DNA?

Today Riley told Andy that he shouldn't eat part of his food because it has his germs and his DNA on it. I asked him what DNA is. He said that it's the part of his body that makes him who he is. Good thing, then, that Andy didn't get any of Rileyl's DNA....we have enough hyperactivity in the house with one Riley.

Geoff got released today as the ward choir director (sniff).... such a fun calling!

Merry Christmas!

We've been having a wonderful Christmas! We began the festivities on Christmas Eve with a breakfast at mom & dad Steurer's house complete with a Wii bowling tournament. Derek Bowler whooped us all in bowling and then took the "winner takes all" pot to collect a total of $60! Way to go, Derek!

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with the boys here at the house. We enjoyed a yummy dinner of soft tacos, ate our traditional Christmas Eve dessert (we named it "north pole dessert"- see picture below) made of crushed up Oreo cookies and peppermint ice-cream.

Everyone opened up their Christmas Eve pajamas and then we sang Christmas songs on the guitar and watched a great video on the birth of the Savior and shared our feelings about Jesus Christ. We drove around some neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. The boys were pretty tired by the time we came back and they went to bed upstairs quietly so we could finish wrapping presents. It was a peaceful and relaxing evening.



This morning began with the boys hanging out on the bottom of the stairs while Jody and I peeled our tired bodies from bed at about 6am. The boys came out to the sounds of Handel's Messiah "Hallelujah Chorus" and tore into their stockings. We had them pause long enough to eat some delicious egg/sausage casserole and hot chocolate. After breakfast, we opened presents. The boys loved their presents from Grammy & Pops Young along with the Lego sets from Nana and Papa Steurer.



Jody was surprised to get a new sewing machine from her biggest fan. Jody gave me a couples portrait sitting with our neighbor who is a professional photographer. She also gave me a copy of the new book/DVD "Reflections of Christ", a fitting gift for such a special day! The whole morning lasted almost 3 hours at a very nice and relaxed pace. The boys built their Lego sets and Jody napped! We are grateful for the peace we've felt today and look forward to relaxing over the new few days with loved ones! Merry Christmas!

Great Dads....

Just saw these ads for fatherhood that are pretty dang cool. Here are two of my favorites:

http://www.fatherhood.gov/documents/media/tv/supersoaker30captions.wmv

http://www.fatherhood.gov/documents/media/tv/cheerleader30captions.wmv

A new voice...

Tyson has assumed the position of "the four year old who says funny things" now that Andy is older. Here are few recent samplings:

Tyson: Mom, when I'm a kid and I'm four years old, I call it "scabetti". When I'm a grown-up, I call it "scabetti"….. wait…. You say it…

Mom: Spaghetti

Tyson: Yep, that's the one

*************************************

Tyson: Mom, how old will I be when I'm a skeleton?

Mom: Maybe 100 years old?

Tyson: Oh man, I am sooo dead!

From the archives....."Old school" Andy

I found these old "kid bits" from Andy archived on my computer and thought it would be important to have these documented for posterity since the old website "steurer.org" is now defunct. Here they are in their original glory:

I want to be like Batman because he protects the city at night and then he's working all day. He's not a sleeping man.

Dad: Which do you like better...Mary Poppins or Fanny McGee?

Andy: Mary Poppins

Dad: Great (thinking he appreciates a real classic)

Andy: Because she's better looking

Mom: What did you learn about in church today?

Andy: About the boy who got a party when he came back after not doing what his father said." (the prodigal son)

Dad: "What's your name?"

Andy: (Dressed up in a crazy costume) "I'm Lightening-Spider-Monkey-National-Web-Poison-Bowl"

(While discussing appropriate Sabbath-day activities, Dad asked Andy the following question....)

Dad: "Is swimming a Sunday activity that helps us think of Jesus?"

Andy: "No, swimming helps us think of sharks and other sea animals".

"Someday I want to marry a Chinese girl so she can teach me to fight 'Chinese'".

(Referring to a friend's baby who they named "Noah")...."What if he really looked like Noah? He would have a beard and lots of baby animals piled all over him".

"Hey, Dad, you don't know what I'm going to name my kids....Star destroyer, fire destroyer, lightening destroyer, blah blah blah.... I bet they'll be really tall kids".

Andy noticing Geoff's scruffy facial hair growth): "Dad, you better shave that beard! They won't let you be bishop, but they might let you be a prophet!"

Dad: "Hey, Andy, have you built anything recently with your Legos?

Andy: "No, but I've been building the kingdom of God".

Jody: How did you like our singing in sacrament meeting?

Andy: Well, I didn't hate it.

(Written by Andy on a paper left on the kitchen table): "Jesus wants me to choos the rite. 7 Yers ago my life was vary hard. My famly works evryday. by Andrew Steurer I wish i cold be lik JESUS"
Jody found the paper and asked him, "7 years ago? You mean when you were a little baby, your life was very hard?"
Andy: "Yeah, cause people were making lots of noise and I couldn't sleep and it was just a hard time".

Andy: "I hate girls. I just like Moms"

Mom: "Andy, where would you like to serve a mission for the church?"

Andy: "I hope I could go to China, so I could make weapons to protect myself from bad people."

Dad: What do you think Heavenly Father's home looks like?

Andy: "I bet it has a white fridge in his kingdom and He plants his trees outside in space."

“My Papa (Grandpa Steurer) isn’t like old, he’s just funny. He’s crazy.”

Mom: We come to earth to get a body
Andy: ....so we can choose the right. It’s like a “choosing machine".

Dad: "Andy, I’m so glad Heavenly Father chose me to be your dad”
Andy: “Dad, I’m so glad Heavenly Father chose me to like spies.”

The other day at lunch Andy announced, “Mom, I can’t wait to be rich.”
She asked, “What does it mean to be rich?” and he answered, “To have lots and lots of dinosaur bones.”

Andy felt so good to have Dad home today, he wanted to say something kind, so he said, “Hey Dad, I love you. I still think you’re cool even when you’re naked.”

Andy’s prayer: Heavenly Father, please bless that Nephi will get along with Satan, and that Sam...(whisper to Dad) what’s his other brother’s names? Bless that Sam, Laman and Lemuel will choose the right.

If you want to help people, you have to have spy gloves and rope.

[While listening to Jody play the piano] : “Mommy, even when you play wrong, it still sounds beautiful. I’m being respectful”

Andy: (after burping VERY loudly) - “Dad, is it funny for a child to burp like a man?”

Dad: “Those are some big scratches on your chest that Riley gave you”

Andy: “I like them. They look good on me. Everyone that looks at them thinks I’m a mighty warrior. Dad, what’s a warrior?”

I think I’m allergic to snow because it makes me cold.

Why does Tyson roll around and make the house stink? (said after we changed Tyson's diaper)

(said while laying head down on table) "Mom, you must have put sleeping tomatoes in the soup"

When I say things loud, that means I'm serious

Satan is hammering my life

Mom, you're making me grouchier by the minute!

Vampires are kind of like people, but they have capes on, and they are sharp.

Andy: “Nobody can kill Heavenly Father, huh?”
Dad: “That’s right...he can’t be killed”
Andy: “And, if they try, he’ll kick them out of heaven to a planet”

Easter is my favorite part of Christmas

Andy (referring to his daddy's handheld computer) - “I am very careful with expensive things. I hope I don’t eat it. I hope I remember”

While talking to his mom about the new baby, Andy states, “I won’t get mad if the baby cries. I won’t say ‘SHUT UP, STUPID!!'”

Andy: "I’m cooler than Danny”
Dad: “Oh, so, what does it mean to be cool?”
Andy: “It means that I can swing my arms like a helicopter (says this while swinging both arms in large circles)”

Daddy was explaining how we can escape the power of Satan by choosing the right. Andy replies, “I can escape the power of Satan by ducking”.

Today Andy went to the dentist to get a cavity refilled. He played a fun joke by wearing his Buba teeth to trick the dentist. Dr. Crosby got a good laugh at his dirty, goofy smile. Tonight, he woke up when we were tucking him in at about 10:00pm, and he was wearing his Buba teeth. When we asked him why, he told us the dentist said if he didn’t brush his teeth they would fall out, and he was concerned that it might happen that night (eventhough he already made sure to brush them before bed).

“Someday I’m going to throw my children FAST - and then I’m going to slow them down to make them calm”

Andy, waiting for a drink after eating a handful of salty peanuts: “Are you going to let me thirst?!?"

Andy has a “CTR clip" keychain that has a watch and a compass on it. He clips it to his belt and loves to look at it throughout the day. We take it off of his belt at night when he goes to bed. Before bed tonight, Jody removed the clip and and upset Andy said, “I need that CTR clip back because I was about to call mom a bad name.”

Talking with Andy about life after death....
Dad: Someday you’ll live in Heaven with Heavenly Father
Andy: “Then I’ll get to make bad storms?”

Andy explains the way that he plays "Go Fish” with his mommy during sacrament meeting using the Article of Faith cards:
Andy: We say “Do you have any Jesus’s? Do you have any blessings? Do you have any scriptures? Do you have any Mary’s? Do you have any Joseph Smith’s? Do you have any articles? Do you have any Jesu Cristo? Do you have any Labos?
Dad: What’s that ?
Andy: It’s a language of scriptures. Do you have any Lipsoscats? Do you have any barders? Do you have any Liplogacks?

Andy has heard of the movie ‘Lord of the Rings’ being popular lately, and shortly after he chose a fancy ring from the reward jar at preschool he said, “Dad, I am Lord of this Ring.”

Dad: Andy, today we get to listen to President Hinckley in General Conference....do you remember who President Hinckley is?
Andy: Yes, he’s our prophet. Is he going to tell you to listen to your children and give us whatever we want?

Today Andy asked, "What’s a Deacon"? We responded that a Deacon is a boy who gets to pass the sacrament. We told him that someday he would be a Deacon. He became serious and stated, "I don’t want them to call me a Deacon. I want them to call me Brother Steurer".

We just started giving Andy an allowance. He’s been wanting to buy some Power Ranger action figures. Today we drove past Dairy Queen and he wanted ice cream. I said, "Aren’t you saving your money for some power rangers ?" to which he responded, "Mom, you can buy the ice cream with your money."

While viewing a picture of Christ, Andy says, "Hey, Dad! Jesus looks like a superhero!".

During our FHE lesson on loving one another, Jody asked Andy, "What can we do to help Daddy" - Andy replied: "If he catches on fire, we can help put it out".

In the car on the way to Salt Lake for Jerry and Emily’s wedding we talked a lot about the temple where they would be getting married. After some thought Andy asked, "Dad, does the temple have stairs." Geoff, thinking that Andy was pondering the weightier matters of the kingdom replied, "Yes." Andy quickly and excitedly quipped, "I can use my slinky on them!"

Andy, with Batman goggles on and cape extended says, "Dad! I’m the 'flappinest' bat in the world!"

Dad: Andy, What is the prophet’s job?
Andy: The prophet tells people to be nice and good. And if they are wicked he sends a terrible storm that goes round and round like a helicopter (arm circling around head).

Dad: I forget how to make paper airplanes. (While trying to fold one for Andy).
Andy: Dad, they have wings, and a sharp thing, and then windows and they have wheels.

When Daddy was changing Riley’s poopy diaper, Andy walked by and said, "Oooooh, it smells like a zoo!"

Mom - Andy, we’re thinking about what we can do to help you be more reverent during sacrament meeting.
Andy - I’m thinking, um, no, because I’m thinking about spiderman...I hate sacrament meeting. I would like to go home and eat cookies.

Sitting in the car, pushing the red release button on the seatbelt and talking into it as if it were a microphone, Andy said, " Heavenly Father! I’m a Rescue Hero. Let’s get out of here now!"

Dad: Andy, we need to get ready for church this morning
Andy: Nope, Darth Vader doesn’t go to church.

Riding home in the car from vacation, Andy says, "Can Heavenly Father hear my voice". We answer, "why, yes he can". He then responds, "Can he hear me say that the sun is too bright in my eyes and I want him to destroy it?"

Andy: "Mom, I wish Heavenly Father didn’t give me this body, because I wanted a blue body."

Andy: "Satan doesn't say 'Happy Birthday' to his friends, does he?"

Huh?

Some of you may remember some of the funny things that Andy used to say when he was a little guy. Well, he continues to make us laugh. Here's one from tonight:

Andy: You're not going to give me cough medicine, are you?
Jody: No, not tonight.
Andy: Good, that stuff is nasty
Jody: Yep, it's pretty bad.
Andy: It's nastier than anything in the world. But I haven't tasted poo.

Video Clips - Steurer Boys Unplugged

This is why you can't ever find used jeans at D. I.

This Andy's pride and joy!

We're back!

I know that waiting over two months to make a post in the blogosphere is a big no-no. We have a lot to catch up on, so here it goes....

Moved into the new house on December 15th and we LOVE this place! It's great to have space where the boys can run and play. The backyard was fully landscaped, which is something we didn't do in Arizona when we built our house. We spent about four years landscaping it and it didn't look half as amazing as this one does. It's nice to have professionals do what they do best! Here are a couple pictures of the backyard.

Andy had his first school play during the month of December. Jody put together a great little elf costume for him. Here he is proudly showing it off....







We decided that we would stay home this Christmas. It was great to have Rod, Mary, and their three children over on Christmas Eve to re-enact the Christmas story from Luke 2 and sing Christmas carols. We loved being able to visit family and hang out while the kids put together their Legos (actually, I put together the Lego castle which only took me 5 hours - literally!). Here are some pictures from the Christmas program, Christmas day, etc....

Jody hanging the Christmas star a few days before Christmas

Riley is our resident wreath

An angel and a wise-guy (Jody should be nominated for an Oscar for her spectacular costuming of the children during the program Christmas Eve!)

Jody with her three boys on Christmas Eve after they opened their pajamas

We didn't manage to send out a Christmas letter reviewing the year.... maybe next year! Andy turned 9 years-old on January 15th and we had a four-day birthday celebration for him due to scheduling issues. He didn't mind getting two birthday parties and four days worth of visits. Here are a couple of pictures from his birthday weekend.....

Andy has really developed a lot of skill in building and re-building Legos. The re-building is a product of having a three year-old brother who is determined to destroy everything Andy creates. Andy is a pretty patient older brother and will usually try and just re-build what gets hammered. This is the first birthday that Andy asked for clothing, which I guess is proof that he's not such a little boy anymore. We're grateful to have him in our family and think he's a pretty great guy.

Jody was just called to be the Relief Society president of our ward. We are so thrilled to support her and know that she'll be a great blessing to the women in our ward. I'm serving as the ward choir director and I teach one lesson per month in the high priest's group. We love our ward and neighborhood. Jody said that she was just getting settled into the house and into a routine when the call came last Saturday afternoon to serve as the Relief Society president. She's not been the same since....

My practice is going well and we feel so blessed to be able to have steady work. I was invited to return to Auburn as a panelist at a conference of marriage and family therapy students to speak on how I built my private practice. They are flying me out there, so we bought a ticket for Jody to make it a "get away." We're excited to return to our former stomping grounds and reacquaint ourselves with old friends.

Until later!