Happy Birthday 14th Bday Kierstin

Happy 14th Birthday Kierstin!!

October 22, 2008

Kierstin's Birthday was on a Thursday which meant she had to go to school. I made her favorite breakfast of cottage cheese pancakes before she went off to seminary with her traditional warm up birthday wish (one candle on your fav. breakfast). We just celebrated as a family that night. Her favorite food is Thai so I found a Thai Restaurant out here in Murrieta and picked up some to take home. She also preferred to have a Marie Calendar's razzleberry pie to cake. Easy enough. We ate a late

dinner and had pie and ice cream.

This is what Kierstin looked like most of the evening. She is so blessed to have so many friends and family to call and wish her happy birthday; Aunt Mary & Ann & Karalee & Derek, Uncle Michael, Gpa Robin & Gmas Carol & nancy, Opa Fred, her friends from H.B. etc.

She got a straightening iron and a coupon from dad that said she could go choose a new cell phone as her old one is not working so well. It was pretty low key this year.... or so she thought!

Little did she know I had planned her a surprise party. It actually started with her good friends Renee Neishi, Kelsey Brookfield (her cousin) and Emily Pitt asking if they could come out around lunchtime on Friday after school and decorate her room and surprise her. I thought, what a great idea, let's really surprise her and have a big party. I have a big van, why not fill it with her friends and bring them out here for a surprise. It started with about 6 friends but by the time Friday rolled along I ended up picking up 10 girls.

I asked their parents if I could get them out of school at lunch and pick them up and bring them out here for a slumber party. So Friday, I went out and picked them up. Unfortunately, there was an accident on the way out that made me 45 minutes late and put me late on the road home so I got stuck in traffic. To add to the drama, this put me 45 minutes late in picking Kierstin up from school. Her cell phone hasn't been working so she didn't have it for me to call her and let her know what was going on. Fortunately, Bradley's school is right next to hers and he gets out 40 minutes later. So I knew that she would walk over there and wait. Poor Callie Campbell was stuck on the waiting too but at least she knew what was in store. While it was a bummer to be stuck in traffic, I giggled to her friends cuz I knew she would be livid that I was late which would make her surprise all the more dramatic.

I dropped the girls off at my house, armed them with silly string and poppers and went to pick up Kierstin. Sure enough, she was fit to be tied. She was practically fuming smoke! It was all I could do not to giggle. She was so upset she didn't even notice Tyson wasn't in the car. I'd left him home with the girls. (I later told Kierstin she owed Ty the most as he had to sit in his carseat for 4 hours straight and he hates the carseat!)

(Renee & Aubrey waiting)

Anyways, so we got to the door and she opened it to a complete onslaught of silly string, confetti, etc.

The look on her face was priceless!! She was clueless and totally surprised!! I wish we would have got a better pic but this is the best we

could do!

.

Shocked, but happy and now apologetic for being so upset!!

I love all of Kierstin's friends; However, I'm usually not a proponent of slumber parties at this age. Let's face it, girls get tired and cranky and can take it out on eachother. I wasn't looking forward to the giggling and squealing all night.

I had a few games planned; a scavenger hunt, a bertie botts every flavored bean tasting contest and a how well do you know Kierstin quiz.

The girls also played their own games like big bootie (?!)



I did a non-traditional dinner. I'm trying to encourage my kids to eat healthier and figured these girls are older and can handle it. So I made a couple of Kierstin's favorite things; potatoe-cheese soup with chinese chicken salad and corn-bread. Surprisingly, it went over really well (except for our dear picky Natalie, who we fed a corndog and corn-bread).

The girls laughed and had a great time. I thoroughly enjoyed them all. They were courteous and good with eachother even though they didn't all necessarily know eachother very well. The biggest shocker.... they were all asleep by 12:30 a.m.!! I miracle. I couldn't believe it. I guess seminary played a factor with the church girls and the fact that Kia had to go to an MUN conference the next day helped. But the put on Disney's Aladdin and fell asleep! Angels!

We woke by 8:00 for muffins and bagels with cream cheese and kiwi and bananas and then hit the road. Kia had to be back and I had to have the boys to a primary program practice in H.B. by 10:30. We were there by 10:25.

It was a perfect party! Mostly, I was so impressed with Kierstin's choice of friends. They are all so sweet, courteous and have good moral values. I enjoyed each one of them. I hope they all know they are sorely missed but we hope to stay in contact. I hope they all enjoyed themselves as much as I did. I know Kierstin had fun and that was what counted to me!

The H.B. Crew

back row starting with cute girl w/glasses; Natalie Boardman, Summer, Aubrey,
front: Callie Campbell (only Murrieta girl but former H.B.), Emily Pitt, Kesley Brookfield, Renee Neishi, Kyra Jensen, Kia Tahman with Kierstin seated in front.