Super Awesome Kennedy Blog

And the celebration continues (in true Kennedy style...)

2011-06-23T10:01:00.000-06:00

Because the Kennedys traditionally stretch a birthday over a number of weeks, we re-celebrated Amelia's birthday at a Sunday dinner with a superhero rainbow cake and more presents.

Somebody got a purple bike and a purple kitty helmet. Somebody felt it necessary to wear her superhero cape for the inaugural ride. Somebody was bubbling over with excitement!

Surrounded by patient cousins, Amelia took her first bicycle ride outside. Of note: Her very first sharp turn dumped her flat on the pavement. (No injuries, thank goodness.) But she stood back up, a little shell shocked, and matter-of-factly said, "I don't think this is working for ME." And then the tears came. It didn't take long for her sweet cousins to dust her off, explain that they'd all been there, and get her right back up on that bike.

Oh, and it was Father's Day. Not to be overshadowed by a kid turning four or anything, we celebrated our dads and the love we have for them. David, we love you. Even more than the crappy tie that I made with leftover linen that ended up too thick to tie properly and a tad too short for your height. Seriously. We love you WAY more than that. :)

Superheros - Unite and Celebrate!

2011-06-21T13:16:00.001-06:00

Every birthday superhero needs a superhero cape. Find your name/initial and get suited up for action! Up, up and away!

Stop by the candy recharging station or hot popcorn machine often for a quick bursts of energy. Pow!

Be sure to eat your share of healthy foods like watermelon ("improves laser vision"), veggies ("enhances agility"), pasta salad ("improves speed"), potato chips ("boosts invisibility"), and grilled hot dogs ("wonder dogs"). Zip!

Be sure to leave room for a few fun treats as well, like Jell-O cups ("increases elasticity") and cake pops ("energy blast"). Zoom!

Oh no! There are animals in need of rescuing! Superheros, divide into two teams, grab a basket, and run down to the cone and back, rescuing the animals as a team. Bam!

Exercise your X-ray vision with a try at pinning the superhero mask on Super Amelia. no peeking! Shazam!

Remember to protect your secret identity at all costs by creating a unique superhero mask with glitter, pompoms, stickers, and jewels. Kazowie!

Exhibit your super strength at the pinata. Three good whacks per superhero until the goodies spill out! Smack!

What a great morning Super Amelia had with her superhero friends at her party. Thank you from me and Captain Klutz (David) to everyone who attended or sent a generous gift or thoughtful birthday wish for the newest four year-old! Boom!

14th Annual Tiny Tots Track & Field Invitational

2011-06-21T12:23:00.000-06:00

Have I publicly mentioned what a superstar Amelia is before? Well, there you go. Now I have. And her performance at the 14th Annual Tiny Tot Track & Field Invitational at East High was no exception. She ran the 50m sprint, the 100m, and 80m hurdles. She earned FIRST place in the 50m AND the 80m hurdles! To see what happened in the 100m, keep reading...

This is what happens when a much older girl from another age category slips into your race and blazes to the finish line, leaving every other legitimate runner in the dust. Tears. Big. Fat. Tears.

But she bounced back strong in the hurdles. What form!

And what every serious athlete needs post-race, frozen yogurt. We just had a brand new self-serve frozen yogurt shop open within walking distance of our home. Oh man, this is going to be a great summer! (That might need its very own blog post later...)

May Day at the Zoo.

2011-06-21T12:06:00.000-06:00

Felicity, Gracey, and Beckham flew to Utah for a visit with the Mays and we were lucky enough to spend the day with them! Lunch at Red Butte Cafe, a visit Hogle Zoo (even the reptile house - ick), and malted chocolate pudding at Ruth's Diner. What a busy day.

Gracey and Amelia fell right into step, leading us around with their noses buried in maps of the zoo.

Erin and Eliot flew out, too.

Jeanine and Linny on the carousel.

Tangled (the music, not the dancers).

2011-06-21T11:43:00.000-06:00

Tap: "When Will My Life Begin" from the Tangled Soundtrack

Ballet: "I See the Light" from the Tangled Soundtrack

Amelia and Lucy are best dance buddies. She is so lucky to have a good friend like Lucy. Neither girl would allow their mommies to cut their hair before the performance because "Rapunzel didn't cut her hair". Oh, sweet girlies.

Miss Julie, you've done it again. Another wonderful year of learning and exploring through dance. We love every minute with you!

One Year of Preschool Down!

2011-06-21T11:33:00.000-06:00

It's amazing to me that Amelia's teachers have survived a whole year with her. Oops! I mean, it's amazing to me that Amelia has completed an entire year of preschool. She's growing up so fast. She has loved Miss Becky and Miss Lynn at Wasatch Presbyterian Preschool and all of her new friends there. We are definitely proud parents. Now, what to do with her all summer long??? Blerg.

Natquaida, Idaho.

2011-06-21T11:26:00.000-06:00

I have the privilege of working with the Young Single Adults at church. They are such a fun group of young whipper-snappers. (I can say that because I am OLD.) We tagged along on their weekend retreat to Idaho and had a ball.

Spent the day in Jackson Hole, WY where, as fate would have it, it was Antler Fest or something like it. Antlers on sale as far as the eye could see. A little strange to say the least, seeing all of those antlers in one place like that.

Stopped into the candy shop and discovered that everywhere David goes, he's a celebrity. Alison grabbed a package of Flicks candies and asked if anyone had ever had them before because she had such fond memories of them. With all eyes on the candy, it was time to divulge that David had actually designed the packaging on Flicks! Everyone was in awe and we just had to buy a package. See? A celebrity. And I married him. (Before he designed for Flicks, by the way. You could say that I saw in him star potential.)

Amelia literally spent hours tailing Coco and Tori and trying to do everything that they did. And they were so good to her.

It was hard to pack up and leave Natquaida. Look at the view! And don't bother Googling "Natquaida". You won't find anything. The Wrights made up the name for their home in Idaho - that's natquaida cabin, natquaida ranch. (Get it? "not-quite-a"? Very clever.)

Easter Egg Hunting in PJs.

2011-06-21T11:08:00.000-06:00

When did a visit from the Easter Bunny turn into a visit from Santa Claus who comes like a ghost in the night? I only have memories of Easter egg hunts fully dressed in my Easter dress and shiny clickadees (that's what I called patent leather dress shoes that clicked when you walked on pavement). At any rate, the Easter Bunnies were good to Amelia this year. (I say "bunnies" because there are many in this fortunate little girl's life that play to the holidays.)

After the pajama egg hunt, Amelia donned her beautiful Easter dress and paraded her way up to church and back, telling everyone along the way that her Grandma Lorla made it for her.

The only speed bump in the day came at Sunday dinner with the Kennedy family. Traditionally, an egg cracking contest is held complete with brackets and a champion. Amelia's egg was actually doing quite well in the tournament until the very end, when a small fracture turned into a complete meltdown. (Insert lesson on "It's not about winning, it's about how you play the game" here.)

Getting Grandma to Play the Piano.

2011-06-21T10:51:00.000-06:00

My grandmother Rheta is amazing. She is kind and thoughtful, polite and proper, beautiful and sunny, and musically talented beyond measure. She has spent her life playing in symphonies and orchestras and teaching violin and piano to eager students but as of late has stopped playing. "...Too old... too tired... can't find my glasses..." But recently, she started playing the piano for some of her friends again. What a treat to be visiting California and convince her to play a little for us. (Amelia even got a quick lesson while seated next to the master on the bench.) And, of course, she played beautifully and without a hiccup!

A lot of the trip I had the opportunity to sit at my grandmother's knee with my laptop and record her memories. She is a hoot! I'm organizing my notes and will publish them for the family soon. Here is one of my favorite stories and one that highlights my grandma's sense of humor (in her words):
The Sorensens and we were traveling in Europe - I don't remember what country. We stayed in a place with lots of rooms. There were a lot of tourists there. We had to share a bathroom with another room; it was between the two rooms. You had to remember to lock the door on the other side. There was this one day, I went into the bathroom and there, just in front of me, was a naked man. He'd forgotten to lock the door. Both of us were in total shock. We both turned and left. I saw his back end, too. The next morning at breakfast, France said, "Who's the guy from last night?" I said, "How do you expect me to recognize him with his clothes on?"

I couldn't close this post about our trip to California without a mention of Amelia's "nest building". For whatever reason, Amelia spent every afternoon of our visit collecting the fallen branches of the willow trees in the courtyard and placing them tenderly in a pile to make a nest. The gardeners even left it alone because they recognized just how dedicated she was to the cause. What an imagination!

Disneyland is All About the Memories.

2011-06-21T10:24:00.000-06:00

You guessed it! February found us at Disneyland (again). But come on, when friends say that they'll meet you there for a few days of fun, how can we resist? Often, when people find out how much time we spend at Disneyland their jaws hit the floor. Then I go on to explain that we go to meet up with long lost friends or have family along for the journey which turns the Park into something different and special each day. So, I make NO apologies for our frequent visits to hobnob with Mickey or how many churros I eat in a seven-day stretch. (I've stopped counting...) It's all about the memories!

Shout out to the McKinlays for joining us on this trip. And what fun to meet up with the Hiatts, too! The kids had so much fun together. We parents were thoroughly worn out at day's end!

Each Disney trip has some unique memory that gets filed away in my brain. Although, admittedly, some of the trips are starting to blend together. (No, that is not a sign of too many trips to Disneyland!) This trip's treasure was certainly meeting and talking to Oscar Martinez, chef at the Carnation Cafe on Main Street. Oscar is the longest tenured cast member at Disneyland. He is a slice of Disneyana history! His memories of Walt Disney and the Park itself are amazing and each time he'd pass by your table he's share another tidbit. In fact, Walt Disney loved his wife's milkshakes so much that would have her, and only her, make them for him when he was visiting the Park. "She knew just how to get the milk and ice cream balance right." Thank you, Oscar, for the memory!

A Very Merry Christmas.

2011-02-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

2010 was a California Christmas. We travelled many a snowy road to get to the west coast sunshine only to be met with overcast skies and rain. But the trip wasn't about the weather outside - it was about the people and memories being made inside! Enough smalltalk about the weather.

It was wonderful to see everyone - grandpa and grandma Lorla John, great grandma Rheta, uncle Bill & aunt Jenn, Kyle, Heather, Noelle & Jackson, Ramona, Ryan & Kerry, Brittany & Ashley, Carol, and the King family. There never seems to be time enough for all of the visiting.

At the top of Amelia's wish list was a Pillow Pet. And not just any old Pillow Pet... a purple unicorn Pillow Pet. Grandma and Grandpa Lorla John did not disappoint! To this day, I think this has been her favorite gift ever. ("It's not just a pillow - it's also a pet. It has a hook and loop system," quotes Amelia whenever anyone asks.)

A close second to the Pillow Pet were new Play Doh sets from Aunt Monica and Uncle Aaron. I can't tell you how many pretend ice cream cones I have now consumed. Good thing pretend food is light on calories.

David added in a pilgrimage to GMT Games in Hanford where we took a self-guided tour of their warehouse, bought games, and Amelia played with their packing peanuts.

No self-respecting Central Valley girl would pass though Hanford without a scoop of Superior Dairy ice cream. Yes, that's just ONE scoop. One scoop of strawberry heaven!

One parting comment before we leave Christmas past. Amelia cannot stop talking about her "darling Lewis" (AKA my parents' dog who tortured her in his puppy days). She misses him, she talks about him, she wonders what he's doing without her there. This photo best illustrates their sweet relationship. Amelia had fallen asleep in the car, we carried her in and set her on the couch, and darling Lewis promptly ran up and rested his head next to her, just to be close.

Caught, red-handed (or purple-faced).

2011-02-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

Isn't being a kid fun? Toys, makeup, and markers. Oh my!

Preschool - Fall 2010

2011-02-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Amelia started preschool in the fall and has loved every minute of it! Her teachers, Miss Becky and Miss Lynn, are angels. These are a few photos from their very first field trip - to Red Butte Gardens (in the rain). The kids climbed in, over, and under everything. They even fed the koi in the huge pond. I still can't believe that no one fell in.

Every Friday is Show & Tell. Each week spotlights a different letter of the alphabet. For the letter "I", Amelia brought an icicle from our house. Pretty clever kid.

Halloween was a fun day at preschool. They wore costumes and paraded around the hallways. Of course, everyone went home with an overflowing bag of treats! Big thanks to Grandma Lorla's costume shop for, hands down, the best costume ever!

The class performed two songs in the school winter program - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Happy Birthday (to Jesus) in Chinese. Amelia is a natural star! She stands tall and performs like a champ.

Disneyland or Bust - September 2010

2011-02-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

Since it never takes us very long to gravitate back to the Happiest Place on Earth... take a stab at the subject of this post. Yep. It never gets old because 1) we love it, 2) you have no cares, and 3) we meet up with different friends every time we go. And number three is the best part of these trips by far!

Amelia had new glass slippers and was overjoyed to show them off to Cinderella herself! And then proceeded to show them off to every other princess that she met.

The Green Men from Toy Story were so kind. They let Amelia talk their ears off for ten minutes! (The lines were very short.) She felt so important.

"The thing about Grizzly River Rapids is that you don't even get wet." Sure, Dave. So glad the Kennedy Yoon family came coordinated their trip with ours.

So glad that we could share another happy vacation with our dear Moss friends. It's so fun to watch the girls grow up in front of the White Rabbit's door. They're so big that you almost can't see it at all!

Totally out of my element.

2011-02-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Teishi here. The girl who hates getting into water when she can't see clearly to the bottom. Who knows what possessed me, but 2010 found me on a raft not once, but twice. (And I had so much fun that I just might do it again!)

Our YM/YW held a youth conference in Moab, UT mid-summer which included an all-day rafting trip down the Colorado River. Our boat was awesome. I've never laughed so hard in my life! We spent the day "going to the beach" and "otter kicking". Now, I can't tell you what that means, but those involved know and that's going to have to suffice. :)

A month later, John Yoon bought a raft for this birthday. (I love gifts that you buy for yourself. They are always the perfect size.) John, John Paul, Michael, David, and I braved the Weber River. (Okay. "Braved" might be exaggerating it just a bit...) We broke several paddles - sorry John - and had a yummy lunch at Taggart's Grill topped off with a pink sugar cookie the size of my sunburned face. Great day!

Chicagoland.

2011-02-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

No apologies for not blogging since last summer. Let's just move forward, huh?

Late August, David had a college blockmate get married in Chicago. What a fabulous city. And what a breathtakingly beautiful traditional Indian wedding with all the trappings! Too bad we only had a quick weekend to play and explore.

In between a buzz of wedding activities around the Drake Hotel, we ran all over Chicago and its suburbs cramming in as much of the city as humanly possible. Just for fun, we tallied our total hours of sleep over the entire weekend. 7.5 hours, total. (But it was so worth it!) One friend sarcastically quipped that we were "culture mavens". We wear that badge proudly, Seth!

We grabbed bikes for a self-guided riding tour of Oak Park, home to Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio and surrounding homes. It was really a treat to ride this leafy neighborhood dotted with such amazing architecture.

As fortune would have it, the owners of the Frank Thomas House were holding a yard sale. We wandered through their backyard, totally ignoring the junk they had for sale. Instead, peeking in windows and marveling at how fortunate these people were to live in a FLW original.

We also paid a visit to the Unity Temple. A building that Wright considered one of his greatest achievements, calling it "my contribution to modern architecture".

On our last day we ran over to Millenium Park, snapped photos at the Cloud Gate, and speed-walked through the Art Institute of Chicago. We could have spent days in the Modern Wing alone!

But we had a date to meet up with friends on a Chicago Line Architectural Cruise. The city has a pretty fantastic story from its waterways to the growth of its skyscrapers to the mass exodus into the suburbs.

Fantastic weekend. Dear friends. No sleep. Great memories. Thanks Raj & Trina for tying the knot!

Tennis, anyone?

2010-08-09T10:48:00.001-06:00

For her birthday, Amelia received a tennis racquet and balls from her grandpa and grandma Lorla. And she has been itching to use them! We finally made it up to David's parents' court and played. Amelia's pretty darn good for a three year-old. She says it's her sneakers that make her such a fast runner, of course. (Dave says I shouldn't dress her like Richard Simmons if she's going out in public.)

The Annual Candy Toss

2010-08-09T10:40:00.001-06:00

If it's the Forth of July, it must be time to decorate the trike and round up some candy! We joined the Moss family again and walked the Evergreen parade route through their neighborhood. Amelia absolutely loves this parade and takes her candy-tossing responsibilities very seriously! Post parade, we enjoyed the pancake breakfast, cotton candy, live musical performances, and the bounce houses.

Amelia anxious to get moving.

No, Olivia was not throwing Trix into the crowd. That cereal was all for her!

Caroline and Amanda in the Barbie Jeep.

Three best girlies dancing. Big thanks to Natalie who made matching tutus for the girlies! Why do you keep saying that you're not crafty? They were so darling!

Glow sticks in hand and dressed in pajamas for the neighborhood fireworks.

Happy birthday, Amelia Jean.

2010-08-09T10:05:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that Amelia is now three years old. Old enough to tell me exactly what she wants for her birthday and birthday party. "An Alice in Wonderland cake with Cinderella on top." Yeah, it's nice that she can tell me what she wants, but it's too bad that I'm totally unwilling to comply. (There's a theme here folks! And there's no room for mixing and matching Disney characters!) And so, Amelia's Alice in Wonderland party was a success and not one kid even missed Cinderella's absence.

13th Annual Tiny Tots Track & Field Invitational

2010-08-09T09:46:00.001-06:00

East High School is best known for playing host to an annual track meet for kids every summer. Okay, that's not entirely true. EHS is probably best known for being the high school in Disney's High School Musical films. But for one day each summer and to the kids that participate, it's best known for a super fun track meet!

50 meter dash

100 meter dash

80 meter hurdles. I love this kid. She ran, jumped, knocked the hurdle over, and then stopped to stand it back up at just about every hurdle.

All in all, Amelia competed in five events. What a superstar! She left super excited about her new sneakers, the shiny medal pinned to her chest, the track and field sticker and certificate awarded her, and the yummy grape Otter Pop melting in her hand.

The Princess and the Frog

2010-08-09T09:27:00.002-06:00

Good thing that Amelia's dance teacher, Miss Julie, had the foresight to have Amelia's dance class perform to two musical number in their spring dance recital. Because...

Song #1 (Almost There - tap) went off beautifully! Such cute little tappers.

But for song #2 (Evangeline - ballet) Amelia decided to sit on the edge of the stage and hold up the start of the music. [David and Teishi in audience yelling her name and shaking their heads... Miss Julie's helper on stage trying desperately to stand her back up...] Finally Amelia she warmed up and got to dancing. She was fabulous!

In addition to grandpa and nana Kennedy, aunt Katherine, cousin Nina, and cousin Ella in the audience, Amelia was so thrilled that Gracey's visit to her Grammy's in Utah made it possible for her to come to the dance recital with her mommy Felicity. They spent plenty of time being goofy, as only three year-olds can! Thanks again to everyone. Especially patient, sweet, kind, forgiving Miss Julie!

Digging to China

2010-08-09T09:02:00.000-06:00

The time has come to fulfill a childhood ambition - digging to China. We thought, "where best to start this project but in our very own basement?" Actually, we're just excavating our basement to give it a decent ceiling height and change some rooms around a bit. The work is slow-going to say the least and I'm about ready to kick our excavator in the shins (really hard!). At the same time, we're remodeling the upstairs bathroom. That is just about done, thankfully. How people survive a dusty remodel is beyond me...

The Okerlunds were so generous to spend a few moments of their vacation to Utah digging. When the project is nearing completion, I'm sure they'll return to paint. :)

Ketchup, Catsup, Catch Up!

2010-08-09T08:50:00.000-06:00

Any way you say it, I've been way behind in my blogging.

After wrapping up Toy Story 3, David wanted an escape from Salt Lake and the studio. (Hurray for completing the game, by the way!) So we headed west, again, to Disneyland! I'm not sure if he counted on running into so many other co-workers and their families who had the same idea! But the place was crawling with DIS employees. It was especially great to play with the Giles at the Park.

We laughed our way through the Parks with the Bleaks. (sidenote: Teishi and Angela rediscovered a common love for really terrible 1990s music. Come on, Surface and Mint Condition? Has anyone but the two of us even heard of them?)

Natalie and Emme spent a day and, let me tell you, there is nothing sweeter than these two girls playing together in Disneyland. The boogied down in the Enchanted Tiki Room and giggled the day away. And, as two little girls who both have mommies with big cameras, knew exactly how to ham it up right on cue!

My cousin, Kirstin, and her family met up with us, too. But this active family moves way faster than our snail's pace. They crisscrossed the Park and we met now and then to watch Brett devour a [grody] turkey leg and let Cambria teach Amelia how to pose for the camera. So fun!

Every trip to SoCal we hope to catch a glimpse of the Hatch family and this time we actually spent some quality time in the Parks. I think they have the most beautiful sun-kissed family around.

And... drumroll, please... we lunched at Club 33! It was beyond amazing and might just deserve its own blog entry. So glad that we were able to share the experience with family. A thousand thanks to Katherine and her connections for the hookup! I have every intention of making this an annual adventure.

(From here on out - the photos that should be seen are being held captive on our other Mac. I can see them, I can copy them, but they refuse to transfer and work as photos should. As soon as we fix this, I'll insert the photos into the blog. I am super mad about this.)

Allen and his friend, Cecily, came to play, too. (Did I mention this was a crazy trip?) Somehow the day they visited was "Bat Day" - a day when goth enthusiasts gather at Disneyland. Let me tell you, it was a very odd to see - goth parasols, six-inch soled boots, steampunk style, gas masks, walking canes, black eyeliner for miles, etc. set against a "Happiest Place on Earth" backdrop. And the Haunted Mansion turned into some kind of rave when the sun when down!

We even spent time with the FitzRandolfs. (Tim worked with David until a recent move back to the Glendale studio.) Amelia and Sarah had a language all their own!

As an anniversary treat to ourselves we spent the tail end of our trip at DIsney's Grand Californian. Now that we've done it, we're convinced that there's no other way to do Disney! It was spectacular and the best part was having grandma Lorla join us for a night. Amelia and Lorla spent quality time on the balcony having a tea party and counting/cleaning the coins in her new sock coin purse. (Grandma Lorla's nickname is now "Money Bags".)

Tagged onto the Disneyland trip was an escape to Oceanside for Gracey, Beckham, and Justin's birthday party. What fun to play with the Mays for the afternoon.

Dad, I love the cotton candy.

2010-04-23T13:18:00.000-06:00

This kid loves, loves, loves Bakin Robbins' cotton candy ice cream. Amazingly enough, it really tastes like cotton candy (translation: it's way too sweet).

I Need More Glitter

2010-04-23T13:14:00.000-06:00

It's only been about FOREVER, I know. But as the weather starts to shape up, my crafty fingers start itching for little things to sew/glue/knit/embellish/alter/etc. As a result of that, I've actually been posting projects and tutorials again on my creative blog, I Need More Glitter. Take a look, if you've got a minute. There's much more to come considering my "To Do" project pile is about to topple over and bury me. Gotta get creating!

Happy Easter. (Bawk! Bawk!)

2010-04-04T11:45:00.000-06:00

With snow on the ground outside, Easter was forced inside this year. However, with Peeps on hand, did anyone even notice?

Woah! They're spinning!

2010-04-04T11:40:00.000-06:00

Amelia created a Mad Tea Party ride for her tiny dolls. Bet they were sick when the ride was over. Amelia shows no mercy on the tea cups.

Out like a lamb, huh?

2010-04-01T14:24:00.000-06:00

Waking up to this? Worst April Fool's joke EVER.

Almost There

2010-04-01T11:49:00.003-06:00

Amelia's dance class is preparing for their spring recital and they are dancing to two numbers from The Princess and the Frog - Almost There (tap) and Evangeline (ballet). This kid is over the moon with excitement about this movie and its soundtrack. And as if it couldn't get any cuter, their costumes are going to be tutus with a bustle butt that lights up like Ray, the firefly!

Pushing back with tiny steps.

Tapping the left foot. (Sticking out your tongue helps with balance I hear.)

Hands on hips, twisting. Candy smile.

Amelia's special "double" plie. She does it with her hands as well as her legs!

Oceanside & Matching Dresses

2010-03-22T14:36:00.000-06:00

After Disneyland, we spent a few days in Oceanside with the Mays. Getting Amelia and Gracey together is so funny. They play, they paint, they eat pretzels, they speak their own language, and are best of friends. Until someone takes the other's favorite toy. Then it's on!

Gracey gave Amelia a dress that matched hers and they thought being twins was super fun. We spent an afternoon shopping in Carlsbad and stopped at the Koi pond. Rob gave the girls pennies to toss into the pond until a man came up and scolded him. "Don't you know that copper is toxic to koi fish?" And that was the end of that!

Disneyland or Bust 2010

2010-03-22T14:14:00.000-06:00

Okay, now this is getting a bit embarrassing. Yes, it's another Disneyland post - the result of yet another Disneyland trip. And we loved every minute of it!

Initially, Amelia was a little sad that her Moss friends stayed back in Utah for this trip.

But all sadness disappeared once Tinkerbell and friends appeared in Pixie Hollow.

The Park was so quiet that cast members had kiddie games to play on Main Street. Amelia totally charmed Phillip by knowing how to spell Mickey Mouse (thanks mostly to her faithful watching of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). He made us all Honorary Citizens for they day. Amelia wore her button proudly!

Each trip Amelia seems to choose a new "favorite" ride. The Casey Jr. Circus Train was the lucky winner this trip. She knows every word to the song and loves to wave at the people riding in the Storybook Land Canal Boats below.

Mid-week the fun kicked into high gear with the addition of the McKinlays (Lisa, Katie, Michael, and Lizzie) and the Okerlunds (Megan, Annnie, David, and Matthew). I can't even put into words just how fun it was to have them there.

Riding Gadget's Go Coaster. I promise that in the photo before this one everyone's hands were up in the air even Ameila's!

David's personal mission was to get Katie and Annie onto any ride that would make them scream or drench them with water. The girls loved his teasing and happily jumped on Grizzly River Run, Splash Mountain, and Tower of Terror (okay, just Annie on this one).

David broke all personal and family records on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters with a score of 1,200,00. I suspect that it has something to do with how much time he spends submerged in the Toy Story world at work day-in and day-out. He says that he's just that good.

Of course, no Disney trip would be complete these days without a good chunk of time spent playing on the Hoot and Holler slides in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

Invading the Central Valley & Lightening-Quick Visits

2010-03-20T09:37:00.000-06:00

When my mom has a free week in February, you better believe that Amelia and I will be jetting out to visit. The only snag is that a week simply isn't long enough to see and do everything that we would like. Here are a few of the highlights.

Shopping in Oakland and riding the mall train with Grandma Lorla.

Having lunch at Orchard Park with Bill and Jenn.

Rising up and down the halls on Great Grandma Rheta's lap in her wheelchair.

Attending the Gateway Quilters Guild monthly meeting and standing beside Grandma Lorla while she made announcements.

Learning to sew from the master.

Hanging out with Stacey at H.O.P.E. Animal Foundation and playing with crazy animals.

Having lunch with Heather, Ella, and Weston and leaving with a coveted jar of Hiatt honey.

Catching up with Kerry and loving every minute of Claire's giggles.

Missing Lisa even while sitting in her kitchen and being amazed that Carson Abby, the frog, is still alive.

Spending time with Ramona and her office full of fun dummy phones, pens, pads of paper, and everything else Amelia can tear into.

Playing with uncle Kyle and cousin Jackson at the park and learning not to be afraid of ants.

Relaxing with Joaquina and Nicole at the end of a busy week while Jordan, Riley, AnnMarie, and Amelia tore through a box of dress-ups in record time.

New Camera

2010-03-20T09:14:00.000-06:00

David finally bought a digital SLR camera. It is fabulously complicated and because of that, takes fabulous photos. (Don't get me wrong, I love it. I just have yet to finish reading the instruction manual and watching the DVDs. Totally my fault.)

When the camera comes out of its case, Amelia thinks it is grand to strike a pose. Below, are her range of emotions, in this order: happy, cute, sad, surprised, scared, and thoughtful. That last one I'd never seen before or since this photo shoot. What a character!

Mad Dash to Disneyland

2010-03-20T09:04:00.000-06:00

SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Thanks to Brennan's masterful negotiating powers, a tempting offer was placed on the table. Without much debate, a decision was made.

MONDAY: We were loaded in the car headed to Disneyland! Sadly, David stayed behind to work (lousy deadlines...) and we missed him every minute. But we pressed on bravely.

Flashback to SUNDAY FAMILY DINNER: "Everyone going to Disneyland tomorrow raise your hand." "Hey, how come we aren't going?" And with that Jill, Katherine, and three of the four Kennedy Yoon kids were packing to come along on this mad dash to Disneyland.

As luck would have it, visiting the Park at the very same time was an old friend from high school and his family. They lived in Fresno when we did an have since relocated to Colorado.

We left Disneyland and headed down to Oceanside for a quick visit with the Mays and a night out (without kids) for celebrating Brennan's birthday.

Of course, the highlight for Amelia was hanging out with her "best friend", Gracey.

Hey mom...

2010-01-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

Last night before bed, Amelia and I were sitting on the couch reading. She looked up from her book and over to my magazine article and paused. "Who is that guy, mom?" pointing to the figure on the left. "Jay Leno." "And who is that guy?" "Conan O'Brien. But you can call him 'Coco'". She began drawing circles with her finger over Conan's hair and asked, "And what's going on here with his hair?"

That kid cracks me up.

First haircut

2010-01-11T08:13:00.003-07:00

Amelia had a great time at her very first haircut. Who wouldn't? She got to play on a slide, sit in an airplane, wear a "blue bib", watch the Backyardigans, and left with candy. How come my haircuts aren't this fun? (Come on, Robyn. Just a Lifesaver or something? Whatever's in your purse. Hee hee.)

Before - long, fuzzy fly-away
After - shorter, fuzzy fly-away (sigh...)

I want my cherry pants!

2010-01-08T01:01:00.003-07:00

I made matching pajama pants for our family this year and Amelia was so taken with hers that she demanded to wear them to Sunday dinner. "I want my cherry pants!" That's right. I'm clearly losing the battle of 'never leave the house in pajama pants'.

One last thought. How does one kid get so much for Christmas? To all who spoil our little girlie, rest assured that she loves every toy that has ever passed through her hands.

Dirtbag.

2010-01-08T00:44:00.003-07:00

Today the NY TImes reported some potential changes to late night TV programming. Now, I'm sure I've got all of the facts backwards because that is what I always seem to do, but indulge me for just a minute. I've said this for months and I'm going to repeat it one last time here. When Leno retired and handed the reigns of the Tonight Show over to Conan O'Brien, whom I love, he needed to really RETIRE. Not come back in a time slot that pre-empted O'Brien and split viewership. Now NBC is thinking of bringing Leno back to the Tonight Show and pushing O'Brien to midnight? Whatever. (This is Teishi's rant, not David's. And I'm kind of sorry to the Mays, who love Leno.)

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

2009-12-11T19:42:00.003-07:00

I guess I can't really fault her for thinking that you would wear it on her foot. We do call them "stockings" after all. (She was so very proud.)

Nativity in the Glen

2009-12-10T09:23:00.003-07:00

Just a block up from our home is the Bonneville Glen, a charming creekside walking trail with an open-air amphitheater and fireplace. Every December our church, along with others community, put together a spectacular live nativity in the Glen. The pathway is lit with paper lumens and torches, choirs sing, and the wisemen gather around the baby Jesus in a humble stable lit by a glowing Christmas star. Amelia loves the animals - a camel, goats, sheep, ducks, and chickens. David loves the hot chocolate. Teishi loves being there with her family. Merry Christmas!

Amanda Jane

2009-12-10T09:17:00.004-07:00

Our dear little friend, Amanda, has been in the hospital for some time now. We continue to pray and the doctors continue to search. To pass the time, we visit and look at Disney photos, cruise the halls of the hospital in a red wagon, eat ice cream cones from the cafeteria, put together puzzles, watch Amanda's favorite movies, and paint pretty pink fingernails. Of course, all of this is fun, but we really want Amanda back home. She'll get there; she's amazing!

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-10T09:13:00.002-07:00

The day ofter Thanksgiving we picked out a lovely Christmas tree, with Amelia's help, of course. Sadly, her mother is way too much of a control freak to let her help decorate. What are we going to do when she starts bringing home handmade ornaments??? Maybe we'll get two trees then - one for mommy's vision of a color-coordinating holiday and one for Ameila's creations. Problem solved!

Edward & Jacob: Life outside of Twilght

2009-11-30T11:06:00.004-07:00

The Edward and Jacob cut-outs took on a life of their own post-movie. I blame David for instigating all of the madness. When Mom, Carol, and I got home from a late-night movie (guess which one...) Edward was wearing David's hoodie.

Then, Jacob appeared in Carol's Twilight shirt. Really compliments his skin tone, don't you think?
Edward had to get in on the fun, too. Wearing my t-shirt from the party.

Amelia thought it was very funny.

Edward wearing David's tie and suit coat following church. What a snappy dresser.
And, of course, the guys banded together to cheer on Real Salt Lake in the MLS championships!But this won the prize... Edward resting on the couch with Amelia's stuffed kitty while...
a very pouty Jacob cleans the house.

New Moon: The Party

2009-11-30T10:52:00.009-07:00

From the invite:

Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob? For just one night, lose yourself in the world of Twilight. Come hunt for your dinner in Forks, bite into sinful desserts, test your devotion with Twilight trivia, win prizes like the coveted golden onion, snap a photo with everyone's favorite vampire or werewolf, and swap favorite Twilight moments with fanatic friends! Immediately following the party, we'll caravan to Jordan Commons for a screening of New Moon. So, whether you side with vampires or you prefer to run with wolves, you're invited to celebrate with us!

Candy buffet for movie sweets & a Twilight quote charm tree
Goodie bags to exchange (To see more click here: New Moon: Goodie Bags)
Welcome to Forks, WA
Thirsty?
Italian soups, sweet treats, and a blood red chocolate fountain

More photos here: Library Girl

New Moon: TwilightMoms

2009-11-30T10:38:00.004-07:00

TwilightMoms hosted a New Moon event expo with vendors, live music, and character vignettes. We popped in to see what all of the fuss was about and collectively decided that OUR party would be much cooler. Oh, and it was...
Carol & Mom by Alice's Porsche
Carlisle promoting better healthVolterra, Italy
Bella's birthday cake & gifts
Charlie's living room
Bella's truck & Jacob (with Carol's legs)
Jacob's garage

Happy birthday, DK!

2009-11-30T10:13:00.005-07:00

From the invite:

My Dave is another year older

And when asked what he wanted to do,

He told me quite surely, without any pause,

“I’d like to play board games with you!”

Now these aren’t your mother’s old games,

Say goodbye to Monopoly and Clue.

They’ve got zombies and cars, canals and gold bars,

And a few to surprise even you.

So stop by anytime for a turn--

You’ll find food and sweet chocolates galore!

We’ll have games for all levels and foods for all tastes,

Who knows? We might not even keep score.

Formula D
Say Anything
For Sale
Kids destroying Amelia's room (not an actual board game)

Mustard?!? Now don't let's be silly...

2009-11-30T09:56:00.004-07:00

Amelia was Alice in Wonderland for Halloween and dragged her mommy (the White Rabbit) and her daddy (the Mad Hatter) along for the fun. A BIG thanks to "Gramma Lorla" for the beautiful Alice costume. Her talents are paying off long after Halloween, too. Amelia believes that every special event (church, Sunday dinner, etc.) is worthy of her costume.

Disney or Bust, Fall 2009, Chapter 3

2009-10-26T09:48:00.003-06:00

Last stop before heading home was to see the Mays' new home in Oceanside. On the itinerary: frozen yogurt, tour of Rob's office, sushi from Miso Harney, Trader Joe's, Brooklyn Brothers pizza, and general catching up. Oh, and Amelia and Gracey love each other (when they aren't fighting over something like Play Dough). "Teishi and Amelia are my best friends", says Gracey. We couldn't agree more!

Disney or Bust, Fall 2009, Chapter 2

2009-10-26T09:28:00.006-06:00

We had so many friends join us at Disneyland this time around! How blessed we truly are to have such wonderful friends. Friends who will put up with us dragging them around the Park, telling them what to ride and when to eat, and friends who will smile through our two-year old's lack of sleep.

Olivia (wearing socks) & Natalie Moss
Amanda, Caroline & Brennan Moss
John Yoon
Allen Chen
Elton, Natalie (photographer extraordinaire) & Emme Graham
Gracey & Felicity May

Disney or Bust, Fall 2009, Chapter 1

2009-10-26T08:56:00.003-06:00

On the road to Disney we stopped for a night in Las Vegas at the Watkins' fabulous desert "resort". (Think swimming pool with grotto, hot tub, trampoline, half basketball court, foosball table, poker table, pool table, view of the glittering Vegas Strip, great friends to stay up far too late with, and Cody, the personal photographer. Amelia refused to go to bed for fear of missing any of the party. Typical.)

Sugarbee Cookies

2009-10-08T15:27:00.005-06:00

Sugarbee Cookies

Look at my super creative cousin's new cookie company! She's amazing, her cookies are amazing, and your next special event would be amazing with her cookies. Way to go, Bekah!

Dear Santa...

2009-10-08T08:24:00.002-06:00

I have been really good this year and this is what I want. A cupcake car. Pink, please. Pretty please with sprinkles on top!

Fun in the CA sun

2009-10-04T09:23:00.002-06:00

Amelia and I left dad at home and jumped a flight to San Diego for a week with the Mays. With non-stop Dora the Explorer (which I hate, but Amelia seems to love) on the plane, the week started out on a high note.
Packed into everything we did, we couldn't leave out a beach day. Every ten minutes or so Amelia would realize that it was sand under her feet and get really upset. Then she would go back to building sand castles or playing the waves.
Gracey and Amelia played so well together! The first words out of their mouths each morning: "Where's Gracey/Amelia?" At the beach, the pool, the playground, smishing playdough, reading books, or just running round, they had such a great time.

The adults escaped the kiddies one night to see Rob's office with its gorgeous ocean views, eat the most mouth watering sushi anywhere, and take in a movie. ("That's a lot of thinking for a polar bear..")

No trip to SoCal would be complete without a dip into Disneyland! Felicity's sisters and little ones joined us in Anaheim and we plowed through the Parks four strollers deep. (Which was a definite challenge during the parades.) And somehow, I took zero photos of the day.
It was hard to say goodbye to California but mostly because of Rob, Felis, Gracey, and Beckham. We miss them already!

Lisa Leonard Designs Jewelry GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-09-23T14:17:00.002-06:00

Lisa Leonard Designs Jewelry GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

"Hella-copper! Mom, you hear it?"

2009-09-21T08:44:00.004-06:00

On the roof of the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum is a Life-Flight helicopter (excuse me, "hella-copper", as Amelia would say). Amanda was the obvious pilot, Caroline worked every button and switch in the beast, and Amelia wasn't so sure that the roaring sound of the simulated rotors was for her, but she couldn't bear to miss any of the fun.

Miss Julie, you dance divinely...

2009-09-11T14:27:00.003-06:00

Amelia began dance lessons today with Miss Julie in her magical, pink studio. (Amelia is the one right at Miss Julie's knee, front and center.) She got to wear a leotard, tights, a glittery pink tutu, and not just her tap shoes (which she has been wearing for a week straight, even to bed) but her ballet slippers, too. Talk about girlie overload!

David has been programming her to say, "Miss Julie, you dance divinely." She was a bit too shy to say it today, but give her time. Give her time.

Midway & Grandpa Kimball

2009-09-11T14:19:00.005-06:00

Amanda, Caroline, and Olivia were nice enough to share their grandpa with Amelia for the morning. He let them ride around in the golf cart and ride his beautiful horse. (Amelia did it all in tap shoes, of course.)

Here is Amelia post-horse ride, half pouting and half hoping for another turn on the horse. She loved it!

Swiss Days 10k

2009-09-06T15:46:00.005-06:00

I did it! I did it! And I didn't pass out! I participated in my first run yesterday and had a ball. Big thanks to Natalie for gently insisting that I run. I will be forever grateful for the experience and the memory of running to the finish line with her and Brennan. Already on the calendar - another 10k next weekend! On your mark, get set...

Mental note: Take a photo BEFORE the race when everyone looks fresh and bright-eyed instead of a little soggy from the rain.

Zoo babies!

2009-08-31T14:10:00.004-06:00

The Hogle Zoo has a bundle of new animal babies! Amelia wasted no time introducing herself to the giraffe (who sat quietly in a patch of sun), an elephant (who is not yet big enough to handle the crowds, but we'll meet him soon enough), a snow leopard (who was fluffy and curious), and three darling Amur tigers (who rolled on their backs and batted at leaves, but always stayed close to mom). Amelia would talk to the babies through the fencing and whisper, "Nice to meet you." She even tried to shove her toy tiger through the netting for the snow leopard.

'[He's] gone and [he's] never coming back. I loved [him], too, you know...'

2009-08-10T10:37:00.005-06:00

I have been watching a lot of John Hughes movies in the last few days. (Which is really no different than most days.) But with his sudden passing, it's a now a bittersweet experience when Jake Ryan appears, leaning on his red Porsche outside the church to Samantha's surprise or when John Bender announces that he's 'thinking about trying out for a scholarship' or when we realize that 'Blaine's a major appliance, not a name' and Duckie dances to Otis Redding, oh, when Duckie dances... or when we witness the precise moment that 'neomaxiezoondweebie' enters the English vernacular or when "Woman's Work" plays in the waiting room while a nervous to-be dad waits or when Mr. Mom shouts to Vern that he "was never in aisle nine'. I'll stop there. Needless to say, I'm sad that such a talented writer and director is gone. But so grateful for the huge chunk of my youth, vocabulary, and humor that is directly tied to his work.

Thanks, Ramona, for keeping my priorities in check. ("You better put up a memorial about John Hughes on your site... he's just as important as MJ...")

Swimming, swimming in the swimming pool...

2009-08-03T17:06:00.003-06:00

What a treat it is when our dear friends Felicity, Gracey, and Beckham come to Utah for a visit. Today we had lunch and headed over to the pool for some serious splashing. What a fun pool Provo has! We miss you guys already (and it's only been two hours since we saw you last).

Love - Love

2009-07-25T08:54:00.003-06:00

David and Michael played a little tennis the other night and, naturally, Amelia was curious. They were nice enough to "let" her be the ball girl. And she took her duties very seriously; retrieving balls and stacking them in the holder attached to the net. She even hit a few balls while there. (Take a good look at that face - she loved every minute!)

Once upon a time...

2009-07-21T13:50:00.002-06:00

Amelia LOVES to read. I found her on the couch a couple of nights ago chanting, "Once upon a time. The end." Pretty cute, eh?

Happy 4th!

2009-07-21T13:35:00.002-06:00

Boy, the 4th of July was a busy day! Early morning found us 1) sleeping through the neighborhood flag-raising ceremony and then 2) off to march in the Evergreen Neighborhood Parade. Amelia had her trike basket loaded up with salt water taffy and threw it out into the cheering crowd. Sadly, by the time she would aim and toss, it usually ended up landing somewhere in the street only to be smished by the bicycle behind her in the procession.
After the parade, we had a pancake breakfast in the park, played on the playground equipment, and ate snow cones and sticky cotton candy.
The girls (and grown up boys) bounced on the trampoline in the Moss backyard.
Amelia discovered that the watermelon on the table matched the watermelon on her shirt so she ate about twenty pieces.
When it finally grew dark enough, we wandered around the corner to a neighborhood firework display and enjoyed the show (until some dummy pulled out the big fireworks, clearly purchased out of state, that were super dangerous - so we left).

"We need a price check on lane two..."

2009-07-07T09:06:00.003-06:00

Amelia's latest love is the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum in downtown Salt Lake. She can play in a farmhouse with a life-sized horse or in a kid-sized house with a flower box window, climb a rock wall, splash around in the hands-on water fountain, or create chaos in the super market. Which is just what happened the last time we visited with the Moss girls.

Amanda, Caroline, and Amelia were very focused on filling their shopping baskets and running them up to the check out. Caroline was clearly shopping for an army. Amanda was making sure the shelves were full of product. And Amelia was busy pushing the button that spoke, "We need a price check on lane two" again and again. What a fun afternoon!

Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks...

2009-07-07T08:52:00.005-06:00

Summertime means baseball! And Amelia's sweet Uncle Michael and Aunt Natalie were nice enough to share their Salt Lake Bees tickets with us and Grandpa John. Of course, Amelia loved every minute of it: the hot dogs (which she doesn't eat, but talks about eating), the monstrous serving of creamy ice cream (uh... should have stopped at one scoop), the free "train" that ran behind the field, and the loudspeaker music that seemed to posses her little dancing feet. She even saw a broken bat. Ask her today what she thought of the baseball game and "Oh, broken," is sure to be her concerned reply.

Rock With You.

2009-06-25T17:19:00.006-06:00

Say what you will about what Michael Jackson has or hasn't done in his adult life, but you cannot deny that he brought us some really fantastic music. So today I'm sad. Not only because of his death, but because I think that he lived a very sad life inside his head.

Happy Father's Day.

2009-06-23T10:26:00.003-06:00

Happy Father's Day, David. You've been the best daddy. Overflowing with patience, love, laughter, and board games. Everything your little Amelia needs and loves. How blessed we are to have you in our lives. XOXO!

Happy Birthday, Meels! The Sequel.

2009-06-23T10:19:00.003-06:00

And, in true Kennedy style, the birthday continues long after the actual day. Amelia got a slice of Father's day dedicated to more cake, more presents, and more attention. (She's really beginning to like this...)

Happy Birthday, Meels!

2009-06-23T09:48:00.003-06:00

Well, it happened! Amelia turned two. (Parents officially sad that she isn't a baby anymore.) We threw a Mickey Mouse birthday party for her with family and friends in attendance. Let me tell you what - Amelia ate up every minute of it! From the attention and far too generous gifts to the wading pool ball-crawl and plastic bowling alley.

Ask her how old she is and you'll hear, "I two old." Even Amelia's "Gamma Lorla" flew out for the celebration. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to pull this party together and for all of the lavish attention that you showered upon a chatterbox toddler. She's still floating in the clouds.
Footnote: Amelia's birthday party would not be complete without our dear friend Brennan falling asleep, Purple Guy-style. (Every year he runs the Wasatch Back, an over-night relay race, right before her party. Even though he's wiped out, we're so glad that he comes!)

Worth a million words...

2009-06-11T17:55:00.002-06:00

While in Southern California last February we took a break from the Disney adventure to stick our toes in the Pacific. An amazing photographer, Alli Easley of Easley Photography, met us there and snapped these photos for us. They so perfectly captured our life at that very moment. A moment that I never want to forget. Thanks a million, Alli.

Lead with the belly!

2009-06-06T21:31:00.003-06:00

We already knew that Amelia was destined to be a super model. But little did we know that she would find her fame by creating her very own signature walk. We like to call it the "Lead with the Belly".

Backstory: I asked her to show me her t-shirt (a gift from my dear friend Ramona when she was living in Montenegro) and Amelia pushed out her belly in an effort to see her shirt as she was showing it to me. It somehow morphed into a waddle-walk with her big belly in the lead. Nice.

Bed Bug

2009-06-02T08:39:00.003-06:00

David is going camping with The Boys this weekend and brought home a new sleeping bag last night. Of course, Amelia jumped right in.

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T10:44:00.010-06:00

David, Amelia, and I spent Memorial Day in Sanpete County, Utah celebrating the lives and decorating the headstones of my pioneer family. The day was perfect - blue skies and wispy clouds casting shadows on rolling green hills and pastures full of sheep, cows, and horses. (Amelia loved the animals. More about that below...)

We met the Goodmans and, armed with Rachel's fabulous notes and map, marched through the Moroni and Mount Pleasant cemeteries. Memorial Day is a big day there and everyone seems to gather at the cemeteries to visit and reminisce. Everyone knows your family somehow and has stories to share. It is amazing to me how a place where you've never lived can feel so much like home. (Maybe it's because every headstone read Blackham, Anderson, Christensen, or Sorensen!)
Following the cemeteries, we stopped by David and Dianne Blackham's for lunch and more family. I can't tell you how long it's been since I've seen many of these people and how great it was to play catch up. As long as we live in Utah, Memorial day in Sanpete is definitely going to an annual event.

Before I sign off - back to the above-mentioned animals. My cousin David Blackham has ZEBRAS! (Click on the photo to enlarge and look to the very center of the shot.) They are pastured in Wales and we took the short detour on the way home to stop and see them. David is dreaming of creating an African Serengeti-type park for them and other wild animals but keeping wild animals happy (and alive) is proving more difficult than planned. (There were six zebras originally, and now there are only two.) They are a funny sight in the middle of Utah out in a pasture of horses!

Fore!

2009-05-18T10:19:00.004-06:00

Amelia had her first mini golfing adventure last Saturday. She loved it! Sadly, the course was a little lame. No windmill, no dragon spewing fire, no disco lights along the greens. Even the water features had been drained. What ever happened to the mini golf courses of the 1980s that we all loved so much?

From such great heights

2009-05-18T09:45:00.003-06:00

Holladay Preschool hosted their spring carnival recently. In a sea of colorful and inviting booths like face painting, cotton candy, and a cake walk, it was this vinyl monstrosity - a 25ft inflatable slide - that caught and kept Amelia's heart. So, we bought our tickets and she slid again and again (ALL BY HERSELF). This kid knows no fear.

Good Day Sunshine

2009-05-18T09:26:00.004-06:00

Oh how we love the warm weather and all it brings - sugary snow cones with too much syrup, dinners in the backyard, and blow-up pools. Thanks Amanda and Caroline for providing Amelia with non-stop entertainment and her mother a reason to buy Oxy Clean in Costco quantities.

Tell Me a Story

2009-05-18T09:14:00.006-06:00

Old Hanford, CA friends Randall McGee and Groark were in Utah, performing at the Treehouse Children's Museum in Ogden and there was no way that the little girl inside Teishi was going to miss the opportunity to introduce her daughter to the dragon Groark! Amelia loved the singing and story telling and is still singing, "Tell me a story...", their signature song. When grown-up Teishi got a shout out from the stage, she felt just like a kid again. (The best part of the show was always when Groark would call you by name in front of everyone. Hello superstar!)

As a footnote, if you have kids, live in Utah, and haven't visited the Treehouse Children's Museum - what are you waiting for? It's totally amazing and hands-on!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend

2009-04-21T13:17:00.002-06:00

This kid sure knows how to accessorize. (Mother very proud.)

Thanks, Easter Bunny! (bawk, bawk)

2009-04-16T19:11:00.004-06:00

Amelia has discovered that she loves Easter. We, as parents, would hope that it is because of Christ and his miraculous resurrection, but somehow, secretly know that (at least as a toddler) it's because of the jelly bean-filled baskets and packages that have made an appearance at our house. Thanks to one Utah and two California bunnies, Amelia is well stocked with "beans" (jelly beans) and "glubs" (fancy gloves).

Footnote: When Amelia pulled Tosha and Uniqua (two of the five Backyardigans) out of the box from her Grandma Lora, she immediately reached back in screaming, "Pablo! Pablo!" Sad to say, there was no Pablo in the box. (You had no way of knowing, nor did we, that Pablo was her favorite, mom.) But the situation has since been remedied. We found the remaining three dolls at Barnes & Noble this afternoon and Amelia is happy as a clam. The Backyardigans are a close second to Disneyland in her life right now.

Defying Gravity

2009-04-10T08:45:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, we caught a performance of Wicked. Like so many things, I fought tooth and nail to get excited about this play because everyone seemed to be so ga-ga for it. Really, these things are just a matter of time before I get sucked in, too. I'm just stubborn and, come on guys, the book was so terrible! But what a fabulous stage show it turned out to be! And our performance's Elphaba left us breathless. But really, the WICKED Witch of the West? She's just trying to save a few animals, is that so bad? (hee hee)

"Worth your while..."

2009-04-03T08:22:00.010-06:00

Because we attended the TwilightMoms' premiere of Twilight the movie last November (and thanks to my cousin Rebekah, I might add) I recently received an email from them about a midnight release party for the Twilight DVD that they were hosting at a local Wal-Mart. Here's the rundown: Wal-Mart (NO!) at midnight (NO!) with swarms of screaming teens (NO!) in Twilight costumes (NO!) and for a movie of which I preferred the book (NO!). Pretty clear, huh? Not interested, folks. I'll be tucked, snug as a bug, in my bed at midnight - thank you.

Well... because I was a bit curious about what crazy Twilight fans were planning for the movie release, I visited a Twilight blog where I found an article alerting Twilight fans that five New Moon actors would be making surprise appearances at five locations across the U.S. Then came the second email from the TwilightMoms saying that the location had been changed to a second Wal-Mart and that the party would be, and I quote, "worth your while". The squirrels in my brain started to run around.

Are TwilightMoms a big enough force to pull a movie star here? Did Stephenie Meyer have any say in where the stars would make their appearances? She is Mormon and Utah has a lot of Mormons and the Twilight fan base here in Utah is off the charts. And why the last minute location change to a newer, larger Wal-Mart? "Worth your while..." what does that mean?!?!
So, at a family game night I talked to my Twilight-crazy cousins, Bekah and Emma. (They've been to Forks.) "Hey. You guys have any Twilight DVD release plans?" "No." WHAT? They were my only hope at adding myself as a third wheel and they weren't doing anything? So, I started blabbing about my suspicions and in no time, they were on board!
So off to the Riverton Wal-Mart, 25 minutes from my home, at midnight, with 4,000-plus of my new best friends, all on the hope that a New Moon star would appear. And Twilight didn't disappoint! Flame-haired Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre) was on hand signing autographs and we saw the top of her head! Wow. Sadly, the line to meet her and to purchase any Twilight merchandise stretched around the store (literally) leaving the shelves bare. And I bought my BluRay the next morning at Target.

Thanks Bekah and Emma! It was fun. If for nothing else but to see that weird-o who dressed up as James and hear about him grabbing women's derrières as they stood to take photos with him. Ick.

Glitter in My Eye

2009-03-26T11:31:00.003-06:00

I have launched a new blog. Yep, another one. (Don't judge me. I am well aware that Cupcake & Company's web site and blog are still not completed. Maybe I have adult ADD, but I've digressed already...) This new blog is where I can document my crafty-type things and not clutter up our family blog which is and should be all about Amelia. Right?

www.INeedMoreGlitter.blogspot.com

Little Miss Two-Binks

2009-03-25T09:42:00.002-06:00

Have you seen this little monster in monkey pajamas? If you have, approach with extreme caution. She will steal your heart and demand "buttons" (Smarties) and "water" (milk). Ignoring her is futile; she is way too cute.

Footnote: The other day, Amelia actually had THREE binkies in her mouth at once. I'm so sad that I missed that photo op!

Life Could be a Dream

2009-03-25T09:05:00.008-06:00

The Harvard Din & Tonics celebrated their 30th anniversary on 14 March 2009 with a fabulous concert and surrounding weekend full of gatherings for both the current Dins and Alums. What a wonderful time we had with them, uncle Michael and aunt Natalie, as well as showing Amelia daddy's alma mater. (And what a terrible job we did of documenting it with photos.)

We stayed in the Kennedy Suite at Winthrop House with our traveling buddy, Flat Stanley.
We introduced Amelia to Noch's where she devoured their pizza (as did all of the adults). For the record, the total number of cheese steaks and slices consumed over a four-day weekend set some kind of world record. This number, however, will not be published to protect the guilty.

We toured campus where Amelia met John Harvard and rubbed his toe. (It's a statue of lies, all lies!) We even squeezed in a matinee of this year's Hasty Pudding show. (Dave and Mike, 154 was better.)
The T was especially fun for Amelia. Clearly she expected it to be some kind of Disneyland ride because she kept singing, "Is-sa uh pahl - whorl affer all..." over and over. (Translation: It's a small world after all")

I love you, you love me...

2009-03-16T22:57:00.004-06:00

Sitting behind us on our flight back from Boston tonight was a super celebrity - BARNEY! (Adults, if you are lost, consult your nearest toddler. They know exactly who Barney is and will spontaneously break into song at the mere mention of his name.) Now, when I say that Barney was sitting behind us, I don't mean an over-stuffed purple dinosaur. I mean the man behind the mask, David Joyner. He played Barney for 14 years and is now Hip Hop Harry on Discovery Kids and was so kind. He even sang the clean-up song with Amelia and commented, "She's very focused. What a smart kid... and I should know, I've seen a lot of kids." So there you have it folks. Straight from the dinosaur's mouth - Amelia is smartie. (But you already knew that, right?) More about our Cambridge trip later.

I, Teishi Kennedy, take you Super Awesome Kennedy Blog...

2009-03-05T08:16:00.006-07:00

Why is it everyone I know is blogging about how they have "recommitted" to blogging more often? Nice guys, now this really turns the pressure up on me to do the same. Bah! This does not mean that I will start posting mundane drivel like talking about the weather - although it did snow again last night - but I digress...

My resolution includes posting my latest creations. I'm always trying to describe them to my mother over the phone and I'm afraid my storytelling skills fall short. Plus, I find myself in some bizarre-o creative high gear right now. If I sit too long I start imagining what I can do to, say, the lamp sitting next to me or the shirt Amelia is wearing. So, why not post my successes and, dare I say, failures? Wait. Teishi has no "failures", just hiccups in the process. Right?

Here is a photo of my Valentine's Day card. It was a very limited edition. I only made five because I made them on February 14th. (Hey! I said I would blog more, not plan better for the holidays! Sheesh.)

Sweet Spot v2

2009-03-05T08:11:00.003-07:00

Just thought I'd post another photo of the candy buffet because it looks so much lovelier once the bride added a few final touches (flowers, her bag seals, etc.). My photo was taken a few hours before the final set-up so it was lacking a few things.

Dancing through Disneyland

2009-03-02T12:43:00.007-07:00

If it's the last week of February, then Kennedys and company are meeting in Anaheim to enjoy the Happiest Place on Earth! This year we were lucky enough to have Amelia's nana, Jill, join us for part of the week. BIG thanks to the Moss family for suffering through seven straight days in the Park with us (Brennan - I'm sure we still owe you a chocolate shake), the Hatch Family for letting us drag them around for a night while we talked their ears off catching up (Brock - we get SERIOUS about Disney), and the May Family for just being the Mays. (Felicity - even as a very pregnant woman, you're amazing!). We feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Oh and the post title, "Dancing through Disneyland"? That's in honor of Amelia's mad skills as a dancer. She danced everywhere - the Tiki Room, It's a Small World, and pretty much anywhere you could hear music. When I look at the photo of her gazing through the It's a Small World fence, I can almost hear her saying, "Peas... boats". [Translation: I want to ride the Small World boats and dance.]

Reuse. Recycle. Repurpose.

2009-02-19T08:08:00.003-07:00

Last night the Beehives made juice carton wallets out of empty half-gallon paper juice containers. They did such a fantastic job (and hopefully, learned a lesson about re-purposing things that would otherwise end up in the garbage or recycle bin). Let's focus on how darling the finished product ended up and try to forget that some of them forgot to bring a carton so we had to power-drink several half-gallon cartons of juice!

I've got my love to keep me warm.

2009-02-14T13:12:00.005-07:00

This is how we celebrate Valentine's Day: Utah-winter-style.

1. Enjoying delicious Mardi Gras beignets and hot cocoa at our neighbors'.

2. Face planting in the powdery snow and deciding that it, like the beignets, is good enough to eat.

3. Sledding down the hill at the church while Amelia yelled, "Ready?" again and again.

4. Building a snowman in the front yard. (Off of which Amelia quickly ate the candy corn "hair".)

5. Loving our warm home because of the popcorn and movie. (But mostly because of each other.)

We hope your Valentine's Day was just as wonderful.

Toot, toot!

2009-02-11T20:20:00.003-07:00

[Warning: I am tooting my own horn here.] Up to now, I have been incredibly unhappy with the selection of free blog templates online. But alas, because I did not want a bare blog, I used them. NO MORE, I SAY! One afternoon on the internet and I've taught myself how to build my very own template. (My inner graphic designer is very pleased right now.)

Sweet Spot

2009-02-11T11:04:00.004-07:00

Because I can't seem to focus on any one thing for too long... I'm on to a new adventure! Candy buffets. Last night I did my first wedding and was really pleased with how everything turned out. I have another wedding in a few months and lots of contacts to be made in between with event centers to get the word out. What could be better than spending your day dreaming of ways to incorporate more candy in the lives of others? (Maybe only tasting the candies as they arrive at my house. UPS man, you are my new best friend!)

Sweet, sweet Costco!

2009-01-08T13:56:00.002-07:00

So I have been having dreams of Portuguese sweet bread for the last two months or so. It is the most wonderful carbohydrate on the planet. My girlfriend, Nicole, and I love it so much that we even spent a whole Saturday back in high school trying to make it from scratch. We wasted a lot of eggs and made quite a mess of things. But I don't need to make it from scratch anymore! Our Costco bakery makes them fresh has them labeled as "Sweet Rolls". I'm in bread heaven... And, yes, this was totally worth a blog post.

California Christmas

2009-01-07T20:49:00.005-07:00

This was a California Christmas year, which is the reason behind the absence of that yummy pine smell in my house this December, but I digress... California was great - full of family, friends (apologies to those we missed), and great memories. On our way out of state, my mom and aunt joined us to see Disneyland through Amelia's eyes. I think this series of photos pretty well illustrates what taking an 18-month old through the Park is like. What a fun day!

This is why we can't leave the house.

2009-01-07T20:34:00.003-07:00

I suppose I deserve this somehow, after the way I chose to dress myself as a child. My poor mother. But if you ask me to meet you for lunch, I might just have to send my regrets because I refuse to allow my darling daughter to be photographed by the paparazzi wearing the things that she does. That's my job.

Summer Berry Pie

2008-12-09T14:45:00.003-07:00

If you happen to have the Inside America's Test Kitchen cookbook, Amelia highly recommends the Summer Berry Pie on page 294.

"Do I dazzle you?" "Frequently," I admitted.

2008-12-02T09:53:00.006-07:00

Initially, I resisted reading the Twilight saga like one would avoid a root canal. But one day, the books were at Costco and I picked them up and bit into them. I told my mother that she should read them. "They're an easy read and a pretty fun distraction." She then passed them along to her friend Carol who is an avid reader and movie buff. In emailing Carol about what she thought of the books, I happened to mention that my cousin had tickets for the Utah premiere and the Twilight Moms gala party they were throwing in anticipation of the screening. "Lora, why aren't we going to Utah for this? Not only could we go to this party, but you could visit with your granddaughter, too..." My mom was sold. (Was it the movie or Amelia that really brought them out? Inquiring minds want to know!) At any rate, mom and Carol made everyone AMAZING goodie bags (WAY better than the ones we were given at the movie premiere (and we had such a fun weekend together.

P.S. I adore my David. Above and beyond attending the event with us (he, my uncle Mike, and cousin Hyrum being maybe three of the ten total men that attended), he agreed to be "Dazzled" at the premiere (translation: sprayed with silver glitter) alongside all of us Edward-loving females! David, you are truly dazzling.

Amelia's first complete sentence [mother sighing...]

2008-11-21T08:58:00.003-07:00

On our most recent trip out to California, Amelia's grandma Lora bought her a toy stroller and let her push it around the store as we paid for our purchases. Amelia was in seventh heaven! As we exited the store and faced the expansive parking lot, the need to pick Amelia up and carry her to the car arrived. I picked her up and she proceeded to carry her stroller as if she were still walking. Once at the car, I kindly told her that it was time to get in the car and put the stroller in the trunk. Screaming and tears followed. Lots. And then, as grandma pulled on the stroller and I pulled on the kid, it happened. Clear as day. "I don't want to!" Mom and grandma were stunned. Had we really heard what we thought we heard? Yep! More, as we struggled to secure Amelia into her car seat, she repeated (three times), "I want it!" So, being the softies that we are... we gave her back the stroller and got hit in the shoulders, as she held her stroller, all the way home.

Happy 90th Birthday, Gma!

2008-11-21T08:53:00.003-07:00

My sweet grandmother, Rheta, turned 90 years old on November 2nd. Amelia and I flew out for the big party, where she was undoubtedly the belle of the ball. A few months ago, she moved into an assisted living facility in Clovis and has loved every minute of it. She even brags that "everyone says that my apartment is the best decorated".