Happy 10th Birthday Teagan!

Teagan is such a fun, light hearted boy and we LOVE having him as part of our family.  He is a source of constant laughter (and screaming) from his three little sisters who adore him.  He has an endless appetite which means he has definitely surpassed me in food consumption.  He has always got an appetite, especially for sugar.  I recently found 4 empty bags of chocolate chips in his room so we moved him upstairs so he will be closer to the kitchen where he can find healthier options.  Him and Addy are sharing a room and loving it so much.  I think all of us enjoy having Teagan upstairs with us, he was so far away downstairs and I feel like we get to spend so much more time with him now.  He hasn't even complained about sharing a room, I think he likes it too.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints changed their policy in December about who gets the priesthood.  Now anyone who turns 12 during the year gets the priesthood starting in January of that year.  So even though Teagan doesn't have a birthday until December 26, he will be getting the priesthood next weekend.  I was not excited at first but after seeing his enthusiasm and readiness I am so happy for him.  He had 2 weeks to finish his faith in God award and spent every night memorizing articles of faith, writing his testimony, and passing off the last few requirements.  He had just finished working hard on finishing up his cub scouts with getting his Arrow of Light so it has been a busy month for him!    I can't believe we are leaving cub scouts and primary behind.  Teagan has mutual for the first time and it is so strange to me.  How can he be growing up so fast?!

On Teagan's birthday he opted to postpone presents until summer time, which made for a rough morning, but the day turned out to be an 11 year old's dream come true.  We picked up his friend Quinn and headed to Gravity Factory.  We all had so much fun!  That place is an amazing workout and the whole family loves it.  Afterwards we stopped for Wendy's and headed home for Everly to nap.  Quinn stayed and Teagan, Eli and Quinn spent the afternoon running around, playing video games and playing with Eloise's new karaoke microphone.

For dinner he wanted to invite his friends and head out to all you can eat pizza at Pizza Pie Cafe.  Those boys got our money's worth for sure!  I just stood back in awe as they went back for plate after plate.  Everly was also a big eater and ate so much spaghetti.  She loved it!

There were definitely lots of fun times and not so fun times this year with our Teagan. One such moment this year was one day after school when I thought Teagan was out playing basketball and when I had the girls go get him they returned saying that he wasn't there.  I realized that he had never made it home from school.  I jumped in the car and started driving around looking for him.  He usually walks home with his friends.  I drove along all the possible routes he could take and he was nowhere to be found.  I started calling all the other parents who have kids that walk home and asked if anyone walked with Teagan...nope, nobody walked home with him.  I went to the school, hoping that he'd stayed after for a project or something, nope, it was all locked up.  At this point I started panicking.  It was 3:50 and school gets out at 3 and nobody had seen him and I couldn't find him anywhere.  I was getting ready to call 911 and it was interrupted by a call from Brittany Ivins.  Her daughter, Haven, had overheard Teagan saying that he wasn't going to walk home because he was going sledding in the canal with his friends.  It's amazing how quickly my concern and panic turned to fury.  I drove back to the canal road and sure enough there he was.  He had been inside the canal so I didn't see him when I drove by.  I honked and he hopped in "Thanks for the ride!" Totally unaware that anything was wrong.  He is such a good boy, with a good heart.  Unfortunately, he sometimes forgets to think before he acts.  After I spewed out all of my fear and anger I think he understood a little bit better and he hasn't come home late since.  That was one of my more terrifying experiences as a mom, I thought that he was for sure dead or kidnapped.  I'm soo grateful that he was okay.  You don't realize how much you love someone until they might be gone.

Since I told a bad one on Teagan, I better tell one on myself.  I was rearranging after Christmas and the wall clock didn't get put on well and ended up falling off the wall and breaking.  Zac and I cleaned up the mess and I kept telling myself to take the trash out with the whole container so it didn't cut through the bag...but then Everly woke up and I forgot.  Fast forward 2 days and I asked Teagan to take out the trash, the bag brushed against his leg and cut him open.  He definitely needed stitches, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay for it when it was so close to the end of the year (Dec 29).  Zac thought that it was going to be fine with a little super glue and butterfly bandages.  Zac worked his magic, but it didn't heal great and Teagan will most definitely carry a scar on his leg for the rest of his life as a reminder that even parents make mistakes sometimes.  Nobody is perfect, sorry buddy!

Everly loves Teagan, I think she thinks of him as another parent and goes to him when Zac and I say no, and he always says yes.  This applies mostly to the fact that she is always wanting to put on her coat and shoes and "go."  Actually, all three kids love to help her get dressed to go, it is pretty funny how pleased she is to come show Zac and I that she succeeded even though we wouldn't help.  She is now saying Teagan's name and yells it anytime we are all looking for him.  She hasn't said anyone else's name yet, so it is a great honor.   haha

Teagan has started playing basketball again and it is so fun to watch him play!  He is such a go getter and is so quick!  There is always a big cheering section, some more excited than others to be there watching.

And finally, the traditional 20 questions.  It's always fun to see how their answers change from year to year.  

1. How old are you:11
2. Who is your best friend:Quinn Dixon and Eli Heath
3. What is your favorite thing to do? Mess around with friends
4. What is your favorite color? Green or Hazel
5. What is your favorite food? Chicken Curry or Chinese food
6. What do you like to do with your family? Go to Gravity Factory
7. What is your favorite toy? Books- Maze Runner is the current favorite
8 What is your favorite sport/activity? Running
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? ??????????????????? Garbage truck driver
10. How old will you be when you get married? 18, no just kidding, 24
10.5. Who do you have a crush on? Nobody right now, Haven has crushed his heart into a million pieces
11. How many kids are you going to have? That depends on what my wife wants
12. What is your favorite book? Harry Potter 7
13. What is your favorite show or movie? Studio C
14. What makes you happy? Being active outside with friends
15. What makes you sad? Being bored, not being active
16. What do you think about before you fall asleep? All the things that happen during the day
17. What is your favorite part of your birthday? Gravity Factory
18. What is your favorite scripture story? Ammon chopping off people's arms
19. What is something that you think you will accomplish before you are 12? Getting the priesthood
20. What is one word that describes you? Tubular