Monday, October 1, 2012

Partay

On Saturday we had James and Audrey’s 5th birthday party and it was a huge success!! Every year I claim that this is my last party. Not going to throw another birthday party. They are too much work and cause me too much stress because I am a perfectionist. In all honesty, it’s not the actual party itself that gets me but the making and decorating of “the cakes.” I like to bake and really like to think of myself as cake decorator extrodinare but it’s really just all my imagination. Since I like to bake cakes and I can successfully ice one, I think I can whip out some Cake Boss quality things. Just by looking at what I want to do and saying “I can do that. No problem.”

One would think that since I know what causes me all the stress that I would simply eliminate that part and just pay someone to do it for me. I mean, that’s what any logical, normal person would do. Well I am neither, I suppose, and I am stubborn and hard headed and perhaps a little prideful. But I do sincerely wish to make our children’s cakes myself for the simple fact that I do consider it a labor of love. And I do enjoy creating them. Until the disaster happens that always seems to happen.

This time it was the icing for Audrey’s Barbie cake. I had decided to just use some white icing to pipe with around the edges that was already made and in a tube. Well, dummy me didn’t buy enough and I ran out. My mother in law went to the store for and of course Wal Mart didn’t have any. SO I whipped up some home made but I guess it was too hot in my kitchen and the icing kept getting too warm so it basically was just dripping out of the piping bag. Not to mention that it was not white but cream colored. This was at 9:30 at night. I scrapped everything off, made some more and finally got half of what I wanted on the bottom and top edges of the blasted “dress" and then pulled out the edible pink glitter, sprinkled it all over the cake and finally felt satisfied that it at least looked feminine enough. Even if it was sorta lopsided :)








I kept the cakes a surprise from the kids (which added to the pressure of perfection I think) and James was beyond excited to see his Angry Bird cake!! Audrey, on the other hand, was almost horrified when she saw her Cinderella Barbie stuck in her cake. (Perhaps I should of chosen one that was not so special?!!) She was not impressed and said “Mama but why did you do that? I NEED her.” I couldn’t help but laugh. All that worrying about having the “perfect looking cake” for my daughter and all she cared about was that I had stuck her barbie in some cake! Children really do teach you valuable lessons. She did like it though after I explained that the cake part was Cinderella’s ball gown and that she was gonna get to eat it. She thought that was hilarious :)

3 comments:

Becky said...

OH, Amanda! This is the funniest post ever. I absolutely love the description of your cake baking desires. The cakes were beautiful, and the best part was Audrey's reaction. WONDERFUL!

Nelda said...

Oh my goodness. I so don't find it easy to laugh outloud but everytime I read about Audrey and her fav Barbie I just crack up!

Glad James was excited about his cake and yes, you are so right, it is a HUGE labor of love and I love your desire to make their own cakes! Homemade is good!!!

Emily said...

hehehehe I can SO relate. I have a tendency to look at something (anything really, not just cakes) and say, "Oh I can definitely do that. Piece of cake!" (Yes, pun intended.) And, well, it does get done. And it usually does turn out alright. But the stress...oh, the stress! One day when I am older and wiser, maybe I will accept that I am not The Cake Boss AND a shade tree mechanic AND that guy who hosts This Old House. But until then, I guess I can enjoy having some company. :)

P.S. The cakes turned out really cute!

P.P.S. I'm really glad I only ever have to make one cake per party. Reason #361 that you make me glad my babies have come one at a time! HA!