what i have learned in the past 24 hours...

1. when planning to make a 2-layer 9x12 cake, invest in 2 aluminum pans. don't plan to just make one after the other. this takes, um, all day to do.

2. when trying to de-crumb the second layer of your cake before putting it on top, DO NOT shake the pan over the sink. the cake will fall into the sink.

3. cells phones are truly a god-send when trying to reach a husband on the way home from work, to pick up another box of cake mix.

4. betty crocker cake mix is on sale at Stop & Shop for $1/box.

5. when you need to top a cake with a 12x12 chocolate chess board, a 2-layer 9x12 cake doesn't actually physically work out.

6. when you try to tell your 7 year old that he won't have exactly a full chess board on his birthday cake, but will fit all the pieces on half the chess board, this constitutes "ruining his birthday".

7. you cannot try to de-layer a 2 layer cake to make it one big sheet cake.

8. Stop & Shop's bakery opens at 7am on saturday mornings.

9. next year, order a freaking cake from the bakery.

count down to party: T-minus 5 hours. cake TBD.