Birthdays...X 3. Hubby, son, and granddaughter. ????, 42, 12.
It's a travel day to get there.
Clothes...check.
Presents....check.
Talking books.....check
Wheaten, rill, mitered cross blanket....oh, wait, I think I need to toss in some dishrag yarn......check, check, check, and check. (We'll be gone almost 48 hours. I need choices, right?)
Birthday cake. Birthday cake?? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
My son has had a 'hamburger' birthday cake since he was a little boy. We've gone through many cake designers...one died, two retired, and this was a transition year once more. I talked to the owner of this new-to-me cake shop.....she was excited about making his cake (especially with its 30+ year 'tradition'). I had talked to her again last week, so you can imagine my surprise when I stopped to pick it up right before leaving town to find......she forgot. FORGOT?!!! And she didn't even offer a substitute (not that we could have had a substitute, but still.....)
I hustled home, scoured the internet (I love you, Internet!!!...love love love!!!) for custom cakes in HIS hometown, made a quick call, and secured a cake for the next day (Valentine's Day, his birthday). If this call isn't made months in advance in MY town, between weddings and Valentine cakes I don't have a prayer of a chance of getting one. (Obviously, this year even that didn't matter.) The few minutes of utter panic was worth the silver lining ...... we found a very convenient, very delicious, very artful 'hamburger' (and at a third of the price, but that really was simply the proverbial icing on the cake this year) from a well respected family-run business minutes from his house. (I now have them on speed-dial.)
We had a lovely visit, in spite of the fact that son had to work most of the weekend, and our grandson lost his basketball game by only four points (two points if you don't count the basket one of his teammates scored for the opposition....we're still at the age where this 'uh-oh' caused unrelenting tears).
We had piano concerts, mini knitting sessions (consisting of primarily untangling yarn, but it was still yarn-worthy time), some cooking with the 12 year old (she cooked, I was simply sous-chef...how quickly our roles have reversed), a marathon game of Charades that lasted nearly the entire two days (although at times we found the 4 year old playing by herself), and a belated birthday lunch with the now 8 year old (we missed being at her birthday party this year).
We made up for it.
And---we made it safely back home before the winter storm hit.
It was a very fine weekend.
joining Karen for weekending!
I am so happy you had a good time, that cake is awesome and you are one fantastic mom! I bet you cannot wait to visit again, maybe when the weather is less crazy. Love that last photo, too cute :)
Posted by: karen | 02/15/2015 at 03:44 PM
I am glad you had a great time and are now home safe and warm.
I love the hamburger cake and am so thankful you were able to get one,
I can't believe she forgot! Did it taste as good as it looks?
Grands really are grand aren't they? :)
Hope you are prepared for the blast that's going to hit. We are expecting the super cold on Thursday. I've been inside most of the weekend, I'm sick!:(
Posted by: Tracey | 02/15/2015 at 03:56 PM
What a wonderful time! Yikes about the cake-that was a rather a scary moment. So how does the Hamburger cake taste? Happiest of birthday wishes to all your loves!
How much of the knitting were you able to squeeze in?
Posted by: Andi | 02/15/2015 at 04:32 PM
this was probably among the top 5 cakes in taste and appearance (we do have years of comparison, so it actually ranked rather high, but maybe not THE BEST E_V_E_R). Knitting? Lots of car knitting. '0' visiting-knitting. It was still good!!!
Posted by: steph@woolythyme | 02/15/2015 at 04:38 PM
Best wishes to your lovely family!
Posted by: Alina | 02/15/2015 at 07:19 PM
Best wishes to your lovely family!
Posted by: Alina | 02/15/2015 at 07:19 PM
LOVE that hamburger cake--that is wonderfully FUN! Glad a cake worked out in the end... How does a bakery forget an order??!! Glad it was fun weekend all in all--love the pics! :o) ((HUGS))
Posted by: Tracy | 02/16/2015 at 02:53 AM
many many congratulations.Best wishes to your lovely family!
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Posted by: Jyoti gupta | 02/16/2015 at 06:05 AM
She FORGOT. Oh, wow! You went to plan B so well, Steph! And,it worked out better anyway!! Yea!! Sounds like a wonderful weekend of celebration! Three birthdays and Valentine's Day! That last photo is priceless! blessings ~ tanna
Posted by: tanna | 02/16/2015 at 06:14 AM
best wishes and love for your family.
Posted by: Ryan | 02/16/2015 at 06:48 AM
Sounds like great fun - apart from the cake stress! Happy Birthday to one and all! xx
Posted by: Amy at love made my home | 02/16/2015 at 09:58 AM
It sounds like a lot of fun. How frustrating about the cake, though. I'm glad it all worked out, it sounds like a fun tradition to have a hamburger cake every year and that cake is really cool!
Posted by: Jennifer | 02/16/2015 at 12:29 PM
Thanks for visiting my blog!
Isn't it true that sometimes tragic things (forgotten cake) turn out for the best. Sounds like the bakery in your family's town turned out very well for you!
Car travel is good knitting time!
Posted by: Darlene | 02/16/2015 at 05:06 PM
I'm still in awe (in the very worst way) that she forgot! How?????
Posted by: Laura | 02/16/2015 at 07:52 PM
Happy birthdays Steph, we have been in much the same boat with nine birthdays in two months. Love that cake, how FUN :) However, that last photo takes the cake - talk about sweet! Xo
Posted by: Leigh | 02/17/2015 at 07:26 AM
I'm so glad it all worked out in the end! I love that you were able to continue the excellent tradition of the hamburger birthday cake. Seriously, how sweet is that?!? Almost as sweet as the silly last picture!
Posted by: ellen | 02/17/2015 at 01:15 PM
Love the last shot- too fun. happy late birthday every one!
Posted by: Camilla | 02/17/2015 at 05:32 PM