Nine Years Worth Celebrating

Jacob's birthday landed on a Monday this year. We had only just returned from a two week vacation in Utah on Saturday. We alternate between family and friend parties every year. This birthday bash was all about family fun. On Sunday Jacob started dreaming up all sorts of fancy cake ideas that I knew I had no right to even attempt. I find that candy is my favorite decorating tool or plastic figures that I can just put on top. In previous years I had succeeded at a Picachu cake & Pokemon Ball Cupcakes, but Jacob presented me with a turtle-like figure that set my head spinning. {{Think boring symmetrical shapes}} I googled masterpieces of said Pokemon figure made out of fondant.  Still... I am not an artist.  I am not a cake decorator.  I'm just the mom that's trying to make a cool enough cake for my kid.  I KNOW I can make it taste yummy.  And with Dreyer's Overloaded Cookie Dough ice cream on the side, how can I go wrong.

I saw photos of a mom (who apparently IS an artist AND a cake decorator) who produced a whole tray full of pokemon character cakes.  That's when I noticed the round purple character with the messy fur.  Who's that one?  Thus I was introduced to Tangela.  I don't know much about this character - is a he a water type or fire type.  I don't know from whence he evolved or to what he might become.  I just knew that I could create him on a round cake.  Like a mentioned before, I did forego trying to find PURPLE licorice string.  But this red guy looks mighty fine.  Works out so cute too because he kind of echos Jacob's huge locks of curls.

Monday morning Jacob was VERY interested in me getting out the door to do some shopping.  He knew that I hadn't purchased gifts.  So, after Jayson's nap, Jacob took a trip to the bike shop with dad and I took the other three to go birthday shopping for Jake. Jon & I decided that the boys needed larger bikes this year. We decided to make the purchases around their birthdays instead of at Christmas to spread out the expense.  So it works out to be like a birthday bonus.  

We ordered take out from Boston Market - Jacob's favorite restaurant.  Jacob fell in love with their chicken when we stayed at Give Kids the World Village.  Whenever he starts missing his special week in Florida, we can go to Boston Market and find their yummy lemonade, tasty chicken sandwiches, and CUTE chocolate cupcakes.  James always asks for their meatloaf too.  Anyway, I was relieved that we were having a tasty dinner that I didn't have to prepare.

After dinner, presents, candles, cake & ice cream, we had one more great adventure to experience together.  We loaded the minivan and headed over to Boomers!

They have all sorts of fun stuff. The kids drove the bumper boats, raced the cars, then headed inside for a round of Cosmic mini golf (Glow in the Dark is cool except for when the baby doesn't realize that he's about to walk off the stairs). Dad bought Icees (Jayson only dumped the one) and we played a bunch of Skeeball.