I miss blogging

After going through some old posts, I realized that my blogging has kind of taken a slumpy turn. I feel like I haven't really had anything to blog about so I just haven't. Jared started Barber school last fall and with him being gone, I've been a little more busy than normal. He's got about 7 weeks left, and my life may return to a more less stressed pace.

I've got some big cakes coming up and could not be anymore excited. It's hard to not want to just start on them now, but I do believe in freshness. They are on a more difficult level but I'm ready for the challenge! Google "topsy turvy cakes" and you'll see what I get to do!

Update of my monkeys...cause we all know they grow so fast.
Mykael never ceases to amaze me! This chicks' heart is solid gold! Unfortunately I can't necessarily take credit for that in the genetics department, but I hope that some of our talks have contributed to who she is becoming! Without going into too much detail she basically has kept a neutral ground when it comes to friends and the nasty whisperings that so often occur at that age. She has been able to look at situations with a non-judgemental perspective and been patient with the outcome. Even when she was the "butt of the joke". She has the amazing ability to squash any gossip or rumors that come her way, stopping any further hurt to her or anyone else. I just love her for that! She will definitely be an amazing friend to whomever she meets.

When you find a nitch that just works in your life you go with it. And that's how Jaden is with his karate. It's his and his thing alone. I'm excited to see him continue to earn his belts again and compete in competitions. He'll be awesome!

Ashton's "love" has moved away. (or rather my choice of love for him.) Lilli moved 7 hours away and my only hope is the story of the Swan Princess. Before she had left, I took him to the store to buy her a locket. Her mother and I have high hopes that distance will make the hearts grow fonder and just like in the movie...they'll live happily ever after. I know he's only 6, but a mom can only hope!

Eli...........is still Eli. Still constructing things with the junk he finds around here but these things are becoming more functional. I think there's more of my grandpa W in him than I thought. He's ALWAYS making things or wanting to buy things for his friends. LOVES wrapping them up and giving them as gifts. He's just going all the time. But at night, he's ready to lay down and cuddle with Jared or I. He's so soft and so warm all the time! And his hugs are TIGHT!

Dylan is SOOOO friendly! Says Hi to EVERYONE! To the point that it's distracting. He talks loud (poor thing gets that from me) and asks a LOT of questions. He's definitely the star of his own movie/life. And people love him. We can't go anywhere without him having struck up a conversation with at least 3 complete strangers. And they walk away smiling. His faith is definitely sprouting. And I love talking to him about that. With the sweetness, there's an equal amount of red-head temper. And we'll just leave it at that.

I'm anxious for warmer weather. I'm itching to get out in the dirt again. I've got flowers to plant! For now, I'm just doing what I always do.

Severe was an understatment

I have been SO extremely out of it. SUPER sick, if you want definitions. It all started last week. A little congestion that manifested itself into a full on flu-cold monstrosity by sunday. It was so bad that I insisted on going to an urgent care even though my insurance wasn't accepted. Didn't care. Wanted drugs. BAD! My chest was so tight with congestion that I had a really hard time breathing. But then was told by the doctor that it was a severe case of the flu. Waisted money. No drugs for me. Although... they did give me a breathing treatment that made me dribble all over myself with nothing to clean it up. Sound attractive? Oh, I was! camo jammies, ski coat, big clunky shoes, and a hat to hide my pathetically greasy, unruly hair. And yes, I would lay in fetal postition everytime they left the room. All the while shaking from the cold (or rather being cold) If I had been talking jibberish, I would've been admitted to a white padded room. Fast forward through 3 completely unbarable sleepless days to now and I can say that the headache, chest congestion, fever, ear aches and shakes are gone. BUT....the sinus congestion is still very much alive and well. Coughing up....uh....let's call it, gunk, has been my new flattering bodily movement. Good news.. I do have at least one working nostril at any given time. (Depends on which side I lay.) Bad news....Dylan and Eli have fevers.  Dylan HATES taking medicine. Today when I told Dylan he needed medicine he took off into his room. By they time I got there, he had grabbed a box, toys, and clothes and shoved them in front of the door to block my entrance. Smart little turd! Have NO IDEA where he learned that one! Luckily this super strong sick mother was not detered. Just annoyed. Eli's a little better about taking it. So much so, he was urging Dylan to comply as well. SO....that's what's been/is going on around here. You might want to stay back. This thing is nasty! I got to thinking of all the germs that were floating/resting/putting up residence around me and my children I was pretty liberal with the clorox today. Drug my weakend body out of bed long enough to do so. Even though we're not through this yet, I'm not going to let one single sick cell (say that 10 times fast) multiply for another round. I'm non-confrontational like that.

To celebrate the fact that I'm done being sick (even though I'm not. Far from it.), my aunt had this on her facebook. I loved it and had to immortalize it here as well. (more so that I can come back to it later when I want.)

"Honesty in the absence of compassion becomes cruelty. Tenacity unmediated by flexibility congeals into rigidity. Confidence untempered by humility is arrogance. Courage without prudence is recklessness. Because all virtues are entailed, any strength overused ultimately becomes a liability. Breathing in is relaxing, but only if we’re equally capable of exhaling." ~Tony Schwartz

Happy wednesday.
*snort snort* *cough cough* ...............  *spit*                     *sanitize*

Mykael's Birthday Cake

She picked this out of a wedding cake and said, "just make the top layer and it'll be a birthday cake".

                                                              So I made two layers.

                                       Hand painted "bark". (it's supposed to look like tree bark.)

Tinted the leaves with gold dust and painted the centers as well. The scroll/branches/twigs were used with melted chocolate. It wasn't quite hardened yet. That's why it's so shiny.

She didn't want to cut it, so I had made these cupcakes instead. German chocolate with CoolWhip Chocolate filling. And a nilla wafer for good looks.

I've been a little busy.

I haven't posted any cakes for awhile but that doesn't mean I haven't been doing 'em. This was for a big baby shower in Idaho. Took a LOT of planning but the theme they gave me was from Baby's R Us 'Jungle Jill' themed.

 Giraffe has hand painted spots. But really it's the lines between the spots.

 The monkey was so fun to do. She really turned out cute. love her tail.

 The elephant had the coolest print and I was anxious to try it out.

 The little thin ribbon around the top of the bottom layer turned out perfect! Didn't know if it was going to work.

 I also made 2dozen cupcakes and HAD to get these paper cups to go along with the theme.

 They turned out tasty looking.

 ...and another kind of paper cup to use.

This next cake was a spur of the moment. Like out when the babyshower order and in came the idea to make a cake for my sister-in-law and drive to idaho to surprise her for it. Kinda didn't think that through because I could've delivered the baby shower cake myself.

 I had a vision for it, but in my vision is was teal in color. I didn't have teal color so we went with pink. And I don't think i had anything healthy to eat that day. The writing was awfully shaky. Note to self; eat less junk.

I LOVE football. My son LOVES football. And I LOVE University of Utah. Oh! And I LOVE making cakes. It all just made sense to me to put it together. Although not the son part. He already got a football cake a ways back.

This one was for my cousins boy. Good thing it wasn't a BYU cake. I think I'll forever be out of that particular blue color. ;o)

p.s. FYI.... BYU and Uof U are two rival universities. My heart is RED. Ashton THINKS his is blue. There's still time to change that. :o)

Sunny sets

We've had some pretty amazing sunsets. Day after day. I love them and have a great shot of them. (well, if you pretend there isn't road construction and a freeway and power lines and warehouses in the way)

 Sillouettes are fun to take. Jaden loves posing. It's easy to put the two together. So I did.

 These two are the same night. Just a little bit of past time in between.

I would have to say that the darker one is my favorite. Which is yours?

My Best (furry) Friend

This is my loyal companion. Has been for 7 years. He loves me unconditionally. He's happy when I come home. And keeps me warm at night. He doesn't argue with me when I have something to complain about. (ok, yes he does....until I feed him). He relishes the quiet times during the time by sitting on my lap as I lounge in the chair.

And....I can speak his language. Don't believe me? Call me some time and I'll let you listen. I've learned one word/phrase. "food" I can't type it, so you'll just have to take my word for it. But he'll repeat it!!

As I sit here and type, he has snuggled right up next to me. I think he needs the body heat.

Age isn't being very kind to him. I think he's 14 or 15 (in human years). He's really skinny. Like feel all the bones in the spine, hips, and back legs...skinny. But eats like a horse.

When his time comes, I will miss him. A LOT! Like really a lot! I don't like to think about it.

Until then, I take pictures of him and enjoy his silky soft warm fur and constant loyalty.

I Love Monet!

p.s. don't tell my husband. (he already knows)

p.s.s. Ignore the ugly morning hag in the photo above. She's just proving that "Moe"" likes to snuggle.

You Snooze, You Loose.

Looks like Mercy and Mom are the only ones that are going to get a free homemade gift from me. Email me (Mercy. I know where my mom lives) your mailing address.

sunny1818@hotmail.com

Thanks for playing ladies.