11 Years Old!

Not sure how my sweet pea can actually be turning 11, but something tells me that I better just "hang on for the ride ahead!"
This sweet girl, this tween of mine, who is beginning to see the world through a different pair of eyes. This girl, who is showing so many signs of independence, yet needs me more than she knows. This girl,who will walk the halls of a middle school next year, the true start of adolescence. The true test of standing strong for what she believes in, and knows to be right and just, and dare I add, "safe?' Oh, my, so much lies ahead for us both. So much of my own adolescence relived through a girl that is my opposite. How many similarities will there be, regardless of the fact that I was the poster child for extroverts, while my sweet pea walks the path of the quiet child, introverted but a leader amongst her followers. This "quiet entertainer" of mine. I think we will both be just fine!
Happy Birthday to the other half of my heart!

A "magic wand" from her Godmothers (to take to Harry Potter World when we go to Universal Studios)

Each wand is made out of a certain type of wood that represents a different kind of personality. Kayli's wand is made out of an IVY wood, which is suited for the following personality type:
Ivy wood is associated with tenacity, stamina, and endless patience. Ivy people are strong and determined; they set goals and achieve them. Ivy people should take care that their ability to easily overcome obstacles does not lead them unwittingly into ever more challenging situations.
Amongst other things, I gave Kayli a "snitch" necklace, as in the snitch ball with wings that is captured during a game of Quiditch from the Harry Potter stories...

we have been listening to the whole Harry Potter series on audio/CD, every night before bed.

This was the first year that I did not host a huge themed birthday party at our house for Kayli's friends! Kayli decided, instead, to invite a few of her closest friends to the community pool for poolside party! This meant...I bring a cake and single serve ice cream cups...we sing Happy Birthday, then I turn the girls loose into the pool for a couple of hours! They played tag in the lazy river, climbed the rock wall, jumped from the high dive, and slid down the tube slides. Perfect party for a bunch of tweens! 

then, of course, there was the family celebration, which included Jake's Bday...

Happy Birthday Kayli and Jake!