Settergren Hardware
LIttle #3 is ready to learn the hardware ropes.
Uncle Mark texted Jake back after he saw the photos and said she can start anytime 🙂
Author: veronica
Little #2 turns 6!
Happy birthday to our Little #2!
You have to use 2 hands to show how old you are now! Your dad and I are so proud of the young boy you have become. Your laugh is contagious, your wit is quick, and your love for your siblings makes my heart so thankful for the opportunity to see you interact with them.
Kindergarten is an adventure you have met head-on. I am impressed with your ability to grasp concepts and master skills in math and reading. Keep up the hard work and never stop learning.
Some of your favorite books include The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Geronimo Stilton Scholastic books, and any Lego Scholastic book. You like to ride your bike, shoot Nerf guns, play an occasional video game, cook with me in the kitchen, and give your baby sister hugs. (You are so sweet to her!)
For your birthday, you asked for a castle cake (and wanted me to copy Cackleford Castle from one of the Geronimo Stilton books we read. I gave it my best shot and you were very excited. Your second cake (yes, you had two birthday cakes for your party) was a two-tiered, tye-die cake that turned out amazingly well. You helped frost that one and topped it off with about three inches of green spray frosting. Needless to say, you had quite the sugar high after your party!
We had friends and family join us for cake and ice cream (and presents) before heading to the Brunswick Zone. You wanted to play laser tag, but when the party goers got there, the laser tag room was closed due to someone getting sick. Bowling and arcade games were the replacement activities and everyone had a good time.
You rated your birthday a “10” on a scale of 1-10, so I think you had a great day!
We love you to the moon and back, buddy!
Mom & Dad
Here are your responses to the questions I ask you each year on your birthday:
- What is your favorite color? Green
- What is your favorite toy? Spy Gear (birthday gift from us, which included spy goggles, darts, noise distraction balls, and motion sensors)
- What is your favorite fruit? Peaches
- What is your favorite TV show? Electric Company
- What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Pizza and Mac-n-cheese
- What is your favorite outfit? Shorts
- What is your favorite game? Jenga
- What is your favorite snack? Fruit by the Foot
- What is your favorite animal? Snake, Stingray, Lion, Cheetah
- What is your favorite song? Monster (by Eminem/Rhianna) And then you broke into song, “I’m friends with a monster that’s under my bed.” You’re super interested in monsters, and the difference between good/evil. That said, it’s not surprising that you’ve picked up on the refrain of this song as we’ve flipped through the radio stations in the car.
- What is your favorite book? The Hobbit
- Who is your best friend? Jack & Isaac (from school)
- What is your favorite cereal? Cap’n Crunch – the peanut butter kind
- What is your favorite thing to do outside? Shoot the pretend bow & arrow that Grandma has.
- What is your favorite drink? OJ and soda pop & Sierra Mist (I don’t think you know that Sierra Mist is soda pop 🙂
- What is your favorite holiday? Christmas & Halloween
- What do you like to take to bed with you at night? “Myself 🙂 and my monkey”
- What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes, waffles & Cap’n Crunch (we rarely buy Cap’n Crunch, so it’s a treat for you when we do.)
- What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza
- What do you want to be when you grow up? “An ice cream man so I can eat all of the ice cream!”
- What is your favorite movie? The Lego Movie
Moment captured
This is just one moment (in a series of moments throughout my day) that causes me to pause, laugh, and thank God for the opportunity to be the mom to these kids.
My “little” brother’s birthday
Tony’s wife, Kristin, planned a surprise birthday party for him this year. We gathered a week earlier than his actual birthday and filled their townhouse with 11 adults, 8 kids, and 1 dog. The kids had a blast decorating the place and practicing using their noise makers before Kristin’s brother brought Tony to the party. We had homemade soup, an assortment of breads and fruit, and cake, cupcakes and ice cream for dessert. It was a fun excuse to get the entire family together to celebrate my favorite brother!
The Lego Movie
Jake has been extra busy at work, so his time with the kids has been limited. With the temps so low and snow piles so high, he opted to take the Big 3 Littles to a movie this afternoon.
It’s Little #3’s first experience in a movie theater.
He texted me these pictures and said, “They’re so excited, they won’t let go of their tickets.”
Cars in “snow”
Thank you Pinterest…specifically frugalfun4boys.com
Shaving cream and Hotwheels. We can’t go outside, so we’re pretending we are playing in the snow.
Little #3 thinks it “smells like man!”
Morning art
Little #1 and Little #2 have an art fair coming up at school next month. They decided they wanted to paint pictures with watercolor paints. They sketched their pictures and then painted. It is so fun to see their imaginations at work.
Not to be left out, Little #3 had her turn with finger paints and water colors.
Birthday Party #1 for #4
Little #4 had no problem with her birthday cake. In fact, looking at photos from her siblings’ first birthdays, she was clearly the cleanest after she was done. The boys were probably at a disadvantage since their frosting was chocolate… 
She took handfuls of cake with such skill and intention, she has clearly been watching her older siblings over the last 12 months. We had a ton of fun with family and friends who were able to join us for cupcakes and ice cream.
Happy 1st birthday, sweetheart! We love you!
Little #4 turns 1!
Happy 1st birthday to our Little #4!
My sweet girl, you have brought so much excitement and joy to our house since you arrived a year ago. Even after witnessing it happen four times now, I cannot believe how much growth and development takes place during the first year. Your grin of 8 teeth always brings a smile to my face and your now trademark scowl never fails to make me giggle.
Music brings out your grooving side – you bounce up and down if you’re sitting and you shake side-to-side if you’re standing next to something. You’re not quite interested in walking or running, but that’s ok with me – I’m not ready for you to be doing that quite yet either! You have become quite skilled at crawling up the stairs though, so we definitely have to keep an eye on you – you’re fast!
Your siblings are both a source of entertainment for you as well as playmates and protectors. They love you so much and would do anything to help you, keep you safe, and make you smile. As your mom, I pray that the four of you will always remain close. The bonds you already have at such a young age are incredibly precious.
Daddy and I love you very much and are extremely grateful that God chose us to be your parents. May He bless you with many more happy birthdays!
Love,
Mommy
