Daddy:  Katey Belle, I love that you love to dance and I’m so happy you had fun at your first dance class this year.  You also love to twirl.

Caleb:  I love her.  I love her dance class.

Daddy:  What else do you love?

Caleb:  I love Meri.

Joshua:  What I like about Katey is that she has such a great smile and that she’s creative.

Jacob:  I love that Katey is bubbly and funny.

*Katey starts blowing mouth bubbles.  and laughing voraciously.* – Jacob is so right.

Katey:  I must be the bubbliest one in the family.

Autumn:  She has a giggly laugh.  I love it.

Katey:  cackley-goodness

Drewby:  I love Katey because she is so funny.

Daddy:  She is funny!… and sweet.

Mommy:  I love when Katey sits on my lap and snuggles in.  She picks great books that have lots of stories and we read and read and read.  She is so focused and loving.

Mommy:  Ok – last paragraph – anything anyone else wants to say?

Jacob:  I’m trying to think of something unforgettable.

Katey:  Daddy – it’s your turn.

Daddy:  I did the first one!  We love you Katey Belle – even Meri does.  Meri Jane flips for Katey. (She really does – right over Daddy’s legs.  She is all over the place right now.  Even taking side scooches and holding on with one hand – she is way too close to walking.)

Katey is a sweet, sweet, sweetheart.  She is also a riot to have around.  She does funny things, has funny thoughts that come right out and keeps us all in stitches.  She is protective and kind both.  She can be thoughtful and silly and is a good sharer.  And Autumn thinks Katey’s dance shoes are cute.

Jacob:  I love that Brendan is so inventive and creative.

Katey:  Us too! (Her and Hailey)

Hailey:  Yeah, we’re going to be doctors!  (inventive and creative?  I guess that could work for a doctor.  😉 )

Katey:  When I grow up I’m going to be a doctor like Autumn.  We have band-aids.  We’re ready.

Faith:  I think Brendan is very good at drawing and artistic.

Steven:  And bowling.

Jim Bob:  I love that Brendan is so compassionate.  Having watched him over the last month when Caleb or Katey needed help – he is very observant.  When he sees someone that needs help he is more than willing to stoop down, stop what he’s doing and help out.  Brendan is compassionate and observant.

Josh:  Merciful.  Compassionate and now merciful.

Duke:  Brendan pets me.

Brendan:  Yes and I’m a sucker to stay for at least 10 minutes.

Calvin:  I think Brendan’s salsa is good.  And I like his treats.  And his scrambled eggs – they’re tasty.

Hailey:  You’re great at artist.  And at drawing.  And you jump on the tramp with me.  And you’re good at sharing.

Katey:  He watches us.  He babysits me and reads me stories.

Hailey:  And gives me rides.

Andrew:  I’m glad Brendan is my cousin.

Jim Bob:  Why?

Andrew:  I don’t know.  I haven’t thought about it.  Can I have some time?

Logan:  I can’t think with everyone looking at me.  Everyone has to close their eyes.  … Brendan you are really good at scrambled eggs and treats.  You are really good to have around.  That’s all I have to say.  The End.

Ruth:  I really appreciate that Brendan cares about people.  He cares that people are happy and he tries to be a peacemaker in our home.  When I have a hard day he can tell and tries to help me.  He is a peacemaker and a friend.  He is also getting really good at playing the piano and we have missed it.

Jim Bob:  *singing* “And I can’t fight this feeling anymore.” – Jacob freaked out when he found out that was a love song.  (which led to a discussion about how Brendan didn’t know for a long time either – he just thought it was a neat sounding song.)

Kyran:  *yawn* (Nothing to do with Brendan I’m sure.)  Love you Brendan. (prompted by his mom)

Steven:  Brendan has a soft heart and that very much impresses me about him.  It is one of the things I prayed for when you were born.  It’s something that your uncle Brandon has and partly why we named you after him.  I didn’t want you to be exactly like your uncle, but the soft heart is one of the best parts.  You are the kid I wish I could have been friends with growing up and I’m glad you’re my friend.

And “I can’t fight this feeling anymore…”

Kiara:  Brendan is a really great pianist.  He’s really confident and helps me when I’m upset and a good babysitter.  And he has handsome red hair and lots of freckles that are really handsome.

(and now a discussion on freckles – and how Steven wished he had freckles growing up because his mom called them Angel Kisses.  He would look in the mirror and hope for at least one.  It never happened.  Bummer.)

Autumn:  I love Brendan’s red hair and he is a really good babysitter.  And he’s a great pianist.  And at sharing candy.

Brendan:  My hair must be stylish.

Becky:  I love that Brendan is a huge sharer.  He is constantly sharing what he has – cards, candy, time, music.  One day he told me that when he’s feeling a little sad or lonely he shares and feels better.  What a great lesson! – to reach outside of yourself when feeling down.

Caleb:  I love his shirt.  (Marvel Heroes)  I love monsters on his shirt.

We have loved having Brendan live with us!

(We have cousins here!  Could you tell??)

Brendan:  I think you are very thoughtful.  You had some pretty good ideas for the Spy movie we are going to make.

Andrew:  There are some gadgets we don’t know how to make yet though.

Jacob:  I think Andrew is funny and humorous.

Joshua:  Creative.  Imaginative and creative.

Daddy:  He’s a drawer too.  On this fine drawing day – he is an artist.

Autumn:  Andrew is a good cook.  He helps with stuff.

Andrew:  I helped make a cake today for part of summer chores.  (For our neighbor across the way – she turned 80 today!  🙂 )

Katey:  He helps me build things.  Like towers and houses.  With Legos and blocks.

Daddy:  You do all that?

Andrew:  Yes (said in a high voice)

Daddy:  How aout you Caleb?

Caleb:  He makes cake.

Daddy:  And Caleb likes cake.  We know that.

Caleb:  We put it in a bowl.  Then cook it.  Then put frosting on it.

Daddy:  Then what?

Caleb:  Then put frosting on it.  Then put it in the oven.  Then put it in the oven.  (feeling repetitive?)  Then cook it.  Then we take it out.  Then we eat it.  And it’s yummy.

Mommy:  Andrew is my buddy.  He has the cutest smile and is full of fun ideas.  I like spending time with him.

Joshua:  You should have said he has an epic-ly cute smile.  (it’s true!)

Daddy:  Did you see the little video on lolly-cup?  It’s about shave snow.  It’s got a milk base and looks delicious.  (focus, focus – can you guess what Family Home Evening treats are tonight?)

Daddy:  Andrew is truly one of the most helpful people I know.  And mommy stole my other one.  I love your smile.  I love the way your eyes twinkle when you are truly excited.

Andrew:  Can I have insurance?  Of three quarters a week?  (Thinking he meant allowance ;))

Meri:  (all sorts of full-on smiles)

We love our mister Drewby-Doo.  He makes us smile – by talking and helping and sharing with and loving us all.  His chore right now is washing dishes – which is great for spending time.  Sometimes we even do it two times a day.  He is a great reader and remembers stories so well.  Drewby is also a big eater and would eat fruit all day long if I let him.  Today he ate cantaloupe, pineapple, mango, apples and apricots.  Today.  He just now went to the “anytime” shelf and brought back a handful of sliced cucumbers.  He’s versatile like that.

For fun (and perhaps to save time 😉 ) we decided to say one word to describe something we love about Autumn.

Jacob:  Enthusiastic.

Josh:  Humorous.

Autumn:  I was just about to say, “Can I say one? and I would say funny!”

Andrew:  Love.

Autumn:  You mean loving.

Katey:  Because she reads me bedtime stories. (someone didn’t get the memo… 😉 )

Caleb:  Super-Reader!

Caleb:  I love you… and all of us.  (said as his hand sweeps the room)

Daddy:  What’s your word Caleb?

Caleb:  Um, picking my nose.

{laughter all around}

Katey:  Boogie-oogey-oogey.

Brendan:  Silly.

Mommy:  Effervescent.

Josh:  Supercalifragalisticexpeladocious.

Daddy:  Full-throttle.  Full-bore.  I’m going to have to look up synonyms or something.

We love our Autumn.  She does live life fully.  She loves playing with friends and is a sweetheart to her little sister.  They make cards and watch movies (latest right now is Bo on the Go) and just have so much fun together.  So thankful Autumn is part of our family.

Andrew:  I like Joshua because he is always caring for Meri.

Katey:  I love him because he plays with me.

Josh:  I do.

Caleb:  Um, I love Meri.

Daddy:  We’ll do Meri a different night.

Caleb:  Big, big horse.  (reading)

Daddy:  Why do you love Joshua?

Caleb:  Josh loves horseys.  Look at these orange ones!

Josh:  Remember the time our neighbor got picked up from scouts at the church by his brother on a horse?  I got to ride it that day – he even let me be on the front.

(What I remember is the horse dropping a whole load right by the front steps of the church.  The encore for scouts that day was learning how to clean horse apples off of cement.)

Daddy:  Josh always has a big hug if you need it.

Jacob:  And sometimes if you don’t need one.

*hug fest happening*  – except for Autumn who is roller skating through the living room – headed to putting them away after being told to do so.

Mommy:  Josh has a huge smile and likes to make others smile too.  Why just today at scouts we had chocolate cupcakes.  After the boys were done eating they all had messy mugs and Tana thought it would be great to get a photo of them.  We grouped them all up and Josh took an extra cupcake he was given and smashed it all over his face.  Well, not all over – just from the base of his eyes to his chin.  He got lots of smiles with that one.

Josh:  Okay, who needs a hug?

Andrew:  I do!

*another hug fest*

Jacob:  Joshua has a loud, strong laugh.

Andrew:  Do the belly worm Josh.

Autumn:  I like Josh because he likes entertainment and because he’s good at doing entertainment.  He also has a super huge smile.

We love our Josh.  He seriously has multiple funny bones, loves a good laugh and to make others smile too.  He reads lots, loves running around outside playing imaginary games and eats like a horse.  He also enjoys riding them.

Josh:  Free hugs for everyone…