I had been working 3 12-hour shifts each week, meaning I didn't go to work 4 days each week. A week ago, I started a new job with regular (8-4:30 M-F) hours. While I don't get to be stay at home mommy at least two weekdays each week, I am not working evenings, which means I can be home for bedtime and supper. I've certainly missed having regular meals with my family and "tag-teaming" the evenings with my husband. So, woohoo!
My daughter's first birthday was this week and we had planned to have her party the following Saturday. This means, of course, that I started a new job working five days each week on Monday and then had 23 family members over for supper and an additional 7 over for cake to celebrate. Anyone who has ever hosted a birthday party knows that means getting the house clean, prepping the food, setting up activities or decorations, keeping the kids and dog happy...or at least occupied, and so much more!
Honestly, I give all the credit in the world for getting this party going to my fabulous hubby Will for many reasons. First, he got me a cleaning lady for Christmas. She was able to come before the party to do the bulk of the housecleaning. Woo Hoo! and Check! Second, he did the baking for the party! He loves to bake...bread, muffins, cakes, rolls, biscuits, brownies (yum), pretty much anything! Here's the picture of the cupcakes:
Obviously, the theme of the party was butterflies! So cute! The chocolate-looking ones are yellow cupcakes with ganache frosting (delicious) and made all from scratch! And the purple ones are ultimate chocolate cupcakes with ganache filling and vanilla creme frosting. Again - all from scratch!
He also made a yellow round cake from scratch and buttercreme frosting. With my artistic (?) touch, this is what it looked like:
This was sooo simple to do. I'm really about as artistic as a blob of goo. You cut a round cake in two to make two half circles, flip flop them and cut triangles out to make it look like wings. I added licorice for antenae and the body. It's a layer cake which looked fabulous cut open! This was so fun!
And the baby got her own cake, of course, to devour!
Chocolate cake with ganache filling. Vanilla creme frosting. And yes...the green around the edges is all buttercreme frosting. All of it. Nothing under there. No cake, no air, nothing. All frosting. For a one-year old.
Which, after a few minutes, looks like this:
Oh yeah, fab hubby I mentioned? He also made the burgers and dogs and home made buns. Many thanks to family for bringing salads and veggies! My food contribution was Jell-O jigglers. Jigglers. I mean really. Boil water, add powder mix stuff. Stir. Wait a few hours. Show 4 year old how to cut out squares and put them on a platter. Wow. As I said, I'm grateful for hubby for what he did! Party wouldn't have happened without him! Perhaps I should update his "I love you because" picture:
"I love you because" is written in permanent marker and space everywhere else to write in erasable marker why we love that person. As you can see, my son loves his daddy because he helps him (the 4 year old) mow the lawn! 