Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen

We had another birthday here yesterday, this time it was the turn of my Darling Daughter who turned Sweet Sixteen (I used to love the song of that title by Neil Sedaka when I was little, my brother - who is 13 years older than me - had a Dansette record player, and I used to play this song over and over! Yes, I am showing my age, I know).

She had a lovely day, with lots of lovely cards

including this beautifully hand-drawn one by her very talented bestest friend

lots of presents...

a trip to the cinema to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - we all went together as a family, even the boys were impressed by her choice!

Then my bestest and her daughter, who is my daughter's bestest, came to visit in the evening, with a lovely posy of sweetly perfumed Sweet Peas

and lovely gifts, including a beautiful hand painted gift by my friend's daughter, who, you wont be surprised to hear, is heading off to Art College in September

It is so lovely that our daughters get on so very well, my bestest and I met many a few years ago at Art College....and of course it was Sue who introduced me to blogging...

We had a lovely Nandos-styled meal cooked by DH and cakes which my Darling Daughter made, but these didn't last long enough to be photographed - they were chocolate cupcakes, filled with chocolate ganache and iced with salted caramel frosting - oh my goodness they were delicious!!

She said she had a lovely day, which I am so pleased about as she is the most lovely, sweet, adorable daughter anyone could wish for.  She is probably one of the most unselfish people I have ever met, she has a heart of pure gold.  I am very blessed with my kids I have to say, I am so very thankful for them.

We now have a short birthday break, until it is eldest son's birthday on 31 August.  Quite a lot of exciting things happening between then and now, more of which later.

But today, we are heading off to Manchester to see relatives and to enjoy a lovely Middle Eastern meal.

Have a lovely day, Helenxx