Happy Birthday Levi!

Our witty, kind, helpful, and fun loving boy is 9 years old!  We are so blessed to have Levi in our family.  He is the best brother and very good about his role as youngest in our family.  This summer when Laurel broke her wrist, he was so helpful and asked her, without any prompting from us, if she needed help carrying anything.  One night, Laurel told me "I think Levi is the best little brother in the world."  And she's not wrong!  This year, more than ever, we noticed he is much more willing to go play by himself in his room or outside if he doesn't want to do what his sisters are doing.  Levi can play Legos and with his Avenger action figures all day long!  He also was outside almost all day every day this summer.  He loves swinging on either the rope swing or the regular swing.  He also found every stick on our property that he could turn into a wand and made several different wands to play with.  He is very much an outdoors kind of kid....loves hiking in the woods, swinging sticks into bushes and trees, fishing and hunting with Dad, and being around our fire pit.  Levi loves Avengers, blueberries, helping everyone, McGriddles, Harry Potter, and swimming.  He doesn't like lasagna, when plans change at the last minute, cleaning his closet, his sisters jumping out and scaring him, and Panda Express.  He is such a kind friend and his teachers praise him for his example of a good and respectful student.  He gets upset a bit easier the older he gets, but he also knows how to take himself to a quiet area to calm down.  He doesn't stay upset for long and is learning how to think about his reactions before they come to the surface.  We love Levi so much and are lucky to be raising such a wonderful young man.  Happy birthday, Buddy!

1. What is your favorite color?  Blue
2. What is your favorite sport? Fishing
3. What is your favorite fruit?  Blueberries
4. What is your favorite movie? Avengers End Game
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Pita bread and honey
6. What is your favorite subject in school? Art
7. What is your favorite game? Clue
8. What is your favorite snack? Apples and caramel
9. What is your favorite animal? Dolphin
10. What is your favorite song? Are We Out of the Woods
11. What is your favorite book? Dragon Masters: Saving the Sun Dragon
12. Who is your best friend? Noah, Cameron, Leah and Brandon
13. What is your favorite cereal? Honey Bunches of Oats
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Exploring the woods
15. What is your favorite drink? Sprite
16. What is your favorite holiday? Valentines Day
17. What is your favorite restaurant? Red Robin
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Waffles and bacon and hash browns
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Hamburgers
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? An astronaut

12 Years Old

Happy 12th birthday to Erika!!  Our beautiful, fun, considerate, smart, wacky, friendly little girl is growing up quickly.  Erika is a few inches away from being taller than me, which is very bizarre.  Not only is she matching me physically, but her emotional and mental reasoning is maturing as well.  With her new experiences of this year....middle school, youth group, and new sports....we have had some fun and deep and interesting conversations.  Her heart is extremely genuine and caring and she wants the best for everyone.  She has a great group of girlfriends who support and encourage her and let her be who she is.  She is having a great first year in middle school; her grades are excellent, she is meeting new friends, and her days seem to go by a lot quicker.  Erika is very much a preteen with all the emotional highs and lows that go with that.  It is very strange to hear my preteen self coming out of Erika's mouth...in some ways it helps me to know that it won't last forever but it is also humbling to know what I put my mom through!  I am constantly amazed by Erika's confidence in herself.  She participated in two new sports (water polo and track) this year without knowing anyone else who was on the team.  She also auditioned and won a role in the George Fox winter musical.  She loved being a part of the college scene for those few months she was able to.  Erika loves crafts, being outside, fried chicken, dessert, sports, llamas, pineapples (to eat and decorate with), holding babies, our dogs, and Pinterest.  She doesn't like pizza, doing things quickly, cleaning the bathrooms, movies where a dog dies, and friends getting hurt.  Erika is a fun girl to be around....she is the first one to climb a tree, try new things, jump in the pool, or play a game.  She loves her brother and sister incredibly and is a great example of a mature and Godly and loving young woman.  We are so very very lucky to be raising this wonderful young lady.  We love you so much Erika Boo!

1. What is your favorite color?  Blue

2. What is your favorite sport? Soccer

3. What is your favorite fruit?  Pineapple

4. What is your favorite movie? The Greatest Showman

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Mac and cheese

6. What is your favorite subject in school? Math

7. What is your favorite game? Cup stack

8. What is your favorite snack? Homemade granola bars

9. What is your favorite animal? Dog

10. What is your favorite song? A Million Dreams

11. What is your favorite book? The War that Saved my Life

12. Who is your best friend? Kennedy

13. What is your favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Go on the black net swing

15. What is your favorite drink? Sweet tea

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What is your favorite restaurant? Black bear diner

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Swedish pancakes

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Spaghetti

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A photographer and interior designer

Double Digits for Laurel!

Sweet tiny Laurel Ann turns 10 years old today!  She has been such a blessing to our family the past 10 years.  Laurel is kind-hearted, thoughtful, just, smart, logical, expressive, active, and responsible.  She is so content with whatever situation she is in.....her preference is to be home with her family, but she likes going to friend's houses as well.  As the growing up gets more challenging with changing  social situations and different experiences, she seems to just coast through unaffected.  One thing I truly admire about her is she doesn't get envious of others but rather rejoices with them and is thankful for where she is.  Her heart is still pure and innocent and while her questions become deeper and more thoughtful, she remains happy and sure of who she is.  Laurel's temper can rage full on and we just try and get through her "Laurel Days" without too much damage.  She has found her favorite thing to do when angry is go to her room, which is great for everyone in the family!  Her mood can be quite low one day and then a few days later we can't keep up with her enthusiastic cheerfulness.  I wish the two swings weren't so severe, but the in between moods come up much more frequently and I am so blessed with those days!  Laurel loves her dogs, swimming, chocolate, hamburgers, watching movies, PlayMobil sets, bacon, soccer, foot rubs, sewing, and playing outside around our house.  She doesn't like salad, reading, getting up early, her brother in her room without knocking, setting the table, or Mexican restaurants.  It seems like she has grown so much physically and mentally in the past few months....she is usually holding a baby at church when it seems like she was just the baby being held at church!  She has a few special elderly ladies at church that she gently hugs each time she sees them and I know it makes their day brighter.  Laurel is a wonderful friend and sister and a great example to kids around her.  Even when it is difficult to do the right thing she can stand her ground.  She talks incessantly when she's nervous and asks thoughtful, direct questions that don't require a lot of excess words when she's curious.  If you ever receive a hand written note from Laurel, consider yourself lucky.  She writes eloquently, beautifully and truly from the heart.....her spelling needs a lot of attention, but the sentiment is there.  This little girl that God has placed in our care is certainly a wonder to watch grow and develop and love and be an example of a pure heart for everyone in our family.  We love you so much Lolo!

1. What is your favorite color?  Pink

2. What is your favorite toy?  Doll house

3. What is your favorite fruit?  Watermelon

4. What is your favorite movie? Harry Potter

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Corn dog

6. What is your favorite subject in school? Writing

7. What is your favorite game? Garbage

8. What is your favorite snack? Graham cracker

9. What is your favorite animal? Flamingos

10. What is your favorite song? A Million Dreams

11. What is your favorite book? Ugly

12. Who is your best friend? Maddie

13. What is your favorite cereal? Coco Pebbles

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Swing on the rope

15. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What is your favorite restaurant?  Jem 100

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Bacon and sausage and donuts

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Hamburgers

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Own a sweets shops and make my own sweets