Piper Turns One!

It's hard to imagine

But it has been a year

since our youngest Grand,

Piper,

was born

And we celebrated!

But the best part of the celebration . . .

It was at Linderhof!

We decided to do a garden party

(Daughter Sarah lives in Minnesota where August temperatures are in the 70s to low 80s --

we forgot that the party would be in KANSAS where August temperatures are often 100 plus heat index!)

But the gods smiled . . . 

It was almost Minnesota weather

(or perhaps an Minnesota August heat wave weather)

Temps in the low 80s

and with relative low humidity

And a breeze!

 So everyone would know what we were celebrating!

All of the invited guests came . . .

which meant that we had both a full house and a full garden!

And for birthday parties, we offer typical Linderhof hospitality

first dinner . . . 

Sarah and I have figured out if you feed outside,

it's still better to serve food inside

Our traditional celebratory meal

(summer or winter)

Linderhof brisket, Smokestack baked beans and my grandmother's coleslaw

This year we added fresh vegetables and dip and a bowl of mixed fruit

(we had several dieting guests and wanted to make sure everyone had something to eat)

After dinner, it was time for cake . . . 

Piper's personal cake

A wee little "smash" cake

tradition now for first birthdays

Piper did not smash quite as much as her sister

(or her mother for that matter, although Sarah's was a piece not a whole cake --

smash cakes being a new tradition)

And, of course, everyone came to the garden

for pictures, 

to sing Happy Birthday

(including Doogie who raised his voice in song)

And watch Piper as she

"smashed" her cake!

A big cake for the adults

Served, of course, with vanilla ice cream

And cookies, for those who didn't want cake

or for those who wanted cake and cookies

Big Sister Lucy helped decorate Piper's cookies

(she put the yellow centers on the flower cookies and the sprinkles on the Number Ones)

Children are fascinated by ponds and fish

(we're trying to find out if they're counting or trying to catch)

And the garden was a perfect place

. . . for the children to play

And for adults to visit

Tradition from all those years ago

When Jim and I gifted Daughter Sarah

with her toy trunk

An old trunk that I painted and antiqued, wall papered on the inside

And then painted Holly Hobbie girls on the front

Piper's

At Daughter Sarah's request

was painted with Sandpipers

(Front and sides)

and a map of the part of Lake Minnetonka where they live on the top.

Tradition is also a picture of the birthday girl

In her trunk!

It was a grand party

It was fun to celebrate such a special occasion with family and friends

And it will be a day I always remember . . .