My son's Birthday party is the 26th of April. We put our house on the market with no showings until the open house on "THE 26th". Because we have some renovations to finish up.

I'm totally wiped out, out of energy, and running like a mad woman to get this house ready for showings.

I'm sooooo tempted to order a cake from the grocery store. I just don't know how I can get done everything I have to do, make a cake in a sanitary environment with drywall dust floating through the air, and have the house clean for 2pm on the 26th.

I'm feeling like a traitor to myself and to my son. I just don't know what to do. Any thoughts???

while the house is open and being tended by the agent.....

hie thee to the nearest kid friendly venue that will do b-day parties and let them do it all.

What Doug said...and don't be guilty about it! How old is your son? Let him choose where he wants to go if he's old enough, and he'll be thrilled. There's Chuck E Cheese's, bowling, laser tag, ice skating, mini golf, batting cages, rock climbling, whatever.

I'm a caterer. I cook BIG meals for a living.

Last Thanksgiving, we bought the $75 dinner for 6 from Bob Evans for our dinner. Didn't feel one iota of guilt ... just felt nice and full and sleepy after eating turkey!

You're a caker. You make awesome cakes for a living. Take a day off and buy your son a cake, take him to Chucky Cheese and have a great time!

Ditto to what everyone said.

I completely agree with the other posters! I took my daughter to Pump it Up...a giant inflatable party zone...when she turned five and it cost a small fortune. But let me tell you, when I saw those little girls tear every litle piece of wrapping paper to tiny confetti pieces and throw it EVERYWHERE it was worth every penny!! Grab a cake and have a blast other than your house. Why stress about it?

We're moms so we want to do our best for our children. Sometimes we try to be super mom. Often times we need to cut ourselves some slack, maybe we wouldn't be so nuts all the time.

Due to different circumstances my son's class bday treats this year came from the grocery, my daughter's bday cake this past October was a purchased ice cream cake.

Sometimes we can't do it all and that's okay! You will be amazed at how good the kids are at understanding we just have to give it to ourselves.

Sending you hugs, I know how hard it is!

my off-spring's fifth birthday (last june) i had a party with 23 kids plus parents. i baked for days and was up up 4am working on the cake and 25 individual spider cupcakes with piped chocolate legs ( 8 %@%@^ legs per spider....). the party started at 10am. i cannot tell you how worthless i was at the party. this june is 6th birthday and i am still not over the 5th, lol. buy the cake and be able to relax and enjoy the party.
diane

i have to say, i understand how hard a decision this is! i would be so torn. i even push myself to always do my god 2 childrens cakes too, my vacations even account for me not being gone during any of them because i feel too guilty that they'll have a grocery store cake! good luck with your decision

I understand where you are coming from. I always make the birthday cake a big part of my two son's birthdays. I still sometimes feel guilty that I made brownies for my oldest's 2nd birthday. I was pregnant and we were doing a major back yard overhaul. I did learn that children are very understanding folks. My son didn't feel cheeted at all. He just enjoyed the brownies. If you feel totally compelled to make a cake, can you borrow a friends or neighbors kitchen to bake and decorate in? That would avoid all the dust, etc. Good luck, and I hope your house sells quickly.

My mother was a fantastic "from scratch" baker. It was a rare treat to have a bakery-made cake. I bet your son won't mind at all!

Maybe you can have a bakery cake now and promise a really awesome cake at some date in the future when you can manage it? Thats what I would do haha I went to Catholic School and we really take our guilt very seriously LOL..Good luck whatever you decide. Spending time with your kids is most important.

I have 3 kids...I run to the grocery store almost every year for their b-days....
I apologize every year and they laugh. But I do make my family a cake every once in a while so they feel special. The kids get so excited when I do. So does my hubby.

Don't feel guilty. Feel happy. Find a really different kind of cake that you don't make. Ice cream maybe? Take the kids out (gets you away from the worries at the house). Relax with your children & enjoy it as much as they do, without the hassle & the mess...... there will be other birthdays that are less hectic, when everybody will enjoy a super special cake from mom.

What about starting a post to find someone from here in your area that would be willing to cut you a deal on one? I'd do it if I were close to you... that way you don't have to do the work, but you still get something awesome... still better than the *dreaded* grocery store cake.

Shill. I know your work. I know what you do under pressure. You can accomplish this if you really make the decision to go through with the hassle.

THAT BEING SAID, DON'T -AND I REPEAT DON'T- beat yourself up if you choose to take a different route. Your children are young and, truly, all the other posters are right when they say your little guy will be happy with the day being made special, not necessarily the cake being special. It doesn't make you a traitor, it makes you human.

My husband broke his hip this year on 1/22...

spent 16 days in btwn 2 different hospitals as the break was very bad and he had to have screws and a steel rod inserted....

came home 2/7 - he was understandably NOT in a social mood....

son's 2nd bday was 2/14

we didn't even really have a party and the cake was store bought...

sometimes you just have to take the easy road for yourself for your sanity

Ditto to what everyone else said. The fact that you care so much about your family proves the type of mother that you are. They will understand and appreciate anything you do for them. Like they always say it's the thought that counts and the fact that you care so much says it all.

You can only do what you are able and even if you just didn't feel up to it this year, it's ok. Everyone needs a break. Just think of it has having to do less that will take away your time from your family. You can use that time you would have used to bake, decorate, etc. to play a game with them or read a book. Just enjoy what you are able to and let the little things not bother you.

Good luck.

I had to get a grocery store cake last June for my eldest son (he was turning 6). We just moved here from Canada, the moving truck had brought our stuff but nothing was unpacked, did not know my way around and even if I did our vehicle still hadn't arrived. The grocery store is about a mile away. My son and I walked over he picked his own cake and he was really happy about the "toys" that come with them. There is no way I could have baked the cake as I had no idea which boxes had my cake supplies in it . Don't worry about it Shill, just take it easy and get the cake from wherever you have too. I like Doug's idea too.

cake from the grocery store cause I couldn't get a cake baked and perfected.......been there done that Funny, but my families favorite kind of cake is a yellow betty crocker cooked and LEFT in the pan (gasp) with canned chocolate frosting spread on top while the cake is still warm. I think sometimes we feel like we have to go all out, but all they care about is blowing out the candles! Buy the cake and relax I say

Depending on your son's age, you can always buy some plain cupcakes and let the kids decorate them with different kinds of candy and sprinkles. Those have been some of the most popular "cakes" at parties my kids have been to.

Bec

I'm sure your son will be fine whatever you come up with.There is a saying though that .........everyday is not christmas.Their will be plenty more birthdays.

I have a great friend who owns a bakery here, and he is hands down one of the best here if I didnt have time to get a cake, or if I wanted to enjoy the b-day more, I'd call him, give him free reign of the cake, and I'd get an awesome yummy cake! So worth it, enjoy your sons day, dont stress, he may not even remember you didnt make his cake! He'll remember you having a good time with him though. My girls can tell you all about their partys & what mommy & daddy did, but if you ask about what kind of cake they had, they havent got a clue

Thanks so much guys. We decided to go with an Ice Cream Cake. I don't make those so I feel less guilty. ha ha

We're going to go for a bike ride during the open house, then go get pizza, and then come back here for ice cream cake when the open house is over.

Tonight... we put drywall up on the ceiling in the family room. AHHHHH Joy!

Good luck with the drywall. And remember, the bike ride & pizza supper are what he will remember, as well as the ice cream cake. You wouldn't have time to make these memories if you were doing his cake. Next year will be different, less hectic. Enjoy your time with your family!

My sons birthday is in June, I did 6 weddings on his birthday weekend and bought him a giant cookie! lol. no guilt.