Peaches and Cream ;)

I LOVED my spot in the family right next to Nathan. He was so fun, creative, energetic, smart, inventive, spontaneous, and kind. I did fall victim to a few harmless pranks and experiments, like when he had friend over for the night and I woke up with honey in my hair or the time I was wearing rubber soled tennis shoes and he assured me that if I touched the electric fence with  a wet carrot he handed me I would not get shocked and I trusted him so I did it and felt very tricked when I got shocked however, I saw the genuinely surprised look on his face and wasn’t to upset about it. He was very protective of me and I think took only very calculated risks when I was involved. Like driving the go-cart through swallow you whole sized mud holes on our way to get milk from the dairy. I thought Nathan was fascinating, all the things he would make from parts of stuff blew my mind. So cool! The first time I remember singing with him was at a party he threw for all his friends (I think the whole school came) at our Jerome house. I really liked singing with him we sang at church, and Christmas parties all throughout high school. One ward Christmas party we danced a west coast swing that Raymond taught us. It was so fun and I was really glad Nathan didn’t think it was gross to dance with his sister because many brothers would have and I really liked to dance and he was way better than any of the other guys at it. He always treated me really good at school and at home, in fact I was asked more than once if he was my boyfriend. J Our school took a compatibility test for dating and it turned out I was the most compatible girl in the school for Nathan J Although it was still only around 70% compatible, good thing he found the 100% girl in Amy, she’s perfect! He was quite the achiever, he had no problem putting in way more effort than most people at improving his MANY talents. He would drive 2 hrs from Boise to get voice lessons from the best teacher (Marty Mead) I got to benefit from that too and tag along and usually got a Wendy’s baked potato and frosty out of it as well. Yum! He memorized all scripture mastery scriptures plus a few extras that our seminary program challenged us to do to become a master scriptorian. I think there was only 2 that did it the whole time I was in high school (and I was not the other one, but, you know we all have our strengths) I was so impressed and proud to be related. I think people assumed good things about me because of him. I really enjoyed our friendship during high school, group dates, after youth dance talks over ice cream, and watching movies, especially funny ones (he has a really fun sense of humor and a great laugh). I remember him telling me once about feeling really close to Heavenly Father when he prayed and it made me want to feel that closeness with Him as well. I know I’m a better person because of Nathan. When he went to college and on a mission I felt kind of left behind and is really the reason I started thinking about a mission. I wanted to better understand the experiences he was having. I knew he was the best missionary ever. We’ve been geographically  apart for most of the time since but I LOVE getting together still with him and Amy and their fantastic kids. I’m just really thankful to be family so that the miles don’t separate us permanently. Happy Birthday, Brother!

Nathan

Well, to be quite completely honest I don't have a large number of Nathan memories because the span of time between me being old enough to remember things and him going to college/on a mission is not a long one.  However, on reflection I had to chuckle remembering a summer after Dad's collective birthday gift was the wakeboard.  I remember Nathan taking it out to the trampoline and practicing flipping with it on.  He was darn serious about learning to do that!  Ha, I also remember while he was on his mission he sent a tickle-me-Elmo for Christmas.  It came in a giant box full of those packing peanuts and we played bubble bath in it...granted, Nathan wasn't actually there...but obviously it made an impact on me who the gift was from!  I also remember when he and Amy had first had Elle, they were both so protective.  Especially Nathan though.  If you so much as cleared your throat there was always a good chance he was going to make you wear a mask!  At the time it was a little frustrating because I felt like I was walking on eggshells, but looking back those protective instincts are pretty sweet.  It's also always so fun to spend time with Nathan and Amy because they tell the funniest stories!  And they're just cool.  They've lived with us a couple of times, and I remember one summer we played Monopoly with them all the time.  We'd sit outside on the patio with lemonade or something and chat while we played.  It always came down to Nathan and Mom...they're pretty strategic players.  I still love that game, and believe me it's not because I just love playing games that last for hours.  I just have really good memories of playing with them.  I'm grateful to have such great brothers (and sisters) to look up to!  Love you, and happy birthday!

Stream of thought memories of Nathan

. . . Nathan and Raymond in a physical fight and me crying hoping that would make them stop :) . . .  I already mentioned in another post a memory of a Christmas that Nathan gave me a beautiful dress, and feeling surprised at his skill in choosing it . . . Nathan in high school being the youngest member of the jazz choir and being called Mickey Mouse . . . Nathan having heated discussions with mom and dad (high school) on gospel topics - they were probably mostly heated with mom :) . . . Nathan's awesome red hair (I hope I have a red head baby) . . . his awesome blind eye - not that I thought it was awesome because he was blind in that eye, but because the tear drop shape of his pupil was so cool to me, plus it's a slightly different color! . . . his crazy "girly finger" (his words) which I just always found fascinating, especially because when he played guitar he had this special little glove just for that finger to make it less painful to play . . . I also enjoyed watching his prominent Adam's apple move when he talked and sang :) . . . him buying two sets of boxing gloves and duking it out in the backyard with friends for fun! . . . him padding around the house in mismatched socks and/or Birkenstocks . . . occasionally walking around the house in just boxers . . . him dancing ballet in tights, in a very masculine way . . .  him saying something to me that kind of implied that I was too fat to be a ballroom dancer at BYU, then soon after being apologized to because he realized how it sounded and that wasn't precisely what he meant . . . 
hahaha Some of these memories seem like they could be bad memories for me (mostly just the first and last I guess), but they're not really. I have to admit freely that I don't have very specific memories of interactions with Nathan. He is six years older than me, and I view him as intellectually superior so I personally am a little hesitant to try to converse with him one-on-one, but I love to listen to him talk to other people because it reveals how his mind works. It's really different from mine, and really amazing. For instance I remember a conversation about honesty. He posed the question, "Is it always wrong to lie?" Mom instantly responded, and my initial thought was, "Yes!" Typical to Nathan style (I'll call it devil's advocate) he cited the Holocaust, and the people that lied to German authorities about Jews they were hiding in their homes. "Was lying wrong in that instance?" he challenged. Really, can it be any wonder that Nathan is suited to be a lawyer? hahaha
Also, I just have to say that I love and respect Nathan. He is amazingly gifted and talented, and it's so fun to see him in the roles of husband and father. When Raymond left for college or a mission or something, I consoled myself with the knowledge that I still had at least one brother to hug (obviously, that was before Andrew came along). I loved hearing Nathan practicing jazz piano music. He could see that I really liked it and he actually bought me a video as a gift once that was designed to teach improvisation on the piano. Sad to say, I never watched the whole thing through (although I'm pretty sure he did) - I still have it just in case I decide I have the courage. What was neat about it was that he noticed how much I enjoyed it, and he gave me tools to help me learn to do it myself. I just didn't have enough courage to follow through. :)
Happy birthday, brother!

Mom's memories of her first March baby

Submitted via email. It was so long I decided it shouldn't be combined with the other March birthday people. haha
 
He's Nathan in diapers...since Nathan was only 15 months old when Sarah was born, lots of my memories are of them.  He would run in circles around her when she was on the floor.  He was a great entertainer with his binky and long orange string.  When it cracked, he gave it a long toss.  He was done with that. 
He's Nathan in training pants...Nathan had the greatest laugh.  He would be downstairs on the mattress giggling like crazy while Raymond bounced him. 
He's Nathan in tough skins...when we bought a trampoline, Nathan would just jog around the outside edges forever.  I loved watching that little body.  When Nathan was 3, he had surgery on his eye.  We were told he would see better after the surgery.  What we weren't told was that both eyes would be covered.  When he came out of the surgery he said, "You told me I'd see better.  Now I'm blind!"  We were all pretty upset.
As he and Sarah were in the early grade school years, he and his friends would spy on Sarah and her friends at recess.  That was always funny to hear about.  Then he would tell me not to let Sarah have certain teachers, since he had experienced them or his friends had.  He was pretty protective. He was a fun student to have in kindergarten.  He looked forward to all my school plans.  He really was so enthusiastic.  Nathan was always a good student.  He had a voracious appetite for knowledge.
I remember how diligent he was about his work.  We never had to tell him to go do the vending machines; he just went, filled them, fixed them, listened to complaints; but he totally took care of them--independently and competently.  I don't remember him ever complaining about it.  When he used to make sandwiches at the store, he would whistle while he made them.  People love Nathan.  It's just who he is, not what he does.  He just has a lovable spirit.
How I enjoyed having this boy in our home!  All the quartets he was in practiced at our house.  When I had Charity, he would run home at lunch to see whatever new thing there was about her.  He was totally fascinated with children.  I thought he would be embarrassed when I was pregnant and fat, so I considered not going to the Christmas concert.  Of course, he wouldn't have that.  I so appreciated his attitude.
I remember how he took his hard-earned money and bought everything he could find on the "lost ten tribes."  He was committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He took a job at Marie Callendar's with the understanding at the beginning that he wouldn't work on Sundays.  Well, he had the power to call the manager when he got scheduled and remind him.  The manager said it wouldn't happen again, but then someone got sick and they called him in.  He didn't punch in the time clock because he was doing a service.  Man can't serve two masters, so he chose to serve God.  Nathan was committed to serve God in all things as he understood it.  When it was time to serve his mission, I encouraged him to finish the second semester of school because his birthday came in the middle.  No, he wouldn't do that.  He was going to serve as soon as possible, so he finished one semester and went on his mission as soon as the call came.  He was studious with his scriptures and gospel study.  When he went on his mission, he was as well prepared as most when they return.  I've always been grateful for Nathan's total commitment to Jesus Christ and to His living prophets.  What else would a mother want of her child?  And then he married Amy.  How I love his tenderness toward her and how he loves to visit with her about everything.  Man is that he might have joy and in Nathan's life, I have had JOY.

Mom's Memories of Mike

My first memory of Mike was of him sitting at the table in April's apartment at Heritage Halls BYU with longer hair on top.  He was pretty cute, but I was concerned he might be a "player".  Then the story continued ... We worked together on them living in the Provo house by Raymond and Julie, so it was so nice to get comfortable talking about money.  After they were married, I remember how nice it was that he would play with my younger children.  That is the key to a mother's heart.  I think one of my favorite memories was watching them make the snow cave in the backyard.  When Mike does something, it's always first rate...cubed blocks.  It was so cool.  no pun intended.  It has also been fun having Mike be willing to share his neat family with us.  His parents' mission farewell was very cool and such neat siblings!!!  Thanks for sharing with us.  I also love how Mike makes us feel hosted at his house, wherever that may be.  He cooks on the grill.  He tries to find interesting things to entertain us and he can just sit around and visit.    Another neat thing about Mike is his unselfishness.  How he was willing to let Emma be baptized in the midst of extended family instead of waiting until he came back.  So unselfish.  Mike has been a participator from the beginning.  That is so helpful when trying to build a family. Mike also has great discipline over himself.  This trait gives me confidence that he will follow the Master.  He is not hesitant to repent and make his life to model the Saviors.  Changing is possible for him.   Mostly, I love his total devotion to his wife.  He tries endlessly to please her, to take care of her and to love her.

Memories of Mike (how alliterative)

Well I guess my Christmas post kind of covered some favorite memories of Mike, but don’t worry because I have more! :)  Mostly I remember being younger and playing with Mike a lot.  He was sort of the Jester for Andrew and I.  Sometimes we would just sit and listen to him tell us about Japan and Guam.  I really couldn’t get enough of hearing about cultural differences and foreign foods.  He also demonstrated Chinese water torture, which I have never forgotten. :)  I was also inspired by Mike to read Phantom of the Opera—great book.  When April and Mike were living in Provo and we would visit we’d always play games, my favorite being Harry Potter Uno.  It was also with them that I first watched the 6-hour Pride and Prejudice, which of course was life changing.  It’s just always fun having Mike around!  Love ya!

Charity

Highlights in My Memories of Mike

I really do love reminiscing about all of my favorite people. We seriously have an outstanding family, and the people we've chosen to marry are no exception! My first memory of Mike was before I even met him. hahaha Since I am two years younger than April I had a lot of opportunity to observe April in various stages of 'like' with boys (not that it happened as frequently as it did with me). The Christmas break after April started dating Mike I was forcibly struck by just how much she liked this Mike guy. I had never seen her so . . . giddy! It was a strange thing to witness because while I knew I'd gotten giddy frequently, I'd seen her like guys but it had never affected her in this way. I was pretty sure that this was going to end up in a marriage. During that break we got to meet Mike, and I was so impressed with him for being open enough to give us all hugs - good ones, too! :) He is clearly a good match for April, because April is never more happy than when Mike's around.
It's already been mentioned in a Christmas memory from Charity, but the first Christmas after they were married, Mike set a trap for Charity and I to get past to reach the presents. To us it was pretty complicated, although Mike later told us that it was like one that his dad had set when he was really young. That made me feel pretty smart. hahahaha Charity and I slept in the loft so he could set it on the stairs, and she seriously woke me up every hour starting at 2! I finally gave up trying to make her sleep at 5, and we started attempting to get past the trap. :)
One last memory. April and Mike were still living in Provo when I was there for a summer term. It was my junior year. I was taking a calculus class (because I had to), and I hadn't had a math class since my junior year of high school -- and it wasn't even pre-calculus! Math does not come easily or quickly for me, but Mike took the time to personally tutor me. He was so patient and encouraging. I was convinced that I was just a math idiot, but he bolstered my confidence. I got an A- on the final. It was just too bad that I didn't get to have that as my final grade. I ended up getting a C . . . that's how badly I was doing before I got Mike's help.
Mike, you rock. I'm glad you're part of our family!
Added later: I was pondering what to write about after I sent the prompt out, but I forgot one of the things I thought about. I totally hung out with April & Mike while I was in Provo. One of my favorite memories is watching Pride & Prejudice with them. I totally love it that Mike was completely masculine, and still loved a high quality chick flick. :) April scored. I did, too, even though Dave doesn't like to watch Jane Austen movies with me. hahaha