Birthday food

The birthday cake, which reads, I just can't quit you! because try as she might

my Mom can't seem to get away from them. She's mostly raw, but those cravings die hard! (And a few chips were eaten, but she wouldn't let me get a picture of her eating them!)

I don't know what you call this, but it's a bunch of vegetables cooked together and it's actually good.

It's kind of strange but my Dad has entirely stopped arranging my Mom's parties. I think she was the one who usually bought all the party supplies anyway. But in recent years he's decided that it is her children's responsibility to plan and carry out all of her birthday party. Claire drew a picture on the mirror for the party. This year Laura took on most of the burden, doing the home cleanup beforehand and hanging the pineapples and banner. She bought the tablecloth and ice-cream and soda. She also made the burgers for those of us who weren't eating raw. Thanks Laura! I made the cake and had the kids make the birthday banner. Doesn't sound like much, but both were time consuming. And I had to buy indgredients and supplies for the cake as well. This was the first time I experimented with fondant. The chips around the edge were fondant and the red and yellow circle was fondant. (all words and the chips on the cake were homemade iceing) And it was lightly sprayed with butter spray to give it a bit of shine like a real bag of chips. I never realized how much work goes into having a party. By the time I was old enough to be throwing them myself, I had children and wasn't able to be as much help (to my Mom, mother-in-law, and other people at get-together's we've attended) as I'd have liked. I've always thought that was a real shame-that once I realized how much help was needed, I was unable to give much. So I would like to thank anyone who's ever invited us over, for whatever, and apologize for not being much help. When I get to the point where I don't always have a baby-in-arms, or have to be supervising so nothing gets broken or anyone injured, then I will gladly help out more. Please bear with me until then!!