For years, I tried to make fantastic cakes for my kids birthdays. I would research different things and go all out to create some sort of crazy-fun cake for them. Some were good, some were less than good, but for each birthday I would spend a lot of time and energy making sure that my kids had a totally unique and cool cake for their birthday. A few year ago, we were in the bakery of a Super-Walmart and the kids happened to see the book of cakes that were available for special order. They were amazed and awe struck at all the wondrous cakes that a person could choose from. 'N' and 'A' expressed amazement over the cakes and someone said with surprise:

"So this is where these cakes come from! I thought these were only really special cakes that were hard to find. I thought Mom didn't know about them and so she just tried to make any old cake for us."

They proceeded to beg me to 'puh-lease' let them pick out a cake from the book for their birthday because they were the coolest cakes ever and they did not like the kind that I made as much as these extra special creations.

I was reminded of this event yesterday as we went down the Valentines aisle at the local Grocery store............

A: Oh my gosh! Guys look what I found! Real live Valentines!
N: You don't even have to make these!
A: I know, you just write a kids name and sign your name and you are done. These are the coolest Valentines ever!
N: I always wanted this kind!

The kids then proceeded to beg me to 'puh-lease' let them pick out a box of valentines because they were so much more cool that the kind they 'have' to make.

Yep. Each February I pain-stakingly select a fun-for-all crafty valentine that the kids and I can make together.

Apparently I am spending too much time 'making' when there is a perfectly acceptable, and likely favorable, pre-constructed alternative.

Homemade Birthday Cakes: out. Homemade Valentines: out.

I wonder what else in my life can be eliminated. I am sure that offspring would not complain if I quit making dinner and ordered pizza every night.

Slurp!

The date - Sunday, January 4th. The time - 2:40pm, Eastern Standard Time. The place - Sacrament Meeting. The situation - Z has just pulled a giant red and white swirly straw from where it had been secreted inside of his shirt.

Me: (in a whisper) Hey Z - Why did you bring that straw to church?
Z: (quite loudly) This straw? I brought it to slurp up the sacrament!

A few other noteworthy items that took place on Sunday:

1. This was our first meeting which took place from 2:30-5:30. I will refrain from prolific complaint.
2. As our ward is predominantly BYU prone, I felt the need to represent the UTES and their beyond fantastic victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. So - I called a friend and fellow U fan. Our husbands were both out of town so we, and all of our kids dressed in Red and White. As luck would have it, we were both on time and arrived simultaneously. We paraded in together, eyeballing all the Cougars as if to say 'you are welcome for the $17 million'. The Stake President (and collegiate compatriot) was sitting on the stand and gave us a victory nod.