Marshall has hit the 10 1/2 year mark and he his growing up and changing before our eyes. Here is what I always want to remember about him at this age...
*Right after we moved into this house, Marshall began asking for a pet. We kept saying no, and he eventually resigned himself to this and announced that if he could not have a pet, he would like to have a cactus. Done! We got him a cactus for Christmas and Marshall really does love it like an animal. He has named it Cactalow. :) Original. Cactalow sits on the windowsill in our south-facing family room window. Marshall checks on him daily and waters when needed. He turns him a quarter turn every couple of days, just as he should. Talk about devotion!
*Marshall is loving 4th grade and really enjoying our new elementary school. Marshall has two teachers this year, Mrs. Thornock and Mrs. Klinker. Mrs. Klinker actually taught my brothers, Kevin and Jordan, and Marshall thinks that is pretty cool. These two women are exceptional and really have helped to make Marshall's school year so good. He has loved learning about Utah, geology, and weather. He continues to excel in math and loves reading. He has had the highest reading level in his class all year, and his reading level has also increased the most!
*Speaking of reading, Marshall goes through books like crazy. He usually gets two or three books each week from the school library, and has them all read a couple of days before he needs to return them. I recently made a trip to the city library and got five big chapter books for him. He has finished the first two books in the Leven Thumps series and loved it.
*This school year, Marshall has chosen to participate in Book Battles at school. It is a reading competition open to kids in grades 3-6. There are 20 books that you can choose to read and then the librarian places them in teams and then the battle is run like the game show Family Feud. It started in September and the school competition just wrapped up last week. I volunteered with the program, so I have been able to be very involved with it and it has been fun to experience it with Marshall. Marshall is probably one of about ten kids who read all 20 books. As far as fourth grade goes, Marshall was one of two to read all 20! His team placed second in the competition, but the team who placed first needed subs for the school assembly and also subs for the district competition. Marshall was able to join the first place team at the school assembly and they won! He was so excited to be participating and even happier that they won! The district competition is on April 27th-he cannot wait.
*In the fall, Marshall was also invited to participate in the STEM Olympiad, which he chose to do. Every other Wednesday, Marshall gets to school 45 minutes early to practice the math game he has chosen to do. At the last practice, he beat both the 5th and 6th grader. At home, Richard has never beat him at this game! The district competition is in May and he is very excited. We are so proud of Marshall for choosing to step outside his comfort zone and try new things!
*Speaking of trying new things, Marshall ventured into the world of competition soccer this last year. It has been so good for him! His coach is exceptional and we feel really lucky to have made it onto his team. Marshall has his moments of being very aggressive, and has moments of being very hesitant. The indoor and outdoor soccer seasons had some cross-over, so for several days I felt like we were just living soccer, but Marshall's competitive spirit really came out during those days and at their first outdoor spring game, Marshall scored his team's only goal. It was so exciting! Richard and I were both at the game, which is rare, and it was so fun to see it. We hope that competitive drive stays strong in him!
*Marshall has become obsessed with his name and anything named Marshall. He has spent weeks researching the Marshall Islands, and he checks their weather every day. He has also purchased a Marshall Islands pin and flag. :) He loves seeing the Marsahll's store, streets named Marshall, cities named Marshall...I think you get the picture. :)
*Marshall has started to make a couple of good friends here in Centerville, which is nice. ;) He still loves to play with Tate and Cooper though, and we try to get the boys together as often as we can.
*Marshall has taken an interest in the Great British Baking Show and he loves to watch with me. I also love his company. :) The other day, he made pumpkin bread almost entirely unassisted.
*Marshall has improved at gaining control over his emotions. He can still be very volatile. He hates to lose, he hates when his expectations aren't met, and he hates to be pressed for time. All that being said, he has gotten better at making the choice to calm down and has learned to choose positive outlets for his emotions. Deep down, Marshall remains sweet, affectionate, and tender.
*Back in the summer, Marshall set a goal to run a 5K. He and I went running once a week together in the fall. On Thanksgiving Day in Vernal, Marshall ran his first 5K, in the snow! He shocked us all by his speed and endurance. He plans to run two more this summer.
*Marshall's school class learned to loom hats for kids in Paradise, California after the terrible fire. At first, it was very frustrating for him, but he persevered, and ended up loving it! He asked for a loom for Christmas and Santa delivered. He is currently looming a hat for Richard. :)
*Marshall can usually be an adventurous eater, though he seems to not like half of what I make. :) But, he is almost always up for trying new foods, and likes most of it.
*As for being a brother, Marshall can be a big time tease, but he also has lots of moments of getting along with his sisters. He and Bridget do especially well together, and I would say half the time he and Rachel get along. The jury is still out with Gretchen. :)
We love this boy!
*Right after we moved into this house, Marshall began asking for a pet. We kept saying no, and he eventually resigned himself to this and announced that if he could not have a pet, he would like to have a cactus. Done! We got him a cactus for Christmas and Marshall really does love it like an animal. He has named it Cactalow. :) Original. Cactalow sits on the windowsill in our south-facing family room window. Marshall checks on him daily and waters when needed. He turns him a quarter turn every couple of days, just as he should. Talk about devotion!
*Marshall is loving 4th grade and really enjoying our new elementary school. Marshall has two teachers this year, Mrs. Thornock and Mrs. Klinker. Mrs. Klinker actually taught my brothers, Kevin and Jordan, and Marshall thinks that is pretty cool. These two women are exceptional and really have helped to make Marshall's school year so good. He has loved learning about Utah, geology, and weather. He continues to excel in math and loves reading. He has had the highest reading level in his class all year, and his reading level has also increased the most!
*Speaking of reading, Marshall goes through books like crazy. He usually gets two or three books each week from the school library, and has them all read a couple of days before he needs to return them. I recently made a trip to the city library and got five big chapter books for him. He has finished the first two books in the Leven Thumps series and loved it.
*This school year, Marshall has chosen to participate in Book Battles at school. It is a reading competition open to kids in grades 3-6. There are 20 books that you can choose to read and then the librarian places them in teams and then the battle is run like the game show Family Feud. It started in September and the school competition just wrapped up last week. I volunteered with the program, so I have been able to be very involved with it and it has been fun to experience it with Marshall. Marshall is probably one of about ten kids who read all 20 books. As far as fourth grade goes, Marshall was one of two to read all 20! His team placed second in the competition, but the team who placed first needed subs for the school assembly and also subs for the district competition. Marshall was able to join the first place team at the school assembly and they won! He was so excited to be participating and even happier that they won! The district competition is on April 27th-he cannot wait.
*In the fall, Marshall was also invited to participate in the STEM Olympiad, which he chose to do. Every other Wednesday, Marshall gets to school 45 minutes early to practice the math game he has chosen to do. At the last practice, he beat both the 5th and 6th grader. At home, Richard has never beat him at this game! The district competition is in May and he is very excited. We are so proud of Marshall for choosing to step outside his comfort zone and try new things!
*Speaking of trying new things, Marshall ventured into the world of competition soccer this last year. It has been so good for him! His coach is exceptional and we feel really lucky to have made it onto his team. Marshall has his moments of being very aggressive, and has moments of being very hesitant. The indoor and outdoor soccer seasons had some cross-over, so for several days I felt like we were just living soccer, but Marshall's competitive spirit really came out during those days and at their first outdoor spring game, Marshall scored his team's only goal. It was so exciting! Richard and I were both at the game, which is rare, and it was so fun to see it. We hope that competitive drive stays strong in him!
*Marshall has become obsessed with his name and anything named Marshall. He has spent weeks researching the Marshall Islands, and he checks their weather every day. He has also purchased a Marshall Islands pin and flag. :) He loves seeing the Marsahll's store, streets named Marshall, cities named Marshall...I think you get the picture. :)
*Marshall has started to make a couple of good friends here in Centerville, which is nice. ;) He still loves to play with Tate and Cooper though, and we try to get the boys together as often as we can.
*Marshall has taken an interest in the Great British Baking Show and he loves to watch with me. I also love his company. :) The other day, he made pumpkin bread almost entirely unassisted.
*Marshall has improved at gaining control over his emotions. He can still be very volatile. He hates to lose, he hates when his expectations aren't met, and he hates to be pressed for time. All that being said, he has gotten better at making the choice to calm down and has learned to choose positive outlets for his emotions. Deep down, Marshall remains sweet, affectionate, and tender.
*Back in the summer, Marshall set a goal to run a 5K. He and I went running once a week together in the fall. On Thanksgiving Day in Vernal, Marshall ran his first 5K, in the snow! He shocked us all by his speed and endurance. He plans to run two more this summer.
*Marshall's school class learned to loom hats for kids in Paradise, California after the terrible fire. At first, it was very frustrating for him, but he persevered, and ended up loving it! He asked for a loom for Christmas and Santa delivered. He is currently looming a hat for Richard. :)
*Marshall can usually be an adventurous eater, though he seems to not like half of what I make. :) But, he is almost always up for trying new foods, and likes most of it.
*As for being a brother, Marshall can be a big time tease, but he also has lots of moments of getting along with his sisters. He and Bridget do especially well together, and I would say half the time he and Rachel get along. The jury is still out with Gretchen. :)
We love this boy!
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