along with the age, the birthday meals have changed.

Nineteen.

The number takes my breath away.  (Every year – it always does.)

She’s nineteen today.

Last night we all enjoyed Riley’s birthday dinner of choice.

(Long standing tradition in our family.  Probably in loads of other families.  Birthday person picks the meal.  No matter what it is.  We eat it.  No matter what it is.)

Steak!

(Yeah – who does this girl think she is?  A grown up?  Steak.)

Mashed potatoes.

(I made ten pounds.  In retrospect – that was too many mashed potatoes.  But can you ever have too many mashed potatoes?)

Peas.

(Easiest side dish ever.  Always been her favorite veggie.)

Rolls.

(Not homemade.  But, in her words, “the kind that come in that little aluminum pan that Oma always has”.)

And for dessert?

Cheesecake.

You know, nineteen makes a pretty good meal choice.

Sure beats seven.

When my parents and Kevin’s parents and Oma and Papa Dale were all forced to feast upon Blue’s Clues Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (with BLUE shaped macaroni forms) and french fries served with green ketchup.  GREEN ketchup.  Makes me want to throw up in memory.

I sure do miss seven-year-old Riley.

But I do appreciate nineteen-year-old Riley’s birthday dinner choices better these days.