Thursday, March 31, 2016
We
had a fun day on Ryan's birthday. It ended up being a bacon themed birthday. I
started in the morning and it ended up taking me all day to make dinner and the
cake with stopping to take care of kids and eat every now and then.
So,
in the morning, Jared and Karl came to be my kitchen helpers. We started with
baking the cake. I wanted to make Ryan a maple-bacon cake, so I used a cake recipe
I already had and added imitation maple instead of vanilla. While the cake
cooled, we prepped the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts and twice-baked potatoes,
and chopped the pork ribs.
Once
the cake was cooled and half frozen, we whipped up the maple frosting. To frost
it, I put a layer of frosting in the middle and then sprinkled some crumbled
bacon. After frosting the outside I also put crumbled bacon on the sides of the
cake. I decorated the top with these bacon looking icing decorations. I had
seen them at the grocery store very soon after we moved to Michigan and new
they would be good for something. The boys loved this part and each helped put
on a few of the bacon icings.
The
day before the boys had helped me make a banner for Ryan, with bacon letters.
Jared drew a ton of “bacon guys” and “splatters.” Karl also did some of his own
art work, and Emmaline loaned me her hands to help decorate.
When
I knew Ryan would be home soon, I stopped what I was doing and set his presents
out on the couch in the front room. I had also blown up a few balloons for the
boys and to decorate.
When
Ryan got home I was just finishing up dinner preparations with bacon-cream cheese wantons and the
bbq ribs. But, I stopped so Ryan could open his presents. From the boys he got
a bucket of vanilla ice cream and some straw-spoons for milk shakes. The boys were
really excited about their gift for him! Jared also wrote him a birthday card
in his own handwriting. From me he got the best, most amazing gift of all!!! ;D
About
two months before his birthday I had the idea of asking Ryan’s brother, Eric, who
has done some nice wood work and made something similar for a collection of his
wife’s, if he could make a display for Ryan’s key chain. It turned out he was
willing to do it and had his own ideas for the design, which were above and
beyond what I had in mind. It turned out really great!! Mark and Kris were able
to bring it to me when they came for Emmaline’s blessing and I was able to hide
it until this day.
Ryan
was pretty surprised and impressed when he got to see it. I don’t think it was
at all what he was expecting. He ended up mounting it that following weekend
and now we have a one-of-a-kind set of keys hanging on our wall. Ryan says he
wants to enjoy it like it is before he puts key chains on it, so maybe in a few
weeks.
After
presents we had cake and ice cream. Jared and Karl were really excited to eat the little
bacon icings and almost started eating them before the song. But, we did sing
to Ryan and he blew out all his candles: two orange and nine blue for 29. He’s
just getting too old for me to put on all those candles. ;)
