Ty is 13 - what a difference a year makes!

What a great year it has been for Ty. A year ago, I really think he honestly thought his life was over. He has since found his place and it's been pretty awesome to watch him grow. I think it has a lot to do with being in a place that has allowed him to feel loved and accepted and valued by groups other than his family.
Fully taking advantage of having a birthday on a day when everyone was at home, we let him open all of his gifts that morning, even before Dave and I were out of bed. You therefore get the joy of a lot of pajama and bed head shots.

Last year, when BYU played the Beavers, we tried to find fabric to make Ty a flip/flop blanket. No luck at all back then. A few months ago, we were in the fabric store and came across both teams and snatched up the fleece. Like most of my sewing projects, it ended up down to the wire (you'd think I would have taken advantage of all of his weeks in Utah wouldn't you?), but I got it finished and he was totally jazzed about it.

Wearing one of his new UnderArmor shirts for football and Abbie helping him open what he thought was just a "suspicious looking box" (which btw, is totally an Uncle Mike phrase that was adopted into our family years ago).

Completely psyched at his own (previously owned) cell phone. Dave questioned when we were updating our contract if we really, truly needed unlimited texting. I assured him we did. He's glad he took my advice.

The young Bronco Mendenhall (and honestly, the ONLY way possible to get him to wear something other than a graphic tee).

Ty wanted an all chocolate ice cream cake and Dave complied with this "Death by Chocolate" concoction . .

complete with stay-lit candles :)

It was a family affair to blow out all 13!