Birthday Celebrations

I don't know how it came to be that we have two teenagers!? But it did!

Happy 13th Birthday to our sweet Tamara!!

Her birthday was Jan. 2. It was also Dan's first day at his new job, plus we were having out of state friends over for supper. So gift time came in the hour between Dan getting home and our company coming.

She said she had NO idea what she was getting....

Excited or upset??

Excited! We found a really good deal on a Kindle Touch before Christmas and since she loves to read, we thought this might be a perfect idea for her. She loves it and has quite a few books loaded and is busy reading!

(If you know of any good books for free we'd love to hear. It's kind of hard to search on Amazon, because so many things we tried just brought up all kinds of romance novels! :P She finally searched for classics and found a bunch that she wants to read! :) )

We made homemade pizza for supper and then she requested a red velvet cake! :)

Keith & Sarah are here from Michigan and we enjoyed an evening of playing Snitch, eating and visiting! :) They have 3 kids but after a long day and some grouchies, they decided to leave them at her parent's house so they could go to bed early. :)

The Yoder's :) :) :) Super friends!!

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So then on Friday, the 3rd, I had planned a little party for Tamara with just a few of her friends.

It was an Anne of Green Gables party.

They started out by watching the movie....it got loud and silly! :)

Shauna, Anna, Carmen and Tamara

Table decor....

For supper, Tamara requested a menu of:

Meatballs
Mashed Potato's
Buttered Noodles
Corn
Carrot Cake
Chocolate Ice Cream

And I also made Blackberry Cordial, (I know it was Raspberry in the movie, but I used what I could get) thanks to my friend Fern who provided me a starter since she is good at making cordial and had blackberries from their bushes! :)

Silly lip straws!! :)

Gift time!

Shauna gave her a lovely scarf, headband, bookmark and a cute emery board.

Carmen gave her a pretty, soft throw pillow.

Anna gave her a tablet, pen and stickers.

They had lots of fun with photo props! :)

Seemed fitting..... :D

Tamara, Shauna and Anna

Anna :)

Carmen! :)

We bought slates for each of the girls to paint, in honor of Anne breaking a slate over Gilberts head! :)

It took a little for them to decide what to paint. They each chose a quote they like! :)

Their finished projects!!

After the painting was done, we had the cake and ice cream.

Judging from the amount of giggling I heard, I think they had a fun time!! I'm thankful for good, godly friends for Tamara! I pray that she can grow through these friendships!!

And so begins our life with two teens in the house! I don't dread it! I'm actually looking forward to all the fun times ahead!! :) Not that we won't need lots of wisdom and patience, though! ;) 

Psalm 127:3-5

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Matthew 18:2-6

He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.  But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Proverbs 1:8-9

Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.  They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.