"sweet 16............"

Today my baby girl turns 16!
I have very mixed emotions about that!
She is more independent..I am older. She is older. She doesnt need me as much anymore and wants to do more for herself. All part of growing up but I really didn't think that time would get here so quickly....

I always have the table decorated on the morning of my kids birthdays so they already feel special when they get up in the morning.

Usually I always cook them birthday breakfast but we had bigger things to take care of this morning!!

Scheduled her driving test for her license at 9:00 am.

On our way.............

She was really nervous and kept asking me "do you think I'm going to pass mom?" Of coarse I kept reassuring her she would do GREAT! and just to use common sense.

So the DMV was packed when we got there. That is a very scary place........

We filled out all the paperwork and it was time to drive......................

I sat in the DMV lobby with a sick feeling (not that she wouldn't pass, but that my little girl was about to have a new independence in life that didn't include me).......Her and the instructor walk back in the door with huge smiles. He announced in front of everyone that she passed with 100%.......and said she was an excellent driver and thanked ME for her being so prepared and being such a good driver (she is such an overacheiver!).....ahhhhh......warms my heart......she passed her written and now just needed her pic taken.

After she needed money to pay for it.......hahhaahahaa......(I guess they always will need us for something!!). She was so excited and grinning from ear to ear.

So we went back home so she could round up her softball gear for practice.......and needed $5 to buy a parking permit for school.......and a note to exuse her for being late......

And then it hit me..........................she will be getting in her car......................by herself..........driving to school........................alone.............................

She couldn't get out of here soon enough!!

And off she goes.................

So weird for her to drive away. I got a little emotional...................
I needed a minute..........so bittersweet..............and I asked her to text me when she got to school safely...........and she did...........

I texted LeRoy and told him I was a little sad and he said he was too.......Our little girl is growing up............faster then we would like...........

Tonight we are celebrating and going out to dinner and I'm making her a cake.

So far life has been pretty good in the presence of a teenage girl...........

"the car, the crazy kid, the snow (and fall) and a cancelled dance!"

Well...............................we bought Nicole a car.
I have fought so hard with the "just because you turn 16 doesn't ENTITLE you to a car!!!!!"
But LeRoy has been searching for awhile and found a good one. 1999 Toyota Camry.
She isn't 16 until next week! LeRoy has been driving it. hahaahaaa.........I let her drive it to Corvallis this weekend (not by herself! I was in the car!). She loves it. And it fits her. And what 15 (almost 16) year old wouldn't love this for their 1st car! It will make life easier for all of us with work/practice/school etc. Like going to the grocery store for milk and bread!!
But their are LOTS of rules that come with the responsibility of a car! (and insurance, and constant worry, and parking (she's not parking in the garage! that's my spot!) I scheduled her appointment to take her driving test next week!!!!!!!!

So I got banished to the back seat with Tyler. OMG................

Lots of silly and shinannaghans.......................I was laughing so hard it was hard to snap some pics. (I usually don't carry a camera with me at all times in the car, but we were going to National Honor Society and the entire family was in the car. We let LeRoy sit in the front with Nicole driving. And I was going to take pics at the awards.) Maybe I should always carry a camera. This kids makes me laugh!!!!

I'm not sure if we were even off of our street yet!!!!!

This one's got a sense of humor.............He must get that from me!

And we had some crazy snow last week!!!!! I was going out front to take a pretty picture......and fell on my ass in the driveway!!!!! HARD! I still have a huge bruise on my buttocks. I will spare a picture of that!!!! And the gory details of my fall, and laying in the driveway trying to get up, and my hand was swollen and bruised.......................And because of the snow...............................the Sadie Hawkins Dance got cancelled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And she does have the blue shoes I referred to in a previous post. That I was NOT going to shell out the money for. And I did not shell out the money for. Another story for another day. (They were purchased online...............don't get the wrong idea that we didn't pay for them!!!!! "I" didn't pay for them..............................let's just leave it at that..........................(they are pretty fab shoes though............my sister Donna will want them!) Donna....you need a shoe fairy like Nicole's to support your habit!!!

I'm hoping the dance gets rescheduled. We have the dress, the shoes, the boy. Now just need music and a venue! Was hoping to post some pics but will have to see when it happens!