Fabulous at Fifteen

Rachel had a birthday!  I think Rachel can pull off 15 quite well.

On her birthday, I stole her for a bit after school in between running kids to activities and we went out for a milkshake.

Our best attempt at a selfie...

Later that night we celebrated as a family.  She opened presents

and had lemon bars (her favorite) for her cake.

Then a few days later we took Rachel, and her three best friends, Sarah, Brooklynn, and Maya, to paint ceramics.  I wasn't allowed to call it a birthday party, or to make invitations, or to have cake.  However, we did end up meeting the rest of the family at Panera for dinner, so it really felt like a celebration.

Happy Birthday Rachel!  We love you so much and are so glad you are a part of our family!

Fifteen facts about Rachel:

1.  It is hard to get her to talk to me.  Sometimes Brooklynn fills me in on what's going on in Rachel's life.  When I ask her questions, I get one-word answers, and when I ask follow-up questions, Rachel responds with, "Why do you always interrogate me?"  "What do you want from me?!"  That is pretty much our conversation every afternoon when I ask her about school.

2.  Rachel and Brooklynn recently wrote an original soundtrack to a 8-minute movie they did for a class assignment.  The assignment was to change the setting for Romeo and Juliet.  So they filmed a Romeo and Juliet story in the Griffendor Commons Room (from Harry Potter) with their group, and then Rachel and Brooklynn wrote the music.  Each character had its own theme, and they perfectly timed it to the movie.  They recorded it playing piano, violin and flute.

3.  Rachel plays violin, piano, and sings in the school choir.  She loves music and loves to arrange her own.  She recently played her own arrangement of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and "If you Hie to Kolob" in church.  She told me it is easier for her to arrange her own music then to learn someone else's arrangement.

4.  Rachel is an introvert.  In every sense of the word.

5.  Rachel loves to banter with her friends.  They argue--for fun--about all sorts of things.

6.  Rachel loves art and loves her painting class.  However, it takes her a long time to finish paintings because she is very much a perfectionist.

7.  Rachel has no idea what she wants to study in college and it really stresses her out.

8.  However, she knows she wants to be an author and illustrator.

9.  She recently finished reading Great Expectations.

10.  Rachel loves pinterest, but refuses to join Facebook.

11.  Rachel recently auditioned for, and made, the highest orchestra level in her orchestra group.  This is an accomplishment for her, because although she likes playing the violin, it does not come easy for her.  Piano comes much easier for her.

12.  Rachel is very good with children and will make a wonderful mother someday.

13.  Rachel loves to be home alone.

14.  Rachel is not looking forward to taking drivers ed.

15.  Rachel is beautiful, inside and out!  I love seeing her grow up and turn into a lovely young lady!