Buddy's Birthday Bash!

This last Wednesday, my baby turned 4! I've never had my baby turn 4...my kids are all closer in age than that. I was actually a bit sad about it. We had been asking him for a while now what he wanted for his birthday. For the longest time he just kept saying cheeseburgers. I finally reworded the question and asked him what toys he wanted for his birthday. Tractors! What kind? Two tractors, two bulldozers, two dump trucks and two excavators! hahahaha

A couple weeks ago I took him to the party store to pick out what plates he wanted. At first he was holding on to the Cars 2 plates...I tried to tempt him with Iron Man or the Avengers or Captain America...but he really, really wanted tractor plates! They didn't have any...so I told him I'd buy them for him on the computer. He really knew what he wanted...it's not many three year olds who can walk past all these other cool options (he loves super heroes, and cars, etc) and hold on to what he really wanted. The only reason I was trying to sell him on something else was because he had a tractor party for his 3 year old birthday. Boy knows what he likes!

Anyways, I was unsuccessful, so tractors it was. I found the same plates he had last year online...but I really wanted to make a different cake than last year. I enjoy making the kids' birthday cakes...I actually took a cake decorating class as a teenager. I'm by no means a professional, far from it! But it is fun, and I know just enough to make it mostly cool ;) 

This was last year's construction cake...the really cool part about it was the surprising inside!

So of course, off to Pinterest I went to try to find a different spin...where else? lol...anyways, I found some cool ideas. One had the birthday age as a road made from crushed Oreos and butter, like a pie crust...I was worried it might get a little stale, but it actually stayed delicious the whole time! I was little offended, David didn't think I'd make it as cool as the picture...but I did! So there! lol

I had a bit of a mishap the day of his birthday though! I had baked and frosted the cake the day before, but hadn't decorated it yet. I stashed it in the old fridge down in the basement...it was a relic from the previous homeowners. It's an upright freezer/fridge...the fridge part doesn't actually work, but the freezer does. Anyways, I always stash my cakes in there...good holding spot. So, I go down to get it out to decorate it...and the freezer had decided to leak water all over it...it was ruined!!! 

I will admit to a minor freak out! It was about 1:00 pm, and I had no cocoa left in the house...I'd used it all on the cake and frosting. I couldn't even run to the store right then, because I was watching a friend's kid at the time. Aaarrrgggghhhh!!! I actually found a chocolate fudge cake mix in the pantry. Normally I'm a bit of cake mix snob...but what else could I do??? lol...so I put my snobbishness aside...well, mostly. I did doctor it up a bit (extra egg and melted butter instead of oil...trust me! much better) and got that thrown in the oven.

My friend picked up her daughter and off I went to pick up the girls from school...with a quick stop at the local grocery store for more cocoa and powdered sugar! Whew, crisis averted! I actually improved on the first frosting by making marshmallow cream based chocolate frosting...even better! I made the decorating buttercream...went with green and yellow...green for grass, yellow because those are construction colors. I made the Oreo mix for the road and went to work. The cake came out really well...I was super pleased with it! The Oreos were perfect! looked just like asphalt. 

We had decided to go to a local burger joint for dinner...after all, he had been asking for cheeseburgers on his birthday for weeks! There's this place, Catsup and Mustard....so good! The only problem is it's pretty small, and with a big family like ours, there's usually a pretty good wait. We figured if we went fairly early, hopefully we'd be ok. Rachel came over and we headed there around 5:00. We still had to squeeze at a small table, but were able to get in quickly.

My friend Kim had recommended the Cheesy Brisket Waffle Fries...we've been there lots of times but hadn't tried them. Let me tell you, divine!!! I love the fact that they have pretzel buns...not a big fan of regular bread/buns...but their pretzel buns are fantastic. They really are one of the best burger places around! They also make their own pickles...pretty yummy. Unfortunately, this time, my burger was very not good. The waitress asked if I wanted rare, pink, or no pink. Now, for steaks, I'm a bloody as it gets sorta girl. But for burgers, they should be cooked a bit more, so I said pink...after all, I don't want a hockey puck. And for the kids I said no pink. So anyways, my burger comes out, and it's really pink...but I didn't mind too much, like I said, I like it rare. Then I get to the middle, and it wasn't just rare, it was raw! And the kids had pink...again, not too concerned, just the fact that I said no pink and they got pink, not so great. Anyways, I'm not one to ever really tell the server if the food isn't great, but I had to let her know....I couldn't eat it, it was ground beef, not a hamburger. She was perfectly nice about it...but I hate when they ask you what to do...like, they're the ones who should take care of it...either tell me I'll get you a new one, or I'll let the manager know and see what they can do about it, or something. Don't ask me what I want done...I don't know, does that make sense? So, after awkwardly stumbling around, I said I didn't want another one, it was fine. I was full anyways...thankfully, when she brought the check, they had taken mine off, so that was good. I appreciated that...and definitely would go back. Like I said, we've been there plenty and that was the first time...must have been an off night. And their burgers are usually masterpieces! I'd definitely still recommend the place to everyone!

After we were all stuffed to the gills, we headed home for presents and cake. It's funny, it's basically a tradition that every birthday we ask "What comes first? Cake or presents?" I think it's supposed to be cake, but we're always so full from dinner that we do presents first...lol

The presents mostly followed the theme...lots of tractors! And he loved them all! I even managed to snag a remote controlled Caterpillar dump truck from Goodwill...and a big metal Tonka dump truck. Yes, I have absolutely no problem getting the kiddos presents from the thrift store...heck no!!! Those were awesome presents and he loved them! I also got him a Hulk and Captain America action figures.

Didn't get as many streamers/balloons up as I wanted due to the cake snafu...lol...oh well

Papa's present came in the mail...he loved it! We really missed you though!

This one combines two of his favorites, tractors and flashlights!!! It's even a nightlight!

 Time to sing Happy Birthday and blow out candles!

The cake was perfectly fine...thanks to the additions didn't even have the box mix taste. Not that he would have noticed! lol...he had even picked out the ice cream...peanut butter cup ice cream. After cake, he asked it he could have the tractors off the cake too! ;)

 His sisters had a good time too!

Red Two looks like an Elf from Middle Earth in this one!

Red Three had Wacky Tacky day in her class...so I did crazy hair on her...everyone really liked it!

 After cake it was definitely play time!

Freckles did not know what to think about the remote controlled dump truck!

Starting to get worn out...

And, he's down for the count! Yes, he likes to take his tractors to bed :)

David's been getting the older girls into paintball...Buddy really wants his own paintball gun. He loves to play with Daddy's paintball gear, but only when David lets him. Daddy let him play with one (without paintballs, obviously) the other day. You can see the glee on his face! hahaha...takes after Daddy!