Austin #47 and Nick #16

Austin and Nick's birthday landed on a Saturday.  Silly me, I was hoping we would spend the day together, but the day was busy.

Traditional morning presents and birthday waffles were calm and relaxing.

Thank you, sweetest mother, for always remembering them (us).  They are cute boys.

She's low-key his little lap dog.

We went to Walmart earlier in the week and each of the children bought them gifts.  Nick mostly needed new clothing, and Austin never needs/wants a thing.  They are easy to please.

Ryan's football game was part of the morning.

Dinner and cake rounded off our busy day.

Birthday Song

Nick is thriving in this incredible space of growth.  Every time I look at him, he's taller.  Every time he needs course correction, he self corrects.  Every time it's time to improve his relationship with homework, a sibling or his phone, he's changing for the better.  I sure love this tall boy that is growing more fiercly in faith and fidelity to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  He often questions:

"What's for dinner?"

"Can I go play tennis?"

"Do you want to go play pickleball?"

"Can I ride my dirt bike?"

"Will you take me driving?"

He plays/studies/teases so hard during the day, that his deafening snores are heard by all those wo fall asleep after him.

Austin is thriving in this incredible space of forward momentim.  Every time I look at him, he's dreaming of retirement and vacation.  His time is still occupied with providing, presiding and protecting, but he keeps those few spare thoughts filled with questions like:

"Where do you want to go next?"

"Would you like to retire to a little hobby ranch?"

"What about acuiring a little side income that would allow me to only work two days a week?"

And yet, he still makes time to clip coupons, xeriscape our yard, serve on the schoolboard, bike/hike all the mountains/trails in Sedona, and keep the pool at the proper pH year round.  No wonder he falls asleep in less than 3 seconds.  Luckily his snores are more intermittent.