birthdays and cakes...

Yesterday, my 7 year old turned eight!! Very hard to believe. We had a great day full of homemade salsa, mini cheesecakes, brownies, and a pound cake* with a brown-butter glaze. All but the brown-butter glaze was her choices, the glaze was mine.

I am horrible about scheduling birthday parties with the girls friends. Luke's is a bit easier being in January, many times with snow so I can send them out to sled, no snow in September so... And I love planning the decorations and preparing the food - but getting friends invited and everything executed is something I struggle with. Don't know why, some mental road block thing for me.

For both Lizzie's and Alli's birthday parties (with friends), I invited Mom's and other siblings to stay and play. I do this because, well, I always have my kids with me and it is sometimes easier to stay then drop off, unload/loadup. I just try to have enough snacks for everyone and make it a priority that the birthday friends get the "special plates, napkins" etc. first. My goal is that we fit in what the birthday child wants to do, but in as much of a relaxed manner as possible - with downtime just to play. So everyone has fun and as little stress as possible. Other Mom's always pitch in a hand where needed so things tend to go pretty smooth. I think/hope we did it yesterday.