My Bolivian Boys

Call it cruel or unusual punishment, but I think they look adorable. I bought a Bolivian baby outfit when I was visiting my LDS mission friends in La Paz, Bolivia back in 2001. So, of course I had to pose both David and Spencer in the outfit. David is on the top and Spencer is on the bottom. Both are around 2 months old when the photos were taken. The outfit is a little tight on both of them, and of course, it's too hot to actually wear it in Arizona. Ellos son tan lindos!!

Happy 30th Birthday Steve!

December 9th Steve turned the big 3-0! Melanie can't tease him too much since she's older than he is. We celebrated his birthday as a family with dinner, cake and presents. Melanie made Steve the famous "out-of-this-world" rolls for Steve. This roll recipe is the best one ever, as once voted upon in a Christensen cousin poll. Steve loves these rolls any time we're at the Burgess home in Sandy. It was Melanie's first attempt, and thankfully a success! Wahoo!

David enjoyed eating the rolls with Dad and trying some German Chocolate cake and ice cream. Spencer also stayed awake for the party and photos. Who would want to miss out on all the festivities?

Thanksgiving Trip to Utah and Spencer's Blessing

We had a great time up in Utah for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Spencer met his Grandpa Burgess and all his aunts, uncles and cousins for the first time. The first part of the week we were with the Burgesses and then we spent time with the Easthopes. Let's see...what did we do. Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Burgess's, shopping with the girls, dinner at Jason's, swinging in the backyard, playing with cousins, Thanksgiving dinnner with the Burgesses (yummy), more shopping (bought an LCD TV online on Black Friday!!), dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Easthope's (with Steve's cousin's family), basketball in the backyard under the lights, a trip to two cell phone stores and to Walmart, a second Thanksgiving meal with the Easthopes, Steve's eye doctor appointment, and Rook with Janae and Nate and Scott, and a take out of Utah Noodle.

Most important, however was the blessing of Spencer Dean Easthope on November 30 in the Kaysville 3rd Ward (Steve's parent's ward.) Both of Melanie's

brothers, both of Steve's brothers, and their fathers were able to participate. It was a special day for both families. Melanie's father guest taught the youth in the third hour, while Steve's father taught in the combined Priesthood/Relief Society meeting (it was a 5th Sunday). After the church block, the families enjoyed a dinner and lots of picture taking at the Easthope's.

What we'd like to think photo time was like with six kids at or under 3 years old:

What photo time really was like:

More Photos

David signing "cold" in sign language:

David and Spencer with parents and grandparents on Spencer's blessing day:

Easthope family and Burgess family members in attendance:

13 lbs 5 oz

Yesterday Spencer had his two month doctor's appointment. He is only 6 1/2 weeks old, but we wanted to get his immunizations before Thanksgiving. Poor guy. Both David and Spencer (and maybe Mom a little) cried when Spencer got his shots. He's doing well though now.

Spencer is growing a ton. He weighs 13 lbs and 5 oz--more than 5 pounds since birth! They said he's 25 inches, but I measured again when we got home, and he's about 23 1/2 inches, which is still super tall. We love Spencer!

Halloween 2008

We had a great time this Halloween. On Wednesday night we partipated in a ward/community trunk-or-treat at the church. David was a pirate with red stripes....and two other little friends had the same costumes! Spencer was a pumpkin, but he slept most of the time in his carseat. I was able to take David around to trunk-or-treat while Steve manned our trunk with Spencer. The weather was a little warm, even for Arizona - 90s that day, but it made for a nice evening.

The weather Halloween night was also pleasant--one of the few benefits of living in such a hot state. Around 6:30, David and Spencer donned the same outfits for the annual Halloween ritual. Spencer was first mate, and David hopped in the back of their Radio Flyer Wagon. Steve printed out some pirate signs for the sides and put on the canopy. It looked like a real pirate ship...kind of! It was great for Steve and me to be able have the kids in one place and not to have to carry them around the neighborhood.

We visited several families in the ward. People put up lawn chairs and gave out candy from their driveways. Sometimes neighboring families combined onto the same driveway. One family in our ward makes homemade doughnuts, root beer and popcorn each year. Another family puts out a table of veggies, hot chocolate, chips and dip. It was a fun evening. We finally got in about 9:00. As you can see, David was exhausted after the trip.....it was well past his bedtime!

New Baby Name Poll Results

What should the name of our newest arrival, due Oct. 13 be? (It's a boy!)

Results:

Jonathan: 3 votes, 4%

Tyler: 19 votes, 30%

Spencer: 7 votes, 11%

Dallin: 13 votes, 20%

Daniel: 5 votes, 8%

Jacob: 3 votes, 4%

Jose: 8 votes, 12%

Angel: 4 votes, 6%

Winner: SPENCER!!

10 Days Old

Day Old Child

My day old child lay in my arms, With my lips against his ear.

I whispered strongly, "How I wish-- I wish that you could hear,
"I've a hundred wonderful things to say, (a tiny cough and a nod),

hurry, hurry, hurry and grow So I can tell you about God."
My day-old baby's mouth was still And my words only tickled his ear,

But a kind of light passed through his eyes,

And I saw this thought appear:
"How I wish I had a voice and words,I've a hundred things to say.

Before I forget, I'd tell you of God --I left Him yesterday."
by Carol Lynn Pearson

We are so grateful Spencer is already 10 days old instead of being born today on his due date. It was wonderful having Grandma Burgess here last week and Grandma Easthope with us this week. David is doing great with his baby brother, and first thing in the morning he does the sign for baby, wanting to know where Spencer is. David is fascinated with Spencer, but quickly moves on to something else that catches his interest.


Spencer is our "Conference Baby," born the day before the General Conference of the LDS Church. We were able to watch a few talks from the hospital, but we will have to read the rest of them in the Ensign. We had a difficult time deciding on a name for him but decided on Spencer Dean the day after he was born. Spencer shares the name with two prophets: Thomas Spencer Monson and Spencer W. Kimball. Spencer's great-great grandmother (Grandpa Burgess's maternal grandmother) is Myra Spencer King. His middle name Dean is Grandpa Burgess's name. We know Spencer has many great ancestors on both sides of the family who love him and will watch over him. We are so grateful that Spencer was sent to our home.

Spencer Dean Easthope

Early Friday October 3, 2008, we welcomed to the world our second son, Spencer Dean Easthope. He was born at 3:08 AM, weighed 8 lbs 1 oz, and was 21.5 inches long. The birth took place at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Mesa, AZ. It was so quick (we checked in to the hospital around 2:00 AM after dropping David off to some friends) that the doctor did not make it in time and Melanie didn't get the epidural she was expecting. Spencer has dark hair, and looks great. Melanie, Steve, David, and Spencer came home around 7:00 PM on Saturday. Gratefully, Grandma Burgess has come to Arizona for a few days to help out. Below are some photos:

BYU Football (59-0)

On Saturday, after going to the temple with Melanie, I had to go to work - right during the BYU - UCLA football game! Luckily, I was able to listen to the game online at KSL. It was pretty exciting. BYU creamed UCLA 59-0. Later I learned that TCU beat Stanford, New Mexico beat Arizona, and UNLV beat ASU - the Mountain West is 5-0 this year against the PAC-10! Look where the MWC is ranked by ESPN this week, and who their top performer was here.

Max Hall and former Cougar QB John Beck both attended Mesa Mountain View High School, which is just down the street from where we live, and where the kids in our neighborhood go to school. Both of their families still live in our stake!

Baseball "Experience"

One night a few weeks ago, we were able to have a night out alone. Steve's former roommates came over to watch David (and the Olympics), while we went to the Diamondbacks game. We received tickets from Steve's work, three rows up from the field. It was kind of a "Hoosiers" experience for Steve. From these seats, you can tell that the bases are 90 feet apart, and the rubber is 60'6" from the plate, the same infield measurements as Steve played on in high school. The Diamondbacks won the game. Here's what it looked like -Just think of Gene Hackman and a measuring tape, only this time on a dirt infield.

Family Update - Sept 15

We are now in the last month until the new baby arrives! Melanie is doing well, although she does, as expected, get pretty tired at times. Just this week, David has learned how to eat cantaloupe with a fork, play piggy back ride with Mom and Dad, and explore around the house. He is starting to develop his own opinions...

David is also learning about phones. In Sunday School class this Sunday, David found an old cell phone in his diaper bag. He picked it up, put it on his shouler, and started jabbering out loud. Steve had to take David out so that he could finish his friendly conversation on the phone - and so that the lesson could continue! Here's David talking to his favorite aunt Lisa....

Arizona Weather Update

Like many parts of the country, the valley had some pretty crazy weather this last month. Here are some photos that we took after one storm in which they reported 80-100 MPH winds in some areas. Steve drove to work in the morning after the storm and took these photos - he works on the 7th floor of the office building in the background...There were power poles and light poles strewn all along the neighboring streets of downtown Phoenix where Steve works!

Our neighborhood also got hit - Melanie took a picture of one of the homes across the street - the tree fell on their truck. Luckily there was very little damage to the truck, as the branches on the tree supported the fallen trunk. Our home survived - but we did have one cactus tumble over.

It has been the wettest monsoon season since 1999. Last year, it was just the opposite - very dry throughout the summer monsoon season.