THE EVANS FAMILY: Ember

I can't believe I am writing another birthday blog post for this girl already! I feel like she just turned 5 a few weeks ago. Yet here I am writing about my big 6 year old!

Ember weighs 37.5 lbs and is 43.5 inches tall. She goes to bed around 7:30-7:45 at night and gets up at 7:30 am on school days. She still does a quiet time in her room around 1:00 since she is doing half day Kindergarten this year. She still sleeps with Tickle and sucks her two fingers just when falling asleep.

The biggest and most exciting change for Ember this year is that she decided to ask Jesus into her heart! She has been excitedly telling others and reading her Bible since. We continuously pray that God will choose to grow her in him daily and yearly from this point forward. Another big change for Ember this year is starting Kindergarten. She goes to school every day from 8:30 - 11:30 except for Fridays where she stays till 12:30. She is loving it so far!

It is such a joy and a challenge to watch and help kids grow in character. There are times where Ember shows such service and selflessness to others by putting herself in their shoes and doing what would be best for them. Then there are times her pride and selfishness get in the way as well. Sometimes she gladly offers for Reece to get to do something first and then there are times when she doesn't want Reece to touch her things. She is still a very independent, creative and organized girl. She has a big imagination and uses it to create projects and games. She loves being with her friends and is a definite Daddy's girl. She can be super helpful with cleaning, entertaining her brothers, and helping cook. We have realized this year that one of Ember's strongest love languages is gifts. She loves receiving gifts but even more so seems to love giving gifts. She is always making and creating things for others. She is also very silly! She sings silly songs and makes silly faces. She loves to do a funny dance that her Daddy taught her.

Here are some of Ember's favorite things at the age of SIX! She suddenly learned how to read really well within the last year so she has loved reading. She still enjoys being read to as well. Daddy has been reading through the Chronicles of Narnia with her each night after the Bible and it is such a special time for her. She also loves trying to spell words and write words in her sparkle journal. Speaking of sparkles, she likes anything that sparkles and she likes it even more if it is the flip sequins. Her backpack and lunch box are covered in flip sequins as well as a new journal, headband, and bracelet that she got for her birthday. Ember also really enjoys knock knock jokes now that she can read and learn them as well. Another great thing she likes about reading is being able to sing the songs at church. Since we often sit at the back she will face backwards in her chair and read the back projector that the worship team uses since she can't always see over everyone's heads to the front projector.

Ember also really enjoys games and any sort of crafts. One of her favorite parts of school is art class. She loves drawing and painting. She likes to create things out of recycled materials and other craft supplies we have around the house. She just got perler beads, a latch hook, and some foil art for her birthday that she has been working on every other day or so. Her favorite games are still Uno, Go Fish, and Zingo but she will play others often as well. She of course enjoys playing with Reece at times too. They like to wrestle, play school, paint or do other crafts together, and chase each other around or play a "flashlight game." Ember loves swinging on swings and flying on the hammock ropes in the backyard. She loves riding her bike and going for hikes. The Summit and Chick Fil-A are also still both high on her list of favorite places to go. Ember loves going to Bearizona and playing on the computers at the library. And she is realizing more and more that she really enjoys trips - Disneyland, Legoland, Mexico, Sedona, Phoenix. Her favorite foods are: waffles, quiche, sausage gravy over potatoes, chia pudding, salad, raw vegetables like lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes, apple, watermelon, macaroni and cheese, pizza, hamburger, and yogurt.

Ember has learned some new things this year as well. She reads very well and is getting better with addition and subtraction. She is enthusiastic about learning and seems to retain information very well. She recently told me about the first Thanksgiving and why we celebrate Veteran's Day. Ember has learned how to wash herself in the bathtub. She can now tie a shoelace or bow on her dress without help. She can brush her own teeth and set up Reece's toothbrush for him as well. She puts her laundry away by herself and makes her bed by herself most days as well. It is very nice to have such a good helper in the morning's when trying to get out the door for school. She can get Reece dressed if he chooses to let her and doesn't run away from her.

Ember played AYSO soccer again this year and is doing NAU ballet again as well. She will be performing in the Nutcracker this year for the first time and is very excited.

Ember is a very special girl indeed whom we love watching learn and learning from her as well. It is amazing to watch God use our family in each other's lives to grow and mature each other. Ember is definitely growing into a beautiful young girl and we are very proud of her!

Ember's Birthday Fun:

Chia pudding for breakfast