Growing up

In my attempts to update the blog, I realized I completely forgot to post about Madisons birthday. Maybe its due to the fact that she is getting all grown up and I just like to block it out of my mind. This is her last year in elementary school. She will be starting Young Womens next year! She now owns her own bras and deodorant! I am having a hard time accepting this. She will be turning into an entirely different and more grown up version of herself soon, and Im just not ready for that yet. I dont know that I ever will be. But I guess the comforting part is that so far, in spite of her parents...she seems to be doing pretty well.

She is smart, and always makes good choices. She is a great example to her family and friends, and knows when she needs to refrain from unwholesome activities. She told me about an inappropriate game that the kids at school have been playing lately, and reassured me that she would not take part in it. Im so proud of her for the decisions she makes and the young woman she will soon be. She may know more about the scriptures then I do soon, and has had her articles of faith memorized for over a year. Hopefully it doesn't go to her little teenage head and give her the over confidence to question me! Getting older often means wanting more expensive gifts. Some of the things she inquired about was a cell phone, her own TV, and a re-model of her room. The thing that surprised me most though, was a punching bag. Upon questioning her, she went on further to explain that she needed something to release her anger on so she "doesnt hit her sisters in the face". Okay, I said she was good, not perfect. There may be some anger management issues that need to be addressed. Thats normal for the oldest child who always has to deal with 4 younger siblings always driving them crazy...right? Right?

Okay, well she didnt get any of those asked for items, but she didnt come up completely empty handed either. The first thing we did was go out to dinner at her favorite restaurant, Texas Roadhouse. That doesnt happen very often as a family, so it was a big deal. She even got to sit on the saddle and get sung to...too bad I didnt bring the camera. But I did have the camera for all of this:

Present time!

Goofball
Mario Kart DS!
Zack got her a Zhu Zhu. She still likes that type of stuff too, but Im sure it wont last much longer! ):

A purse. She had been begging for one of these as well. Very grown up. In fact, a little too grown up. I let her sisters take credit for that one. I just couldnt do it.

I just love this picture. It actually makes it look like they love each other! (:

She really loved the purse....and okay, maybe she loves them too, even if they do drive her crazy at times.

Again with the Oreo cake. She came up with her own idea this year to make a chocolate cake with oreo pudding filling and whipped cream topping with oreos on top. Yes, it was delicious!

Candles in the shape of the number 11.

And lets not forget this outfit. Hat and shirt courtesy of Mom and Dad, ear rings from her best friend McKenzie.

Looking too grown up already. Goodbye last bit of childhood innocence. Goodbye.