There's no use denying it.

Brooke is now ten years old.

75% of my children are now in double digits, with the last quarter is close on their heels.

And just because I don't blog about it doesn't stop it from happening.

So I might as well tell you how it all went down.

First, a note about Brooke.  She is high on life.  She loves what she loves with an excited passion.  So when you combine starting a new school (lockers! Mrs. D! orchestra! riding bikes! choir!) with turning ten years old and having a friend birthday party, well, you can imagine the hullabaloo around the house.  Which lasted quite a while.

In fact, she bugged Grandma Franklin so much about what her birthday present would be, Grandma finally said, "A watermelon!" in a futile attempt to get Brooke to simmer down about it.  No such luck...and guess what Brooke pulled out of the gift bag during her family party---

Now let's add to the excitement, shall we?  Remember how I said Brooke loves what she loves with a passion?  Well, one of those loves happens to be Demi Lovato.  Demi Lovato happens to be the star of the Camp Rock movies.  Camp Rock: The Final Jam happened to be premiering on September 3, just two days after Brooke's birthday, and so that was to be the theme of her friend party.  She and her friends would watch the world premier of Camp Rock.  And jump on the trampoline.  And eat jumbo cupcakes.  And popcorn and Starburst.

Can you say utter pandemonium?

THIS. Is Brooke.

I can't even tell you how hard it was to get this picture.

Adding some sugar to the mix.

This did not last long.

Neither did this.

I think in the end her party was everything Brooke wanted it to be. Except for absolutely silent during the movie so that she could hang on Demi's every word. But that's what we have DVR's for--so that we can watch things again and again. And again. And then memorize the entire script. And then quote it verbatim.

If nothing else, Brooke reminds us that there is always joy to be found in life. It's something she's been teaching us for the past decade.

Happy Birthday Brooke!