I subscribed to a magazine called Seventeen when I was a teenager. The glossy covers were a staple in my adolescent bedroom, along with tubes of blue mascara and Aqua Net hairspray. I spent hours lying on my waterbed, flipping through pages and taking random quizzes about everything from skin care to dating.

Fast forward to 2023, where my seventeen year old daughter is living proof that we have evolved as a species. She’s a cool, confident kid who has zero interest in blue mascara or combustible hair products. (She does, however, waste plenty of time on TikTok or playing Flow Free on her phone, so each generation has its challenges.)

Here are 17 random snapshots from Maggie’s 17th year:

And because these posts become time capsules for our family, here are 17 things our 17-year-old currently loves, in no particular order:

1. Her dogs. Her phone’s camera roll is filled with hilarious photos of our dogs, especially her beloved Riley. She is a great photographer!
2. Horse time. The barn is her happy place.
3. Traveling. She will never, ever say no to a trip or adventure!
4. Movies. Avatar. How to Train Your Dragon. Hotel Transylvania. And she loves a good psychological thriller.
5. Netflix. Current favorites: Gray’s Anatomy. Stranger Things. Casa de Papel.
6. Joining clubs. She’s a leader in her high school’s chapters of HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America), Partner’s Club (connecting special and general education students) and YANA (You Are Not Alone, to spread kindness on campus).
7. Sarah Maas books. How many times can a person re-read Throne of Glass?
8. Being part of a team. She just started her 3rd year as varsity soccer goalie, and last fall enjoyed her first season of high school flag football.
9. Music. She listens to everything from country to rap to hiphop to oldies. Favorite artists include Post Malone; Piff Marty; Zach and Luke Bryan; The Eagles; Earth, Wind & Fire; and Khalid.
10. Good food. She blends up strawberry mango smoothies on a daily basis, and when traveling she tries aaaaaalll the local fair. Wonton soup in San Francisco’s Chinatown might be her favorite so far.
11. Bad food. Cheezits are not a food group, right?
12. Driving. Her 2012 Subaru Forester, AKA Bertha, has been the perfect first car.
13. Friend Time. Lots-o-friends in lots-o-circles.
14. Outdoor Time. Hiking Powerline Pass, paddle boarding, skiing, or strolling with the hounds at the dog park or Potter Marsh.
15. Playing Games. She is wickedly good at Rummikub and Catchphrase, and also enjoys cards and dice games. She also loves Monopoly.
16. Cooking(ish). She doesn’t love cooking on a regular basis, but enjoys whipping up her specialties when she’s in the mood. Sign me up for her chocolate chip cookies, chicken parmesan, and baked ziti.
17. Naps. In the car, on the couch, or sprawled across the living room floor… if she’s stationary, she can sleep.

She was out the door for school before 7:00 AM on her birthday, and soccer practice didn’t end until 8:00 PM. It made for a late celebration, but we did our best. I tried a new stuffed manicotti recipe for dinner, which was meh at best. She liked her butter cupcakes with caramel frosting, but in all honesty they looked prettier than they tasted. Fortunately her new headphones were a hit, and she’s the proud Mama of a baby orchid as well.

I don’t need to take any silly magazine quiz to tell me I have one awesome kid, who is also growing into one of my favorite humans.

Happiest Birthday, Maggie! ❤️