Cooking, Cake, and Keeping secrets: Taber's b-day 2011

I do not love to cook. I will do it, but I don't love it. Most of the time I stick with 30 minute meals because investing more time than that to make something that will be gone in 15 minutes and leave me another hour's worth of mess to clean just isn't my thing.

And that is why Taber knew that I really really loved him when he came home from work last Friday to see that I had spent over 4 hours cooking his birthday dinner. (it probably would've taken a normal person a lot less time than that but I'm a little "challenged" when it comes to cooking) The things I'll do for love : )

My friend gave me the recipe for the Cafe Rio zesty chicken, cilantro lime rice, and tomatillo dressing. Since we don't have Cafe Rio out here, I brought Cafe Rio to my man. He was thoroughly impressed. We had a few friends over and the food was a huge hit. Guess that kind of made it worth it.

I also made him his favorite strawberry cake which he said he will be requesting again for every birthday here on after.

Since we had friends over we were actually able to get a picture with our whole family in it. First thought when I saw this picture, "Holy cow I have 3 kids!" It's still sinking in. I like Cam's face, he looks a little confused and suspicious of that cake.

We sang happy birthday and the kids helped him blow out the candles. After dinner Taber and the boys hooked the X-box up to the projector and played a giant game of halo on the wall till after midnight. I guess boys are never too old for their video games.

And for Taber's big surprise, He finally got his iPad. He's been drooling over them ever since they came out, so when they announced the iPad2 right before his b-day I decided it was time. Even though they were back ordered 5 weeks, I had the good fortune of going to the store one day before it opened and there was a huge line of people waiting outside for a fresh shipment of them. I got in line and snagged the the 3rd to last one. (this was about 4 weeks before his birthday)

I brought it home and tucked it safely away in the back of our closet. Knowing it was in the house was torture. The secret was eating me alive and I didn't know how long I could hold it in. Turns out it was only one day. Yep, apparently I can only keep a secret from Taber for 24 hours before the excitement becomes unbearable and I spill my guts. I think the conversation went something like this:

Me: Hey did you know the iPad 2 is back-ordered 5 weeks?

Taber: 5 weeks! That's lame.

Me: Yeah, it would've been cool to get one for your birthday but guess that's not gonna happen. (hehe)

Taber: What?! You were going to get me one for my birthday!? Oh man! Now that's really lame that they're back ordered! Dang.

Me: (in my mind: try to hold it in, don't tell the secret, don't tell him, ah I can't take it anymore!!) out loud: What if I told you there's an iPad in the house RIGHT NOW!

Taber: (total look of shook and confusion) Wait, what? are you serious? What?!!

Then I proceeded to tell him the story of how I got one at a hundred miles per hour and asked him if he was mad that I spilled the beans before his birthday and he said, "heck no!" and that he wanted to see it right then. So that is the story of how Taber got his birthday present a month early. Shame on me, the bad secret keeper, but seriously, cool present a month early? I don't think he minded at all. : )