Folks, it’s a big week in our house this week. A week that felt like it wouldn’t get here as fast as it did. I keep asking myself how we got here? How on earth is this possible? Our son Tyler turned 16 on Monday. SIXTEEN. Like officially old enough that Momma’s sweet baby boy can drive a car. WHAT? Huh? My feelings are all over the darn place this week.
Last week, driving Ty home from the river, he said, “Mom, do you realize next week I’ll be able to drive on the highway and can literally drive anytime with you and Dad?” I said, “Well, we will have to ease into this. I wouldn’t let you drive on some crazy highway right away or let you drive where I thought you weren’t ready.”
But here’s the thing, I know he is ready. I know he will be a good driver. This kid might be 16, but he is very mature for his age, and I feel like he has a pretty good head on his shoulders. Of course, he is still a teenager and has lessons to learn, I’m sure, but we are so proud of him. It’s his 16th birthday this week! I’m allowed to brag a little bit, right?
Tyler John McElroy was born on July 28, 2009. A head full of jet-black hair, sucking on his hands like he hadn’t eaten in days, and was eating two ounces of milk right out of the womb. This boy could eat. By his first birthday, he was looking like the cutest Michelin man I ever saw. Rolls down his arms that didn’t quit. Now, here is his 16-year-old with a mullet — almost 6 feet tall, super skinny with like an eight pack, no lie. The kid is ripped, but eats us out of house and home. He is seriously my biggest fan when it comes to his momma’s food. Oh, and about the mullet. No, I didn’t mistype. I said what I said. Mullet. If someone had told me that someday my kid would have one, I would have told them they were crazy. But here we are in the mid-2020s, and teenagers are bringing back the mother-flippin’ mullet. Unbelievable, I tell ya!
Chris and I are so proud of him, though. He started working at 14 years old. Not because we made him, but because he wanted to! Chris and I both started working at a younger age, and I think being brought up with a good work ethic at a young age is a really good thing. It was hard to find someone who would hire at 14 years old, but he started at Nate’s Fencing company and really enjoyed it. Once school started back up, he couldn’t work those summer hours anymore, but he was now 15 years old. So, he got a job at Park Pizza making wings! So, if you are ever in the mood for pizza or wings, our kid is the one making your wings with the mullet a few days a week. Hahaha!
Here we are, summer again, and he is working full-time. Momma was not loving this idea. I wanted him to be a kid and have at least two days a week to enjoy his summer days!
“Mom, I want to work. I want to make the money while I can,” he said.
How could I say no? He gets up at 6 a.m. to go to work at Nate’s fencing company three days a week, then works at Park two nights a week on top of it. Works at Park three nights a week during school. His dad and I are so proud of him. He NEVER complains about going to work. We get told pretty often what a great kid he is. Well-mannered, respectful, and hardworking. He always shakes people’s hands like a gentleman, has a giving heart, and is way nicer to people when they don’t deserve it. I’m really proud of him for this. I guess I can say he is forgiving, which is a beautiful trait.
From all his hard work, he had bought himself a boat, a second dirt bike, a new iPhone, and his first car, which, of course, was a Subaru. When I see him rippin’ up and down the ol’ Susquehanny river with that mullet in his dinghy boat rockin’ a flying American flag, it makes me so proud! He is so proud of this boat. A pontoon boat last weekend yelled to him,
“Hell yeah, brother!”
That literally made his whole day. He called his dad right away and had to tell him.
I am really proud of the man we raised. I’m not a perfect mother by any means. I’ve made my mistakes as a parent, of course! But I can say we did a pretty good job, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. I know my time with him is drawing shorter, but I know we have a really special mother-son relationship, and he will always love his mom. Plus, I can always bribe him with my cookin’. *insert cheesy smile here* We have to let them grow up and pray that we taught them enough to be a good person, a hard worker, and to go out in that world and fly. Ty’s flying high, to great places, and this momma couldn’t be more proud.
Happy Birthday to Momma’s babies!
Ty’s Favorite Cookies: Snicklerdoodle
Ingredients:
• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Directions:
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, & cinnamon.
In a separate, large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
Slowly add in the flour mixture. The dough will be very sticky.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate if desired, but you don’t have to.
When ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating.
Form the dough into balls of about 1.5 tablespoons in size, then roll in the cinnamon sugar coating and flatten slightly.
Place the cookies on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the tops look just set.
