Makenna Turns 13

I've accepted her teenage-hood when she turned 12, but now she feels official.  This is an amazing girl who is just a smidgeon shorter than me and ruining all my clothes by wearing them and looking much cuter.  She has so many talents and loves to teach others.  Just this year she has taught Jess to knit, several friends to sew PJ pants, and she has started on play guitar.  And speaking of guitars, her new one came in the mail a couple weeks before her official birthday-but she couldn't possibly wait for it.  So began the most extended birthday.

Playing her new guitar.  She was able to give back the borrowed one with a repaired string and many thanks.  This one came with it's own hard case, full set of replacement strings, extra picks and other treats.  

I had fun looking through her baby book to find a few pictures to post on Facebook for her birthday.  It was hard to pick because there were so many cute ones.   These are the sampling I chose.

Her actual birthday was on a Tuesday this year, which meant Matt was working.  So we just had her cake and presents late 10pm when he got home.  Then the party continued the next day. 

We made a new coconut cake for her official birthday cake.  

Isaac and Jess enjoying some salsa.  

Ready to make a wish!

Opening packages from Grandma Chris

And Grandma Terry.

Makenna with her new scarf. 

Trying out the new drawing pad. 

The next morning, Isaac made her a special gourmet breakfast.  

We tried a new restaurant for her birthday lunch, Aprons and Hammers.  It specializes in seafood, but the crab legs were local--not the big snow or king crab that we are used to.  So good to know, but not a new favorite. 

Time passes.  Without thinking about post-race exhaustion, we had planned Makenna's friend party for the Saturday after the race, the day after.  Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea, except that she had planned to have a triathlon party!  We made race numbers and race bags for gift bags.  The girls could pick and choose which events to do.  Because Makenna and Izzy were worn out from the day before, it turned more casual.  The swimmers took turns swimming laps, then the bikers rode and then the runners trotted off for a chatty mile.  They all stuck together and just had fun.  I think just 4 girls did all the events.  

 

I snapped a picture of the bikes while they were off running. 

During the baked potato bar dinner.  After they all watched While You Were Sleeping and it was a big hit.  They need to have a monthly chick flick night to catch up on the classics.  

Fruit Pizza for the party.