The Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

Saturday we took a day trip out to the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. It was our first long outing with Addie and a great way to spend the day! Here are some of our pictures:


Reagan's burial site.

A piece of the Berlin wall.
Niki & Addie with the view in the background.
The booth from the restaurant where Ronald Reagan proposed to Nancy Davis. 

Reagan Library- Mischief

Oh no! Niki is taking Addie past "Checkpoint Charlie" and "leaving the American sector" (that's what the sign says anyway). What a Commie!
Ssshh! Don't tell Greg but Ronald Reagan is sneaking up behind him! 

Reagan Library- Oval Office

An exact replica of the oval office- very cool. Addie started crying and I had to tell her there was no crying allowed in the oval office.
This seal is on the ceiling. 

Reagan Library- Air Force One

So cool! We loved touring through the airplane that served as Air Force One during Reagan's term of office. Sorry- you can't take pictures inside or we would show you. It was great! The whole wing that houses the plane is like a giant glass hangar, with all windows in front of the plane so when you look out of the cockpit you see the sky and view.

It is set up just as if it was in use. It amazed us that it was pretty tight inside. There are seperate areas for the pres, the first lady, the staff, and the press. There are two galleys (one for the big guy and one for the rest), and two bathrooms (same thing- a nice one for the press and the standard little suckers for the rest).


Also on display are the helicopter used to shuttle the pres to the airport and the limo he rode in.

Reagan Library- Mural

Inside the wing with Air Force one is a beautiful mural of planes from all different times that have carried presidents. It was great!

Addie's New Stroller

We got a new stroller for Addie on Saturday. Greg assembled it in the parking lot of the Babies R Us on our way out to the Reagan Presidential Library. Addie spent the day in it and has given it her stamp of approval.

It is great, but not enough to distract her from sucking on her lip (it is almost always purple now).




She even slept in it- which is miraculous! Here she is with one foot propped up on the snack tray. 

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Five Years today! Yeah!

None Too Soon

At six months of age, Addie finally had a bath that she liked. We only wish we were kidding. Up until now, water was bad, soap was bad, wash cloths were bad, it was all bad as far as she was concerned. But finally, we had some fun in the tub and here is the proof!

The End of the Day

"Addie's Day" did not end with dinner, in fact, things were only getting started. The following is the story of a very interesting night for the Spanglers Three:

Just after dinner Greg got a call from the hotel. It seems there was a large Hispanic wedding taking place and the band and the dj weren't working together and they needed Greg to come in and rent out and operate some equipment for the wedding reception. Off he went (not too excited about it all). Amy and Niki decided to rent a "chick flick" and make the most of the time together. Greg called home after about an hour, announcing that he would have to stay at the hotel all night and "don't wait up."

Greg's Evening:
Greg got everything in place for the wedding reception and the band started playing. Now this wasn't the kind of music he normally listens to, unless you count when the neighbors have a loud party. This was "Banda," Hispanic music with a lot of tuba, played by men with big guts who wear cowboy boots and matching outfits (this is of course a broad generalization). They played LOUD and the party of drunken dancers got started. After thirty minutes, the band started packing up. Bewildered, Greg asked what was going on. That's when he saw them- band #2- which he described as Banda's version of a boy band. A thirteen-piece group (3 drummers, 1 tuba, 2 trombones, 3 trumpets, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, and 2 vocalists) that sounded like a cross between skaw and mariachi (so he says).

When the second band had finished and the third came on scene, Greg was really grateful he'd put in earplugs. They played until 2 am, at which point Greg turned off the speakers. They finally called it a night and Greg got home, exhausted, at 3 am.

Meanwhile... back at the ranch...
Niki's Evening:
Just as Amy and I were finishing the movie, we both saw a very fast, big bug go crawling across the front of the entertainment center. We both sucked in our breath and pulled our legs up off the floor (why do women do this? It's as if we are afraid that immediately more bugs are going to come crawling out from under the couch). "What was that?" I said, "I'm not sure" she replied.

Amy bravely stood up on the couch to get a better look at our torturer. "Was it a roach or a spider?" (I didn't want to know the answer). "Spider." "I'm calling Chris" I said (our neighbor and friend, who could lend a little testosterone to this situation). The phone rang. More ringing. Oh no, they were already in bed. No one answered the phone. I left a panicked message that I'm sure they laughed at the next morning. Then I told Amy I was going for help. She was still standing on the couch- wanting to see the bug so we knew where it was, but not wanting to see it at the same time.

I went outside to see if ANYONE had lights on, and only two other people did. Swallowing my pride, I knocked on the first door. Our neighber R.G. answered and said he'd be glad to help. When we returned to the apartment, Amy was still on the couch pointing at the floor. "It crawled over there!" (this little bug didn't like to crawl behind things, he liked to go out in the open just to freak us out).

R.G. looked but couldn't find him anywhere. He asked me if I had a fly swatter. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed it, so glad to be helpful in some way. "I've got it!" I said victoriously, feeling so proud of myself, like arming a knight with his sword. "Good" he said, "now if it comes back out, you hit it with that! Goodnight!" And off he went.

Of course it came back- and almost as soon as he was gone. With flyswatter in hand I made the approach. Amy made the classic female statement of fear "don't let it get away!" Because the only thing worse than seeing a big bug is seeing it get away. I smacked it once against the wall and when it fell to the ground my fear motivated the finishing blows- all 20 of them. I whacked on that thing with primal instincts until it's pathetic little carcass was hardly recognizable. Then Amy and I high-fived and celebrated like we'd won the World Series. I wanted to leave it on the floor to show Greg, but the cats immediately wanted to come eat it (where were they when it was alive?!?!?!?!). So now you understand why Greg came home at 3 am to find a drinking glass and spider carcass on the kitchen floor.

We had a good laugh telling each other about our wild nights. Never a dull moment at our house!

Addie's Day- Pt.1

At the request of Auntie Kim, we chronicled a day in the life of Addie again. The following blog entries may only be interesting to family members.


Good Morning! Mom- why are you pointing a camera in my face first thing in the morning?
I get my medicine for my acid reflux. It tastes like mint and I like to spit it in mommy's face. It is sooooo funny. One time I even spit it on the curtains- it was great!

I eat, then get a fresh diaper. 

Addie's Day- Pt.2

I play on the floor for awhile with dad, then Timmy comes along, so he gets all my attention.

Notice I have one hand in my mouth and one on Timmy. I often like to mix it up a little and take the wet hand, put it on Timmy, attract his fur, then stick the furry hand back in my mouth. I don't know why mom tries to stop this, it is our way of bonding.

Addie's Day- Pt.3

I have brunch- oatmeal and sweet potatoes. I didn't like the orange intruder the first few times, but have decided that those vegetables might be OK after all. They also make a nice beard.
I ate it all up, then...
ugh! Mom wipes my face after I eat and I HATE it!