Sunday, December 23, 2007

Pink Frosting

When Jim asked what kind of birthday cake I wanted this year, the answer was easy: Chocolate with pink frosting! And sprinkles! And so, that is what he made:
It was cute and yummy and I had a piece for breakfast this morning too. One word of caution: when blowing out candles, beware flying sprinkles! ha ha!

So, yesterday was my birthday. Disregard which birthday a certain supposed friend claimed it to be in the comments of the last post. It's a grievous lie. What I will say about my age is that the second digit of it is twice the first digit. So, I'm either a) 24, b) 36, or c) 48. You decide. Also, I'm curious: does anybody in the world feel like their age? Does anybody in the world feel like a "grownup"? Does that happen? I've become fairly convinced that 99.9% of all grownups are faking it. Would you agree? Or do you think it is a larger percentage that really are solid grownups in mind, body, and spirit? In any case, not me. I am a kid, as evidenced by my birthday cake!

A good thing, by the way, about being a Christmas baby is that chances are good your family will all be around for your birthday! My sister is here from California, and my brother would have been here from Seattle but he missed his train. My parents live here, and my mom made two of my grandmother's favorite recipes: spaghetti with crab, and polenta with red pepper sauce -- yum!) Our dear friends Chary (pronounced Carrie) and her boyfriend Aaron and her brother Ben and his girlfriend Rachel all came over too, for dinner and pink cake and vino and limoncello. Alexandra already left town for the holidays, but she was here in spirit and in snow globe. In this picture of Ben and Rachel, you can see her in snowglobe by Ben's shoulder:
Every year, Alexandra tries to come up with some new way of turning photographs of herself into gifts for Jim and for her brother David. This year: snowglobes. Fantastic and scary!

{Speaking of scary, I Am Legend is absolutely fantastic!!!! All the stuff I complained about in Golden Compass as far as storytelling opportunities lost and not making you care, this is the opposite. It's a spare, quiet, pared-down kind of horror thriller movie that makes you lean forward in your seat, wanting to peer around corners, wanting to know more, and then, finally, it gives it to you. The exposition is worked in seamlessly so you never feel the storyteller at work. You care A LOT about the character and his beautiful, wonderful dog, the situation is super freaky but the director backs off from exploiting it in a noisy obnoxious way and makes it way freakier. Will Smith is AMAZING. I would love to see him nominated for an Oscar for this. Really, if you like scary movies at all, SEE IT. It's not super greusome, but it IS scary. I think we're going to see Juno today. More on that later.}

More birthday pics:
Here's the savage Leroy in his typical party pose:








Oh, and look, gift tags:
I found some funky old playing cards at a collage store and I turned them into gift tags. I always have a blast making gift tags; these were super easy -- there are also a few funky little ladies in there.

Oh yeah, and yesterday morning, Jim brought me 8 or 9 bouquets of flowers. Sweet Jim!
Happy holidays, everyone!

22 comments:

Marianne said...

I'm convinced I'll never feel grown up and my 83 year old grandmother tells me that inside she still feels pretty similar to when she was 16 years old...

Happy Birthday Laini and all my very, very best wishes for you in the coming year.

Right, I'm off to find myself the kind of man who will buy me eight bunches of flowers for my birthday!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Laini!

From the pictures it looks like the party was a lot of fun!

By the way, I need my Dreamdark fix... Any news on that?

Love,
Amy and Sasha

Erin said...

I SO want to see I am Legend!

Happy birthday!!!

Heather said...

Happy Birthday Lady! Nice to see you in all of your pink glory! Nice to see someone shed a positive light on having their birthday so close to Christmas! Take care!

Alex S said...

Happy Birthday Fatty!!!! I saw my "Fatty" gifttag on the photo from your last post just now! That cake looked amazing!!! And you know what else looks unbelievably amazing?? My head in that snowglobe.( If Jim behaves himself, he can have a lifesize replica of my head in a gigantic, clear disco-ball size oracle ball this time next year. If thats not incentive to shape up, then I don't know what is!) But no one deserves a more wonderful birthday stuffed with cake than you do and I look forward to your birthday sequel party we shall belated have in January. Celebrate yourself all week long Fatty!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi,
My name is Alice and I have been a lurker on your blog for months. I'm also the CEO of Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, Z Gallerie, and Macy's. I couldn't help but notice that absolutely radiant snowglobe in the corner of one of your photos. I am very, very, VERY interested in immediately purchasing ten million replicas of this exact snowglobe, down to each and every last detail, to sell at all of our above stores. Can you please email me asap with the snowglobe model's contact info? Thank you Laini. I'd appreciate it. I want to get right on this before some other chain beats me to the punch.
Alice Winchell, CEO

Anonymous said...

My name is Albert Hogfooty, the IX. I will cut the owner of that luscious snowglobe absolutely any amount of money that is asked if I may take it into my posession immediately. Money is no object for something so beautifully exquisite. Name your price and I will send you a check this afternoon by private helicopter. (Do you have a flat roof incidentally?)
Call me,
A.H.

Marilyn said...

Happy Birthday, Laini! And Happy Holidays to you and Jim! P.S. I can't speak for everyone else...but I can say that at 52, I *still* don't feel like a grown-up inside. ;)

Debbie Barr said...

Have a very happy birthday! And I'm very excited, because I helped my sister pick out my Christmas present, so I'm getting your book for Christmas! Squee!

Anonymous said...

Gonzo from Bright Butt, South Dakota here...so, as to the guess your age challenge, I was going to go with 36 years old but theeeennnnn I clicked on your photos and blew them up bigger and I think the correct answer is actually C? Am I right????

Claudia said...

Alexandra should be on stage, she is hysterical!
Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and all other best wishes I can think of. Stay a kid at heart (and hair)!

Anonymous said...

Merry Birthday, Happy Christmas and a marvelous New Year, Laini!
And no - even when I'm less than a month away from half century and a grandma - I don't feel like a grown-up, though I sometimes play one - but only when I absolutely have to...
love the pink frosting with sprinkles - especially on chocolate cake - yum!
Hope the holidays are filled with joy for you and Jim - enjoy~

Amber Lough said...

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!

We saw I am Legend the other day and I was NOT thrilled--I was terrified. You're right about Will Smith, though, because he was fantastic and held the movie on his own. I won't ever be able to see it again, though. I wasn't able to sleep, and woke up the next morning with a fast-beating heart watching for the sun to come up just as quick.

Anonymous said...

Belated Birthday Wishes! Hope you had a special birthday and wonderful Christmas.

Sarah Beth Durst said...

Happy (belated) birthday, Laini! Hope all your birthday wishes come true!

Best,
Sarah

Patry Francis said...

I always get the best ideas here! Since I haven't grown up yet either, I'm looking forward to a pink chocolate cake for my birthday, too.

Happy birthday!

Amber said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! So happy you were born. Tell your mom thanks for all the hard work. ;)

Kory and I went to see this last weekend, and I was SO scared. But I thought it was very good, all that you said. And Will Smith-- who reminds me of my brother, and has the same birthday, so there you go-- I would see him in anything. But he rocked this, I agree! I was so moved by his emotional range, all playing off his dog...Wow. But it made me kind of sad! I was more sad than scared, maybe. He was so alone. :(

:)

Unknown said...

happy birthday!!

Unknown said...

happy birthday laini!
i got a comment from alexandra about my much belated birthday celebration, and i think we should just make it a three way birthday party cause i'm sure she has a birthday sometime too.
love ya, and miss ya! maggie

Anonymous said...

Happy, happy birthday to someone who makes the world a truly more magical and WRITERLY place. :) Love the photos (and I am still adoring the pink hair).

And I will FOREVER be 16 in my mind. Just wait until Madam is older than I am! ;)

Jamie said...

Happy Birthday, Laini! It looks like a marvellous celebration full of fun and pink-ness!

I think that each and every birthday we should get to choose our age for the upcoming year.

And how wonderful that Jim's the King of Wands.

blessedmatch said...

Forget all those other fake offers. I will offer you a birthday album of Alexandra for that snow globe. Act now, and you can even keep the snow globe.

p.s. love the gift tags