It's Another Happy April for Every Happy Fool

Annika woke up one April Fool's day, and she was ten years old!  Time, O time, you betrayer...

The day began with your unbelievable monkey bread recipe, Aunt Karen, per Annika's request.  (I don't have storebought biscuits, so I made a sweet yeast dough, instead, but I followed everything else to the letter.)

This, yes, this will go on buildabelly.

In addition to Aunt Karen's monkey bread, birthday breakfast included cheesy eggs and PAPA'S home fries, because John's really are superior to mine.  She ran off on a date with John that night, but then she got a second birthday supper of chiles rellenos the next night, so ten must be a blowout year.  TWO birthday suppers...I'd like to turn ten again, myself.

Zeke doesn't care how old he is, as long as, unclothed, he can partake in everyone else's feasts.

I made everyone finish their eggs and potatoes before tearing into the monkey bread, but once I fired the starting pistol, they devoured half of it within minutes.

It's safe to say that this is a big hit, so thank you, Aunt Karen!

Her cake should have been the easiest one ever, because she just wanted a hill and a cave onto which to plop all her figurines, but I messed it up in every possible way, from a bland, rubbery cake to droopy butter frosting. Then, to top it off, I accidentally lit her new Minotaur figurine ON FIRE when I lit the candles.  

She was cheerful through it all!  She's the best Annika ever.

Before we ate the rubber-cake, though, the girls put on a play for us.  I have only this one picture of my feet, and the between-scenes closed door.  Huh.  Way to go, mom photographer.

Happy, happy girl. 

And, finally, the moment for which she's waited a couple of years-- the unveiling of her Tenth Birthday Quilt from my mom.  Annika requested only that it include the colors green, red, yellow, orange, blue, and more, and Mopsy delivered.

We love you, Nixie!  You are and always will be a delight, and we are so glad to enjoy you!