November 2011

November was a fun month for our family. We found out that we are expecting another baby. We are due May 30th 2012. We had our 1st ultrasound and everything looks okay and the heart beat sounded healthy and normal. We are really excited and we have one more appointment on Jan 4th and then we can schedule another ultrasound to find out if we are having a baby boy or girl.

Spencer is getting really big and learned a new word this month "helicopter". The way he says it is so cute and he thinks that anything with wings are helicopter's. He also learned how to climb on things, he loves to climb on the chairs and table. He even climbs on the back of the couch and gets on the cabinet. So we have to watch him really close, but no broken bones yet. His favorite cartoon is Sesame Street. He loves Elmo and calls him La La, with his tongue sticking out. It is really cute.

We had a really great Thanksgiving. We were invited to the Bradbury's (some friends in the ward's) house. It was really nice and made us not feel too homesick. We still missed spending time with our families but we had a really good time. We also found out that our rent is going up and we have decided that it's not worth the money we are going to be paying so we are looking for a new place.

Happy Halloween 2011

Spencer had a great time tricker treating. We went out with our friends, Brad, Leslie and their little girl Ruby. Spencer was trying very hard to say trick or treat but he loved to knock on the doors and get candy.

Arlington Cemetary

Our last stop was to Arlington Cemetary. Jared didn't go when me and Spencer went with my parents in May. We saw the tomb of the unknown solider and the change of guards. Here is a picture of the changing of the guards ceremony.

Jared and Spencer outside of the Arlington House.

Katy, Jared, Sharon and Spencer at Arlington Cemetary. We were pretty tired after a long day of sight seeing in DC, but we had a great time.

Old Post Office (August 2011)

We stopped to look at the bells in the Old Post Office. Here is a picture of Jared, Sharon, Spencer and Katy in front of the bell.

After the Butterfly Exhibit we went over to the Old Post Office to see the view of Washington. Here is a picture of Spencer and Jared with one angle of view behind them.

Butterfly Exhibit

There were a lot of Butterflies that flew around. One really liked Jared and stayed on him the whole time we were there. We had to shake his shirt to get it to fly away. We had a great time.

The Natural History Butterfly Exhibit

We went into the Butterfly exhibit in the Natural History Museum. We loved watching the butterfly's fly around. Here is one on a flower.


Grandma and Spencer loved watching the butterfly's.

Here is a picture of Spencer and his aunt Katy at Old Mine Ranch. We had a great time getting to see the animals and with Grandma and Katy.

Old Mine Ranch

Me, Jared and Spencer on the train ride at Old Mine Ranch. Spencer loves trains and was saying choo choo during the ride.

Spencer found a toy tractor to ride on that he loved. We couldn't get him off of it.

He got to ride a horse. It was his 1st time riding a horse. Jared held on to him, so he wouldn't fall off. He really enjoyed riding on the horse.

Old Mine Ranch Visit

Grandma Sharon and Aunt Katy came to visit us. We went to a Old Mine Ranch and fed some goats. Spencer loved to watch them. Jared put some food on the stroller tray and the goats jumped up to eat it. He also loved to chase the goats and pet them. We had a great time.

Laundry time at the Pike's Home (July 5, 2011)

I had to do some laundry and Spencer decided to help me out a little bit. Unfortunately he thought it was better to mix all the clothes into one pile.

4th of July at Mount Vernon

Before the daytime fireworks they had a gun solute. It was really loud. After the fireworks the troops marched out. We got a picture of them marching out.

The smoke from the fireworks. We watched them fromt he back of George Washington's home. They were shot over the Potomac River.

George and Martha Washington said "Happy Birthday America" before they shot off the fireworks.

George Washington in front of the troops. Right before they did a gun solute. It was too loud and Spencer didn't even jump when they shot the guns over our head. We also saw a naturlization ceremony, they brought 100 newest citizens and made them U.S. Citizens, it was really interesting to here what they say. We had a great day at Mount Vernon, celebrating like they would have back on July 4th years and years ago.

July 4th 2011

This is the stars and stripes band that were playing at Mount Vernon.

Spencer had so much fun at Mount Vernon for the 4th.

Fort McHenry

Here is a picture of Fort McHenry. We stopped on the way to take my parents to the airport. This is where the Star Spangled Banner was written. He was actually on a ship in the bay outside Fort McHenry when the British were trying to take Fort McHenry.

Jared and Spencer in front of a Flag at the Fort McHenry visitor's cenJared participated in the raising of the flag, because it was Memorial Day. They asked for volunteers to help with the raising of the flag and Jared ran ahead and was on a corner. It was a huge flag.

Gettysburg

We drove up to Gettysburg PA while my parents were visiting. This is The Pike Restaurant and Lounge that we saw while we were driving to the different battle sights in Gettysburg.

Jared and Spencer standing on an overlook tower and in the background is the town of Gettysburg.

We are standing in front of a canon. They say that some of the canon's are original and some have been placed there.

Abraham Lincoln, Jared, Crystal and Spencer outside the visitor's center in Gettysburg.

Jefferson Memorial, American Indian Museum and Botanical Gardens

We were tired so this is as close to the Jefferson Memorial as we got. We didn't want to walk all the way over to it, maybe next trip.

This picture is from the American Indian Museum. It was neat to learn about the indians that are native to the Virginia area.

Mom, me and Spencer at the Botanical Gardens in DC. They have lots of plants and beautiful flowers. They have an orchid section that was my favorite.

We went to see the outside of the United States Capital Building.

Me and Spencer in front of a swordfish display at The Natural History Museum.

The Lincoln Memorial. Inside is Abraham Lincoln sitting in a chair and Gettysburg Address on the wall.

The Korean War Memorial. They had big display of flowers. I'm not sure if they have it all year around or if it was because of Memorial Day. It was a very impressive Memorial.

Mount Vernon-May 2011

Here is a picture of mom, me and Spencer at the side of George Washington's home at Mount Vernon.

Here is a picture of the Gardens at Mount Vernon. It was really fun to see all the vegetables and flowers that weren't planted when we went in Feb. We had a great time.

White House and Boy Scout Memorial

Pictures of the white house and the mom, dad and Spencer in front of the Boy Scout Memorial in Washington DC.

Arlington Cemetery

Here are some pictures of The Tomb of the Unknown Solider. We got to see the changing of the guards. It was interesting to see and I recommend it. If you stand at the top of the hill by The Tomb of the Unknown Solider you can see rows and rows of headstones. It makes you appreciate all that our soliders do for our country.

The National Zoo

Grandma and Grandpa Taylor came out to visit us. We took Spencer to the National Zoo for his birthday and he loved watching the Orangutans on the orange line throughout the park. Here is a picture of Spencer petting a Gorilla (a fake one) He wasn't so sure about it. The picture in the middle is Jared and Spencer standing in front of the Flamingo's. The last picture is Grandma Shelley holding Spencer and he is pointing to the Orangutans on the orange line. We came out of the reptile building just in time to see them swinging throughout the zoo.

Spencer's 1st Birthday

We had his finally party on Sutnday May 22nd, when my parents were visiting. I also made a cup cake in the shape of 1. He loved the cake. He got a zebra ride on toy from Grandma and Grandpa Taylor that he loves to ride. Thanks everyone for making his birthday so special. We love and miss you.