Kenzie's big gift

Kenz had her big third birthday bash last weekend.  We had friends and family over, and Kenz loved it.

Then she got her big gift from uncle Arnie: Kenz's first shotgun.

This, of course, has a story to it.  It was one of the first times Barb and Arnie had Cash and Kenzie over, and when Kristie showed up to pick them up, Arnie asked Kenz if she wanted to go shoot clay pigeons with him out at the range.  Kenz said sure and was all set to go before Kristie had to remind her that she needed to go home.

I thought we had her cured of this when we took her to Cabelas this summer.  She wanted to play a hunting game, but once she actually had to shoot the cute little animals, she wanted nothing to do with the game.

However, when Kenz opened her gift from Arnie, she saw that it was an extremely cool toy shotgun, replete with shells that were actually ejected from the gun once you pulled the double triggers!

Well, Kenzie hardly got to see it before one of her buds, Jake, eyed the gun and was pretty sure it was the coolest gift ever.

Here mom is showing it to Kenzie.  Jake is peeking in on it too.

While Kenz was distrated by the other gifts - namely two separate sets of doctor's equipment - Jake swooped in to play with the gun.

Here Arnie helps Jake with his form.  It won't be long before Jake was a real gun!  Jake had the best line of the day.  After seeing the gifts - especially the really, really cool shotgun - Jake confessed to his mother - and loud enough for all of us to hear - "Mom," he said, "it's just like heaven!"

Cash even had his eye on it!

Of course, I'm not exactly the great white hunter.  In fact, my passion for it ended years ago when I took my bb gun out and ended up actually hitting a sparrow (I had tried to shoot countless birds, a few dogs, and numerous cars - but I had never actually hit anything).  But I pegged this little sparrow right of a high line wire at the old depot across the street from my house in Red Lake Falls.  The bird just stared up at me with those beedie little eyes.  I was pretty much done with it right there.

But as long as Kenz wants to shoot clay pigeons, I'm more than happy to encourage her.  I just have to find a revenge gift to give Arnie's new grandson, Evan.  Maybe an Easy Bake oven!