It's Perfect!!

God has blessed me with an 8 year old!

My oldest turned 8 on Sunday,

so I got to share Mother's Day with him

(but he IS the reason I am a mom, so its ok)

As you know, every year, I make the kids cakes.

R couldn't make up his mind.

He started thinking about it and talking about it

2 months ago.

His ideas were all over the place too:

football & baseball

scouting with a bb gun and bow & arrow

waterslide cake

Angry Birds

Tae Kwon Do cake 

So the week of,

I started getting a little impatient and told him

if he didn't decide, I would!

So he made a list and went through and methodically

crossed out ideas.

He settled on a cake with waterslides.

OY!

So I started hunting the internet

and consulted another cake buddy.

I got a couple of ideas

and was doing lots of figuring,

in my head.

Then my sweet boy,

presented me with this:

His cake design,

complete with side views 

and dimensions

(look closely at the top of the page)

Um, ok, I can do that.

Then we decided to mix things up.

He is not a "huge" cake eater...

so I suggested an ice cream cake.

(why keep things simple?)

I started off with a plan and modified along the way,

then regretted said modifications.

Let's just say

frosting an ice cream cake with 

cool whip then trying to decorate with canned icing

(which I never use)

Not my best idea!!

And trying to "figure things out" while the cake is 

sitting on the counter waiting on me...

not the best idea either!

Ya think!!

Here is a pictorial of how it all went down! 

The players:

Assistant Coach: 

Luckily, I have 3 pans the exact same size...

These two held cake:

The third one: 

The ice cream.

I got creative here.  

My oldest's favorite ice cream flavor is 

mint chocolate chip

(yet one more way he is like his daddy)

The two of them are the only ones who like 

that flavor, so I talked him into a second flavor too.

Cause there is no way I am letting him eat a whole cake

by himself and it just wouldn't be nice to 

have a cake flavor that no one else

(but dad)

likes (like his siblings).

(even though I get a cake that daddy doesn't like)

Anyways, we settled on

half mint chocolate chip

and 

half chocolate chip cookie dough

Here it is:

Pop this bad boy in the freezer while the cake cooks and cools.

Unfortunately, I was so excited about how the cake look assembled,

and pre-iced, 

I showed daddy but forgot to take a picture to show you guys!

Sorry bout that!

So again a reminder of the design:

And the result:

Not my favorite cake...but it was exactly what 

my child drew.

I was really proud of how close I got to his design.

However, that was the only good picture of the cake,

cause the melting started quickly!!

Here you will notice the trim is melting off the back left side of the cake.

(why is it the baby's head on the far left is the only thing in focus?)

Hahahah!!!
The birthday boys is attempting to cut his frozen, ice cream cake.
The cake was still VERY frozen,
however, as you can see...
the trim is melting all down the side of the cake.

 Here are both flavors of the ice cream.

And here you can see just how bad and ugly the outside got.

 UGH!

But as I was cleaning up the kitchen afterwards,

I asked the birthday boy what he thought of his cake.

And he literally exclaimed:

It's Perfect!

Well there ya go!

Good enough for me.

I have a 6 year old!!! (again)

Our second born, J, was VERY close

to being a St. Patty's day baby.

But I couldn't take it anymore...

so he didn't make it.

We celebrated his 6th birthday this week!

I teased him all day the previous day,

telling him his cake wasn't finished,

his presents weren't wrapped,

he couldn't turn 6, 

I wasn't ready!

We laughed and joked but

dern it, 

he still turned 6

on Thursday!

He is our easy going,

very docile child.

He is very easy to please

and 

very eager to please.

Daddy took the day off 

and we decided on a day full of fun!

We *were* going to 

hit a special breakfast at SeaWorld,

then spend the day there.

Then take him to

the Rainforest Cafe for dinner.

We discussed all of this with him at dinner

two nights before his birthday,

then he informed us,

nope, I don't think I want to do that.

Ok, then what do you want to do?

I want to go to Peter Piper Pizza

(kinda like Chuck E Cheese - see I do know how to spell it!)

Instead, we took him to a new place 

that had been recommended to us.

The problem was

its Spring Break down here!

So this place was PACKED!!!

But it was NEAT!

Its called Incredible Pizza

(or something like that) 

and

it had EVERYTHING.

Indoor go-karts,

R got to drive his own car


Here is my passenger


Haha - you can't even see R in the lead car!!
(Ghost driver)

indoor bumper cars,
(which we did but didn't get pictures of)

indoor glow-in-the-dark putt putt,

Our daughter has her sports mixed up, but she has great form!

BIRTHDAY BOY!!!

tons of video games

and kiddie rides for the babies,

Feeding peanuts to zoo animals.

Wishful thinking...

I let her climb up on the end of the skeeball machine - but it didn't help.

AND

duck pin bowling!!


 
Again - she has a good form.

We had to convince the baby that he

was NOT allowed to WALK 

down the lane and knock down the pins!

This was J's favorite - they played twice.

Then a pizza/salad/taco/dessert/spaghetti buffet bar.

And it wasn't outrageously priced.

So that is where we went...

we spent 5 HOURS

there.

My feet hurt when we were done!!

Then the birthday boy decided he wanted 

steak and mashed potatoes 

for dinner.

So we went home and did just that.

Like I said, 

easy to please.

I enjoy doing things for my kids

and 

for whatever reason

(I think I got it from my mom)

I make the kids birthday cakes every year.

I started off easy...

but have gotten more and more daring

and more creative.

I am not scared to try new things,

but do stress out over each cake.
(ask my husband)

I do realize at the end of the day,

as long as they like it,

that is all that matters.

When I asked J a few weeks ago

what kind of cake he wanted,

he said - 

"I don't care,surprise me,

but no pink!"

Then he later asked for a strawberry cake,
so I bought the ingredients,
then when I informed him it would be pink,

he QUICKLY changed his mind!

Turkey!

My boys are obsessed with Skylanders.

So I jumped on-line 

(where I get my inspiration)

and saw that someone made a 

portal of power cake.

So...I figured...

here goes nothin!

I decided to get creative with the inside too.

My ultimate goal was to make the cake

look like the "thing" on the left!

Using homemade marshmallow fondant!

I was pleased with how it turned out...

I think I succeeded, cause look at that child's face!

In our house, the birthday kid, gets to make the first cut.

This is a tradition that they ALL look forward to!

J had a hard time with the fondant though,

he said it was too hard

and later it was referred to as "plastic"

by my father-in-law.  

He asked if you were supposed to eat it.

He didn't...

And the innards.

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!!!

I have decided I am going to use you

to help keep me accountable on my goals.

So here goes!

This Week's Goals:

1) Get up before kids - check

2) Get workout in before kids get up - check

(only if the kids have to stay in bed longer cause of talking to early - details)

3) Start reading Dave Ramsey's book - check

(first 45 pages read so far - 200 more to go)

So far so good!

Week In Review

This has been a busy week.

I have all but abandoned the

curriculum that had me 

giddy with excitement a few weeks ago.

After getting into it

and reading through 

the materials

it is just not me.

There are many reasons,

but suffice to say - 

the hunt continues!

I told you last week that 

R had written a letter to his old school mates.

At the request of one of my sisters...

we are adding letter writing to our weekly

lessons.  

So aunts and grandmas...

be patient and 

check your mail!

Each week a letter will be written to a different person.

It is an exciting addition to our lessons.

We officially signed A up for dance.

We chose the "hip hop/cheer/tumble" class.

Well actually, she did. 

And she LOVES it.

I captured a few pictures

through the glass.

They aren't the best, sorry.

(warm up laps around the studio)

notice the shirt!!  

Go Pack!!

stop for a couple of jumping jacks

 more jumping jacks

standing on their "x" spots

touchdown move!

We had a birthday this weekend.

 A turned the big 3!!

We started the day by getting up 

SUPER early to have everyone at 

another 8am basketball game. 

Then on to a football game.

Couldn't find a jacket that fit little man...

so we borrowed brother's.

He got a lot of laughs and giggles when I let him get down

and walk around a bit.

Makes me think of ET.

Let me out....

For those interested in keeping count

After this past weekend:

Blue Jays Basketball is 2-1

Wolfpack Flag Football is 2-1

We came home briefly to regroup. 

Then went to an eat-in theater to watch 

a private showing of

Beauty and the Beast.

(oddly no one else showed up to watch the 2pm showing)

That was a first

and 

AMAZING 

cause we could let the little ones wander

a little.

Then we took Ms. Priss to 

a habachi restaurant

which was NOT

like the ones back home

and it will probably be a one time visit to that one.

She passed out on the way home.

Then we had to wake her to do her cake

and presents.

Kitty pony tail holders that didn't make it through one church service without falling apart.

I stuffed the errant bow in daddy's pocket without telling him and he gave me the oddest 

look later when he found it.  (yep, he is a daddy of a little girl)

Everyone helped open gifts.

Hello Kitty (of course!!)

Made my your's truly!!

Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream - YUMMY!

and a great way to KILL a diet!!

T is trying to figure out where his candle is and why he didn't get one!!

Looks like he is ready to dive in!!

Sunday we did a little "Sunday driving"

and stumbled upon this pretty site!!

This is a river on the other side of the 

Medina Lake Dam...

you will see what is left of Medina Lake below.

This is Medina Lake.

The white all around the edges is where the water USED to be!!!

Apparently they drained the lake right before the drought down here

to do some work...

BIG MISTAKE!

If you look closely the "debris" on the far side of the hill are:

docks and a pontoon!!!

We actually looked at some property out this way.  

It was beautiful!!

6.33 acres

in a planned subdivision 

with a pool and clubhouse...

wonder what will become of this.

Then Monday we got some much needed rain.

I, personally, LOVE the humidity when it comes.

Feels more like home!

We got a nice steady soaking most of the afternoon.

The kids and I actually sat doing their school work

at the kitchen table with the back door open listening to

the rain.

Then as I started dinner, they wound up on the covered back porch.

And silly me, uttered the words...

"Don't get wet!"

Yeah - fat chance on that one!

I wish I would have taken more pictures, but I didn't 

want to encourage them in their blatant disobedience.

But I witnessed my 

two oldest boys

using coolers and anything they could find

to fill up

the babies' empty turtle sandbox

then they hiked their pant legs up to their knees

and proceeded to stomp and squeal with delight 

as they took turns in the turtle sandbox that they turned into a kiddy pool.

(as much as a 7 yo and 5 yo boy squeal with delight anyways)

All daddy and I could do was just sit there and watch.

Eventually the baby girl got chilly and came in.

Then things got crazy and the boys

asked to go on the 

trampoline...

Hopefully I got some cool mommy points from the boys for this. 

I remember the joy of playing in the rain

when I was a kid.