Kennedy "getting a tan" at the pool. Seriously she kept insisting she was getting tan. Maybe she was just looking for a face tan???
Abby monster at the pool.
Abby's new hair-do. Tim did this by just twisting her hair.
Kennedy and friends at church. They all ended up with the same exact dress. We had to plan a photo op.
Abby's Birthday Breakfast. (Cinnamon Roll)
Kennedy with her cinnamon roll and matching candles. We couldn't let Abby have a birthday without Kennedy insisting it was hers too!
Abby's Birthday Cupcake. I spelled out A-B-C with cupcakes for Abigail Beverly Clawson. We failed to take a picture of the whole cake, but Abby sure thought it tasted good!
With Ryan in town for the week, we decided to have little party for both girls birthdays. I really wanted to make pirate treasure cupcakes so a pirate party it was. Argg! Here are the pirates (and parrot) ready to start on a treasure hunt.
Uncle Ryan made us a sweet treasure map that Kennedy had fun following. The map was pretty authentic with burned edges and dirt smudges. Way to go Ryan!
Kennedy loved finding the little treasure boxes as she followed the clues on the map. Each box had pirate jewelry. You can see she is already sporting three rings in this picture. Note: The parrot costume was left over from Halloween two years ago. When we all got into our pirate costumes for the party Kennedy got real excited and disappeared only to re-emerge as a parrot. She must have remembered parrots go with pirates. Clever girl!
Kennedy the pirate parrot digging for buried treasure in our sand box. We had fun burying all the presents in a tupperware. It was clear and Kennedy got real enthusiastic when she saw what was in the box.
Pirate Treasure Cupcakes. Abby kept trying to grab the candles.
Random left over firework show. It was a party. Why not?
After the pirate party we pitched our tent in the backyard and had a fun sleep over. It was probably cooler in the tent than the house.
Kennedy's birthday eve party with the Dunnigans. We just couldn't stop celebrating.
Abby eating ice cream with Brother Dunnigan.
Kennedy and Shannon.
Kennedy's sweet wooden shoes the Dunnigans got her in Holland, MI. She loves to clomp around the house in them.
More cupcakes! These are gluten free lollipop flower cupcakes. Super yummy!
We celebrated Kennedy's actually birthday with the Howard up at Highland State Park. It was Brenum's birthday too! Ava wanted to blow out a candle as well. Why not? Candles for everyone!
Enjoying the lake in the hot sun.
Kennedy trying to catch a fish.
The birthday girl roasting starbusts over the fire. It doesn't get much better than that. Happy Birthday Kennedy!Dear Mom,
As I reflect about you today Mom, I can’t help but be proud of you. You are such an amazing woman. You are beautiful, giving, talented, understanding, intelligent, patient, selfless, etc, etc, etc. I know you aren’t perfect, but you are about as close to it as any being I know. As I have received compliments for various things I always think, “Yeah I learned that from my mom”. I am such a lucky kid to be trained at the side of such a master. You are amazing! I know I already used that word, but it just fits you.
I can’t imagine embarking on my own parenting adventure without your example. Even though I will still have to learn a lot of things the hard way, making plenty of mothering mistakes, I can look to you and find hope for survival, inspiration, and sometimes just a sympathetic listener. And I know despite my mistakes, if I do the important things, like you always did, that things will work out all right. I know it wasn’t always easy to raise children in the gospel. It took personal commitment. Even if I never had heard you bear your testimony, I would know what you believe because you worked so hard to teach it to us kids. Thank you for being a courageous parent and for showing me how to love and live the gospel.
I could type for another hour and never truly express my love and gratitude for you. I love you so much! I hope that I can honor you with my life and pass on your legacy of faith to my children. Happy Mothers Day Mom!
Love,
Rachel
Kennedy was so excited to find her Easter basket and even more excited to open all the eggs and eat them. All in one sitting!
Mommy look what I got!
Abby enjoying her Easter Basket.
The Clawsons in their Easter duds.
Where are the eggs?
Show me your beauty queen wave.
Hooray for Easter!
Who loves Easter? Kennedy!!!
The girls in their Easter dresses from Daddy!
Grandpa and Grandma Clawson visited for Easter!
Easter Kiss!
The girls in their dresses from Grandma Bradshaw.
What a cutie!
Crazy hair Ab!
