The party.

Every year Lauren seems to have some kind of adventure involved in her birthday. From an ER visit from an almost broken arm to unexpected water balloon fights....seems there's always a little something that goes a tad crazy.

So here we are getting all settled in for a pretty, calm evening at a park to celebrate Lauren.

Besties having a ball. Clear skies and laughter...

An insane amount of pizza ordered and eaten...

Then. With birthday girl spirits (and a run in the middle of it)...a big thundery storm rolls in.

it gets super chilly cold...like, teeth shattering along with wet.

We huddle...

And LAUGH!

(This is my most favorite picture of the night!)

To the house all wet and cold we go. A bunch of girls piling on our big couch.

Presents.

A big sundae bar.

All the fixin's and sugar...

big and small bowls...

young and old eaters....

Sister love.

And one happy 14 year old.

Another memorable one, sweetheart!

Look who's 14...

14 Things we love about Lauren:

She is growing up too fast! Like, full on teen. 

Hair as blonde as the day she was born, has silky buttery skin, pretty painted toesies, camel eyelashes...

She has an honest heart, authentic spirit, a depth in her soul and smarter than we think.

(Grandpa picked these colorful sweet daisies out for her for her birthday. So sweet.)

She loves roller coasters, fun hairstyles, ripped up jean shorts.

She can either be a complete mess freak,

or a clean freak.

Not much in between that!

Always up for fun...

Her new thing is doing guitars. This one is Josh's very first guitar he learned on twenty some years ago. He told her to do as she wants and surprise him. She put a beautiful song on here that had so much meaning for life and love and the both of them.

Crazy special.

Snapchat.

She has an addiction.

Oh, the pictures.

Decisions, decisions.

She will always carry an amount of grace with her wherever she goes.

I know that full and well.

Josh got her a ukulele for her birthday and it's been fun hearing her learning on it. A dear music soul that she shares with Daddy.

A sleeper!

I love this picture...it was this summer when she was on Papa's boat we now have here. 

As a little one she always fell asleep on it!

Yoga class "about me" poster. 

So cool.

Another project for her sculpture class.

She loves to paint her hands...

she is CRAZY with Twenty One Pilots band.

And sharpie her legs!

Gotta love this one of a kind little lady!

An emotional, smart, sensitive, strong headed, strong hearted soul.

Stay YOU, L-train. 

You are perfect just the way you are.