Cam, Gavin, & Owen

It seems that I'm constantly updating this blog about the babies...how big they are getting, new things that are learning, etc. I guess it's because they change on a weekly basis. But, as this is our family journal, I need to make more of an effort to concentrate on my big boys too. We went to a Well-Child visit for them on June 15th. Yes, this visit should have been done closer to the kids' birthdays but since I felt like we were at the doctor's office multiple times for the babies, I just put it off. So here we are, closer to the boys' half-birthdays than their real birthdays, and finally going in for a check-up.

Cameron is a very healthy 9 1/2 year old boy. He loves to be outside, riding bikes, hiking & exploring, playing with friends. He has been such a big helper this summer with the babies. Sometimes Spence & I have to remind each other that he is only 9...we expect a lot out of him, sometimes too much. He has become our babysitter whenever we run errands, as the boys would usually rather stay home than go to the grocery store. He is RESPONSIBLE and we appreciate him a lot! He is 55 1/2 inches tall and 82 pounds. That puts him in the 85% for both height & weight.

Gavin is so energetic. He has no fear and sometimes makes me a little nervous at the things he'll try without hesitation. He likes to follow Cam around, explore, jump on the trampoline, and ride his bike. He is 48 inches tall & weighs 51 pounds. That's 80% for height and 65% for weight.

Owen is so brave. Before the doctor's appointment I knew that he'd be the only one that needed any immunizations. I talked to him about it before we went in and told him that he needed to be tough. When it was time for the nurse to do the shots she asked him if he could count to 10. She had him shut his eyes, hold my hands, and start counting slowly. By the time he reached 8, she was already done. He did not cry, whimper, or even flinch! I was so proud of him. He is 42 inches tall & weighs 40 pounds. That's the 70% for both height & weight.

These boys are growing up so fast. They keep us busy throughout the summer because we all like to have fun! I must admit I'm a little anxious for school to start so that I can relax a little. :)

9 Months Old!!!

It's hard to believe that these babies have been on this earth longer than they were in my belly! They are so much fun, each with his/her own personality. We went for their well-child check up and had to snag a few pictures while waiting for Dr. Sheri.





At 9 months, here are their stats:

Harrison~19 lbs 7 oz (40%), 28.5 inches (75%), 18" head circumference (75%)
Madison~17 lbs 15.5 oz (40%), 26.6 inches (30%), 17" head circumference (40%)

Han is very good at army crawling, rolling, smiling, saying Da-Da, and taking a binky. He is starting to be a better sitter and we finally had a break-thru in the eating department. If you read my blog regularly, you'll remember that Harrison had a total dislike of all food, other than breast milk. At play group one day, someone suggested that I buy a self-feeder. I'd never heard of such a thing but it's like a little net that you can put any type of food in and the baby can suck on it to get some of the taste without the texture. We tried it that night and soon had an eater! We discovered that if he could put it in his mouth, he'd eat it which made for a few messy meals. But now he's happy to sit back and let us spoon-feed him and he pretty much likes everything, especially YOGURT!

Madi is still a petite little princess. She gets doted on regularly and hasn't found it necessary to learn to crawl yet. She is great at sitting, saying Ma-Ma, picking up cheerios or other small foods, drinking out of a straw, and getting her way. She is often found in dresses, skirts, bows, and piggy-tails (AKA horns). She likes all things girly and is attracted to earrings, necklaces, rings, and anything shiny. She recently started scrunching up her nose and it is absolutely adorable!

They both have very red hair and very blue eyes. Dr. Sheri said that their eye color will probably stay! Who knows about the hair! Trips to the store, library, church, basically anywhere take a little longer because people love to stop us and look at them. One elderly gentleman recently stopped me in Wal-Mart to look at the babies. He asked if we'd go over to the next row to show his wife, which we did. He told me we had made his day!

We are excited to spend more time outside in the double-stroller, taking walks, playing at the park, and frequenting the swimming pool. We invested in some 85 SPF sunscreen to protect Harrison & Madison's creamy white skin! Hope it works.

School's Out!

Cam's last day of 3rd grade was June 8th. His teacher for the year was Mrs. S. Smith. One day Cam said to me, "Mom, I think Mrs. Smith is going to teach 4th grade next year because every time we talk about next year she says, "We are all going to 4th grade next year!"" I ran into Mrs. Smith at the school one day when I was dropping off a lunch to Cam (it had been a bad morning) and I told her what Cam thought. She laughed and said, "Yep, they want me to keep teaching them until Jr. High!" Unfortunately, she'll continue teaching 3rd grade. She taught Cam a lot and was the perfect fit for his personality. She was very positive and complimentary and only wanted the best for her students. She had each student walk down the red carpet on the last day of school and she gave them each a candy bar award. Cam was given a 3 Musketeers because "He includes everyone." What a nice thing...I hope this trait will continue into 4th grade.

A Kindergarten Graduate

Gavin completed his Kindergarten Year and we were honored to attend his year-end presentation. The class led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Gavin & his friend Ava were the students who gave the audience instructions (Please stand, Put your right hand over your heart, etc.). Then the class sang many patriotic numbers, including "You're a Grand Old Flag" and "America, America." Gavin was a great singer. The class each took turns saying a French greeting they had learned. Gavin said, "Comme Ca Va," which means "How are you?" Mrs. Bell then called each child's name and gave them an award from her (along with their report card.) She presented Gavin with "The Most Articulate" and said that he used big words and used them correctly. Mrs. Bell had made a DVD of the school year and we all watched it. We feel so blessed that Mrs. Bell was Gavin's kindergarten teacher. She was awarded Teacher of the Year and we totally agree!




On the last day of school, I picked up Gavin & Jaxon Petersberger. They were both a little sad about having the school year over. So I suggested we talk about all the things they had learned in Kindergarten. They had learned to write their first & last names better, they had both learned to read, they had made a lot of friends, they got to go to the zoo, etc. Then one of them said, "I learned how to do multiplication!" And the other said, "Me too!" Silly, silly boys. They are both super smart and their future teachers have their work cut out!

Piano Recital

I had my Spring Piano Recital on Monday, June 6th. I had 13 students perform...one didn't make it to the recital because he was sick, one moved out of state a week earlier than they planned to, and one let her nerves get the best of her and begged me to not make her play! Most played two pieces, most were memorized, all did very well.

Gavin played "Cowboy Joe" and "Cool Dog."

Cameron played "Ogg (The Caveman)".

Spencer and I were very proud of our boys! They worked hard! I was proud of all my students. I've kind of taken it easy this year with piano. I've only had 13-16 students since the babies were born but I'm ready to add more to my schedule now!

Thoughts on Marriage

A couple of weeks ago I got a phone call from the Young Women's president in our ward. She told me that the Young Women were very boy-crazy and wanted to hear real life love stories. She asked if Spencer and I would be willing to be on a "Dating Panel" and answer questions about our dating story, getting engaged, marriage, etc. at an activity toward the end of May. I really wanted to do it but didn't know if we were the best couple to be asking since our entire courtship/engagement/wedding date happened in a short 9 weeks! She told me that the leaders were trying to help the girls know that because we are blessed with the Spirit to help us feel good about deciding who to marry, this important decision can be made in any length of time. That being said (and after quickly making sure Spence would be on board), I said yes!

We got to the church and were joined by a newlywed couple (married 11 months) and an empty-nester couple (married 40 years.) We were the token "middle-aged-with children" couple (though I don't think of myself as middle-aged...I'm 31 for crying out loud! But we do have 5 kids so I guess we were qualified.) Two of the older Young Women acted as the MC's and asked a series of questions to each of the couples. Some questions were directed to just the men, some to the women, some to the couples. We got engaged 11 years ago (June 1st) and it was really fun for me to hear Spencer answer some of these questions. I was told later that the girls said it was the best activity they had ever been to! So I guess it was a win-win for everyone.

Questions/Answers
Q: How long have you been married? A: Almost 11 years

Q: When and where did you first meet your spouse? A: We first met in March 2000 at work. I (Natalie) was his boss!

Q: When was your first date and what did you do? A: Spencer says our first date was April 26 but really that was just the first day we did anything outside of work. Spencer was in the process of training for a new position and he was supposed to come in for training but something came up and the trainer asked me to call and cancel with Spence so he wouldn't come in to the office. Spence & I had been casually flirting for a while and he was very interested in what I would eat. I was on a low-carb diet and he thought it was so funny when he'd ask what I was having for dinner and I'd say a steak or a pork chop. It just wasn't the typical girl response, I guess. I had told him the previous day that if he asked me what I was eating anytime soon, he could take me to dinner and see what I ate! Well, when I called to tell him not to come into work, I asked him what he was planning for dinner. He replied, "a hotdog." Then he asked me and I told him we were going to the Golden Corral (it was brand new) to celebrate a friend's birthday (Thanks for having a birthday, Esther!) He said how fun that would be and that he wished he could come, etc. I told him that if I could drive his NEW car, he could go with us. He agreed. When we got to the restaurant and went to pay, my friend Dan's card wouldn't work so I told him I'd just pay for him. Spencer quickly said, "If you're paying for him, you'd better pay for me too!" So I did. Unbeknownst to me, Spencer had told him roommates that he was sick of the dating scene and wasn't going to ask a girl out. He said that if a girl asked him out, then he'd know she was the one for him! So by having me pay for his dinner, he could later justify that he hadn't asked me out...Whatever!

Q: What was the first thing that drew you to your future spouse? Nat's answer: I first heard Spencer's voice before I remember meeting him face-to-face. I had just started working for the airport shuttle and they wanted me to know all parts of the job, even though I would be working in the office only. So they sent me on a shuttle with one of the drivers from Logan to Salt Lake. It just so happened that the driver was Spencer's friend/roommate, Wade. On the road, Wade used the CB radio (that shows how long ago it was, huh?) to talk to Spencer. This is the conversation as I remember it..."Mobile 23(Wade) to Mobile 21 (Spencer), What's your 20?" "I'm in Plain City." "And how is Plain City, Mobile 21?" "Pretty Plain!" At that moment, I remember thinking...that kid has a fun personality. I'd like to meet him.
Spence's answer: I remember meeting Nat long before she remembers meeting me. She was just starting at the shuttle and was the only girl employed there! I was working two jobs at the time. I worked 3 am to 11 am at Icon Health & Fitness and then went to work for the Shuttle in the afternoon. Often, I would go straight from Icon to the shuttle so I'd stop and get lunch on the way. I remember walking into the office and seeing the new girl. She had long, dark brown, curly hair and I've always been a sucker for brown hair! I sat at her desk and ate my lunch and did my best to flirt with her but since she doesn't remember it, I guess I didn't flirt very well!

Q: What is your spouses best characteristic? Nat's answer: On our first "date" I watched Spencer interact with all of my friends. Though he knew none of them before we went out, he easily talked with each one of them. I've always loved that he can get along with almost anyone and people (especially the elderly) are drawn to him. He makes everyone feel important.

I can't remember the wording to one of the questions but one thing Spencer said that I liked hearing is that he liked that I liked HIM. He lived with Wade, the all-American athletic type, Jon, who does stand-up comedy and is hilarious, and Beaver, his best friend and all-around good guy, when we first met. I knew Wade & Jon from work and Spencer says I could have chosen to date either of them...but I chose Spencer and he's always like that! I liked him for who he was and never compared him to his friends or roommates.

Q: When did you know that you wanted to marry your spouse? Spencer: I think I knew I wanted to marry Natalie before she knew she wanted to marry me. It wasn't a hard decision for me.
Natalie: After Spencer and I had already discussed getting married and were going to go ring shopping, he said, "When I tell my mom that we're getting married, she's going to ask if we've prayed about it together." So we knelt together and prayed to our Heavenly Father. We both felt warm & fuzzy immediately and knew that our Heavenly Father approved.

Q: How did he propose? (As a side note, the other two men on the panel were extreme romantics. Spencer's more practical so our story was the least fun, oh well.) A: Spencer picked up my ring on our way to his sister Kate's high school graduation. He didn't want to leave it at either of our apartments or in his car while we went to the graduation so he stuck it in the pocket of his cargo shorts. Keep in mind that the ring was in a box which was in a box so it wasn't very discrete. As we walked in to the gym, it was obvious that there was a BOX in his pocket and most people knew that the box was a special box by the way Spencer was acting. After graduation we went to his parent's house. He took his mom and sister into the other room and showed them the ring. I could just hear Ooohs and Ahhhs...I wanted to see the ring myself! We drove back to Logan and Spencer got really quiet. We were driving all over and he kept doing U-turns and backtracking. I finally asked him what was going on and he said, "I can't find the place!" (Spencer started talking from here.) I had found this little spot while I was driving the shuttle where you could see the Logan temple. I knew that Nat would either go through the Logan temple or we'd get married there so I thought it would be perfect! But for some unknown reason, I couldn't find it that night. We ended up pulling off to a little park where I asked her to marry me.

Q: What is the best thing about being married? Spencer answered this one: Occasionally we go to bed not very happy with each other. But every single morning, when I wake up and look at her next to me, I know I'm exactly where I want to be. I wouldn't change a thing!

There were other questions/answers but these are what I can remember at this point. Between doing this panel and talking about our engagement anniversary, I've been thinking a lot about marriage lately. I'm grateful to be married to my best friend and to be able to have five adorable children and many adventures together.

And it looks like we'll be having a wedding this summer...Callie & Mike are officially engaged and planning for a September wedding!

Memorial Day 2011

I have 43 first cousins on my mom's side of the family. Growing up, we were extremely close. My Grandma Marie loved to have her family nearby so we found a reason to have a family party every month. We had the normal family traditional get-togethers (Christmas, Easter Egg Hunt, Grandparents Birthdays) and we had a few of our own (Kite Flying, Halloween/Talent Show, Pioneer Day). After Grandma & Grandpa passed away, our parties became fewer and fewer. I mean, with 150+ people at each party, it's just not easy or practical anymore. We now have ONE reunion each year. Needless to say, we all look forward to it and most come. Our reunion is always on Memorial Day.

Spencer & I had purchased tickets to Les Miserables in Salt Lake City. The only tickets we were able to get were for Sunday night, the day before Memorial Day. So although we don't normally go places on the Sabbath, we had decided to make an exception. Callie & Mike were going to babysit all five kids so we were looking quite forward to it. Then I was reminded that the reunion was the following day and we'd have to drive there and back on the same day. I would also be preventing Callie & Mike from going to Idaho any sooner. After much discussion, we decided to sell our tickets to Les Mis, promising each other that we'd go at the next opportunity, so we could go to Idaho on Sunday. It was a wise decision.

We attended our Sacrament Meeting and then loaded up the car to head north. Traveling with five kids is not easy. When we go anywhere for longer than a day, we have to put a luggage storage thing on top of the car. I didn't want to have to do this this time. So we packed LIGHT and we were able to get everything we needed for our overnight at Granny's in 2 smaller bags which fit in the car! The drive to Idaho was pretty uneventful, babies slept, boys read, listened to iPods and played Leapsters. When we got to my parent's house, they were at church. Mom & dad had pretty much made dinner but we finished getting it ready and reheated so it would be ready to eat when they got home. Uncle Tim was visiting from Arizona and would be joining our family for Sunday dinner. It's always fun to have Uncle Tim at your table!

After dinner we sat and visited. Our "godmother" Kathy and her daughter, Amy, and granddaughter, Sari, came over to see us all. Uncle Tim shared some funny stories, cousins played and played, and we had dessert before calling it a night.



Monday was a cold, dreary day. Years ago, when my grandparent's headstone was first placed, we decided to paint the flowers on my grandma's side a light pink and grandpa's boots red. It just seemed to fit them better. I was the one who originally did the painting so when it's needed, I'm also the one who gets to touch it up. This year it was needed. Callie, Mom, and I drove to the cemetery after breakfast so I could repaint Grandpa's boots. I'm not really sure why but it touches my heart each time I do it and I usually shed a few tears. By the time it was finished, it was time to go get the rest of the family and get to the reunion.


Many of the things they had planned for the reunion were supposed to take place outside but since the weather didn't cooperate, we had more time to visit in the church. We had lunch, a short program, and lots of visiting. Some of the family members brought their guitars and had a "jam session" on the stage after most of us had left. I wish we could've stuck around for it because I heard it was a lot of fun and great music! A few things I want to remember about the reunion:

My Aunt Karen is our family historian. Her family was in charge of the reunion this year and they focused on things Hugh & Marie had taught us. My Aunt Sue shared a short memory of a time that she had overheard her parents quarreling, which all parents do. My grandpa left the house and she turned to her mother and said, "Are you guys going to get divorced now?" My Grandma Marie turned to her and said, "We did not get married to get divorced. We loved each other then, we love each other now. We were married in the temple so we could be together forever. Don't ever think we'll get divorced." Aunt Sue also shared a poem my grandma wrote called "Cows." My grandpa was a dairy farmer and grandma said when she married him, she also married cows! But between family, cows, and church they were happy.

Grandma played the accordion and taught many to play as well. My parents both learned and, in her honor, played an accordion duet of "Springtime in the Rockies". We all kind of giggle when they get out the accordions because, let's face it, they are funny! But it was nice to remember Grandma. If she and Grandpa had been there, they would have done the two-step around the Cultural Hall!


My boys and Ryan's girls, Abbie & Avery, then sang "A Young Boy Prayed." Jette couldn't be left out so she stood next to the kids while they sang. Aunt Karen read “Suggestions to the Boys and Men In the Family” written several years ago by Grandpa Hugh, and “Advice To My Posterity”, written by Grandma Marie. I wish I had a copy of both of those...someday I'll get them and post them.

There were 149 people there that day. We had a giant group picture taken by my cousin Ruth. She took two pictures and will photoshop them together. I'm anxious to see it. (My Uncle Tim wanted to be in both halves of the pictures so he will appear twice!) Then Ruth took a quick picture of my twins. I absolutely love them and look forward to doing an entire session with her!