9.12.20

Hannah Kate's 13th Birthday ESCAPE

When I turned 13, all I wanted was to wear makeup and a slumber party.  I got both.  Hannah Kate asked for an escape room and hibachi.  Safe to say times have changed since 1991!

This nearly didn't happen.  Our state's executive order regarding "all the things" expired on Hannah Kate's birthday, and we were anticipating a step backwards to phase 2.  I wasn't sure the escape rooms could operate under phase 2.  We talked about postponing the whole thing to next spring.  But, ultimately, I really wanted to make it happen because becoming a teenager is a pretty big deal.  So we thought we could plan it for the evening of her birthday and be okay.  But then we were unexpectedly ushered into phase 2 right before Thanksgiving and before the other executive order even expired.  Sigh.  

I was ready to just give up on the whole thing, but I knew how disappointed Hannah Kate would be.  I was so excited when the escape room told me they were going to continue operating under phase 2.  I asked me sweet friend Tracy to come with us (because she's really good at escape rooms, and I am not!).  We really didn't help the girls much at all.  They pretty much took the lead, and THEY ESCAPED!  They had one hour to rescue the jewels that had been left behind in the diner and get out before the "bad guys" came back.  They made it out in 57 minutes and 59 seconds!   

It was so funny watching them.  I really have no clue what to do with teenagers, and they give me anxiety much of the time (which is totally not their fault . . . it's mine!).  But I could hang out with these girls more often!  (They might not want to hang out with me though.  That's another reason I brought Tracy.  My kids think she's super cool, and she really is!)

Hibachi didn't exactly work out.  They still do it, but you aren't seated at the hibachi table to watch them and do all the cool stuff like set onions on fire, throw eggs and catch rice in your mouth.  Regardless, Hannah Kate had fried rice, and she also ate sushi for the first time!  Her friends love sushi so I told them to pick their favorite roll.  They said the tiger roll was the best . . . crab, avocado, asparagus and a fried oyster in the center.  (Insert that green-faced emoji here).  Hannah Kate has always been our adventurous eater and will try pretty much anything.  So she did.  She said she liked it and couldn't really taste the oyster.  I want to take her back to try sushi WITHOUT oysters.

Hannah Kate doesn't say very much so sometimes it's hard to tell exactly what she's thinking.  But I do think her 13th birthday was made!