One of my husband's coworkers is going out on maternity leave at the end of this week and my husband is in charge of the woman's baby shower, which means that I'm in charge of the woman's baby shower. Last week, he tossed me an envelope filled with money collected from his coworkers and gave me some very specific instructions: "Buy as much as you can with this...but don't buy junk."
I scoffed at my husband's suggestion that I take pleasure in buying cheap and useless things, especially for other people. Besides, one person's trash is another person's treasure. If my husband really cared so much about the presents, I figured, then he would buy them himself.
Over the past several days, I have busied myself buying up the contents of the clearance bins at TJ Maxx and Ross. Anything with a red sticker and a fragment of its original packaging still intact went into my shopping cart.
"What is this?" asked my husband when I returned home, pointing to one of my purchases.
"Unsure," I replied, "But it was $3.00."
That's when my husband asked to see ALL of the gifts that I had purchased for the shower.
I pointed to a stack of wrapped presents in the corner. "I'm not rewrapping them," I told him. Either you're going to have to do it, or you're just going to have to trust me.
My husband bit his nails nervously. "What kind of cake did you make?" he asked finally.
I pointed to the top of the refrigerator where my masterpiece was waiting.
"The top didn't come out of the pan," I explained, "But it still tastes good. After I frost it, no one will know the difference."
After looking at my cake and my presents, my husband said he had some errands to do and would be back in awhile.
Had I known the standards for corporate America were different than for academia, I would have coated the cake pan with cooking spray before I baked it.
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That is classic. I wonder what HIS cake looked like.
Ha~awesome!! All my cakes look like that, and you're right, the frosting always hides the flaws. People get so caught up in minute details...jeesh.
LOL!
I hope you honestly didn't think he could take that cake to work. Funny though! At least you didn't make another kitty box litter cake.
I would have done the same thing as you.
And your cake looks a heck of a lot better than I would have done.
You are a good wifey to do anyway for work! When I worked I did for the Manager and hey, who cares if it was on sale! ;p I'm not brave enough to cook my own cake - would've store bought it - cheap again! ;p
I thought it was pancakes! That will teach him to assign you something he should have done himself : )
Awesome. They'll actually be impressed though, because they'll be sure he made it! He'll thank you later. Mark my words.
When did men get so picky about things? Oh, and I saw the picture of the cake before I read the blog and all I could think was, "Where can I get that?"
Why don't you just box up that cake and send it my way? I'll take it off your hands.
I nod in solidarity when you say that your husband is in charge, therefore you are in charge. It only takes one forgotten mother-in-law's birthday to remind me of that. Oy.
I saw the picture as an icon before I opened your post and thought it looked like a really good Schlotzky's type sandwich. I started craving one for breakfast.
I LOVE IT! I just can't stop laughing when I read your blog. I feel like I should fight you for the title of "Meanest Mom", I'm sure my kids would agree that I truly am the meanest mom. But you make it sound so great in your blog- I can never compete with that! :o)
I thought the cake was a giant Whoopie Pie! You should have taken pics of the gifts before you wrapped them. I'd love to know what you got!
Haha! Now I see where Camber gets her saucy side. Isn't it annoying how you inherit these *little* tasks? I'm in charge of sending all flowers, fruit baskets and cards of congratulations, get well and condolence.
I don't bake if I can help it. I would most cheerfully have bought instead. I have been known to drop car payments on kiddie birthday pastries to avoid having to actually use my kitchen...making you the much better Mommy/wife.
LOL see men they just don't apprecitate! Now see if that had happened in our house I would of politely told my husband to do it himself! He would of gone and brought a cake from the grocery store!
That cakes looks good to me--that is the way all mine look!
On the bright side, you probably won't be asked to do this again! :D
You should have left the cake as-is and told him it was called Cirque du Cake or circus of the cake and that its all the rage in europe. Then just laugh quietly to yourself as you imagine him repeating that to his coworkers...
Did your kids like the cake?? Mine think that is the way they all come. For example...
http://theivanovskys.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-make-ice-cream-cake-kinda.html
So when do we get the report on how the Shower turned out? I am hoping you wrapped really funny gifts to be opened during the shower.
How does your husband get roped into doing the shower?
Smart woman--this is how you make sure you are not in charge of his corporate baby shower again.....
That cake looks delicious, and it probably tastes better than anything store bought. And it is true that frosting works wonders. Just send him over to cakewrecks.blogspot.com he will then feel better about the party you have planned. And maybe show a little more gratitude for all you've done.
this only reminds me of my son's 2nd birthday cake, I only wish I could find photos to post, I guess that will be my naptime activity after I get all 5 of these little rugrats to bed. I used my pampered chef bowl to cook it and planned on it being a foot ball, then when it came out I cut off the top and turned it over to make the foot ball, but then it looked more like a valcano, so I aded the cut off part to be lava (this is chocolate cake) added some licorice sticking out the top...I thought it was fabulous and took it to my work (I was a carhop @ sonic) and had a little party for him, at the party after cutting it everyone started staring and laughing at the cake....our how it looked like it belonged at a bridal shower and not a little boys 2nd birthday..well, either way, my husband never left it up to me to bake a cake again
I'm with William, how did he get stuck doing the shower? Usually the "prize" goes to the closest female to the mom to be or the secretary of the department. Not usually men. As I would think there is a registry somewhere that can be shopped from- or the ususal gift cards. Although my husband works with 3 pregnant women and they all run to him with questions,some very personal. Just because he has kids doesn't mean he carried them or gave birth to them. I guess I managed to give him enough "information" during ours to make him a pro on baby information. I just hope he was listening!!!
Good luck with the returns on all the items and if the cake taste good, who care what it looks like-
Oh my Gawd! *snort*
That was the best...you totally rule!
Just sittin' here snorting quietly in my coffee
...I'm not worthy....
At least the cake is on a pretty cake stand. That should count for something.
Why do people get so caught up in the tiny insignificant details? That cake is perfect :) Frosting hides everything :)
I thought they were pancakes too. I was all Homer Simpson- Mmmm....pancakes....
At least people will be attending her shower... unlike mine. Sigh.
You are a good wife to do that for him.
Did you put Tootsie Rolls in the cake or were they for the "game" portion of the shower?
I personally love the bottle sticking out behind the cake. Awesome.
Pretty or not, cake is still cake!
I thought that was a pancake... Cake is cake when there's chocolate frosting on top!
~motherboard
Ha! My daughter's birthday cake is currently in the oven. I hope it turns out HALF as good as yours!!! I can't bake to save my life but I'm too cheap to fork out thirty bucks at the bakery. And yes, frosting (from a jar of course) like make-up, is for hiding flaws. The fact that it happens to taste good is a bonus.
LOL! I would have LOVED any cake at my shower - I was craving cake, ice cream and hamburger... hmmm.
Would LOVE to know what type of gifts you bought... we know WHERE but not What!
Is it just me, or does that cake look delicious? You really compensated with the filling didn't you! Would have loved to see this one frosted!!
That is very funny. But I think the cake looks tasty. Besides, what pregnant lady is going to turn her nose up at cake anyway?
You take the stinkiest tasks and make them so awesome. I am laughing my butt off. B/c in our office we do the lame "gift card to babysrus from 47 people" and are done with it. no fun. I usually insist on going out and buying something original. which only means they get it for the kids' high school graduation b/c I stink at being on time.
U RULE!!!
Reading your blog always cheer me up! Your posts on normal homey things becomes hilarious with your charms and wits! Luv yr blog!
That's why I always buy the cakes.
too funny. have you ever been to cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
you should check it out and maybe enter you cake picture there. LOL Just kidding
LMAO!!! I love it.... LOVE it!!!
That is awesome. Good job. That made my day. I really enjoy reading your Blog.
OMG! I'm sitting here laughing...hysterical! What a beautiful cake!!!! I don't know what your dh is talking about!!! ;)
Very funny! Well, that's what happens when they expect us to take of everything all the time! Backfire!!
It would seem to me that if your husband expects you to do all the work for HIS colleague's shower, he deserves what he gets.
If we continually prove how competent we are, we invite them to over use us. It's about time someone took a stand and screwed up, for the sake of women everywhere.
Hi. I'm new to your blog. Are your posts real or is this just supposed to be funny?
Hahahaha That should be an episode on a sitcom! You are too funny! Hey stop by I am having a Give away, sorry no topless cake? he he But some fun goodies. I will even wrap them for you. lol
Thanks for giving me a good laugh every day.
I'm still laughing about this one!
it's me again. because i find it hard to believe that you would go and buy cheap crap on purpose as a gift for your husband's coworker, so i can't figure out if it's supposed to be funny and ironic or you are serious. obviously the cake part is serious.
just trying to figure it out. i enjoy your posts but i can never tell if it's a joke or you really did something goofy and silly.
That's priceless!
Guess he might do it himself next time instead of asking you to do something he is in charge of. Very nice of you to help.
Now I'm curious what's in the boxes.
I use a mixture of 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup shorting, and 1/2 cup oil... You mix it up and get the lumps out, and then you can use a paper towel to coat your pan before you add your mix. Let your cake rest for 10 mins. then you can flip it to you plate. Your cake will come out everytime. The best part is you can save the left over mixture for your next tasty treat.
Lol I love it you sound just like me! Except your cake looks better.
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