Dad: Tonight we honor Joshua.

Andrew: For being Joshua.

Josh: Give me highly expensive gifts!

Jacob: How about a post on Mom’s blog? That’s highly expensive in love.

Katey: We’re just talking about Josh?

Josh: Just me!

Meri: You have no fuzzies in your toes Mom!

Andrew: I like that Josh likes to play on my Minecraft world. It’s fun to play with other people.

Dad: Cooperative play is always more fun.

Katey: Is it my turn?

Meri: Round and around with peoples.

Katey: I like to play with Josh and he is very kind! Can you add to mine that he’s funny??

Caleb: I like to do dishes with Josh. We did them today.

Meri: I love about Josh that he makes me food. Sandwiches and only water. And he has a cool water bottle.

Hyrum would probably say: abahah buhah josh (Hyrum’s sleeping at the moment. He’s prepping for his third time sleeping through the night – in a row, ah yeah!)

Dad: One of the things I love about Josh is that he is very willing to do things with anybody at any age. At scout camp he was out canoeing with boys older than him and boys younger than him. It didn’t matter and he was friendly with everybody. He shared his treats with everyone too.

Mom: Josh is such a kind soul. He’s a big helper with his baby brother and has a funny, dry sense of humor. His favorite photo he took at scout camp is a close-up of hamburgers. (My boy!) It’s a pretty sweet shot. Love that he takes his talents and develops them – from playing the trombone to perfecting his pancake flipping skills.

Jacob: I love how that no matter what Josh does, he does it enthusiastically. Whether he’s playing, imagining, going to scout camp, biking… it’s all done with energy.

Autumn: Josh is a great sharer.

Josh: I’m innocent!!!

Drewby: There was glitter everywhere.

Josh right after Stacy, our photographer, told us she had captured the family photo, the one – the “money shot”.

Photos by Stacy Rose Photography

It’s Jacob’s birthday and time for his spotlight!! Perfect.

Grandma (visiting): Jacob is very kind when we play chess. He is very kind when he beats me in chess.

Daddy: One thing that I love about Jacob is that when I tease him he is starting to catch on. He is maturing enough to appreciate my amazing humor. Oh wait, this is Jacob’s spotlight.

Josh: I love Jacob’s protective nature. Whether he is protecting us when babysitting or keeping his Doritos safe.

Caleb: Jacob loves me.

Daddy: How do you know?

Caleb: *shrug* He loves.

Autumn: I have one word to say: Smart!

Jacob: Okay, I can live with that.

Caleb: Jacob, you are such a good boy!

Katey Belle: *whispering into Daddy’s ear* I like Jacob because he plays games with me.

Andrew: I love Jacob because of his big smile.

Jacob: Personally, I prefer small grin.

Mommy: Jacob is constantly asking me how I’m doing. He offers to help – with babysitting so I can shower or read. He also is more than willing to help with chores around the house and never complains.

Meri: Candy.

Grandma: Does Jacob share candy with you?

Meri: Yeah.

Jacob is a scholar and a gentleman. He is such a knowledgable young man that is kind to everyone. We love his quick mind, ready to please manner, happy bursts of laughter and that he was brave enough to ask for a later bedtime on his birthday with an “official” document. Still in talks – we’ll see how it plays out. 😉

Katey: What I love about Meri Jane is that she is cute and so playful!

Drewby: I love Meri because she laughs a lot.

Caleb: What?

Daddy: What do you love about Meri?

Caleb: Her kisses and her hugs. She hugs like this. And sometimes she falls down and gets hurt. One time we put cushions down by a chair and we all three (Meri, Katey and Caleb) fell at the same time and we did not get hurt. So I love 4 things about Meri.

Autumn: I like Meri… because… of her smiles. She is almost always smiling and her giggles!!

Jacob: I love Meri because of her vocabulary. She is such a fast learner and will use a word like as if she’s always used it.

Josh: One word that describes Meri? Cute. Lovable. Playful.

Jacob: Um, that’s three Josh.

Josh: Is this your comment or mine?

Drewby: Hi Mom. *wave*

*And now a full-on confession about how Josh and Drewby borrow Daddy’s socks when they can’t find any. News to Daddy.*

Autumn: I also love Meri’s personality. She is so adorable.

Daddy: Meri Jane.

Meri: What?

Daddy: I love your indomitable spirit and how you find things so funny!

Meri: Kitty, kitty!

Mommy: Meri is always up for a challenge or adventure. She is also a very good memorizer and expresses herself and feelings so well. My favorite is when she jumps in the air and says “Yes!!”, then crouches down again, jumps up her whole body length again and says “Yes!!”

We love having such a sweet & feisty sweetheart in our family. She can hold her own and is such a sweet cuddler and lover of long stories. She knows so many body parts including chin, elbow and bum. She also adores ice cream and knows how to get our family eating it more than we used to – little miss charmer.

Meri: Look!

Daddy: You ready? Please be thinking of something you love about Caleb. I will start! I love Caleb…

Caleb: I love Dad because he eats hot dogs so fast.

Daddy: Caleb, I love it when you help Meri and give her treats. When you share with her and help her do something that she needs help with.

Jacob: Excuse me. Not like toot excuse me, but can I go next excuse me.

Jacob: I love Caleb’s energy and enthusiasm. Whenever he sets his mind to something he always gets it done no matter how long it takes.

Caleb: The coconut canon is a slice of butter.

Josh: It’s a slab.

Daddy: It’s called a pat. Focus people, focus. It’s almost bedtime.

Meri: Me bed. Mommy’s bottle.

Josh: I love Caleb’s active imagination.

Autumn: I love Caleb because of his laugh… and his funny jokes… and his imagination.

Drewby: I love Caleb because he likes to play a lot. Play with games.

Katelyn: Is it my turn? Is there anybody else?

Caleb: There are three ones left. Meri, Mommy and Katey!

Mommy: Caleb is soo smart. He currently loves science books and is quick to grasp concepts. He has been pointing out solids, liquids and gases… and is almost always right. He is very goal oriented if there is a reward he wants to get to and yes – his imagination is charming.

Daddy – to Meri: Do you love Caleb?

Meri: Uh-huh!

Daddy: Good enough.

Katelyn: I like Caleb because he is so playful and happy and stuff like that.

Meri: Mess. Whisker mess. (playing with Daddy’s chin).

Meri: Love Caleb. Mommy love Caleb… and me. Nose.

We love our humming-during-every-song-during-the-Primary-Program little man. He keeps our family – and the neighbors laughing with his outdoor nature shenanigans and is just so much fun! Love our sweet, active three-year-old.

Autumn: I love Katey because she likes to play lots of games and she also likes to go to school a lot.

Meri: I funny! Funn-y! (bouncing on a ball quite excitedly)

Caleb: I love Katey because she plays board games and brushes her teeth.

Jacob: I love Katelyn because of her laugh. A high pitched squeal you can’t get out of your head.

Katey: One time I laughed at myself. At Grandma’s house because I went like this and sticked out my tongue and looked in the doorknob. Ahh, wahhah, ahhhh.

Daddy: Was it a shiny doorknob?

Katey: *head nod* Golden!

Daddy: By her kitchen?

Katey: *head nod*

Daddy: I thought so. That would be the perfect doorknob for that.

Joshua: What I love about Katey is her vocabulary because it is increasing every year.

Mommy: Joshua took mine.

Daddy: Caleb! He shoved his toothbrush up my nose – what a stinker. Caleb, put your toothbrush in your mouth.

Katey: Don’t do that! It has Daddy’s boogies on it.

Andrew: I love about Katey that she always has a big smile.

Joshua: Not when she’s crying.

Andrew: Well, not always.

Mommy: Katey does have a large vocabulary. 🙂 She is very articulate and can express herself well. She tells very detailed stories and with great facial expressions. She crafts the most beautiful things out of napkins and paper and tape and colored pencils. And when we ran out of tape she used stickers and made it work. Very resourceful, crafty and fun.

Autumn: What about toothpicks?

Mommy: Oh yes – and toothpicks.

Katey: And I invented gummy bear suckers!!

Daddy:  I love Katey Belle’s beautiful cascading curls.

We love our sparkly, soup-loving, story-reading, sweetheart of a princess.

Daddy: One thing I love about Andrew is that he always has a smile for anyone he meets. Anybody he talks to usually

Meri:  DADDY! {She found a pretzel. Very exciting.}

Daddy: Usually gets a smile right away. Doesn’t matter if he’s just barely met them or if he’s known them forever. He’s as cheerful as they come and always friendly.

Jacob: I love that Andrew has such a sense of humor. He understands a lot of jokes that people his age might not understand. He’s pretty darn smart too.

Katey: I like him because he is kind and friendly. And funny! My leg hurts.

Daddy: Did you bump it?

Katey: No, it just hurts inside of my skin.

Daddy: Sorry sweetie.

Caleb: I love about Andrew coloring.

Daddy: You love his coloring?

Caleb: *Head nod.*

Autumn: I’ll go! I like Andrew because he likes to play a lot of games like Monopoly and Just Dance 3.

Josh: What I love about Andrew is that he is always willing to play dead if I ask him too.

Drewby: *flop – with tongue hanging out*

Mommy: Drewby is such a sweetheart. He cares how people are feeling and doing. He loves to talk with and engage with people. He asks questions and loves to hear and tell stories. He also eats like a horse and has a nearly bottomless pit in his belly.

Meri: Ball! MEOW! Mine.

We love our fun-loving, smile-inducing, junk-drawer-searching-treasure-finding mister Andy-roo!

Caleb: I love about Autumn swinging on the rope!

Joshua: Thanks to Travis and Liz we have a couple new toys (broken swing with hanging ropes…)

Katey: Autumn plays with me!

Meri: *Squeal* – Someone is getting tickled.

Jacob: I like Autumn’s sense of humor. It’s on the goofball side.

Joshua: Is that Dad’s side or Mom’s side?

Jacob: She doesn’t have dark hair, so it’s gotta be the Pipes. However, I’m the most sarcastic.

Katey: Aim at Meri’s target – it’s her belly button!

Joshua: I love about Autumn that she is fun and always willing to play in the treehouse with me.

Katey: Actually, there is another thing! For what I love about Autumn is that we share a bed. A bunk bed. And… I like that her watch beeps and wakes her up.

Drewby: I love about Autumn is that we play outside a lot together.

Mommy: Autumn is creative and independent and good at following directions. She has a new art book that is so fun. She has made a mask and a cute card. She gathers the supplies and makes them all by herself – start to finish. That’s a good skill to have.

Caleb: You’re a nouget. (to Mommy… I’ll just take that as a compliment.)

Daddy: One thing that I love about Autumn is that she is always willing to help her brother or her sister if they need to go to the bathroom or get a drink at church. She is always willing to be a buddy with whomever she is assigned and she is always helpful with her brothers and sisters.

Meri: Bye! Slide! Autumn!