We have a teenager in the house!

Hi there.

I know it's been a while.

I am bewildered by the fact that our son is now a bonafide teenager. Yikes!!! He is no longer a kid, no longer a tween, but a 13-year-old teenager. When did that happen? Oh the clues were all around me. Not in what was happening but more in what was lacking; no more hand holding, no more requests to be tucked in at night, no more spontaneous kisses and smooches, no more requests for outfits to be picked out, on and on. It didn't happen all at once but before I noticed, all of these things went away.

For those of you, that still have little ones, I know the days seem long and you wonder where you are going to muster all of the energy they seem to take from you, I have one word: Cherish. Cherish the sticky fingers, the untied laces, the crying, the neediness. Before you know it, you too will have a teenager in your house. I am somewhat relieved that I no longer seem to be needed as much but something tells me that my patience will again be called upon during the infamous tumultuous teenage years!

Anyway, enough of the drama and onto something more fun. For his birthday, Mateo wanted a Domo-themed sleepover (though I was not allowed to call it a sleepover or heaven forbid, a slumber party). Being the doting parents (suckers) that we are, we agreed to allow Mateo to invite his friends and some cousins for the shindig. We ended up with about 25 kids camped out in almost all of the rooms of the house! I fed them tons of chocolate and made breakfast for them next day. It was crazy but fun. I think I have finally recuperated!

The dessert table

Party favors

Chocolate rice crispy treats made with chocolate marshmallows
then dipped in milk chocolate

Oreo cookie cake

Mateo picked out a recipe for his cake months ago and didn't let me forget it. It is called Recipe 66 from Max Brenner's book, "Chocolate A Love Story". Cari gave me this book for Christmas. I absolutely adore this book and so far, every recipe I have made from it has been fabulous. This cake came out really moist and chocolaty delicious! I also made the chocolate pizza from this book but forgot to take a picture of it.

Mateo and his cake

I made him a Domo pillow and a helmet (pictured below).

For fun, I put out an assortment of mustaches and mouths for the kids to use for pictures. I made them out of felt then glued them to card stock paper and then glued them to bamboo skewer sticks.

I tried but couldn't get all of the kids in the picture!

The next morning. Are they still playing X-box?

Are they still playing DS?

Pals and cousins for ever!

Happy Birthday, Mateo.

We love you. May God fill you with His grace and lead you in your journey!
Mom and Dad