Idaho here we come...

We're leaving for Boise in a few hours to visit Aarons brothers and sisters. Jared and Cory just had a new baby girl that they will be blessing this weekend. So since we haven't been up in 3 years we decided its about time for a visit.

In honor of baby Shilo I made this cake. I'm going to attempt to take it on the trip, a 6 hr drive. Hopefully it will make it there. I just love all the bright colors.

My moms good friend Dixie gave me this adorable cake stand as a house warming gift and I LOVE it! So I made the cake to coordinate with it.

Isn't it perfect for spring? I can't wait to make an Easter cake with it.

New Cake

I just got an order for an incredible wedding cake for June. I am beyond excited about it. 5 tiers of different heights, lace, pearls, a rose garland, a monogrammed plaque and more. All in Tiffany blue and ivory. Its going to be amazing.
And the best part is that for as complicated of a cake that it is, I have complete confidence that I can do all of it :)!!! I can't wait! I'm been hoping to get to do some more elaborate cakes to add to my portfolio so I can really use all the things that I am learning. So this will be great. And I get to order some fun new supplies for it.
Its for a girl that works with Aaron so a big thanks to everyone at Firstwest for referring me :) I may also be doing a grooms cake for them.
So keep an eye out for future posts of my practice work getting ready for the big cake. This one is going to totally change my business. Once I get pics of this one on my website I'll be in a whole other class of decorators. No more super budget weddings for me. (note: this does not apply to friends and family. I'll always do cakes for you for low prices just cause I like you :))

I just have to say that one of my fav things about this cake is that when I met with the bride tonight she knew exactly what she wanted. She'd researched cakes, had pictures, had a drawing, color swatches, all of it. She was really prepared! It made it so easy to plan the cake and discuss options and details because I knew exactly was style she was going for. And since she knew what she wanted, and it wasn't so much about fitting it into a certain budget I felt like I could charge close to my regular rate. I probably should have charged more now that I'm looking at the cost for the supplies I will need to get, and the incredible amount of time it will take, but I don't care. I'm excited. And besides, one day I'll have lots of tools and won't have to get so many every time so I'll make more profit.

I remember my first wedding cake consultation. I was so nervous I felt sick. I kept thinking I was crazy for even thinking I could do a wedding cake. Every question the bride asked scared me and I was so insecure and uncertain about it all. I ended up only charging 75$ because I was so afraid if I wasn't cheap she go somewhere else and I wouldn't get a chance. Tonight was so different. I was excited and confident. It was such a great feeling.
I love cake.

Sorry for the dramatic rambling. I guess I've just never felt so sure of myself when it comes to a talent I have and it was a really good feeling. I've played piano for years, but still hate for anyone to be listening when I play. Same with singing, I love to sing. Love it, but I don't dare even join the ward choir for fear that I really don't sound all that good.
So to have something that I can do, all by myself, that I have taken time to learn, and actually been motivated to practice things and work at it, is really cool.
If you know me very well at all you'll know that practice is not something I've ever been very good at. I want to do things right the first time, and if I can't I tend to move on to something else. Just no attention span for it I guess.
I'm thrilled with myself that I've finally discovered something that I have a passion for, and that I have been able to keep at it, even if only for a year so far. So this is me patting myself on the back.
So thanks to everyone for supporting me, and especially to Grandma Jeffery for giving me her supplies, and to Aaron for believing in me enough to not be mad when I spend all our money on my new found love. And thanks to Evelyn for taking pics of my new practice cakes so I can create a great portfolio and look cool.

Latest Updates

Here are some updates on recent posts.

KC is doing a fabulous job sleeping in his big boy bed. We put one of those childproof handles on the inside of the door so he can't open it. Bedtimes have been good, and naptimes are getting better :)

Aaron called Uhaul again today to follow up and they are refunding our money. And I didn't have to yell again and get all upset.

I'm keeping my kitties. I love them, and I want to have them to snuggle with at night. Last night Pumpkin found his way under the covers and slept on my tummy. And Butter likes to snuggle right next to my face. Theres just nothing better than a nice warm kitty to love. And when I get stressed out, I can love on them and it helps, alot. I think thats why I loved my old cat Star so much. Growing up with 3 brothers was not an easy thing to do. Having a cat was the only thing that got me through it. :) So it only makes sense that since I am again in a house full of boys, I have a cat or two to keep me sane.
So I'll just keep doing cakes the way I have been so far. No official business yet for me. Maybe when my kids are in school and I can really have time to make a lot of cakes. For now 1 or 2 a month is good. I'll just have to beg for $ for classes for my birthdays :)
I am going to try learning to make sugar bubbles. I ordered some equipment for it this week. It sounds kinda hard, but I think I can figure it out eventually. That would be cool.
And I have about 6 cakes worth of dummies that I am working on so I can have some more elaborate cakes for my portfolio. Then maybe I'll get orders for fancier cakes, and that would be fun.

I'm also thinking about adding a bar in our kitchen, it will close it off a little, but just think of all that fabulous counter space. I get excited just thinking it. They came and measured today and should have a quote for me on monday :) The bummer part is they will have to replace most the counter top to make it work, and that will cost a lot, but hopefully we can still do it.

So thats all thats going on here. Aaron got promoted at work :) No more $ yet, but probably soon so thats exciting. And now he doesn't have to be running around all day fixing stupid problems that people could do for themselves if they would use their help menus.
The kiddos are cute and crazy. They like to alternate. One day I could go insane and sometimes have, and the next they are so fun I wonder why I was ever so mad. Although I've learned that for everyones survival it is vital that they never, ever, go visiting teaching with me again. Ever.

The cutest thing ever just happened.
I'm folding laundry downstairs and Parker came in and wanted to help. He loves laundry, weird, but wonderful at the same time. So he took his pile and headed up the stairs to go put his clothes away. There was also a pile for KC. I said, Here's your clothes KC, want to put them away?
I went back to my folding, and watching Rachael Ray, not really expecting him to do anything. But when I looked back up I saw little KC hobbling up the stairs with his arms full of his pile of clothes.
What a little helper, so cute.

I yelled at someone on the phone today. I don't like yelling on the phone to people who I know are really not directly responsible for the problem there is. But I was really really mad, and I'd already been transfer to a million different people who all wanted to "call me back".

Let me explain
When we moved we rented a UHaul. Let me advise against this. The people there are morons.
We used our truck and returned it during our alloted time. They did however make us drive around to 2 different places after telling us to return it to a location that was closed with no way of leaving the truck and keys. This was saturday before christmas.
So we dropped it of finally here in spanish fork.
Fast forward to last week-- we get a letter in mail saying that we never returned the truck or the equipment. Um, you'd think if the truck didn't get back more than a month later, after someone only wanted it for a day they would do more than send a letter.
Anyway, Aaron called, turns out the truck was being rented right then to someone else, so gee, we must have returned it and disregard the notice.
Well I would disregard it, except then they charged our credit card almost $300!!!
Yeah, lets just say I was mad, not to mention now our bank account is screwed up.
So I called, and that guy said that our truck was returned in Orem with no dollies in it, um, no. We returned it in Spanish fork with the dollies, in December.
So he was going to have to call me back. A few days pass. I call again,
"Oh, no one called you yet? Thats strange. Call the Salt Lake office."
So I call there where I am trasfer 3 times, and they would like to call me back.
I refused and told them I needed this taken care of right now, not whenever they get around to calling me back.
So 2 more transfers, each time having to explain the situation all over again of course. And when that last lady ask to get my number so she could call me back I just about lost it. Well, I did lose it, but just a little. And I yelled. And she yelled back. Rude.
So anyways, they say they'll get it taken care of, we'll see.
So don't rent uhaul, they suck.

This is the house that Kari built

So what do you do with an old crib when you don't plan to save it for any more babies?

(not that there won't ever be more babies, there will just be a new crib :))

You build a house!

Here is the new play house in the play room. It still need a few finishing touches, and maybe a different roof, but the kids LOVE it. I had a lot of fun building it.

I think I'm in love with Aarons new power tools. I like to think that we really got them for me.

Here are some more views of our playroom. When this room is completed there will be a blue sky with clouds and a sun light. Trees growing on the walls and maybe even a few friendly critters. Any artists out there want to come help?

Well, the sleep lasted about 10 mins, and now its almost 5:00 with no real nap. This could be bad.

My baby no more

The time has come. KC has moved to the toddler bed.
I didn't really want to do this yet, I have to say that I liked that I could put him in his bed and leave him without him escaping. But today things changed.
KC was getting tired and cranky and ready for a nap, I needed to put some laundry away, so I put him in his crib while I finished putting his clothes away. I had to get something so I left the room for a minute. When I came back KC was half way out of his crib. Luckily I was able to get him and he didn't fall. The crib has also been KC's favorite teether. He chews on the top rail ALL the time. I tried putting plastic guards on it, but he always pulled them off, and when I tied them on, Parker took them off. So I gave up. Well I thought he was getting over the crib chewing, but on closer inspection of the bed today I found wood splinters all over the floor under the crib, and some inside it.
Aaron's brother Jared made the crib for us, and I've loved it. But one of the down sides of having a home made crib is that once it's been taken apart and put back together so many times, the screws don't hold very well anymore. And it was getting pretty rickety, I'm sure KC's shaking of it when he wanted out didn't help much either.

Anyways, sorry about the long explaination, but basically the crib was on its last leg anyways, and I didn't want KC climbing out and hurting himself, so I got out the drill and took it apart. And into the little bed he went.
He was very excited about it too.
After I got the blankets on he climbed right up onto his pillow and kept saying lovingly, "My night night, my night night"
So then it was time for his nap. I layed him down, and tucked him in. I went out and closed the door.
And out he came. He can open doors now, yet another wonderful thing about a growing toddler who wants to get into everything.
He was pretty happy that he could get out of bed all by himself, and even get out of the room. He just opened the door and gave me a big goofy smile. I told him it was nap time and to go back to bed. He closed the door. A few minutes later I didn't hear anything, which can only mean three things.
1. He's ransacked the place very quietly and is busy pullling all the clothes out of dressers and smearing diaper rash all over the wall.
2. Something bad has happened and he's unable to cry for help.
3. He's asleep
I crossed my fingers and prayed for number 3 and opened the door to check on him.

Whohoo! number 3!!!

Cakes or Kitties

Who should have to choose between 2 such wonderful things. In the back of my mind I knew this would probably be an issue, but I wasn't really thinking about pushing my business very much right now so I wasn't too worried. But now my head is filling with idea for cakes I want to make and things I want to learn.
Why is this a problem and what does it have to do with my kitties? Well, all these things cost $$, and to have $$ to spend on it I need to do more cakes, to get more cakes I need to advertise more, to advertise more I need to be a real business so I don't get in trouble. To get my business license and permits for a home based food business the cats have to go. That or be locked in a cage all day, no "free roaming animal" in the residence. And what cat deserves to be locked in a cage all day. Or be forced to live outside where is cold and dirty.

So the question is, how much do I really want to be a business. Or am I willing to have sad kids, and probably an even sadder husband, if we say bye bye to the kitties. Not to mention we just intalled 2 cat doors downstairs.

Good thing is the process for getting all the permits and all is kinda lengthy so we have a while to decide.

Happy Birthday Max!

Happy Valentines Day

I got some new supplies so I decided to give them a try. This is just a cake I did for fun and practice. Happy Early Valentines Day!

when washing a mouth out with soap, liquid soap is much more effective than bar soap. just ask parker

Katilynn

Look at this adorable baby girl!!!

This is my friend Kathryn and her new baby Katilynn. Katilynn was born last monday the 28th with a golf ball sized cyst in her throat. They had to move her to a hospital 2 hrs away from her mommy and do surgery to remove it. Amazingly she recovered so fast without any complications and they are all home together!!! I am so happy for you Kat and she is the most beautiful little girl, well the second most :), that I have ever seen! I love you!

Childhood

special thanks to Evelyn of Freckles Photography

My new favorite, taken by Evelyn

we painted...

The green goes into the kitchen as well and on the wall behind the stove and all the cabinets. we plan to paint the other downstairs walls a neutral tan color.

Finally! Last year I bought a bunch of 4" deep cake pans. Instead of baking two seperate layers for the cakes I'm doing the cake in one pan and swirling in the filling to the batter before baking. It's very yummy this way, but those pans are a pain! You may think you'd just bake them longer, but no, if only it was that simple. I have to turn the oven temp way down, and bake for hours. I figured out the 4", 6", and 8" pan, but that 10" was eluding me. The cake keep falling, the batter overflowing, after many tries and lots of wasted cake, I was going to give up and go back to my 2" layers.

But finally i did it!! It only took 2 tries this time. 2.5 hours of baking each time. But look! a 4" cake, evenly baked throughout. This is a white cake with raspberry swirl. The center looks different because I have to use a baking core so the center heats evenly with the side. Then I have to take the cake from the core piece and plug the hole.

Now to try the 12" pan...

Sledding!

Well, we gave into the wintery fun and went sledding. I can't remember the last time I was sledding, probably many many years ago. We only had to go to 3 different stores to find a sled. We'd planned to go up to American Fork canyon to sled, but after getting home from the cake delivery, and watching President Hinckleys funeral, and needing to be home to feed the missionaries dinner tonight, we decided to just find a place in town. So we ended up at Centennial Park on a small hill, jsut right for the kids. It was so fun! And exhausting. The kids loved it and are now sleeping peacefully thanks to burning up all that energy climbing back up the hill.

Jens Cake

Annie (my cousin Phil's wife) refered me to a friends of hers for a wedding cake. Thanks Annie!!! I really appreciate all of you that are telling your friends and family about my cakes. I love getting more experience, expecially with wedding cakes. I think it may be time for a new camera, again. Maybe we are just to rough on them, or maybe its time to get Parker his own so he doesn't want to use ours all the time. Now almost all our pics are coming out blurry. But I did get a few pics of the cake today. I'm beggining to think I should take a floral arranging class so when I set up cakes I know what I'm doing when the bride hands me a pile of flowers and wants me to arrange them on the cake for her. :) Its actually kinda fun to do, and I think I'm getting a little better at it. But it does take more time than just dropping off the cake so I think I might start charging more for it, or just for my cakes in general. I don't know. How much did you guys pay for your wedding cakes? How big were they? I think my prices are pretty good, expecially since I don't have tons of expreince, but I keep getting told I'm cheaper than anyone else so maybe thats a bad thing. Maybe people will wonder whats wrong with my cakes if I'm charging so much less than everyone else.

I need some help here. Take a look at my cake site and let me know what you think about my prices will ya? Considering I've only been doing this for a year now, but most customers don't know that. And that it cost a whole lot more to make a cake that big than most people seem to think it does, not to mention tons of time. So I want your honest opinion on what I'm charging, too much, too little, just right? Thanks for your help!! The goal is to make enough that I can afford to get licensed and be legal (always helps ;)) but not be overwhelmed by too many cakes that I can't spend time with my boys. And to have enough to pay for more classes and tools as needed. Anyways, sorry for the rambling, heres the pics.