On to San Antonio

After visiting Devon's family we went on to San Antonio to visit my sister Emilee and her family. In Denton James got sick, we weren't even sure he was sick, it seemed like such a fluke, but he was and every cousin that we saw got the sickness, and poor Devon who had it the worst and for a week instead of 2 days like the kids. Anyway, Spencer got sick on the 4th of July, so we stayed home and made our own celebration.
We decorated our bikes and had a bike parade.

Spencer's $5 garage sale bike

Jame's didn't mind riding pink

Scott joined in the fun too.

Then we did pop-its- who doesn't love pop-it's?

That night we watched the fireworks from Sea World since my sister lives so close we just had to go out side.  Devon got some cool pictures of the kids playing with glow sticks.

We visited a cave called Cascade Caverns.  This dinosaur was a prop that was used in a movie they filmed here (a long time ago)

Spencer is following in his dad's footprints, we had to clear his camera from all the other pictures he took in Texas before he could take pictures here.

This is James in the bucket they used to use to lower people into the cave- i like the modern intrance much better.

There cave was pretty neat inside.

Spencer's favorite part was the bat on the ceiling, which was a very lucky find since it was not the right season for them to be there.  My favorite part was the Mastadon bones, I've never seen those in a cave.

On the last day we had a cousin birthday party because all the cousins have birthdays in the summer.  We started with the classic water balloon toss.

Then we threw water balloons at a target, which was a little easier for the little ones.

We did a pinata

With lots of candy for the trip home

In spite of getting sick, we had a great time.

Visit to Denton

So it has been a very long time, we have a lot to catch up on. We celebrated James' birthday in Texas, but he opened one present at home, a James engine that talks and goes on it's own with a track. He has loved it.

We stuck with the train theme and made a train cake with cousins.  Everyone got to decorate their own car, there were some pretty create cars.

This is the finished product.  The engine is orange because James has decided that that is his favorite color.

James loved opening more presents, this boys loves anything with wheels!

He carried this Captin America around all night.  I didn't notice when I bought it that it had no on and off switch- so it was hidden for the rest of the trip.

Here are all the cousins, birthdays are so fun when you have people to share them.

We also got to set off rockets with Ben's rocket launcher- the boys loved it!

The best part was running to get the rocket everytime.

We got to do some other fun stuff in Denton too, like see some long-horned cattle

Devon, Spencer and Grandpa went to a Rangers game. I wasn't sure Spencer would like it, but he still talks about it all the time, he loved it.

We also did a lot of swimming, garage saling (Spencer got a new bike and I got to go to my first estate sale) and visiting my favorite Braum's ice cream. It was so fun to see family and relax. Poor Devon had to take classes, but he still got to join in most of the fun.

June

So I still don't have the best picture of Spencer's lump at it's largest, my sister took one with her nice camera. When I get it I will post it, but it was really tennis ball size, it was huge. With the antibiotic it shrunk quite a bit, and on June first, the surgery day, the doctor said it was a great size. Spencer had a cough, but it was not in his chest, so we decided to go ahead with the surgery. Right before the surgery the doctor said Spencer would need to stay 2 nights, but right after the surgery he said it went so well we would only have to stay 1. The surgery took a long time, mostly to set up all the sensors since the problem was right on top of all of the nerves that go to his arm, and also very close to the lungs. I am very glad we went to primary children's to do it. He had a tube coming out of his neck the first day- it was gross and too bad we don't have pictures. He felt great the first day. He tells everyone they should get surgery because then the surgery fairy will bring you something, and people will visit you and bring you stuff, and you can go to the playroom and you get to choose whatever you want for breakfast. Pretty pricey breakfast, but I'm glad it went well. The second and third day after were a little rough, but then he was back to normal and has a cool scar that he will be able to impress the ladies with later in life. A few days after the surgery we took Spencer and Jase and Anna to the Natural History Museum. My sister suggested it and offered to watch James, which was great, it wasn't really his style, but Spencer loved it.

They had lots of fun kid activities.  They had these things that you could smell what it smelled like in dinosaur time (how do they know that?)

Jase spent forever putting this puzzle together while Anna and Spencer dug in the classic sand box with dinosaur bones glued to the bottom.

There was lots of other neat stuff too, it was very hands on.  On the last floor they had a Native American exhibit and the video playing was about Monument Valley and the boy talking was one of Devon's former students.
We also go to go to Gabe and Anna's for a few days.  We didn't get to spend a lot of time, but the boys enjoyed legoes

And the marble run

And Spencer wished he could jump on the trampoline.
We were back in MV for a few weeks before heading to Texas in the end of June.  I have been doing science at the library.  We made oobleck, if you never have, you should, it feels amazing and is surprisingly easy to clean up.

may

This is catching up for all of May, and hopefully all of June will come soon. This month has been crazy. Devon's summer classes- 12 credits, started in the beginning of May.  Poor guy has been doing way too much homework lately, but it was quite crazy when he was trying to teach at the same time.  We decided to take Spencer to an ENT in Salt Lake about his lump because we had to go to Primary Children's anyway to get an MRI. It was not what we thought, and so to be sure we didn't wait too long on a time-sensitive issue I took a trip in the beginning of May to do the MRI and see the doctor. He said it was infected lymphatic malformation. He would need surgery, but not until after an anti-biotic could take down the infection- so that was good because it meant Spencer could keep playing t-ball.

Spencer got to play t-ball this year. He loved it. He had to play in Blanding- so it was a 4 hour ordeal to have a game, but we only drove once a week, and the games were only in May- so it was great. And he was on the green team- which he loved.

His coach was great, and he decided he could run and hit by himself after the first game, although he continued to be one of those kids that didn't notice the ball until it rolled past, and mostly ran to catch balls that landed across the field- but that's why t-ball is fun!

Also in May Spencer turned 5!  He keeps saying, I can do that because I am 5 now.

Spencer wanted a Spider-man cake for his birthday. This was the simplest cake I have made- and he loved it just as much as the ones that take hours- go figure.

He got a map puzzle from one grandma

And his own kid camera from us. He and James took more than 300 pictures that day.

 

He got cute clothes and super-heroes from the other grandma

 

James was sure every present should be for him, so Spencer let him open the last one. At the last minute my sister called me and said that they were taking their son to the Thomas train at the Heber creeper the day before they went to Idaho. I couldn't resist, so I broke my vow never to take that long drive by myself again (Devon had to stay for graduation) and took the boys to Heber. It was very fun and quite worth it.

So I don't know how to use our "nice camera," but our other one was dead, so I tried. I don't know why this picture looks like this, but it's kind of cool.

We had a great Day with Thomas. They had all kinds of things to do there. This was Huck's favorite- they had tons of train tables set up to just play with trains. They also had crafts, a hay bale maze, balloon animals, a band, Sir Topumhat, and a free prize for visiting all of the booths.

My boys loved the miniature golf. You could just play, no order and when we played no one waiting in line, so it was perfect!

We also stayed in a resort in Deer Valley that night, this was my favorite part of the day. The pool was so warm we went swimming outside at 8pm (in the top of the Utah mountains, so it was chilly) It was so relaxing and nice. Thanks Melissa and Spence for a great day!

We went to Idaho because my brother Nathan just back from his mission to Argentina.  Most of my family got to come, so it was nice to see everyone.  He gave a great talk and is doing great.  My youngest sister also graduated from High School.  I got to go out to the pre-graduation dinner at a Japanese place where they cook in front of you.  I also tried sushi for the first time- not bad.  Devon took the boys to a movie so I could enjoy the restaurant.  We stayed in Idaho a few days, so we got to play a little.

Devon had to take some pictures of water body for his class, so we got to go feed the ducks and get some good pictures by the river.

 The ducks were pretty full, but it was a nice walk and the boys had fun.

My mom and I took the boys to the boys to the zoo. Devon had to stay home and do homework, so there aren't too many pictures. Actually Spencer took a picture of every animal on his camera to show daddy when we got back. James loved the map, and the zoo. Every time we got in the car after that he said "Go see animals and take pictures?"

There is a little Funland in Idaho Falls with a few fair-type rides. The boys rode on the airplanes. Spencer was especially excited about the Ferris Wheel.

We also got to spend time with cousins and grandma. We had a great time.

Our Idaho trip was a little shorter than we had hoped for because Spencer's surgery was on June 1st. I will keep you in suspense and catch up on June another day.