Another year has flown by. Highlights from the last year include a trip out to Oregon to visit Jared’s parents, hosting international soccer coaches several times over the summer, Beckett being baptized, Titan turning twelve and receiving the priesthood, and lots of fun adventures to explore some of the gems that are right here in our area.
We now have a teenager in the house. Jacob is thirteen and in the seventh grade. He is passionate about soccer and he and Titan played on their middle school team as well as a competitive team. His friend helped him build his own computer this past year and he loves having his own device for homework, talking with friends and of course playing Fortnite. Jacob is an avid reader and it’s been fun to see the books he has devoured this past year. Jacob is a great big brother, and the triplets love playing hide and seek with him whenever he will agree to play.
Titan is twelve and in the sixth grade. He too continues to be passionate about soccer. I love that he and Jacob play on the same team. It’s so fun to watch Titan take on the bigger kids and hold his own on the field. Titan continues to be my creative builder and thinker. I love to see the games he comes up with for the younger boys and the things he builds and creates out of cardboard or whatever material he can get his hands on.
Beckett turned eight and was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October. He has really grown up, and now I find myself grouping him in with the older boys, and not so much with the younger boys. Beckett loves to play outside, especially if it involves Nerf weapons and a great battle. He always comes up with a great story to go along with whatever he is playing. He often gets his younger brothers in on the action, and he usually ends up having a tiger (Zeke) and a puppy (McKade) in tow.
Caleb is six and started kindergarten. He is thriving in school and often comes home with prizes for great behavior and hard work. Caleb finally was able to start participating on his own team and has loved playing basketball at the Rec. Center. (Though I think he loves being around the other kids and talking to them and trying to arrange playdates more than he really likes playing the game!) Caleb is so sweet to the triplets and will often go out of his way to include them in his play.
McKade is four, and everything he does has to do with the number four. Can we play for four more minutes? Can I have four treats? He picks out the number four wherever we go; it is really funny. McKade is our little chatterbox, and you always know when he is around because he will talk, talk, talk. It’s so fun to get a little glimpse into how his mind works and what he is thinking. We often have to run through the questions of what are we doing next?…and after that?…and after that? He likes to know what’s going on!
Bowen is four, and he loves all things Batman! Bowen loves to be my little shadow helping with whatever task I’m trying to accomplish. Bowen is obsessed with fire trucks and talks about being a firefighter some day. He loves books and will often check out the same ones (fire truck or Batman books) from the library over and over again.
Zeke is four, and his facial expressions always make me laugh. The way he looks at you or avoids your look says far more than anything that comes out of his mouth. Zeke can ride a two-wheeler bike with no training wheels, and I have to work to keep up with him. He is often the most reserved of the triplets, but he can be quite the ringleader sometimes leading the other two into trouble…it has been so fun to watch their relationship with each other grow! He loves to jump right into whatever dialogue is being acted out among Caleb and Beckett or McKade and Bowen, and he will happily play with them for hours.
Our house is loud, messy and full, but Jared and I could not possibly imagine it any other way!