I Can't Believe that She's 14!!!!!

Yep, my baby is 14 years old. Hard to believe that many years has passed between this one-year-old cutie...

...and this lovely lady.

We opened presents after church. Perfect items from Grandma Hibbert, as usual.

Scripture tote with YW value rings and necklaces.

$50 in a pad of bills.
Not something you see everyday.

Then, I had ordered Lilo & Stitch for her (she's been begging to watch it for weeks, but we couldn't find anyone that had it and we were 7th in the reservation line at the library) from Amazon and flavored reeds (something Aurora has wanted to get for Xela since Christmas) the Monday/Tuesday before her birthday. According to the predicted arrival date, nothing should have come until the Monday after her birthday. Thankfully, everything came by Saturday!! A little birthday miracle.

Strawberry flavored clarinet reeds.
Playing and practicing will be
a sweet experience for tongue and ears.

Yea, can you tell she was happy to have
the opportunity to now FINALLY watch Lilo & Stitch?

Aunt Diane sent her a Hope Chest, which was also perfect (she was able to fit all the stuff she had in paper ream boxes in a more beautiful box that locks!)

"What is this?"

Xela looking over the box and figuring out
what this is.

Xela decided she would grab some assistance
in the form of a knife, and use it carefully
on behalf of the interior of the box & herself.

Calling in reinforcements!
The contents were well protected.

Contents revealed.

Time to assemble.

Xela putting in the rods, one by one.

Putting on the hinges.

Securing the hinges on her chest.

When it was all done, Xela and Eric carried the chest upstairs and she spent a portion of the rest of the day filling it with stuff that was in the paper ream boxes.

When asked what she wanted to do for her cake, she said she wanted Bro Williams chocolate cake recipe. Bro Williams has been at girls camp the last two years and all the Young Women love him. Apparently he also makes delicious chocolate cake.

I told Xela to email him requesting the recipe and we would make it. She did. He replied and then we baked. He even included the frosting recipe. She was grateful that her birthday was on a Sunday this year as we have been participating in Lent by giving up desserts, but we have been told that we can have whatever it is we're sacrificing, on Sundays. Birthday #14 landed on just the right day!

Aurora asked Xela how she wanted to decorate her cake (you've seen past cakes and all the additional candy we put on them) and Xela was perfectly content with the cake and almost fudge-like frosting just as it was.

We invited the Aults for cake, ice cream and "Happy Birthday to You." We didn't have any kind of party, and I hope Xela didn't feel left out or ignored or forgotten in anyway. She seemed okay, but she is usually pretty good to go with the flow of things. I guess I should ask her what her thoughts are on that subject. Maybe we have a summer birthday party and she can invite a few friends. We'll see.

One cool thing about Xela being 14... now she can go to the Stake dances and that means, I have an excuse to go too. The first dance is April 12. I'm not sure who is more excited me or her. :)