The Lime - Tally Mark 192

Brah,

I'm not even sure where to begin.  I know this day is about you, but this year's celebration has impacted me in ways that previous years haven't.  I think it's the realization that our years of spending your birthday together are winding down, yet it feels like it just started.  Daddy and I were trusted with this little person, and we were expected to know what to do.  Shocker, we still don't know what we're doing.  Yet you've somehow grown into a stellar human being.

Last year was so much fun in Santa Cruz, you wanted to do it again this year.  But rather than just one day of celebrating, we turned it into two.  We drove down Saturday morning with Bryce, Jackson, and Liam, checked into the hotel, and then you guys immediately went out riding.  First to the pump track, next to the dirt jumps, and you ended the night at the cliff jumps (all you wanted for your birthday was to ride the cliff jumps at sunset...we succeeded).  We had Mexican food for lunch, pizza for dinner, and ice cream from Marianne's for dessert since we couldn't have s'mores during a bonfire (they removed all the firepits for winter).  The plan was to head out for dawn patrol Sunday morning but when Bryce tried waking everyone up, sleeping in sounded better.  You guys got up and moving around 8 o'clock, we packed everything up, grabbed some breakfast, and to the beach we went.  Boards were skimmed and boogied, and football was played.  The day wouldn't have been complete without Pleasure Pizza, shopping on 41st, and enjoying another sunset.  Seeing you do everything you love was the best!

There was a house on the street where the beach entrance was that caught your eye.  The homeowners were doing yardwork but the doors/windows of their home were all open, and they had music blasting.  You noticed their Sprinter van and LaFonda parked in front, and said you have aspirations of being in a similar situation when you're an adult.  You were made to live near the water.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed it happens for you.

While you're old enough to get your driver's license, you haven't felt the urgency to get the ball rolling (and you shared with us a couple days ago that you're scared to drive because people are crazy).  You did, however, get your permit two weeks ago and you start drivers training tomorrow.  Daddy jokes that he's going to get you a car that goes 65mph max, and it'll be a stick shift.  You just want a truck so you can put your bike in the back.  You've said you don't plan on driving anywhere other than far destinations for bike riding.  I hope we can include seminary into that mix because I would love to sleep in.  Although, I trust I'd still have to wake you up each morning.  You much prefer sleeping to getting up at 6:00 each morning (I don't blame you) but you do it, and I commend you.

You just completed your first semester of your sophomore year.  You enjoyed Geography so much last year, as well as the teacher, you chose to take AP Euro this year.  At the last minute, you second-guessed your decision but I told you that you had to stick with it.  It's been a lesson, most definitely.  We've also learned that electives are your strong point, and you can do well in Spanish if your teacher actually teaches.  You took Construction Tech and made us a wooden bench that we proudly display on the front porch.  It not only looks great, it smells fantastic.  You also made a cutting board that I don't want to use because I want it to stay nice.  This semester, you're taking Graphic Design and your teacher is in our ward.  Your first day of class, you sent me a text that said, "Bro...he's playing Led Zeppelin!"  You also sent me a text on another day that your phone battery was getting low because you had been listening to music all day.  I asked how you got away with it in class and you said you just cover your ears with your hair.  I suppose there are worse things you could be doing.  Music just makes you so happy.  You also say it helps you to concentrate.  After seeing you get distracted while taking your permit test, I say do whatever works for you.

As a Teacher at church, you finished the quorum out as the President.  The bishop pointed out how you're a leader and how much the boys look up to you.  You've also commented that you feel like the glue that holds your friends together.  Rie passed the Sacrament for the first time last Sunday, as did three other boys, and you were so thoughtful in how you instructed them on what to do and where to go.  Now you'll be blessing the Sacrament as a Priest.  If only Daddy and I could convince you to go to church dances.  It's one of the perks of being an older youth but you don't think they'll be fun.  Just like with In-N-Out hamburgers, you'll never know if you don't give it a try.  We just need to find a Denny's nearby that you can get mozzarella sticks at after the dances.

Speaking of In-N-Out, we give you some money every time Rie goes to batting practice to make things financially fair.  You tend to spend all of your "fun" money eating out.  With that, you did sell your Marin dirt jumper this last year and you've done a great job saving that money.  Even though we don't have room for more bikes, that's what you're holding out for.  Jared was kind enough to give you his old road bike, which you've thoroughly enjoyed.  You pride yourself in being able to ride to In-N-Out in 10 minutes.  And I think the fastest speed you've clocked is 37 mph.  You record your rides in Strava and you love seeing what everyone else is doing.  People have shared that you're the first person to like their rides and how good it makes them feel.  You like the connection and take pride in meeting your own goals the app has set for you.  I believe it's currently set at 35 miles per week which you usually meet by Wednesday.  Sometimes you'll just go ride around the block a few times to get out of the house and get a ride in. 

Traditions mean a lot to you.  Every Sunday night in December, we drive around and look at Christmas lights while drinking hot chocolate (and depending how much room we have after dinner, eating popcorn).  You make sure we don't miss a week.  We also eat spaghetti on Christmas Eve and look at Christmas lights in a specific neighborhood.  I planned poorly this year and we ate spaghetti a few days before Christmas Eve so we didn't feel like having it again.  The weather on Christmas Eve was extremely stormy so we stayed home.  While we ate dinner on Christmas, you shared how disappointed you were that we didn't do either tradition.  We didn't have an impromptu spaghetti dinner but we did end up going to look at the nights on Christmas night.  I love that you love them!  

You're about 6'1" and 150 lbs, still wear a size 12 shoe but you've moved up to size L clothes, you have a cool as a cucumber mentality and remind me often everything will be fine, you say you love us every time we part ways, you aren't a fan of Daddy touching you with his feet, I love the texts you send me in the middle of the day as well as the memes you send me, you are brave and care free, you have your own IG account but it's under my account (and you don't know the password) so your time on the app is limited, you thought it was the best day when Max Clark followed you back on IG, you have a job offer to work at Walmart but you're not sure that's what you want to do (you'd rather work at Vans but have to be 18), I signed you up again to umpire little league even though you'd prefer not to, you still have Lucifer and snuggle it often, you went surfing for the first time last year for Bryce's birthday, you get upset when you're grounded because riding for fun gets taken away and you hate being stuck inside, you're going snowboarding for the first time next weekend and you're convinced you'll be doing 360s before the day is done, you still drink a lot of water and eat all the time, you can't keep your sheet on your bed to save your life, you drink smoothies every morning for breakfast, you wish you could live in Hawaii and you think it should count for something that Papa served his mission in Hawaii and has a Hawaii driver's license, you and Daddy like to banter back and forth about who got who onto what, you may have more clothes than anyone else in our family, you like spraying canned whipped cream directly into your mouth, you hardly argue or talk back, and you still have a mustache.

How wonderful it would be to freeze time and keep you as you are, but then we wouldn't be able to see what this year brings you.  Hopefully nothing but the best.  You bring so much joy, peace, laughter, fun, style, and excitement to our family.  I love you so much!

-Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 132

Rie,

My sweet boy!  How has another year gone by?  I feel as if I was just writing your letter for when you turned 8 and were getting baptized.  Yet it still somehow feels like you were just born and all of the nurses were jealous that you arrived with the hair color they all pay their stylists to give them.  Regardless, here we are.

What a year it has been, filled mostly with baseball and school and a bit of cross country thrown in.  You made the All Star team with little league.  The day of tryouts, we got a call from a board member that two teams wanted you and you had to decide if you played with your age or the older boys.  Since you played Majors and had already competed against the older boys, you chose to stick with them.  As you did throughout the regular season, you held your own and earned your spot on the team.  You opted to stay with a majority of the same boys from All Stars as you transitioned into fall and spring travel ball.  It was a good experience for you to play with different boys and gain a better understanding of how your performance is not the only thing that impacts your ability to play baseball.  Your mindset influences so much, and that's something you've been struggling with.  You set the bar high for yourself, in everything you do.  But when you don't meet your own standards, you get really frustrated and down.  You want to be perfect but that's not always going to be the outcome.  We hope as you progress both in baseball and life that you remember the most important thing is to try your best.  And if your best for that game means you swung the bat yet struck out, at least you tried.  If it means you got in front of the ball but it still snuck by you, you tried your best.  

The same standards you set for yourself in baseball you set for yourself in school.  The beginning of 5th grade was a struggle.  You were extremely afraid of disappointing your teacher that you no longer wanted to go to school.  As much as you pushed back, we sat down with her and shared your concerns.  She was sad to think you thought you would disappoint her.  She shared how grateful she was you were in her class, how well you listened and how much you participated (despite your shyness), how your classmates looked up to you, and how kind you were to everyone.  She reiterated those words when she presented you with the Difference Maker award in the last trimester.  You were afraid you were going to end your streak of getting an award every grade of elementary school but then she surprised you.  And you definitely earned it!

Speaking of school, you had your Walk Through the Revolution presentation this month.  You were NOT looking forward to it.  As we know, public speaking and memorization is not your cup of tea.  Yet, as you've proven to us before, you practiced often and had your lines memorized in no time.  You were very worried about your costume and if looked authentic enough.  Sure enough, you looked fantastic.  I had to work but Daddy was able to watch you in person and you did an amazing job.  Isn't it cool to remember being so afraid of something yet you conquered it as if it was nothing?  Amazing what happens when you put in the hard work and determination.  

You and Connor are still best friends.  His mom and I talk about it often, how you two are perfect for each other.  He's outgoing and you're reserved, he has ADHD and you stay focused, he's energetic and you're mellow.  This is the first year that you've been on the same baseball team, and you both got picked for All Stars.  Even with school ending, you guys will still be able to see each other every day at practice.  Connor's friend, Andrew, was also on your little league team for spring.  The three of you were a riot - only smiles and laughing when you got together.  We're hopeful that come next school year, all three of you can ride your bikes together and create an even stronger friendship.

Speaking of school next year, you'll be in middle school!  And you are not looking forward to it.  Mainly because you'll have to change for P.E.  You were very worried about the type of underwear to use as most of the boys that age wear Ethikas.  We've got you stocked up between Christmas and your birthday, and I think that has helped ease your anxiety a little bit.  Your brother has assured you that nobody is going to be looking at your underwear but I think it's something you'll need to experience for yourself before your nerves are settled.  You were ready to leave elementary school once they stopped letting you play football.  You felt very restricted there and are hopeful you'll be given a little more independence in middle school.  Your brother said that won't come until high school but we'll see.

You also tell us you're excited to eat the pizza at middle school because the school lunch at elementary school is less than palatable.  There were many a days this last year where you would come home and I'd ask you what you had for lunch.  "Chips" or "nothing" were the most common responses.  Despite me encouraging you to take a lunch from home, you insisted on eating the school lunch or at least intended to.  Unfortunately, the middle school eats the same school lunch as elementary school (with the exception of the pizza) so we'll have to see what happens.

We'll also have to see if you decide to do cross country in middle school.  You felt a bit defeated at the end of the 5th grade season because your time wasn't improving.  I told you I'd start running with you to help you practice more but that only lasted once.  You're a much faster runner than I am and I was slowing you down.  But we have the summer to try again.  I hope you'll choose to participate in cross country - it's good for you to be active in something other than baseball.  


In addition to liking pizza, you get excited when we have enchiladas, tacos, and spaghetti for dinner.  You do not get excited when we have broccoli or soup, and you definitely don't like it when we have broccoli soup.  You would consume soda all day long if we'd let you but I'm not certain how much your body agrees with it.  You also love Pirates Booty and Pepperoncini flavored potato chips.  Nerd Gummy Clusters are your favorite candy and you love s'mores.  You alternate between bagels and cereal for breakfast, depending on what we have available.  You are an early riser whether you need to get up or not.  You like sleeping in the spare bedroom so you're not with your brother.  Aksel is your favorite and you don't hesitate to tell him or show him how much you love him.  It is the opposite with your family - we don't get very much love or affection.  It's a challenge for you to open up and share your feelings but when you do, you can see the physical release as you no longer have to hold it in.  You still watch YouTube but now you watch it while you play video games.  As someone who doesn't like a lot of noise, it doesn't seem to overwhelm you.  You think we should let you stay home by yourself but you still ask that we order for you at restaurants.  You have a hard time remembering family members that live out of state but that's partially because we don't get to see them very often.  You only wear Jordans and Santa Cruz shirts.  You've lost several baby teeth this year and should be getting your braces off soon.  You are convinced you're taller than me but you have a couple more inches to go.  You wear a size 8.5 shoe in men's and wonder where you get it from (cue Uncle Kenny).  You're not a fan of doing your chores nor music.  You love cars and always want us to race people in the Explorer.  You are funny, smart, kind, and fantastic at everything you try.  I hope you can acknowledge and appreciate those same things about yourself.

I love you and can't wait to see all you accomplish as an 11 year old!

-Mama

The Lime - Tally Mark 180

 Freddy,

If I'm being honest, I can't remember the last time I called you that.  Very rarely am I getting you prepped to get out of the house when I have to say, "Are you ready, Freddy?" like I did 13 years ago.  Those were the days where you spent a majority of your time at Aunty Kari's house, biting Grace and running around the couch.  Now you chew on your hoodie drawstrings and run 6:24 miles.

We spent the day in Santa Cruz with your friends.  You were looking forward to it for weeks!  Emily and Dustin let us borrow their Sprinter van, which you guys loved.  The extra room meant that Aksel got to come with us.  We woke up early, made the nearly three hour drive down, visited some surf shops where you got some steezy clothes and a new skim board, ate at Pleasure Pizza because that's where Jay worked, then headed to Manresa.  You all literally cheered as we pulled into the parking lot because of the waves and the other Sprinter vans in the parking lot.  Despite being 55* outside and even colder in the water, you all jumped in without hesitation.  You all had to take breaks to warm up before you jumped back in.  You wanted to stay until sunset, which we did, and then it was off to Gay Nineties for more pizza.  Everyone was exhausted but that felt like a good sign that it was a good day.

I loved watching you with your friends.  They're all such good kids and I'm so grateful you have them (Jackson, Bryce, and Liam).  Your interactions are hilarious (facts!) and you have to translate often for me as I don't understand the language you all use.  You're always off on an adventure with them such as building jumps, fishing in gated communities, riding downtown, going to skate and bike parks, or visiting all of the local McDonald's and using your points to get free food.  

Speaking of food, you love food.  Daddy has to tell you often to slow down because you inhale your food.  You get heartburn from eating your Nachos Bell Grande too quickly, and had an experience last year during baseball umpiring also from Taco Bell.  You still eat salami every day for lunch but at least you make your lunches now (most days).  You still don't eat cereal with milk but will eat an entire package of graham crackers in one sitting.  You watch food videos on YouTube and then crave whatever you watched for weeks.  You would drink your ranch if it was socially acceptable and you think the ranch from fast food restaurants tastes better than the Hidden Valley in our fridge.  You wish you could eat chicken and we need to get you tested again to see if you're still allergic.

You learned how to swallow pills this year but it took some bribery from Daddy, offering to take you driving.  One night, several months ago, on the way home from a fireside, you asked if you could drive in a parking lot.  That was a mistake on my end.  The first thing you said was, "This is nothing like the video game!"  You've been asking to drive ever since.  July will be here before we know it!  You have grand ideas of the shenanigans you're going to pull once you get your license, and you'd love a van to drive so you can take your bike to the mountains or your boards to the beach.  You love driving Emily and Dustin's golf cart at their house and reassure me you know what you're doing as you spin doughnuts in the rocks.  You make car noises all day long, which drives Daddy crazy, but you know a lot about cars and continue to learn more.  You egg me on to race people in the Explorer and ask me to cut in traffic, which will never happen.

What did happen, though, is you worked so hard towards the end of 8th grade and into high school this year.  You even ended up with two As and two Bs at the end of last semester.  High school has been a good fit for you, thus far.  The teachers seem to understand the mentality of teenagers and take that into account on a variety of levels.  Not that they're easy on you, but there doesn't seem to be so much of a focus on perfection like it seemed to be in middle school.  Everyone is willing to help and do whatever they can in high school to see you succeed.  I hope all four years end up being this good.

You played on the fall baseball team and next week will be try outs for spring.  You spent the winter weightlifting with your team and discovered muscles you didn't know you had.  You understand you aren't the best player on the team but you think your positive attitude is appreciated by your coaches.  You're hesitant to play in the spring, if you make it, because you think you won't have time to ride with your friends.  But I reminded you that the days will grow longer and it won't be dark at 5:30 forever.  you told me last night that you don't mind missing baseball so much when you're not playing it but when you're around your teammates, it makes you want to play.  We'll see how things pan out next week.  Unfortunately, you lost one of your teammates suddenly several months ago.  It's suspected he passed from a brain aneurysm but I don't know if it was ever confirmed.  While you weren't extremely close to him, he did have an impact on you.  Your team honored him in several ways and you wear a bracelet everyday in remembrance of him.

You're about 6 feet tall and (I believe) are the tallest youth in our ward, wear a size 12 shoe, prefer your jeans baggy, you enjoy shopping at thrift stores, you still sleep with Lucifer, you always bring a blanket out to the family room with you, you'd sleep with your earbuds in if we'd let you, you also sleep in your jeans, you plan your outfits every night for the following day, you always ask what's for dinner, you go to seminary because we make you, you have a hard time remembering to turn your bedroom fan off and to put your dirty clothes in the hamper, you don't want braces even though the dentist said you should get them, you refuse to shave your mustache, you'd prefer to grow up and be homeless if it meant you could live by the beach, you come up with detailed scenarios like how you were going to catch the person who stole Daddy's bike, you love listening to music, and I can't remember the last time I saw you wear a baseball hat.

As always, do well, be kind, you're amazing, and always try your best.  I love you so much!

-Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 120

Rie Rie,

You are finally 10!  What you thought was never going to come has arrived and you're so excited!  You've been working on your list for a couple of months, making changes, adding links, making sure I've sent it to people, etc.  You asked for two pairs of Jordans, a custom baseball bat, a gift card for PlayStation so you can get The Show '24, a weighted blanket, and some hats.  I hope you love what you got!

Your time as a fourth grader is coming to an end.  This year you learned about California Missions and the Gold Rush.  You have a field trip next week to Coloma, where gold was first discovered.  You're excited because you get to be partners with your friend, Connor, which means you'll be together the entire time of the field trip and you get to sit with each other on the bus.  While you two are friends, you're also extremely competitive.  Both of you ran in Cross Country this school year and he was FAST (always came in first).  You would get really down on yourself because you weren't coming in first.  This motivated you to want to push yourself to try and beat your previous time each race.  You never beat Connor but you finished the season off stronger than you started.  You also didn't want to initially do Cross Country but you were open to trying something new.  Way to go!

Not a surprise, you still play baseball.  We switched travel ball teams this year and you still play on the 10U team.  You also played Majors for Fall & Spring ball.  It was intimidating to play with boys so much bigger and stronger than you but you've held your own.  In fact, you were nominated for All-Stars this year and you made it!  Your coach told you that you should have made the team last year but it was his fault you didn't.  He's excited to have you on his team this year.  You're not super excited because you thought you'd have two practices a day but so far, that's not on the schedule.  Regardless, you're going to do great!  Baseball comes naturally to you.  You flow so nicely on the field, always knowing what to do and where you need to be.  Catching is your forte but you also pitch and play shortstop.  You make amazing plays and definitely earned your spot as an All-Star.  Your nickname as the Silent Assassin still rings true as you can usually be found on the bench, waiting for your at bat rather than being super vocal and cheering your team on.  While you aren't the cheerleader of your teams, you definitely set the tone for the other players and so many people look up to you.

Do you know what else comes naturally?  Pretty much everything.  While it doesn't create good habits, you never study for your tests but you still get amazing grades.  You hate public speaking but you aced your San Diego Mission oral presentation.  So much so, your teacher went home that evening and raved about how fantastic you did to her husband (their son is on your baseball team so we get to talk to them often).  You never give up and you always try your best, even if you're not super keen about doing something.  Each week, your teacher sends home a progress report for each kid.  I can't tell you how many times she's written how much she loves you and loves having you in her class.  Your class hasn't been the easiest this year for her but she's told me how you make her job easy.  Thank you for being kind and respectful, especially to your teachers!

You got braces in October since you got my teeth and Daddy's mouth.  You're about halfway through your first treatment and once all of your permanent teeth come in, you'll start your second treatment.  After the initial placement, you were definitely in pain; lots of Jell-o, pudding, and yogurt were consumed.  When you get them tightened now, you refuse to take medicine to help with the discomfort and you just push through.  Honestly, you worry more about what color bands you'll get rather than how much it'll hurt you.  You need a little help brushing and flossing but you got a compliment last week from a boy in your class.  He asked you how you got your teeth so white with braces because his are always yellow.  You came home quite proud of your dental hygiene regiment.  

YouTube still gets all of your attention.  For some reason, watching other people play video games excites you.  You often ask if you can get new games on the iTouch but I always make you delete some before you can get new ones.  Then a week goes by, and you ask for another new round.  You asked me the other day to try and guess a YouTuber based off their voice.  I assured you I didn't know any YouTubers except for FazeRug.  You insisted I would know.  You turned on the clip and, you were right, I knew who it was.  It was Ryan Trahan!  We loved watching his summer challenge for the last couple of years.  We'll have to see if launches a new one this year.

For being so sweet, you definitely like to talk back.  You use the excuse that you don't know what talking back means so you just keep talking.  If I'm being honest, I'd much rather you act like this with me and Daddy but, still.  We know you can follow directions and behave at school and baseball.  We just can't figure out why you can't always behave at home.  Sometimes groans and whines come out of your mouth when we ask you to do your chore or feed Aksel.  If we ask you to do something, you have to ask if The Lime did what we asked him to do first.  Everything has to be fair and we have to remind you to worry about yourself.  One day you'll understand what talking back is, I hope.

You prefer I drive you to school every morning, and Aksel always joins us.  You don't tell me you love me back after I say it to you, but Aksel always gets lovies from you before you leave.  I'm glad you are able to show love and emotion to someone/something.  It's hard for you to be vulnerable, and you have an especially hard time complimenting people or apologizing.  I'm not quite sure where this stems from but we want you to know it's okay to say something nice to someone, or to admit when you've made a mistake and you need to ask for forgiveness.  It's something your teacher has had everyone work on this year.  I think we just need to practice more.  

For your birthday meals, you want Cane's for lunch (we've never been) and Panda for dinner - pretty much chicken since we never get to eat it.  You still love chicken wings and still eat lunch at school every day.  You sleep in our spare bedroom because you say your bed is uncomfortable.  You are obsessed with Jordans and have them as your roller skates and baseball cleats.  You finally moved up to a size 7 in shoes.  I had you clean out your drawers last month and you still had size 6 clothes in there.  We got rid of all of them and you're a M/10.  You eat bread and Nutella every morning for breakfast.  You tried dragon fruit and mango for the first time this year and you love both.  You even tried planting dragon fruit seeds but I'm not sure anything will come of them.  You still have the same haircut (long middle, shaved sides).  When we shave your sides, they act like velcro and the long part of your hair gets stuck in the stubble.  You loved going to San Diego earlier this year, especially to the Padres game.  Fernando Tatis, Jr. is one of your favorite players.  You love Coca Cola.  You tried paddleboarding this year and love it.  You just wish we'd let you go out further than we feel comfortable doing.  Talking/yelling in your sleep is not as prevalent as it used to be but it still happens every once in a while.  You're usually the first one up in the morning on the weekends.  Sometimes you let Aksel out of his crate and feed him, sometimes you go straight to the computer.  You say you don't like music but you chose Notorious B.I.G. as your travel ball walk up song.  We also paid you to pick Careless Whispers as your little league song.  You were so afraid people would make fun of you but everyone loved it.  

And just like they loved your song, everyone loves you.  It isn't unusual for us to go somewhere and hear someone yell out your name with excitement.  While not a social butterfly, people know you and want to be around you.  Keep that up, bud.  We love you so much and love being around you.  We can't wait to see what 10 year old Rie does with himself this year!

Love you so much,

Mama

The Lime - Tally Mark 168

 Dear Freddy,

As I hugged and kissed you goodnight last night, I savored it being the last time I'd do it to a 13 year old you.  Since you're way bigger than me, I have to stand on my tippy toes to hug and kiss you which gets a little awkward.  What isn't awkward is that you aren't embarrassed to say you love me when you leave each morning and your friend is standing right there.  You make sure to tell me you love me every time you leave the house to go ride your bike and you text me every time you're on your way home so I know when to expect you.

That's right...you finally got a phone.  You were convinced you wouldn't get one until you turned 18 and moved out.  But when it came to Christmas last year, all you wanted was a Super 73 or $500 shoes.  Neither one was going to happen.  So Daddy and I pulled the trigger and decided it was time.  The look on your face when you saw it next to the Christmas tree was priceless.  For a second, it felt like you thought it was a joke.  Its main purpose is for you to be able to communicate with Daddy or me while at school or out with friends.  When you're with the family, we prefer you not be on it.  You've fought back a little bit with the rules but for the most part, you've gone along with it.  You much prefer to just listen to your music or play Pixel Gun.

I was a little worried once you got the phone, that's all you'd want to focus on.  I've heard stories about kids that spend all of their free time in their bedroom on their phone.  You still prefer to be outside riding your bike at one of the various dirt jumps we have around here.  You sent me a video the other day of you doing some jumps and they were so high!  I was 1) glad I wasn't there to see you in person because I'd probably tell you not to do it and 2) glad I wasn't there so you were brave enough to do it.  You get so excited to come home and tell me about the jumps and berms you build.  You ride with Jackson and Bryce the most, and sometimes Jacob and Riley.  You get nervous that someone is going to call the cops on you guys for building the jumps, especially now that the police department has SxS vehicles to patrol the open areas.  Thankfully you're all good kids and people tend to let you be (except our former neighbor who laid into you guys one day).

School is not your favorite thing and you'd much prefer to be with friends riding bikes.  Unfortunately, the C Boys on YouTube have not been the best influence (they're a group of friends that get to have fun all day).  We had to bring you back down to reality a couple months ago, letting you know what you see on YouTube is not always reality.  But you're not convinced you'll use anything you're currently learning at school in your adult life so it's a waste of time.  We reiterated that you don't need to go to college and get a degree to be successful.  The most important thing is that an effort be made, no matter what you do.  And that starts now.  Whether that's buttering your bread, folding clothes, pitching a baseball, signing your signature, completing a book report.  As long as your best effort was made, we'll be grateful you tried.

Baseball starts up again soon with tryouts being next week.  You'll still be in Juniors and are hoping to be on your friend's team (his dad is coaching).  You and Arturo met at school and have become good friends.  You both got almost the exact same Christmas presents and share a lot of the same interests.  You pitched a lot during fall ball and take pride in being the only one who was able to strike Arturo out.  First base is still your number one choice but you also like playing shortstop.  The outfield is a struggle for you because you get distracted easily.  A loud car goes by and it's all over.

The same thing happened as you umpired for spring ball last year.  You loved the opportunity to earn money and you got your own bank account with a debit card.  Lots of trips were made to the grocery store for Arizonas and Little Caesars.  Your money definitely burns a hole in your pocket.  Every day you would show me a new pair of shoes you wanted.  Thankfully, I didn't let you buy any of them because I knew your preference would change within 24 hours.  You also had a hankering for Ethika underwear.  The trend last year for teenage boys was to have short shorts so the bottom of the Ethikas would show.  You tried your darndest to let yours show but I threatened to have the bottom of my underwear hang out of my shorts to match you.

You are somewhat influenced by trends but you also march to the beat of your own drum.  You cut a mullet right before 8th grade started.  That was an adjustment for everyone!  You like to wear Rhone because nobody else wears it.  We've tried to instill in you that we don't care what anyone else thinks (this was repeated constantly when you thought you were the only student at your school without a phone).  While you are confident in who you are, you are still a teenage boy and don't want to be labeled as weird.  But a lot of people look up to you and several kids have recently gotten the North Face slippers after you wore them to school (everyone else seems to wear Uggs).  

Speaking of not caring what others think, you've started going roller skating with Doodlebug and me.  You put your earbuds in, listen to your music, and zone out.  I appreciate that a now 14 year old boy intentionally chooses to go roller skating with his mom and younger brother every Thursday night.  There aren't a lot of other boys there your age but that doesn't deter you.  I know baseball will hinder our time skating in the next few weeks so I'm soaking the moments up while I can.

You eat dry cereal for breakfast every morning unless we have doughnuts.  For lunch, you eat salami & crackers.  You inhale Taco Bell which gives you heartburn.  McDonalds is also inhaled but doesn't impact you the same way.  Daddy has to remind you to slow down often, the food's not going anywhere.  You wear a size 11.5 shoe and M adult clothing.  You love cars and I'm always amazed by how much you know.  You and Daddy were talking last week about fixing up the Falcon so it's ready to drive by the time you're 16.  You think you'll be a good driver because you know how to drive the golf cart at Emily & Dustin's.  But after riding on Uncle Tommy's 4-wheeler with you, I'm grateful you have two more years to fine tune your skills.  You kindly pick Doodlebug up from school every day it's not raining.  You look up to Uncle Johnny and would go to Utah for every vacation if you could.  When we're in Utah, you insist we go to Brick Oven Pizza even though we've all decided it's not the best pizza.  You love Sprite so you can mix other drinks with it.  You earned a fake Stanley cup in your school's fundraiser a couple of months ago and you're always drinking water.  You take a piece of my gum every Sunday after Sacrament meeting.  Whenever you're sitting on the couch, you have to have Lucifer and a blanket with you.  You sleep without a sheet on your mattress no matter how many times we try to put it back on.  And you have to have a fan blowing on you.  You've improved your mile dramatically in middle school.  I believe you're at about 6:42 with a goal of getting down to 6:30 before the end of the year.  You have a tiny mustache that random people call you out on.  You refuse to shave it.  All of your teachers love you and commend you for being a good kid.  

You are a good kid.  In fact, you're a great kid.  I'm so grateful you joined our family 14 years ago and we get to be with you forever. Daddy and I were snuggling the other night and you said, "Well, looks like we're all snuggling!" and you hopped on the dog pile.  While you are definitely growing up, I still get tiny glimpses of little Freddy.  It's fun to see both versions of you.  I can't wait to see what 14 year old you gets to accomplish this year.  So much, I hope!

Love you tons,

Mommy

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 108

 Oh my RieRie!

Since about 5:00 last night, you were counting down the hours until your birthday.  For about a month, you asked me if I had everything ready to go.  You had your breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned, when you were going to open what present, and what you wanted to do that night.  The stars aligned and nobody has baseball tonight so we get to go roller skating.

Speaking of roller skating, it was the end of February or early March that your school had a skate night.  Since The Lime started school, I've wanted to go to one of those.  Finally, I convinced you to go to this most recent one.  It was your first time skating and you were nervous.  You fell, a lot.  But each time, you got up and tried again.  There were a lot of tears and you were frustrated with yourself, and I was expecting you to say you never wanted to go again.  To my surprise (and delight), you wanted to go back the next week.  And, so, we have (when we don't have baseball)!  Most of the time it's just me and you, and I love it.  We see how many times we can go around the rink, our highest amount being 104.  That's also 104 times you've gone around without falling.  One of these weeks we'll win Four Corners.  Not sure about Red Light/Green Light.  Some of those folks are FAST.  You want to hold my hand and get upset if I let go.  You asked for skates for your birthday and it's on the agenda to buy you a custom pair (the kind where you turn regular shoes into skates).  Can't wait to see what you pick!

Baseball keeps us busy.  You started catching this season, and you do an awesome job.  You are so laid back when you play, taking everything in stride.  When you strike out, no big deal.  Just like with skating, you get out there and try again.  When you don't catch a ball, you give it another shot during the next play.  Daddy heard a college baseball coach talk about how he wants "boring" players; people that go out there and get the job done without all the fanfare/bells/whistles/drama.  That's you, bud.  Last year, your coaches called you the Silent Assassin.  You don't talk much and can normally be found sitting on the bench while the other boys are climbing the fence or playing swords with their bats.  Some days you say you don't want to play while others, you anxiously ask me when your next game or practice is.  You played travel ball for the first time last fall and seemed to enjoy that a bit more than little league.  You don't think you're good but you are.  And you'll go far in this game if you keep trying.

Speaking of not talking, you have the same third grade teacher that The Lime had.  Part of me was excited because she's great but part of me was also nervous because she does lots of oral reports.  For someone who doesn't talk much, I wasn't sure how that would go over.  Sure enough, for your first one, you were adamant you were NOT going to do it.  But you did, and you did awesome.  Then it was time for the second one and, again, you were not going to do it.  But, again, you did and got a perfect score.  There was a little hesitation for the third one but I think you felt pretty confident by then.  And it showed, as you got another A+.  It's pretty cool to see what you're capable of when you put in an effort and tell yourself you can rather than can't.

You came home from school a few months ago and told me you had a hard time seeing the tv screen.  It was right around the time The Lime and I had our annual eye exams so we scheduled one for you too.  Sure enough, you needed glasses.  You were set on only wearing them for school until you put them on at The Lime's baseball game and stunned yourself.  You could read the scoreboard and all of the sponsor banners in the outfield.  The more you wore them, the more you realized how amazing it is to see clearly.  You didn't know that at night, there wasn't always a ring around lights.  You're pretty good at wearing them all the time, except for baseball.  I think you're a little embarrassed but you'll come around.

I recently asked you what you wanted to be when you grow up.  "You know..." you said.  I racked my brain trying to remember.  Then it hit me...an electrical lineman (as long as you're securely strapped into your harness).  I have no clue where you got the idea but it's ambitious, and I love it.  

Actually, now that I think of it, you probably saw something on YouTube about linemen.  You still love devices, especially if you can watch YouTube on it.  The things you've learned...your class grew butterflies last month and you named yours Michael Myers.  We've never talked about that character or the movie he's from.  Leave it to YouTube.  You do say some funny things after hearing them online.  I think you said someone was acting rigid the other day.  I'm not sure when I learned that word/meaning but it definitely wasn't third grade.

You and The Lime fight all.of.the.time.  But the second he goes to do something with his friends, you beg to join.  Most of the time he lets you and you two have fun.  You enjoy riding your bikes together, playing wiffle ball or basketball with the neighbors, and going to Raley's to buy treats.  You get very protective of your treats, mainly because you use your own money to buy them.  Sometimes you buy Prime, other times you buy Sour Patch Kids or chips.  

I think I've mentioned it before how I've always thought you'd be a great big brother.  You interact so well with younger kids, like your cousin.  I think that's why you love Aksel so much.  You play with him in the mornings before you leave for school.  And when it's time to leave, you say, "Bye Sweetie Pie!"  You love to cover him with your blankets and he patiently lets you.  You love snuggling with him and he hates when you get close to him when he's chewing on his toys.  During Christmas break, I watched our neighbor's dog.  She's older and much easier to take on walks.  A few days in, you started joining me on our walks and you were in heaven.  Just like with Aksel, you loved on Olive and have been asking me ever since when we can watch her again.

Just like you love Aksel and Olive, you love tacos and requested that to be dinner on Sunday.  You also love Panda Express and we're getting that tonight.  You still do not love broccoli but you'll eat it if you have to.  Same goes for mushrooms.  You love frozen tamales, just like The Lime.  You love cheddar sour cream Ruffles and Doritos.  You eat cereal or bagels for breakfast and get school lunch every day.  You've been breaking out on your chin and we think it's from toothpaste.  We're on our third brand, hoping it clears things up.  You have gotten better at washing your hair and it smells so much better.  You got a size 6 pair of shoes today and can't wait until you're a 7 because then you'll be wearing men's sizes.  But you still have size 8 clothes that you wear.  You got a special pair of church pants and a nice blazer from Daddy's aunt's store in Utah.  You like going to church only so you can wear them.  You wish you were in my primary class so you could play games.  You insist on wearing long socks even if they don't match your outfit.  You got a watch for Christmas and you love having it in military time.  You love playing catch with Daddy at The Lime's baseball games.  You absolutely love chicken wings and pride yourself on being able to eat a pound of them at Cattlemen's.  

I love watching you grow and I also love that your voice still sounds little.  I'm excited you're excited to be 9!  Remember: do well, be kind, you're amazing, and I love you.

-Mama

The Lime - Tally Mark 156

Dear Freddy,

We officially have a teenager in the house!  What the heck?!  The days leading up to your birthday, I always play back in my mind what took place __ years ago.  It really doesn't feel like you joined our family 13 years ago.  And I can't believe how quickly the last 5 years have gone by.  It means the next 5 will fly by even faster, and then you'll be an adult!  Until then, we'll enjoy the time we got kid Dieter and we'll learn how to parent teenage Dieter.

You're in 7th grade and don't enjoy it.  Every once in a while, you having something positive to say about school.  And if you do, it has to do with your friends, your math teacher, or Mr. Smith.  It's hard to tell if you don't like science because it's science or because of your teacher.  I think it's the later.  You're doing line dancing in PE right now and you're not thrilled about it.  Reading is not your strength and you fight us when we suggest you read in your downtime.  We tell you it's something you'll need/use the rest of your life but you think otherwise.  Social Studies is mediocre but I know you'll love it next year.

Last Fall, you moved up to Juniors in little league.  You now play on a full-size baseball field and that was a definite adjustment.  Gregg was your coach in the Spring and Fall, which you thoroughly enjoyed.  Ironically, we met with him a few years prior when you wanted to know why you didn't make the All-Star team.  We weren't too sure of him at that time but being on both his teams was a wonderful experience.  You thrive at first base and love trying your hand at pitching.  Many people comment how you fit the look of a baseball player and you'd be decked out in knee/foot/elbow guards all the time if Daddy would let you.

You've started going across the street to the open area to ride your bike.  Everest, Bryce, Jackson, and you have built some dirt jumps to ride on.  Unfortunately, you've created a gazillion holes in the ground while doing so.  You guys don't seem to mind, though.  We've received a lot of rain recently so that whole area is flooded/muddy.  You're anxious for the ground to dry out so you can get back out there.  You let Rie come with you sometimes and are always home before it gets dark.  Now that it's staying darker later, I imagine that's where you'll be spending a lot of your time (until baseball starts).

You're good at saving your money but always want more.  This year you'll be eligible to work in the snack bar at baseball.  You also went around the neighborhood this year to sell lemons and rake people's leaves.  Daddy keeps suggesting you mow people's lawns or clean out their garbage cans.  While you love money, you're not too keen on having to work extra hard to earn it.  I think that'll change once you start working at the snack bar.  

While doing your homework, you have to listen to music because you say it helps you focus.  As soon as we get in the car to go somewhere, you ask Daddy if he can turn on Amazon music.  We had a break in the rain today so you put the iPad in your backpack and you rode around on your bike listening to music.  You love music and enjoy a wide variety of genres.  Your favorite artist right now is Morgan Wallen, and you'd love to see him in concert.

Speaking of concerts, I took you to see Matisyahu with me last year since Daddy was out of town.  You thought everyone was weird and didn't enjoy yourself.  You asked if you could join me and Auntie Kari when we go see Vance Joy in a couple of months.  I'm working on it because I'd love to go with you!

You are officially taller than me which is really weird.  Trying to console or reprimand someone who is bigger than you doesn't feel right.  But you still love to snuggle and let me hug you as much as I want.  You don't always hug back but that's okay.  You also very rarely say you love me and Daddy back when we tell you we love you.  I attribute that to being a teenager.

Despite the big, bad teenager attitude, you came home from school the other day saying it was the worst day ever.  There was an unexpected intruder drill and you initially thought it was real.  It really scared you and you now get nervous every time someone talks over the PA system.  You like to appear tough and strong, which you are a lot of the time.  But I know there's still that tender boy deep down inside.

That's why you still have Lucifer and sleep with her every night.  You don't just sleep with her, she's with you on the couch every time you're watching tv.  You sniff the same spot on her back that you always have while you suck on your tongue.  We don't talk much about her because I don't want you to get embarrassed but I love that she's still such a large part of you.

You are very into your appearance and love to match.  You have a lot of shoes (you wear a size 9 in mens) and Dickies pants.  You could probably wear a new baseball hat every day for a month.  You eat smoothies for breakfast.  I still make your lunch for school and it's been peanut butter and crackers for months.  You can scarf down pizza or a hamburger in a flash.  We have to remind you to brush your hair often, and you just cut it for the first time in probably a year.  You still play with Nico on a daily basis, and you two come up with interesting things to do.  I described you two to a neighbor down the street and she said, "Oh, the boys that ride in a car seat on a skateboard?"  As long as you're wearing your bike helmet, I'm fine with that.  You ride your bike to school when it's not raining, and you wear shorts when it's not raining.  You love "Only the Brave" and want to be a hot shot.  You still love "Chasing Mavericks" and would probably surf if we lived closer to the ocean.  You love the water and thrive when we go to the lake or river.  It makes me nervous how comfortable you are but you assure me you're fine.

You are fine, and you'll do great things.  Remember to be kind, do well, you're amazing, and I love you!

Love,

Mama