8 is great!

Lydia has been anxiously awaiting this birthday for a very long time.  She is so excited to be 8 and old enough to be baptized.  You can always find her reading a book (or trying to sneak some extra screen time).  This year she played soccer and loved it.  She is wonderful at gathering and is always planning events for her friends.  Just in the past few months she planned a "Back to School" party and organized a book club.  We love our sweet "cute-iful" girl!

 What is your favorite...

color? dark blue and light blue
food? homemade mac and cheese
toy? stuffed animals, barbies, and  my babies  
show? The Nightmare Before Christmas
animal? rabbits and cats and llamas
book?  Any of the Dragon Girls or Bad Kitty or Warriors books
song? Gethsemane
primary song? I Will Walk with Jesus

What do you like to do?  I like to play Warriors with my stuffed animals

Who is your best friend?  All of my friends
What do you want to be when you grow up? a mom
Do you have a boyfriend?  no

I am - 8 and awesome! and sweet

I am afraid of - high roller coasters and I hate when they go fast

I like - my whole entire family

I like to eat - homemade mac and cheese

I don't like - asparagus and very very high roller coasters that go fast.

I know - stuff

I want to be - sweet and baptized and 9.

I like to watch - The Owl House

My hero is- mom and dad

I cry when - my brothers are mean to me

Mom gets mad when - we don't obey

Mom is happy when - we obey

I can't wait for - my baptism

Something Mom says to me - "you can do this"

Something Dad says to me - "wanna watch a show"

My favorite place to go is - anywhere with my family

My Mom makes me laugh - when she does funny stuff

My Dad makes me laugh- when he tells the best jokes ever--it doesn't matter if they're the same or new

I know my mom loves me because - she loves me a lot

I know my dad loves me because -  he is so funny

11

Henry!  This is a year of lasts.  Your last year of elementary school, your last year of primary, your last year of school with Lydia.  You are such a great boy and so fun!  You've been a great brother to Lydia this year and so responsible to get both of you home after school.  We hope you have a very happy birthday!

What is your favorite...

color? orange
food?  monkey brains (aka monkey bread pizza)
toy?  Legos
show? The Goldbergs
animal? dog
book? The City of Ember
song? We Major
What do you like to do?  eat
Who is your best friend?  Barrett
What do you want to be when you grow up? vet
Do you have a girl friend? No

I am - awesome
I am afraid of - very, very small, tall places

I like - food

I like to eat - food 

I don't like - bad apples

I know - stuff

I want to be - a person

My hero is- me

I cry when - I'm angry

Mom gets mad when - I don't do what she says

Mom is happy when - I do what she says

I can't wait for - presents today

Something Mom says to me - "do your laundry"

Something Dad says to me - "hi"

My favorite place to go is -  the house

My Mom makes me laugh by - making dad laugh

My dad makes me laugh by - laughing

I know my mom loves me because -she says so

I know my dad loves me because -he also says so

Another teen!

Alexander, you are a teenager now!  You are such a great boy and we are glad you are in our family--even when you want to be contrary during every discussion we have!  We hope you have a fantastic birthday!

What is your favorite...

color? purple
food?  pizza
game? Minecraft
toy?  nintendo switch
show? The Goldbergs
animal?  human
book? Calvin and Hobbes
song? Mr Blue Sky
What do you like to do?  play video games
Who is your best friend?  John (Connor, JC, John Connor--all the same person)
What do you want to be when you grow up? an architect
Do you have a girlfriend?  no

I am - probably a human being

I am afraid of - falling off a large building

I like - video games

I like to eat - food

I don't like - mashed potatoes

I know - very much things

I want to be - rich

I like to watch - YouTube

My hero is- I don't know

I cry when - I get kicked in the privates

I'm happy when - I eat pizza

Mom gets mad when - I play too much video games

Mom is happy when - I go outside

I can't wait for - Friday (because I get to eat chicken nuggets)
Something Mom says to me - "get off screens"

Something Dad says to me - "hello"

My favorite place to go is - the loft

My Mom makes me laugh by - telling jokes

My Dad makes me laugh by - telling jokes

I know my mom loves me because - she shays sho

I know my dad loves me because - he shays sho

3 x 5 = 15

Well, James, this is your first birthday that is "normal" in the last few years!  Yours was one of the first "pandemic birthdays" back in 2020 and after all the upheaval of the past 2 years we are beginning to see some normalcy.  Since your last birthday you have gone back to school in person, gone back to church in person, started high school, joined the track team, served in your quorum presidency, and just been an all around great kid!

What is your favorite...
color? Blue
food?  hamburger
toy?  fire
show? The Goldbergs
animal?  dog
book? "none of them"
song? Feels like summer by Childish Gambino
What do you like to do?  play football
Who is your best friend?  "a lot of people... interesting people"
What do you want to be when you grow up?  something that makes a lot of money
Do you have a girlfriend?  no

I am - 15

I am afraid of - being held at gunpoint

I like - food

I like to eat - food

I don't like - carrots

I know - that I'm 15

I want to be - not going to school

I like to watch - friends be stupid

My hero is- Kanye West

I cry when - "I don't"

Mom gets mad when -I don't do the dishes

Mom is happy when - I do the dishes

I can't wait for - money

Something Mom says to me - "do the dishes"

Something Dad says to me - "have you done your homework"

My favorite place to go is - to get food

My Mom makes me laugh by - being funny

My Dad makes me laugh by -being funny

I know my mom loves me because - she does

I know my dad loves me because - he does

The next year will bring so many more changes! I'm excited to see what the next year will bring!

S E V E N T E E N

So much has happened in this past year!  Even though we are still living through a pandemic you were able to get your license, get a summer job (Kona Ice), serve as first assistant in the Priest's Quorum, a finish off a year of virtual school.  There have been many ups and downs but you have gotten through it!  You are a hard worker, a problem solver, and have the best smile!  We love you!

(This interview took place in January 2022)

What is your favorite...color? blue

food? steak

toy? splat gun

show? None. I don't watch shows

animal?  bear

book(s)? none

song?  none. I don't have a favorite

hymn? none. I don't know

What do you like to do? hang out with my friends

Who is your best friend?  Eli

What do you want to be when you grow up? rich

Do you have a girlfriend/crush? no

I am -  very cool

I am afraid of - nothing, I guess.  I don't know.

I like - days off school

I like to eat - steak

I don't like - Shadow Ridge Administration (the new principal has come in and caused a lot of tension with some students)

I know - a couple things

I want to be -  rich

I like to watch - movies--good ones

I like to go to - not school

My hero is-  I don't know

I cry when - I don't know

Mom gets mad when -  I don't do the dishes

Mom is happy when - I do the dishes

Dad gets mad when - I don't listen to mom

Dad is happy when - I do what mom says

I can't wait for - Spring Break

Something Mom says to me - "do the dishes now or you're not hanging out"

Something Dad says to me - "do your homework now or you're not hanging out"

My favorite place to go is - anywhere besides school

My Mom and Dad make me laugh by - I don't know

I know my mom loves me because -she's always on me and telling me what to do

I know my dad loves me because -the same but to a lesser degree

Lucky Number 7

Lydia has done so much in this past year!  She and Henry became pet owners when they purchased a hamster (Nugget), she learned how to read (she loves it and is devouring chapter books), she is a math wiz, started "real" school, still hates Coronavirus, and is as sweet and funny as ever.  She loves having girls over to play and is always trying to get a brother to play games or go outside with her.  Happy 7th birthday, Lydia!

What is your favorite...

color? magenta
food? Pizza
toy?   legos
show? Raya and the Last Dragon
animal? cat
book?  The Ickabog (by J.K. Rowling)
song? Where the North Wind Meets the Sea (All is Found from Frozen II)
primary song? I Will Be What I Believe

What do you like to do?  play with my brothers

Who is your best friend?  "I have a lot.  Abby, Kenzie, Kaylee, Kate, Kora, Soriya, Jayden and Tristan, Rylie, both MaKayla's, Kendall, and Whitney."
What do you want to be when you grow up? an artist
Do you have a boyfriend?  "I have a crush" (Grant)

I am - 7

I am afraid of - the dark

I like - my mom

I like to eat - chicken nuggets and ramen

I don't like - asparagus 

I know - Jesus is real

I want to be - smart and good at typing

I like to watch - Milo Murphy's Law

My hero is- my mom

I cry when - I get hurt and my brothers are mean to me

Mom gets mad when - we don't do the stuff we are asked

Mom is happy when - we do the stuff that we're asked

I can't wait for - my 8th birthday and to show my friends my nails (she has fancy stick on nails)

Something Mom says to me - "eat all your food or you won't get your treat"

Something Dad says to me - "you're so cute"

My favorite place to go is - Cafe Rio!

My Mom makes me laugh - when she tells me a joke

My Dad makes me laugh- when he tells me a really, really funny joke

I know my mom loves me because - she loves everyone

I know my dad loves me because -  he loves everyone

double digits

Henry!  It has been so much fun having you home for this past year!  You were the perfect homeschool buddy for Lydia because you were always up for something fun and adventurous.  You are a hard worker and always want to do what's right.  Plus, you are just extra cool.  I can't believe that you are 10 years old now!  

What is your favorite...
color? White
food?  monkey brains (aka monkey bread pizza)
toy?  Legos
show? Steven Universe
animal? Nugget
book? I don't have one
song? I don't know
What do you like to do?  eat
Who is your best friend?  Brady and Barrett
What do you want to be when you grow up? I don't know
Do you have a girl friend? No!

I am - Henry
I am afraid of - heights

I like - being 10

I like to eat - food 

I don't like - when James messes with me

I know - stuff

I want to be -a person

My hero is- me

I cry when - I'm sad

Mom gets mad when - I burn the house down

Mom is happy when - I don't do that (burn the house down)

I can't wait for - my 11th birthday

Something Mom says to me - "do your jobs"

Something Dad says to me - "ok"

My favorite place to go is -  here (our house)

My Mom makes me laugh by - tickling me

My dad makes me laugh by - tickling me

I know my mom loves me because -she says so

I know my dad loves me because -he says so