Taking 14 By Storm

On July 10th Chloe turned 14 years old!

Ken and I took her out to a baseball game that night - it was a good warm-up for when we go see the Yankees in NYC next month!

Chloe makes 14 years old look good! She went to her first dance the day after her birthday and danced with boys. Since then she completed the intermediate level of SAIT Cooking Camp.

And then just this weekend she put on a Ward Pioneer Party. For the WHOLE WARD. It was a wild success with a mixture of traditional pioneer food and modern BBQ. 

She ran games for kids and adults alike including 3-legged races, 

Stick-pull contests, 

and a High Priest Group vs Elder's Quorum tug-of-war (High Priest Group were the winners, they had a weight and numbers advantage since the missionaries left early). 

At the end of the party Chloe had arranged for this couple in our ward to play some music as a harmonica/accordian duet and  EVERYONE got out their video cameras for that, even impressing a local Instagram celebrity who I saw pull out his phone.
It was lovely.

Chloe's First Job

Imagine the best first job on the planet. Sorry, Chloe still has you beat. Chloe is working as a pony walker for special events at Spruce Meadows - lucky girl! Her job entails cute kids and cute horses, what could be better?

High School Awards Ceremony

So a few months ago Carmen went on her first date, and I resisted the impulse to get a picture. (I do occasionally try not to be embarrassing.) Well, good things come to those who wait.

On Monday Carmen was the recipient of the English 10 AP Award and she also received one of the major awards: 

Citizenship Female Grade 10. 

Well deserved, Carmen! 

Bonus for me: the recipient of the Citizenship Male Grade 10 Award was the guy from her first date. And now I have my photo.