November 30, 2007 @ 11:29

So just before my recent absence, my sister had me make a sugar free chocolate cake for a friend’s baby shower.  The mother to be had developed gestational diabetes, so we baked her a Splenda chocolate cake and frosted it with real whipped cream, sweetened with Splenda. 

So, sugar free can still be awfully cute.  I wish I could report that the cake was still awesomely delicious, but my sister has informed me that perhaps portion control would have been a more tastey way to address the issue . . . 

 Sorry it wasn’t tastier, we’ll keep trying.  We’ll have to try Lightsize’s Black Bean Chocolate Cake recipe next. 

November 28, 2007 @ 22:03

So we had a small Thanksgiving this year.  Just me and the boys.  Here’s the menu: 

Turkey, breast only, Dressing, Cranberry Sauce, Smashed Potatoes, Broccoli Rice, Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows (you look a little boy in the eye and say no to the marshmallows, I can’t), Carrots, Dilly Bread, Coconut Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Blueberry Cheesecake. 

So here’s the problem.  The desserts were awful . . .  yes, awful I said . . .  The pumpkin pie’s crust wasn’t right, did I leave out the salt?  Overwork the dough?  I’m not sure.  When I took the coconut cake out of the oven I accidently sat it on a burner that I had left on.  The blueberry cheesecake . . .  I burned it.  Forgot it in the oven long enough that when I came back to it, it had puffed up and then fallen into a purpley brown mud puddle.  This is very not like me.  I think it’s a sign.  So, I believe the solution is that I need a vacation.  I have just recently found out that my vacation plans for February are not going to happen.  My lovely week in the Arizona desert, not for 2008.  My recent planned weekend trip to hike was eaten by the flu.  The fact that I’m sitting in a hotel room right this minute is in no way counting towards this much needed getaway.  Work, not unpleasant, but not a break.  I’m only going to be away from home this one night, no one is going to give me a pedicure while I’m here, and there’s not a margarita in sight . . .  So, Trixie, I think you need to take me to the beach and buy me a margarita.  But I’ll settle for margaritas this weekend somewhere in our zipcode.  And maybe I’ll even let you drag me out to the slough to mini-hike. 

November 27, 2007 @ 19:29

Well, finally, we’re back.  Yes, I know, again!  We, Bear Puppy and I, were all hit with a terrible bug.  Remember when a bug was called a 24 hour bug?  No more, no sir, now it takes a week to get over a bug.  Scary. 

 But we had a quiet Thanksgiving, just the boys and I and a visit from Trixie.  The next day we went and got our Christmas tree.  As I was emailing this picture to my brother, I realized, that was a 6-7 foot tree according to the tag.  Bear’s nearly that tall . . . 

And on top of that?  My baby brother sent me a picture back in response.  I can’t really call him baby brother anymore can I?  The only word that comes to mind when I look at this picture . . .  is Strong. 

November 08, 2007 @ 16:07

Go play this game.  It is seriously important that you do.  Because it’s going to blow your mind.  My love of cheese is seriously damaging the planet . . .  okay, wait, I don’t want to joke about this.  I try to make an effort to be “green”.  I’ve been gradually, as they go out, replacing all of my light bulbs with the new energy efficient bulbs.  I recycle everything I can.  I adjust my thermostat when we’re not at home.  I do all the little things that are, well, I’ll admit it, that are easy.  But still, according to this game, if everybody lived like me, it would take three planets to sustain.  Go play, it’ll put it into perspective as to how green you might actually be . . .  http://sustainability.publicradio.org/consumerconsequences/ 

 And, Bear’s orchestra concert was this week.  It was terrific.  They are that awesome age where half of the kids still look like little kids, the other half look like grown ups.  Kassie, the daughter of friends, plays in the same orchestra.  She’s the only bass player.  So every piece is a solo for her, really.  And she is awesome.  Outright outstanding.  I wish I could gush as honestly about Bear, but he’s one among many.  So even though I think he’s the bestest, I don’t actually know . . .  But I’d be willing to bet my next five paychecks that he really is above average brilliant . . .  : ) 

November 05, 2007 @ 18:39

I chose to call this blog Be The Cake because that’s how I feel about my life.  I can almost always get the cake right, but life?  That’s the constant struggle.  On August 7th, when the doctor actually used the word Autism and meant it, I fell off my wagon.  My fitness wagon.  Tiffany recently reminded me that it was about one year ago that we started working out together.  Tiffany is a runner, with patience and cheerful encouragement that she offers with great generosity.  She encouraged me from couch potato to being a girl who ran and loved it.  I lost 75 pounds.  Over 100 if you counted the few that the walking had taken off before Tiffany took me under her wing.  By the time her positive attitude was done with me, I would hit the trail alone, with friends, regularly, and almost always do about 5 miles.  I hadn’t started tracking my progress seriously, but I had hit a mental wall that made me start studying it.  I started watching the clock.  And eventually, I was running an average of 9 minute miles.  But then came the weeks leading up to the diagnosis.  For about two months, I was teetering.  But then, when I could see what was coming, I completely quit any physical activity beyond daily life.  I gave up on me to focus on Puppy (or that was my excuse).  The result?  I comfort ate my way past the shock of the diagnosis into 30 extra pounds and lost my 9 minute mile (fairly weak by true runner’s standards, but “I am woman, hear me roar” from a girl who has topped 300 pounds twice in her life).  I lost it to the tide of my sadness and fear.  But, before you think that I’m weepy today, I’m not, because I got off my butt and went to the track over the weekend.  It was not a great feeling, to tread those three miles that I would have eaten up just four months ago, but the weather is beautiful and it was good to be moving again.  At Da Big Leap, today, I read some wise words about not living in the past.  So I’m going to try not to punish myself too hard for the last four months of wallowing.  That’s just a recipe for more wallowing.  Instead, I’m going to dust myself off and get back on the horse . . . 

Oh, and one last Halloween treat before we go into the holiday season with MUCH GLEE!!! 

From Jenn’s Halloween party this weekend.  Double chocolate cake with cookies and cream mousse filling, The Pirate Skull . . .  suits my bury it, forget it, and walk away sentiment for the day, no? 

November 01, 2007 @ 16:49

We have the most fun group of people in our office.  Creative and a complete joy to work with.  Here are some pics from out Halloween party yesterday.  Wish you could read all the detail in the Undead Carhop’s costume.  The menu?  HILARIOUS!!!  Sharon is brilliant and adorable. And Tiff as Marilyn?  Now that is how to repurpose a bridesmaid’s dress, girls. 

Nobody else would cut the cake, not even the Finance Department Surgical Team . . . 

And, for everyone at the office who asked, this cake include all of the following: 

3 dozen eggs
10 pounds of butter
½ pound sour cream
1 pint buttermilk
1 pint heavy cream
2 pounds cream cheese
2 pounds semisweet chocolate
8 pounds powdered sugar . . .  and some more ingredients far less interesting, like flour and salt and . . . 

Anyhoo . . .  that’s the secret . . .  give in to the dairy, sugar and chocolate.  And forget the diet.