Congrats Scottie!!

Scott has been slowly making his way up the paramedic/firefighter ladder. It's a process, not something you can just "walk on." Scott has taken both EMT classes, and currently holds his EMT-Advanced licence. The next step to getting accepted into the Paramedic program is to finish his core classes, which he is currently doing. However, to become a firefighter is a little more difficult. Usually the fire fighter classes, are only offered through fire departments - each fire department (for the most part) has a "fire academy." But the only way to become a part of the fire academy is to get "hired" as a volunteer. It's not just a school, where you go to class, and come home. You are required to volunteer with the fire station as well. Before the class begins, the group of hired volunteers, do some fund raisers to help fund the cost for them to take the class. It's obviously not completely desirable, because it's all volunteer for a year (sometimes more), but it's the only way to become a firefighter. The Eagle ID Fire Department started taking applications for their academy/volunteers this summer. Also, with fire, or any other law enforcement, there's a whole hiring process, which involves interviews, tests, and physical challenges. Just to become a volunteer, you have to be asked to come for an interview, and then a physical test. We were so excited when Scott made the 1st cut, and was asked for an interview. Overall the department received 300 or so, applications for this years volunteers. This was cut in half, for the interviews. Then after the interviews, it was cut down again for those asked to take the physical challenge. So we were thrilled again, when Scott was asked to take the physical challenge. The physical challenge was a timed test, involving lifting, and moving, and running heavy things....you know, the stuff fire fighters do.....I've always teased Scott that he was put on this earth to lift heavy things:) And after the physical test 20-25 people are chosen. Scott did awesome on the physical test, and was accepted into the volunteer program!! out of 300 people!! We are so excited, he can finally get that fire fighter 1 class under his belt. Congrats Scottie. The main fund raiser the volunteers do, is the haunted woods, in Eagle. So Scott has been busy building and putting together the haunted woods (I don't think he'll every get away from construction:)). He's excited to scare people, that is totally up his alley. We are working on his costume. I refuse to go. All these pictures I've posted have been from the Eagle Fire Department Open House. Every year, they open the fire station to anyone, and give demonstrations, let the kids go wild on the fire trucks, and let you play with the fire dog. There was also free hot dogs, pop, cookies, balloons, and other goodies. Scott got to help pass out the hot dogs. Spencer had a blast, and he loves fire trucks. He also loves that his dad works with fire trucks.

Little run to Rexburg

The company Scott works for has several branches all over the country; several in every state. Over the past few weeks, the Rexburg branch was short-handed, and needed some help. So Scott got sent to Rexburg for 2 weeks to help out. His last week, he was planning on working Monday thru Saturday, and again the following Monday, and Tuesday. Spencer and I decided to get out of town, and go visit him over the weekend, instead of him driving back this way. Of course, when we are only an hour or so away, Scott found out that he was needed in Boise the last Monday, and Tuesday. So, he could have just come home Saturday, and been done with Rexburg. Luckily, he still had the room reserved all the way through Tuesday, so we had somewhere to stay overnight.

When Spencer and I arrived we immediately headed over to Applebee's. It was in the same parking lot as his hotel. Spener loves onion rings, but he only eats the onion, and leaves the breading. At least he eats the healthy part...right?!? After dinner, we went swimming in the hotel pool. Spencer also loves swimming, so he was on cloud nine. His favorite thing to do was swim in the hot tub for a minute, then the pool for a minute. Finally Scott and I just had one of us stay in the pool, and one stay in the hot tub....we weren't enjoying the temperature change as much as Spencer was. After the pool, we watched the BSU game, GO BRONCOS....we did win, but it was a crappy game.

The next day, we did a little site seeing in Rexburg....not much to see. We drove by the Temple, very pretty up on a hill. Then Scott showed me where he worked for 2 weeks, and that was about it.

On our way out, we decided to stop at Bear World.

It was pretty cold outside, but Spencer had a hay day. All he wanted was, "more bears, more bears." He kept trying to do everything he could to get close to the baby bears. Bear World does a drawing a few times everyday, and the winner gets to bottle feed the cubs. Spencer saw other people in with the bears, so he wanted to climb the fence and get close too:)

On the way home, we encountered a blizzard. It was horrible, I had to wear my sunglasses, because everything off of the rode was white, the snow flying at us was white, the sky was white, and I was following Scott in a white car. We had to drive separate cars, because Scott had his rental car. Plus my windshield wipers don't work that great. They smear everything when they go up, then wipe it off as they go back down. I couldn't see a thing for the second when they were going up, I just had to keep them going really fast. After awhile it turned into a rainstorm. I don't know which one was worse. We finally made it home, it was my Mom's birthday!! So we surprised her, because I wasn't planning on being home that early. Since Scott was supposedly going to have to stay in Rexburg, I was planning on staying in Rexburg as long as possible. Putting me back in Boise late Sunday, or Monday. All Spencer could talk about was Grandma's (or AAma's as he says) birthday party, he loves parties. We finally made it, I had a huge headache from squinting the entire ride, but we made it.

Thanks Rochelle!!

On the 2nd day of our mini-family reunion, we went boating. And of course, I got all the way to the lake, and forgot Spencer's life-jacket. I asked my Grandpa if he had one, even though I knew my chances were pretty slim, and to my surprise....he did!! About 4 or 5 years ago we had a family reunion in McCall. My cousin Rochelle was in the same predicament I was in, needed a life-jacket for her little boy. She ran to the store to buy one, but the only one she could find was pink, with flowers all over it. It was this flowery, pink jacket which my Grandpa still had in his boat.

He looked so cute:) Good thing he didn't care. Thanks Rochelle:) I still haven't gotten a flash drive to my Grandpa's computer, for the good pictures, but here are a few I took with my phone.

family reunion

Near the end of the summer, my awesome grandparents hosted a small family reunion for the family that lives in town. They treated everyone to 2 fun days of Roaring Springs, boating, and lots of food.

The boys just couldn't last:) Everyone had tons of fun at Roaring Springs. Two huge slides had been added since the last time I went, and we actually got Katie to go on the Avalanche:) It was a lot of fun.

The next day we went boating. Spencer loves the boat. He also had a blast going on the tube with Lindsey, and Alex. My Grandpa has an awesome camera, and we got a lot of up-close, action shots.Once I get with it, and go get the pictures off his camera, I'll post them. Spencer loved going over the waves, but the second the water splashed in his face (from the rope hitting the water), he was done. I also went on the tube with my cousin Miranda, and we were the only two to get thrown off. It all happened so fast, I didn't even see it coming.

It was so much fun Grandma and Grandpa, thank you so much!!

3rd camping trip of the season

Our 3rd, and final, camping trip of the season took place over Labor Day weekend. We went all the way to Lost Valley Reservoir this time, and brought some of our friends with us: Sefa, Fanua, and Naki Matagi, and Matt, Lacy, and Karter Casperson. It was a blast, but a little to cold, and remote for my liking. We had enough food to survive on for a few weeks. Fanua and Lacy are awesome cooks, so we ate very well.

This is Karter (left), Spencer (middle), and Naki (right). We all have one little boy, around the same age, so it was really fun. They all played really well together, and Karter definitely managed to get the dirtiest.

Naki was a little bit on the sick side, so he didn't run around as much as the other two did
"I know," said Spencer to Karter,"Let's dump out the entire bag of Trix, step on them, and then they'll be there for later if we want to eat some!!"

We drove down to the waterfall/cliff jumping area, and the boys decided to swim in the freezing water.

Go Fanua!! The only girl to rough it in the water with the boys:)

Going to go trudge through the mud

We were surrounded by cows!! Spencer loved to sit on Scott's shoulders and chase the cows around!

Spencer's birthday weekend extravaganza

Spencer turned 2 on August 22nd!! We had a weekend of events planned for the occasion.

The festivities began at the fair, that Friday night. Spencer loves to go see the animals, and just run around. He loves feeding the goats, right out of his hand.
The fair was immediately followed by a trampoline slumber party. Lindsey, and her 2 kids, joined us for all the festivities. Spencer and Alex had so much fun jumping on all the blankets and pillows. Scott was pretty lame, and slept inside. It ended up being really nice outside, really clear. Lindsey's 2 slept in shorts and were fine.
Spencer woke up to a Cars (Disney/Pixar) themed house. His main gift was his new castle and forest fortress. We love ebay, and craigslist:) This castle/forest fortress/and accessories was cheaper than just the new imaginext castle alone...which is what I initially bought.
If you've seen the movie Cars, you probably can recall the tractor-tipping scene. Spence got a die cast "frank" for his birthday. He is constantly running around saying, "oh-no it's Frank!!" However, he leaved the "r" sound out, and switches the "a" sound for a "u" sound....you can imagine how it sounds.
Katie and I played with the castle for awhile. We set it completely up, and carefully analyzed which one would win in a battle. Based off of number of people, weapons, placement, dragons, and a few other factors.....the forest fortress would win. Then Spencer came along and actually played out the battle. I guess girls and boys differ in their play:)

After he opened presents, and played for awhile, we went to Planet Kid.

Spencer loves the zip line:)

That evening we ordered pizza hut, and had a birthday dinner. Lindsey made the cakes, and made Spencer his very own small tire cake. Our ward had a water party that evening, so we walked over after dinner. Spencer ran around, threw water balloons at dad, and squirted everyone with his squirt gun. Afterwards, we invited a few of our friends to come and do some night swimming. It was a very action packed day, and Spencer was ready to crash when it was finally bed time.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me (August 15) I'm now the big 2-5!!

Thank you everyone for lots of nice gifts and lots of food - - it was awesome!!