Spencer being adorable

Spencer is adorable. It's not said enough. :) Here he is singing to the birthday card that Garrett got from my parents for his 5th birthday a few weeks ago. My mom likes to send the singing birthday cards, and the boys love them. Spencer even throws in the cough from the chipmunk and giggle at the end. He also has gotten in the extremely cute habit of wearing a backpack like his older brothers, complete with water bottle in the side pouch. If I say it's time to pick one of them up from school he has to have his backpack on too. I have yet to get a picture of him in his Thomas backpack, but here is sporting his monkey back pack. We've been watching random pictures of the boys ever since Richard was born on our screen saver and it brings back so many memories and I've had a really hard time accepting how much they are all growing up and that their sweet babiness is just a memory.
   Spencer holds me around the neck and still plays with my hair all the time. He is such a good comfort to me when I can't cope. I get to the point where I feel like no one cares, Heavenly Father has abandoned me, and then all of a sudden there is Spencer with a great big hug and cuddle. Fine. That is supposed to be my sign that Heavenly Father sent me the right child. Sort of like when I miscarried at 11 weeks several years ago and although he didn't know it, Richard was the best medicine I could've had. Just his presence helped me get through it. Garrett could always make me laugh with his huge mouth and happy face. Here are some cute boy pictures:

 Richard 11 months

 Garrett 8 months

Spencer 8 months

Playing Sorry, sort of.

We all love playing board games. And Garrett is a master at Sorry. Spencer also loves to say "My turn" and he says "wawies" for sorry.

Birthday Videos

4 and 5 year old Garrett

So Garrett started kindergarten the day before he turned 5. His birthday was Wednesday, August 31st. He is such a darling, sensitive little person. 

 Spencer likes to swing 'high' on the big swings. He is definitely one to supervise when it comes to climbing and daring attempts, because he will attempt!

 There he goes, off to school! He got a new Darth Vader backpack for his birthday the next day, but he likes the little Thomas one. Richard got that for his 3rd birthday from Aunt Becky.

 Spencer hanging.

 Lining up to go in, and waving good bye.

 Birthday friends from Primary: Ian, Lidia, and Alaya.

 The pinata was a big hit.

 Lidia is amazed at Alaya's hitting technique.

 Look at all the support for Lidia! They're all so happy!

 See Ben warding them off as Ian makes some candy go flying.

Garrett chose a motorcycle cake

Yearly Campout

So this is the 3rd annual Thornton Family camp-out. We joined the ward camp out up at Lodgepole past Heber. It was a lovely camp ground, but it was right at the foot of the highway and we were graced with huge semi-trucks zooming past all night that sounded like aircraft. It was a really nice group that went. So, highlights of the trip: Spencer burned his hands in the first hour we were there. He jumped up to see the fire and in order to catch himself he landed on the fire pit's metal ring...of course. He has never liked Band-aids, always tries to pull them off. Once we succeeded in wrapping him up with burn cream and gauze he was ok with it, for a while. And as Richard so brilliantly pointed out "Hey we finally got to use the first aid kit in the van." Yea. I've had it in there for years, and have used a few Band-aids but nothing more than that. 

The ward had a pinata for the kids and one for the adults. We went in age order. :) Ben and I were at the top. Like, right after the Bishop and his wife. Then we roasted S'mores and then it was bed time for Garrett, so I took him and Spencer and got us all ready and while they went to sleep I read in the other tent. Yes, we invested in a little 4 man tent from Emergency Essentials. That store has a lot of expensive stuff, but for $38 I couldn't have asked for a better little tent. After a while I thought about going to sleep where I was as that was the original plan, but I was too cold all by myself in there! Dang it, I always forget how cold it gets at night, in the summer, in the mountains, when you're trying to sleep. So I crawled into Ben's mummy bag and slept near the little boys for extra warmth. Over all it was a fun experience and I was pleased with how well everyone behaved and helped, etc. 

 This was not hot , FYI. He burned his hands on a different later on. 

 Once it's Garrett's bedtime, nothing else matters.

 Whoever invented strollers for restraining little toddler boys was a genius. :)

Thanks for the head lamps Dad; they came in really handy and Richard especially like them. :)