Happy Birthday Marty!!!!!

Today is Marty's 34th bday!! Happy Birthday my love!! Last night we double dated with Peter and Allyson. We went to eat at Shane's Rib Shack at Westgate. My friend, Kelly, has a daughter who works there and she was telling me that the food is really good. It was fun to see Amanda and I must say that I think it was the best BBQ that I've had out here! Their BBQ sauce has vinegar in it and tastes more like our good ol southern mustard based sauce back home! YUM!! After we ate, we went back home and watched a movie and ate cake and ice...well, just cake! The cake was so rich we didn't even bother with the ice cream! Today we started the morning off with the traditional, Birthday Breakfast in Bed!! We woke him up with and bday song and his breakfast tray and we followed it up with his presents. He then enjoyed the day at church, helping me in the nursery the second hour and then teaching a last minute, impromptu (Elders Quorum) lesson b/c there was a mix-up with teachers and so no one had a lesson prepared! So Happy Birthday Marty!! I love you so much and appreciate all that you do for me and the kids!! I am truly blessed to have you in my life!! ooxxOX (little hug, little hug, little kiss, little kiss, Big Hug, Big Kiss)!

This is the old school-Old Fashion Chocolate Cake-that his mother made him for the first 21 years (bdays) of his life (give or take a few). When we got married, she passed the apron on to me...and for good reason: it takes a whole stinkin day to make!!Ok--well, in the past several years, I think I've gotten a little better at it so it really takes me about half a day to make now...but, that's half of a day! It's all made from scratch (no box mixes, people!) and then the icing is very thin and liquidy. It is poured, while hot, onto each layer (bf adding the next layer) so that it soaks through the cake. Over time the icing crystallizes just the way Marty likes it! I know that Marty's mom and sister, Janell can really appreciate the art of making this cake b/c they have made it a lot! And I'm not sure if it's an "art" as much as it just pure patience!! Anyway--I love making it for him b/c I know how much he loves it! I did the layers a little thick, but hey, I got SIX layers on there...uumm yeah, two layers are under icing!!
Here's Tyler & Brant holding the 'kids' cakes! Marty was so funny b/c he saw that we had a cake mix in the cabinet and he asked if he could help make a cake with that so the kids wouldn't eat his long awaited 'special cake' (however, the way he really said it was, "...so we don't WASTE it on the kids)! So I made 6 individual bunt cakes with a pan I have so that each kid could have their very own cake! It was a win-win situation b/c the kids loved having their own little cake and Marty's cake wasn't wasted on children!!