Payton's 14th Birthday!

It's hard to believe another year has gone by. You know life is passing quickly when your baby is 14! This year we had a soccer theme celebration. We surprised her with tickets to go to Phoenix to watch the US Olympic Women's soccer team play Ireland. It was a dream come true for her. A few families from her soccer club also went, so it was lots of fun. Here are a few pictures from the game and the rest of her birthday.

One happy girl!

 The US slaughtered Ireland, so in my book, it wasn't a very good game. I like a good competitive game...(in any sport!).

I could never play soccer....it's too aggressive for me. My favorite sport was volleyball - where girls didn't push, elbow or down right tackle you. No, thank you!

Game over. 

Doesn't Landon look thrilled?  :) 

Part of her gift was a t-shirt of her favorite player - Abby Wambach. 

The day of her birthday we went to the batting cage and miniature golf. (FYI- I got a Groupon for a round of miniature golf, video tokens and time in the batting cage for $20. These daily deals rock!) 

Here's the other slugger...with too large of a helmet. ;)

My baby went through a growth spurt! She's almost 5'6.

I decorated the night before her birthday, and when I got up...it was all on the floor, so I rushed to put it back up before she got up. Until I saw the pictures, I didn't notice I put the "t" before the "r" on the flag...and neither did my family.  :) 

P.S. This year Landon thought the "soccer ball" cake I made looked like a pom-pom! :) 

Here she is checking out the appetizers I renamed - all soccer names of course. :)

Happy Birthday, Shnukums!...(or should I say, Bitrhay! Ha-Ha!) 

You will always be our baby girl, and we all love you very much! May God continue to bless you and may you always bless Him! 

Historical Ball

We were invited to a Ceremony of Blessing. (A Christian version of a bar mitzvah.) It was a beautiful ceremony along with dinner and a historical dance. 

We learned the Virginia Reel and other dances of the same time period. I planned on renting our costumes, but the hefty price tag changed my mind. I went to plan B - thrift stores! Payton and I had lots of fun shopping. There were some really fancy gowns at the dance, but with what we had to work with, I think we (some what) pulled off the Victorian style we intended. 

 My kids claim that everyone in "old" pictures are extremely serious. So this is their impression. :)

 Landon the jokester. :)

Here they are getting dance instructions.