Alison Turns 14

I feel very bad that I am so late writing about Ali's birthday because I've forgotten many of the little details.  But one thing I am sure of is that I love that girl with all my heart!  I feel very blessed to even KNOW Alison, let alone to have the opportunity to raise her.  She is an amazing, talented, thoughtful, funny, brilliant person.  She lights up my life!

See what I mean?  Ha ha!  Just kidding.  She doesn't love it when I take her picture in the morning. But that's the price she had to pay for having a birthday...

She got some fun presents.  Mostly books, of course.  I mean, we are talking Ali here.  But she also got a shirt, some hair dye and makeup, something to hang on her wall, candy, etc. 

 Her birthday was on a Sunday this year, which meant that she got to go to church!  Lucky! She was able to start attending the Mia Maid class on her actual birthday!  She had a pretty relaxed and laid back day.  For dinner she chose to eat chicken pot pie and bread sticks. An interesting combo.  Grandma and Grandpa Smith and Uncle Scott joined us for dinner. Kristin's family came over afterward to celebrate and eat dessert.

I made the most delicious, from-scratch spice cake for Alison! It was three layers high, covered in a whipped cream, cream cheese frosting to die for!  It was truly lovely.  However, I think I didn't bake it quite long enough and frosted it a bit too early.  I placed it in the fridge with all the chef-pride I possess, but when I opened up the fridge an hour later or so, the middle layer had squeezed out and was laying all over the place in a big huge mess.I did the best job I could of saving it, but it wasn't quite as beautiful.   

Then, I discovered that I didn't have enough candles!  Urgh!  Sabbath day birthday woes!  So I improvised.  I put on 10 candles, plus the number 4.  It was at least accurate. 

Of all the crazy things, BOTH Krisitn and Scott gave Alison Asian head massagers.  They are these little wire things that rub your scalp.  Alison was like, "There must be something about me that screams, "I need a head massage!'"  

I don't know how may pictures I have like this, nor why I keep taking them.  Perhaps because the only time they hold still long enough to take a picture is when we get them all on their tablets.