Happy Birthday, Leena!

Happy Birthday to a charming, sweet, squirrely 8!
1 You are our very own ray of sunshine!
2 You are hugs and snuggles and butterfly kisses!
3 You are our smart sweetheart!
4 You are one tough cookie!
5 We love to tell jokes with you!
6 We love to play games with you!
7 We love to drink tea and dance with you!
8 We love you, Queen of the Squirrels!!!


The first party was cousins and a cherry cake (cherry chip cake, cherry frosting, cherries on top!)


The second party was with might-as-well-be-family Mr. Bill and Miss Tracy with an angel food cake with a layer of raspberry jelly and 7 minute frosting.





The third party was "just" the eight of us and a bunch of littlest pets! Here we had an ice cream cake.

I love Carvel cakes, but it would cost me $40 a birthday, so I make them myself.

I save stale chocolate cookies and turn them into crumbs in the food processor. I soften two packages of ice cream in the refrigerator for an hour. I line a casserole or loaf pan with foil.

When the ice cream is soft, I scoop the top flavor into the mold. I then sprinkle it with chocolate crumbs. Then I scoop the second flavor and top it with crumbs (if I have them). I cover it with foil and freeze it over night.

The next day, I soften frozen whipped topping (or make whipped cream). I turn the "cake" out onto a foil lined cookie sheet (with a rim, in case of melting). I "frost" it with the topping and then freeze it again until I need it. I suppose you could add the candles and sprinkles then, but I knew Zorg wanted to decorate this for Lena.