Happy Birthday to Me

I started a tradition a couple of years ago. I make myself a birthday cake. Weird maybe but getting older makes you realize you are responsible for your own happiness. I used to play the poor old mom nobody loves me because I didn't get a cake like everyone else song but then I realized, my husband doesn't cook unless it involves something he's killed, my mom lives too far away and the kids are not old enough. So I make this Strawberry cake that my mom and grandmother used to make for me every single year. It tastes exactly as I remember and it makes me feel special to get to eat it. I have been told it is the best homemade cake in the world and I consider myself to be an average cook. I don't really like store bought cake anyway and I am not a fan of the crisco icing! But don't let me mislead you, I would still eat the whole thing if someone didn't stop me, I mean we are talking about cake here right? So here is a picture of this beautiful pink cake before and after icing. The icing is made with butter instead of crisco. I may include the recipe, it isn't that hard and I say "homemade" because it does involve a box of cake mix. But to most of us that is still homemade. I am no Martha.
My friend Lisa makes the best cakes and is wonderful at decorating them. She inspired me to put up this picture of mine but here is one of hers (mine just tastes good, hers actually look good!)
So I had to pause for awhile before finishing this and the funniest thing happened. Totally unexpected too. My dear husband comes home with a beautiful cake from Publix! It was chocolate and vanilla with beautiful pink and purple balloons on it. Well two cakes means a few things:

I am certainly loved

I am going to have to clean up cake for the next two days

I am going to gain at least two pounds

and I am going to make sure I have people coming over to eat this cake later on this weekend!