I have just now finished reading through the results of my blog survey. Wow! I am blown away at all the responses! Thank you to those of you who took the time to fill it out. I loved reading all the questions and suggestions you had for me, and also all the compliments – thank you so much!

The number one suggestion made on how to “improve” my blog was: to post more frequently. Ah, the one thing I struggle with most!  Most of you want to see at least two posts per week.  And while that doesn’t sound too difficult, my reality is that it’s so hard to find time to write! My kids just keep me hopping around here, constantly. I should do a post about what my typical day is like. Seriously, no spare time at all. However, I’m really going to do my best to put out two posts per week. I think that’s an attainable goal, even for me.

In what ways could I make this blog more enjoyable and entertaining?

I read each one of the responses to this question, and I will eventually respond to each one of them. Today, I will start with these two:

Maybe an interview with one of your kids each week? (commenter #87)

Maybe a post on each one individually and what makes them unique. (commenter #113)

Thank you, commenters #87 and #113. I think this is a great idea, and very doable.  So let’s get started!

This week we will talk with A.J. — he is our 6th child. Before I get to his interview, let me share a few little things about A.J.

First of all, today is his 14th birthday! That’s right! FOURTEEN. I can’t believe it.  A.J. was born on this day 14 years ago. He was six days late and weighed 10 pounds 6 ounces.

How he got his name: When I was pregnant with A.J. and before we knew he was a boy, my husband and I were watching the move Armagheddon for the first time, and I really fell in love with Ben Affleck’s character  “A.J. Frost” – for those of you who have seen the movie, “A.J. Frost” was brave, sweet, sentimental, funny, and loyal. All the things that a mama would want her son to be. So after the movie ended, I said to Rich, “If this baby is a boy, can we name him A.J.?” and Rich looked at me and said “This isn’t a Ben Afflect-thing, is it?” and I said, “No, not at all. I just really like that character.”  and so Rich said, “Sure, A.J. is a cool name. Sounds like a kid who will be good in sports!”

A.J.’s personality: A.J. is very into sports, just like daddy predicted. He plays baseball and football, skateboards, bike rides, and recently he’s really taken to dirt bike riding. He is also involved in his school leadership, a member of the ASB,  and he is an excellent student. He has had a 4.0 GPA in all of his middle school years, and I never have to tell him to study or do his homework. He’s very self-disciplined and organized. His side of the boys’ bedroom is always neat and tidy. A.J. is very social and has a ton of friends. He has a dry sense of humor and can actually be very sarcastic at times. He is a huge fan of FRIENDS and knows each episode as well as I do (and that’s saying a lot!) He enjoys reading. His two favorite books happen to be my favorite books, too, when I was his age: The Outsiders and Tex by S.E. Hinton.  When A.J. read those two books a couple of years ago, he and I had great book talks about them. It was great. I like to say that A.J. is like still water that runs deep – he keeps himself very reserved, doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve, but yet he feels things very deeply and has a lot going on in his head. For as tough as he is on the exterior, I have to say that he is actually my most sensitive child.

So here are the questions that I asked him last night, and his answers (verbatim).

A.J., will you do an interview with me?

No.

What? Why not?!

Ahhhhhh. Too much energy. (he stretches himself out into a fake yawn)

Come on.

All right. Yes. I’ll do it just because you’re buying me food tomorrow. (I always buy the kids lunch and bring it to their school on their birthdays)

Okay….what’s your favorite sport?

Baseball.

Who is your favorite sibling right now, and why?

Aiden, because he’s a savage. (A.J. gave Aiden the nickname “savage” a few months ago)

What do you enjoy most about your family?

You can never complain about it being too quiet.

What gets on your nerves about our family?

Hmmm. 

(thinking…one second, two seconds)

Screaming.

You think there’s a lot of screaming here?

Yes.

From who?

Aiden.

What’s your favorite childhood memory so far?

Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know. I can’t really zero down on one. Too many good ones. Actually, yeah. Hume. Hume Lake. (summer camp)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

MLB player.

What’s your favorite subject in school?

P.E.

Besides P.E.

Just kidding. (laughing)

Um, probably science. Yeah, science and history.

If you could talk to anyone in Heaven, who would it be?

Aaron.

What’s the first thing you would say to him?

“I love you”

What is your favorite movie?

There’s so many. Top three are: third favorite would be…I have no idea…so hard…top two…I don’t know. Two that come to mind right now are Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Outsiders. (funny how his favorite movies match mine)

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Hang out with friends.

What do you do when you hang out with friends?

Like, skate and bike, and go to the center and have fun.

How many kids do you want when you become a father?

Hmmm…. like, four.

Do you have anything else you’d like to share with us?

(thinking…..thinking….thinking….)

The octopus has three hearts.

First of all, I did’t know that an octopus has three hearts. Did you? And second, Happy 14th Birthday to our number six! We love you, A.J.!!