Let Them Eat Cake...

The weekend before Brenden's birthday, we drove up to Soda Springs on Friday to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen. Then, we packed up again and drove to Idaho Falls to see Trent's sister and her family Saturday morning. They have a beautiful home, plenty of train toys, a comfortable bed, and a sweet baseball setup (this will be especially nice in a few more years when the boys...and girls...are all older and can play at the Ranch).
Traci did an exceptional job making and decorating a plane cake for M and Brenden's birthdays. They are only days apart. Tree & kids, Grandpa and Grandma and Great Grandma Sorensen all drove up to Idaho Falls to sing Happy Birthday and Eat Cake!

So nice to have so much family around.

Brenden goes for the wing.

Sunday we drove home and Monday we welcomed a few guests

Grandpa, Grandma and my Aunt and cousin and others came over for some more cake. Honeybaked ham sandwiches and fresh fruit salad with a few Marie Callenders pies are a splendid way to celebrate another year of living. (Mom is holding my other cousin-Sam W. H.'s new baby).

Clay, Ash, Mad.  (Ash and my Dad have a camera picture taking problem. Court does too, but she wasn't around to prove it).

Oh, I lied. This night was pizza, potato salad, fruit salad, green salad and chocolate cake.

Steph, Chelsea, and Sam...family of my family.

Sam and Todd. So nice that they were passing through town while we had a party going on. And little Hewgie was adorable and fun to hold.

Excited. When Grandpa and Grandma first came into town and walked into the house, Brenden stood at the top of the stairs, hit the ground and said, "You came! It's my Birthday!" I think this is the first year that he really understood what all this party, cake and celebration stuff means. And it was nice that he got to celebrate it with so much family from both sides the year before we head to Akron, Ohio for the next 3 years where he'll most likely have no family around for his next parties.

Hehehe

And I don't think he got one bit of chocolate on his shirt. There was enough on his face by the time he was done, though.

Somebody told him to make a bunch of faces. He was just being obedient.

We had a train party this year. Out of all the options at the party store (Cars, Toy Story, Army, Construction, Mickey Mouse, Pirates), he picked Thomas.

(Don't tell Brenden, but to give him more things to open, I pulled out a book from his bookcase that he rarely, if ever, reads and put some wrapping paper around it. The kid never knew the difference and has since read it a few times cause it was a special gift on his birthday)   :)

My cousin Natalie and her boys were so good to have over and the boys played so well together.

Steph and cute, happy baby Abs. We were lucky that she drove all the way from Phoenix to join in the party. Maybe we can get her to drive over to Akron next year?

A train like my brother Scotty had as a kid, I think he did at least. It has a whistle, light and real smoke that comes out. No matter that it says Santa Express on it. The kid can't read yet. It was for Christmas, but his Grandma Sorensen got him a cool train, so we held onto it for 4 months and presented it to him since the Train addiction hasn't subsided yet.

The party lasted into the wee-hours for baby K Mae (past 8pm), so she got a bath and bedtime story and was sent to bed before the party was broken up and everyone went home. Poppy was nice to read her the bedtime story....about a Train.

Captivated.

Woody and Jesse on standby to ride the rails. Bullseye just didn't cut it when they needed some speed.

And don't forget Hedda on the right who came all the way from Sweden to celebrate with Brenden. How sweet of her. We're so glad she came and hope she felt a little closer to home with the colder weather and Ikea so close by. Next time she visits, we'll have to take her to the top floor and have her tell us if their restaurant Swedish Meatballs really are authentic or not. She was able to stock up on a few non perishables to take back to Vegas...Easter Soda isn't bad.

All in all, it was a great time. We feel so grateful to Traci and her family for letting us crash their party and hosting us so generously, and Great Grandma, Grandpa, Grandma, Tree & kids who traveled to watch the cousins blow out candles together in Idaho. And for my family who also made the drive for some cake eating, candle blowing action in Utah. Brenden went to sleep a very happy boy. How wonderful to have family who will show a kid just how loved he is. He can definitely feel it. Thank you.