Rylee's birthday morning started out with sprinkle pancakes and a candle. She has been so excited for her birthday and we were off to a good start with this delicious breakfast! Since she was turning 12 and that is when we start letting friends stay the night at our house Rylee asked if Serena could spend the night. I told her that would be great and we made the plans with Serena and her Mom for Serena to stay over Friday night . Unfortunately Serena got the flu that week and had to cancel the sleepover. Rylee was disappointed but got over it quick so she could enjoy her birthday.
Rylee really wanted to open her gifts that morning but I told her she had to wait until after dinner, she was bummed about that but then asked if she could open the gifts from her Grandma's. I told her that was fine and she opened the one from Grandma Alison first and got stencil art, a drawing pad and money. She opened grandma Bonnies next and got skittles, gummy worms and more money. She was a happy 12 year old with all that fun stuff!
After breakfast we got ready for the day and I had previously asked Rylee if she would wear a dress on her birthday. She did not like that idea at all and asked me why. Rylee asked me previously if we could go out to lunch to Panda Express on her birthday and I told her yes. When she questioned why she had to wear a dress I fibbed a bit and told her it was tradition. She quickly asked if Avynlea had to and I fibbed again and told her yes. I then got Avynlea alone and told her she had to go along with it. What Rylee didn't know but everyone else was aware of was that about half a year ago I bought tickets for Rylee and I to go watch "Wicked" on her birthday. Rylee has never let me forget that I didn't take her when I took Kenedy and Avynlea because she was too young. So when I saw that the musical was coming back to Boise and one of the dates was on her birthday I had to get tickets. I think it is fun and important to dress up when one goes to the theater and so hence the need for us to wear dresses.
Kefford took Ryker and Avynlea to shoot guns and ride dirt bikes with his cousin Coby and I took Rylee with me for a morning of errands and an afternoon of fun.
We headed to the Village first so we could visit the Green Apple boutique and pick up a gift for Grandma Alison. I then needed to get some Lucky Charms and chocolate coins for St Patricks day so we headed to Zurchers for the coins and the new Market Street Albertsons for the cereal and to check it out.
Rylee found the cutest little baby pineapple at the Albertsons and tried on some cute Leprechaun hats at Zurchers. She was a fun errands buddy and didn't once complain about all of the stops we had to make. She really liked exploring the new Albertsons because of all the fun samples they had.
After we got done with the Errands it was a little past 11:00 and I pointed out the Panda Express that was across the parking lot and mentioned we could eat at that one. Then in thinking about it I decided to go to one closer to the Morrison Center and I looked up Panda Express on Google Maps and found one really close to where we were going for the play. So without saying much to Rylee we got in the car and drove to Boise. This is where I started to learn how unaware and not suspicious Rylee is. If it were Avynlea she definitely would have put two and two together but Rylee just blissfully went along with everything I did no question. We got the the Panda and enjoyed eating our food. We were a little bit filled up from all of the samples and so whatever we couldn't eat we boxed up to take home.
After our meal we still had a bit of time so we went to the Trader Joes that was across the parking lot to check it out. I was not too impressed with the food and products but Rylee found a cute little succulent that she loved and I bought that for her since it was a reasonable price.
Once we were done there I decided to head over to the Morrison Center to find parking and go inside. When I got to the parking lot there was an attendant standing there and I rolled down my window to ask if we were at the right parking lot. I asked if we could park there and he asked if we were here for Wicked, when I told him yes he said we could go in. As I started to drive away from him I looked at Rylee since this was the first she heard about us going to Wicked and she looked shocked. I quickly realized her shocked expression was not because she just found out we were going to see Wicked but because she thought I lied to the guy to get a parking spot. She said to me "Mom, you just lied to him!" and I said "no I didn't" and pulled out the tickets and told her Happy Birthday. Once she realized that I did get her tickets and we were going to see the show she was so excited! We laughed and laughed about how she thought I lied to the guy just to get a parking spot. I told her I didn't fib to the parking attendant but I did fib to you about why you had to wear a dress and I apologized for not being truthful. She, of course, was quick to forgive me and asked if everyone else knew about this. I told her everyone but her was in on it and that I made Avynlea tell a fib also and I apologized for that as well.
Once we got inside we had to wait a few minutes before they opened the doors into the theater and we sat on some couches and chatted for a bit. I told Rylee we had to use the restrooms before the show started because it would be a mad house during intermission. We were grateful we went before when during intermission when we went out to get a drink and stretch our legs we passed the longest line waiting for the bathroom.
We had such a good time and of course Rylee fell in love with the musical and we talked about it all the way home. I am so glad that I waited to introduce Rylee to this amazing musical until now because she was old enough to understand it and really pay attention.
After we got home we had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and then she was allowed to open her presents.
She got mascara, an Aladdin shirt, dry erase markers and rollerblades for her birthday! She loved it all and had to try out her rollerblades immediately! She also got a clear lipstick and a pineapple sign for her bedroom wall that I forgot about until later.
After a while I got out her cake and we lit the candles and sang Happy Birthday. She requested an Oreo cake so I made a chocolate cake with whole Oreo's baked inside it with homemade chocolate frosting and crushed Oreo's sprinkled on top. It was so good and we all loved it.
This was a great day for Rylee and I really enjoyed spending lot's of one on one time with my baby who is now 12!
Rylee's Favorites...
- Dinner: Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Dessert: Ice-cream
- Candy: Skittles and Twix
- Color: Navy Blue
- Friend: Serena Ioset
- Scripture Story: Jesus feeds the huge crowd with only 2 loaves of bread and five fish
- Primary Song: I will be what I believe
- Radio Song: We are Young by Fun
- Book: Maze Runner by James Dashner
- Movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2
- TV Show: The Flash
- Thing to do: Swim
- Place to go: Both Grandma's Houses
- School Subject: Reading
5 things I love about Rylee:
1. Ever since Rylee inherited Kenedy's old room she has kept it pretty spotless. This was a huge surprise for us all because she was not the neatest when she shared a room with Avynlea. I love that she has an appreciation for a clean room and that she keeps it clean with keeping her stuff put away and making her bed.
2. I love that Rylee has taken up Violin and that she works hard to learn this new instrument. Because of her piano background she was a couple of steps ahead of all the other kids in her beginners class and she works hard to stay on top. She does a good job practicing and her only complaint is that the rest of the class is not learning as fast as she is and she wishes she could move ahead in her songs faster.
3. Rylee started Young Womens at the beginning of the year and when I introduced her to the Personal Progress program I told her she could do it in a year if she wanted to. The program is changing at the end of this year and I don't know what the change will be but if she was motivated she could earn her medallion this year. Of course Rylee is motivated and when she sets a goal she works hard to earn it. She is already halfway done with the program and will probably finish way before the end of the year. I love that she sets goals and works hard to accomplish those goals.
4. With the start of Young Womens Rylee has also been able to go to the Temple. I think it is so cool that she could go do Baptisms as an 11 year old. We have been going every week since the start of the year and she loves it and is always excited and ready to go. I love watching her develop a love for Temple Service and love how her Testimony is growing because of her choice to go to the Temple each week.
5. Rylee has a funny sense of humor and is constantly making me laugh. I love her dry wit and the funny things she says and does. She is always a fun buddy to hang out with and I love going and doing things with her. She is my friend and I love her a lot!