Ben's eleventh birthday is March 24th, but we had his party on Sunday, the 22nd.  He invited only his very best friends, and the entire party was just a big playdate, nothing planned. 

Except, of course, le gateau.  We decided to surprise Ben with a Z-Brayes cake (black-and-white stuffed zebra ornament from Grandma Shelly, a Chanukah present and now z favorite in the family.

I had to do this cake alone, because Ned and Max were out taking Nat back to his group home, and also shopping for B's presents.  So needless to say, the cake was not as neat nor as well-engineered as usual.  Still, it was eaten joyfully by all.

For the actual birthday, I will be making One-Upcakes.  the One-Up is a mushroom creature from Super Mario, a Nintendo video game.  My sister knit some woolen One-Ups, which were a huge hit, and I modeled the One-Upcakes after those.  Tomorrow Ben's 5th grade class will consume them.