Happy Birthday, Number 5 and 6

It was Number 5 and Number 6’s birthday yesterday.

Since it was also Number 3’s 8th grade graduation last night, I wanted to be able to celebrate on their actual day.

But since we are also still in school, I had to get creative.

So I picked them up early from school, along with Number 7, and let them chill out at home for a little bit.

They swam in the pool.

They played some Headbanz.

My parents came up to the house and then they opened their gifts.

I feel pretty strongly about giving each of the kids their own cake, but I don’t want to break the bank.

So every year, I make a cake from a box.

I did it when they were one and two,

and I still do it now.

But this time of year is pretty busy because we are almost always still in school and it’s also Number 3’s birthday in a few days, so I just keep it really simple.

I’ve gotten simpler over the years. Gone are the days of the double layer cakes.

Now I make two sheet cakes.

This year I let the kids decorate them themselves.

They didn’t care that they were just piping chocolate frosting on top of vanilla frosting, and they didn’t care that the writing was illegible.

They loved it, and they had fun doing it, and it was one less thing for me to do.

We sang Happy Birthday.

Then we ate cake and ice cream.

And that was it!

There was nothing out of control or over the top or super complicated.

And you know what Number 5 said as we went up to bed?

“Mommy, this was the best birthday ever.”

So it was a pretty good day.

Boxed cake and all.

(6 for 6! Massive action continues)