Bronson's Double Digit Birthday

Bronson is finally in the double digits on his age and boy is he starting to grow up.  For starters, he has grown several inches from last year, making him one of the tallest boys in his grade.

This year Bronson was lucky enough to have President's Day land on his birthday, so he got the day out of school.  He started the morning with some family presents including a T-shirt maker, a microscope, cool new shoes, and a new Nintendo Switch game.

We met up with our Rupert cousins in Pocatello at Geronimo's Trampoline Park and Bronson took a buddy with him and had a great time.

For his birthday cake this year, he decided he just wanted an ice cream cake.  Cookies and cream is his favorite flavor, so we made a cookies and cream cake.  The candle in the center was a confetti cannon and blasted confetti when lit!

 10 Things About Bronson

1. He is an amazing basketball player, after not getting a season for the last two years due to COVID, he was more than ready to join in a basketball league this year.  The last time he played on a league, I had snuck him in a year early since he was so tall and really wanted to play, but he ended up being a little shy around the older kids and was still learning the sport.  This year, he started his season determined to be amazing and he WAS!  He scored over 20 points in every game and was so skilled I couldn't believe it.  And he LOVED it!  He can't wait to play again.

2. He is incredibly competitive.  When we walk together anywhere, he keeps an arm on me, almost pushing me back like in a boxing out maneuver in basketball.  He doesn't even know he is doing it, but I think he just has this drive to be the first to get to wherever it is we're going and will fight to the death to be the one to push the elevator button or open the hotel room door.  Maybe that's what being the fifth kid does to you?

3. He is very independent.  Ever since I can remember, he has wanted to do everything All. By. Himself.  From the time he was 2, kicking and screaming because I had turned on a light or helped him put on his pants, it now manifests itself in him coming up with his own Halloween costumes outside of anyone's suggestions or shopping for Christmas gifts on Amazon and coming up with his own gift ideas without any outside help from anyone.  His gifts are always truly a surprise and always so thoughtful.

4. He loves to design.  In his spare time he is always drawing logos, creating businesses, or drawing floor plans.  He has been doing this for years!  It doesn't get old to him.  I started a bookkeeping business this year for our construction company and I told the kids I would offer up $20 to the kid who designed me the best logo and Bronson won even ahead of the big kids (though I did incorporate part of Ian's design into Bronson's logo).  He has a talent.

5. He is musical!  He is one of only a few of my kids who truly enjoys playing the piano.  He practices twice as long and hard as any of the other kids and he is mastering his songs.  He also loves to write music (goes along with those independence and designing talents) and he has actually written a pretty cool song called, "The Mighty King".

6. He is very smart and clever at school and is part of a "Gifted" program that has been very fun for him.  Through this he has participated in projects where he has learned about making movies, Greek mythology, and participated in mock trials, which he loved.  He is a leader among his peers.

7. He hates smiling and has some pretty funny school pictures lately because he refuses to smile!  He is kind of a serious and quiet kid and I have had to explain to many of his teachers that he doesn't hate them or school, he is just very serious and quiet by nature.

8. He is very spiritual.  Some of my friends refer to him as Prophet Bronson because they are sure he will grow up to be a prophet someday.  Ever since he was little he has had the capability to sit through long sacrament meetings with intense focus and can tell you about any talk that was given afterwards.  He is always paying attention in class and has a good knowledge about the scriptures and a sweet testimony.  He loves to write his own talks without any help and has great insights at Family Home Evening.

9. He loves and adores his brothers and sisters and is their biggest fan!  He is the kid that ALWAYS wants to go wherever I am going to watch and support whoever is playing.  And he doesn't just go to the games to mess around with his friends, he watches the games, learns the plays and asks 1,000 questions about everything that is going on in the game so that he can learn.  He loves sharing a room with Ian and playing basketball, football, or whatever else he can get his brothers to do in the yard.

10.He is still my little Buster.  At the end of the day, even though he is getting so tall and will be taller than me soon, he still likes to snuggle in with me to watch a movie, play a game, or read a book.  He is such a huge helper in our family always doing the things I ask with no complaint and is always the one to notice if I am working to clean something and will offer to jump in and help me or just sees what needs to be done and does it.  We are so blessed to have Bronson in our family!