Big Blue Birthday

Tomorrow is Sarah's 14th birthday, and at the age of 14 she loves nothing more than Kentucky basketball.  She has become a huge UK basketball fan this past year, and on any given afternoon I can find her looking at videos of past games or reading statistics about Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.  To put it mildly, she bleeds blue.  

Of course we've been enjoying the fun of March Madness, and our city has been bananas this week because Kentucky and Louisville were set to meet in the Final Four.  All she wanted to do for her birthday was have the family over to watch the game...now, in our family, we have Kentucky fans...and we have Louisville fans.  Would this be a very fun party?  Of course!  We had a great time watching the game, and Sarah got an early birthday present with the Cats winning and moving on to the championship game.  

She requested her favorite cake (strawberry cake with strawberry icing), but asked I make it UK themed (I tried my best)...

There were Cards and Cats fan, ready to rumble...

Bruce and John - representing!

Looks like an even match up!

There was some dunk ball in the driveway...

John and Bruce can't catch Tanner!

There were fun presents...

Sock monkey!

Fun new T-shirt 

A new digital camera

Sarah made a wish, and I helped her blow out her candles (she's recovery from oral surgery and didn't trust herself to not spit on the cake!).

We had fun the rest of the night enjoying cake and ice cream and watching Kansas beat Ohio State.  

We cater to both sides in this house!

Soon it was time to say good bye...Sarah is so lucky to have all her grandparents here!

She loves Meme and Papa even though they
cheered for the Cards!

Her UK loving Badoo - must be where she gets it!

Her Nana - Sarah is now taller than she is!  

Tanner had worn a MKG "jersey" that looked so real!  It was actually a T-shirt that he had drawn on with a blue marker.  John loved it, and Tanner gave it to him to keep.  John said, "Take a picture with me, like we're in the draft!"  

This was a super fun, big blue birthday.  She's looking forward to watching Kentucky play in the finals on her real birthday on Monday night - will they give her the present she's looking for?

Since she leaves for school tomorrow at 7:30 am, and Lawrence will be at work when we get home in the afternoon, and John has a 6:00 baseball game, AND the NCAA championship is on after that, she asked if she could open her gifts from us today.  I'm a staunch opponent of opening gifts BEFORE your actual birthday, but I decided she was right, there's no other time!  

I was so excited to give her her present...she's starting high school in the fall, and I thought it would be great to give her her own laptop.  The guys at work helped me find just the right one, and I ordered her an adorable monogrammed case (my favorite part!).

I had already loaded a UK screensaver for her

Gotta have a cute laptop cover!

I can't believe my girl is 14.  I love this phase of parenting...seeing her become her own person, owning her successes and failures.  I love who she is and who she is becoming.  Looking forward to my 15th year of motherhood...where has the time gone?!?  Happy birthday Sarah!  We love you!