How can Eliza be 15?? Like really. Fifteen feels so much older than 14, and I am already dreading 16 which sounds way older than 15. Okay, I am going to start crying if I think about how soon she will be leaving home.
Eliza is such a treasure. I can't believe I am lucky enough to be her mom. Eliza is hard working, kind, responsible, fun, and generous. I love how much she loves to learn and discover things. I love how she delights in the amazing things of this world. I love how much she loves a good story--funny, fantasy, romance, and more. She is so stinking smart. Ever since we decided to go to Costa Rica, we have been doing Duolingo to brush up on our Spanish skills (how slim they might be). I was not anticipating having to turn to Ellie this much to explain Spanish rules that I have forgotten or never learned. She is a whiz kid for sure.
She is darling too. I love how excited and happy she gets about things in life. There is really something to be said for liking things--turns out you are a happier person.
What kind of kills me is how much older she seems these days. She got her braces off and has been figuring out how she likes to do her make up. Wow, that makes kids look grown up in a hurry.
I am so proud of her for doing swim team this year. It was out of her comfort zone. It was at the crack of dawn day after day. And she had to change her schedule that she had quite liked to do it. It was a lot of sacrifice. But I am proud of her commitment, grit, and hard work to make it happen. We could really see in her improve through the season. I think it admirable how many people she has met and become friends with, not only on swim team, but in her classes and church calling as well.
Eliza just got called to be her class president. This doesn't surprise me because even before her calling, she was noticing--Hey, we should get trained on this, or we need to be more organized as a class in this way. It is impressive how she can see what needs to be done and think about what needs to happen to get it done.
Something else that has been amazing to see is how much Eliza loved FSY last summer and seminary this year. She knows her stuff when it comes to gospel topics. I love to see her seeking God and cherishing spiritual things.
Along with that I am so impressed with how well she is adapting to high school. High school is the real deal when it comes to homework and juggling classes. Eliza has done so great at managing her responsibilities.
Eliza is also a go getter. She is getting exactly 0 encouragement from John and me to help her towards getting her driving learners permit, but she is researching it herself. She is studying for her permit exam without being reminded. She is doing great, even if I get a little panicky at the thought of teaching someone to drive.
Eliza is just so much fun too. I love chatting with her. Teen Tuesday is the best. I love hanging out with her, playing games, watching shows, and just being together. She is always a good sport about games and a kind person to talk to.
One fun thing for me recently is that she had a lesson at young women's about how to give a massage. I am quite happy to let her practice her new skills on my back. She's legit.
But even thought she is growing up in a so many ways, I love that she is still her. She is funny and kind and loves to read. She loves to play board games, go on hikes, and look at beautiful things outside. She is so patient with her little sisters. She is an in-demand babysitter for our neighbors, not surprisingly.
We are so lucky to have Eliza in our family. I can't imagine our family without her. She is the *best!*
The birthday dress Eliza picked out this year is a little more formal than before. We decided to got to BYU and take photos around campus, with the more formal architecture. I really liked how they turned out, but I bet everyone who saw us thought we were taking senior photos. Eliza looked way too grown up. She only mildly froze while taking photos outside in February.
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| We had to sign a form to take pictures here. |
Some interview questions for Eliza:
What’s your favorite song right now?
I really like Cold As You by Taylor Swift.
Can you recommend any TV shows or YouTube videos?
I really liked the Percy Jackson TV show that came out recently. I hope the second season starts coming out soon!
What is your first memory? What can you remember?
I remember standing on a pink bouncy ball next to the brown desk in the Orem apartment and watching Daddy work. He was coding, I think, with white words on a black screen. I also remember looking up at our toy closet from a tiny perspective and it stretching really tall with the pink stroller next to me.
Rate your day on a scale of 1-10; 1 being awful and 10 being the best day ever. Why did you pick that number?
Today was a five or a six. It was fine, but my friend was gone in math and we had a big test in my AP Human Geography class.
What’s a career that doesn’t exist (yet) that you think should? Would you want the job?
I don't know. I would like to read books professionally, but only if I got to choose what I read. I think that's just a book reviewer though.
Tell me about the time you laughed the hardest.
I remember one time at Lake Powell, my cousins and I were digging in a red sand wash, and we all kept saying probably. It was so funny for some reason!
If your friends could have a clubhouse, what would it look like?
It would have a big area with lots of couches to chat, a place to play board games and watch movies, a big eating area, and a spot to do nails. We probably would use a table to do homework together a lot.
Tell me about a favorite memory you have of your friends.
We walked home from school on the last day of eighth grade, and it was so fun! We went to the creamery and just meandered home. It took like four hours because we kept stopping to play at parks or sit in some grass.
If you and your friends won a $100 prize, how would you spend it?
We would probably all go out and buy treats.
Who is someone who looks up to you?
I think my little sisters probably look up to me.
How would you describe yourself in five words or fewer?
Sister, student, reader, daughter, and friend
Did you meet anyone new today? What are they like?
We had a sub in seminary. She was nice and had a great general conference lesson!
Who is your personal hero? Why?
What is the most challenging part of your life right now?
Life is just busy, and I have never ending things to do.
What do you look forward to most each day?
I really like my nice quiet time when I get ready. I take a hot shower and listen to conference talks while I get ready, and it's a nice way to have some relax time.
In your opinion, what is the most useful/entertaining app?
My most useful and entertaining app is probably texting, but I use google keep a ton.
What is the best gift you have ever received/given?
The best gift I have received would probably be my bedroom furniture: my desk, dresser, bed, and bookshelf. The best gift I have given is when Darcy was born I gave her a blanket I crocheted.
Do you think college athletes should be paid?
Yes. They put a lot of time and energy into their sport, a lot of times that's how they got a scholarship, and them playing benefits the college a lot.
Tell me about an achievement/ experience you’re really proud of. Why is it important to you?
I'm really proud of MCO. Which is maybe weird, but it's really hard but an amazing experience.
What is the worst food in the world?
Probably chocolate covered mashed mushrooms with avocado?
What would you most like to accomplish in sports/ music/ extracurriculars next?
I'm doing the MCO concert in May! Also, I don't want to fail choir.
What’s something you wish adults understood about kids today?
I don't know. Maybe that at least a lot of the people I know have good internet safety. Maybe because it's been pounded into our heads so many times, but all of the kids I know can tell whenever there's spam or something weird going on.
If you could time travel to any year in the past or future, which would you choose? Why? What would you do?
I would like to visit my parents when they were my age. That would be really interesting, to see them as kids.
What superpower would you want to have? How would you use it?
I have given this question so much thought over the years. I would choose to have the ability to stop time. I would get a lot of sleep, have time to relax, and have more time to do homework or something if I needed to.
If you could invite three people, living or dead, to your birthday party, who would you choose? What would you talk about/do?
I would rather just have a birthday party with people I know, like my cousins or my friends.
If you could keep any animal, real or imaginary, as a pet, which would you choose?
Probably a griffin. They're smaller than a lot of mythical animals, but you can ride and fly on them, and they're so cool!
Describe your perfect meal.
Asparagus pasta salad with butter croissant bread, lemonade, and lemon cheesecake for desert.
If you could only read one book/ watch one movie/ play one game for a whole year, which would you choose and why?
I would cry. And then probably pick the BOM, the Princess Bride, and Seven Wonders Architects.
Do you think aliens exist? How would you explain Earth/humans to them?
I think there is life on other planets, but I would be surprised if they were sentient or as advanced as we are. Probably no matter what we do, they will not think very highly of the human race.
If you had one year to spend one million dollars, how would you spend it?
I would donate a lot of it and go on a really awesome cruise and then save a ton.
If you could switch places with any person, real or fictional, for a day, who would it be?
I would switch places with a random Froster at Foxfire, so I could enjoy the awesome things and powers they have.
What five items would you bring with you to a deserted island? Why?
A really good radio with batteries, good clothes and blankets, a gun with an instruction manual, a really nice water purifier, and a ton of matches. Because then I could contact people, be prepared, hunt/defend myself, drink water, and start fires.
What do you think makes your generation unique?
We have a lot of tech, obviously, and we have grown up knowing things like cell phones, airplanes, and computers.
If you could create any law that everyone on Earth had to follow, what would it be? What would you want it to accomplish?
I would probably make the Word of Wisdom a law, because it would help so many big problems.
What is your secret ambition?
I want to have Elsa's powers and also build an ice castle, get really good at ice skating, and make awesome stuff.
Eliza's birthday was on a Saturday this year, which was extra fun. We did all the chores the day before and had a total play day. Eliza woke up to a yummy breakfast casserole. It was savory and made from croissants--delicious!
After breakfast we met up with Cherilee and Jess to go bowling. We had been wanting to do this activity all winter, but kept getting sick. We finally were well enough to be around them, and it totally worked out to do as a fun activity for Eliza's birthday. We had a ton of fun. I loved seeing the little girls try to do the bowling. We did two games and had a great time.
After bowling Cherilee and Jess treated us to lunch at the Creamery. The burgers and fries are always yummy. Plus you get a small ice cream there with the kids' meals. It was perfect even if it was a little cold.
We thanked Cherilee and Jess for the fun morning and early afternoon, and we went home. After only being home for just a few minutes, we decided we were full enough from our big breakfast and lunch that we could have a little later dinner. So we spontaneously went to Thanksgiving point so everyone else could experience the Butterfly Museum and Darcy and I had gone to the day before (and apparently talked a lot about). We had a memorable time, with everyone being able to hold butterflies. We all loved it.
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| They used their own money to do a photo book. I love what good friends they are. |
After a yummy dinner, we did presents and lemon cheesecake for dessert. She got a few clothes, a pair of shoes, treats, and a gel fingernail kit from Uncle Daniel. Her big present this year was 6 months of apple music, so it isn't pictured. But believe me she definitely uses it. She loves music so much, especially Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter music. She had another non pictured gift--$20 to spend at Bath and Body Works with me. So the next Saturday we went to Bath and Body Works and smelled about 500 different scents. I love the one she picked out. We also got a smoothie before we headed home.
Little did she know there was a surprise party for her with her cousins waiting for her. We have told our kids that they get birthday parties when they turn 5, 10, and 15. She had never brought up wanting to plan a party so we decided maybe this was the perfect storm to actually do a surprise party. While we were at the mall, John and the other girls decorated the house, everyone came, and got ready for us. They jumped out and yelled surprise, and it was fantastic. The evening was yummy and fun, and I think everyone had a great time. Some of the cousins slept over, and the party was even extended to the next day. We loved it!
Happy Birthday Eliza! We love you more than we can say!
