Afternoon walk around the lake

This is what you can expect to see on an afternoon walk behind my house. Click to enlarge.

Check out these two white birds. They just sit waiting for fish to swim between the rocks and then .... Bam! They eat them. Notice the baby turtle basking on the rock!

Yeah... so you can call me Grandma!

Courtney and Josh are expecting a baby! We are all so excited! They had their first doctor appointment today. The heartbeat was strong and the baby was flipping and moving it's arms and legs! Baby Alvord is due September 21, 2010 and the timing couldn't be more perfect since we will be empty nesters shortly thereafter! What a great distraction for me! Congrats to Court and Josh but mostly congratulations to Grandma Linda and Grandpa Steve and Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Sam... cause it's all about the grandparents! Yay us!

Adios Patrick!!!

Patrick has been called to the Argentina, Salto mission! We are so excited! Foreign, but very developed.... I am very relieved. Congrats to Patrick! We know he will work hard and be blessed for it! He leaves May 12th.

Americana Farmers Market

These are just a few of the reasons I love the Gigi's farmers Market at the Americana at Brand

It's big!

They have fresh baked goods for...

....dipping in these!

Everything is clean....

...and colorful.

And they let you sample... yum!

My favorite place to be on a Saturday morning. And it doesn't hurt that they have an Anthropologie, Lulu Lemon and Madewell there... I am a girl after all.

Happy Belated Birthday Lindsay!

my mother is posting this because she feels guilty because I am the only child she did not do a birthday post for and I called her out on it... so don't think she is all loving and bla bla bla... this is a guilt post and nothing more...

This is my daughter Lindsay and here is her birthday poem...

Lindsay, Lindsay sweet and fair,

Lives her life without a care,

Prettier than a flowers bloom,

She never, ever cleans her room,

Her hair is red, her eyes are green,

In the morning she is really mean,

Like a bird she sings so sweet,

She has freaky long toes on her feet,

She makes me laugh all the time,

I have now run out of rhyme...

So happy Birthday Lindsay Lu,

You are now twenty-two!

Christmas In the Hood

We went to Santa Monica to take our annual Christmas picture. I wanted a graffiti wall to be our background and I found an awesome one! It's an office building on the corner of Cloverfield and Broadway. I am scouting crack houses for next years photo. Judy Hailey, the photographer that shot the kids weddings took these. Here are a few of my faves... (click to enlarge)

The 2009 Spiker Family Card

A Bedtime Story: The Bully and the Completely Innocent, Nice Boy

Once upon a time, two nice boys were shoveling snow... one wearing only boxers.

Then there appeared an ogre, a huge beast with a particularly large head.

He attacked the poor, unassuming boxer wearing boy while the boys father used his iphone video to document the unprovoked attack ( he later sent the video to friends and family)

The poor boxer wearing boy tried his best to escape the ogres grasp.

His attempts were futile as the beast was just too powerful.

When the beast was satisfied with his misdeeds he ran back to his underground lair.

The clothed boy was left unharmed. The moral of the story? Never shovel snow while wearing only boxers when a big headed ogre is present.

The End.

The Sundance Kids

We have loved Sundance Utah for a long time. We have dreamt of buying a cute little cabin for years. With home prices being what they are right now, we decided to make this dream come true!

Time to par-tay!

It's Luke's 17th birthday! Some cute girls are throwing him a party tonight. Woop woop!

In honor of Luke I have written a special birthday poem...

Twas a week before Christmas with babe number six in my womb,

"Come out! Come out! I have no more room!"

With little fanfare he arrived, looking like the others,

And was welcomed with the flu by his sisters and brothers!

He was jolly and fat and sucked his two fingers a lot!

Was babied by his mama and sisters, but by the boys he was not!

At eight, his siblings convinced him adopted was he,

Unfortunately for him this was not to be!

He is a Spiker/Petersen combo and it surly shows,

From his Petersen schnoz to his freaky long toes,

Tall and funny... but this kids has the smarts!

And he's lactose intolerant, milk gives him the farts

He grew up so quickly and is now handsome and so full of sass,

He knows mixed martial arts, so watch it or he will kick your... butt.

The End!

Chris is officially an attorney!

We attended Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher's swearing in ceremony on Friday night. It was a proud moment for all when Chris raised his right and and took the oath! He is officially an attorney!

Check out the fab Ted Baker suit!

Proud wife...

Proud parents...

Proud grandparents...