Is it 'CATCH-up', 'catsup' or 'ketsup'?

So, I have a friend who has had a lot of time on her hands recently.  And because she isn't accustomed to this kind of freedom, she's climbing the walls.  She asked what I did all day long (as if I have somehow have this kind of free time as well...) and I texted her back a laundry list of things that fill my days.  One of my activities piqued her interest and she started a blog.  Well, she signed up for one.  As to what to post, how to make it pretty, etc. she's still a bit under water on those points.  But she'll get there.  


Why do I share this story with you?  Well, somewhere in our conversation she jabbed, "Okay Miss Blogger, it's time to get updated!"  Subtle, huh?  Sadly, I can't disagree with her because my last post was to recount Amelia's 4th birthday and here we sit, now just six days away from her 5th birthday!  Why is it that every year I have to post some massive entry that encompasses at least six months or more?  [sigh...]  Here's what we've missed in a nutshell:


JULY
Headed down to Cedar City for the Utah Shakespeare Festival with John & Jill and John, Katherine & Family.  Hiked Cedar breaks and Zion National Park.  Amelia wore her Junior Park Ranger badge just about the entire trip.

AUGUST
My sweet grandmother, Rheta Anderson Blackham, passed away at age 92.  She was amazing and I will be forever grateful for the notes, emails, texts, etc. that flooded in as she was slipping away from us.  We read and re-read them to her and they made us all smile.  Someday, I want to grow up to be just like her.

Amelia started at a new preschool, the Child and Family Development Center at the University of Utah.  She loved Ms. Mary, Ms. Tammy, and all of the other fantastic teachers and fellow classmates that made this school year fantastic!  She was especially proud that she designed her school bag.

SEPTEMBER
We just couldn't stay away!  Disney was calling and Amelia was thrilled that Gracey and Beckham joined us to play.  Love those girls together.

Once a year, Disneyland plays host to the mother of all competitions (if you love Disney).  Cast members are invited to pull together a team of four people to compete in Minnie's Moonlit Madness!  Tethered together with a length of rope and wearing headlamps that make you look super-cool, your team runs around Disneyland after the Park is closed to the public trying to solve scavenger hunt-like clues and activities.  Crazy fun.  That's all I have to say!

David and Brennan took Amelia, Amanda, and Olivia hiking up Millcreek Canyon.  Not sure who was more exhausted at the end of that adventure.  We also took advantage of the beautiful mountains that surround us by cooking tin foil dinners with the Mosses.  Look at us... enjoying nature.

OCTOBER
Amelia, as an ice cream cone, (not a cupcake, people!) loves Halloween at dad's office.  You meet celebrities there!

NOVEMBER
East High played host to Turkey Bowl XXVI.  Each year the muscles post-game get a little angrier and yet the tradition lives on!

DECEMBER
Amelia performed in Miss Julie's School of Dance Winter Recital.  Thank you, Nana and Grandpa for the beautiful flowers that make her feel like a prima donna.

What do you mean?  Doesn't every kid have to pose for the camera before tearing into their Christmas morning gifts?  Of note: this year, I bought an artificial tree.  And, this is so difficult to say because I really did miss the heavenly pine scent but, I LOVE IT!

Santa really does exist!  And he sampled the cookies and milk that Amelia left out for him.  Thanks to Elf Lorla for helping us pull this bit of holiday magic together.

JANUARY 2012
David's father, John, organized a trip for a few Harvard undergrads to the Hopi Reservation.  David was lucky enough to tag along.  He has great memories of accompanying his dad to Arizona as a kid when John would have legal work to do on the reservation.  Also on the packed itinerary - the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.

Back to Anahiem to participate in the Inaugural Tinkerbell Half Marathon, 5k, and Kid Races!  My mom, aunt Jen, cousins Rachel, Rebekah, Emma, and Alex met us there for all the fun.  Felicity, Gracey, and Beckham met us, too!

I don't suggest running a half marathon when you are six months pregnant.  It really kills your minutes-per-mile time.  But, if you do your math creatively, then you can count it as a full marathon - after all, you ARE running for two.  (Thanks for that pep talk, David.)

We happened to be in the Parks on Amanda's actual birthday, so the girlies got treated to the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique.  Can you say "GLAMOROUS"?  Caroline had pulled that wild pink hair out within the hour.  :)

Whew.  I'm exhausted.  That at least brings us up to the beginning of the new year.  Stay tuned for more 2012.  April alone deserves its own post.  (Love you, Jack.)

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

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!

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

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.

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).

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!