Cole is 9!

Happy birthday to our sweet Cole!  His birthday landed on Memorial Day this year.  He requested lemon bars as his "cake" and we got to sing with all the family.  His big request was to play everyone in Chess.  Didn't quite make every person - but he did get a lot of matches in.  And lots of victories too!

Favorite gift - Axis and Allies!

My favorite food is: pizza

My favorite sport is: indoor soccer

The best show on TV/movie is:  Down and Derby, Cars 2

The coolest person in the world is:  mom!

My best subject in school is: math

I’m really awesome at:  soccer, games - especially Tossed Salad, Axis and Allies, chess

If I could change my name, it would be: I like my name!

My favorite color is:  orange

When I grow up I want to be:  Pilot 

My parents are too strict about:  chores

My favorite song is: Thunder by Imagine Dragons

My favorite book is:  Wayside School by Louis Sachar

When we stop for a treat, I get this:  Reeses Pieces

4 words that describe me are:   awesome, cool, nice, amazing

When I was little, I used to:  I loved dad to throw me up in the air

My favorite scripture story is:  I like the one about Alma and the Zoramites

My favorite primary/church song is:  I'm Trying to be like Jesus

My favorite game is:  Chess

My favorite season is:  spring - fall is too cold, winter is too cold and summer is too hot 

The best snack ever is:  cold cereal - especially Cinnamon toast crunch

My favorite superhero is:  Iron Man and Dr. Strange

The food that makes me want to barf is: cheese soup - definitely!

The car I would love to drive when I turn 16 is:  Chevy

My best friends are: Beau Miller, Lachlan Frew, and Milo Manning

The cutest girl/boy I know is: Avee Astil

The most memorable day this year was:  riding the mattress down the stairs

If I had one wish it would be: to have my mom always with me

The best thing that has happened to me this year is:  I played lots of board games with my friends

One thing I want to learn to do this year is:  I want to get better at being a faster runner

The thing that scares me the most is:  when dad gets mad at me

If I could go anywhere it would be:  I want to go to Disney world

The most important lesson I’ve learned this year is:  multiplication

If I could meet one person from history it would be:   George Washington

2. What is your favorite toy? 4 square ball
4. What do you like to do with your family?  play Chess
5. What is your favorite outfit?  long sleeve shirts
7. What is your favorite fruit?   pineapple
8. What is your favorite animal?  shark
12. What makes you happy?  being with my mom
13. What makes you sad?  when Erik beats up on me
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  run around
15. What is your favorite drink?   Fanta Orange
16. What is your favorite holiday?   Halloween - we get lots of candy
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  Storky and Monklee - my stuffed animals
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?   cold cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?  cheese pizza

BONUS:
1. What is your happiest memory?  snuggling
2. Why do you like being a kid? kids don't have to pay for as much stuff
4. What advice would you give your parents?  kids do less chores and spend more time with your children
5. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why? 
6. What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?  Axis and Allies
7. What was the nicest thing you did for someone?  helping mom with chores
8. What do you think you will be doing 10 years from now?   driving, being with my girlfriend
9. What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.   $1 per week.  I would buy ice cream
10.  What are your talents?  soccer
11.  Who is your scripture hero?   Alma
12.  What do you like to do with dad?  wrestle
13.  What do you like to do with mom?  snuggle

He got to invite his buddies over to play Axis and Allies and dodgeball. These are such good boys and game nights are their favorites!  It had been a while since they'd seen each other because of the corona lockdowns.

He also had a joint celebration with Elise and Erik when we traveled down to St. George area and visited Grandma Karen and Grandpa Merle.  Karen was so great to plan a big party for these kids and they were thrilled!

We're sure grateful Cole is in the family!  He has a very tender heart.  He doesn't like to get in trouble and doesn't love to be teased. Most days he comes up the stairs with his shirt on backwards (and sometimes his pants too) so he has learned to deal with that teasing a little better.  He still likes to run around in the yard/sidewalk/deck and flap his arms.  We wonder what he is thinking about - we can tell his mind is spinning, but he just smiles and keeps his thoughts a secret.  He is great at math and strategy games.  His usual is to play mom and dad a Chess match before everyone wakes up on Sunday mornings.  He is a nail picker and a lip sucker.  Not sure how we are going to break those habits???  He still loves to be snuggled and likes me to read to him.  Cole is also very fiesty when it comes to games.  When he thinks something is not fair or out or rules are broken, he gets pretty ticked off.  Sometimes he is dead wrong about those things, but if he's mad, there is no convincing him.  He just has to cool off for a minute and then come back to the game.  He's kinda leveled off about this in card games (although it comes through occasionally) but definitely not in recess games like 4-square.  Flag football and track seasons were postponed or cancelled this spring with all of the corona stuff, but he would still go on runs with Lucy. He's a good runner!  Cole loves to go to school and especially loves math.  Reading is only ok.  He was really sad when school was cancelled and really loved his teacher, Mrs. Youngberg. He's a good little pianist too.  Cole is great about giving thoughtful comments in our family scripture study and I've loved hearing his pure testimony in our family testimony meetings each month.  We sure love our Cole!  Happy 9th!