Jack's Batman Birthday

Jack and Ryan had scout camp at Bear Lake last week which meant Jack wasn't going to be home for his 15th birthday.  The first time to not be with one of my children on their birthday.  I wasn't sure what to do to help him feel like it wasn't just another day at camp but my friend came up with the idea of doing a 'favorites bag' for him.  I got a U of U string backpack and filled it with his favorites . . . Dr. Pepper, salt and vinegar chips, beef jerky, charleston chew, chewy sweetarts, cookies and cream drops, and 5 brand spearmint gum and a birthday card.  His leader surprised him with it on his birthday at camp.  

He planned what he wanted to do for his birthday this year and wanted to take all of his friends to the new Batman show (Dark Knight Rises) and then come back to his house for dinner and night games.  He always comments that he never got as good of birthday parties as his little brothers and sisters parties so I started looking through Pinterest for ideas.  I found an invitation intended for a little boy and started laughing when I said, "look Jack--we can just change the 'Tyler is 5' to 'Jack is 15' on this one."  He started laughing and was all for the little kid, cutesy birthday invite.  We emailed them to his friends, never mentioning the invite was supposed to be a joke.

He got to open his presents the day after his birthday after he got back from camp.  He only wanted a few things this year.  Big things . . .  Skullcandy headphones and Microsoft points for the Xbox.  He was excited about the cash he received in the mail from both sets of grandparents.  I somehow managed to get his scrapbook done in time for his birthday too.  He laughed at how much he has grown and changed over the past few years and at his crazy long shaggy hair.

Here’s the link if you wanna see how cute his book turned out.  I’m slightly biased.

He has a great group of friends who all came out to help him celebrate his big day.

It was strange taking them to the theater to see this movie after the unimaginable tragedy in Aurora Colorado the day before.  It made it all that more real to me.  Jack would've wanted to do the midnight show with his friends on that same early morning, his birthday morning, if he would've been in town.  My heart goes out to all of the victims and their families.

They couldn't stop talking about the movie on the ride home.  Apparently it was the best movie they had ever seen.  Two (or thirteen) thumbs up!

He had more friends join the party after the movie in time for gifts, dinner and night games.  He loved all of the gift cards and used most of the iTunes gift cards within 24 hours.  On Batman soundtracks.

They ended the party with night games and running around the neighborhood playing 'Fugitives'.  The party winded down around 11:30 which officially makes this party the longest birthday party yet.  Almost 8 hours.

The making of a cake got lost in the shuffle of getting home from Park City and heading off to Oregon the next day.  Luckily my niece, Karsyn, is the 'cake boss' of Vancouver and made a perfect Batman cake for Jack to help celebrate his birthday.

In honor of his 15th birthday, 15 things about Jack:

1.    He's a smart kid and school comes easily for him.  I never saw him study last year but he managed to stay on the honor roll all year and pass his World Geography AP test.

2.    He loves music and plays the piano, trumpet and guitar.

3.    He grew about 6 ?  inches last year and is now taller than both of his parents.  5 ft 10.5 inches tall.

4.    He got his first cell phone for Christmas but still prefers to text on his iPod.  His texting preferences have changed from Kyle to a girl.

5.    He is going to be a big high school student in one more month.

6.    He went to EFY last month for the first time and gave a beautiful testimony in church the first Sunday after he got home.  He was sitting next to me and said, "I don't know why but I really feel like I need to go up and bear my testimony today."  I'm so glad he did.  It was a surreal experience to hear my boy give such a beautiful testimony of his Savior, Jesus Christ.  To be uplifted and strengthened by his testimony after all of the years of sharing our testimony with him.  I had a glimpse of what it will look like in a few years at his missionary farewell.

7.    Basketball is his favorite sport.  He made his school's basketball team last year.

8.    He got his braces off this past year and has 'perfect teeth'.  Just ask his orthodontist.

9.    He's now old enough to get his driver's permit. Yikes!

10.   He's finally reached the age where he no longer needs to be reminded to shower, brush his teeth or put on deodorant.

11.   He still needs to be reminded to make his bed and clean his room.

12.   He went on his first helicopter ride last week at Scout Camp around the lake.

13.   Still spends most of his free time on Xbox and playing Minecraft.

14.  He's a goof ball (just ask Aunt Heidi).

15.  He's a great example for his younger brothers and sisters.

Happy Birthday Jack!  We love you!