Happy Birthday, Ken Ken and Ken

Kennedy and Pamp celebrated their shared birthday on Saturday. Kennedy requested a fancy breakfast of Swedish pancakes, bacon and cantaloupe at home. We got out some nice dishes and serving pieces to set the table, and then we ate our delicious feast. Macy seems to be a big fan of Swedish pancakes too!

After running a few errands, including a stop at the gun store where Kennedy went in with Jake to buy a gift for Uncle Ben ("it's really loud in there, mom!" No kidding, I could hear it from the parking lot, and it was making me nervous), we met up with Pamp and Grammie at the zoo.

It was a beautiful, sunny day. The snow from the storm earlier in the week was melting - it was just like the day she was born three years ago! It was amazing to see how much the baby animals have grown since our last visit. The elephant, giraffe, and tigers don't look so much like babies anymore; just like Kennedy, she is a full-fledged big-girl now! Grammie and Pamp gave her these endangered animal nesting dolls. A perfect gift, as it combines two things she really loves.

The trip to the zoo set the afternoon up perfectly for both girls to take a nap (a rare occurrence for Kennedy these days), and I had time to make Kennedy's birthday cake. She requested carrot cake, saying it's her favorite, but I know she'll only eat two or three bites and then be done. The girl is not a big dessert fan...savory snacks, on the other hand, now that's a different story. Nuts, chips, popcorn and crackers she inhales. Grandpa Brent gave Kennedy some peanuts as a birthday gift, and she wanted to eat them first thing the next morning. "Mom, I want a snack of peanuts." "Mom, can I please have a few more peanuts?" "Mom, how about just a couple more." ...this continued until the bag was empty.

Saturday evening we went out to Beth and Ira's for a family party and hamburger and hot dog dinner. Kennedy loved the chance to see her cousins, and suggested right away that they go downstairs to play with Eliza's kitchen. We also played the game "Guess Who?" with the kids, and Macy loved amusing herself with the Little People farm. Kennedy got to share the celebration with Grandma Sue, who was in Las Vegas for her birthday a few weeks ago.

Sunday we went to Mimi's for more family celebrating. Ken and Ken Ken (as Pamp likes to call her) got birthday lasagna, bread, salad, special fruit kabobs, and more carrot cake! Jeff and Tim were on the way home from a scout camp out in Canyonlands, so we missed seeing them. Mimi's health has been declining since the beginning of the year, but she was in good spirits and sat with us until dinner, when she and Kathy went to the den to watch some of the Academy Awards.

Kennedy's presents were all amazing! She's in princess heaven with four new pairs of princess click-clacks (high heels), a princess and the frog nightgown, princess coloring books, and Mulan and Jasmine dolls! She has been a busy artist with her new magna doodle pad and color wonder pens and finger paints. When we made pizza for dinner, she wanted to use her new oven mitts to help me, but settled for wearing her monogrammed apron to protect her clothes. We are eagerly awaiting warmer weather to get out and use her new garden tools, plant some seeds, and play with her new ladybug ball. She's keeping herself entertained by reading her many new books, and sometimes even reading them to her new toy dog! Her new "K" necklace has a wonderful home in a puzzle box made by Uncle Ira. She'll have many opportunities (both legitimate and imagined) to wear her new fancy dresses - especially the one in her favorite color, purple! And she has some money in the bank for a rainy day. Thanks everyone for helping us make this weekend a special celebration!