Lindsay turns Teen!

As of June 9th, thirteen years have passed now since we welcomed a second beautiful girl to our family, which makes Lindsay now… a TEENAGER!!!  We are in our third year of nineteen years being parents of teenagers so I guess we might as well get used to it.

Kaitlyn helped with Lindsay’s chores and added a bouquet of flowers from around the yard to our dinner table.  Our birthday dinner menu was Lindsay’s pick and included some of her favorite foods.  We had a strawberry-blackberry-raspberry salad, a fresh spinach salad with tomatoes and Lindsay’s favorite dressing; homemade Italian.  We had garlic cheese biscuits and

a homemade low fat Chicken Alfredo over pasta; an all time favorite of Lindsay.
Kaitlyn’s bouquet of Lindsay’s Lillies is beautiful.

I spent a lot of the daytime preparing for this next celebration.  Usually I like to prepare a bit the day before but with two birthdays in a row this becomes impossible.  So Lindsay’s cake was made fresh that day but given enough time to cool while other things were prepared and presents were wrapped.  Lindsay wanted a horse cake this year again and so this is what I put together for her.  I think it’s pretty cute.  And with an incredible chocolate cake recipe frosted with homemade chocolate buttercream it was delicious too.  I think Lindsay has been asking for this chocolate cake on her birthday every year since she was two or three.

Kaitlyn presented Lindsay with a horse card she drew weeks ago and hid until the occasion.

Lindsay got a horse book; a story written from a horses perspective which looks like it might be a quick, enjoyable summer read.  The next box came with a message.   This is a gift from her Grammy & Pops but its presentation was left to me and I figured it needed something out of the ordinary.  Hmmmm!

Eyebrows lifted, Lindsay unwrapped a shoe box.  She should know by now never to trust a box.

The first thing she pulled out was a shopping bag with a note on it.  It told her that the box was full of clues.  In fact the “shopping bag” was the first clue and it had a large check mark across the front.  Clue number two; a cow.

Clue number three; a girl.            Clue number four hidden in a little box with a horseshoe on it is a tiny blue boot.

Lindsay didn’t get it.  At least not at first.  A “shopping” bag with a “check” mark followed by a “cow – girl – boot”. 

Thinking hard; Oh!  A check to go shopping for Cowgirl boots!!!  Her old ones from a few years ago are getting too tight so we are making plans to go pick out some special new ones.  So funny!

Another deceitful box…

yields two horse movies.                           And yet another deceitful box yields a game Lindsay has already owned for several years.
 
I try to tell her it is a new edition and she should open it to see how different it is.  She knows better and doesn't believe me but opens the box anyway.  Inside she found a letter. 

One week of full day Horse Day Camp in July, up a level from her previous camp experience.  After riding lessons this winter they said she was good enough to move on.  And plus she was getting tired of the less experienced girls who were really there to just pet the horses and dress them up for the horse show but didn’t want to muck stalls or work at skill so much.  Lindsay just wants to be with the horses for the horse factor.

All lit up and ready to go!  We embarrassed Haley by singing Happy Birthday OUTSIDE!!!

Lindsay loved her horse cake.

She made a wish and blew out her candles.

Once again, Rick’s homemade chocolate oreo ice cream accompanied the birthday cake.  Seriously chocolate!  Really good!  And now I need to cut back!

Everyone enjoyed sharing Lindsay’s special day with her.  We love having Lindsay in our family!