Carter is 10!

Yesterday we celebrated the best boy I know as he turned 10 years old! It’s always very exciting to move to the realm of double digits!

Some things that Carter loves right now include:

Star Wars (especially light sabers!)
Reading–Big Nate comic books, Wings of Fire graphic novels, Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians +
Sports–soccer, basketball, four square, cross net, swimming +
Building–legos, kiwi crate style stuff, stuff with Dad, light sabers +
Video games–Super Smash Bros, Star Wars games, Mario Party with the fam, Hogwarts Legacy +
Hanging out with friends
Pokemon cards
Riding Bikes, scooters, skateboards and taking them to the skate park
Playing trumpet (he reports that it is far superior to piano)
Doing math

Some things that we love about Carter right now include:

Watching him get excited about all those things he loves
That he does his chores just about every single day
That he cares deeply about his people–family and friends
That he wore shorts 95% of the days of winter
Going to his soccer games, listening to him practice trumpet, and going to band concerts
Hearing him call up the stairs and say “start my time!” when he has earned his screen time
That he is still the best brother to all his sisters and the best son to his parents

We love Carter a million million! He is such a fun dude to have around!

Portia’s Baptism

Yesterday was a magically celestial day for the Monson family. Our magnificent Portia Eve was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. 🤍🤍🤍

It was so special to be there for this ultra-important day in Portia’s life. As I mentioned in her birthday post, I feel like she really has prepared for the sacred promises she made with God yesterday and that she really does want to follow the Savior to the best of her ability for the rest of her life.

I’m so grateful for myself and my children that President Nelson has taught us so much more clearly about the power of our covenants with God. (Maybe the rest of you understood better than me.) And I’m grateful that Portia wants to be part of God’s covenant family and that she wants to have a covenant relationship with Him. I joyfully look forward to watching how she continues to come unto Christ and set a good example for me throughout her life.

Anker-Bonker-Flonker-Donkers is FOUR

Happy Birthday to our BEAUTIFUL little Bianca! She is truly such a little gem and joy to have in our family that I’m not confident I’ll be able to adequately put it into words. But I’ll try my best.

First of all, Bianca just loves. She loves everybody in her life—parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. She just loves everybody. But she also just loves each day of living her adorable little life. She finds joy in all the little things—like coming with me to pick up Helen from kindergarten or wearing her hair in a bun—and all the big things—like planning and celebrating her birthday! Her love and joy are so contagious that everybody leaves Bianca’s presence happier and better than when she found them. I’m truly grateful for her example of love and joy.

She was so happy to get a Valentine’s rose from her primary teacher. <3

Some more specific things that Bianca loves are as follows:

Being fancy, royal, beautiful, or any kind of grown up
Deer. Her birthday was themed “deers and flowers.”
Helping at home. Though this love has limitations (such as doing her assigned chores)
Babies and dolls to whom she can be a good mommy.
Everything about preschool!
Choosing outfits and laying them out for the next day.
Having curly hair.
Baby Shark.