Hannah's Sweet Sixteen

 My sweet little Hannah-Banana is getting so grown up!! She turned sixteen over the weekend.  It was such a perfect day - it was all so very.......Hannah. I'm so glad her 16th fell on a Saturday so we could spend every moment celebrating.  We started off the morning with her presents - big sister Punkin was Skyping with us from college - I forgot to get a picture of that. 

 Her most special gift was this album I made for her just FULL of letters from family and friends.  There are so many wonderful words filling that album that she hasn't even had time to read them all!  We did this for Punkin when she turned 16 so it will be a great family tradition.  What a treasure to be able to keep the rest of their lives and always be able to look back at the words of love and encouragement from those they love most.  Every grandparent, aunt, uncle, sister, cousin, friend and relative wrote such meaningful things for Hannah to treasure up in her heart. Thank you so much everyone for filling Hannah-Banana with never ending love! The beautiful art work on the cover was made by one of her grandmothers. 

 The next part of our day was filled with planting a tree in our front yard in honor of Hannah's sweet sixteen birthday.  She has always, always wanted a cherry blossom tree - it was the perfect way for my nature loving gardening girl to spend her day and have such a special way to commemorate the occasion. 

She was even able to use one of her birthday gifts - a fun umbrella she has wanted for a long time! 

This picture just reminds me so much of the little girl that was always outside digging in the dirt, planting and growing things, and collecting any living creature she could find. 

 Birthday calls from Nana while she plants her tree.

 This sad little wagon cracks me up.  The girls refuse to let me get rid of it and it is way beyond repair.  They say it's a part of their childhood and they want to keep it forever.  It's already over 20 years old!   Even with only two wheels Dad managed to make it work - you should have seen him pushing it! 

Of course Baby had to join us for a while all cozy in Hannah's overalls.  Only Hannah can make overalls look awesome!  

 I just love how all the buds on the tree represent the beginning of new life - a promise of what is to come, just like my sweet girl and the path before her. 

 All Hannah wanted for her birthday was a fun dinner out with just a few of her most special friends.

 Our whole table full of strangers sang Happy Birthday to her - she was sufficiently embarrassed. :) 

 Back at home we celebrated with gifts and cake.  What do teenage girls do with a birthday cake full of candles?? Take pictures of it first - of course!! haha! 

 Present time!! This has got to be one of the sweetest gifts Hannah has ever received from a friend - it's a framed collage of pictures of Hannah and her oldest dearest friend ever since they were little toddlers together.  I got teary looking at how sweet it was - a treasure for sure! 

 Her friends know her so well and gave her just the perfect gifts!! So many wonderful art supplies, sketch books, mugs for her endless hot tea addiction, her favorite fresh hot tea leaves, mugs from her favorite shows and t-shirts from her favorite band. Her favorite gift was tour tickets to see her favorite guys - Dan and Phil with her BFF this summer! They also have a Twenty-One Pilots concert to look forward to. 

 Then the real fun began - all it takes is a phone with silly apps that takes crazy pictures - the laughs and giggles lasted for hours and hours. 

 We will save these pictures for their wedding days :)

Seriously - CANT STOP LAUGHING over this one. 

 When you have several dancers together - crazy things will happen. 

At the end of her very special day - she so sweetly thanked us for making her day so special.  She said it was the best birthday ever.  She was filled to the brim with so much love from everyone in her life - a sweet sixteen has never been sweeter!!