Big news this week is that Spencer had his golden birthday, turning 15 on the 15th.  Hard to believe that he is this old as he is ready to go get his learner's permit study guide.  Friday night as he went to bed he asked if we were waking him up with the traditional breakfast in bed singing brigade.  But I reminded him that he was going to Tucanos for his birthday lunch with dad and he agreed that he should probably skip breakfast.  So he enjoyed a carnivorous meal with Jeremy where he lamented that his appetite wasn't what it used to be.  And then on to a day of sloth where we did all his jobs for him.  That evening he had his friend Brenner and his dad, and his cousin Garion and his dad over to go rock climbing.  Kayla and Brynn stayed at our house to play with our girls so all were happy.  Then they came home for pizza, presents and chocolate-peanut butter cake (which was looking more homemade than usual being held together with LOTS of frosting).  Spencer is a little set on his traditions for his birthday as we do the same thing every year and he loves it.  Thank you to everyone who made his day special.


Last week Spencer had his first volleyball match.  They do three games in a row.  They help ref for one game and then play two.  It was one of those perfect nights where everyone's activities seemed to collide so I was grateful to friends who were willing to assist with carpools.  I got to Spencer's game just before he started.  He is definitely learning and has a long way to go but he is trying and I am trying not to wince.  The hardest part is watching him not realize he is being mean to people when he cuts them off or bumps into them.  So I try to remember where we were 7 years ago and how far he has come.  So many things I never thought he would be capable of doing.  So I am trying to focus on what he has accomplished rather than what I wish he would do.  I am definitely a work in progress.  Since he is currently making us beef stew for dinner to pass off one of his missionary challenges, and is very, very unhappy that my help consists only of advice I am getting my chance to work on my patience right now.



Taylor and Spencer had Monday off of school and enjoyed sleeping in late, Taylor getting a massage in his bean bag and Spencer trying to squeeze in episodes of Atlantis before the girls got home.  Taylor met with the neurosurgeon this week.  He is scheduled to get his battery replace on the 27th if all goes through on our insurance.  It should just be a one day hospital visit, go in early and come home in the afternoon.  This should also be his last time staying at Primary's before he switches over to the adult doctors at the U of U.  Weird to think about.  This week I go to the guardianship class where I fill out all the paperwork to gain guardianship.  This week I have been getting the paperwork ready for a special needs trust for him. 


I love how Allison when she is concentrating still sticks out her tongue.  She had an early morning dentist appointment this week to get a cavity filled.  While there they tackled her horrible cold sore with some anti-viral medicine.  Spencer's cold sore is just gross.  Allison's is painful.  I feel bad for both of them.  But hopefully they will clear up soon.  On Saturday Allison and I got to go work on her set for Suessical.  She loves her theater group.  Last Sunday we went to the park by Jason and Kelly's picking up some cousins on the way.  Allison was pretending to be too old to goof around on the playground.  So Jeremy manned up and went off to be silly with her and I loved watching the little kid in her come out.


This week we had the seasonal passing down of the clothes where Allison hands of clothes to a gleeful Robyn and makes a list of what she needs.  (Robyn loves getting new clothes while at the same time is a miser about her old clothes trying to prove that she can still button up those too tight jeans).


Robyn has had a week of running with friends in the snow and the sunshine - welcome to spring in Utah.  This week for art in her classroom we did paper mache.  My first time ever and with 28th 2nd graders.  I was glad I went before I was able to take a shower.  But I was impressed how she spent the second half of the class period helping a classmate who was having a really hard time.

Jeremy taught a photo class on Lightroom this week as well as having a photography event for the church.  He spent a lunch hour taking photos of people doing church scenes at a church.  He works so hard trying to meet everyone's needs, which usually involves a lot of playing with kids to balance out my list of jobs to do.  I am grateful that he can make our kids smile and lighten up when I cannot.  Friday night we snuck out to see Jack Ryan and remembered reading all those Tom Clancy books together when we were first married.

Spring is coming here slowly.  I cleaned out the playhouse this week discovering rotten fruit and discarded "science experiments" and many bugs.  But our playhouse is open for business again and bulbs are starting to poke their heads up.  I even can open the windows periodically to air out the winter funk.  I have loved being able to run in sunshine and short sleeves again.

A few more photos from Sunday.