Phillips Family

Happy Birthday Kristin!

2012-02-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

Today is Kristin's birthday! Wait... thats not Kristin... its actually Martha Stewart, but its easy to understand why I would make that mistake. Kristin is known to be the "Martha" of our family. She is absolutely gifted when it comes to cooking, baking, and canning. It is a literal "treat" anytime we get to visit with Kristin, because homemade cinnamon rolls, pies and doughnuts are just around the corner. Kristin also does excellent sewing and crafting projects. Mary has been the recipient of many darling outfits that Kristin has made from scratch. Once Kristin tried to teach me how to sew a pair of pajama pants, and she also taught me to knit one year when I visited their family for Christmas. She also enjoys maintaining her impressive garden when the rotten Rochester weather permits...

Even though its no secret that Kristin is truly a domestic diva, she would never call herself that. She is so down to earth and humble about everything. She will be the first one to roll up her sleeves and pitch in when work needs to be done. She is outdoorsy, likes to go on walks with the kids, knows how to fly-fish, and she isn't scared to shoot a gun! I think she would have made an excellent pioneer.

Kristin is a very talented musician as well. I just love hearing her play the violin, and to watch how intense she gets when she plays is also very cool. She has encouraged musicality within her own family, and now they are at a point where they can have family concerts together. Kristin has had the chance to play professionally and teach lessons as well. Even though she loves playing the violin, she has had to make some difficult choices in the past which required her to take some breaks from playing in order to take care of her family. She still practices often and is keeping her skills up, though.

Usually I think its unfortunate when a person has to share their birthday with a major holiday, but I think its fitting that Kristin's birthday falls on Valentines Day. I say this because Kristin is seriously one of the most loving people you will ever encounter. She is brimming with love not only for her own family, but for her extended family and her neighbors! Kristin has always been very warm and accepting of me personally. She has a hug and a smile for anyone who needs it, and she is genuinely interested in what the other person has to say.

These kids are so lucky to have such an awesome Mom like Kristin!

Kristin lives her life each day lovingly devoted to her family. She is an absolutely wonderful mother to her 5 kids, and a sweet wife to Spencer. They are very loving and affectionate with each other, too. (I had to search to find pictures where they weren't kissing!)

Kristin, we are inspired by how hard you work and all of the talent that you have. You make people around you feel better because of your warm spirit. You are a wonderful mother and wife. We are so happy that you're a part of our family. We love you!

Happy Birthday Roo!

2012-02-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

Today is Roo's birthday, and its the big 3-0! Congratulations!

There are many theories to how Roo got his interesting name, but the one Mom supports is that Roo's name came about while she and Dad were on a trip to Australia. She saw the Mommy Kangaroo's carrying around their babies in their pouches, and she happened to be pregnant with Roo at the time, so she thought "Roo" would be a cute nickname for the baby she had already decided to name Charles, after her great-grandfather C.R. Savage. She thought Charles was a pretty big name for a little baby, and that "Roo" would be cute for a little while. She never thought it would become his lifelong name! We can't imagine calling Roo anything else now. "Charles" just doesn't seem to fit him, and we're glad that the nickname stuck!

Last year, we gathered up all of Roo's old baby pictures for a special Christmas present for him. Some of the pictures we found were from birthdays past. Like the one above from his first birthday, and the one below from his second birthday. I love how both Nancee and J.J. are ready to eat their little brother's birthday cake!

Looks like Roo finally figured out how to guard his cake by the time the third birthday came around!

I asked Mom if she had any funny stories to recount about Roo's childhood, and she remembered how much he hated football as a kid. He told her "I'll pay you back if you let me quit". When she asked him why he didn't like it, his response was, "I hate hitting into people and hurting them for no good reason and I hate them hitting into me. Its just dumb."Roo always was on a deeper intellectual level than most kids his age.

Roo has always, always loved animals. Especially dogs. The above picture is Roo with Rusty, the dog we got after moving to California. After Rusty, we got Beth, the fluffy Old English Sheepdog who was always considered to be Roo's dog.

Once Roo got out on his own, he got a Welch Corgie dog named Lando. Not long after getting Lando, the animal rescue contacted Roo and Annie to ask if they would take in another Corgie who had been abused. Their family suddenly grew with the addition of Chase, but Annie and Roo worked very hard at trying to break Chase of some of his bad habits (like peeing and barking).

Once Esme was born, priorities had to change a little bit, and we volunteered to take care of Roo's doggies. He still thinks of them as his family and he misses them a lot. He always wants to know how they are doing, and he even had a camera installed at our house so he can keep an eye on his babies. We want to assure Roo that the doggies are very happy living at our mountain home. They can run anywhere they want, use the bathroom any time they feel like it, and bark as much as they see fit. They love it in Idaho!

Roo is known for his love of Dr. Pepper and Coke. In the past few years he has switched his allegiance to Diet Coke... which threatens my supply when he comes to visit, but I try to be good about sharing with him. Oh yeah, he went to Paris too.... but the coke is the main point of this picture.

Just kidding. Roo and Annie have actually had the opportunity to do LOTS of traveling in their lives. A lot more than most young people. They both love history, museums, sight seeing, and embarking on new adventures. They traveled to Italy and Romania together before they were even engaged! Roo actually proposed to Annie in Italy, which earns her the award for most romantic proposal in the family. Nicely done, Roo! They did a study abroad program for a semester in England after they were first married. They spent a summer living in San Francisco too. They've been to New York, Washington D.C. and California several times. For the first few months at his new job, Roo had to go to training half way across the world in Abu Dhabi! I'm sure all of their travels have prepared them well for living away from family in Houston.

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA

Pizza Place in New York City, NY

Yosemite, CA

Houston, TX

Niagra Falls, NY

Look at those teeth! Roo has such a big bright smile, Mom called it "a smile as wide as Kansas". He and I went to the same (terrible) orthodontist for several years. Even though he had to wear rubber bands and headgear for a little while, he now has beautiful teeth to show for it!

Roo has played music in a few bands including "Say it Aint Weezer" and "Mimic". I remember him playing the "Jurassic Park" theme song on the keyboard at our Cloister house over and over. Roo is actually very musical, and one of his favorite things to do is to go listen to people perform music. He has been to several concerts in his 30 years, and his favorite one is John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl. He has been able to attend that concert several times.

Roo is a very sweet husband to Annie. He is considerate of her needs, especially while she is pregnant, and he does what he can to help her out. They are such a cute couple because they really have similar personalities. They are both very funny and quietly sarcastic. They seem very well suited for each other, and we are so happy that Roo brought Annie into our family.

Roo is a good father to Esmé, too. He tries to be very patient with her as she is currently entering her "terrible twos". We look forward to our chance to Skype with Roo and Esmé most afternoons. Even though he doesn't always say a lot, we know Roo cares very deeply for his family.

Roo, we loved having you visit us over the recent Holiday season. It was fun to watch Lord of the Rings with your expertise, and we are so grateful that you spent your time setting up the Star Wars room. It looks so good now!

We love you, Roo, and we hope you have a very happy birthday!

Basement Update

2012-01-27T12:09:00.000-08:00

We finally got the basement kitchen finished. The appliances are installed, we got beautiful granite countertops and the cabinets are in too. Now we just need to break it in!

New Years

2012-01-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

We celebrated New Years (also known as Christmas Part 4) with Barratt and Marci's family. They actually arrived in Pocatello a few days after Christmas and we had a fourth and final present opening session with them. Sierra, Ashlee and Brayden had brought presents for Grandma and Grandpa Tutu that they had purchased with their own money, which was very sweet of them.

Then we played some family games, and watched "Better Off Dead" and "The Three Amigos". Its fun that Barratt's kids are old enough to enjoy these movies with us now. We also watched the first movie of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and one of the "Harry Potter" movies.

On New Years Eve, we dressed up in these fun sparkly hats and worked on a puzzle. It has been years since we've done a puzzle on New Years, so it was fun to get back to our old traditions. Since everyone except Barratt's family and me were asleep by midnight, we had a pretty low-key celebration. Brayden got to blow his noisemaker once and then it was time for bed.

Esme was super excited to play with her cousins, and Brayden, Ashlee and Sierra were all excellent babysitters for her. Unfortunately we didn't have enough snow for the kids to do any sledding, but they went down to Utah on their way home and went skiing as a substitute.

Thanks for taking such good care of Esme!

Before they left, Barratt's family decided they had to finish the puzzle. It took a wile, but they did finish it and they decided to take one piece out and hide it from Grandpa Tutu. He didn't notice a piece was missing at first, and then when he finally saw it he laughed and he knew we were playing a joke on him. It was a good mode!

Thank you so much for making the trek up to Idaho, we really appreciated having so much of our family together for this Holiday season. It was so much fun!

Happy Birthday Eden!

2012-01-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

Eden's birthday is today, January 12th. It is a big milestone birthday for her, and she is totally okay with it. When we asked her if she was anxious at all, she said "it is what it is". This is a perfect example of my favorite thing about Eden--she is very realistic and down to earth about everything. She doesn't get caught up in the little dramas of life. Her perspective is always focused on the "big picture", and I find that so refreshing and enjoyable.

This is a picture of Eden at the Indianapolis Moto GP races earlier this year. She and Ricky went on this trip together. I think it is very cute how supportive Eden is of Ricky and all of his interests. I think she actually enjoys the motorcycle stuff too!

They are a very cute couple, and I have had the chance to spend lots of time with them from living with them in Idaho for about a year. I like that they always talk nicely to each other, are affectionate with each other, and that they laugh a lot together.

Eden is a bright ray of sunshine that makes everyone who comes into contact with her happier. She has made our whole family better by being a part of it. We are so grateful for her positive attitude and how she is able to see the best in everyone. Eden is so easy to talk to, and I love that about her! One time when I was staying at her house, she and I had a little sleepover and we seriously stayed up talking and reminiscing about high school until 2am. And she still got up to work the early the next morning.

Eden and Sadie, July 2010

Eden loves kids, and she is a great mother to Lincoln and Logan. Even though she is busy working a full-time job, she makes time to spend with them in the morning, at lunch, and in the evenings after work. She put a ton of time, energy and creativity into throwing the boys a big Lego-themed birthday party this year. Eden is very creative when it comes to things like that. She makes amazing homemade cakes, complicated deserts, cards and scrapbooks. She is very talented with stuff like that.

Of course, we have to mention Eden's awesome athletic ability! She played tennis well in high school and last year she began to play in an adult tennis league. Turns out, Eden is still awesome at playing! In fact, her team was undefeated and went to the National Championship in October.

She got to play doubles and singles matches, and we got to watch her play a few of them! Eden has a killer serve that would mode her opponent every time. While we were watching her play, a few of the members of her team were sitting behind us, and they didn't know that we were Eden's family. We asked them who the best person on their team was, and they unanimously agreed that it was Eden.

Eden is very dedicated to her tennis, and she spends several nights a week working out with her team. I think it is so awesome that she has found an activity that she loves and that she is so good at. Also, she has a ton of super cute tennis outfits which is also pretty cool.

To celebrate her birthday, Eden is going to spend a few days with her Mom and sisters at Disneyland. She loves all things Disney and Ricky is watching the kids so that she can have a few days off, so that should be lots of fun for her.

We love you Eden and we hope that you have a wonderful birthday!

Christmas (Part III)

2012-01-10T11:34:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, Annie's parents drove her, Roo and Esmé up to Idaho. We had a nice lunch with them in our newly finished basement, and then it was time for a third present opening session.

Esmé has the whole "present opening" thing down.

We had lots of yummy pies for dessert. Banana Cream, Pumpkin, Mince Meat (ew), Apple, Homemade Cheesecake, and a most delicious Pecan Pie that Jennifer made from scratch. Delish!

Esmé was instant friends with Mallory. She went right over to her and sat on her lap. It was so cute.

The following day, we all went out for a breakfast/lunch at Elmers, our local diner. It was pretty wild but we still had a fun time eating and visiting.

Party of 13 or something...

Esmé is a real busy body. It was hard to get her to hold still long enough for a picture.

That is, unless she gets to look at herself while the picture is being taken. Then she was all about it. She knows how to scroll through the iphone images too. I wore my leopard scarf to match her cute outfit.

The following night we went to dinner at Perkins, after trying to go to another restaurant that was not very baby-friendly. It ended up being okay though because Aunt Jennifer got to play the toy machine and she ended up winning a stuffed snowman for Esmé, and we let Nolan take all the jam and jelly packets out of the holder thing and throw them everywhere, and then we loudly played trivia games. It ended up being a really fun night.

Nolan played with Grandma Tutu

There was only one mistake made that night. See, Annie thought she ordered the BIG salad, and all she got was this puny thing.

Nolan's shirt says "judge me by my size do you". He has a nice collection of Star Wars inspired clothing.

Before rolling around like a mad woman on the couch

and.... after.

Christmas (Part II)

2012-01-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

Later in the evening on Christmas, Ryan and Heather drove up with their kids to spend some time with us. We had a second present opening session with them.

Nathan was very excited to open presents

The kids got some fun things, including matching owl pajama pants. See below.

Austin is rocking the owl jammies

Speaking of the boys, it was so good to see cute baby Austin again. He is really growing fast! Due to popular demand, I tried to take lots of pictures of him during the short time they were here.

Austin had lots of cute clothes!

Grandma Elf and Austin

Nolan was excited to have a friend to play with. While we tried to take the traditional picture of babies laying on the ground next to each other, Nolan kept rolling over, trying to touch Austin.

Christmas 2011 (Part I)

2012-01-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

The 14-foot Christmas Tree in the main living room. It looked so pretty at night!
(We've decided to leave it up year-round because we like it so much)

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday! This post will be the first in a series of posts about all the family time we've enjoyed over the past two weeks. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to come and visit us, who called and skyped, and who sent thoughtful presents too. We love you all!

It all started with J.J. and Jennifer's arrival a few days before Christmas. We made the requisite stop at In-N-Out, and then Baby Nolan got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa Tutu, who were all dressed up in Christmas Elf hats, anxiously awaiting his arrival.

J.J., Jennifer and I went to see "A Christmas Carol" at the local dinner theater on the 23rd. It was nice to get dressed up and watch a play and hang out.

On Christmas Eve, Nolan was got to open his very first Christmas present! He was very excited to participate in the new-jammies Christmas Eve tradition.

After Mom, Dad and Nolan went to bed, J.J., Jennifer and I worked on arranging the Christmas presents into individual piles so that it looked like this on Christmas morning:

This is Nolan's Christmas Day outfit, he looked super cute in that hood.

On Christmas morning, we got up early (even Nat!) and had german pancakes while we opened presents. Christmas lasted all day long, because we were celebrating with a 7 month old who had to stick to his napping and food schedule, which resulted in many hour long breaks. It was pretty great.

Mom and Dad liked their blog book.

and their afghan of Lincoln & Logan.

Mom got this "Man Cave" sign for Dad

"Everyone's gonna be wearing one of these this year?"

More Christmas-related posts to come shortly!

Happy Birthday Ryan!

2011-12-24T16:27:00.000-08:00

Today is Ryan's birthday! Having a birthday on Christmas Eve is tough, but Ryan has always had a good attitude about it. J.J. suggested that I just do a "Merry Christmas" post and put "P.S. Happy Birthday Ryan" in really small writing at the bottom. As funny as that would have been, I decided not to go with that option, and instead give Ryan the birthday post he deserves.

When Ryan was born, he spent 12 days in the hospital, due to a sudden lung condition that developed during birth. Back then, they didn't have the technology or the medicine that they have now, so there was no choice but for the condition to hopefully work itself out. Mom recalls the doctor saying that Ryan's heart had to work extra hard because only one half of one lung was getting air, and that his survival depended upon if his little heart was strong enough to sustain him. Luckily, Ryan did have a very strong heart, and he pulled through. This strong heart has continued to sustain him throughout many areas of his life.

One of the evidences of Ryan's "strong heart" is the type of father he is. He is quick to help out Heather in any way she asks, and he is very involved with the kids. He goes above and beyond to make sure the kids have everything they need. For the past few months, providing for his family has required working 6 days a week (and long hours each day) at both his old job and his new job. After work, he has been working mostly single-handedly to finish off his basement so the girls won't have to share a room anymore. He says there are some nights in which he only gets 3 or so hours of sleep because he has been up late working. This is just one of many possible stories that illustrate the type of father Ryan is.

Ryan's personality and his position in the family have made him a natural peacemaker. He has used these natural peacemaking skills in his professional work by being able to settle disputes between employees at his job, and he is also able to easily diffuse situations at home too. Ryan is extremely patient, even during difficult circumstances. We have never seen him lose his temper, even in situations when others might. Not only is he calm, but he maintains a positive and upbeat attitude throughout all of life's challenges. We believe that Ryan's positive attitude stems from his excellent sense of humor. Ryan is known within our family for being the source of many inside jokes, Phillips' "slang" and of course, he is good for any Seinfeld reference you can throw at him. Ryan's sense of humor makes him so much fun to spend time with.

Ryan has always been athletic--ever since La Serna football. But this year, he has made more of an effort to take better care of himself. This has included quitting soda, training for and running a half marathon, and playing on a championship community basketball team.

While there are other things I could write about (easily learning spanish, graduating from Chiropractic school, being a stylish dresser, etc.) I think the most important thing to mention is how much Ryan loves music. He played the trumpet in junior high school, and taught himself how to play the piano while he was on his mission. Since returning home, Ryan has also taught himself how to play the guitar and bass, as well as how to sing and write music. He has been in several bands--like "Sunset Strip", "Say it Aint Weezer", and "MIMIC". For those of you who haven't yet heard Ryan's music, check out this sample of a song that he not only wrote, but sings awesomely on:

"This is Gonna Be Good"

Ryan, we love you and we hope you have a very good birthday!

Happy Birthday Ricky!

2011-12-23T13:51:00.000-08:00

Today is Ricky's 40th Birthday! Ricky shares December 23rd with many other prestigious men--like Papa Savage and Joseph Smith!

Ricky has many interests, hobbies and talents. Mom remembers when he was younger he was very into playing outdoors and riding his bike. As he grew older, playing outdoors turned into camping and climbing mountains. Riding his bike turned into riding motorcycles, which is one of his favorite things to do now. This year he got to go on a special trip to Indianapolis to see the GP Moto Races with Eden.

Ricky also loves to play music, and he took oboe and saxophone lessons for years as a kid. One of my favorite memories of Ricky's music was after my best friend Danielle's father passed away. Her family wanted to have music at the funeral, but they didn't know anybody who could perform on short notice. Ricky hadn't played his saxophone in years, and he was very nervous to perform in front of people. But, he did it. Even without being asked or pressured, he dusted off his saxophone and played beautifully in front of a room full of strangers. Danielle's family appreciated it so much, and it was a nice tribute to her father. I was so proud of Ricky that day!

I'm sure this is not a surprise to anyone, but one of Ricky's best qualities is his intelligence. He is very intellectual, loves to read, and he is a gifted writer as well. He loves to apply his intelligence toward his interest in all things related to church history. He has read just about every book on the subject and he can't get enough of it. If you ever have a question about anything related to church history, Ricky is the person to ask. The picture below is from Christmas last year, when we surprised Ricky with a limited edition Book of Mormon replica. He was very excited, and he treated it as gently as if it were a baby bunny.

Ricky is known for his love of cleanliness. We tease him about being a little OCD, but he's really not so bad... and lets face it, I am on the opposite end of that extreme. Even when he was younger, Ricky would regularly rearrange the furniture in his bedroom, hoping it would be "just right". Now that he is in his own house, he is very conscientious about keeping it in tip-top shape, which is no easy feat with two toddlers running around. He likes to vacuum almost every night, he has a particular way that he likes his dishes to be washed, and he also loves to keep his car nice and clean, both inside and out. Even though its a lot of work to keep up all this cleanliness, Ricky loves doing it, and I have to say that it makes visitors feel comfortable to come visit his house. Ricky likes to make effective use of his time and to be productive, and managing a very neat home is a good way to do both.

Ricky is also a dang good driver, with an excellent sense of direction. To this point, Mom said, "If I had to be lost somewhere I would want Ricky to be my guide".

We are also very impressed with how well Ricky takes care of himself. Despite having a serious back injury, he takes very good care of his health, tries to eat right and works out several times a week and feeds the boys nutritious food. He is also very supportive of Eden's physical fitness pursuits, by tending the boys after she gets off work so that she is able to go play tennis. He encourages the boys to be physically fit, by taking them to the gym with him and even enrolling Lincoln in a sports class earlier this year.

Speaking of Eden, we love that she has come into our lives and we think that she and Ricky have a very cute and sweet relationship. They are affectionate with each other, and Ricky is very supportive of her. He even lets her watch the TV shows that she wants to watch.

Ricky takes his task of teaching the ten year olds at church very seriously. He doesn't just feed them treats and show them the latest issue of "The Friend". He prepares real lessons for them and he puts a lot of time into it. This is not surprising though, because when Ricky decides to do something he usually does take it pretty seriously. I think this philosophy has transferred over to his parenting style as well. Ricky is very good Dad to Lincoln and Logan. He has learned how to be patient and loving with his boys, while also maintaining high expectations for them. Sometimes, kids are just wild, and Ricky has learned how to accept that and "roll with the punches", so to speak. The boys are both so very lucky to have a Dad around who is as devoted to them as Ricky is.

We love you Ricky and we hope you have an awesome birthday!

Basement Update

2011-12-19T23:51:00.000-08:00

Everyone has been asking about how the basement is coming along. We haven't had much time to write about it because we've been working like maniacs to get it finished in time for Christmas. And, when I say "we" I mean Dad. Mom and I have helped some, but mostly it has been Dad working every day, at least 10 or 12 hours every day. He has been crucial to this process and it never would have happened without his hard work. Thanks Dad!

One of the first things that had to be done was putting up tile in the showers. This guy was a good sport about having his picture taken. Dad was under the gun to get the bathrooms primed and painted before the tile was laid.

This is several days into the painting process, when I finally came on the scene with the camera. Turns out, there is much more to "painting" than just slapping on the paint. Dad had to do caulking, spackeling, primer (sometimes several coats of primer), sanding, and then finally it was time to paint.

Then the bathroom cabinets were installed

The painting became such an ordeal that we had to recruit some professional help. Luckily, we know this guy who is more than happy to paint all day long.

Then the countertops were installed. Mom had to make some quick decisions on the material and coloring, and as you can see, she did an excellent job.

This is what the basement looked like for the better part of two weeks. Painting central. The picture doesn't really do justice to how hectic things were down there.

Even through long hours and backaches, Dad had a calm and positive attitude.

Mom even took a few days off work to help with the painting projects too. It was fun to have her helping.

Slate tiles were laid around the fireplace, which required lots of measuring and cutting on a very loud machine.

The cement floors had to be evened out before tile can be put down. This is the "kitchen".

Dad is painting the difficult areas, Mom is doing the detail-oriented caulking, and I am taking pictures.
I guess we all have our talents. ;)

The sun was so bright that she needed sunglasses to do her work. It doesn't hurt that she looks cute, either.

After all the painting was finally done, the process of putting in carpet began. First they had to lay down this padding.

While the carpet was being installed, the tile floors in the kitchen were also being put in.

First section of carpet. It is soft and a nice warm brown color.

Now, Mom's part of the process really begins. She used these samples to furnish the downstairs. She has been busy buying mattresses, bedspreads, lamps, chairs, sofas, coffee tables, artwork, plants, and appliances. Things are really starting to come together.

The sinks, shower rods, curtain rods, and mirrors are up in both bathrooms now.

Appliances have been delivered! Unfortunately, the kitchen won't be operational until after Christmas, but its close!

We have begun the process of moving the furniture into the rooms, and it is looking awesome! This room will soon be transformed into the "jungle room", which will have a king bed, a toddler bed, and a pullout sleeper sofa. Lots of room for (hopefully) lots of visitors!

These two have been very involved in the process, as well. They are Dad's cheerleaders and have helped to keep his spirits high during all of this hard work.

We can't wait for you guys to see the finished product! Everything smells fresh and new, and it will be so nice to have the huge basement filled with kids and grandkids!
Just in case you guys want to know, this is the anticipated Christmas schedule....
JJ & Jen: Dec 21--Jan 1 (may spend a day or two in Salt Lake at the end of their trip)
Ryan & Heather: Dec 25--27
Roo & Annie: Dec 26--Jan 1 (may spend a few days in Salt Lake at the end of their trip)
Barratt & Marci: Dec 27 (or later)--Jan 1

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday J!

2011-12-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

J turns 12 on December 14th! We seriously cannot believe how quickly he is growing up. Just two years ago, he looked like this:

and now he has started to change from a boy into this young man:

He has grown a foot in the past few years (he is almost as tall as his Mom now), and his face is starting to change too. He is quite the handsome fellow!

With brother Sam, father Spencer and Aunt Nancee

J is very talented musically, like his Grandpa Jon. He has been playing the drums for a few years, but recently he has gotten seriously good at it. Over Thanksgiving break, we were lucky enough to witness a few performances by J the drummer, and he really impressed us all. The drums are the backbone to every song, and any band would be lucky to have J as their percussionist. He has a good steady rhythm, and he can manage several different counts at once. He even knows how to twirl the drumsticks to show off. :) Keep up the hard work on the drums J, we can really see how it has paid off!

J has always been athletic, and willing to try any sport from soccer to snowboarding. He showed a lot of enthusiasm and improvement toward swimming when we were in New York too.

When I asked Grandma and Grandpa Tutu to share some thoughts on J, and they both agreed that he is an intellectual, well-read, self-reliant young man. They were so impressed at how many books he had read and that he was able to discuss them with such ease.

Grandma said that J has matured a lot and she could see that he was very patient and contemplative. Grandpa said that J is dependable, compassionate and helpful--all qualities that make for an excellent oldest sibling. J does a wonderful job of being a good example to his younger brothers and sisters. He is also does what his Mom asks willingly, which is refreshing and impressive.

J loves to solve problems and puzzles. He's actually able to solve a rubix cube in record time! He knows how to work his ipod touch and he has mastered lots of apps. I see a profitable career in his future where he can put his intelligence and problem solving skills to work!

J, you are the oldest Phillips grandson and we are so excited for the wonderful life experiences that lie ahead of you. We love you so much and we hope that you have a wonderful day!

More Birthday Stuff

2011-12-08T14:21:00.001-08:00

Thank you everybody for making my birthday so great! That was such an excellent blog post and it was a nice surprise. I really appreciate all the nice compliments you guys gave me, and I loved the inside jokes too. Nothing is truly a Phillips experience without ample movie quotes and inside jokes.

On the actual day, Mom and I drove up to Idaho Falls and did some serious shopping. It was hard work but it was fun. Then we met up with Dad for a dinner at The Sanpiper, which is our favorite restaurant in Poky.

It was SUPER cold that day. The high was 21 and the low was 2. Yes 2.
Last, but certainly not least, I got this:

A new iphone! I'm still figuring it out, but I can tell it will be a vast improvement over my previous phone.

Happy Birthday Natalee!

2011-12-04T16:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Natalee!!! And you thought you were the only one that would ever post on the Tuber and Beth family blog. Thank you for being so diligent and creating great Birthday posts this year about Mom, Dad, seven kids & their spouses, and tons of grandkids. Now it’s your turn to get blogged. Natalee’s birthday is December 5. She’s so busy keeping up on everybody else’s birthdays, trips, and events that she probably forgot about her own birthday. Here are a few of the first things that come to mind when we think of Natalee…

Natalee loves animals, which might be part of the reason that so many animals now call Tutu’s house home (much to Mom’s delight). Natalee’s first pet (not counting Tuber or Beth) was her cat Freckles. She got Freckles in DC and took him with her when she moved to Idaho. In addition to Freckles, Natalee has cared for many other creatures that have at one time or another called Inkom home, including Minnie, Lando, Chase, Leia, Cougar, Silver Fox, Monique, Lucky, and Baxter (RIP).

Live-Right and the Clean Museum have been blowing up lately and Natalee has been right at the center of it all. It seems like she is always either working at the office with Mom, traveling to baby conventions, or putting baby banana posts on Facebook. Without her, there is no way the Baby Banana Brush would have 244 friends on Facebook and 695 followers on Twitter!!! Natalee’s
creativity, writing ability and Y-generation savviness have made her the perfect person to lead Live-Right’s marketing strategy into the digital age. It’s no surprise that with Natalee around, Mom now has a new Droid phone and Dad is loving his I-pad (and he uses it for more than just calculating tips).

Speaking of Wizard tip calculators (or Willards from Bob Sacomano’s Dad), nobody is superior to Natalee at quoting Seinfeld. Natalee can also handle herself well when it comes to quoting Better off Dead and Deep Thoughts. Natalee loves TV, movies and pop culture. She enjoys going to the movies in Poky with Dad and has even persuaded Mom to sit down and watch a little TV now and then.

Everybody knows that Phillips are naturally gifted athletes. If someone asked you what was the greatest Phillips athletic accomplishment, you might guess Ryan breaking La Serna’s single season TD receiving record for the 90’s (1 TD), Ricky’s bench pressing max (though there were rumors of creatine use) or one of Nancee’s insanely long runs in cross country. Well you’d be wrong (just like when you guessed Flippy). Only Natalee can proudly proclaim that she was named to the all-CIF team! She earned this high distinction in Water Polo during her Senior year. Although Natalee is no longer elbowing/kicking her opponents in Water Polo these days, she’s still the best swimmer in the family and is always willing to give out free swimming lessons.

One of Natalee’s big milestones this past year was her graduation. She graduated with a Bachelors degree in Sociology from Idaho State University. I think she may have even helped Dad with his homework along the way. Congratulations Nat!

Last but not least, Natalee is known for being an amazing Aunt to her many nieces and nephews. They all love hanging out with Aunt Natalee. She is cool enough to hang out with the older grandkids, and also great at babysitting the younger ones. Natalee’s brothers and sisters love it when she comes to visit because the kids are always so excited to see her and everybody has a great time (the pictures above speak for themselves). Even when she’s not visiting, Natalee is a fantastic skyper and enjoys playing silly games over skype to bond with the little ones (e.g., singing Popcorn Popping to Esmé, playing Peek-a-Boo with Nolan).

We love you Natalee!!! Happy Birthday!!!

P.S. Extra Message from Nancee:
Happy Birthday Nat Spat!!
Thanks for doing blog posts all year about everyone. You deserve the best post of all just for remembering all those birthdays, let alone knowing so much more about everyone. Thanks for always being willing to talk to me on the phone and helping me to be more open. You have a lot of strengths that you don't give yourself credit for. You are soooo helpful with all the grandkids wherever you go. You are always willing to give of yourself to anyone in need. You have an incredible knowledge of pop culture. Your vocabulary and book reading skills far surpass mine. You are a very good friend and sister and always easy to talk to. Hope you have a great birthday buying lamps for the house.

P.P.S. Extra Message from Spencer:

Natalee,

You rock - pure and simple! Thank you for being who you are - an awesome kid sister, a world-class Aunt, a blogger extraordinaire, and a genuine friend. Thank you for all the time, thought and sweetness you put into making my birthday blog so special! We love you, miss you, and are determined to clomp you in Quiddler some day!

Thanksgiving in Rochester, NY

2011-11-28T13:48:00.001-08:00

This year we decided to spend Thanksgiving with Spencer & Kristin in Rochester, NY. Everyone understood that Kristin's notoriously good cooking was a big persuasion on our decision of where to spend Thanksgiving this year. We are happy to report that we were not disappointed!
We had a fabulous Thanksgiving meal with all the traditional foods-- turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and she taught us a new sweet potato recipe too. We made them chopped up with apples and brown sugar with marshmallows on top. They were delicious! We also had homemade rolls, and of course pie. Kristin helped me make a homemade pumpkin pie that was tasty, and we also had homemade apple and store bought pecan pie. Yummy!

Mom making the sweet potato dish

The boys played football while the girls cooked

Dessert Time

In addition to eating excellent foods, we had a wonderful time hanging out with the kids. We took the 4 oldest back to our hotel one night for a sleep over. We let them watch a little TV, and then we took them swimming in the indoor pool. The next morning we ate at the breakfast buffet and the kids thought that was really fun.

Knox in the swimming pool at the hotel

Grandpa Tutu and Sam working on swimming lessons

Mary was having fun with Aunt Natalee--she outsplashed all her brothers

J has become a very confident swimmer

The kids were all in the "zone", as they watched Mythbusters on TV. We thought it was funny so we snapped this picture. I think Sam was the only one who even noticed we were watching them. Hahaha

The following day was Spencer & Kristin's 13th anniversary, so we tended the kids while they went out to dinner and did a little shopping. Dad and I took the oldest 4 kids to see "The Muppets" and out to dinner, while Mom stayed home and tended Baby Lea. We were also treated to a lovely family concert! Each of the kids has an instrument now (J--drums, Sam--bass/french horn, Knox--guitar, Mary--violin, Lea--jingle bells), and they have a real family band! We were very impressed by how good they sound!

J on the drums

Knox on the guitar

Sam on the bass, Mary on the violin, Knox and Spencer on the guitar, and Lea doing jingle bells

Kristin on the violin and J on the drums

We also took the kids to "Powers Market", a local pumpkin patch that was decorated for Christmas. The kids got to feed the animals in their petting zoo, and we all had a doughnut around the fire.

Lea and Mary were very good helpers

Everybody at Power's Market. It was cold that day.

Lea at Power's Market. She did not want to wear her hat and gloves, but she was still a good sport.

Homemade Doughnuts in front of a warm fire

On our last day in Rochester, we had an early Christmas celebration. We played Christmas music, decorated the tree, and even did a gift exchange! It was so fun and it really felt like Christmas that day.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Mary opening the first present

Knox and Grandpa Tutu

The boys liked their puffy jackets

Grandpa Tutu and the girls

We had such a wonderful time visiting with Spencer & Kristin's family. Thank you SO much for the delicious food, your impressive musical talent, and for opening your home to us. We love you guys!

Nolan's First Picture with Santa!

2011-11-27T14:18:00.001-08:00

"Museum of Clean" Opening Celebration

2011-11-21T14:06:00.001-08:00

The blog has been neglected for the past week because we have been consumed by getting things read for the opening of "The Don Aslett Museum of Clean". Yes, it was finally opened to the public this past weekend, after much anticipation.

Kevin (center), Scott Huckstep (far right), and some other dude. These guys have all been working VERY hard to complete the construction of the building and try to make Don's dreams into reality.

Nathan Eldridge (far left) and some other people constructing the play area inside the "Kids Clean World".

The basement level, Jerilynn Mecham (right), working hard to get her displays finished in time for the opening. She does a fun "chimney sweep" display downstairs that people seemed to like.

The concession stand, where Nat has been working. There is a theater around the corner with some talented local actors doing a "Clean-Theme" puppet show and audience participation game show. Both received positive responses.

Lots of people turned up for the opening, a couple hundred on both Friday and Saturday.

Tobi working at the front desk

This is what you see on your left when you first walk in the building, the Kids Clean World.

And this is what you see on your right when you first walk in the building, the Noah's Ark Replica.

Mom was very pleased with being in charge of the "All Things Clean" Gift Shop inside the museum and she has been working very hard to get not only her store, but many other areas in the museum ready for the public. Without her long hours and tireless efforts the museum would not be nearly as well-off as it is now.

The "All Things Clean" store in its last stages of preparation. Big thanks to Janet and Dennis for driving up and spending lots of time in helping us get the store and other areas of the museum finished in time.

Customers milling around the "All Things Clean" store on Opening Day. The products--especially the "Giant Microbe" stuffed animals and the kid-sized cleaning supplies were very well received.

The Art Room

Inside Noah's Ark. Kids were making "rain sticks".

Standing next to the Kids Clean World, looking out toward main entrance. Old-Time Candy Shop on the close left, and main front desk is left-center.

Don was doing his favorite thing, which is talking to people and showing them around the place. Here he is demonstrating the garage of clutter. People got a kick out of this.

garage of clutter demonstration from another viewpoint

The word "clean" in 50 different languages around the world, with flags to match.

Larger-than-life trash can, where you can walk inside and learn about the huge amounts of trash that are produced by Americans each year. Very interesting.

Even though this picture makes the room look empty, there were many people who stopped to sit down in the "Cinema Room" and watch this video of Don explaining the museum. Thanks to Neil for making an excellent movie!

The Library was Dad's pet project. He worked hard to organize and catalog the many different cleaning-related books in this library.

We are relieved that the opening weekend is behind us, and we are looking forward to having some downtime with Spencer's Family this weekend in Rochester. We will be having Thanksgiving with them and "early Christmas" too.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Happy Birthday Lincoln

2011-11-10T20:15:00.001-08:00

Lincoln turned 4 years old today. Even though he had his Lego birthday party last weekend, he still celebrated tonight by playing with his new lego toys and having some yummy cake.

When Lincoln was just 1 year old, he came to live with us in Idaho. He learned to walk and talk while he lived with us. We all bonded during this time, and Lincoln especially got along with Freckles. They used to cuddle together and Freckles has been really good with kids ever since then.

Lincoln has always been very intelligent. He has an excellent vocabulary, is very inquisitive and has an amazing sense of direction. Even before he could talk, Lincoln would point at landmarks like his Daycare and Mcdonalds as we drove past them in the car. Even now, he gives Grandma & Grandpa Tutu directions on how to get home in his subdivision when they go on walks.

Lincoln also has an impressive memory. Last year when he stayed with us, I read him a story about dolphins and he loved it so he made me read it to him everyday. By the end of the week, he started reciting the story back to me, it was so cute!

On a different occasion, he had probably overheard us talking about "Inkom" and he noticed an "I" on the mountain. We were driving and he yelled out, "Look Aunt Natalee, theres an 'I' up there on the mountain--'I' is for Inkom".

Lincoln loves his baby brother, Logan. We know as they get older they will play more with each other.

This summer, I was asking Lincoln something, and he said "no, I'm not Lincoln, I'm Nephew Lincoln." He made me call him "Nephew" Lincoln, because I make him call me "Aunt Natalee". So funny!

This is Lincoln at the "Museum of Clean". Pictures from this photo session are going to be used in the Museum brochure, and have been featured in local newspapers this month as the Museum prepares for its opening.

Lincoln splashing in Grandma Tutu's big bathtub.

Lincoln and Cousin Erica play together well.

Lincoln & Daddy at the Museum of Musical instruments in AZ.

Grandma Tutu says that Lincoln is "precocious, bright and sunny, and he runs really super fast".

We love you Lincoln and we hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Lego Birthday Party

2011-11-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

This is Dad reporting on our recent trip to Phoenix to attend Lincoln and Logan's "Lego" Birthday. Lincoln was turning 4 and Logan was turning 2. We were totally impressed with all of the hard work that Eden and Ricky put into the party. There were a lot of kids there and everyone seemed to have a good time. Troy and Nancee drove up from Tuscon with their girls so the cousins could play together. I enjoyed visiting with Lee and Carol as well. Thanks for a fun weekend!
Love
Dad

Happy Birthday Logan!

2011-11-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

Logan turns 2 years old today!
Did you know he is already famous! He has become the official model for "The Baby Sharky Brush". This picture was actually featured on a poster at a huge tradeshow in China this summer.

Logan has already overcome some challenges, including getting stitches in his finger, and wearing a "helmet" for a few months very early in his life. Here are a few pictures from that time, he still looks dang cute though! His helmet actually helped protect his head from injuries incurred as he learned to walk, and as he learned to defend himself from his brother.

Like his mother, Logan is very musically inclined. He loves to sing, and even if he doesn't know all the words, he hums the tunes just right! He also has amazing rhythm and bounces along to any song.

Logan likes to be outside, in fact he prefers playing and interacting and being outside more than watching TV. The television doesn't hold his attention at all, which is rare for a kid his age.

Logan is a good eater, and he's really solid. We think he will make an excellent football player. He has no fear and defends himself against his brother very well. Even before he could walk, he would try to kick Lincoln and wrestle with him. We always joke that as soon as Logan figures out his strength, Lincoln better watch out!

As you can see, Logan is handsome with a full head of his thick hair, or with a shaved head. He likes to wear it both ways, but his parents prefer to shave it.

Logan is my buddy. We like to play peek-a-boo and he always laughs at my silly faces.

We love Logan! We just can't believe how fast you are growing up. Happy Birthday!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

Everybody had a fun Halloween this year!

Mary--Monkey

J and his friend--Thing 1 and Thing 2

Sam--Taco

Knox--Spaceman

Lincoln--Star Wars Clone Trooper

Logan--Ewok

Erica--The Little Mermaid (when she marries Prince Eric)

Sadie--Snow White

Nolan--Puss in Boots

Marissa--Devil

Austin--Cow (w/ a milk bottle!)

Mallory--Witch

Nathan--Spiderman

Even the Townsends got in the spirit! (Thanks Kim for the picture!)

I was a cat and Mom was a witch.

We went to a random "Trunk or Treat" just so we could pass out candy.

Esme--Yoda

Arizona Trip

2011-10-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

Last week Mom, Dad and I drove to Arizona for our annual "snow-bird" trip. We always like to get out of cold Idaho and travel to warm places this time of year. In addition to getting out of the cold, we had a few other very important reasons to be in Arizona. First, to see the grandkids, of course. Second, I had a final interview with "Teach For America", an organization that places recent college grads into high-need/low-income schools as teachers, where they get experience while working toward their credential. Last, but certainly not least, we were there to watch/support Eden as she competed in her first National Tennis Championship Tournament.

Eden has been playing in an adult tennis league for about a year now, and she is dang good. Her team dominated sectionals, and then went on to play in the National tournament in Tuscon. We were there to help tend the boys so Rick could watch Eden play, and we each got to see her play one game as well. Eden is seriously DANG good. She has a killer serve, and she plays very methodically, thinking about each hit. She has good aim and can move around that court super fast. Not to mention that she was playing in 100+ degree heat (ok, it was 95, but it felt SO hot). She played both singles and doubles games, and although she was nervous about singles, those matches ended up being her best! It was fun to be able to watch her play, and the girls on her team said Eden was the best player they had. Way to go Eden!

Mom and Dad took Lincoln, Logan and Erica to the zoo for a few hours, they had fun but it was way too hot for everyone.

Mom and Dad also took Rick's kids down to Nancee's house so they could all play together. The kids had a really fun time doing picnics, trampoline, and just playing. Mom and Nancee worked on their emails too.

Erica had a princess birthday party to go to one afternoon, and she let Mom fix up her hair. SO cute!

We took Sadie to the mall one of the days, and she liked playing around on the equipment.

She had so much fun, that she couldn't make it through the day.

Lincoln had a sleepover in the hotel room with Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Natalee. We had lots of fun. Grandma captured this candid picture of Lincoln and Aunt Natalee laughing.

Then we taught Lincoln how to use the camera....

and he thought it would be funny to take a picture of his belly button. Haha.

We had a great time with everyone, and we are so glad we got to see Eden play!

Garage

2011-10-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

I promised to post some pictures of the crazy color Mom and Dad chose to paint the garage, so here you go. To us, it looks like the color of mint chocolate chip ice cream. What do you guys think?

Representin'

2011-10-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

I was going to post about our trip to Arizona, but that post has now taken a backseat to this super-cute picture of Nolan that Grandma Joia (Jennifer's Mom) posted on facebook tonight. I just had to put it on the blog for those of you who don't facebook. He is getting so big so fast! Also, it is good to know that J.J. is bringing up his youngling padawan learner in the old jedi traditions. Nolan is representing Star Wars, he is a true Phillips now.

Ryan's Family Visits Idaho

2011-10-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ryan, Heather, Marissa, Mallory, Nathan and Austin all drove up to Idaho for Marissa's birthday weekend. Although the visit was short, we packed in a LOT of activities and the kids seemed to have a good time. Some of the fun stuff we did included going out to eat at Elmer's and Golden Corral, going to see "Dolphin Tale" with Aunt Natalee, and decorating cupcakes that Heather made.

Marissa opened up her presents at Elmers, and she got lots of fun owl-themed stuff.

Mallory is very proud of her latest lost teeth!

Nathan loves his Halloween costume--Spiderman! It is super cute and it has like built-in muscles so he looks like this mini body-builder. He likes to wear it almost everyday.

We also went to the grand opening of "Brooklyn's Playground", a brand new state-of-the-art playground designed for special needs kids that has been several million dollars in the making. It was really impressive!

There were lots of things for the kids to climb on!

There was a really cool music station in the center of the playground that Nathan and Marissa played on for a long time.

We also took the kids to one of their favorite places, "Outer Limits".

Later that night, Marissa and Mallory got to go to a special gymnasium that has "open gym" on Friday nights. Aunt Natalee was nervous because there were a lot of big kids in there playing pretty rough, but Marissa and Mallory held their own. They are both very skilled at jumps and flips and tricks.

Thanks for a fun weekend everybody!

Toddlers and Pets Don't Mix

2011-10-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

Litter box was rearranged courtesy of Nathan when he and his family visited last week.

Happy Birthday Marissa!

2011-10-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

Marissa turns 10 years old today! She is special because she is the only Phillips to have a birthday in October! Of course, thats not the only reason she is special though.

Marissa has always had a very sensitive spirit. She is able to be "in-tune" with what is going on. She cares a lot about other people and what they are going through. She tries very hard to follow the rules at school and wants to please her teachers. Of course, this isn't a challenge for Marissa because she is dang smart.

This is Marissa at our local science fair in Pocatello. She loves most subjects, but her favorites are Reading, Art, and Science. She especially loves animals. One of Marissa's favorite things to do in Idaho is play with our cats and dogs. She is not scared of them at all, and she knows how to handle them.

Her favorite animal by far is the Owl. She absolutely LOVES them, and she knows everything about them. Seriously--I talked with her for about an hour about all the different breeds and habitats and physical features of owls in the Northwest. She is very knowledgeable about them.

Marissa is now the oldest of FOUR! Above is a picture of her with her newest little brother, Austin Jaxon. She came up with the idea to call him "A.J." and we think that is so cute! She is an excellent helper for her parents, and she does what she is asked without complaining.

She is a good big sister to Mallory, and they spend a lot of their time playing together. She tries hard to be patient, to share and to get over things that might bug her. Its nice to have a best friend who is your sister too!

Marissa is one of the oldest girl cousins, so all the little girls really look up to her. She does a great job of keeping them all entertained. She's going to be an awesome babysitter in a few years.

Marissa has really been growing up fast. I am so impressed by her self-control and her awareness. She loves to be involved in what the adults are talking about, she knows how to wait her turn, and she never forgets her manners to say "please" and "thank you". She is modest, has a good sense of humor, and she knows what she wants. Did I mention that she always orders a salad when we go out? I am very impressed by her healthy eating habits!

Like her Dad, Marissa is a fan of football. We were out at dinner recently and she asked me if I vote for BYU or UofU. I told her I vote for whoever is playing against BYU. Sometimes I like to tease with Marissa, and she knows how to take a joke pretty well.

Marissa has lots of potential and we are excited to see what great things she will do with it!

Like her mother, Marissa is very talented when it comes to music. Here is a video of her playing the piano for us last Christmas. She has also participated in dance and gymnastics and does well at both.

We love you Marissa and we hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Extra! Extra!

2011-10-10T15:59:00.001-07:00

There was a front-page feature story on Mom and the Baby Banana Brush in our local newspaper, The Idaho State Journal today. Congratulations Mom!

October

2011-10-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Do you guys remember these signs that we used to put up on the bulletin board? I found a bunch of them when Mom and I were organizing our offices this weekend. How funny!
Hope everyone has a good October!

Fall in Idaho...

2011-10-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

sucks.

Basement Progress

2011-10-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

After we got all the drywall in (see last post), the next step is getting it all cut to the proper size, nailing it all up, and then mudding and taping. I am not the right person to be reporting on any of this, I know as much about construction as I do about calculus (zero for both). I'll let the pictures do the talking for me...

Main Room, mid-construction

The big guest bedroom downstairs, with insulation blown in

Look at all the screws (or maybe they are nails??). Dad said the workers have to put "mud" over every single nail to make the walls look smooth when the paint goes on. They definitely have their work cut out for them.

Kitchen--this is where the oven will be I think

Storage room under the stairs. Sorry to the grandkids--building the "slide" was too complicated, expensive and unsafe, so we had to bag it.

Main Room. Dad has been working very hard to move all of our fetch out of the way of the construction, and he has to move things back and forth from one room to another depending upon where the work is going on. He has also been moving crap out of the garage so it could be painted, and he will have to move everything out of the shop back into the garage next week so they can drywall and paint the shop. SO MUCH WORK!! Did I mention he's been doing this in his spare time while simultaneously writing a massive historical book that needs to be finished by December??

Fireplace

Bathroom #2

Big Guest Bedroom

More updates to come. Wait until you see the crazy color Mom & Dad chose for the garage!

ABC Show 2011

2011-09-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

The ABC Show is the largest annual domestic trade show for juvenile, infant and maternity products. Every possible thing you have ever thought about purchasing for your kids (and a lot of stuff that you haven't even heard of) is at this show. Fisher Price, Graco, Chicco, Nuby, Nuk, Boppy, Bright Stars, Munchkin and The First Years are just some of the "big boys" that exhibit at this show every year. There are tens of thousands of attendees--including everything from Exhibitors, Vendors, Retailers and Big-Box Buyers, Distributors, Sales Reps and Agents, Media, Special Services Personnel and Guests. Baby Banana Brush has had the opportunity to attend this show for the past three years, and many of our major clients found us as a result of our presence at the show. This year the show was held in Louisville, instead of the usual Las Vegas destination, so the attendance was a little bit less than usual. However, despite the lower number of international attendees and regular customers, we still feel that we had a very successful show. We placed lots of orders and we worked very hard, now we are busy with all of the follow-up that comes after attending a show of this magnitude.

We did have a little bit of downtime for some "monkey business" in the booth.

We passed out LOTS of samples of our new product, The Baby Sharky Brush.

I asked Moms if we could snap pictures of their babies using the brush whenever I could.

Babies using and enjoying the product is truly the best marketing we could ask for.

There were MANY people who came by the booth saying, "I just saw a baby over there going to town on one of these things", or "I've seen these before, my neighbor/sister/friend's baby has one", etc.

Our theme this year was "Sharks" but we tried to mesh it with our Banana Brush theme too. Having this big Shark cut-out was only scary for us inside the booth (just kidding). It actually made a lot of passers-by take a second look at our booth.

Here's how the booth looked at the end of set-up on our first night. We were right next to a lot of really big retailers, but the layout this year was weird, so some people had a hard time finding us.

Janet was our dutiful accountant and she worked very hard all week long. Getting up early, going to bed late, long hours on our feet without eating, making lots of compromises, having to keep many different clients information straight, and staying organized amid mild chaos were challenging for all of us, but Janet did a great job of managing everything.

At the end of the day, we barely had enough energy to eat dinner before crashing into bed. We thought we should do at least one notable thing while we were in Louisville, so we asked our taxi driver to take us to Churchill Downs, which is the huge racetrack where the Kentucky Derby is held each year. We expected this to be in the middle of a rural area surrounded by green, rolling hills--we were wrong. It is in the middle of two major freeways and it is surrounded by dilapidated, cramped, old-looking houses. The building itself was very pretty, and spread out over many acres. The surrounding neighborhood was shady at best. Our cab driver said the people who live there charge like $20 per car for parking and when the Derby is going on they can make about $6,000 per day. You'd think they could use some of that to touch up their peeling paint and dangling roof shingles. I guess not.

All in all, we worked hard, had some success and bonded while we were in Kentucky last week.

Happy Birthday Sierra!

2011-09-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

Sierra turned 16 years old today!! Mom and Dad can't believe that they now have a grandchild who is old enough to be driving and (equally scary) dating! Here is a picture from her first date at the homecoming dance last week! She looks so beautiful!

Sierra has entered such an exciting time in her life. She is preparing for college, working hard at school and church activities, and maintaining a very active social life. Sierra gets up SO early (4:30) and stays late at school in order to do participate in all of the activities she is involved in.

Sierra has lots of friends and I am very impressed at what a good example she has been to them. Sierra is an excellent missionary and she has a strong testimony.

Sierra is an awesome big sister too! She loves her little brother and her little sister, she is affectionate, responsible and caring.

She honors her parents and treats others very nicely. Plus she has a great sense of style--her bedroom is totally darling!
Sierra is also super-duper talented! She plays the piano and writes her own songs, she is a fabulous actress, and she has an awesome voice!

Plus, she isn't afraid to sing in front of a bunch of people. Check out the link below for proof. (You have to have facebook to see it) Sierra sang the National Anthem at a minor league baseball game, and rocked it! She also signed autographs for the little kids in the dugout. A star is born!!
Sierra Rocks the National Anthem!
Here's a picture from Sierra's play "Alice in Wonderland" last year where she played the Caterpillar. Its always so fun to watch her perform!

Sierra and I have always been buds! She was the first baby who I ever lived with and got to take care of. She and I would watch "The Little Mermaid" for hours on end. Sierra and I are actually closer in age than her Dad and I are, which we always joke about. I was only 12 years old when I became an Aunt for the first time, 16 years ago today!

We love your sweet spirit, your upbeat personality, and your confidence...We love you! Happy birthday Sierra!

Happy Birthday Troy!

2011-09-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday T-bone! This is my nickname for Troy, its from a Seinfeld episode like 10 years ago and it has just stuck since then.

Troy is extremely talented. I think we all know that there is pretty much nothing Troy cannot do. He doesn't just attempt to do things, he excels at them.

Troy is an amazing artist, which is probably where Erica gets her abilities from. He is also musically gifted and can play the guitar and other instruments. Most people who do well with the arts are not also mechanically inclined, but not Troy. He loves fixing things around the house, and he even re-did the landscaping of his backyard all on his own. He is also very good at fixing cars--he has revived a few Phillips vehicles from the dead, and kept many other cars running well past their prime. Troy is also very athletically inclined. His favorite sports are wakeboarding and snowboarding.

Troy is also a very talented designer. We know he uses these skills in his work at Raytheon and in his CAD designs for the Baby Banana Brush products, but he has also been putting this talent to good use in creating apps. For those of you who haven't yet seen Troy's productions, please go to his website check them out. The original, "Shatterball" is challenging and fun for all ages. "Balloon Maker" is fun and a great way to keep your kids occupied during long car rides. And, if you have a little girl, she will love "My Fairy Princess", there are hours of outfits, shoes, and crowns to play with. (I have to admit, I've played this one a few times myself and its pretty fun!)

If you have an iphone, itouch, or droid you should leave a review for his apps, because that helps with his reputation as an app designer, and that can contribute greatly to his growing business. Not that he needs help, because Troy's apps have been doing very well. He was even recently recognized for his "Balloon Maker" app, because of its ability to help autistic kids with their visual tracking and hand-eye coordination. You can find his apps here

Aside from Troy's talents, some of my favorite qualities about him are his generosity, his positive attitude, and his vast knowledge of "The Simpsons". Troy has always laughed at my jokes which makes me feel good too.

Last but not least, Troy is a wonderful husband and father. I'm sure he would rather be playing with Legos and Erector Sets, but instead he plays Barbies and Princesses. He has always treated Nancee very well, and that is the best quality of all!

We love you Troy and we hope you had an awesome birthday!

Happy Birthday Brayden!

2011-09-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Bray-Bray! Brayden is now officially in the "double-digits", with his 10th birthday today. And, contrary to popular Phillips myth, he did not turn into a girl. Hahah. Brayden is definitely all boy. He likes sports and active adventure-type things like mountain biking. Grandpa Tutu got to go on a weekend trip in Zion National Park with Brayden and his Dad camping out in the wild and doing extreme mountain biking. They had lots of fun.

Mom and Dad were happy to be involved with Brayden's baptism 2 years ago.

Like his Dad, Brayden is very interested in scientific stuff--like germs, bugs, blood, dinosaurs and especially rocks. He has a big collection of rocks on display at his Dad's office. He has also started to collect lots of different knives too. He is doing great in scouts and will probably beat his Dad to the eagle rank.

Did I mention that Brayden has awesome hair? I tease him about being "Justin Beiber".

He likes Laser Tag and go carts and he was a master of video games when Mom and I got the chance to take him to Mulligans Theme Park a few months ago. Mom and I were very impressed at how well Brayden interacted with the server at Chili's and all of the people at Mulligans. He and I had to wait in a very long line to play laser tag, and he was so patient I couldn't believe it! He was also very patient sitting through his sisters 3 hour long dance recital--with no complaints!

Here he is demonstrating his excellent coordination. A while ago when we were visiting Temecula, we got a chance to watch Brayden play with his basketball team, which was very fun. He did good, and he really hustled up and down the court until his cheeks were red. Way to go Brayden!

Brayden is also very gracious, he always says "thank you" right away when he is given something, which is a very nice quality to have. He is very appreciative and really has the best manners.

Like his sisters, Brayden is growing up to be quite good-looking! Luckily, he still thinks girls are "gross", so we don't have to worry about that for awhile. :)

Brayden is an excellent reader, and he is a big fan of Harry Potter. He told me that his birthday wish would be to go visit the new "Harry Potter" ride at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. (I'm sure your Aunt Jennifer and Uncle J.J. would love to take you).
We love you Brayden and we hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Beginning Basement Beautification

2011-09-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

We have officially started construction on the basement! This is very exciting for us because we plan on having a finished basement in time for Christmas, in order to lure as many visitors as possible this season. Roo and Annie are already confirmed, and J.J. and Barratt and their families are also strong possibilities. We plan on having 3 finished bedrooms (with sleeping capacity for 10 or more) and 2 finished bathrooms downstairs by the time winter sets in.
The first step was getting all of the walls and ceilings blown in with insulation. The next step is going to be putting up drywall, which will be a very loud, messy, and dusty process. On Friday the construction guys delivered huge 12 foot sheets of sheetrock to our house. They had to use this huge crane that was perched on the side of our hill, and one of the guys was controlling it by a remote control. Dad showed us some good videos of it, and it was pretty crazy to see how close the thing came to the pillars in front of our house!

Dad said the guys put the needed sheet rock into each room, and they really struggled to get the sheets off the crane and into the house. Once they got it in the house, they used a dolly thingy to deliver the sheetrock to the different rooms. Each individual sheet weighed about 230 pounds, so this was the best way they construction team could do it.

The doggies were very excited to be involved in all of the activity, and Dad even let them come inside and watch for awhile.

Minnee has a sticker because she went to the vet for her shots and she was a very good girl!

More updates will be coming as we get the sheetrock put up, carpets put in, painting, tile, toilets, and my favorite part--decorating!

Extreme Baby Sports

2011-09-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

Nolan has conquered a waterslide at only 4 months old!

We expect him to be skydiving by his first birthday.

He's Home!

2011-09-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to report that Austin (still no middle name) Phillips came home from the hospital on Saturday afternoon. Mom and Dad spent the weekend with Ryan & Heather's family to help them out while they adjusted to having a new family member. Mom even took Marissa and Mallory on an overnight campout at the zoo! She's the coolest grandma ever!

Here is Austin snuggled up with his big sister Marissa! He looks happy to finally be at home.

Happy Birthday Erica!

2011-09-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

Erica turns 4 years old today! She is having a real birthday party, with 15 of her closest friends, and they are going to decorate cupcakes.

We got to spend lots of time with Erica this past summer when she visited us with her Mom and sister. Erica is super sweet to Sadie, and it is so cute when they play together. Erica acts like a little "mom" sometimes.

Erica is an excellent artist, she loves coloring and drawing. I am very impressed by how well she stays inside the lines in her My Little Pony coloring book. She also loves to read stories and have them read to her.

She has just gotten into her "asking questions" phase, and she has another question for every answer you give her. I actually think her questions are really smart, and tough to answer sometimes.

Erica has always been very girly, and that has not changed since she was a baby. She loves to wear dresses, makeup, jewelry, and heels. She loves purses, barbies, and princesses. She has also started dance and gymnastics and is doing well at both.

We love you Erica and we hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Welcome Austin!

2011-09-09T14:45:00.000-07:00

We have a new family member! Heather gave birth to Austin ? Phillips on Tuesday, September 6. He was 19 inches long and 8 pounds 12 ounces. He had a little breathing trouble and low blood sugar, so they took him into NICU. He has been getting stronger each day though. Ryan and Heather are hoping to have him at home by Saturday. Enjoy the pictures!!

We love him already!

Heather looks amazing!!

Biking

2011-09-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Nathan is very athletic, here he is demonstrating his bike riding abilities.

Also, he is going to be a big brother today!! Congrats Ryan & Heather!

California Trip

2011-09-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad went to California to celebrate the 100th anniversary of LACC, now known as SCUHS. Dad was honored with an award and they were happy to see many old friends back at the old Santa Gertrudes ward. The real highlight of the trip was getting to hang out with Esme.

Mom and Dad dressed up for the event

and greeting former colleagues and friends.

How cute is this baby??

Seriously, she is darling.

She got to go to the beach, the zoo, and Disneyland!

Esme loves animals, but it was very hot at the zoo.

Cute family picture!

Traffic....in Idaho??

2011-08-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

On our way home from New York, we thought we might catch a break with our transportation issues. It only took an hour of driving before we encountered a major traffic jam on the 15. We came to a complete stop and we didn't move an inch for 45 minutes.

(Mom had plenty of time to get out of the car and snap this picture of all the cars behind us, and there were this many in front of us too. No one was moving at all)

Finally, they rerouted us, and we saw that they had closed the 15 down in both directions for a 10 mile stretch. We never found out exactly what happened, but we saw this overturned semi truck as we went on our detour. It ended up taking us over 4 hours to get from Salt Lake to Pocatello.

(This was only one of the cars involved in the accident)

(Mom snapped this as we drove past the semi. This is the underside of it)

Happy Birthday Sam!

2011-08-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

Happy 10th birthday Sam-O! Its hard to believe Sam is already in double-digits. We had the opportunity to spend some quality time with him a few weeks ago when Spencer and his family visited us.

Sam has always been exceptionally intelligent. His favorite subject is science. In fact, while he and I made divinity together while he was at our house, he told me that 2 of his favorite things are science and cooking. I thought that made pretty good sense because cooking is really just science in action. Did I mention that Sam pretty much did everything for the divinity and I just stirred it? He's an awesome helper.

Sam is also super talented. He has always been very athletically able, and he easily takes to all sports. He's especially good at soccer and snowboarding. Here he is finishing a 5K race in Pocatello.

Sam is learning to play the French Horn and he's doing really good. He is a super older brother and treats his little sisters very sweetly.

Sam is also very mature. He patiently waits for his turn, he has no problem sharing, and he understands when the answer sometimes has to be "No". I have been very impressed with how much Sam has grown up and I'm so excited to see what he does with his potential in the future.

We love you so much Sam!

New York!

2011-08-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Mom and I went to New Jersey to meet with the buyers of Babies R Us at the Toys R Us Corporate headquarters. It was a successful meeting, and we were blown away by the magnitude of the Toys R Us facility.

Mom agreed to stay in New Jersey for an extra day so we could spend some time in New York City. We squeezed a ton of fun into a short time--there is so much to do in NYC!

We went to the famous "Magnolia Bakery" on a friends suggestion, and had the most delicious treats. I got a key lime pie (left) and Mom got a coconut cake (right). She said it was the best 7 minute icing she had ever had in her life.

We ate just enough so that we didn't get sick.

We saw this advertisement on top of cab for "mormon.org". The broadway show "Book of Mormon" has brought a lot of attention to the church.

Times Square was wild and crazy, hence my silly face.

We went to the "Buy Buy Baby" store in Times Square and we were happy to spot the Baby Banana Brush on the shelves!

We drank a LOT of diet coke. :)

We did a LOT of walking. Commuting from back and f0rth from Jersey to the City was an ordeal. If we ever get to go back we will try to stay in the city.

The highlight of the trip was seeing "Mary Poppins" on broadway. We both loved it and we were singing the music all night. We also got to see "Sister Act" on broadway, but we both liked Mary Poppins way better. When we got home, we bought the movie and watched it with Dad, and we both decided the play was a million times better than the movie.

Hanging Around The House

2011-08-18T21:26:00.001-07:00

Some last pics from our week with family...

Marissa & Mallory at the fire pit

Mary & Spencer riding the mini-tractor

Erica, Mallory & Marissa at the zoo

Kristin, Spencer & Heather at the cookout

Mary & Sadie on the swings at the park

Dad & Nat at the fire pit

Cute Marissa

Mallory & Sam playing with the airplane

Candid Ryan & Heather

Nancee & cute Sadie

We did a big fireworks night

J showing his gun skills!

Idaho Fair

2011-08-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

Fairs are a big deal in Idaho. When its cold for 9 months and you don't have anything like Disneyland, the local fair becomes quite an event.The grandkids all participated in the fair in some capacity.

The little ones enjoyed a parade in the morning

Nancee and Spencer ran a 5K with J and Sam

(Nancee pretending to be hurt...she's faking)

Then Mom and I met up with the big kids and spent the rest of the afternoon at the fair where we did lots of fun stuff.

J and Sam were a good match for the jousting game.

And, the coolest thing of all was that Mallory got to participate in the "mutton busting" contest! Its basically like bull-riding but for kids, so they ride on the back of lambs. Mallory did awesome and hung onto the lamb so tight that he gave in. She was super brave! I waited in line with her and those things were pretty big and wild up close but she did it anyway! Go Mal! Check out the video here:

Scavenger Hunt

2011-08-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

I made up a scavenger hunt for the kids, and Mom got them all matching military gear--they loved it!

J read the first clue, and then the kids took off!

Marissa, Mallory and Sam were all good readers too.

The big kids did a good job of making sure the little kids each got turns too.

Looking for clues...

More looking....

Sadie was not phased by Minnee at all.

How cute do the kids look in their camo gear??

Marissa

Nathan

Mary, Mallory and Erica

The scavenger hunt ended with the kids finding me and I gave them all giant lollypops and america stickers.

Grandma & Grandpa Tutu love you!

2011-08-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Its easy to see that Mom and Dad are happiest when they are with their kids and grandkids. They love you all so much!

Dad and Lea

Dad, Erica and Mallory

J is giving Grandma Tutu a big hug!

Grandma Tutu is dancing with the girls--so cute!

Mom, Sadie and Lea

Mom and Sadie

Knox is giving Grandpa Tutu a big hug!

Mom playing the piano with Mary, Sadie and Erica.

Swimming

2011-08-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

SWIMMING

We went to Ross Park swimming complex twice while the kids were here. We also set up a little swimming pool on our balcony for the kids to splash in. Even though it was messy, the kids loved it.

Marissa, Mallory and Erica played together really well.

Sadie and the cheetos played together really well too.

Mary, Erica and Marissa playing in the balcony splash pool.

Marissa got soaked!

Nathan loved the pool too!

Mary and Erica looked so cute swimming together!

July Family Reunion

2011-08-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

For the past two years we have had several families visit us in Idaho for Grandpa Tutu's birthday and Pioneer Day. We would like to make this our new family tradition because this is pretty much the only time of year it is actually nice in Idaho.

This year, Spencer and Krisitn and their 5 kids made the trek all the way from Rochester, New York to visit us. Nancee also brought her 2 girls up from Tuscon, Arizona on her own--no easy feat. Heather and her 3 kids came up from Salt Lake to visit too--while their Dad (Ryan) was away on business in China for the week. Heather is 8 months pregnant, but that baby looks like he might just jump right out of her if she sneezes or laughs too hard. We were so glad she made the effort to come up and visit so all the cousins could play together.

We had SUCH an awesome time with all 10 kids, and our house seems so empty now.

I will be doing some separate posts about all the activities we did.

GYMNASIUM

First, we went to a gymnasium and the kids loved running, jumping, climbing and doing handstands. It was a little bit sketchy... but the kids didn't mind. Dad even pushed Mom into the foam ball pit at one point haha!

Nathan wanted to climb up everything! He is very athletic.

Mallory was so good playing with Erica. Here they are rocking some handstands.

Papa Tutu helping Erica climb. She wore a special gymnastics outfit and looked so darling!

Sadie wanted to keep up with the big kids, and she did pretty good!

Happy Birthday Lea!

2011-08-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Lea turns one year old today! We were lucky enough to spend some time with her last week when family was visiting.

Spencer's family dominates the August birthdays. This picture is one of my favorites ever! So sweet...

She is seriously a beautiful baby--high cheekbones and long eyelashes--she's going to be a knockout. Spencer better start taking karate or something.

She loves music--she has great rhythm and bounces along on beat with whatever song is playing. She entertains herself well, by pushing around in the walker or scooting backwards. We are hoping that she will start crawling soon.

We love you Lea and we hope we will see you again soon! Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Knox!!

2011-08-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

Knox turned 7 on August 1st. We can't believe he is already 7 years old! It seems like just yesterday that Knox was a little...okay, not so little...but a snuggly little baby with a raspy cry. Knox's raspy voice is so unique and so cute--we just love it!

It was fun to be able to hang out with Knox last week, he is a fun-loving kid and he idolizes his older brothers. He's in a tough spot because he has two older brothers and two younger sisters--the ultimate middle child. But, he handles his position well, he's a wonderful brother!

He's the life of the party--all the kids at his school can't wait for Knox to show up--especially the girls. :) He's got a great sense of humor too!

Knox and I have always had fun together--he always hangs around when I'm reading to the little kids so he can hear me read too. I love that! We get along really well.

We love you Knox and we hope you had a wonderful birthday, and that you have an awesome year!

Breaking News!

2011-07-30T15:19:00.001-07:00

Mom is getting a droid!

Not this kind....

but this kind!

She has officially surpassed us all in techie coolness.

Happy Birthday J.J.!

2011-07-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

Our marathon birthday month ends with J.J.'s birthday on the 28th.

JJ has always been extremely laid back, even as a baby. Mom said JJ was her easiest delivery, and beyond that she doesn't remember much, so he must have been really good. (The picture below is from the "butterball" days).

J.J. and Roo were the best of friends growing up, they loved pound puppies, Star Wars, and throwing toys off the balcony. They played volleyball in high school together too.

JJ is notorious in our family for being the most easy-going. In fact, some of our favorite JJ stories stem from his ability to achieve these extreme levels of relaxation. For example, when JJ was very young, he used to play by himself and kind of "zone out". When the older brothers would ask him what he was doing, he would say that he was "in the X-dimension".

Another good story is from when JJ was a teenager. He was working on his homework very intently. I was playing office with Mom, and we both walked into the kitchen together. We freaked out because there was a huge fire about 200 yards away in our backyard that had been going for awhile, and JJ hadn't even noticed!

JJ is more than just an easy going brother. He is known for being one of the funniest brothers as well. JJ is like Dad because he will be quiet and then just at the right moment he'll throw out the funniest comment, movie quote, or observation. This makes JJ dang fun to hang out with because you just never know what he's going to say, but you can be sure it will be hilarious.

JJ is a HUGE sports fan. He has always wanted to work for a sports team, and he still hopes that he might be able to do some kind of accounting for a sports team in the future. JJ has spent every morning since he learned how to read with his nose buried in the sports page. He knows all the players, history and statistics from every team for every sport... except baseball.

JJ loves sports, and the only thing he loves more is his family. When he found out Jennifer was pregnant, he announced it on his facebook wall by saying:

"Come this spring, it looks like only one of my top two life goals (watching the Jazz win the championship & becoming a Dad) will be fulfilled. I think it’s pretty obvious which one."

JJ is a wonderful husband and father. He is very hands-on with Nolan, and I think Jennifer is glad for that. He is so excited to be a Daddy!

He is patient, gentle and sweet. He also takes great care of the kitty cats!

We had so much fun visiting JJ a few weeks ago for Nolan's blessing. He gave his son a beautiful blessing and then he bore his testimony, which was nice to hear.

We love you JJ! We are glad that you are a part of your family and we miss you! We hope you have an awesome birthday!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Tutu!

2011-07-28T11:10:00.001-07:00

Dads birthday was on July 24, and we celebrated by having a big America/Army themed party. There were 10 grandkids in the house, which is exactly what Dad wanted for his birthday. Here, he is being serenaded by Marissa, Nathan, Erica, Sadie, Mary and Lea.

Happy Birthday Spencer!

2011-07-21T12:15:00.001-07:00

Spencer is actually in Idaho this week with his 5 kids, and we are excited to be able to celebrate his birthday with him.

Spencer's nickname as a kid was "smiley" because he was always cheerful and had lots of smiles to give everybody. As he grew up he earned additional nicknames like Spendo and Spendork from his siblings.

Spencer is SO dang talented! He took on a full renovation of his basement--on his own. He taught himself how to do everything--electricity, flooring, plumbing, drywall, egress window--everything by looking stuff up online or getting books from the library. Working on the basement was a long process and the entire family got involved. The finished product is beautiful and has added lots of value to their home.

Although Spencer's basement renovation is remarkable, he has always had a creative streak. When he was younger he used his talents to create skateboard ramps, crossbow targets and he even made his own surfboards as a teenager. Now, he uses his woodworking tools to create all kinds of neat things. He also made a violin bow for Kristin, which he said is one of the more difficult things to make.

Spencer is a great Dad to his 5 kids. He's very hands on and very patient. He wasn't always as patient as he is today, I believe he learned this skill while he was on his mission in Baltimore and New York City--some of the toughest cities in America!

Spencer has also had a very interesting career, working as a lawyer for big corporations and underserved populations alike. He also loved working as a Judge. I remember when I was visiting them a few years ago and Spencer was genuinely excited about his job. He is one of the few people who I know that truly loved what they do. Our conversation gave me hope that I might be able to find a career that I love one day too.

Spencer and Kristin have been married almost 13 years! They are still every bit as sweet to each other and affectionate as they were back then.

Spencer has a lot on his plate, with 5 kids, working, projects, and teaching seminary every morning at 6am. He handles every challenge with an admirable positive attitude. He is very loving and always seems to have more to give to anyone in need.

We love you Spencer and hope you have a very happy birthday!

Nolan Overload

2011-07-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

Here's some more pictures from our trip...

Mom & J.J. having cereal in the (beautiful) kitchen

J.J. is so cute with Nolan!

Jennifer's parents absolutely adore this little man!

It was funny to watch them with Nolan, they are so happy to have a grandson close by!

This is everybody watching Nolan's bathtime.

Grandma Rae and Aunt Natalee with Nolan.

Here Nolan is learning to use bottles so Mommy & Daddy can go out on a date!

Nolan's Busy Bathtime

2011-07-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

How many people does it take to bathe a newborn?

Well, if that newborn is Nolan it takes one Mommy, one Daddy, a great-grandma, two grandpas, two grandmas, an auntie, and a few cats.

Nolan has had bathtime before, but this was our first chance to watch him, so we all crowded in the bathroom and made the expected "oooo" and "awwww" sounds.

Its so funny how Nolan likes to look at himself in the mirror!

It was totally cute to watch JJ and Jennifer dote on baby Nolan. They even got all the nooks and crannies with a cotton ball!

Nolan seemed relaxed in the warm water, but I think all of the attention from his relatives might have overwhelmed him a little bit.

He was ready to go bed after his bath.

All snuggled up with Mommy! Phew! :)