My Dad’s first second third birthday celebration today was sensational! (You only turn 55 once!) 
My Mom pulled out all the stops and whipped up a BBQ fit for a King. It was actually the same meal we had for my Dad’s birthday last year, and included ALL his faves!
We had creamy, homemade Potato Salad – honestly, I cannot/will not eat any other potato salads but my Mom’s!
Thick, sweet & smokey Baked Beans – my favorite thing on the plate!
Char-grilled, mustard-topped Brats,
and…pickles…
Ughhhh – I love this meal! It’s our family’s “classic” BBQ menu and eating it is honestly one of my favorite things about summer. It’s true. 
Maybe you were wondering where the classic IGE family Pepperidge Farms Birthday Cake has been hiding? Here! Right here! We were saving it for today!
Surprised from behind!
Small issue with the candles going out and the birthday boy having to re-light them himself…no big deal…
Heeeeey! There we go!
Yeah, yeah, yeah – let’s get those candles out so we can CHOW!
omg…I LIVE for this cake! Creamy, sweet, moist – perfect.
And you didn’t think we only got the guy clothes, did you?! Oh no – this man deserves a new set of Calloway golf clubs, and that’s exactly what he got!
We were waiting to give them to him today, when we were all together at home. He loved them so much, he got choked up. Told you – world’s most sensitive Dad!
He gave his new clubs a few practice swings…
and Finn thought it was the funniest thing in the world. You should have heard him giggling at his Papa!
Oh, don’t worry – his little shirt says “Worlds cutest alarm clock” – I mean!!!!
The family picture was a bit of a debacle, but it’s family nonetheless! One last time – Happy birthday Dad!
Afterwards, Ben and I went to spend some time with his folks. We had a very nice chat! Then I came home and planted the world’s smallest pot of basil.
Seriously.
HA! I couldn’t stop giggling at it, actually! It’s a little starter kit I got form Target for $1, like, 2 months ago. I’m sick of paying $2.69 for a sickly carton of basil at the grocery store every week, so I planted my seeds today.
I usually pick up a couple starter plants at the Farmer’s Market each year, but haven’t yet for whatever reason. We’ll see how this little guy goes though. I actually can’t wait for it to sprout – seeing your plant go from seed to sprout is so rewarding!
Well it’s T-minus 66 minutes until the LOST series finale event. 6-8pm is behind the scenes footage, cast interviews, inside secrets and what not. 8-10pm is THE FINAL EPISODE! I’m sad!
Anywho – talk to you tomorrow!
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What are some of the best birthday gifts you’ve ever received?
I got a car one year – that was pretty great!
It’s actually probably a good thing that you got a teensy basil plant, considering it’s just you and hubby living/eating there.
I made the mistake of buying a medium-ish sized Basil plant last summer from Home Depot , and if you don’t use/pick the leaves in time, they wilt and die and in my experience,frozen basil was not the same at all!
I love window sill herbs though . I did the same as you, got sick of paying twice the amount at the grocery store as a plant costs
My family loves the Pepperidge Farm cakes, too! Yummy:)
Aww, your dad is so cute! I loved that he teared up at his golf clubs. What a family you have!
Glad it was another perfect Sunday for you girl. Enjoy LOST!
Best gift ever was our GPS for our wedding. It has gotten us out so many dilemmas.
your dad is adorable! your parents always look like they’re so happy, God bless them.
when i turned 22, my parents found a disqualified service dog–its a bit of a joke; he didn’t make the cut to be a rescue pet and when i was a kid, i didn’t qualify for a seizure dog, but we found each other anyway. i cant think of any material item that could possibly mean more to me than my pup(who’s still a big baby four years later).<3
For my 30th birthday, my sister flew me to Vegas for a weekend (we really wanted to go to the Star Trek experience).
I love BBQs, and birthdays, and family!! Looks like such a great time! My best birthday present was the tiffany’s necklace my parents gave me for my 21st, it makes me think of them every time I wear it!
Aw, what a cute little cake for your dad! Your parents look like so much fun. Makes me wish my parents were closer by.
We had the EXACT same thing for supper tonight (except for the pickle and cake). Yum! Isn’t it funny how the only potato salad that is good is your own mother’s?! I’m the same way!
I bought a basil plant @ dahl’s… It was seriously cheaper to buy a starter plant than the fresh herbs. So far so good!
amazing post
i grew up in MN and i swear my dad looks a little like your dad!
and bdays and summer time at our house looks just like yours, i.e. baked beans, always
Love your dad’s cake! I think it’s so sweet how you hang out with your parents every Sunday
Bets birthday gift…I always lthink the stuff I get every year is better than the one before, but I think this year will be good – my family have pooled together to get me a new camera! I can’t wait for next weekend when I get it!!
Looks like Iowa Dad was properly spoiled! Yay!
I made your tofu today Kristin! I was a little skeptical halfway through the baking (well ten minutes in) because it was awfully…rubbery. But I think in my impatience I hadn’t pressed enough water out. I cooked it for longer and bumped the heat up a tad and it came out yummy in the end! I added a bit of red pepper flakes and lots of sesame seeds (and used honey instead of agave) and it was so yummy! The sesame seeds taste so good after being in the oven! Thanks for the recipe!
Basil one of the easiest/cheapest things we’ve ever grown! I highly recommend it even if you don’t like gardening. We plant a very small sweet basil plant (the cheapest size at HyVee/Lowes) outside our front door every summer, and with minimal attention, we get more than we know what to do with. Starting from seeds might take a while!
We got one of those tiny little plants too – it was a strawberry plant. It took a few weeks but we’ve got tiny little seedlings!
Lost was a tear jerker last night. I can’t tell you how many times I got weepy. it was a good episode, i’ll miss the show sooo much!
I’ve gotten one of those $1 plants from the Target dollar section too! haha.
It didn’t do anything though… But I’ve also grown basil that was already started from Hy-Vee or something. It was in my apartment and not in a very good location, so it died off after a few months, but until it died I ate it all the time and it was SO GOOD! Hy-Vee’s pre-packaged basil leaves suck because they’re always wilty and moldy and SO EXPENSIVE! As soon as I move into my new apartment this summer I’m totally getting a window-box herb garden. Good luck with your basil!!! 
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