14 Years

Bode turned 14 today; he can now legally operate a personal watercraft (e.g. a waverunner) on his own.  He took the online course and passed the boating safety test, so I guess that means he's water-legal :-)  To celebrate, we would have taken the toys out, but it is just a tad too cold for the water activities (at least that is what we are telling Bode :-)   

We started the day by opening presents and playing ring with Barkley.

Bode got some cool t-shirts and apple earbuds plus some hard currency from very generous relatives and friends.

We didn't do anything exciting during the day; I wish I could say we had huge plans, but we are sort of lame; plus, his birthday being right after Thanksgiving makes it hard to want to go out for a big dinner :-)  Still, we did get a wonderful cake--chocolate decadence, and Ashley and I sang the tune without paying any licensing fees to Warner/Chappell music; don't tell anyone.

Bode is quite the strapping young man.  

He's just a hair shorter than me, and at the last weigh-in, he topped the scales at 163 pounds.  He's also lifting quite a bit in gym class, which means I better start hitting the weights or he'll quickly surpass his old man.  It is hard to believe in one year, I could be taking him out for his first driving lesson.  Yikes.  Pleasant week to all.