The Ambitious Life

 Grace Louise, You my dear are hitting the teen years fast and hard.  Glory, you have gone from little kid to (almost) full grown adult almost over night and while it is glorious to watch it is also hard on my momma heart.  Keep going though.  It delights me to watch you work through different situations and to see you figure out how to navigate relationships and circumstances.  You have grown so much in the past year and have become characterized by (mostly) wide decision making, choosing good friends, and recognizing when you need help. You are VERY into makeup, skin care, hair design, and more.  Your current plan is to study cosmetology and I can't wait to see you jump into this.  I think this will be perfect for you.  You are such a huge help to me by doing the little girls' hair when we have places to be and you have recently started cutting the boys' hair.  You also have started babysitting at other people's houses and it's just cool to...

  Timothy, You are such a FUN kid.  Seriously.  You make the best faces, you are expressive, and you make yourself known.  While you don't love talking to people you don't know, you aren't shy.  You are quick to make friends and everyone who knows you, loves you.   You still like dinosaurs but you aren't quite as obsessed.  Minecraft and Pokemon has taken over some of your brain space :)  It's fun watching you learn new things and try new things out.  You like to trade Pokemon cards with friends and tend to come home with STACKS of them! You like to try new things and you have really liked rollerblades lately.  Dad and I bought you some for your birthday because you use the big girls' and they are too big!!   I am really proud of you kiddo.  You like to sing me Believer by Imagine Dragons to me.  It's super fun.  You also do the Wii Dance moves and song to "Take On Me" and it is HILARIOUS. Keep being sweet y...

 Abi, You are a joy and a delight!  Goodness, you are 13!  It is so fun watching you grow up.  You are starting to care a little more about fashion and makeup although you haven't been completely sucked into that world.  You are figuring out new ways to express yourself and I love it.  You are completely obsessed with the Keeper of the Lost Cities books still.  Ya know, I ought to read them.  :)  You LOVE to read and it is so fun to watch...I was concerned you would hate it always. Anyway, your big thing this year was saving up to get a snake. You worked SO hard to earn money and asked for money for your birthday.  Miracle - a set up was donated to the thrift store which got you there SO much faster!  Kernel Benson Barkley Stenson joined us on the 23rd.  I love him (her?).  You do too.  He's small and a cutie and I am SO glad it worked out! I am so glad to be a teenager mom now.  It is so cool.  Stay true to...

 Faith,  I love you soooooo much!  This year I started calling you Faith Potato because Rae was Rae Bean.  We decided (you decided) that was the best vegetable for you.  But I'm not allowed to call you that in front of people :)  You are so fun and sweet.  You like to be around the big kids but you are also really good at finding things to do on your own.  You recently started playing Nintendo and ask me to play every day!   School is starting soon and you are looking forward to it.  I think you're excited to learn to read this year!  You are a joy and a delight.  It is so fun to watch your face of concentration as you are working on an art project or practicing your letters.  You absolutely love co-op and are excited to be in the "big kid" class this year.  You are smart, creative, and a joy to be around.  I am so glad you're my girl! Love you always, Momma   Birthday cake: chocolate with buttercream ...

 Happy birthday! You are my little tornado.  You are constantly moving and talking and it is a joy and a delight to see you take in the world around you.  You are a spider monkey - you love to leap off of things and on to people and you completely trust they will just catch you.  You love to give me hugs and kisses.  You love all things Paw Patrol and you are happy to play with people or by yourself. You have big feelings all the time and have perfected the fake "I'm so sad" look.  Sometimes we give in but we're on to you :)  You really like to "do schoolwork" while the big kids do school and often ask to do lessons on the tablet on Starfall or Reading Eggs.   Going with Dad or me anywhere is a big treat.  You are creative and full of make believe fun.   You are a joy little one and I am so thankful I get to be your momma.  Today you told me you were going to be a hair salon when you grow up and you were going to have 10 k...

 Isaac,  Oh my goodness, how are you 9 already?  You were so teeny tiny when you were born and now you are so tall and just look like such a big kid.  I mean, you're practically a teen so it makes sense, I'm just not ready for it.  I still remember the day I found out I was pregnant with you.  I was so excited.  I am so glad I get to be your momma, you are such a fun kid! You love to come into the kitchen in the morning and help stir the eggs.  You like to declare that they "look like eggs" when they start cooking.  I was watching you outside today and you do a little hop skip when you walk.  I am not sure why, you do it a lot, but it's cute.  It always makes me think you are just cheerful and delighted with life. You are great at building legos and VERY into Pokemon right now.  You also like to play with Lily, your brothers and sisters, and to play Minecraft on the Switch.  You do not like people picking at you or being l...

 Jacob, This was a big year!  You turned 10!  That meant a birthday trip with dad and you guys went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  You guys did a mirror maze, rode the big ferris wheel, and bought SWORDS!  You guys carried those swords to the top of the mountain which I think was pretty incredible!  I know it was fun time with your dad, but I wish I could have been there! For your birthday I redid your bedroom and added some display shelves for your Lego creations.  I also added a bulletin board and dry erase board.  Grandma, Abi, and Grace helped me!  It was a surprise when you got home from your trip and I hope you love it! You are turning into such a helpful young man.  You do the things I ask quickly and cheerfully.  It is helpful to to me and your dad.  I appreciate the way you serve your family.  You also really like to mop which delights me! :) You are learning how to read a room so much better.  You are thou...