Vida. Risa. Amor.

I'm having a good laugh today. I'm remembering what it was like to be 14....and it's hard to believe that was 21 years ago. I can remember how much I "used to" like to lay out in the sun, be with my friends, listen to loud music, and eat junk food....(okay, maybe not much has really changed)...but I'm having a "flash from the past" moment as my 14 year old daughter is laying out in the sun in the backyard, while inhaling rootbeer and popcorn mixed with chocolate chips with her favorite radio station blasting on the radio.

She sure keeps me busy, and I spent the week trying to keep up with all of her plans...from her talent show at church, 4 days of soccer try-outs, the Jr. High 8th grade "celebration", a swim party and carpooling to it with all of her friends, boyfriend football games, shopping, last nights sleep over, and getting her to her last week in Jr. High church this morning. I know that it is important for her to be where all her friends are since there's only 4 days of school left, and less than a week until everyone disappears for their vacations.

I usually pretend to be "invisible", and observe her activities quietly on the sidelines, but somehow last night I got sucked into the teepee wars. I remember the rush of playing a harmless prank and getting away with it, but looking back, I'm guessing there were a couple of boys families that I'm sure were sick to death of the monthly mess we left in their yards. The biggest difference is that when I was that age we didn't actually tell our parents and we'd sneak out late at night when they were sleeping. Well, thank goodness times have changed because of the dangers of wierdos around and better curfew rules...and these days you just can't let your teenage daughter walk around the neighborhood on a Saturday night. I make it a point to try and know what plans she tries to conspire, so for my secret personal entertainment and safety reasons, I designated myself as the "getaway" driver. What's funny is that I'm pretty good friends with both of the boys Moms, and one of them had installed a camera in their driveway....just for moments like these. So, since the girls knew about it they dressed up in my boys batman and transformers masks and did a little dance in the driveway for the video camera...and scribbled a few goofy messages in sidewalk chalk while finishing off their palm trees with Toilet paper. I observed this all in the comfort of the "getaway" car and tried not to laugh too loud to give them away....they had their undercover ninja rolling techniques perfected by the time they were finished.

I know revenge is coming soon though...but that's the beauty of it...SHE will be the one to get to clean it up!!