15th Birthday!!

I just don't know how I am the mother of a 15 year old!!!  Where has the time gone?

My kids get a party every other year.  They know on party years they don't get as many presents.

Because she had alot of people that normally come (I mean our Ohana alone is 10 kids! Then we have to add in her team at dance which is 13 kids - but I knew being the only day this month we didn't have dance on a saturday most of the team would have already had plans - which was true...)

So we choose bowling since that seemed the most cost effective.

 

Her with her friend that doesn't go to her school anymore.  They are so cute together!

 

She didn't know HOW the heck she got a spare!

 Opening presents. 

 She really loves those oreo candy bars!

 Her friend got her a really nice bracelet and earring set!

 Can't go wrong with art supplies!

 

 The theme was mason jars - but really the only part of the theme was on her invitations and the goody bags!  But since we didn't really have decorations we spent a little more on the goody bags and put the good candy in it.  All of her favorites!

 On her actual birthday yesterday!!  We just got this new pair of LuLaRoe's and she was excited to wear cup cake leggings to school!

 These glasses!  She's had them since she was 7.  She used to wear them to school.  Now she just wears them for a picture and leaves them at home.

Back when she was 7!!! My how time has passed!

 I have an album on Facebook of every Jan 28th and her in her birthday hat for that year.  My husband asked how long I was going to keep making the birthday hats for the kids and I told him - "originally I planned to stop at 18, but I can't totally see me keeping it going longer!!"

 Her OWN rain jacket.  Now she can stop stealing mine!

Can't go wrong with chocolate!

 She found a pair of glasses in her room and we have no idea who they belonged to.  But they are mens sunglasses.  She's been wearing them because she feels "cool" in them.  SO I made sure to get her a pair of her own girl sunglasses! :) her face.  Kills me.  She knew EXACTLY why I got her them.  To replace the ones I didn't like! :p

 This is the only gift she actually asked for.  She was no help in the present department this year. 

Back to School - First Day

My kids started back to school this morning!! I now have a 3rd grader and a 9th grader!! OMG I'm the mom to a HIGH SCHOOLER!!!! How did this happen?

There is this new service in Columbus called "Sign Gypsies" they were giving away one of these awesome displays (they come and set up the night before and you get to enjoy it for 24 hours).  Our tri-city area has a TON of elementary schools and the elementary school in our county is very small at only 200 students.  You had to keep voting for your school in the post but I knew our little 200 kid school was never going to make the cut!!  So I went ahead and contacted the company for pricing.  They were having a back to school deal, so I went ahead and paid for it out of my pocket.  It was a secret between the Principal, Assistant Principal and myself.  It was awesome to see the kids get excited for it!

 My 9th and 3rd grader!!

 Cale with the sign!  He was so proud that we made it happen!  We also added a sign for the county wide hashtag.

 Now I couldn't let the middle/high school go without something! (they are a combined building - 6-12th grades)  So yesterday I was feverishly making signs to make them smile as they came into school.

 Kennedie helping stake signs!

 One of the "missions" of the school year.

 Bless my son's heart.  He just wanted to be apart of helping put something together.  I woke up an hour before the kids to fill up balloons.  I was getting the car ready to get the balloons in, and out comes Kennedie with one, great I think.  Then out comes Cale with THREE of the bundles in one hand.  I knew the minute I took them back out of the car it was going to be a mess.  Took us about 10 minutes to untangle this mess!

Kennedie in front of the middle/high's picture sign!!

 I think the toulle was too heavy for the balloons.  I was trying to make it look cute, and they just ended up looking wimpy!! :(

 As I was leaving I took a picture of how the signs looks in the drop off line.

  I realized after I got back on the road I forgot to get her 1st day of school in front of the mascot picture (something we have done for every first day of her school years!) so I texted her and told her to meet me by the panther.

I hope everyone has a great first day back when it's their turn!!!