Cake Fail

Salted caramel apple cake... obviously...

This cake disaster pretty much sums up my week last week.  I was overcommitted personally and professionally, trying to get everything done in an unrealistic timeframe, racing against deadlines (many of which are self-imposed), burning the proverbial candle at both ends, and insistent on doing it all, while simultaneously burned out on Halloween, planning Ady's birthday party, and this awful time change (not to mention transitioning into the final trimester of pregnancy while chasing around a toddler).  Whew.  In the midst of an already busy week I decided to bake a fancy cake (because, autumn).  

What I was hoping to make.... (photo from the Brown Eyed Baker blog site)

It all seemed to be going perfectly smoothly until the moist layers fell apart in the flipping phase and the icing never seemed to solidify.  I was so deliriously tired by that point in the evening that I couldn't stop laughing.  Lesson one: sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself!  I was seconds away from throwing the whole thing in the garbage and going to the bakery, but fortunately I was able to salvage it (somewhat) with some caramel drizzle, peanuts, and a night in the refrigerator.  (Also fortunately, my coworkers aren't picky.)  Lesson two: Forgiveness and acceptance.

A little caramel drizzle and some peanuts can hide anything.

After the cake fiasco and a crazy busy work week, our family spent a relaxing weekend in Breckenridge.  It was opening weekend at the ski resort but there wasn't much snow, and it's sort of between seasons right now, so I never even unpacked my skis or snowshoes, which was perfectly fine.  We explored the town, ate good food, lounged around the hotel room, watched football, rode the gondola, and went to the park.  I got caught up on some reading and crocheting, and Jaycob made me an appointment for a glorious and much-needed prenatal massage.  We took Ady out on her tiny skis for a few minutes to test it out!  She wasn't that into it, but we'll try again back home. 

Going on vacation, even a mini one, leads me to reflect on the pace of life and what's important.  We didn't do anything very exciting or especially adventurous during our weekend away, but I felt refreshed because we approached each day like a blank slate.  Instead of getting bogged down by chores and commitments and shopping and deadlines like we do at home, we woke up each morning with a mindset of "What should we do today?"  I want to incorporate that mindset more fully into my life at home.  It's so easy to completely fill my days with tasks and responsibilities, and next thing I know months have passed without any adventures or time spent in nature.  Lesson three: New perspectives on what's important.

So I don't plan to embark on any daring baking adventures again in the near future, but when I do it will be with a renewed sense of perspective and a heightened sense of letting go of attachment to outcomes.  Happy adventures, everyone!