Summer so far

Our summer has been jam packed already. We are enjoying the longer days, NO SCHOOL, swimming, and all the other things this summer has brought us so far.....most of which just involves us doin' our thing at home.  

The first weekend in June both of my brothers and their families came to town for a skeet shooting contest.  Clint, Clay, Kory, and Adam were a team.  They had a fun time and we always love an excuse for cousin time.  Clint's crew stayed with Adam and Doodle, but Clay's crew stayed with us.  My boys were SOOOOOOO excited to have a sleepover....

here are all the big cousins ready for bed

...and here's Mo giving the token "now lay down and be really quiet and don't play.  We will have all day tomorrow to play." yeah right.  Actually they did pretty good and went sleep pretty quickly. Maybe it helped that it was 11:00! ha! 

The boys will still randomly ask to hold Jaylie....they realize pretty quickly that she's big and busy so it usually only lasts just long enough for pictures.  (yes she's wearing Super Man PJ's....PJ's are a hand me down free-for-all. Gender not taken into consideration.  :) 

Q giving her a squeeze

klp trying to look like he's not uncomfortable

a quick squeeze before he asked me to get her.  

When j wakes up Q likes to go in there and talk to her to keep her happy til I can get in there.  I guess sometimes he decides to just get in the bed with her.  

Jaylie June takes swimming VERY seriously. And she's fearless in the water. 

We introduced Quinn to Manfred Mann's "Quinn the Eskimo" (The Might Quinn) and he is OBSESSED.  He literally sat there and watched the white iTunes screen for the longest time.  We checked our iTunes and we played it 92 times in a matter of just a few days! Ha! 

Playing "Captain Hook"!

Just some Sunday dress up cuteness

And possibly the even cuter dress-off bloomers only cuteness

Book worm.  

klp still naps some, but most days he doesn't and we get a little time with each other.  I really struggle to balance using that time for quality time with him really engaging him in something that is good for him (think: therapy driven sort of stuff) and taking advantage of him playing peacefully alone (or watching Family Feud) and getting some of my things done around the house when the little ones are sleeping.  Who knows what the right balance is, but like most things with this mom gig, I just do what I think and hope I'm not too far off! 

q practicing his J's

This is a hand me down from my cousin Julie's little girl....

klp told me one day that he wanted to write an email so he started making the marks you see at the bottom right of the page (he was using some scratch paper from Kory's work) and saying what he was writing.  I was able to scribble it down before I forgot it and it was probably the cutest, sweetest thing I've seen in a long time.  First he wrote my mom an "email" and it said, "Dear Gay Gay, Cook me a turkey sandwich and bring it to my mom. I love you. Dear Gay Gay" (I guess he wasn't sure how to end it so he just ended it the way he started it! ha!) Then he wanted to write Paw Paw an email too. His said, "Dear Paw Paw, Fix me another turkey sandwich for Quinn and fix me a swing outside. And fix me a slide and fix me a ladder.  Dear Paw Paw"  So, he's just a TINY bit bossy. 

just documenting a fit...

Post Bath cute...

Q wanted to take picutres with my phone. Jaylie was waking up from her nap so he went in her room and snapped this. Its probably only cute to Mommy since I know Q took it and I know she was smiling at him as he walked in the door and I love how cute she is sitting in her bed.  

Jayde's Cabin

Most people reading this probably know that Camp Deer Run is a pretty big deal to me and my family......and my husband who has grown to love it too.  Camp is trying to rebuild one new cabin per year and Kory and I knew we wanted to do something special with the money people sent to Camp Deer Run when Jayde passed away.  So, a few months ago, we sent this letter out to our families and a few friends.  

Dear Friends, 

Kory and I are writing you to let you know about a project that is very close to our hearts.  As you know, 5 1/2 years ago, we delivered our twins Jayde Spencer and Kanyon Luke almost 4 months premature.  Losing Jayde is still a loss and an ache that we feel in our lives every day.  After her death, we had many family and friends reach out to us and offer their support in any way they could.  One of the ways people honored Jayde was by making a donation to Camp Deer Run.  If you are receiving this letter, you are a part of our support system that encouraged us and prayed for us during that time.  Chances are, you have a connection to Deer Run, or you know what a powerful role it has played in my life.  We feel strongly about using those donations made 5 years ago to bless other children.  

When you lose a child, you also lose all the experiences you would’ve had with her. Losing the experience of Camp Deer Run has been especially hard for me to face.  I know that Jayde will never get to pack her trunk and head to Camp.  I know that she will never run around on Cheuk ball field, drink from Hoche grove, or romp in Killi Creek.  She will never stand under the stars beside her cousins while the group leader sings “At Night as I Lay on My Pillow”.  While those experiences are lost, we pray that her memory will live there.  Our goal is to build a new Women’s cabin in her memory.  It is our prayer that this cabin will give other girls the chance to run, play, swim, sing and encounter God at Camp Deer Run in a way that can only happen at CDR.  It would be an honor to see her name on a cabin and know that she, in a way, is there.  Those empty holes in my heart are filled in a little more when I think of my nieces sleeping in a bunk in her cabin, or the daughters of all my friends making new and forever friends within the walls of her cabin. How special it will be for our new baby girl, Jaylie, to one day walking through the door of her sister’s cabin.  

The cost of the cabin will be approximately $30,000 and we have $2,000 from the donations received in her memory.  We would love to raise the remainder of that amount to get the cabin built by this spring so that it is ready to go for Summer 2013.  We are asking you to prayerfully consider donating to this cause to not only honor our daughter, but to help support a mission field that impacts and transforms lives.  We are asking you to help us honor Jayde, and honor God’s work at CDR.  We see this as an opportunity to not only remember Jayde, but to remember how God was, and continues to be faithful to our family through the highs and lows.  This cabin will stand as a reminder to all of us that God is always with us and that he does make all things beautiful.  Our family has experienced God’s faithfulness in powerful ways and we were never alone.  Not only were we surrounded by God, but also surrounded by incredible friends.   God has given us an opportunity to use what we were given and bless others.  We are honored to answer the call. You were touched by our tiny babies and we know you walked through those valleys with us.  We are now asking you to join us on a mountain top.   

Long story short, we were reminded yet again of what incredibly generous, loving, and supportive friends we have.  The goal was met and exceeded in a matter of weeks.  It was a humbling and powerful experience for us and we are just floored.  Really, words fall short of expressing how much this all meant to us and how much it means to have people we love, love our daughter and us.  

They started building pretty quickly.  Here it is in late January/early February.  The cool thing is that they guy that built it just so happened to be one of Kory's contractors that he works with at work, so it was neat for us to know the guy building it and he assured us that they were doing an "extra good job" on this one!  

The day before camp started, there was a big "CDR Homecoming" and also the official dedication of the cabin.  It was a neat little time for us and the people that were there who helped make it happen.  

These pictures are from that day.....

My cousin Jay reading Psalm 36

Both of the boys could totally sense the emotions of everyone there and they both got upset.  In fact, just last night, a whole week after the dedication, Kanyon prayed "and thank you for mommy but she got sad at Camp Deer Run".  We tried to explain that we were happy about the cabin, but they could just tell that emotions were running high. 

Me saying thank you...

Ty saying nice things and giving us a beautiful frame to put a picture in...

Cousins playing on the bunks...

Daddies wrangling babies on the bunks....

All the cousins......This group here is one of the main reasons we wanted to do this. 

The whole Spencer Fam

gotta have a CDR silly picture!

We are honored to have this completed and so grateful for all of the support.  Camp is in full swing and just last week I got to see it full of girls having a blast.  I feel very strongly that CDR is a mission field, growing the Kingdom every day and I love that our daughter's name is on something that is literally bringing people to Jesus.  There will be a plaque in the cabin with a picture and the words on the plaque will be read something like this:  

 Jayde Spencer Phillips was born in to a family of Deer Runners.  Dating back to her Great Grandpa building the rec hall, her grandparents camping and working on staff, her mom, aunts, uncles and cousins spending their years at Deer Run, and now a whole new generation of campers in her siblings and cousins.  This cabin was built to honor her memory in a place that means so much to her family. The pain of her loss is deep, but God is always faithful in providing peace, comfort, and hope to the people that love her.  This cabin was built not only to honor Jayde, but to honor God.  The provider of all peace, comfort, and hope.  When you see this cabin, may it remind you not only of  a very special baby girl but also of God’s faithfulness in taking care of his people and and His power to make all things beautiful.  This cabin will serve as a place where GOD's work is done and campers encounter God and grow in their relationship with Him in a way that can only happen at Camp Deer Run.

Thanks you again to those of you who helped make it happen. This is a big deal to me. I am so proud to have it there and see her name on it.  We really do pray that it is used to glorify God for many generations to come and that people will see it and be reminded that we serve a FAITHFUL God.  

Memorial Day

Every Memorial Day Weekend, my parents host what we call "The Outdoor Challenge".  The guys all camp out at the land and have all sorts of manly "challenges" that involve their guns and bows.  Meanwhile, the girls all wrangle kids and go out to the land on Saturday to eat lunch and watch the boys do their games. Some years there are TONS of family and friends, but this year seemed like a lower year. At least from the girl side.  Most wives/kids weren't able to come, but the ones there had a blast! The men had fun again this year and enjoyed perfect camping out weather and not-too-hot for Kory weather on Saturday! yay! 

klp and Nolan found the Mule pretty quick once we got out to the land

klp visiting with the newly engaged Megan and Nathan!! YAY!!! 

My uncle John Richard was cracking me up with his pistol and holster (its a b.b. gun!ha!)

There's always a little fishing going on...

or a LOT of fishing..

jjp found Mr. Brad out there and loved him.  She sat so calm with him for a long time.  

Robin and Jeff learned first hand what a cuddle bug Kan Man is. He saw them sitting over there and just couldn't help but invite himself to sit right in between them and get "comfy and cozy" as he says.  

Cousins in the Mule headed to the lake to fish. 

This may be my new favorite picture!  Someone caught a fish and they were all touching it and laughing.  The sunset was beautiful and the squeals and laughter were even better.  

Q really loves to fish...He caught one and was going to take it off the hook....

....til he got finned.  

Q and his fishing guide Uncle Clay.

Avery was the expert fisherman.  She did the honors of taking all of them off the hook for whoever caught them.  

This was klp's fish she helped him with.  He wasn't quite sure about holding it after watching Q cry so Avery held it for him.  

While you're waiting your turn for the fishing pole, you might as well spit into the water.  

My Ollie Boy.  

What a Dad!! Holding a baby and taking a fish off the hook.

Nolan ringing the dinner bell!

Juney and Ellie taking a bath.  I'm so excited for these girls to grow up together! 

KiKi and RoRo

The next day before we left, Paw Paw and Daddy took the boys fishing while my Mom and I ran a few errands.  (see....we gotta work on his smile for pictures....not his best look)

Can't remember why klp has on PJ pants, but oh well.  Here we are... 

Trying to get the kids was nothing short of a disaster, so this is as good as it got this time.  

My cousin Paige (the photographer) came for the day Saturday and said, "Do you have anything cute for Jaylie to wear, I'll take her picture!" So I ran in and grabbed her outfit I had packed for church.  I love these pictures so much! She even got classic Jaylie with the wrinkled nose! Thanks Paige! 

I'll end with this funny picture:  We introduced Quinn to "The Might Quinn/Quinn the Eskimo" Song on our iTunes.  He was so obsessed with "his song".  He literally sat there staring at the white itunes screen listening to it for at least 30 minutes! Finally after about 200 repeats, I turned it off for the day.  ha!