Pismo Beach in Febuary

We drove up to Pismo to visit Grandma/Grandpa Tavis. We had such a great time! It is so green, lush and beautiful. Highlights: climbing the sand dunes, elephant seals in San Simeon, monarch's, piers, playing on the beach & painting sand dollars. We had yummy food and Grandma's Banana Pudding. We stayed in the same park and they did and camp fired at night. One morning (after breakfast) we had s'mores and a guy driving by stopped and said we looked like an RV commercial, it was fun! We can't wait to come back and have s'more fun...real soon:)

Eagles, Volcanos, and a Plane Crash

Happy New Years! It's 2009.

We spent the weekend with our friends the Gerums at their Lake Jody house. It's my families favorite place to go. It was very cold so we didn't go into the water but did a lot of other fun things. Saturday we went up into the mountains in search of a fighter jet place crash that happened in 1964. It is still up there for people to hike too. After that we went about 1/2 hour towards different mountains that are made of lava rock. There is lava rock for miles and miles around. That was really neat to hike around and see so much lava rock. Gus and I found a couple mountains in a row and in between there was path ways that the rocks made, you can see part of one path way in the right picture below.

A Bald Eagle was flying around the house also. If you look close to the tree picture you will see it sitting on a branch in the middle. It flew away when the neighbors dogs startled it.

We rode motorcycles everyday and Alex drove the sand rail and crashed hard coming down a hill. She ended up upside down strapped in by her seat belt.

Christmas Beauties!

The Chavez Christmas Party was very fun with great food and our white elephant exchange.We really only get together about twice a year, so it's always a great time!

From right to left starting with the Matriarch as she is called, Irene, Pam, Ann & Christine

Christmas

It's christmas! Hi guys, today is christmas day at my house I got some really cool presents but my favorites are a secret agent car thats under cover, and a automatic car that I actually build with screws and nuts and I also get to build the battery holder.

Camping in Julian

Last weekend we went to a campground in Julian. It rained all day on Saturday and snowed all night. On the day we were leaving it was very cold . I took a couple pictures while we were there.

Mission Inn

Saturday night we saw the lights at The Mission Inn in Riverside with our friends Mady, Jack Chad, Belle, Mary, Jared, and their uncle and Aunt. Before we went to see the lights they came and ate dinner with us. Me and jake played video games on the play station 2 that we have. Ten we drove for a while and parked in a parking lot, we started walking and the lights were absolutely incredible. We had a lot of fun, we went in to the mission inn for little bit and then we went to get something to eat. It was really fun. I ate a gigantic Sunday with my dad and drank some hot chocolate. It was really cold and the hot coco made me a lot warmer. The Sunday was was absolutely delicious. Then we started back to were we had parked Then we said good-by to each other and they went back to there house and we went back to our own house. It had been a fun and exiting day with our very special friends.

Logan's Candy Store

On Dec. 17 we went to Logan's Candy Store in Ontario with our grandpa, The people in the store were going to show us exactly how to make candy canes step-by-step. It was pouring out side when we got there so we went inside. For a couple minutes we watched the people cut, shape, and then package. Then they started explaining how to make candy canes. First they poured a very hot mixture which was sugar & corn syrup and then cooled it down. They divided it into two batches. One became the red part and the other white, they stretched the yellow one on a big hook until it became white. Then he layed a big circle of dark red stuff and patted it on top of the white candy cane, and Then he counted five stripes and layed them on the other side of the candy cane. After that he made part of it skinny under a heater and then twisted it and cut it off with scissors. Then the other people shaped them into hearts and then stored them into bags. And that is how to make candy canes. Bye!

December 19th

My 3 year Diagnosis anniversary was on Dec. 19th 2005. I've have now been a diabetic for three years! We went to Chuck E Cheese's. Alex and I got a whole lot of tickets and we saved them all, we got over 400 tickets! It was a really fun day!

disneyland with the Gerums

Spencer Here! A couple of days ago my family and I went to Disneyland with the Gerums (Gus, Cooper, Chaz, their mom Cristen , and their dad curt) but there dad and Chaz didn't come. When our family came into Disneyland we sat down on the bricks with the Gerums to decide with ride we should go on first. Before we decided which ride Cristen gave Alex, Samantha, and I a presents, gift cards to Disneyland and rings for the girls. My mom got a anklet also. That was really nice of them. After that we decided to go to Space mountain and Samantha was barely tall enough to ride. It was awesome. Mom and I thought that Samantha would be terrified but she actually loved it! I forgot some of the rides we went on so I'm going to talk about all of the rides that I remember. We all went on Star tours, Thunder Mountain, Buzz lightyear. It closed early that day so we saw the fireworks and the snow at 6:00. Then we ate at a El Pollo Loco. Mmmmm. Then we went to are grandma's and grandpa's house to spend the night. And that was our day... bye!

decenber 10, 2008 (spencer's jornal)

December 9, 2008 - December 10, 2008

Hi! it's Spencer again. Today I woke up and I made pancakes with Alex for my family. When we all finished eating we drove to are close friends, Mady, Jack, Chad, Their mom Mary, and their dad Jared Baker. when I got in-side I asked their mom where jack was she said that their at school, she also said that she should be picking them up right now. And she left out the door... she came back into the house about in ten minutes. I went out side and their was Mady, jack, and chad. Their was also two of Mady's friends. When Jack saw me he ran in and put is back pack wherever he usually puts it and zoomed back out and we played in the jumper for Belle's birthday, too bad it was a princess castle. But it was really fun anyways. Then Jack and I went to see their new lizard Spikes. He was cool. We jumped in the jumper for about an hour and then I got to ride one of the motorcycles they have. I went around half of their street two times and it was really fun. By that time it was getting dark outside so we went in the house, And then Jack and I had a cool idea. We grabed two pillows from the couch and snuck out to the jumper and... PILLOW FIGHT!!! I fell out of the jumper a couple times and one time I fell in a little puddle of juice. But that didn't stop me from fighting. Pretty soon Chad came to fight to. The coolest time while I fell out of the jumper pillow fighting was when I was Running toward Jack to get him and he ran to the side and I flew out of the jumper and onto the Step part of the jumper and then when I stood up I don't really renember what happened but I think that at the same time chad and jack fell out to and we all made a big hump and I was at the very bottom. After a while we got board and had another idea... Soccer in the jumper! Chad and I against Jack. we played to 30 and Jack won, the score was 29 to 30. When were in the middle of our second game Mady and her freind came and wanted to play so we decided to play baby soccer, Boys against girls. You can only use your hands and you try to trow the soccer ball into there goal and block the ball with your hand. When the came came to pick up the jumper we had to get out and go inside. We ate dinner and then I showered and got ready for bed. When I was ready Mady, Jack, Chad, Alex, and I tossed Balls and whoever threw a bad toss or missed a good one stood out until some one from the other group messed up and then the winners moved on to the championship. We played a while and and then got into bed. That will be all for today.

The story of the candy cane

Have you ever heard the story of the candy cane, if not here is how it goes. Hold a candy cane and turn it in your hand, what letter does it remind you of? If you guessed a broken N your wrong. It should remind you of the letter J. J for Jesus, now turn it upside-down and now what does it remind you of? It should remind you of a Shepperd's staff. The red stripe on the candy cane represents jusus' blood when he died on the cross. He sacrificed himself so we could live with him again. The white stripe represents that when we get baptized our sins get washed away and our body is pure white and clean like when you were born. And that's the story of the candy cane.

Being Thankful

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. It's a crazy time of year but still so important to be together as a family and reflect on everything we have. I personally have so many things and feel I've been richly blessed. My kids are incredible, I love them so much!! All 3 are so different but bring so much as individuals to our family. Samantha..our little one, whose not at all a baby anymore, is so joyful and happy. She's a little ray of sunshine on feet! Alex...so shy, sensitive, and very stubborn. I really have to watch myself with her, she's so tender and easily hurt. I see myself when I was her age. She tries really hard at school and has such a good attitude about it, I'm really proud of her. Spencer...whom everything comes easy too. He absorbs everything and wants to keep learning more. He manages his diabetes so well and doesn't let it get to him. All he talks about for Christmas is wanting to give to families in need. Bo...the dog...finally potty trained, yea!!!!!!! Eric...working, working, working to support our family. His job is very difficult right now, that's all I will say. But...he doesn't complain and is up and gone until late evening. He loves being with the kids and absorbs what he can the short time he sees them in the evening. He tries hard to be the best husband and Dad he can, we love him! Yeah, I do have a lot,...and I love all of them!

November 26-December 1, 2008

Spencer's journal for the date November 26,-December 1, 2008

Today my family and I had an even Bigger day today then yesterday, or should I say days then yesterday (November 15, 2008). First, Alex, Samantha, and I cleaned our bathroom. Then Alex, Samantha, Mom, and I went to Victoria Gardens. The first thing we did at Victoria gardens was go into JCPenny to get Alex new shoes. We got new shoes for her because Bo chewed her strap off her other shoes so she can't wear them anymore. We also got my glasses that came in, they felt good. Then we walked around a little bit and then went to get pictures with Santa.

After pictures with Santa mom took a picture Alex, Samantha, and I with the big Christmas tree Then we went back home. While we were in our home dad called us, he said that he would not be home until 7:00. If he wouldn't be home 'til then, then we won't be able to drive to our grandma's and grandpa's desert house until 7:00, and that means that we will get stuck in traffic because it's the day before Thanksgiving. So we continued with our day and at about 6:15 we got a call from dad, I answered the phone and you know what he said? he said that he would not be home until 8:00. So then we decided that we would leave tomorrow morning...

We are now on the road and we don't do anything, after awhile I get really board and I start to play my PSP (that's short for PlayStation portable. We got there at about 9:00am. We pretty-much just watched T.V. and play with our dog Bo (well... at least Alex, Samantha, and me). I also play a new game that Grandma and grandpa got me with dad, the name of it is called Hyper Slide. One game that is on it is called Fast Pass head-to-head. There is four discs, red, blue, green, and yellow. I take two and dad takes two. The game computer calls out a color and you slide that color disc under the arc and if the color is wrong then your opponent gets a point. If you take to long your opponent also gets another point. It's really fun, even if dad won almost every game. Then we all sit down and have a wonderful Thanksgiving feast, grandma invited a few people over too so I ate with grandma, grandpa, Jim, another Jim, Dianna, mom, dad, Alex, Samantha, and Joy. It was great. We watched the birds eat out of the many bird feeders in the big tree. Grandpa told a lot of stories of when he and dad where out fishing. This is a real funny one... grandpa and dad were out fishing in the snow. grandpa was throwing stuff attached to a fishing pole and dad asks if he could throw one, grandpa says alright and looks in his fishing box and pulls out something he could probably throw. So he gives it to dad and he throws it, while the thing is in the air a great, huge Bass jumps out of the air and catches it in mid-air. And dad falls on his back. pretty funny huh? well let's get going to the next day of my exiting vacation OK? Then let's go... If I didn't mention, grandpa got me a really great waffle maker that makes four waffles at a time. It tells you exactly when it is heated up and when the waffles are ready. He got at Amazon.com. He found the exact same waffle maker at a store for one hundred bucks and when he looked on Amazon it was only fifty bucks. Anyway it is greeeeeaaaaat waffle maker I can tell you that.

After I made waffles I played Skip-Bo with grandma and Alex and won. Yah! Then I played again with mom and lost. Bummer. Then I went on a golf cart ride with mom and I have to say that I was I little nervous with Alex steering half the time, even though mom was helping. After that I played Yahtzee with grandma and Alex. Alex came in first, I came in second and grandma came in last. Alex only won because she got luckily enough to roll two Yahtzee's. Then I went on a walk with Samantha, Alex, and grandma. Now time for my next day of this wonderful vacation...

OK, Time to start my day. I made egg Mc. Muffins for breakfast. Then I watched some of Oliver and Company. After that grandpa, grandma, Alex, Samantha, Dianna, and I went to the children's museum. After we went to the museum we all ate lunch at McDonald's. I had a cheese Burger and a strawberry Sunday. Next we went back to Dianna's house to drop her off. We stayed at her house and watched her bunny hop around in the garden. It was a girl. Alex, Samantha, and I had diet root beer which was good. Then we went back to our house and I played Yahtzee by myself and to bad that I didn't beat my high score. Then I played Rummikub and won, And then I played Rummikub again and lost. After that I played Black Jack, and played Black Jack again. Next day!

Oops! sorry bloggers but I for got to right about most of today so all I have to say is I made pancakes. I'm really sorry and I did not forget on purpose. Next day (that has things written on it).

OK! I'm nearly done. I made Waffles and started a jigsaw puzzle of a dog and finished it, it was fun. Then the rest of the day was mostly packing and in no time time we were on the rode... When we got home our tree was set up and the lights were already on the tree because they come with it. In the evening Alex, Samantha, mom, dad, and I all decorated the tree with many ornaments and an angel. It was out standing.

CC's Thoughts!

Now it's my turn...Spencer has to step aside for a bit! I wanted to get a bit of me up on this blog, a few photos and stuff. Being a wife and mom takes up everything plus some more, but...I still have another side of me that gets to "come out" every so often. My favorite things: quiet time to read, listening to loud music (all kinds) and singing along, lunches with friends, date nights, movies, book club, girl trips. I could go on and on, oh yeah, rollerblading of course (don't do much of that anymore)! It's been 3 years that we've lived out here, it's was a very difficult move for me. I look back and think, why? Well, I lived and grew up in the same area my whole life...I had my network of people and like my little old house. I loved the weather (still do) and the convenience of the area we lived in. A girl in our ward who was moving also knew of my concerns and told me: don't worry...there are great people everywhere! She had moved many times and that was her experience. I hoped she would be right and guess what, she was. It took time to acclimate to the heat (it gets hot) and stop sweating like a pig. After about 2 years I was doing better in that regard, lovely. But the friends I have here are so fun to be with! I love to laugh be silly and act like a kid. I can do that w/ a handful of others who feel similar. Each of us are unique and different but also so much alike. It's a true blessing to be living here and wouldn't change it at all. Yearly Disney Trip Twilight @ Midnight

November 25, 2008 (Spencer's journal)

Spencer here! I've had a pretty big day today. I woke up and took Bo (our family's dog) on a short walk around one large street. Then Alex, Samantha, mom, and I got into the car went to... DISNEY-LAND!! The first ride we went on was a Rocket swing. there was six very long, fake rockets with about ten seats in each. Next, we went on Jellyfish Jumpers. There is two long polls that reach into the sky and about five jellyfish on each, each jellyfish also has two seats there is a seat belt, to release the seat belt you push a button on the middle of the two seats. During our wait in line the first pole of jellyfish broke down, but they fixed it in time and we all got the first pole of jellyfish. I sat next to Alex while I rode. I also have to say that it was pretty boring. After we went on jellyfish jumpers Alex measured her self and barely made it, last time my mom, Alex, Samantha and I came to Disneyland Alex wasn't tall enough to go on California Screamin so I went on by myself... three times. When me and her were done with the ride I asked her if she liked and she said... "that was awesome! I wanna go again I wanna go again I wanna go again, please please pleeeeeaaaaase, my opinion, she loved it. After Alex and I went on California Screamin my family and I all ate a homemade lunch. we ate ham and cheese sandwiches, and shared a diet Rite. Then Alex and I went on Mahollan Madness, as always... we had a great time, Mahollan Madness is always a favorite. Next we walked through a bugs world. We all rode on the Bumper Bugs, we have never been on those before. And they were fun. After the Bumper Bugs we went to a little water park, I didn't get to wet but my sister Samantha over did it a little bit, did you see her above? If you answered no... then look, trust me, it's hilarious. Mom, Alex, and I had to get a million paper towels to dry her off, but still she was wet. Then we made our way out of a bugs land and went to get two fast passes for Alex and I for the Tower of Terror. On our way there we stopped to get four churros... and that was our treat for the day. After Alex and I fast passed the tower of terror we went back to California Screamin and rode it one last time. Then I tested my blood sugar and that was the time something went wrong. Guess, what do you think is wrong? OK, I'll tell you now... I lost my meter. Then me and Alex went on one last ride witch was the Tower of Terror. Then on our way out mom, Alex, Samantha, and I went into the lost and found, the lady there said that somebody already turned it in to the other lost and found. So we all exited out of the park, made a right, and there we asked if someone turned in a black meter. The man asked what brand is it from? And we answered Medtronic mini med. He went in and about ten seconds later he returned with our meter. It was safe. When we were walking to our car mom wanted to take pictured of the sunset, after the pictures Alex left the cooler on the floor so now we have only one bottle of insulin. After that it was all home sweet home. Big day right?

Spencer's journal (Nov. 22nd 2008)

Hi! Today is the 22 of November, 2008. Yesterday my class and I went off track for six weeks. The first cool thing that happened today was that Alex and I played restaurant. We made a menu that looked a little like this...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

S.A. Restaurant

The best place for lunch

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

drink

~~~~~

water

milk

crystal light

Meal

~~~~~

Sandwich (with a choice of ham and cheese or PB&J)

Ginger cookies

Salami and/or cheese

apple, banana

peanuts

Dessert

~~~~~~~

Home-made candy (the best you can find)

Snicker doodle cookie

Have fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did you like it? I hope you did. Now, to get back to my day. Then I played with Mondo, we played tag on my bike and he rode his... well... I don't know what you call it. Then I went to get my shoe at my neibers house because I accidently kicked it over. I threw it back over the wall. When I was walking back to my home I saw Marco (who's one of my many friends) with his cousin. They were playing with there new Shepherd. They said that they were going to the park in about five minutes. We asked are mom if alex and I could go to the park with them and she said that we could. While we were there we played Shark together. After we played at the park Marco's older sister (Stephany) said he could stay at my house and play for about one hour. Marco and I played outside for a little bit, then we went upstairs and played Over the Hedge on the Play Station 2, by then it was time to go home. And that was pretty much all of today. Bye!!

Spencer's journal for the date November 16, 2008

November 16, 2008

Today is November 16, 2008. My family and I went to church at 1:00 in the Afternoon, during sacrement meeting all the primary kids(incuding me) went up to the stage and said different parts and sang different songs. The songs we sang were We thank Thee O God for a Prophet, Childs Prayer, I Am a Child of God, and many more. After that we went to our classes, we learned about Mormon, he was a very righteous person and once the only man on earth to be righteous. Whe n Mormon was 16 years old he became a captin of a army in battle, he was teaching people that were at least 10 years older than he was. Momon also had been told his future by a angel named Jesus Christ. Then after class we went to the primary room and watched a short video that was a little boring while eating rice crispy treats. After church my dad and I played Mario Kart on the Wii. Then my family and I went to Alex's and my recital. She was playing O Come All Ye Faithful and It's a small world, and I was playing God speed the right and Choose the right( both in the Hymn book). Sister Fishback has 23 students and hopes to get more. We met our grandma and grandpa there, after every-one played there parts we ate dinner at a room in the building. There was chips and dip, pretzels, carrots, water, and for dessert, cake and/or fudge. That was today!

November 15, 2008 Spencer's journal

November 15, 2008 for Spencer's journal...

Today is November 15, 2008. It is Saturday, The Robinson's family came over for the day, they have 4 people in there family, a mom, dad, and two girls named Sierra and Savannah. Sierra is 10 years old and Savannah is 7 years old. The dad's name is John, and the mom's name Jennifer. We had a lot of fun playing games together, except one. THEY PUT MAKE-UP ON ME! but luckily I got it off. For dinner we ate steak, chicken, rice, watermelon, and grapes. For desert we ate yummy home-made brownies by Jennifer. That's today!

Fun with the Robinsons

Day with the Robinsons...

Today the Robinsons came over for the day, they have two girs named Sierra and Sahvanna. Sierra is 10 and Sahvanna is 7. We didn't remember each other because we haven't seen each other since we were babies. We had a lot of fun playing together, exept Spencer (I ) didn't like one game they played at all. You know what it was? Put make-up on Spencer!! They got make up on him because there were four girls and only one of him. He got the make-up off quite quickly with a wet rag, then he threw the soaking rag at Sahvanna's face and then at Alex's.

Alex's Earings