Happy 15th TJ!

Happy Birthday TJ!

I love that you're always up for an adventure, a walk, or a chance to take pictures on our walk:

For your birthday this year your gift was a trip to a dig site in Wyoming. Just the two of us went, and it was an all day excursion! We found mostly little fish. Actually we found mostly empty rocks once we split them, or partial fish. So when we found a full small fish we were happy:

Our 2 hours was up and we hadn't found too much, so we decided to pay the difference and add on two more hours. Good thing we did that since right after we paid you found this giant of a fish:

The weather was great and we just ignored our hungry bellies til 2:00 when we finished up:

We ate our picnic as we drove to a National Monument that isn't too far from the fossil site. It explains why there are so many fish fossils, how old they are (50 million years old), and had a big collection of other animals that have been found in this old lake bed:

I got a kick out of the collection of poop fossils- in the bathroom:

As google maps took us home the quickest way we drove along small roads past cows, like this one that was nursing right in the road:

We went through Randolph and other towns I had never seen. It was a beautiful drive, especially through the canyon where we ended up in by Causey. We made it home in time to pick up your brothers and go out to eat:

Your cake is the new birthday usual- a fritter:

After all of that you got to work outside removing more rock on your fossil collection:

You worked until it was too dark to see. We got a pretty good number of fossils:

A few days later you took the train to Salt Lake and met Gramma and Grandpa to do a museum and go out to dinner: 

Gramma said you were the only one at the table who didn't speak Spanish, haha:

You loved the fish that you got, and here's the souvenir photo: 

Yep, you still love fish. A lot. You also still love strawberries, kefir, cottage cheese, lemons, and sour candies. You still won't eat beans, tomatoes, peas, or cooked carrots. You usually take home-lunch to school, or just eat a late lunch when you get home. 

You like playing cello in orchestra. You have signed up to play again in High School. After your concerts you always ask me if the cellos cooked, and yes, you always cook. You hardly need to practice at home because you learn it during class time. You have really excelled at piano this year. You wanted to learn Marshall McDonald's Kolob piano solo and even learned the difficult ending. You nailed it and now you know that you can play almost anything! You practice without me asking you to, which is the best. You are very talented and you like your new teacher.

You love being outdoors, especially hiking and backpacking. You backpack with Dad every summer in the Uintas. You love to fish, star gaze, and you can sleep great in a tent. 

You have gotten a 4.0 every single semester in Jr High and you got a 5 on your first AP exam. You're a smarty pants. You wanted to sign up for the hardest classes that you could in High School. I talked you down from AP Literature, because you don't really love English. Why make yourself read and discuss classics that you won't like? You are currently reading and enjoying a fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson. Hopefully you are able to keep up with all of your hard classes in High School and figure out what part of engineering you want to focus your future career on.

You got your driver's permit not long after your birthday and have been practicing with me. It's nerve wracking for me, even though you are a good driver. You'll be excited to turn 16 and drive yourself places. Although this coming year Hammer is still driving to school so you get to go with him.

You are very shy around most people. Your goal for this year is to stand up straight with confidence and act like people want to talk to you, cuz they do! You are smart and funny and so kind. Invite people over to our house more and get up the courage to talk to girls so that you can go to dances in High School!

I love that you never complain about church duties. You are stalwart and faithful. You have even born your testimony in our ward, which is huge considering that you're shy.

TJ, at 15 your auburn hair has a lot of body and some curl to it when it gets long, but only if you put product in it. You can get a great fro going if you brush it out. You are 6 feet tall and so skinny. You're going to try track this year and build up some muscles! That would be good because you really want to join Dad on his big 100 mile backpacking trip next summer. It took me forever to take your birthday pictures, but they turned out so great. You are photogenic: 

You and Adz go on field trips with me every Friday, and you look forward to them! You get excited about family trips and check out all the little things to see and do on google maps. You really wanted to see Smuggler's Cove on our trip to San Diego this summer, and it turned out to be one of the best parts of the trip! You are so sweet to still like spending time with me, whether on trips or just at home. We like to do puzzles together and sometimes when you're reading or doing your Duolingo on your phone you snuggle up right by me on the couch. (You are learning to play chess and to speak Irish on Duolingo. Again, smarty pants.)  Your vocabulary choices crack me up. You are one funny guy.

You are a great brother too. Sometimes you like to tease your siblings or you don't have patience for Adz, but usually you're very inclusive and like to make them laugh. I love hearing you and Adz playing minecraft together, or you and Hammer taking care of your bug home, or you and Lulu laughing at reels. We're so happy that you're in our family.

I love you! 

Mom