Greg Tries Skim-Boarding

I realized this morning that I forgot to post the pictures from our last beach trip a few weeks ago, so I'll be adding them over the next few days. Here's a few to wet your appetite for more to come.

He's up!
and....
he's down.
ooh- bummer

Our Lives These Days

I figured it was time for a little update for you faithful blog readers, so here's a little glimpse into our lives of late.

-Greg heard back about the position he applied for in Dallas. It was filled (not by him). Two days later another position came open, so he'll start the process again.

-We tried a great new recipe the other night from a new recipe source- Southern Living magazine. The recipe was for roasted fingerling potatoes and green beans with a creamy tarragon dressing. Greg stood up and applauded! He also preferred to eat the potatoes and green beans before his rib eye steak, which should speak volumes. Last night we made a zucchini soup from this same magazine and it was delicious! Even Addie liked it!



-Addie continues to be a character. She loves to sing. Right now I'm being serenaded with the song "Zacheus was a wee little man." She sings at some point during almost every meal. Her potty training isn't going so great. Partly because I am not faithful enough to remind her all day to go use the potty. For now she is in pull-ups because it's less laundry to do. I was warned not to look at this as a quick process though, so I'm in for the long haul.


-I heart Craig's List. It's true. We went out to Pasadena on Sunday night to pick up this beautiful corner cabinet for a BARGAIN. I've been wanting to replace the wicker freebie that has kept this corner occupied for way too long- and here is my newest joy. It was $60, which makes me giddy.

-Posting this picture gave me an excuse to brag on my grandmother, who was so talented. See that picnic basket on top of the cabinet? She painted that! The "G" was the first letter of her last name. I love having a nice place to display this now, so I can enjoy it more.






-The best part of going to Pasadena on Sunday was that we got to hang out with my cousin Heather and her husband Matt, who just moved here from New Jersey. I haven't lived this close to any family member since I came to California in 1999, so it is a real treat to see them so often! They came here to go to school, so I doubt we'll get to see them as often as I like, but it is still so fun.

-It was also nice to just have some family time on Sunday since Greg worked a bunch over the weekend. He has had a cold, so he's been double tired. As of last night he was starting to perk up a bit and get more rested, so I think we're on the road to recovery.

And that's life around the Spangler home! Hope you enjoyed the little update.

God Cares About Bargains

Some of you may not know, but my drug of choice is bargain hunting. Garage sales. Ebay. Thrift stores. I love the thrill of the hunt, the ecstasy of finding just the thing you wanted for a great price.... I could go on for quite awhile. I actually don't like regular shopping. To me, paying full price is just no fun. But I will wake up on my own at 6:30 on a Saturday morning without an alarm to go garage sale-ing.

I find bargain hunting especially fun when there is something specific I am looking for. Maybe it's some new summer shirts, or black shoes for Addie in the next size up... but for the past several weeks it has been a Fisher Price Little People House. After re-assessing the toy situation around our home and realizing that Addie was needing some older kid toys, I decided that to fully maximize the other little people sets she had, and to begin my subversive mind programming in her toward being a Titus 2 "worker at home", a Little People house was the perfect toy.

So I hit the yard sales, I watched them on ebay. I was shocked to realize that these stinkin' toys are almost impossible to find locally and they sell for over $25 on ebay because of the shipping! I checked Craig's List here, in Seattle, and Phoenix. I hit garage sales for weeks. I went down to the valley to the biggest thrift store I know. Last weekend there was a children's consignment sale and I was there as soon as they opened looking for that Fisher Price Little People House. No luck. I have to admit, I felt a little silly about it, but I actually prayed for a house.

And then I got another reminder that God gives abundantly beyond all we can ask or think. I can't help but laugh to report that yesterday, at a big consignment sale, I found a house, for $12.50. I was soooooo excited. This morning Addie and I went to a church rummage sale just for kicks, and there, in the back corner, was a second house. For $2.00. I almost peed myself. So now we don't just have a house, we have a neighborhood. Isn't God fantastic?

My First Pedicure

Addie and I joined Jen and her kids outside for pedicures the other night (with some extra onlookers of course).

I had never gone to the effort to paint those tiny toenails, thinking it would be about as easy as passing the proverbial camel through the eye of a needle, but it was much easier than I expected, and Addie LOVED it.








And look how cute!

Imaginary Friends

Did you have an imaginary friend as a child? My bet is, if you said yes, you are an oldest child.

I knew going into this marriage that my woderful husband had an imaginary friend as a child, and I learned to embrace Skippy the Dog Boy and the boy who invented him.

What I did not bargain for, was Addie inventing someone yesterday named "Dukilow" (pronounced Dookie-low) and carrying on conversations with them. Ur, him... I think it's a him. Talking with him, pausing in conversation for his input. Wanting to call him on the phone!

I was then informed by Brooke, also an oldest (though I have forgiven her for it) that she had an imaginary friend too! So I'm beginning to think this is an only child thing. I feel kinda bad for you only children who have to make up your friends, but really? I think it's kinda wierd.

Baby Signing Time Contest

So, my mother is harassing me to post something new on the blog, and I found out today that one of our favorite things- Baby Signing Time- is having a contest to win some of their videos. All I have to do is post on our blog about why we love Baby Signing Time. That's easy!
Addie started watching these videos really young and started signing at 9 months. They are really well made and I actually enjoyed watching them with her. I still can sing any of the cute songs from the videos.
What we liked most was the ability to communicate with Addie before she could talk. At meal times, especially, it was so helpful. She could tell us "more" and "all done" without fussing about it. And since she was fussing all the time for everything else, a little break was wonderful. Ah, if only we had learned the sign for "there is painful acid burning up my esophogus," how much crying we could have avoided.
So I went down memory lane and found these pictures:
Addie, 9 months, signing "more"
sitting on the couch watching the video, hands posed, ready for action.
And then this one- just a bonus picture.

Was she really this little once?

Potty Training!

Yes, it's that special time at the Spangler house- Potty Training! We started almost a week ago, and I should have updated the blog sooner, but I was busy being covered in urine. :) OK, so the only rough day was the first day- when Addie wet herself 15 times. By the end of the day I was pretty tired and discouraged, because we saw very little progress or signs opf understanding, but....
Day two we got up, went to the toilet, and away she went! In fact, she only had one accident on day two. I was shocked!
So now our big girl is wearing panties and pull-ups (if we go out) and we are so proud of her! We celebrated on the night of day two with a trip to the mall, a ride on the carousel, and a visit to Build-A-Bear. We were so excited to find big girl panties for the bear! Something only parents of a potty-training child would be excited about.
Here is a picture of Addie sitting on her potty and Greg motivating her by pouring water back and forth from one cup to another.

Movie Night

What do you get if you combine a balmy So Cal night with fun neighbors, a projector and screen, and a Bourne movie?
Courtyard Movie night! SO FUN!

Courtyard Potluck

Pics from Monday's Courtyard Potluck
Jen shows off the food table. She brought the YUMMIEST baked beans!
Chris Kropf and our other neighbor, Casey Ballard, debate sports trivia.
Dan Powell eats a steak. Like a man.
Ben and Jen- awwww, aren't they cute?

The newbies- our newest neighbors, the Stars. We think they are delightful! We also think it's funny that the Stars live next door to the Spanglers. We want another family to move in named the Banners.

A Change of Plans

Well, we were supposed to be visiting Phoenix this weekend, but Thursday night we decided to postpone the trip. There were lots of reasons- we're still travel weary from the Seattle trip, Greg's brother Mark and fam weren't going to be in town, and much more, and we wanted some quality time with our friends. We sure got it! This was a friend-filled weekend!

Friday night we had pizza and a movie at the Myer's, then after Addie was in bed, the Murrays came over for games.
Saturday, we did some family shopping time, then went to the beach with the Kropfs and Kaneversky's.
Sunday, it was church morning and night. We thought Addie was especially cute, so we took these pictures.


















Monday we had a Courtyard potluck lunch, then went to the Murrays for swimming and badminton in the afternoon and evening. Monday night it was a movie night in the courtyard for the adults! So fun! We are glad we got to stay home and play, but looking forward to heading out to Phoenix in a month or so.

Grant turns 3!

Can you believe it? Grant turned 3 this weekend!
After a nice afternoon at the beach, we all went to Andria's for fish and chips-
and cupcakes.
Clayton thought they were great- so did the rest of us!
Here's Grant with the leaf blower we got him.
He definetely knew how to use it!

Saturday at the Beach

We spent Saturday afternoon at the beach in Ventura with the Kropfs and Kaneverskys.
Here's Addie in the car on the way there- wearing her new visor (sooooo stylish!)
Our group staked out a nice piece of sand...
and got to work!

Dig!
Dig!
Dig!
OK, McKenna, that's deep enough.

Nicknames

Greg "Leaps tall sand castles with a single bound" Spangler
Colter "the Claw" Kaneversky- broke his wrist, and has a cast up to his shoulder! His parents didn't want him to get sand in the cast, so they devised this solution: rubber glove, ace bandage, tape. Worked like a charm.
Brooke "the Paparazzi" Kropf. Look at that lense!
Erin "Now I have a picture of you taking a picture of me" Kaneversky

The Beach, Pt.3

Addie and Clayton dig in the hole...
The three amigos
So there was this big bird....
sitting there right on the beach! And Greg kept walking closer and closer with his camera,
and then it took off right at him!
Rest assured, Greg is alright. The bird swooped over his head and flew off to less crowded areas.