My First-Born

Before I share all of our lovely pictures from our lovely vacation,

I must first make a lovely tribute to my first-born
who turned 16 on our trip...


Of all the ways a girl would like to spend her 16th-Birthday,
Riley got to spend it in the car. With her whole family.
All day long.
The upside? We were headed toward warm, sun-shiney beaches!

To make her day memorable & special,
I coordinated 12 of her friends to call her in 1/2 hour increments all day long.
Not only did they call, but each added to a progressive song that they wrote...
(to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas)

"On the 3rd day of April my friends all wished for me....."
12 Ron Weasley heads sticking out of a bathtub (3:30 - Blaine)
11 breakfast sandwiches (3:00 - Sarah)
10 eagles sniffing (2:30 - Paige P)
9 returned missionaries (2:00 - Rudi)
8 swings to swing sideways on (1:30 - Lauren)
7 jars of brandy (1:00 - Lane)
6 golden tickets (12:30 - Charlie)
5 CHICKEN NUGGETS!!!!! (12:00 - Ashley Q)
4 sleds a crashin' (11:30 - Stephen)
3 Oopma Loompas. (11:00 - Kara)
2 games of jacks (10:30 - McKenzie)
AND a hot date and a new car. (10:00 - Haley)

This was so fun! It took her until about person #3 to figure it out.
She said something like, "Haley just sang me part of that same song!"
Then it was..."Who's calling next???!!"

After each verse, she opened a present with a clue on it:
{1} For the music in you! (a musical card & i-tunes gift card)
{2} For the princess in you! (Tangled DVD)
{3} For the the organizer in you! (beach bag)
{4} For the reader in you! (book, "Fallen")
{5} For the brain in you! (a hat)
{6} For the girly-girl in you! (nail polish)
{7} For the sequel in you! (the sequel to "Fallen")
{8} For the gem in you! (bag of Godiva Chocolate Gems)
{9}For your magnetic personality! (magnetic bookmarks)
{10} For the drama in you! (a people magazine)
{11} For the beach bum in you! (a bathing suit)
{12} For the composer in you! (a keyboard that connects to her laptop)

We love you, Riley,
and all of the many things that make you, YOU!