Arrrrrrr, matey!

My lastest creation...this was so fun! I had a couple of mishaps (cake just breaking apart!) But I'm pleased with it. It's hard for me to do buttercream and not fondant...I like the way fondant is so smooth and perfect but I bet this tastes soooooo yummy! This was for my BFF's oldest who just turned 7 (I can't even BELIEVE he is 7!) Poor little guy was sick, sick, sick the day of the party. At least there will be plenty of yummy cake for him to eat when he feels better!!!

January, UGH

I need to plan something exciting for next January. I find that I feel so just "stuck" this month. It's a nothing to do, no where to go, same old stuff, rut. I haven't even hardly blogged because really the only thing that we've done is a lot of de-junking and reorganizing and well, that's hardly blog worthy.

I finally dug the camera out the other day and took a few pictures just to have something for this month. Here's a little of what we have been up to.

Gavin just sat there one day making funny faces...it was hilarious. He's such a nut!





Then he decided we should make a potato head family.

Look closely....

How cute! He was holding hands with one of that Potato Heads!

Max loves to wear sunglasses and put things on his head like hats and headbands. It doesn't last long before he takes them off though!

Last night we happened to look outside and the sky was BEAUTIFUL. It only lasted a second. I asked Gavin if he wanted to go outside with me really quick to see it and he said, "Yes, and in the meantime I'm going to pick up some sticks." In the meantime? Really, where does he get this stuff?!

We had some random balloons just hanging around so I googled and learned how to make a balloon animal puppy. I love the internet. Max just likes to put things in his mouth....

New Year, New Me

I wish it was a new me like 50 lbs lighter and a funky new hairstyle, but hey, at least I'm alive, right?!?!

I think this is honestly the first new year that I have truly reflected on the past year and focused on what I might want to change or improve upon this year. I have SERIOUSLY debated over what I want my resolution to specifically be. In the end I have quite a few smaller goals that I will be working on to better myself, but my main focus for the year is happiness. Don't get me wrong...I'm happy now, but I really want to be someone other people want to be around. I want to be one of those people who ALWAYS seem happy despite minor issues they might be having.

I know I'm always going to have rough days, but I am trying to remind myself when those tough times come that it's not the end of the world. How positive (or not) I am about the sitution will determine the outcome. How I am the ONE person who can decide how I will act or react. (Maybe I should have gone with the word "control"!)

I know if I can be a happier person it will influence how others are feeling. I know my children and husband will feel more loved and secure when I am outwardly happy in all of my efforts.

I'm still not exactely sure how I'm going to accomplish this because I feel that I tend to be a glass half empty person, but a couple of ideas I've thought of:

Working on my personal progress for YW. I absolutely love the new program and always feel at peace when I'm working on it. Along with this comes studying the scriptures as the project for virtue is to read the Book of Mormon.

Stop thinking that everything is so hard to do with my kids. I think I hide at home a lot because I get anxiety about going out with them. I know this is harder for me in the winter months, but it's something I need to work on all year long.

Waking up each day and thinking of something I am thankful for. It's hard to be a downer when you recognize everything you've got going for you. And, well, I really have a lot going for me :)

Quit worrying about what everyone thinks of me. We all do this, but I think I do it a little more than others. I'm so self concious of how I look, what I wear, are they judging my parenting?, is my house perfect enough? I'm done worrying about it. This is me and this is what you get. No more apologizing for being me. I want to like ME and I can't do that when I'm so worried about everyone else liking me.

Recognize that I am truly a daughter of God. I don't usually get all churchy (is that even a word?) on my blog, but that last statement is the core of who I am. He created me and He loves me, despite all the things I think are my shortcomings. If I can just keep this in mind, how could I feel anything but happy?

So the word of 2011 for me is Happiness. What's yours?

Paisleys for Paisley

My sweet niece Paisley turned 1 this past week and is having her birthday celebration tomorrow evening. My sister asked me to make the cake...actually, I think it may have gone down something like this:

Britt: We're having Paisley's birthday party Sunday evening...can you come?

Me: Of course! I'm bringing the cake, right?

I doubt she minded me being so forward, but after it took me all day long (and that was even with preparing half of the stuff earlier in the week!) I was starting to wonder why the heck I even offered! Just kidding...I love my little Pais and am glad I got to make this way too big and elaborate cake for her very first bithday! Can't wait to take some pictures of her smashing the top layer!



I wish the paisleys would have turned out cuter (obviously this was my main idea since it's her name and all...)I'm really not great at piping things on cakes! I struggle with getting the cornstarch off of the fondant too...especially the chocolate. If anyone has suggestions about this kind of thing, let me know!