Happy Birthday, Katie!

Katie is our 8th grandchild and our 3rd granddaughter.

She was born in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, an Army post in the Missouri Ozarks.

Yesterday was Katie's 14th birthday and although we were able to wish her a happy birthday, we weren't able to conduct her birthday interview until today.  Here's how it went.

So you were 14 yesterday.  Does 14 feel older to you than 13?  It doesn't feel different but 14 is more fun to say.

 Did you have a good birthday?  Yeah, I think it was my favorite yet.

Did you do anything special?  Well, we had tea ring for breakfast and then my mom and I went black Friday shopping.  Did you get any good deals?  Oh yeah, it was so fun!

So I know the day before your birthday was Thanksgiving, your birthday was on black Friday, and the day after your birthday you start decorating for Christmas.  Did your birthday get lost in the commotion or was it part of a big, busy celebration weekend?  Umm, it was a great weekend!   So fun!  My family definitely made my birthday really special.  We went out to eat at Cheesecake Factory, I got a ton of clothes from our shopping trip, and I got two of my favorite movies - Safe Haven and Grown Ups.

Has volleyball started yet?  Team meeting is tomorrow and then we start practices for club volleyball.   So will your mom be coaching again this year?  No, she's not coaching this year.  Awww, will you miss that?  Well when she coached I always thought she was hardest on me so I think I'm going to be okay.

So are you and David in the same school now?  Our school has a high school side and a middle school side so we're technically in the same school but we really don't see each other much.  Is it neat when you do see him?  Sometimes.  If he's in a good mood he'll say hi but sometimes he'll just walk by.

 Do you play any other sports?  No, just volleyball.

Do you like being in an Army family?  I think it's really cool.  I get to move around every few years.  And although, at first I don't like it, I get to meet new people and go to new places and it makes it all worthwhile.

 What were the highlights of the past year?  I got my braces off!!!!  

We were there last Spring for an awards program where you were on the stage multiple times.  Obviously you were a good student with good grades.  Is this year as successful as last?  Oh definitely!

I'm not slacking off at all!!

Do you have any goals or special plans for the coming year?  For Christmas I asked for a guitar.  If I get one I'd like to try to learn how to play.

What can you tell us about yourself that might be interesting?  I'm into photography and I'm a perfectionist so it takes me forever to do anything.  Also, we got a dog and he is so cute AND he was my idea.  

And that concluded our interview.  But as usual, there's lots more I could tell you about Katie.  First of all I'm sure she'll be great at guitar because she's not only a great Wii guitar player...

but she's a gifted air guitar player too.

Also, she's a friend and helper to her little brother Zachary

And to every one of her younger cousins who adore her.

 

 

And she's sweet and helpful to everybody else too.  She and her mother were our landscapers when we renovated the exterior of our house and she worked as hard and as tirelessly as anybody.

She's very athletic and has excelled in many sports.

 

 

She's a sweet and loving sister to her three brothers,

 She's loves her whole family of course

And she's a really great turtle catcher.

 But most of all, Katie is one of the sweetest loveliest girls you could ever know!  She's truly a blessing to our family and we're wishing her the happiest year ever!

 

Happy Birthday, Tessa

Tomorrow is Tessa Mary's 7th birthday.

(Yep, 2 1/2 weeks after I got a namesake (Mary Addison), I got another one - Tessa Mary.  It just doesn't get any better than that).

Anyway, Tessa lives in Colorado Springs with her Mom Teresa, and her big brother Evan.  Her biggest brother, Grant, is in his second year of college in Boulder and her dad, Dan, is currently deployed.  It's important to get her post up extra early on her birthday so that her daddy who is in Afghanistan can see it before he goes to bed.  (I think he is about 10 1/2 hours ahead of us.)

 So earlier this evening I called Tessa for our phone interview.

Here's how it went.

Hi Tessa.  Hi Grandma.

I hear you have a big day tomorrow.  Umm hmm, tomorrow is my birthday.

Are you excited?  Umm hmm, but I have a cold.

Oh no!  Where'd you get that?  I don't know.  Maybe from school.  Maybe.

I pulled another tooth out.  How?  I pulled out my tooth and it didn't even hurt a bit because it was really loose.

Do you have any special plans for tomorrow?  My friend Maddie is having a birthday party.  Are you going to that?  Yes, and tomorrow's my birthday.  After Maddie's party we're going to have dinner.  Do you get to pick where you'll eat?   Yeah I get to pick.  I want to go to Red Robin.

And will you get to talk to Daddy tomorrow?  Umm hmm  How do you do that?  Skype.  You can see him them right?  Umm hmm.  I like skyping with Daddy.

And how is school going?  Good and I made some new friends.  And one friend is named Grant.  What grade are you in?  2nd.  Wow that's getting big.  Do you feel bigger?  Umm hmm  What do you like best about school?  Recess.  And second I like books because I like to read.
I know you like to plan things like the picnic you planned when we visited you.  Have you planned anything lately?  Mommy and I went to a fancy hotel and I planned it.  Was it fun?  Yes and at the pool I could reach the ground with my feet.

Are you hoping for any special presents for your birthday?  Yeah, I want a Stuffy and you're supposed to stuff things in it.  Like what?  Toys, cars, and food.

Grandpa wants to know if you have a boyfriend.    No!

Do you like having two big brothers?  Yes.
Why?  Grant and Evan sometimes take me to the park and they play with me at the park.

What do you like best about coming to Indiana at Christmas time?  I like to see my cousins and play with them.  Which ones?  Mary, Anna and Jenna, and Jack.

What else can I write about you?  I take ballet classes and I have a best friend at dance.

Anything else?  I'm an artist.  Oh, you like to draw?   Yes, I'm drawing a story right now.  It's about seasons.

Then I told her that we'd sent her some presents that should get there tomorrow and that we hoped she'd have a wonderful day.  Her parting words:   Thank you for the presents so much!

Because she is sweet and poised like that.  There are so many things I could say about Tessa but first let me talk about Tessa with regards to her family.  They all adore her.  And they are all unfailingly kind and sweet with her and I think that's why she's so kind and sweet with everybody she meets.  When we visited last summer, she wanted to play with sidewalk chalk.  Here's an idea of how that played out.

 

 

And look at these patient and loving guys when Tessa wants to play Frisbie with them.

 

 

And although Mom is probably the only one who keeps her from being hopelessly spoiled, she also understands when a girl needs somebody to swing with.

Of course Tessa has many more wonderful attributes.  She's amazingly generous, patient, kind, loving, smart, and sweet.  She'll wait for hours for us to get up when we visit and then gift us with notes and pictures and love.  She is such a joy and we're wishing her a wonderful birthday and a year full of happiness.