Tween to Teen

Anna Marie is now a teenager! For years, she's been calling herself a "tween." At the ripe old age of 11, and then 12, she proclaimed that she was technically a teen, having advanced to that second decade of life. At long last, however, she can call herself a teen, and no one will debate the merits of that statement.

The teen years brought a milestone birthday gift: Anna Marie's very own laptop computer on which to do her schoolwork in the coming years. With online classes now a part of Anna Marie's school routine, the portability of a laptop (read: the ability to get away from noisy siblings during class hours) was becoming fairly essential.

Anna Marie avoided the emergency room on this birthday—a very good thing. Swapping the emergency-room tears of Birthday 2008 for jalapeno-induced tears of Birthday 2009, Anna Marie dined on the hottest foods that La Hacienda has to offer on her birthday dinner. YUM!

On our way home from La Hacienda, eager to eat Anna Marie's own homemade rhubarb crisp for birthday dessert, we were surprised by fireworks at the local country club. We are convinced that Anna Marie's entrance into the teen years provoked the fireworks spectacle by our fine locals.

Happy birthday, sweet TEEN Anna Marie!