Spencer is 17 Today!

This is his GQ Photo!

Today as I was about to write Spencer's Birthday Blog post I decided to look through some of the old ones for ideas.  I ran across this one and decided it was fun and that he might enjoy seeing what he was like at 11.  I always enjoyed interviewing our own kids when they had a birthday so that is part of what I did here.  I love this photo of Spencer.  He looks like a young Michael Buble.  So fun!  

Random cuteness!

Photos I found getting ready for this post.

The boys in a vineyard in Italy.

It reminds me of when we picked 

blueberries in Mississippi.

I  cherish these times so much.

Cute flashback picture to Maine Lighthouse boat trip.

I think thiswas thierfirst eyar back in the States.

It was freezing that day! None of us were really dressed

for the weather.  Spencer grabbed a blanket!

The boys were always so good about going

 on these outings when we visited even when they

they'd rather be home playing with their friends.

One of Ross' famous quotes that we always laugh about,

"Why do we have to go to Rome AGAIN?"

This weekend Spencer has a  junior prom he's attending.  If I get some cool photos of that I'll do a little post with those next week.  

"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!

So here is the oldie post from six years ago.

"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

He 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??


They are little rascals!

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 Margherita 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 Seventeenth Birthday Spencer.
Hope you enjoyed the flash back!
Grampa and I send lots of hugs your way,
in fact here's a whole box of them just for you!