When your teen requests a hike instead of a phone (by Jennifer)

Abby claims that she shouldn't write her birthday post; that I should.
I already mentioned the incredible seal watching and the joy of running down the sand dunes (on our 7 km hike around the Robberg Peninsula) and some of my thoughts on the day so I'll just add in a few more pics here (because when I finish this, Ben10 is supposedly writing a post...and he's put it off for a couple days and several hours now....so I've got to keep this quick!). 

After our incredible hike, we relaxed in our apartment for a while and Abby FaceTimed with Cindy (and, yes, we made both kids shower). Then headed down the beach in Keurboomstrand for dinner at Enrico's Restaurant.
Our walk to dinner looked like this:

And then, this:

Enrico's is that building behind the kids on the beach

Abby and Ben enjoyed this foccacia bread: 

And then we came home to a cake made by the owner of our cute little Airbnb apartment. 

Ben gave her a beautiful shell he found on the beach. 

Chris and I gave her cards. 

She doesn't have a social media account yet.

She used my phone to call her two best friends on her 13th birthday.

She requested a hike.

She truly appreciated the shell from her brother.

....we are fortunate.