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Labor Days of love
Monday, November 8, 2021 at 02:44PM 
Stephanie is an early September baby
I promised to take you all the way back to our Labor Day celebrations at the start of September, and as I am a pirate of my word, here we go.
Our Labor Day gathering is made extra-special by the fact that it occurs within a few days of our Stephanie's birthday.
So each year, she and Joel and the youngsters travel from North Carolina to our house on the Sunday night.
They always get in late because he is a pastor and they have Sunday evening services, and at the conclusion of those, they have a nearly three-hour trip.
So when we get home from our own Sunday evening services, at about 7:30, I begin preparing dishes for the next day.
Cereal tastes better when dispensed like this
One of the first things I do is fill my cereal dispenser -- a gift from Andrew and Brittany on my birthday a few years ago -- with the cereals my Tar Heel grandkids like to have for breakfast.
I lay in a half-gallon of apple juice -- their morning beverage of choice -- and they know that whatever is left, they get to take home.
After their breakfast, the kids invariably head outside and jump into the pool for their last swim of the season. This year the water was a trifle chillier than usual, but being kids, they played like crazy anyway.
This time our main-meal menu was standard: hot dogs and hamburgers cooked by TG on the grill, barbecue baked beans, macaroni and cheese, fresh-made slaw. That type of thing.
What I did differently this year was the birthday cake.
Normally we have a store-bought true birthday cake, slathered in buttercream, with huge icing flowers and an appropriate sentiment written on top.
TG was still on the injured list
That's what my family seem to want, and look forward to, and expect.
But this year I decided to make the ice cream sandwich cake because everyone loves it so much.
It's the one where you put a layer of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a baking dish, then a layer of whipped topping, then caramel sauce and hot fudge sauce and maybe some candy or cookie pieces atop that, then another layer of sandwiches, the rest of the whipped topping, then more candy or cookie pieces on top.
The thing I wanted to get right, however, was the Happy Birthday sentiment that would define the confection as Stephanie's birthday cake.
I went online and searched for candy letters and so forth ... and didn't find anything I liked.
Until I saw this:
Straight Outta 1980
The decoration came with a stick that was intended for propping the sign up in the middle of the cake.
But one purchaser of the piece, in their review, showed a picture of doing it the way I ended up doing it: laying the words down on top of the cake and making a frame of gummy worms, then surrounding the whole thing with Oreo crumbs.
It was horribly messy to make, and there are still Oreo crumbs in the bottom of my pull-out freezer drawer.
But wow. The kids loved it -- what am I saying? Everyone loved it -- and I think Stephanie liked the topper.
At least it wasn't like any other birthday cake we've ever had. All things being equal, go for unique.
Henry joined us, driving down from Greenville that morning.
He will turn 90 on August 4, 2022. I think you can see in his eyes how much he misses my mother.
Henry soldiers on without Mom
But he was in good spirits and happy to see us all, and he always enjoys our cookout meals, especially TG's hamburgers and my baked beans, which he loves and looks forward to.
TG was still recovering from his bicycle accident, so everyone got to oooh and aaah over his stitches and scabs.
To look at him now, two months later, you'd never know anything happened.
After the meal, and cake, Henry headed for home. He likes to be in for the night no later than six, as he was conditioned that way by Mom, who always insisted on leaving our house for home no later than four o'clock.
Then there were presents as is customary at birthday parties, and everyone enjoyed watching Stephanie pull the tissue paper out of the gift bags and discover what was inside.
TG and I gave her a pair of shoes she'd asked for. One of the girls gave her what they jokingly call a "white girl fall" coffee mug with pumpkins on it.
She's a coffee drinker
We laughed a lot and visited some more until it was time for Stephanie's family to head for home and school the next day, and for the others to follow suit.
We are nothing if not predictable but there's nothing wrong with that. And there's a lot right with it.
And that is all for now.
=0=0=0=
Happy Monday
Reader Comments (15)
Predictable is Glorious!!!!
It's those "How-In-*ell-Did-That-Happen's" that are not, not, not nice.
Beautiful daughter!
Soooo cooool cake!
The"Walking Wounded" still lookin' good!
Mari-Nanci
🍂 🍁 🍂 🍁 🍂
The mug is so pretty, and the cake looks really yummy. Looks like a great time was had by all.
I think predictable is good in this case! Look like a marvelous party and lots of good family time. It's good to see Henry. too.
I've made the ice cream bar cake before, but I like your additions!
My sister Terri was born on Sept 5, must be about the same date as Stephanie. :)
@Mari-Nanci ... You make an excellent point! I like sort of having some idea of what's going to be going down, haahaha! xoxo
@Ginny ... I thought the mug was gorgeous too. That orange on the inside! So cute. xoxo
@Mari ... Well the first time I made that cake, I put M&Ms inside and on top and that was a big mistake. They turn into rocks when frozen! We're lucky no one broke a tooth. The second time I made it, I used Heath bits as you had done (I think). Now THAT was soooo good! But Oreo pieces along with the caramel and hot fudge sauces really put it over the top! Everyone was just swooning over how good it was! xoxo
I always enjoy your party posts.
I have not made that cake in years. You just reminded me.. I need to make that cake for the next celebration.
Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughter!
@Carla ... You cannot go wrong with that cake! Everyone loves ice cream. xoxo
A belated Happy Birthday to lovely Stephanie. That cake!
I love that ice cream sandwich cake and have made it several time! Always a hit! I do like that cake topper the great saying for a birthday! I'm glad TG is completely mended now! Looks like a great Labor Day celebration!
@Barb ... It was SOOOOO good! xoxo
@Jeanette ... It was a blast. You know how great those family times are! Nothing like it. xoxo
Very wonderful birthday! Beautiful daughter! I think your ice cream sandwich cake sounds outstanding! I have one son whose birthday also hovers around Labor Day...
@Gayla ... well that cake is too sweet and rich and indulgent but SO good and everyone just lights up when you bring it out, so I guess it's worth it once or twice a year! xoxo
Hi there Jenny, loved this post and loved seeing Stephanie's fun and festive b/day celebration!! She got some nice presents and the cake!----now THAT SOUNDS very very special and different! I love ice cream "sambliches" so I bet I would surely love that cake too! LOL the grill cook out sounded great as did the last pool swim, I bet the kids loved it. Always fun to stop by for one of your "party posts" because I feel like I'm really right there!--your decorations are always so pretty and everybody looks to be having a great time. Hugs and hope your week has started off great! IT'S COOLED DOWN NOW!!---I am loving it.
@Debbie ... oh yes girl you would LOVE the ice cream sandwich cake! I am intrigued by Charleston having cool temps because it's set to be eighty degrees here both today and tomorrow! I am melting, haahaha xoxo
I have never heard of an ice cream sandwich cake, but what a unique and clever idea for a cake. And that topper is too funny! Love it! Sounds like a great celebration.
@Bijoux ... well the thing about it is, it's insanely easy, and everyone LOVES it! So you cannot possibly go wrong! Next time you need to feed dessert to a crowd, you should try it ... xoxo