It's Great to Be Eight!!

Our little Spencer turned 8!!  Since his birthday fell on a school day, we celebrated on Labor day which was a couple days before his real birthday.  After some gentle nudging, Spencer decided he wanted to go to the Syracuse Family Fun Center for his birthday activity.  On our way there we stopped at his usual favorite, Red Robin, for lunch.

Spencer got his all time favorite, Mac & Cheese!  Not just any Mac & Cheese, Red Robin's Mac & Cheese.  Spencer has made it his personal responsibility to test and critique every Mac & Cheese nationwide and compare them all to Red Robin.  No one's Mac & Cheese has hit the target so far.

Our BIG, SiLLY, Birthday boy!

At the Fun Center we signed up for unlimited mini golf, laser tag, bowling, and bouncy house jumping and boy did we get our money's worth!

Golfing in the glowing black lit golf course...

Bowling...

And his favorite, laser tag!

I think Spencer played 1 round of bowling, 6 games of laser tag, and 3 rounds of golf along with a lot of bouncy house jumping.  After five hours of fun, we headed home after stopping at Sonic for a cold treat on the way.

Spencer's Oreo shake!

A couple of days later, it was time for the REAL thing! Spencer's birthday breakfast request was: crepes, filled with cream and fresh peaches alongside sausage links and Ruby Red grapefruit juice.

He opened a couple small gifts before he headed off to school.

Nate, Lauryn and I surprised Spencer at school and ate lunch with him.

That evening, it was "Avengers" party time!

An Avengers party is not complete without an Iron Man cake!

Now it was time for the important stuff...the gifts! Spencer had asked for a lap top, a cell phone, and a credit card...let's see how he did...

Hockey clubs from Preston!

Mom and Dad gave him his Scout uniform, and Wolf book!

Along with another big surprise..brand new scriptures!

He was shocked to see a crisp new quad with HIS name on it!  

Complete with a football scripture case.  He loved it.  It was darling.

Spencer with his new scriptures.

He also scored a Target gift card from Grandma & Grandpa Monson, some money from Papa & Grandma Martin, an Iron Man vehicle from Brian & Mindi, and Iron Man Legos from Matt & Kaelynn.  We also gave him an American Express gift card, a tie and tie-pin for his baptism, a baptism prep book and a CTR ring.  

He wanted Red Velvet cake, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream and boy was that a rich combo!

A cute party guest

Spencer had a wonderful birthday and we are looking forward to his baptism in a couple of weeks.  He is more excited than anything to be starting Scouts! Within 24 hours of receiving his Wolf book, he had finished his Bobcat and was begging to start on his Wolf already.  He wanted to wear his scout shirt to school the day before his first den meeting because he wanted to make sure he was ready 36 hours in advance:).

Spencer is an amazing kid.  He is unbelievably relaxed and he doesn't let the little stuff get to him.  He is so smart and continues to amaze us in his academics and French.  He loves school and he loves being outdoors.  He loves to challenge himself and he is becoming quite the piano player.  When he sets his mind to something, it's almost impossible to change his mind.  He loves trying new things and I love his sense of adventure!

Spencer is growing up physically as well and he will pass me up within the next few years.  He is acting so grown up and becoming self sufficient.  He loves to feel a part of the older crowd.  Whenever we are making a meal or going out to dinner, he wants whatever Nate and I are having.  He's done with the kid's meals!  The chicken nugget/corn dog days are over.  He has a mature pallet and he's willing to try just about anything new.  One of his favorite after school snacks is crackers with cream cheese and jalapeno jelly.

On his birthday after the guests had gone home and Preston and Lauryn were in bed, Spencer came upstairs to put something away and on his way back downstairs for bed, he paused and turned around and came back and gave me a big hug and told me thanks for a great birthday.  I know that these hugs are not going to be given so freely in the near future.  I will be begging for hugs or any type of physical affection in a few years and that moment meant a lot to me.  We love our Spencer and we are so proud of him for being such a wonderful son!