Teen Titan

Seventh grade got real. Our sweet, innocent sixth grader was replaced by a cynical tween who sometimes forgot to turn in assignments, didn't always own up to mistakes and even elicited a meeting with the principal. Age twelve included curt conversations, locked doors and a lot of deeps sighs on both sides of the generational divide.

But despite the unintended drama, there was much to celebrate this year too. Owen got straight As (even after skipping ahead an entire year of math), a starring role in the spring musical, participated in honor ensembles, made the school baseball team (again), and was second chair in DCYOP. He wrote a 20 page tome on the hero's journey (which may or may not have been semi-biographical), learned to sail and ate 10 ears of corn in a single afternoon. Owen grew up a lot.

And that's the thing: despite having entered that period of life when familial tensions seem to be heightened, we navigated it together, learned a bunch and, overall, had a really good year. Given Owen's our oldest, we're new to adolescent angst and have struggled a bit with a more independent and opinionated Owen. But we're optimistic that we'll all come out of it ok, because the truth is, that while at times maddening, Owen is a really good kid and our "real boy" is becoming a pretty cool young man. Happy birthday, Owen. We love you so, so much and hope that thirteen is truly lucky for you.

1. We're gonna make a change, in about two years time...
2. Bowling is the second fanciest sport. Golf is obviously the fanciest.
3. Screen time limits, nemesis of the you-tube generation.
4. "I don't mean to brag, but I'm somewhat of a fish expert." 
5. You can take a lot of literary license as long as you remember, Arizona is not the land of gangsters. 
6. If you're going to live rustic, why bother showering?
7. Never underestimate the importance of a well established root system.
8. Bring on the double black diamonds.
9. "T-Rexs do not abide by the five second rule."
10. And always and forever, let your freak flag fly.