Rise and Shout the Cougars are out...!

I love fall, and 10 years ago I never thought I would say this, but...I also love football. Well, not just any football, only BYU football. And it certainly helps that they rock lately. Dave explained the game to me while we were dating, and once I understood what was going on (or the gist, at least) I really started enjoying the games. So basically since we've known eachother, we watch, or attend, every game. Spencer is getting in on the action too - he loves to cheer and clap and dance (of course dance!) at the games, and "gooooo cougars!" was one of his first phrases. I smell a family tradition in the making! Here are some pics of BYU football and the Batemans from over the years.

By the way, Dave and I were pretty stoked to learn today that BYU is ranked #8 right now.

This is our ADORABLE neice, Bailey. She is the cutest little cheerleader I ever did see!

This is us eating a banana split in box seats at the UCLA game a couple of weeks ago. Jealous? You should be. Thanks Amanda and Peter!!

High Five!

We tight.

Family pic at the 2006 bowl game in Las Vegas.

Um, no, he is not yet actually watching the game at this point.

This is one of my favorite pictures EVER! Spencer is already feelin' the Cougar spirit!

Rock and Bowl

This is my boys getting down with their bad selves. The first time I met Dave was at a dance where he was breakdancing. I wonder if Spencer will woo his future wife the same way...

I think Spencer even got a higher score than I did (I should've used the bumpers too). I LOVE his cheering! He's so cute.

Happy Birthday Spencer!

Spencer had his 3rd birthday a couple of weeks ago! We went to Chuck E. Cheese, where a kid can be a kid...and by kid, I mean Dave. It was lots of fun!

A few of Spencer's favorite things - at 3 years old:

• Favorite Song - Anything Choo-Choo Soul (primary song - Teach me to Walk in the Light)
• Favorite Movie - Cars, also likes Mickey Mouse, The Wiggles, and Elmo
• Favorite Toys - his stuffed monkeys (must have them for bedtime), cars, trains, animals
• Favorite Books - First 100 Animals, Go Dog Go, Little Pea
• Favorite Color - pink...sorry Dave
• Favorite Activity - Being thrown in the air by Daddy, dancing, swinging, jumping on a trampoline
• Favorite Foods - Cheese sandwich, pizza, spaghetti, chicken nuggets, watermelon, cantelope, kiddie cones
• Favorite Animals - Hippos, whales, cows

We love this little guy!

Bateman Family Reunion

Back in August we had a big Bateman Family reunion. We were all together for a weekend of food, laughs, a talent show, and of course - pictures! Shout out to Mandy who put it all together- it was awesome, and you rock!

The whole Bateman Clan! (minus one brother - we missed you Tom and Erin!)

Annual slumber party with the Gerber boys at our house. Uncle Dave's plan for this night was getting masks at Wal-Mart and then lurking around BYU "scaring" innocent EFY-ers. Crazies.

We had a talent show, where much talent was witnessed and fun was had by all. These cute nieces here are performing a song and dance.

Dave's talent was an impromptu interpretive dance...called "metamorphasis." It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I think we all had tears in our eyes from lauging so hard. I wish I had it on video to post...

All the grandkids with Papa Chuck, Gramma Patti, and Great Grandma Kay. So cute, and color coordinated! (By the way, Patti made all of the little girls' dresses - WOW!)

Summer Projects

This is what I painted at "Color Me Mine." I'm not crafty very often, so I was pretty pleased.

This is what Dave built back in June. It's way cooler than mine.

Deep Thoughts (by Jack Handy)

The last two are dedicated to my sisters Mary and Laura. I love you two crazy kids.

"Broken promises don't upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?"

"Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that, I'll be over here, looking through your stuff."

"When this girl at the museum asked me whom I liked better, Monet or Manet, I said, "I like mayonnaise." She just stared at me, so I said it again, louder. Then she left. I guess she went to try to find some mayonnaise for me."

"Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean ? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind."

You say it's your birthday...

Tuesday, August 5, 2008, Amanda Bateman turned...30!! That's right folks, I'm not as young as I look...or act, maybe. 30 seems like such a significant number, and it used to sound old to me when I was a teenager. And although it is odd that I am actually 30 and an official grown up, I'm not freaked out by it...that's what I keep telling myself...=).

To celebrate, Dave took me to Park City for two nights without Spencer. It was fabulous! We ate good food, slept in, saw a movie, and Dave was sweet and patient while I shopped at the outlet stores for 3 1/2 hours (this is a feat, as he is not a shopper) - he even did some shopping of his own. And while, of course, I missed Spencer, and thought about him constantly, it was so nice to do something that was just the two of us. Thanks Dave!


This is at the Olypmic Park.



"Hi! It's my birthday, and there's a double rainbow behind me!" (I know I look like a dork, but it's endearing, right? Plus, you can't tell very well in the pic, but there IS a double rainbow behind me.)