On July 10th my Grampy turned 90 years old and to celebrate we planned a huge surprise party for him. How everyone was able to keep it a secret from him I still don't know. For over a month we planned everything, almost always he was just in the other room or obviously sitting right in front of us, watching whatever game he found on TV. After my mother and I finally got the guest list from my Nana, we went right to work sending out invitations to all of the people that love him. We sent out well over 50 invitations as well as having the party announced at church (My Nana made sure they were not there that day). I don't think there was one day that someone didn't ask if they could bring someone or invite someone they though we had overlooked. I think we were all a bit nervous not knowing just how many people were going to be there to celebrate his special day. So, we set off making to do lists for everyone in the family. Everything from decorations to food to the cake was assigned to someone in hopes of making it a bit easier. My mother and I started off with a trip to Bangor to pick up all the food, decorations and everything I though I needed for the cake. My mom, dad and sister made most of the food while I made 4 dozen brownies, 2 watermelon fruit bowls along with the cake. As soon as I found out we were going to be having a party for my Grampy, I told everyone that making the cake for him was something that I really wanted to do. I finally decided on making a hunting and fishing cake out of fondant, something that I have never worked with before. Once I got the design down on paper, I figured the actual making of the cake would be a breeze. I can not even begin to say just how wrong I was!! By the time I finally finished making 2 big batches of butter cream icing, 3 large batches of marshmallow fondant, two 12" cakes and 2 6" cakes it was almost midnight. After the cakes were finally cooled, I got them frosted and stacked around 2am. I figured the hard part was over and I would start putting the fondant on in the morning. After all I have watched hundreds of those cake shows and it looked so easy (Again insert wrongness here). I started at 9am Friday morning (party being on Saturday) decorating the cake. My first attempt at putting on fondant on the 6" cake when bad but I knew what I had done wrong. The second attempt, well that one put me on the couch in tears lol. I then began to panic thinking there was no way I was going to be able to figure out how to make this cake and he would not have anything to blow candles out on. So Jeff being loving and supportive ran to Lincoln for me to pick up pre-made fondant and more icing. While he was gone I went to work coloring and making the pieces to add to the cake.
The trees and cat tails are made from gum paste, the deer, ok so those are plastic.
By the time he got home I felt as though I had accomplished something and was feeling a tiny bit better about having something finished for my Grampy. It was not until my Mother and sister came over to give me some emotional support that I finally got a cake covered. I have to say, covering the 12" cake was so much easier then the smaller one. After they left I went to work on rocks, the logs for the camp fire, the cooler and fishing gear. I was so stressed about not getting things finished that Jeff offered to make the boat for me. Now I love Jeff but he is the type of man that can not even draw a recognizable stick figure. I gave in and handed him a ball of fondant and told him to do what he could. If he messed it up, I would just make a new one. I was thrilled to see how good he did and with very little help, here is his boat.
Jeff's fondant boat.
After the little details were just about finished, it was time to stack the cakes and add the decorations around them. Cutting out the small hills and trees to go around the cakes took so much longer then expected, but once they were done and on the cake I was very happy with them. After the cakes were all done, I started adding the rocks, cat tails, lake, trees and other decorations. When it was just about finished I though of one more thing that I just had to add and off to work I went on making a container of worms. Anyone who knows my Grandfather knows how much he loves to go digging for worms. After that was finally finished and added to the cake it was 2am and I decided I was done.
My finished cake
The next morning however I decided to add the fish in the lake along with a green tent, just like the one my Grandparents use to go camping in. After the cake was officially dine it was time to make the watermelon fruit bowls, something else I had never done before. Finally we got everything and everyone up to the snowmobile club to get ready. After quickly assembling sandwiches, platters and getting out the drinks, it was time for the man of honer to arrive. I still can not believe that my Nana told him they were going to a Anniversary party for his friend there and he ran out that morning to buy a card, complete with a fresh 20$ bill.
My Grampy holding the Anniversary card walking into his surprise party.
Nana and Grampy with their kids. (My mom, Uncle Ted and Uncle Paul)
All the Grand kids and Great-Grand kids (the girl in the green shirt and the kids in front of her are not related but her youngest twins, Riven and Meadow are my cousin Brandon's babies.)
Me finally bring out the cake. I was begging him to blow out the candles, it was so heavy!!!
The funny part is, both my Nana and Grampy refused to let anyone cut into the cake to eat it. It was not until the next day that I found out that they went down to the local hardware store to buy cans of clear shellac to preserve the thing. My Nana said they want to keep it forever, or at least as long as their alive. I told them that it was creepy and I could always make them another one! If I have ever thought they would not eat it, I would have made it out of stiraphone. Thank goodness my cousin Kristen worked so hard at making 3 other cakes for people to eat and enjoy!!
Tyson and his Great Grampy
It really did turn out to be a wonderful day, and it made all the hard work and stress worth every second when my Grampy told us that night that it was truly the best day of his life. Later I made fun of my mom that the birth of his kids was second to his party, along with all the other parties she has thrown for him.
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