sweet sixteen...

I can't believe it -- KRISTIN is 16!!!

I don't know where the time goes, she is going to be a junior this year and the next thing you know she'll be headed off to college -- I'm so not ready for that. Well, this year I decided to give Kristin a big surprise and in my usual fashion started planning this whole thing days before (I've decided I work well this way, guess I just love stress -- or there is something really wrong with me!).

Anywho, I decided to rent a limo -- to do what I wasn't sure -- then it all started coming together. A treasure hunt! With clues provided by me in 16 envelopes (and if you know me, then you know they couldn't just be plain white envelopes -- as if the stress of all this planning wasn't enough!). On the morning of the big day I ended up taking her to the doctor and to get xrays (sprained her ankle at soccer the night before -- geez this really wasn't in my plans for the day!! I still had much work to do). So here goes, I told Kristin that her "Pa" wanted to take her to dinner for her birthday and would be here at 5 o'clock and when she went outside there it was a white stretch limo.

I got inside to ride with her to the first destination, with the first clue: Some girls have all the _____? If If you find this location you might just find "some girlfriends!" So we arrive at the outlet mall, find the Juicy store, find 3 of her 4 friends (other one met us later) and her new Juicy purse containing the rest of the clues! At this point, my cousin Christy met me there and we headed off to the next destination to drop off more goodies.




Each envelope contained a clue -- some with gift cards (so her girlfriends could get coffee while she was getting a makeover), some with money so they could ride the "Island Carousel" Towards the end of their shopping spree I had her go to Ritz camera and pick up an envelope (which contained a picture of her boyfriend) and directed her to where he would be waiting -- he even had 16 roses (how sweet!).

This is the picture I had waiting.

Then they picked up something to eat on the way to their final destination -- home. To eat, watch movies and have cake. WOW -- glad that day is over.




I think they all had fun, even Kyle -- when the limo dropped them off I had him take Kyle and I for ride around the neighborhood, he really liked it.



And here is my mess -- I was still decorating these envelopes like 30 minutes before the limo got here!!