Happy Birthday to Me Cake II

Why is it that the older you get, the less candles you get?

Yes, I've hit 39. And, as I cling desperately to my 30's, I'm (oddly enough) looking forward to the big 4-0. Maybe because 40 is the new 20, which makes me only 19 -haha!

Anyway, I love making birthday cakes for my friends and family, so when mine rolls around, it's time to make another "Ultimate Karma Cake." Last year, it was my Ultimate Coconut Cake. This year, my best friend Cee insisted on making a cake for me (love her!)... Anyway, she asked me what kind I wanted, and I came up with a Chocolate Cookies & Cream cake. It came out gorgeous, and tasted divine. It definitely screamed, "Happy Birthday to Me!"

My favorite chocolate cake recipe can be found here. And for the frosting, she used the vanilla frosting recipe from VCTOTW and mixed in crushed chocolate cookies, leaving chunks in for texture. Then she decorated the sides with more crushed cookies- brilliant!

For me, a birthday is kind of like New Years Eve. I end up thinking about what I've learned so far, and where I've grown, and reflect on the stumbles I've had this past year. I think about what I'd like to accomplish before my next birthday, and if I'm doing what I should to reach my goals. I also like to take time to appreciate all that I have right now- the people in my life, my health, and the lessons learned (and re-learned). So here's a list of things I've picked up along the way of this journey that is called "life."

1) Outer beauty is so much more effective when balanced with inner beauty.
2) Worrying about money only leads to less money.
3) Hating on yourself leads to no money.
4) Taking care of yourself means more than going to the gym and eating well.
4 part II) Taking care of yourself also requires facing your fears, stepping forward, and supporting yourself with love- which makes going to the gym and eating well that much more positive and satisfying.
5) It's much more effective to share your beliefs through setting an example, rather than passing judgment.
6) Communicating well means putting yourself in another's shoes before speaking.
7) The more you care about the honest details, the more dependable, the more balanced, and the more aware you will be, and the less mistakes you will make.
8) Punishing yourself for mistakes is like "...taking chemo because your tired of shaving your head." (quoted from Robin Williams).
9) Your worst enemy when learning something new is your own ego.
10) Your best friend when learning something new is your own intuition.
...and finally
11) Being vegan is the bomb! (Not that I'm passing judgment on anyone) :D

Hmmm... I wonder what kind of cake I'll want next year.