So Mouse and I went shopping together on Saturday.

We drove 484 miles, were gone just exactly 12 hours and had a blast.

Make that I had a blast. I know I annoyed her, which I tried to lessen by letting her drive on the Interstate for the first time since driver's ed. She did a wonderful job.

We ate "real" Chinese food for lunch at a real restaurant. She tried on dress after dress and was sad that I had picked the wrong place to shop. None of the dresses were what she had in mind, or what she had seen in Denver a couple of weeks earlier when her friend got her prom dress and Mouse didn't have any money.

So with the girl truck waiting just steps away, marking the end of shopping at that location, and the clock ticking and me worrying about where to try to get to next, we tried one final store.

Mouse was not hopeful, because a branch in Casper has nothing suitable.

So we walked in, and I'm not even kidding, there were hundreds upon hundreds of prom dresses, many with ridiculously inexpensive prices.

She even let me start choosing and grabbing, something she never lets me do.

She must have tried on more than 20 while I sat comfortably in a chair and the ultra nice sales ladies waited to see her emerge from the curtain.

She looked great in almost all of them, but easily picked her favorite. And miraculously, it was my favorite too. The dress we bought was one she had seen in Denver and loved.

I think she looks amazing in it. She was amazed that we found it. I was amazed that she loved it. It's very girlie girl in a fun way.

Then we needed just the right shoes, and found some for way cheap. And they had a "second pair for $10" sale so of course we got her two pair.

And we piled back in the truck and drove on home. She drove until she decided she needed a snooze so she could go out when she got home.

It was a day. And it was worth every single penny we spent.

So Wednesday night marked the end of Mouse's competitive high school sports career.

And what a way to finish.

Her Natrona cheer squad earned a trophy in Class 4A Coed Stunt, finishing fourth.

Anyone who thinks cheerleading these days is just a lot of hair spray and drama doesn't deal with pain and taped ankles and practice and practice and more practice on a daily basis.

The four hours of entertainment for $5 was one of the best bargains in a long, long time.

Of course I don't know the intricacies of competitive scoring, and of course I thought Natrona was the very best, but there really were lots of terrific performances.

After a while, even I could tell a crisp, nearly mistake-free performance from a jittery, error-filled one.

But the try was there in all of them.

The Wheatland Rockette-like dance team was superb, and the Star Valley dancers were fabulous as always.

And my very favorite moment was at the very end, when all of the competitors were on the mat together awaiting the results.

And there were the athletes from Kelly Walsh and Natrona -- supposed rivals -- circled all together.

And there was Mouse and her BFF since St. Anthony's -- Mouse in her orange and black and BFF Clone in her Kelly green and gold -- hugging fiercely.

High school competition is a beautiful thing. And so are the memories.

So Skinny Son is 24 today. Where the heck have the years gone?

His birthday will be spent working and then going out for dinner and to "Gypsy" at the Events Center with Big Mama, the friend and his friend.

From the time he was about 10 and had to spend many evenings in Las Vegas hotel rooms with other kids while their parents did the town, I told him I'd take him to Vegas for his 21st birthday.

That didn't happen. Now the best I can do is dinner and a Broadway-style show.

My 24th birthday was a momentous one because I had a date with Mr. Wonderful. I remember what I wore, I remember where we went, it was magical.

There's no way I can provide that kind of experience for my oldest kid, but I wish I could.

When parenting experts say that each kid is different and you love them all, they are absolutely right.

This kid, my only son, is a great person with wonderful personality traits. He is easy to please and appreciative.

I raised my kids to be independent and he is. He's been "on his own" for a long time at an age when a lot of kids are just leaving the nest.

Maybe someday, we'll take that trip to Vegas. For now, all I can say is Happy Birthday.