston Marathon

One Robo-tastic Party

Happy Birthday Spencer!

Boston - day 1

New York City minus 1

A quick tour of Philadelphia

Day 2 in DC

The Robles' go to Washington

11 months old

In one ear and out the other

Spencer's Chores

Our little vampire

To Aunt Amber's House We Go

Christmas Vacation

Sleep over time!

Suprise Grand Dad!

Making a quick trip to Post Falls, ID

I'll do it all by myself

Snow Time

Thanksgiving with the cousins

Ironman Arizona

6 month photos

Bath time fun!

Fall Fun

Feeding Frenzy

Halloween

Off to the pumpkin patch we go. . . .

Rolling in the grass

Ready or not.....

Spencer and Casey

Spencer at 4 months old

What Spencer does in a day

Spencer sitting up

Relaxing in Libby

Visiting my grandparents

Camping at Sullivan Lake

Island Park

Spencer's first wreck

The last few days in Cali

A day at the beach

Casey's 32nd Birthday

Happy 4th of July (a bit late)

Pre 4th of July

Cali or bust

2 month check-up

Fun at the Park

Father's Day

Spencer Moments

Spencer's Blessing Weekend

Time with Spencer = no computer time

A couple firsts for our little Spencer

A few moments from Spencer's life

WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THESE 5 SPECIAL PEOPLE

FATHER OF THE YEAR ALERT