What a Busy Day!!

Today I became the parent of an official teenager. I guess, in some abstract way, you always know that is what is coming when they place the baby in your arms. Well Ashley has arrived to the magical age of 13. And while one likes to think that nothing is as important as you on the day that you were birthed into this mortal world--things happen! So here's a day in review of what happened on Ashley's birthday.

It started by having a Saturday morning pack meeting for three brothers. It was our first official pack meeting in the start of the new school year. We had a pancake breakfast, complete with sausage and deluxe baked hashbrowns. It was followed by a game of Cub Scout Jeopardy. We played the Cubs against Parents! Of course, with the help of a couple of Double Jeopardy questions, the boys won! I know that Braden loved it, because he asked if we could play it again with just our family this evening. Hmm...you just never know what's going you do that is going to resonate in some kids.

Ashley has been taking a Hip Hop dance class of the local YMCA on Saturday mornings. Mid pancake cooking--Jeff left to take her over to that. He sat locked out of the church building for the last 20 minutes of our meeting because I didn't answer my cell phone during the game :( But we had a lot of boys progressing on the Cub Scout Trail to award badges to. All three of our boys earned pins or badges. Nathan and Cameron both earned their Aquanot, Naturalist, and Citizen pins as Webelos. Braden received his Bobcat award and then pinned me! He has come so far in such a short time. He'll be done with his Wolf well before Christmas and then have 8 months to earn a slew of arrow points!

(The newest cub scout in our family--Braden)

After scouts, we headed home to celebrate the birthday! Ashley had a choice of going out to lunch with the family or having a birthday party later in the week, complete with friends, cake, pizza, and swimming. She chose the get together with her friends and so we let Ashley open her presents from Mom and Dad and the cards from grandparents without a lot of festive fanfare. She was very pleased with her haul--a flat iron, a book of contemporary piano music, a sweet pair of Nike tennis shoes with a purple flash, the Jurassic books she requested, jewelry, and cute cards with cash from her Grandma and Grandpa Eibert and Great-Grandma Ida Mae.

Ashley has earned quite a bit of cash from her recent babysitting jobs. She eyed something that she wanted to break the bank for--an acoustic guitar. She has quite a busy schedule at school with several honors classes, orchestra, piano lessons, jazz band, and learning leadership skills as Beehive class president at church. I tried to explain to her that adding a time-consuming hobby to her plate could take time away from any of these other worthy causes, and would not be the smartest choice right now. She was adamant that things wouldn't change in her commitment levels or practice schedules--and she still wanted the guitar. So we went for a pleasant Saturday afternoon drive to let her make her first major purchase. By the end of the evening, she was picking out Silent Night. She is determined to be self-taught--and no doubt, she will be. She is that kind of girl!! (Dear Taylor Swift--Ashley is a fabulous writer and has a strong streak of musical talent! Maybe she'll be the next high school crooner. Watch out Steven!)

She has one uber-fan and uber-critic---her sister! Jessica gave her a standing ovation and help opening all of her presents. But when it came to the guitar--she begged Ashley to put it away, saying that it sounded awful. Only a 5 year-old could put it so bluntly and without any guile. What she doesn't quite understand yet, is that nobody does anything or plays anything perfectly to begin with. We all start at the bottom and progress towards something better and improved. Ashley will be the perfect example for Jessica when it is her turn to start an instrument and practicing. For now, she'll just have to endure the broken chords and painful noises like everyone else ;)