News del Mercado: Sweet 16 for Sweet Kai

When Kai first got her own cell phone, she labeled it in my phone as "Sweet Child of Mine (Karissa)", but whenever I called her from my car, it would say, "calling Sweet Child of Karissa, on cell". Since we haven't called her Karissa in a long time, I recently changed it to "Sweet Kai", which is so much easier to say!

So, Kai celebrated her 16 birthday! The night before, we were driving home from VA and she got her last 47 minutes of night driving in as she took us home the last hour. She also got some good freeway driving practice in. She will take her test this Saturday, so hopefully, she'll have her license by next week!

First thing on her birthday, at a pretty early hour, we drove 30 minutes to watch Victoria throw at a track meet. She's in the Michigan Elite Thrower's Club and signed up for this meet, with permission from Kai. She had to be there by 8:15 and the rest of us showed up by 9. We still had to wait a bit before she got to throw because she was in flight 3 since it was her first time throwing shot put.The kids were good sports and it was the first time in a while we had to wake Kai up for anything on her birthday. I got to play The Birthday Song by the Beatles to wake her! Since her birthday is never on a school day, that doesn't usually happen.

A quick breakfast of fried eggs and bacon.

What a nice sister to go an early track meet on her own birthday!

We had fun!

Kai, Austin, Erik, and I left after Victoria threw shot put, because it took a long time! But they enjoyed watching it and Victoria PR'd at 27.8 feet for shot put! Jason stayed for the discus while the rest of us shopped for the rest of Kai's party stuff, they bought her gifts, and we got smoothies at Smoothie Cafe.

Kai didn't want a picture in front of the dock pic, but Erik did!

Kai relaxed for a bit in her room after a busy morning. When Jason returned, he worked his magic on Kai's requested Puerto Rican dinner, which included tostones, pork, rice and gandules, stir fried broccoli, and coquito (a traditional Puero Rican egg nog. I forgot to take pics of the food, though). We invited Stefanie and Aaron Nelson over from our ward who the kids call Bro Nel and Sis Nel because we've been friends with them for so long, but they're always our kid's leaders or teachers, though Stef was really Kai's friend first at before age 8! Those two have a special bond! When getting together before Christmas didn't work out, I suggested they come to dinner to celebrate Kai. It was so much fun! I really enjoyed the evening of dinner, conversation, and games (Things and Trigger and Action, which were the two new games we learned at the Gilson's house). They even stayed late to watch Thor: Love and Thunder which Kai and I hadn't seen yet. It turned out that Stefanie hadn't either and Aaron loves Marvel movies, so they watched it with us.

Her new skateboard from Christmas. Her main birthday gift is still being made. A varsity jacket for Color Guard, but she got lots of other fun small gifts from me and the kids. Victoria will take her on an outing to the mall and buy her something from Hot Topic.

Stranger Things poster from Erik.

Gift card to Earth Lore and some gems and an awesome homemade good luck jar from Bro and Sis Nel!

Plant from Austin

Cookies and cream cheesecake for dessert from the orchestra fundraiser.

Kai had friends over for a party Saturday. One of her best friends, CJ, moved an hour away, so she met us at a Stake Youth activity and then came over right after that to help bake the cake. Other friends came over at 4. Most of them stayed till 9 and just played games, acted crazy, and ate food. We just served pizza this time, with chips, veggies and root beer. Nice and simple. CJ, Isa, and Zach stayed till midnight. I think they all had a good time. I wasn't involved much, just picked up the pizza and served the cake. We got to celebrate Kai and ring in the new year, though I was in bed before midnight because I had to give a talk during our new start time of 9am!