Make my CAKE and eat it TOO

I’m SO Super excited I can hardly contain myself!! =)

Been keeping busy lately getting ready for the storm of birthday parties that is coming to our house. 4 out of 5 of our children have birthdays within an 8 week time frame, and I’ve been swarming around busy as a bee getting everything together!!

The first birthday party is this weekend for Tre’stin and Tayler, who both have April birthdays. And then smack dab in the middle of their birthdays is Easter Weekend! So I thought what better way to celebrate their birthdays than with an Easter Bunny themed party and Egg Hunt!

It’s been fun finding Bunny Decorations and neat candies to fill their basket with, but when it came to finding the right cake I wasn’t satisfied.

I went to the usual spots- Publix, Kroger, Sam’s Club, etc. trying to find the perfect cake to fit their party.



It hits me- the mainstream cake business is a REAL rip-off!!

They charge $35 for a sheet cake made with $5 of cake mix, covered with $5 of white icing, and then I presume a $25 “labor” charge for someone to write happy birthday in icing on top?? The real annoyance comes when the person who writes on the cake has horrible penmanship or can’t SPELL! I’m thinking that’s about $100 worth of cake I’m buying in the next few weeks and I don’t see the value in it.

I DO understand the value of a specialty cake from an actual bakery because the level of craftsmanship is well beyond what the average person can do. At the same time, you are also spending a lot more money (because you get what you pay for), but I wonder if the novelty of the expensive specialty cake is lost on young children who will spend about two seconds admiring it before it gets devoured with a spoon and a side of ice cream.

WHERE IS THE HAPPY MEDIUM?

That’s when I came up with my brilliant idea! (Heaven help us)

I will make the birthday cakes MYSELF! Haha

I know what you’re thinking, so THAT’S IT?!!

But let me clarify… I don’t just intend on making a plain cake covered with icing and a numbered candle stuck on top. I will attempt to make a bakery cake creation that is able to compete (and perhaps win) against a Publix cake!

So Latrail thinks I’m putting way too much pressure on myself to bring this together, but I don’t see it that way.

Children are only young for so long. They grow up and get over a lot of the simple things they enjoy as children. While they still have that amazement and wonder in their eye, why not cherish it? Why not do the best you can do? At least the memories will stick with them even when they become desensitized adults.

I also look at it as an investment to acquire such a skill. With five kids, can you imagine how many birthday cakes we will have to buy in a lifetime? LOL. I’m saving us like a MILLION dollars!

I started surfing the web for ideas and found some really cool blogs!

My favorites are listed below:

www.bakerella.blogspot.com
www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com
www.allthingscupcake.com
http://cupcakeswirl.com
www.bakeorbreak.com
www.bakelove.com


Could it be that baking has become hip and no one told me?

In my research I learned that there is a “silent war” going on between cakes and cupcakes. Apparently cake decorating is a hobby for mostly old school June Cleaver moms. Young hip moms are making cupcakes instead. It’s crazy, like pirates vs. Ninjas, but I LIKE IT!

There’s like this secret club of young cool mothers who bake as a hobby- but come up with these crafty designs and have modern printed flour aprons! Where can I sign up for membership!!?? LOL

The apron below is available for purchase at bakelove.com website for $18, along with cute tees as well! I want one...



Okay, so YES I had to invest in a base supply first to get this idea off the ground running!

OMG did I really spend $50 on cake supplies last night? I purchased my 3 round cake pans so I can make a 3 tier cake, then I got a giant tub of professional decorator cake icing (b/c it only came in wholesale size), not to mention other accessories such as the icing spatulas, decorative candies, food coloring, and a cake stand.

I expected Trail to snap on me when I came home with all of this, instead he just kind of shook his head then kissed me on the forehead. I’m starting to realize he understands me much better than I give him credit for. ;-)

So tonight is the big night! I don’t want to pressure myself Saturday morning into having to create a 3 layer cake right before the party. I have all my supplies laid out and ready to go when I get home.

The cake theme is going to be Marshmellow Peeps, though I plan on freestyling the design once the cakes are made. I’m not expecting my FIRST cake to be some culinary masterpiece, but hell- I KNOW I can top the old lady in the Ingles Bakery! LOL

I will take pictures and share with you guys.

If everything goes as planned, I feel a new weekend hobby coming on!! I want to experiment with cupcakes and these cool "cake pop" things I keep reading about too!!

Michelle O. = The next Jackie O.?

Has anyone else been keeping up with Michelle Obama’s fashion?



Not to make light of the political tasks that she and the president are undertaking, but I think her appearance is of extremely significant to our nation.

When was the last time you remember a first lady being watched and mimicked this closely for her fashion?
The outfits Michelle and her daughters wore on Inauguration Day sold out online within a matter of minutes!

I NEVER heard a news segment about what Barbara Bush or Hillary Clinton was going to wear next! (Because we already knew: a frumpy 2 piece suit, Helmet Hairspray Hair and some granny shoes. =P)

I can’t think of a fashion forward First Lady in my lifetime, but my mother has often spoken fondly of seeing Jackie Kennedy in the White House when she was a young girl. Even though her role as first lady had it's own importance to the nation, Jackie Kennedy began a fashion revolution of the American public. She was not only young and attractive, but intelligent and cultivated, and possessed an innate sense of style and elegance.



Our country quickly made her an icon. She did not mimic the older, conservative styles of the previous first ladies, but remained very fashion forward in modern, yet sophisticated clothing: wide leg pants, clean suits, a-line dresses, pearl jewelry and those large round black sunglasses that became infamous and are still worn today.



The profound positive effect this had was that the nation’s young girls had a fashionable role model to look up to. The First Ladies before Jackie were older and more difficult for the younger generation to identify with. Once Jackie was in the White House, there were millions of women and girls alike imitating her style. She inspired books, movies, plays, songs, and even had a Barbie Doll in her likeness.

FAST FORWARD TO CURRENT DAY-

In the midst of music video ho*s, celebrities such as Britney Spears & Paris Hilton, and reality show queens like New York and Tila Tequila- Can you think of time we needed role models like Michelle Obama MORE? I become sick when I think of the images of women that my young girls are fed each day.

Whether we realize it or not, our daughters are soaking up these celebrity images, and the images that we ourselves as mothers put out to them with our own wardrobes, and they retain that for future reference. Our sons are watching too, and learning what they should look for in a woman and also how they should treat them when they become men. We don’t realize the profound impact we can have on our children and their future ideals simply by the appearance of our clothing.

But when I see snapshots of our first lady, I can’t help but to be inspired. Not only is President Obama giving our nation a message of hope, his wife is giving the same message to our young ladies and grown women alike.







How can you watch the first lady and NOT want to be just a little more refined, a little more sophisticated, a little more lady like?



There is also the idea planted that Michelle Obama has created this look herself, she is not some conjured depiction of what everyone else wants her to be. And she is a fashion leader naturally, not because she is vying for the throne.



Another positive note is that Mrs. Obama wears fashion that is real and attainable to the everyday budget. Most people brag about designers they can hardly afford or pronounce. I love that Michelle’s main wardrobe staple is J.Crew- simple, elegant, realistic. She is letting the style of the clothing replace the importance of the brand, a lesson we could all learn in today’s label obsessed culture.



And then what about the effect that the clothing has on confidence? It is hard not to notice her proud, regal bearing and the confidence of her step.
It’s not a strut, not a slink, not an awkward gait- just a simple, graceful stride that is boosted by an elegant outer image.



Isn’t that how I want my daughters to appear when they grow up?
Don't I want them to respect themselves enough not to feel the need to expose their bodies for attention, but to allow them to be noticed for more admirable traits- such as their mind or heart?

Isn’t that the image I want to project for myself as a mother and a corporate professional?

Sorry for my long musings, just food for thought today…

Ok guys so I FINALLY did it! I finally made another weekly splurge purchase at Sephora!!WHOO HOOO!!

I know, I know- THANK YOU! Please hold your applause for the END of the show!! LOL

In previous blogs I mentioned that I stopped doing my splurge buys at Sephora just $40 short of attaining my 500 point prize. My mind has been wandering to other purchases and my makeup collection is complete for now, so it has been difficult to return to Sephora. I would like to begin working on other projects, but I realize I must finish what I’ve started and get my prize!!

Sephora DID make it easy on me to make this purchase though. Spring is in the air and Summer is close behind. What better way to ring in the new seasons than with a new eyeshadow palette?

But not just ANY palette! One full of bright spring shadows, glimmering bronzer, pale pink blush and an assortment of creamy lip balm colors for only $20?!! Are you SERIOUS?!!

When I saw this online I fell in love!


I like purchasing seasonal makeup palettes b/c it feels like I have the “best of the best” for that season, and I don’t have to spend a lot of money to buy the full sizes. By the end of the season I’m usually over the colors anyways, so it works out well. But usually in a seasonal palette there are some colors you love and some you never touch. The thing I LOVE about THIS palette is that EVERY color is gorgeous and wearable! Also every review I read on this palette gave it FIVE STARS so I was really eager to get my grubby splurging little hands on it! lol

So for 3 days straight I stalked Sephora at Perimeter to get this palette, and each time I got there (at 11:30am in the morning, mind you) they had JUST sold out!!
Are you kidding? The mall JUST opened an hour ago and you are SOLD OUT?!

I started getting antsy about whether or not I would even be able to get the palette, so I just bit the bullet yesterday and purchased online. I have to pay $5 shipping but I figure it evens out in the gas I spent checking in at the mall. But this gives me 22 more points towards my grand prize... $18 more bucks shouldn't be TOO hard to spend!! =)

If you are interested in this product just remember its limited edition! So once it’s gone- it's gone! (And it’s already selling out in stores, so don’t wait too long to get yours!!)

Ladies, I assure you these are all the makeup colors you will need for this season, and even in tough economic times $22 is a deal you can’t pass up for everything included.

This set contains:
- 36 eyeshadows
- 12 lip glosses
- 3 blushes
- bronzer
- 3 applicators

***

In other news, phase 2 of my hair color process will commence this week! Even though my hair is no longer BLACK, it is still not quite what I pictured for the season!

I DID take a vote via text with some of my buddies to see if I should go more red or a lighter color… and the votes are in!

I’ll update you guys with a new picture this weekend after it’s complete so you can see the voting results!

Once I get these beauty projects out of the way, it’s time for some mommy projects to begin!

Upcoming Events:

-Easter Theme Birthday & Egg Hunt!
-4 of our kid's birthdays in a 6 week span!
-A "Royal" Birthday Event!
-Mother's Day!
-Sarina and Mimi as flower girls in my cousin's upcoming black & white themed wedding!

Whew, I’m a busy woman!!
Later for now!

Soap Opera Drama

I got an email today from New York & Co. ( my career wear store) that all this month on All My Children, all of the actresses will be wearing clothes from NY&Co.’s new spring collection.

I haven’t watched soap operas in AGES, but I’m thinking about checking it out after work on Soap Network to see how they put the clothes together.



NY&Co. is a great store for work clothes b/c they have lots of button downs, pencil skirts and career pants at WAYYY affordable prices. I haven’t shopped there for anything BUT work clothes b/c some of their clothing is a little “mature” for me. It will be interesting to see how some Hollywood Soap Stars can jazz it up for afternoon primetime!





Reading this email made me realize how long it’s been since I watched the soaps.

My mom has been a faithful fan of Young & the Restless and Bold & the Beautiful since before I was a baby. I remember when I would get off the school bus in elementary school I couldn’t talk to her for like the first 15 minutes I was home b/c General Hospital wasn’t over yet. LOL

After high school I went to college early in the morning, but worked second shift so I was usually home around lunch time. I think that was when I first started watching them faithfully and really got into the story lines.

But once I got my first 8 to 5 job, that kinda ended. We used to have a TV in the breakroom of my old job, but some channel hog was always watching news by the time I got to lunch. I didn’t want to seem trivial and ask someone to turn off CNN b/c “my stories” were on!!

I never got into the "Passions" craze that everyone seemed to be on a few years ago. (REMEMBER THAT?!!! HAHA)

I couldn't watch a soap opera that had a witch AND a midget!
That is just TOO MUCH going on!!
And I had to draw the LINE on that one when some GROWN ASS MEN asked me if I had seen the latest "Passions" episode. ( YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!! puhahah)

I wonder if any of the characters I even remember are still on the soaps?

On Y&R- Is Victor still running the show? Did him and Nikki ever get back together? What about my favorite couple Cricket and Danny? Is Mrs. Chancellor still ALIVE?

On B&B- Is Brooke still trying to lockdown Ridge? Is his mom Stephanie still interfering in their relationship? Did Dr. Taylor come back from death to reunite with Ridge? Hahahahahaha

I’ve never watched All My Children, but I’ll check it out and see what it’s about.

If anybody still keeps up with the stories, give me the scoop on the ppl I listed above!!

Snooze Button...

This is day two of Sarina having her own alarm clock and it’s working well so far.
Now she gets up at 6am on her own, turns on cartoons, wakes up Mimi and makes toothbrushes for both of them. It’s a HUGE help to me and her dad in the mornings!

Our previous routine has been a little INSANE. Trying to rush into the shower to get first dibs on hot water, spending 15 mins trying to get the kids to get out of bed, starting coffee, turning on cartoons & other random tasks. I’m normally so rushed I have to put my makeup on while sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on 285. (I know what you’re thinking!! It’s a BAD habit I’m trying to break!!)

I have about an hour and fifteen minute ride to work on a GOOD DAY, so it’s been kinda hectic trying to get the kids ready and get out the door on time. It’s bad enough that I leave at the crack of dawn and it’s still dark when I get on the highway- the last thing I need to do is RUSH.

So we’ve been working on more efficient ways to get out of the house on weekday mornings.

Another bonus- My Gevalia Coffee Maker arrived!!!
Don’t know if you guys have heard of Gevalia, but if you are a coffee drinker- this stuff is A MUST HAVE!! My mom and grandfather have ordered it for years, I’m not sure why I only thought recently to order it for myself.

I’m a lover of flavored coffees, and they have some delicious choices!!! My first order was Irish Crème and Vanilla Nut, though I want to try Caramel next time! Its high quality coffee too, so you get that perfect caffeine boost without the shakes or a headache (like I get from Foldgers coffee- ugh!) Makes me just want to dance around my kitchen and get my day started. =]

You schedule how often you would like to receive a shipment of the coffee and they mail & bill it to you. When you sign up for the service, they send you a FREE Gevalia Brand coffee maker (It’s NICEEEE too- Stainless Steel & Black!), all you have to pay is the shipping- which totals about $15.




The coffee maker also has an automatic setting on it, which my goal is to figure out tonight. That way I can have my coffee set up the night before, and then precisely at 6am my morning java will start brewing!!

Eventually I want to get to the point where I can have time to make breakfast for everyone, though I don’t know how much earlier I can wake up!! I never figured out how my mom managed to get up at 5am and have her hair curled and bacon cooking by the time me and my brother got out of bed. As a working mom myself now, I can appreciate the little things she did for us like that. I’m lucky if I have time to grab a pop-tart running out the door!

If you guys have any tips or fool-proof methods on how to get going in the mornings (with kids)- I would love to hear them!

Cyber Cravings

So they’ve really tightened things up on internet surfing at work and I’ve been away for awhile. When I get home I’m too busy with the family to spend a lot of time online. We now only have access to Blogger at work, so I guess this will be my weekday connection to the cyberworld!!

It’s funny I used to check my myspace and facebook religiously each day, but now that I’ve gone 3 weeks with limited access, I don’t miss it at all.

Since I’ve “broken up” with f/b and m/s, I’ve picked up on a new internet addiction! I’ve been scourging news websites, learning as much information as I can! (This is probably much better for my brain than myspace anyways. =] )

I don’t mean DRY news, like an “insurgent bombing” in Iraq (frkn Katt Williams!) or more dismal reports on the economy.
That stuff can get depressing after awhile!

I’ve been finding news bits that grab my attention or relate to things I like.
Here are some cool news stories I’ve run across… Hopefully this is good stuff for you too!

***
Nintendo is coming out with a DSi on April 5th. This DS will have two cameras (one on the outside, and one facing the user), a voice recorder and music player that allow you to record and play your own music . Plus you get access to games on the go from the DSiWare store. I wish we had known about this before we replaced Sarina’s broken DS a couple of weeks ago! The new DS is only $170, which is about $30 more than the current DS model.
Hmm, I might have to get one for myself now…



***
A Sherlock Holmes movie is coming out!
I’ve always been into reading mysteries, as a child Sherlock Holmes was one of my favorite mystery novels. The cast of the movie is incredible, so I think it might be a big hit. It’s set to release Fall 09.

It’s directed by Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Madonna’s Ex), Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) will play Sherlock Holmes, Jude Law will play Watson, and Rachel McAdams will play RDJ’s love interest.

Guy Ritchie says this will be a very contemporary version of the story since Sherlock Holmes is kind of out of touch with today’s world. I love the way he directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels- it will be interesting to see how his directing style portrays a Classic Literary Character.



Other upcoming movie remakes that sound pretty cool:

-The Karate Kid (with Jackie Chan as Mr. Miyagi)

-Conan the Barbarian (no word yet on any actors- but WHO can replace ARNOLD??!! haha)

-He-Man (The only buzz so far is that they REFUSE to use a wrestler as He-Man! LOL)
I’m just thinking of Dolph Lungren’s horrible acting skills in the 80s version of this movie! The director said he wants this He-Man to be remade like Batman was in The Dark Knight, and that it will likely be a trilogy!!

-Back to the Future (no buzz yet on the new Marty McFly or Professor)

-The Last Dragon (the buzz is Samuel L. will play the Shogun of Harlem a.k.a. Sho’Nuff and it will be produced by RZA from Wu-Tang Clan!! HOT!!)




-Terminator 4 (with Christian Bale a.k.a. Batman as John Connor!!)



***
AT&T is doing a new phone trade-up policy?

For now it’s just a rumor, but it looks like AT&T may be doing a phone trade up deal for current customers, kind of like trading in a video game to get a new one. You will get a cash value for the phone you trade in and be able to apply it to your new phone purchase. This would be an AWESOME alternative to having to renew your contract 2 years if you want a new phone, or having to pay full price for a new phone just b/c you already have service.

If this policy comes to life, it is expected to be effective as early as June of this year!! If I read anything else on this, I'll be sure to let my fellow AT&T ppl know!!

Valentine's Recap

Sorry guys.
I just realized I talk an awful lot about my shopping adventures, but I don’t really update on much else do I?

I had the BEST Valentines Weekend ever!!

The Thursday night before Valentine’s I helped my girls make cards for their classmates.

Sarina picked Disney Camp Rock valentines, and my quirky little Mimi picked Kung Fu Panda. She has such an oddball, fun personality. I can’t wait to see how her character continues to develop.

Sarina was such a Disney Princess, Tea Party time little girl when she was smaller.
Mimi is all Oshkosh Overalls & Rice Krispie Treats! She has always had an obsession with Dora the Explorer, but since she saw Kung Fu Panda, she’s been doing karate kicks and obsessing with Panda Bears. She also makes up songs for the foods she enjoys (LOL)! Her greatest hits album includes “Bacon, Bacon, BACON!” and “Cookies all over my FACE”

Anyways, Friday night my mom picked up the kids so she could spend Valentine’s with them at the Circus. We headed out later that night to share a late night pizza at Mellow Mushroom and then catch the Midnight Showing of the new Jason movie “Friday the 13th” ON FRIDAY the 13th- how cool was that? Haha

The movie was actually pretty dope! I’m not really a scary movie type girl, but even I enjoyed it. There was fun vibe with the crowd watching the movie, probably because it was the midnight showing. Can’t wait til it’s out on BLU-RAY!

So me and my honey squeeze (haha) decided we would make a big day of the whole Valentine’s thing since it was our first Valentine’s EVER!

We started out the day doing our own thing. He ventured off to Brandsmart while I got my nails & pedi done.



A couple of nights before we had started our BIG project for the year of sprucing up our house. Our first buy was a shag rug for our living room floors. The hardwood is pretty, but it can be uncomfortable when you’re just lounging around the sofa. We bought the rug but still had it wrapped up so we decided to go ahead and set it up before we went out.



The result was amazing! Sometimes the smallest things can really help bring a room together. The rug really centered the sofa & coffee table and gave the room a more cozy vibe. We took about 10 mins to rub our bare feet in the shag rug (haha) then got dressed for the day.

We decided to spend Valentine’s DAY out instead of evening so we wouldn’t have to fight the crowds and deal with horrible wait times. We had reservations for Dolce at Atlantic Station at 4pm, when they first opened for the day. We got to Atlantic Station around 2:30, giving us time to walk around the shops before eating our meal. There was a really cool vibe in Atlantic Station that day. Lots of couples walking around holding hands & googly eyed. A man was playing the saxophone in the park area while peddlers were selling single stem roses on every corner.

By the time we got to Dolce their doors were just opening. We were seated quickly in a good spot. The restaurant was nearly empty aside from us and the waitstaff, so we had excellent service, the food was fresh and piping hot, and we didn’t have to yell over a crowded room to each other.



Dolce has a really dark, sensual ambiance too. It felt like we were hanging out in a Vampire Bordello or something. And the drinks were good and strong! The MOSCATINI was excellent. Who would have thought to combine my favorite wine with Grey Goose? =P



We browsed a few more shops after our meal and then headed out of the city just as it was starting to get crowded. I spotted a bookcase at West Elm for my living room that we went back to buy later on in the week.

We ended the evening at home with a nightcap, chillin with our feet in the shag rug watching a movie. What a PERFECT weekend!! =)