Happy 9th Birthday Jace!

A Conversation with Jace on his 9th Birthday

My favorite food is: chili and cornbread and ham and egg burritos

My favorite sport is: basketball

The best show on TV is: SportsCenter

The coolest person in the world is: my family

My best subject in school is: math

I'm really awesome at: basketball

If I could change my name, it would be: Jace

If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go: Japan

My favorite color is: Dark Blue

When I grow up I want to be: Professional Basketball Player

My parents are too strict about: cleaning

My favorite song is: Waka Waka

My favorite book is: Alice in Wonderland and Gregor the Overlander

3 words that describe me are: fun, happy, intelligent

When I was little, I used to: play with balls

My favorite scripture story is: 2,000 Stripling Warriors

My favorite primary song is: Armies of Helaman

My favorite season is: Spring

The best snack ever is: Strawberries

The food that makes me want to barf is: broccoli

My best friend is: Hyrum/Jeffrey/Josh/Parker

If I had one wish it would be: to have an iPhone 4

The best thing that has happened to me this year is: getting an iPod shuffle

One thing I want to learn to do this year is: make a great Pinewood derby car

One thing I need to work on: not getting bugged by my brothers

The most important lesson I've learned this year is: to never give up

Jace, we feel so lucky to have you as the oldest child in our family. You are a great example to your brothers and are so helpful, kind and fun with them. This year you have grown up so much and become such a big helper at home. You get things done quickly and do them well. You've been great with Pierce and we love watching you with him. It's been especially fun to read books together and have grown-up conversations with you. You are like a little adult. I wish I could write down everything you say...it cracks us up on a daily basis because you use such adult phrasing and tones but don't always get the content quite right. Dad loves watching sports with you and has rediscovered how much fun they can be because you are so enthusiastic. I never imagined that time would go by so fast. It's been great to watch you excel in school and in sports and dad and I have been so impressed as you've worked harder than ever this year to succeed. It makes us so happy to see you try so hard at the things you do. You are still an exceptionally intense person which can be good and bad. You are working hard on controlling that intensity. You love being the boss, that can be good and bad. You have such a sensitive spirit and I love it...you know what is appropriate and stay far away from the bad. You bear your testimony often and we love watching it grow. You love the scriptures and really understand them. You pray with faith and power and are never repetitive...I could learn a lot from your spirituality. You are fearless and will talk to anyone and ask them anything, even adults. The other day, you called the school secretary early in the morning to see if you could bring your basketball to school, when she said, "No," you politely asked if the school could pump up the basketballs because there was an important tournament scheduled for recess that day. I loved it. You are not afraid to figure out how you can get what you need and want. You are confident and expressive and fun and we love you SO much. Can't wait to keep watching you grow!

On his birthday Jace woke up to signs that had the 9 reasons we love him, then headed to breakfast with dad at Northside Grill. This boy can EAT! 2 jumbo pancakes, an order of bacon and an order of sausage and he licked the plate clean. Apparently, the waitress was very impressed. 

 He got some fun presents for his birthday...rollerblades, a football, a game, an iPod shuffle and tickets to Beauty and the Beast! He really is the greatest big brother! 

 We decided to only do friend birthday parties on even years, so as a family we headed to Chuck E. Cheese and Cold Stone (his choice). It was a really fun night and a really great day. We loved celebrating him all day!!