Happy Birthday Michael!

Michael's birthday was this week and he's depressed. "35 sounds like you are in your mid-thirties, but 36 sounds like you're 40!" he tells me. That one little year makes a lot of difference somehow.

And Michael did NOT cooperate for pictures. He doesn't like pictures, so he wouldn't smile for the camera. These are the best I could get.

Once you are an adult, you get one candle at our house. If I had put 36 on the cake, he may have been able to hide behind them in this picture.

Joshua was very excited to watch/help Michael open his presents. Michael really did smile - just not when the camera was pointed at him.

Here is Joshua jumping up and down with excitement as Michael opens his present.

What kind of cake? Ice cream cake!

I have never made this before, but I decided to try something new. I made golden vanilla cake (from the box mix), and baked it in a 9-inch springform pan. When cool, I wrapped and froze it overnight. To assemble, split cake, spread strawberry ice cream topping on bottom layer, then softened strawberry ice cream, and then some more strawberry ice cream topping. Replace top and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze 4 hours. Frost with pudding/whipped topping mixture and freeze again (3-4 hours). Kids loved it and actually ate their cake with the ice cream this time! (nevermind the sink in the middle, or the uneven frosting on either side of the cake, or the smashed right side... it tasted good.)

If I made it for myself, it would have been chocolate cake with mint or rasberry chip ice cream and chocolate fudge frosting. Michael prefers anything but chocolate so we made it strawberry and vanila.