Our Oldest Daughter Turns 18!

 Crystal celebrates her 18th birthday!

She made this beautiful and delicious mint icecream cake with brownie crust on the bottom.

The only problem was that the frozen crust stuck fast to the glass pan! It took Jonathan a long time with a big sharp knife to get even the first piece loose. How many calories did he burn wrestling with that cake?

Oops, Crystal said, the recipe did say to line the pan with foil so you could lift the cake out. 

First time making the cake--we learned a lesson--and laughed a lot! 

Crystal had made most of the supper, too, with wondrous help from the rest of us, while the rest of us cleaned, scrubbed, did dishes, and so on. I let the older children choose and make their own cakes and sometimes all or part of their birthday meals. I know that is different than most people--but hey, our children are very happy with the arrangement--as long as they don't have to do school that day or the dishes afterward!!  It works well!

I know that is one of those "I-don't-want-to-see-you" moments for me--actually I was having to try to make sure Sam got an appropriate  picture and not something with our heads cut off or something. Plus I thought Crystal looked so lovely in the above picture despite how I looked, so I am putting this in just for her...

and then to be fair, one with my eyes actually open!!

The gift Crystal is holding is a sewing box with some new sewing notions inside--

for her hope chest.

After all, she's 18 now. 

Yikes. Help!

We just thought a couple pictures of Crystal with her parents and grandparents would be special on her 18th birthday. 

She'd invited our pastor and his wife and children for her party, because she is good friends with Cheryl. I am thankful for my children to have good friends of all ages. Some of the best friends are ones older and more experienced than we, who can be a godly example and mentor. 

Above, Grandpa, Cheryl, Marvin, and Jonathan are practicing a song Cheryl had asked them to play for the Christmas program at church. 

Crystal tying Charisse's shoes.

The girls, Cheryl, and Jonathan with his baritone horn, practicing another song for Christmas.