Saturday, Kennedy’s cousin Hope celebrated her 7th birthday at the waterpark at a place called LETRA (Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area, I think.) It’s on Ft. Sill, and it has water slides and a swimming beach, all for the low price of $6 a car. It has covered picnic areas, and the adults sat around and visited, while the kids ran their heads off. It’s a neat place. After, we toured Jason and Crystal’s new home site. It had just been framed, and it was exciting to see. I can’t wait to get started on our own.

That night, Walt’s cousin Cody married his sweetheart Heather in a ceremony at the Shull farm. The colors were a beautiful deep purple and an orangish-pinkish color. The flowers were stunning and the bride’s dress was beautiful (and giant as the kids kept saying.) Thunderstorms threatened after the ceremony, so the festivities were moved to the American Legion. Walt, Nick and I moved the very tall and very expensive looking cakes for them. It was a little nerve-wracking. Kennedy and Zoe ran around the entire time. We made it home around 11:30.
Sunday, the day of Kennedy’s birthday and actual party, we headed to church at St. Monica’s and by Wal-mart for some last minute supplies. Anna, Myra, and Hannah were the first guests to arrive (they stayed the night) and the girls got right into the pool. Everyone else showed up a short time after, and we turned on the slip n slide and let the girls (and Jackson) do water balloons. I don’t think Walt had a very good time blowing them up, but the kids liked throwing them.
We had to move the tables under the carport when it began to sprinkle a bit, but it didn’t last very long, and I don’t think the kids even got out of the pool. Walt manned the grill, cooking hot dogs and hamburgers. Kennedy wanted to get him an apron that said, “King of the Grill,” but we couldn’t find one. Later, she confessed that Papa was really the king of the grill, and her dad just must be a prince or something.

Since the “theme” this year was a cookout, I decided to make a cake shaped like a hamburger. Actually, I tried to chicken out, but Kennedy said, “I already told my friends that you are making it.” So, I forged ahead, and it wasn’t too difficult at all. I used yellow cake for the bun. The bottom was cooked in a regular cake pan and the top bun in a glass bowl. The “meat” was a round brownie. I tinted regular icing tan for the bun. Then I used fondant for all of the condiments. I rolled out cheese and lettuce. Then I cut out pickles, complete with seeds, and tomatoes, with sections cut out of the slices. Kennedy wanted ketchup, so I squirted red icing around to cover imperfections and complete the look.

I was pretty pleased at how well it turned out, and I have to say that I was the least stressed I have ever been before, during and after one of K.’s birthday parties. I had fun doing all of it, including the cake, and look forward to doing it again next year. Kennedy and Walt both did so much to help out this year. K. did a lot on the cake and iced all the cupcakes and Walt did everything from the yard to helping with the food.
I asked Ken how I would ever top that cake (she was pretty impressed, too) and her idea was simple, “Make a really bad cake next year, and then the year after any cake you make will be awesome!” I love my different little girl! Thanks for 7 great years, Sugar Bear!