I still feel like I'm just catching up on life!
We fell behind on our fall birthdays and I finally made everyone who hadn't written birthday messages write birthday messages after I got home from Las Vegas/Provo. So now we can take down our birthday balloons and put up the Christmas cards that have been piling up.
For Andrew...
From Zoë:
Dad! I can't believe you are 41. You are a wonderful father, putting Phoebe to bed and waking up with her in the night, and somehow still managing to wake us up early to go to campus. Here is a poem:
Getting up with Phoebe,
you make Mom
you make Mom
a happy spouse.
Thank you, Dad, for making meals and bread for us to devour. Love, Zoë
From Ben:
Dad! You're 41, which is crazy. Thank you for helping me make a creative server for the family. It's looking great. Your bread tastes amazing no matter how flat or poofy it is. I can't wait to make more happy memories with you over the next year. I love you!
From Miriam:
Dad! Happy (very, very late) birthday! You always encourage everyone to strengthen their talents, and at least since Rachel went to college improved at keeping your socks on!* Also, you don't give me the ick-around!** Happy birthday!
Dad! Happy (very, very late) birthday! You always encourage everyone to strengthen their talents, and at least since Rachel went to college improved at keeping your socks on!* Also, you don't give me the ick-around!** Happy birthday!
* On the back of her balloon it says: "Rachel and I are the same level of sock-stealing. I am right and you are wrong." We have an ongoing sock-stealing competition at our house. It's always open season on sock feet...so watch out!
** We were discussing movie ratings and the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, which no longer explicitly says to avoid R-rated movies. Andrew said that current guidance is, "If it gives you the ick, around you don't stick," meaning that we get to use our judgement. Some movies that are rated R in the states may not be rated R elsewhere (different countries have different rating systems), so having a blanket "standard" is difficult...given the lack of worldwide "standard." And then there are some movies that may not be R-rated but which may still give you the ick. The funny part here is that when he said it, he said it like, "If it gives you the ick-around, you don't stick..." and Miriam and I both added, "Around." He was like, "What?" And we were like, "Ick-around, stick-around." He had to clarify that there was a comma between 'ick' and 'around'—because he certainly didn't pronounce the comma! It's also funny because of the movie Over the Garden Wall. Greg says something like, "That frog's giving me the runaround." So now we've been using ick-around similar to runaround. It's been a thing.
** We were discussing movie ratings and the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, which no longer explicitly says to avoid R-rated movies. Andrew said that current guidance is, "If it gives you the ick, around you don't stick," meaning that we get to use our judgement. Some movies that are rated R in the states may not be rated R elsewhere (different countries have different rating systems), so having a blanket "standard" is difficult...given the lack of worldwide "standard." And then there are some movies that may not be R-rated but which may still give you the ick. The funny part here is that when he said it, he said it like, "If it gives you the ick-around, you don't stick..." and Miriam and I both added, "Around." He was like, "What?" And we were like, "Ick-around, stick-around." He had to clarify that there was a comma between 'ick' and 'around'—because he certainly didn't pronounce the comma! It's also funny because of the movie Over the Garden Wall. Greg says something like, "That frog's giving me the runaround." So now we've been using ick-around similar to runaround. It's been a thing.
From Alex:
Happy birthday, Dad! 41!
Happy birthday, Dad! 41!
Excellent
Wonderful
I love you! 41+59=100
Wonderful
I love you! 41+59=100
From me:
Happy birthday, Andrew! When I met you—25 years ago—you were a goofy, nerdy guy. Now you're my goofy, nerdy guy and I'm so glad for every day I get to be with you. Thanks for the adventures we've been on and for continuing to have an adventurous spirit. You work so hard for our family, are intelligent and handsome and kind. Your bread-making skills are on point, you're always looking for ways to lighten my load. Thank you for being wonderful you. I love you!
For Alexander...
From Dad:
Alex! You're 8! That's so old! You're turning into an amazing, fun, good, responsible, and charming young man! I'm excited to see how much you keep growing and learning this year! Love, Dad!
From Mom:
Alexander—Eight years old! What an age! I love how interested you are in science and math and your appreciation for how the world works. You are becoming such a capable person—loading the dishwasher, cleaning your room, planning FHE lessons (with hilarious Kahoots)! You have become such a brave swimmer, and are a dedicated treadmill runner. I loved getting to go to your baptism this year and look forward to seeing you grow in the gospel. I love hearing you read the scriptures with our family every night, and love sitting close by you after when we read from our bedtime novel. Stay little! I love you!
From Ben:
Amazing
Loving
Exceptionally good at math
Always witty
Loving
Exceptionally good at math
Always witty
Never mean
Dumb (not)
Ever forgiving
Reading pro
From Zoë:
Dear Owlman (aka Alex)! You are 8! You are a loving brother who somehow never gets mad at me, and a very good friend. This is a double year,* which you should love because you love math. I love you so much! Love, Zoë
* Phoebe is 4. Alexander is 8, Miriam is 16. So all the kids with fall birthdays in our house are double each other's ages. This was an incredibly delightful discovery.
From Miriam:
Alex! It's so crazy that you're 8! You are always willing to help and try to make every situation fun for everyone! You've grown into such a kind person! I love you! Happy (very late) Birthday!
Alex! It's so crazy that you're 8! You are always willing to help and try to make every situation fun for everyone! You've grown into such a kind person! I love you! Happy (very late) Birthday!
For Miriam...
From Ben:
Your music blasting through the pipes, a testament to your skill. Miriam, you are sixteen, which is an impressive age to be. I love your charming sense of humor, cheesy it may be, and that if someone insults you, you do it right back. Good luck with the rest of your hopefully long and prosperous life.
From Alex:
Magical
sIxteen
sIxteen
Really radical
Is good at being nice
Amazing
Amazing
Magnificent
16
From Mom:
I waited until now to write your birthday message so that I could congratulate you on getting your driver's license! You are such a good driver. Honestly, you're good (great, even) at anything you apply yourself to! It is really quite impressive that you pulled off a Book of Mormon read-a-thon and a ward Christmas party (of such high calibre) in one year. You are doing things adults can hardly manage to wrap their heads around. Very cool. You are beautiful! You are talented in so many ways (art, music, languages), and—importantly—you share your talents with others. Like I said, very cool. You are compassionate, peace-seeking, service-oriented. And so brave—standing up for your ideas in meetings, etc. Very cool. I'm so lucky to know you! Keep on loving life, stay curious, stay passionate, keep doing things. you're awesome and I love you, I love you, I love you!
From Dad:
Making
acrostIcs is
acrostIcs is
Really
dIfficult
And yet here I
aM, doing one out of love and tradition, I guess.
You're such a brave, ambitious, and fun person and you do amazing things and will continue to do amazing things and keep being amazing during this upcoming seventeenth year of life and beyond. You're amazing!
Alles gute zum Geburtstag!
From Zoë:
Miriam is a...
marvelous Musician,
eater of Ice cream or yogurt,
Ravenous planner of...
(Icy cold glare)
...Activities, and most
importantly
My sister
For Phoebe...
From Dad:
Phoebe! Happy birthday to my favorite little four-year-old! You're so fun and determined and want to grow up so fast. You make our house an adventure every day! I love you!
From Mom:
Phoebe, Phoebe! Fabulous and four! Always eating vegetables—more, more, more! Dancing 'round and twirling whenever music's on, helping all her siblings to play and get along! Taking reading lessons, swimming in the pool, going to her own class in primary Sunday school. Rosy little smile with a dot beside her mouth. She's my favourite Phoebe-girl, there isn't any doubt! Thanks for being my baby. I love you!
From Zoë:
Phoebe! Happy birthday! I can't believe you are 4 already! You are a loving, kind, and puppy-crazed sister. I love you so, so much!
From Miriam:
Phoebe! I can't believe you are 4!!! It seems like yesterday that you were a sleepy little newborn. You have grown so much and learned so many things. I'm so excited to see you learn and grow this next year! Happy (late) birthday!
From Ben:
Phoebe!!! You're 4, which is an amazing year for tending and growing your personality. I love that even though you sometimes cry while doing the dishes you do them and don't just melt onto the floor. Your Minecraft skills are growing fast and you will hopefully use a mouse and word (??) instead of touch screen. Love you lots!
From Alex:
Perfect younger sister
Hopeful and helpful
fOur years old
Eating is a show
Beautiful
(he forgot the final E)
Hopeful and helpful
fOur years old
Eating is a show
Beautiful
(he forgot the final E)
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