THIRTEEN

June 12, 2015

Madison and Ellie in a "Matching Updo Photoshoot" for Ellie's 13th B-day Fun!

 Ellie

Madison

Best Friends.

Two Beautiful Girls Inside and Out.

Jumpin' For Joy...

And that's a Wrap!

 The Girls Sippin' Strawberry Lemonades.

 Out to Dinner at Claim Jumper.

 

 Back home for cake, icecream and presents.

 

For Ellie's Birthday this year, she decided to choose one special friend (Madison Lee) to come over for a sleepover. After school, I picked the girls up and dropped them off at Yetti Yogurt in town and then met up with them at Fred Meyer where we picked up the cake and the girls were able to pick out matching outfits for a photoshoot the next morning. Later in the evening, we went out to eat then back to the house for cake, ice cream and presents. For her B-day, Ellie wanted to upgrade her phone and then we were at Marshalls the other night and she saw these cool chairs (pictured that she is sitting in opening presents, they swivel and go up and down, they are for her desk/table in her bed room.) The other night after she saw them and a vanity/mirror that opened to a jewelry case organizer inside that you could lock with a key, she wanted them and reminded me frequently (upon which each time I told her, no...I don't think so, someone probably already bought them, ha ha.) When of course they were already hiding in the garage. The night before her b-day and sleep over, she was cleaning her room and madly looking for her big blanket that goes on her bed all over the house. She was in a frenzie looking for it (uh oh, I had found it downstairs and had used it to put over and hide her presents in the garage when I had brought them home to keep secret for a few days.) Not wanting her to decided to go look out in the garage, I just told her, "don't worry I will find it in the morning when I clean the house and I will put it on your bed for you." Of course she had forgotten all about it the next day and after the festivities of the party, when the girls were headed out to the pool and hot tub to take a late night swim. We go, "Oh Ellie, that's right...we saw your blanket out in the garage for some reason, you or some one must have left it out there." So, her and Madison go out and find the mirror hiding under the blanket, Surprise, Surprise- one last gift! Happy Birthday Miss Ellie, our 3rd official teenager in the home :) The next morning bright and early (after a good slumbers nights rest) I took the girls to their updo hair appointments at the Beauty College out in Federal Way. They had found pictures online that morning for the stylists to go by and they did an amazing job, the both looked so beautiful! I took them down the street from our home and took the pictures of the girls in the early afternoon, not the best lighting since the sunshine was so bright (being a gorgeous day) but the girls both looked so cute so it was all good. A fun birthday for sure!!! We love Ellie so much and had fun celebrating her special day with her. Middle school years aren't always the easiest as Ellie has learned. Her really close best friend moved away in the middle of the year and many of her other friends had changed quite a bit as they discover who they are and what decisions they want to make as teenagers so it was tough for awhile as many of Ellie's friends didn't share the same standards and values as her. We prayed as parents that Ellie would make another close friend like Haley (who had moved) that Ellie could trust so she could establish another close and true friendship and we know Madison was an answer to our prayers. As talking to Madison's mom and grandma, Madison had been through similar situations with her friends as well that I was completely unaware of and having a very trying year until the girls became close friends. I didn't mention Ellie's situation to them but they couldn't be happier and feel more blessed that the girls had became good friends. It was nice to find out that Heavenly Father was watching after both of our girls and he had heard and answered our prayers.  They girls are great friends now and although they have many different interests, they have a lot in common and share common values, standards and many of the same interests and hobbies. They are both very sweet girls!  Have a great year Ellie, now you are an 8th grader at the top of your class~