They All Think I Have A Magic Cake Wand..

Decorating By j_black Updated 16 Mar 2010 , 7:45pm by m1m

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j_black Posted 12 Mar 2010 , 7:27pm
post #1 of 18

I am just a little peeved and need to spew a bit. Last night my son comes home and tells me he has a rainbow project due at school the next day, and it can be edible. So I hear " mom can you make a cake?", and this was at 7pm with dinner on the stove, no baths done, etc. Needless to say I baked a small 8in and made mmf rainbows in the 7 colors needed. It's my son so it's not to big of a problem, but I always get this from everyone. An in-law calls and asks if I can make the b-day cake for the family get together in 2 days, while they know good and well I run a company, have an hour commute one way, live 50 miles from the only decent cake stores (let alone decent grocery stores), can only do my shopping on the weekend, and have 3 boys heavily involved in sports which takes so much time. Seems like they expect me to wave my magic cake wand a produce a cake. Grrrrr...

Thanks for listening....

P.s: as for the rainbow cake, I did get something out of it.
Rainbow colored hands.......

17 replies
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miss_sweetstory Posted 12 Mar 2010 , 8:14pm
post #2 of 18

Very, very frustrating... I feel for you. {{cake hugs}}

Now, next time someone makes this request, I want you to say, "No". The unreasonable requests will continue as long as you kill yourself to make those cakes happen.

Please don't take this as a criticism of you. It is not. But it's true that if you give an inch, they will take a mile.

Ann

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Bluehue Posted 12 Mar 2010 , 8:18pm
post #3 of 18

We learn to say *Sorry, too busy, book me for same time next year*

I'm sure you could whip one up in 24 hours - but its whether you want too - their emergancey isn't reason for you to drop everything and get frazzled.

I mean lets face it - Inlaws know when someones birthday is - after all, we do all have 12 Months notice icon_wink.gif
Its like Christmas - we all know what date that is.

I would think every Parent has had their child come to them at one point in their lives and say *i have to do this by tomorrow* icon_rolleyes.gificon_rolleyes.gif

What we do for our children is differnt to what we would do for an Adult who all of sudden expects you to wave your magic wand and produce a fabulous Birthday Cake in 24-48 hours - especially when you are a busy working Mother & Wife.

I don't ask family or friends to
*Whip me up a new dress for tomorrow night*
*Cut and colour my hair before 3pm tomorrow*
*Give my car a service by 9am Sunday morning*

So they know - don't ask me to *just whip up a cake for 50 for tomorrow*

View everyone as a client - that way you can snap that magic wand in half and throw it in the bin thumbs_up.gif


Bluehue

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valerieInga Posted 12 Mar 2010 , 8:38pm
post #4 of 18

I used to get the same thing at work. We would get a cake from a bakery for each others birthdays and everyone would chip in for the price. When they found out I make cakes I was asked to bring one in, often with a day or two notice. I work 12 hour shifts (nurse), so would get home after 8pm and supposed to make and decorate a cake for the next day or day after that. Then to top it off since I made it at home there was NO money collected to even help pay for the cost. I eventually stopped doing them, for years but I've been getting back into the decorating more lately (trying fondant) and it's starting to happen again. The price we pay for doing it as a hobby not a career.

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newmansmom2004 Posted 12 Mar 2010 , 8:54pm
post #5 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by j_black

It's my son so it's not to big of a problem, but I always get this from everyone. An in-law calls and asks if I can make the b-day cake for the family get together in 2 days, while they know good and well I run a company, have an hour commute one way, live 50 miles from the only decent cake stores (let alone decent grocery stores), can only do my shopping on the weekend, and have 3 boys heavily involved in sports which takes so much time. Seems like they expect me to wave my magic cake wand a produce a cake. Grrrrr...




Yep, kids are different and they get special treatment, but for everyone else three little words come to mind...."Just say no".

It's hard at first, but after you tell these people (especially the in-laws) a few times they'll get the message. It's very disrespectful of them to think you can just drop everything and cater to their whim. They need a lesson in manners. icon_wink.gif

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Eisskween Posted 12 Mar 2010 , 8:57pm
post #6 of 18

Take a step back, a deep breath, and then order one of these for the next time.

http://www.zazzle.ca/your_poor_planning_not_my_emergency_tee_tshirt-235372231155069406

icon_twisted.gif

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j_black Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 2:01pm
post #7 of 18

Aww thanks everyone...
I am going start acting like my boys when they were babies. As in.. When I get an unreasonable request I am going to say "NO!". No was the favorite word of each of my boys when they were babies.

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Calgary_Mama Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 3:44pm
post #8 of 18

My husband is the worst for this.... He phoned me from work the other day and said "can you make a cake and bring it in?" umm WHAT?! I did this ONCE for him (made him an airplane cake - he's an aircraft mechanic) but I had a few days to prepare for that.. I've learned to tell him no.

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jayne1873 Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 4:26pm
post #9 of 18

We do anything for our kids dont we and I have had the 'I need this tomorrow' thing too but for others, er NO

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TJCanadian Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 6:37pm
post #10 of 18

Go with the magic wand....wave your hands in the air like you're casting a spell....say Ta Dahhhh, and then look really surprised at them when the cake doesn't appear magically. Say you'll need more notice next time because your wand seems to be broken. icon_biggrin.gif

Always better for the laughter

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j_black Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 6:55pm
post #11 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by TJCanadian

Go with the magic wand....wave your hands in the air like you're casting a spell....say Ta Dahhhh, and then look really surprised at them when the cake doesn't appear magically. Say you'll need more notice next time because your wand seems to be broken. icon_biggrin.gif

Always better for the laughter




Hehe...

My husband knows better to ask me for anything cake related. I was once carrying out a cake and just so happened to trip over a loose decking board that I had been bugging him to fix. Cake fell and the husband ended up with the ruined cake thrown at him. He now fears the word "CAKE" because I always bring up that particular incident.

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TJCanadian Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 6:58pm
post #12 of 18

Hehe, we should all throw a cake at our husbands once in a while... icon_biggrin.gif Preferably outside where we don't have to clean it up

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Sox-n-Pats Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 7:07pm
post #13 of 18

That is why both my children know how to make box cakes and buttercream, pipe stars and swirls, and clean up!!!!!!!

Yup!

If it's last minute.... your butt is doing the work!!

I assist but it's usually in the form of "Push that button to preheat the oven"..... "now turn the mixer up one speed"......"tsp= teaspoon; that's a TBSP".... "no that can't go in the dishwasher you have to hand wash it"....

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lomfise Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 7:09pm
post #14 of 18

You have three options.

1. As others here writes; say no, kindly but firmly, and that if they want a cake they'll have to give you at least a weeks notice.

2. Next time some one asks, say "Sure, if you do the shopping for the ingredients, run my busniess, look after my sons and take them to their sports, clean my house, wash our clothes and make dinner." Or whatever else you would be doing in the time it takes you to make a cake.

3. Or, "Sure, if you then fix my car by tomorrow" (or whatever else the one asking can do for you).

Personally, I'd go with no. 2. but that's just me icon_evil.gif

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j_black Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 7:12pm
post #15 of 18

Thank goodness that's where I threw mine. I was in tears when it happened. This was for my cubscout banquet that night, and I was taking everything over early to get it set up before hand. I ended up baking another cake and was able to get it there on time. Was not as pretty as the first but they loved it. I had ordered some cubscout candy molds, so I made several of those and threw them on.

My 7yr old once told me that I smell like sugar and cake and am so pretty, but when I smell like that I am not a sweet person. (normally when baking I am not to nice and the boys and husband stear clear of me).

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Calgary_Mama Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 7:19pm
post #16 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by j_black


My 7yr old once told me that I smell like sugar and cake and am so pretty, but when I smell like that I am not a sweet person. (normally when baking I am not to nice and the boys and husband stear clear of me).




This sounds far too much like me, which is why I do all my baking & decorating AFTER all my kids go to bed. I can SOMETIMES get a cake baked before hand... but its a constant reminder... don't jump, no no running, stop that, YOU'RE GONG TO FLATTEN MY CAKE!!!!! and so on... lol
its just easier to do it when they're in bed. After my response to my dear husband, he'll think next time - I hope...
He certainly knows better than to tell someone what a cake costs thats for sure... my "table saw" cake ended up being sold for $40 because tat's what he told his friend it would cost... icon_mad.gif I told him to NEVER do that again, to refer them to me. I don't know what worse, being asked to make a cake out of thin air, or him teling someone I can make a cake for less than the cost of materials practically! icon_confused.gif

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j_black Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 7:42pm
post #17 of 18

Lol... I would be so ticked if the husband gave out pricing also. $40 for a tablesaw cake? Whew!

Would like to be able to bake after the monsters go to bed but I have to wrap up and get to sleep also. I have to wake up at 4am so I can kick the husband out of bed (this takes awhile as he is a DEEP sleeper).

Maybe one day when the little ones are grown and I have finished furnishing my husbands shop with all he needs (fridge,microwave,bed) I can have some peace and quiet to decorate. Pretty sure by then I will be a smiling caker........

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m1m Posted 16 Mar 2010 , 7:45pm
post #18 of 18

Love the t-shirt!

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