Lia's Belated 14th Birthday!

After a long, 2-day drive back to Puyallup, we arrived home Sunday evening.  I then had to turn around the next day and weed through piles of laundry, mail, and emails in addition to grocery shopping and taking care of several other things after being gone for nine days while getting ready to host Lia's belated, birthday party that night.  Needless to say, it was a tall order to get everything ready by dinner time and I was exhausted when I went to bed that night, but it was important to me to host Lia's dinner that evening as we have a very busy week ahead of us.  My parents arrived around 4:30 and we sat down to eat around 6:30.  The three younger kids were really excited and full of energy to just be home and to have the grandparents visiting.  Lia was also very excited to officially celebrate her 14th birthday and to open her gifts that I had purchased and wrapped before we left on our trip.  Although it was so much fun to actually be in Disneyland on her birthday, it was nice to be able to officially celebrate her birthday tonight with the grandparents back at our home.

After eating Lia's requested birthday dinner of breakfast-for-dinner (that included egg casserole, bacon, and cinnamon rolls), we gathered in the living room to watch her open gifts.  The highlight for Lia was opening a very decorated envelope with a letter inside informing her that she is going to the Olivia Rodrigo concert in April with her good friend, Alyssa.  Needless to say, she was very excited to learn this as she has been hoping for months that we bought tickets back in December when they first went on sale.

Like always, Logan dragged down his blankets during the party and ended up buried in a pile of them with Emmett on the couch next to grandpa.

Lia holding up her awesome, Enola Holmes t-shirt that I found for her on etsy.

Lia standing in disgust as her three siblings rolled around in the amazingly soft, throw rug I got for her to put on her bedroom floor.  Logan, Ella, and Emmett spent most of the rest of the evening laying on this rug in the foyer.

Grandpa even laid down on it for a few minutes while Logan and Emmett drove cars and trucks all over his back (one of his favorite things anyone can do for him).

After gift opening, we came back into the dining room to sing "Happy Birthday" to Lia and to eat her favorite banana cream pie.

Lia blowing out all 14 candles with Ella photo bombing in the background.

Emmett and Lia enjoying their dessert.

Mom posing with her birthday girl with Emmett and Ella at our side.

Lia standing with her beloved grandparents whom she has always had close relationship with ever since she was a little girl.  We are so lucky that they live close enough to drive down for these special occasions.

Ella showing off her incredible flexibility while lounging on Lia's new rug after the birthday party was over and the grandparents had left for home.  Oh that girl.