Happy Sweet Sixteen

Today Sarah turns 16.  She was out with her boyfriend the night before, so we didn't get to actually see her at the exact moment she turned 16.  In the past Sarah would stay up until 12:47 AM which was the time she was born.  Friends would send her text messages in the middle of the night...  This year Kris thought it would be fun to have her go to midnight bowling with some friends and we could celebrate with some of her friends at the exact moment she turned sixteen, but she didn't go for that idea.  So we just let her do her own thing.

Then just like Alison, we let Sarah sleep in.  She got up early for her, at about 9:00.  We gave her her gifts, and then we had to go run an errand in Milwaukee, so the plan was to go do that, then maybe take Sarah out for some lunch and go check out the lakefront.

Kris even got Sarah a "Sweet 16 Tiara" to wear for the day, along with a sash.  I didn't think she would actually wear it, but she did (the tiara, not the sash...  that she refused to do). 

It took forever to get where we needed to go because there was a lakefront triathalon going on and the cops had a bunch of streets closed.  But when we finally finished, Sarah wanted to get Mexican food for lunch.  Since her favorite Mexican restaurant is located across the street from State Fair park, and the State Fair was in full swing, we suggested a different Mexican restaurant.  It just happened to be down the road from where Kris and I used to hang out when I was in college, and a place we would go frequently.

And when we finished, we were only a block away from St. Mary's Hill So we went over to check out the lake.  There was a baby picture of my dad that they had seen at one time and I pointed out to both Sarah and Alison that was the hill where grandpa's baby picture was taken.  Though I think Milwaukee was a little cleaner sixty some years ago when it was taken.  But anyway, it was a beautiful day so I snapped a couple of pictures of the girls looking out over the lake, and with the old St, Mary's Hospital in the background.

I wanted to take a silly picture of Sarah holding up the North Avenue water tower, but she wouldn't play along.  So much for being fun on her birthday.

So when we were done down on the lake, we came home and had birthday cake.  Kris made a red velvet layer cake, and mmmm, mmmm, it was good!

Happy Sweet 16 Sarah!