Makayla Turns 14

This amazing girl turned 14 on January 28!! We love Makayla so much and are so impressed with the amazing teenager she is. We love the opportunity to celebrate the girl that made us "mom and dad". 

Makayla woke up early on her birthday and opened her outfit. Makayla wanted a Dandy sweatshirt. Apparently it is the cool thing to have, but at $100 I thought it should have been made out of gold. 

Makayla went to school for a few hours and then I checked her out to take her to lunch and to get her haircut. Makayla is so responsible and made her own hair appointment. Makayla wanted Mo Bettah's for lunch and we had so much fun catching up on the latest and greatest in the 8th grade. 

Makayla's haircut is so cute on her... very trendy, very demure. 

Once the kids got home from all their activities, we went to dinner at Olive Garden. We were carb loaded and feeling good after our meal. 

Then we came home and Makayla got to open her presents. Caden and Brynnli gave her a Flynn Ryder doll from the movie Tangled because Makayla said he is her celebrity crush. 

She got new shoes and clothes from mom and dad. Gone are the days when she wanted toys and I'm just not ok with it. 

We ended the night with Twisted Sugar cookies. 

Next was Makayla's family party. I made this cute fruit board to celebrate our 14 year old. 

We played "Would she rather" for the game. It had questions on it like, "Hawaii or Paris" and "Early bird or night owl" and our family had to guess what Makayla would choose. 

Tracy took 1st place, Colton took 2nd, and Kenzee took 3rd place. If I was allowed to play, I would be in 1st place. 

Then we sang "Happy Birthday" like 5 times before Makayla opened her gifts. She got all her favorites like gift cards, money and a new cell phone case. 

Then she blew out the candles on her birthday cake 

A few weeks later we had a combined friend party. Makayla's best friend, Brooke, has a birthday just a week later than Makayla, and the girls schemed a "Staycation" for a combined friend party. We got a hotel room at the Little America Hotel. Each girl brought a board full of treats and goodies. 

We went down town to City Creek and the girls did a little bit of shopping, then we went back to the hotel for swimming and pizza. 

The girls stayed up until 2 am talking and laughing. Good thing Brooke's mom and I had our own room so we could actually get some sleep that night. Makayla has the best group of friends and they all have so much fun together. 

I was so happy we could celebrate Makayla all month long. Makayla is a great daughter, an amazing dancer, an excellent student, and a loyal friend. Makayla knows what she likes and what she wants and she's not afraid to pursue it. Makayla has proven herself to be responsible, organized, a little bit of a clean freak, and a skin care expert. It is truly an honor to raise such an amazing girl and I can't wait to see what her future holds.