Seventeen. Today.

Lauren didn't want to do anything for her birthday. WHAT?! I told her we HAVE to do something. Seventeen only comes once.

We wanted to take Lauren for breakfast ... REAL breakfast. She said she "wasn't feeling breakfast" but wanted donuts instead. Donuts? Ok. It's HER birthday. It is sooo early right now that the sun is still 30 minutes from showing. (Yawn...)

We could smell the sugar baking from outside. Sweet, fragrant
calorie-laden sugar. The owner was suspicious, but indulged this mama so I could take pictures of my girl in his bakery.

So many to choose from! When I was little, my Dad used to take us to Dunkin' Donuts and I remembered being mesmerized by the sight of beautiful donuts. It happened to me again.

Glazed donuts...my favorite. Lauren wanted to bring
a couple boxes to share with her classmates
(and friends on the CART bus).

Pretty sprinkles. Donuts sure are beautiful to look at.

I didn't know they made chocolate coconut donuts

Lauren started eating a cake donut. Kirk and I both picked out (and ate) a glazed donut then started to munch on some of the donut holes she was saving for her class. We both had mid-morning belly aches from the sugar-rush.
Back to oatmeal for fiber-needy parents.

Me and my big little girl

Next ... Lauren wanted to wash down her donuts with hot chocolate from Starbucks. Sugar frenzy? Ok ... continuing the saga of a high fructose morning!

Yummy hot chocolate. Sorry ... SIGNATURE hot chocolate she says. A blend of 4 chocolates, not just PLAIN hot chocolate.
I get it ... like a quad-attack of caffeine!

Lauren shows her birthday bling.
Sparkly things catch her teenage eye.

Pose with Papa (he is sleepy and doesn't drink caffeine.
Ahh, the look of the caffeine-deprived. On the other hand,
that's MY big venti coffee).

Pose with Mama (see ... I'm not sleepy

because I drink BIG coffee!)

Lauren sighs that it always rains on her birthday. That's how February is. This is our view from of the windshield inside the car (waiting at the bus stop). You can barely see Lauren in dark clothing on the right, walking with her friend.

There's Lauren on the right in a black jacket. Scurrying away with her box of donuts for friends. I tell Kirk to start up the car and follow her so I can snap a picture!

Lauren is trying to ignore me ... forget paparazzi, beware of mama-razzi! Seriously, I don't get it. Is it REALLY embarrassing to have your mother driving alongside you, flashing her camera, attempting to snap a photo in front of everyone at the bus stop?! I could almost hear her telling her friend, "Don't worry, but walk fast.
That's not a stalker. Just my mother."

Lauren didn't want a party. Still, I wanted her to celebrate the day and treat her friends to pizza. Of course, I drafted an invitation. Of course, she felt it was over-kill.

Later, a pizza party at Me-N-Ed's after basketball practice with the Bullard Women's Varsity Basketball Team. Surely, they are planning their strategy for Wednesday's playoff game in Bakersfield against Stockdale High School. I hope they're aren't talking about the ride to playoffs on a charter bus with the BOYS Varsity Basketball Team. Ok, now, I'm worried.

The birthday cupcakes. An annual family tradition.

Teammates lighting up the candles

Almost done with the candle-lighting.

Making a wish, after the birthday song

Good job! Candles blown in one breath!

She's content now. It's been a good day.
Happy 17th Birthday, Lauren!

Birthday Cheesecake

Uncle Mike after lunch: Hey, anyone want dessert?
The cheesecake is good here! Ummm ... is anyone
having a birthday?

Cheesecake, candles and a birthday song later.

Lauren was happy with the unexpected surprise!

The two-days-away from birthday girl, Lauren.

Thanks for sharing a bite of the cheesecake with everyone, Lauren. Uncle Mike was right ... it was yummy!

Friends + Fundraising

Lauren's basketball team had a fundraiser (another one) of dinners from Tahoe Joe's Steakhouse.

I called some friends for a long-delayed get-together for lunch. After, they were told lunch would be a fundraiser. You know friends are friends because they say "Sure!" We had a great time ... fundraising + fellowship!

We were lucky it was quiet at lunch so we could snap pictures without getting in anyone's way

After lunch, Mike & Julie showed us how to mark off areas to collect softball admission. Yay! Improved fundraising!

Mike & Julie

Lester & Vicky

Kirk, Teresa & Lauren

Seventeen

I can't believe she's 17 next week. Time is moving too fast.
Rather she was turning 7 instead.

My First Digital Scrapbook Pages!

These are my first digital scrapbook pages! Thanks to my friend, Sheri, I finally worked on my first page!

She suggested an online class through JessicaSprague.com and the process wasn't as scary as I thought. It's a go-at-your-own-pace kinda class, so if you're interested, click here for the class info. If I can do it, ANYONE can! Sheri, thanks for texting me through dinner the other night! :D

Fresh February

Kirk and Lauren are so happy! We now have unlimited endless meals at Sweet Tomatoes for the entire month of February. (This is a Fresno-only offer and usable at both local restaurants intended to boost our local economy). The vote was 2-1.

They figure they'll eat there everyday for the month (or at least 25x). Kirk's even planning for us to eat there at lunch! They sold it to me as: no cooking, no grocery-shopping, no dishes to wash, more free time together, more healthy. Kirk also said we could laugh at this later if it turns out to be a big mistake. We started at Sunday brunch after church, then for dinner after Superbowl. That's 2 meals down ...

The card

Happy diners on Endless Meal #2 of ....