Birthday Week

December is always a busy month for most people, but our lives are further blessed with two December birthdays in our family to boot. Add another three birthdays in extended fams and December is just one party after another. If felt a little weird not to have to plan quite as many parties with extended family, but we continued our own traditions with Braden and Macy.

On their birthday, the birthday person gets to choose the menu for the main meal. Braden chose pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, and corn, with a chocolate ice cream log for dessert.

Macy chose pigs in a blanket, veggies and dip, and an ice cream sandwich tower for dessert.

< We interrupt this blog post for an important Photo-Taking Tip. When you are taking a picture, be sure to check the background - not just the subject of the photo. For example, be sure that your background is not a counter laden with dirty dishes or that your beautiful symmetrical Christmas decorations do not form an unwanted set of mountain goat horns on your lovely birthday girl. >

Sheesh, how did I not see that when I took the picture???????? And that garland looks much better in real life!! Seriously...

Today, we also had a 'Friend Party' for Macy. We are thrilled that there are some English-speaking people in our church and the girls have made some good friends. The cake, however, was another disaster. Have I ranted here before that I just can't seem to bake here? Can't figure out some of the ingredients that are different, some of the different measurements/quantities; can't figure out the temperature, where to put the rack in the oven. BUT, good thing kids will eat anything and you can salvage almost anything with candy.

Before:
I even tried a cake mix this time, so I wouldn't have to fiddle with ingredients and quantities. It was cool, too...not just an "Add water and stir" cake mix. It was the batter already stirred, like a ganache, and I just squished it into the pan. What could go wrong? I'll tell you: the edges were over-done, the middle under-done and it stuck to my "well-greased" pan!

After:

After whipped cream, licorice, M&Ms and much other candy. I was a hero.

P.S. We ate the cake and ice cream and then promptly spent the rest of the afternoon outside, running off the sugar high.
P.P.S. It was plus 10 degrees Celsius and sunny here today ~ NOT bragging...just sayin' :)