Happy birthday to me!

So, yesterday was my birthday. I love my birthday. I feel it to be my own personal holiday. And, since I decided several years ago that I will NEVER get old and that the "number" does not define me, I don't care that I am now 33 years old. I say, BRING IT ON!!!

My birthday didn't go at all the way I had planned it. Instead of doing something fun with my kids I had to clean the house. Instead of making my traditional Hawaiian Chicken for dinner, I went out for Brazilian barbeque with my hubby. I even had a grand scheme for my birthday cake. I had it all planned out in my head. I was going to make a sponge cake and then pipe a basketweave pattern on the cake with whipped cream. On top of the cake I was going to artfully mound glazed strawberries and then use chocolate covered strawberries to garnish around the base.

Well, by the time I had cleaned the house, taken care of the kids all morning and afternoon, made the sponge cake, the chocolate covered strawberries, glazed strawberries and whipped cream...I was way to tired to haul out even one piping bag or one little tip to do any sort of decorating. So, instead, my cake turned out looking like:
I know it is not nearly as artful as I had planned it out to be, or is it any sort of grand, decadent dessert like my friend, Sierra, is learning to make in culinary school...but boy! It was yummy! My absolute favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake, so this is my little spin on it. The sponge had orange zest in it which was yummy with the strawberries. The strawberries were glazed with vanilla sugar. And...there are very few things in this life better than chocolate covered strawberries.

So, happy birthday to me!