Spencer James Has a Birthday!

This is his GQ Photo!

May is Family Birthdays Galore around here! Chloe yesterday, Spencer today, Missy, Zach and Robert all have May birthdays and Owen is June 2. It is our tradition for me to write about each one as they move up a year. Today it is Spencer's turn!

Actually today is not the happiest day for Spencer because it is the day that the movers have come to pick up their household effects and put them on a big ship and send them to the USA. It is hard to live without your things for 3 months and even harder to leave your good friends behind.

Sometimes we forget how much the kids of our military families sacrifice for you and me. I interviewed Spencer this morning and asked him who his favorite friend is from Italy. He asked if he could say more than one. Here they are, Chase, Alex, Ryan, Patrick, Cole, Sean, Josh, Devon, Travis, Cody, Jonah, Chad and Ian. That is a lot of missing just ahead for him.

Spencer said he loves to do a lot of things with his Dad outside. Basketball, soccer, dodge ball (his favorite) and look for rocks, etc. In the above picture they are discussing ice skating at an outdoor rink on New Year's Day in Verona. He says his Daddy is very good at sports!

He had a hard time picking what he loves
doing most with Ross. I know they
love mom's hamburgers
grilled on one of their balconies.

Spencer skipping rocks in the sea at Cinque Terra

He also says he loves watching movies with Ross on long car trips.

They do have their moments as brothers
that warm a Gramma's heart.

Spencer is a builder

H says his favorite toys are Legos and Clone Troupers.

Apparently he also loves ropes and tying himself up
and then escaping! Or maybe Ross had a hand in this??

He also like wrestling around with Ross.

They have spent lots of quality family
time traveling this year.

I asked him what his favorite thing to do with Mom is. He said he doesn't do much with her because she is quite picky about keeping a clean house. I guess he forgot about cooking and baking with her, going places, and having her as his teacher since he thinks she is the best teacher in the world. ( Kids do remember the strangest things about their moms and what they actually do! Just ask my son if you don't believe it! ) I know Spencer also likes his quiet times to be with her and just talk and stuff.

Making bread he is not allergic to from scratch.
They even make the sacrament bread
for their whole ward every week.

Spencer loves to eat out at "Arizona" in Italy. {Odd name I know for an Italian restaurant.} Eating out is a very special treat for Spencer as he has a severe peanut allergy (see this post) that prevents him doing this in most places. But Arizona is safe and he LOVES Marguerita Pizza more than anything! He says he will miss this the most about Italy as it is almost impossible to duplicate here in the USA. And our restaurant dough is made with soy and he cannot eat soy either. So mom is trying to duplicate it. She might need a pizza stone, the crust has to be just right..

He enjoys Caprese Salad made with real buffalo
milk mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.

Yummy, like no other!

He said he will not miss the Italian language.
He can understand some of it but does not speak it.

Here are a few of the other things Spencer told me about himself this morning:

His favorite color is Green...lime green...maybe even neon green.

Favorite books...Louis Sacher books like Wayside School and Holes.

Favorite place to visit: A pool and water slide in Germany and Legoland in Germany.
(Sadly, not Gramma and Grampa's house!)

Favorite school subject...Science

Least Favorite school subject...History, too many work sheets.

Favorite animals... Wolves, Dogs, Birds

Favorite movies...Holes and he loves the Bill Cosby show reruns.

His biggest pet peeve..."Mom will not let me dig holes (seem to be a recurring theme) in the back yard!"

Favorite Dessert...Pie, any kind.

Enjoy Your Birthday Pie, Spencer!

Happy Eleventh Birthday Spencer.
Grampa and I send lots of hugs your way,
in fact here's a whole box of them just for you!