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Ain't we got fun
Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 05:44PM 
There are but two months of the year within which someone in our immediate family does not have a birthday.
Those months are July and November.
But give us time.
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As for the other months, the two with the most birthdays -- three each -- are March and June.
We have one each in January (TG), February (Little Andrew), April (Allissa), August (Grandpa Henry), September (Stephanie), October (Brittany), and December (Melanie).
We have two in May: Joel on the first day and Erica on the next-to-last.
We have three in June: Dagny, Chad, and my mother.
And we have three in March: me, Audrey, and Andrew.
I lead off in March each year, and for someone who once had a birthday party given in their honor to which no guests came, I do pretty well, thanks to my loving and generous family.
Then at the tail-end of March we celebrate Audrey and Andrew, who were born exactly six years and one week apart.
This year we had one party for Audrey only, on her actual birthday. Everyone attended except for our Brittany, who was out of town -- but her little brother, Garrett, was staying with Andrew for a few days and he came along.
(Garrett is a kind and considerate young man of 13 with a sweet smile and lovely manners. He played Legos with Dagny so patiently while waiting for the meal to be served, that she is still asking when Garrett's coming back.)
Since most of us are pretty serious about eating low-carb (until it comes to dessert), we had London broil and plenty of salad, along with baked potatoes for the men, who need more carbs than we ladies.
After supper, we had cake and cupcakes and coffee.
Notice my bunny-on-his-back cake stand. There's a story behind him.
About a year ago, I came across this bunny on Amazon. I was so taken with him that I read most of the reviews by those who had purchased one.
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Although the reviews were all positive, one lady who'd bought the bunny cautioned would-be buyers to be aware of his size.
This bunny is maybe four inches high and the plate is six inches across.
In other words, not a full-sized cake plate. Even though, when you look at a picture of him on Amazon without any treats on the plate, he appears to be big enough to hold a regular cake.
But it wasn't his size that made me demur and ultimately not buy him. It was his price.
What was it? you may ask. But I don't know. I don't remember what it was; I only remember that it was too much.
Or, more than I was willing to pay for a tiny bunny cupcake stand.
Fast forward about a year, to a few weeks ago. Audrey and I were at TJ Maxx -- one of our favorite haunts. I was not looking for a cake stand or, in fact, anything in the way of dishes.
But on an Easter display table at the front of the store, I saw the tiny bunny cake stand that had captivated me on Amazon.
And guess how much he was? Seven ninety-nine.
Sold.
I checked that night to see what the bunny had been (and still is) on Amazon: Twenty-three ninety-nine.
So ... twenty-four dollars or one-third that amount? I'll take the latter. And I did, and yes, I feel as though I scored quite the retail coup there.
On Audrey's birthday, she and Dagny hung out with me for a good part of the day. We went to Publix for her birthday balloon, and fresh flowers (which she loves), and for a six-inch cake to display on the bunny plate.
We also got six chocolate-frosted cupcakes. Just enough for everyone at the dinner to have a little something sweet, with no (or very few) leftovers.
Turns out there was one cupcake left (I gave it to Garrett to enjoy later), and a small slice of the cake (which I sent home with Audrey).
The following Tuesday, in Andrew's birthday week if not on the actual day, we all met out at his and Brittany's place for the second party.
I had saved back a few of Audrey's presents so she'd have more to open. And of course, there were gifts for Andrew.
He cooked chicken and hamburgers on the grill in his outdoor kitchen. It has been so cool this spring, though! And damp too. So we did not sit outside but rather gathered indoors, around the fireplace.
The meal was simple but delicious and Erica had brought pies -- cherry and pecan -- for dessert. We made coffee and everyone chowed down on slices of pie before the honorees opened their gifts.
Yes; we make sort of a big deal about birthdays. I guess it's my fault because I'm the one who drives it, but I feel as though everyone ought to be made to feel special on their birthday.
It's only one day a year.
Until the next one. Which for us, is a few weeks hence, on Tax Day ... when we will gather in Charlotte with our North Carolina kinfolk to celebrate Allissa turning eleven.
I've already got her presents, and most of them are wrapped and ready to go.
The cool weather continues ... this morning while I drank my coffee, it was thirty-eight degrees with a steady rain.
We didn't have many days like that even when it was winter.
The dogwoods and azaleas were thrashing and shivering, but not to worry. They'll be basking in warmth and bright sunshine again in a day or two.
And that is all for now.
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Happy Tuesday
Reader Comments (8)
I noticed the bunny cake stand before you mentioned it - so cute! But I agree, the price you paid was good, the other just a bit steep!
I love the way you celebrate. I'm not nearly on top of things like you are.
Happy Birthday to all, and to all a good night!
@Mari ... I knew you'd be taken with my bunny! And you do just fine. We probably take it over the top just a tad bit. It's all good. xoxo
I saw that bunny cake plate first too, but what took my attention was the LONDON BROIL! I must look up a recipe for that. Chad would thank me. hahaa!
You sure do throw nice birthday parties. Alan's family was like yours. All the aunts and uncles came to his birthdays along with the grandmother who was still alive at the time. Me, I never had a party. I never even had a cake. We were as poor as church mice because my parents were missionaries to southern Ohio.
After I married Alan we lived in so many different states and away from family that we never had relatives in for birthdays. I always baked cakes for our children. I remember making doll cakes for Heather and Carousel Cakes for the boys till they decided to design their own cakes.
Ainsley is the one in our family who has a birthday this month. We will do FaceTime as always.
@Cheryl ... I never had birthday parties growing up either; and not a cake, and probably not a present, although I cannot swear to that. We were isolated from all relatives for my entire childhood. The "party" I mentioned occurred when I was eight or nine years old, and my mom baked a sheet cake before she had to go to work at her waitressing job, and all of my classmates were invited.
But we moved so often that no one knew me, and so no one came. I can still see the cake, and the readiness, and the rain-filled ruts in the road where we lived, down which no cars proceeded to drop off kids to celebrate my existence. Haaahaha *sniff*
As for London Broil, girl, ain't no recipe. You buy a big old slab (mine was about two pounds) and marinate it if you have the time. Cut it into four pieces. Arrange the pieces in a baking dish and cover them liberally with 1) Worcestershire sauce (don't be stingy) and 2) Creole seasoning (think Zatarain's or Tony Chachere's, and again, don't be stingy). Cover tightly with foil and bake at 325 for about three hours for well done, less time if you need for it to be pink in the middle. There's nothing scientific about it but you can hardly ruin London broil; it's such a gorgeous cut of meat.
Happy birthday to Ainsley! xoxo
Happy Birthday you March peoples! Mine is in March also. Actually after reading Cheryl and then you, Jennifer; if I ever had a b/d party I don't remember. Of course, with Dad being in the military and us moving around a lot maybe that's why? I don't know and it surely doesn't matter anymore. After Patti was born Mom started the birthday parties including all family members. Now? Not so much.
Four of us had birthdays within one month of each other starting Feb 19, 27, Mar 2, 18. Dad was way off in August.
Love the story about the cake plate, it's adorable. A cake that small with the 'heifer's' in this family wouldn't last long. :)
xoxo
@Sally ... you do the spring birthdays too! Happy Birthday to you my friend -- belated but no less sincere! So, yes, the cake was small and in the past we (I) have been guilty of buying birthday cakes SO BIG that honestly, half of it has to be wrapped in foil and thrown into the freezer, and then who's ever going to want that again? I was so proud of the restraint all of us showed, haaahaha! We need a sweet but only a bite. The fellowship and love was sweeter still. xoxo
I'm trying to comment again. Maybe I did something wrong last night? I have a small collection of bunny objects and would definitely have bought that little cupcake dish. I have trouble passing through a garden display that has bunnies - I can always find room for one more. Family, food, and fun - what could be better? Happy spring, Jenny and belated birthday wishes to Audrey and Andrew! (Hope this gets to you.)
@Barb ... success! And I'm sure it was nothing that you did wrong. Glitches happen. YES to bunnies ... I know that Easter isn't "about" the Easter Bunny but bunnies are so cute all year round. Who can resist them? In my opinion, they make Resurrection Sunday all the more special. And yes, we had some fun together on the birthdays, and even now are gearing up for the next one, haaahaha! We never miss a beat. Love and kisses to you and Bob. xoxo