january 15

one of my favorite birthday shots ever.  i pressed the shutter button at just the right instant.  love it when that happens.  and see that cake?  i was up all night baking and decorating it.  i ended up making 2 cakes from scratch because the first time around i forgot to butter the pan.  #^@%!  so this castle cake that brooke requested became quite the endeavor.  when the pan arrived with the beautiful picture on the front, brooke gasped, "is that what my cake will look like?"  "well, not exactly like that," i replied.  "but mommy will do her best."  well, i think i did do my best.  lots of icing and food coloring and decorative tips and many, many hours later, and i had a cake that looked pretty darn close to that picture.  phew!  if not, i would have been running to kroger first thing this morning to buy a cake :)

this morning we had a small gathering of family at our house to wish brooke a happy 5th birthday.  the deal was no parties since we are taking brooke to disney world to celebrate, but i couldn't pass up the opportunity to allow brooke to celebrate with her family.  something she hasn't been able to do in a couple of years... and she loved it!

this afternoon brooke and i spent some quiet time at home watching princess and the frog while kevin and gavin went skiing.  i was sooooo tired and welcomed the chance to curl up on the couch with my girl.  kevin and gavin had a great time, and gavin was doing such a good job skiing on his own that kevin was even able to put on his own skis.  kevin said that gavin would go as fast as he could down the bunny hill and then find a way to turn himself so he could stop.  pretty impressive for a 2 year-old!

it was a really great day from start to finish.  brooke told me at bedtime that her wish (when she blew out her candles) was that the day would never end :)