10 Years Ago...

the doctors place the sweetest little baby boy in my arms.  He was screaming and I just smiled.  I loved that sound!!!  I know what it was like to have a baby not cry...not have the strength.  I prayed for this!!!

Spencer's spirit entering our family has taught me so much!  He lives close to the Lord and is very sensitive to the Holy Ghost and it's promptings/comfort.  I often sit back and wonder how much I teach him but absolutely know he continually teaches me.

Happy 10th Birthday, Spencer Justin Kroff!  I know you're Dad is super proud that you not only carry his name but carry it well on top of looking just like him!

Thank you for being an example to your sisters.  Thank you for bringing a thirst for knowledge into our home.  Thank you for desiring to make good choices.  Thank you for being creative with a new idea or twenty every single day!

I love your piano skills, how you soak up any science book you can get your hands, you enjoy figuring out math problems that are way beyond your years, rules and keeping them bring you great joy, friends are super important to you, you're grandparents and cousins are part of you and you want to know where you came from--taking pride in your ancestry!

My very favorite times with you are kneeling by your bed at night and finding out all the wonderful and unique things on your mind.  I soak it up and love having you as my son!

Summer Happenings

Spencer started his summer out with Cub Scout Day Camp.  He was lucky enough to take his Dad with him for a day out of the week :)

Allison started gymnastics for the first time and absolutely loves it!!!

We had no idea the strength and flexibility this little girl has in her!  Of course I don't have any good pictures of her actual performance but she's so fun to watch!

Our local library put on a carnival type grand opening to the Summer Reading Program.  Of course Alli adored all the animals!

We spent about 10 days in Utah with our family that we miss tremendously!  It's evident we enjoy this time because every time we get home we realize we lack photos of all the fun we actually had.  So, here's a few...Grandma Jennings spent time with us in the downtown splash stream/pad...

at the carousel and also the library.

When we drove up to deliver the kids to the Annual Kroff Grandkid Campout, Sarah jumped out the car to find these walking boots to greet her...she missed her Prader-Willi Syndrome Walkathon but Grandma and Grandpa were sure to preserve a slice of it for her!  She felt pretty special as she read notes on these boots that were left by those that donated to Prader-Willi Association in her honor.

A little skim boarding on the good ol' Virgin River!  Loved Westin and Bridger were willing to share their boards with us.  Good times!

Sand and Allison create hours of fascination!

Sarah caught a fish!

Justin turned 35 and we celebrated with breakfast and cake in Pine Valley with the Jennings...

...a hike with his brother, Steve, and his family. 

The kids made this tie for Justin on Father's Day!

Uncle Danny took us fishing!  Allison was lovin' it...didn't catch a fish but wants to go again :)

We visited Great Grandma Gurr and Great Grandma Jennings.

Justin got to go shooting with his brother, Danny, and nephew, McCoy.

These are just a few things that we did among family home evening with the Jennings when we got to swim at Aunt Heathers.  Visits with Amy, Ben and Chelsi.  Sleepovers with Bridger and Westin. We swam at Aunt Jocelyn's.  We got to watch Uncle Aaron and Matt play baseball...well Aaron coached anyway--catching up with Aunt Tami, Annie, Lacie and Jason on the bleachers.  We made breakfast with Becca and Emily.  We ran errands with Aunt Heather.  We hopped over to Aunt Camille's and Uncle Steve's.

We filled up our family tanks for a little bit anyway.  If we can't live by 'em we can visit 'em often :)

Clap Out to Summer

I'm enjoying Summer so much that I'm just now looking at photos we took when school got out.  Man, I love my kids!  I just feel so proud of them!  This little package of Nutella and bananas is what we handed out to their teachers...it was super hard to say good by to these specific teachers this year.  Their teachers were a perfect match this time around!

Not a great photo but I love having Allison visit the big kids with me at their school.  This was Spencer's 4th grade Clap Out from Elementary School.  I cannot believe he's onto the big Intermediate School was Sarah next year!!!

I got to attend Spencer's End of the Year Class Party and his class buddies voted him as "Super Scientist" and "Best Manners!"  I don't know what would make me more proud!!!  That's my kid through and through!

Sarah was voted the Leader of the Pack for the last quarter!  That's a huge compliment!  I just love this girl to pieces!  She ended her year on a great note where she just loves spending her whole day now with her Special Ed Class.  Her teachers are so great with her!!!  We've had multiple little miracles lead us to this Class and she'll be in the same class with the same teachers next year.  We are so so so grateful!

Oh, can't forget that Justin's brother, Paul, came to visit during the last week of school.  He was here on business but we were thrilled to catch up with him.  Maybe thrilled is an understatement :)

The whole last week of school I just could not get off my mind that this was the last time that my little shadow of Allison would be hangin' out with me as I bounced between schools to be there for Spence and Sarah.  I'm really going to miss my little partner!

I've loved this new Elementary School!  We've gone through 4 different Elementary School and we just are so impressed with this one in particular.  We were touched at all they put into Spencer's Graduation!

This was Spencer's Class and Mrs. Perry...that we so love!!!

Spencer was honored with the Highest Science Award for his class, the Highest Arts award for his grade and also A-B Honor Roll.  So proud of this kid!!!  Glad he's creative and smart :)