Cakes... what else?

I went onto Facebook this morning and someone from Mike and April's wedding took a decent-looking picture of my cake. I thought I was going to wait for the photographer.

This morning I also finished a cake for a friend of mine who is having her baby blessed today. She wanted a cake for luch she is having for her family and told me she wanted a cake that looked like it was for a baby shower.

I made the topper out of gumpaste. The cake is covered in butercream frosting and fondant dots.

Happy Halloween!

My kids LOVED Halloween this year. Jackson knew months ago that he wanted to be Darth Vader. I went back and forth whether to have Caroline be Yoda or Princess Leia and decided she needed to be a girl. Dalene made an adorable little dress and we even got Jackson a red lightsaber. He had a fit at the thought of being Darth Vader with the blue one he already had.

These pictures were taken before our chili cook-off/trunk-or-treat at church. Caroline wouldn't wear her hair and everyone thought she was an angel or ghost, which would still have been cute, but I was going for something more original :)

David and Leda came over Sunday night and went trick-or-treating with us. I always love it when they come over and hang out with us. And the kids love their Uncle Dabid and Yeeda!

Caroline decided she needed to do her own make-up

How'd she do? She actually looked like Darth Vader had her trapped down in dungeon and was beating her regularly, but she was proud of herself so I didn't worry about it. (Amazing, I know)

Caroline kept her hair on the whole time and everyone thought they looked so cute together. One man told me I made his night by having them dressed up as Star Wars chracters, and I told him that he made mine by knowing who Caroline was supposed to be!

Caroline was defintitely a hit. She came home with twice as much and better candy than Jackson. But, Jackson was adorable, too and every time he had on his Darth Vader mask, he even breathed loudly right along with it.

By the end of the night, Caroline was pooped and fell asleep with her Uncle Dabid. They love each other :)

i {heart} fall

My Big Lady!

About a month ago I decided to potty-train Caroline. She has always shown alot of interest in the potty so I figured it as good a time as any... or not.

For a week, she never went to the bathroom on the toilet a single time... wouldn't even realize that she had used the bathroom. So, I put the diaper back on her and figured she wasn't ready.

About a week and a half later I am in school one night and I get a text from Cameron that said, "Guess who just pooped in the potty?!?!?" She had gone in without telling him, went to the bathroom and then walked him to the bathroom to show him what she had done. What kid do you know that poops in the potty before they ever pee in the potty. That was all it took and she has been a rock star ever since.

This was taken after the first few days. She loves to put stickers on her chart!

She's so little that she likes to sit backwards. So cute :)

Here's my teenie girl in her big girl panties!

Of course, she's still naughty. Atleast she loves peanut butter... enough to eat it straight out of the jar. Gotta love her!

CAKES!

I have really been so excited to be getting some good business for my cakes. It is alot of fun, and I'm betting my name out there!

Hello Kitty for a birthday party. White cake with vanilla buttercream.

I made these cupcakes for school. The pink one is french vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream. There was dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and chocolate buttercream frosting. And, red velvet cake with whipped cream cheese frosting and pecans. They were a big hit!

Amy asked me to do an Atlanta Bravves cake for Ryan's birthday. It was layers of french vanilla and chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and vanilla buttercream.

My friend, April got married yesterday and wanted just plain poundcake with buttercream frosting. Her husband MIke wanted a the cake to have strawberries on it. This is what I came up with. I hate that the piccture is so bad, but because I'm a genius I forgot to bring my camera. This was taken with my phone in the practically un-lit room where the reception was.

In case you ever wondered, this is what happens to my house when I'm in the kitchen making a cake...

Our ward trunk or treat was Friday night...

these "candy corn" cupcakes were my contribution. But guess what else???

I won the chili cook-off! I won "best white chili" but then I also won "best chili" overall! Yay for me!!!

6th Annual Walk to Remember

"We walk for the steps they will never take"

I participated again this year with Amy in the " A Walk to Remember" and Time of Remembrance put on by the Heartstrings organization. Again, it was a wonderful experience. I am always moved to tears at Amy's strength... she is a wonder to me. I am so grateful for her presence in my life. I am proud to call her my friend, and even more proud to share the title of 'Mother' with her.

Amy, April, Sharon and Kasey, Charlotte and me

me and my best girl!

This year they made butterflies for each baby and during the reading of the baby names, the parents clipped these butterlfies to the tree. It was really beautiful.

My friend, Brad, snapped this picture of Amy and me during the butterfly ceremony. I love her!

Emma Grace McKinney

Joshua Ryan McKinney

It breaks my heart that I have so many friends that have been lost their babies. An old and dear friend of mine lost her son, Will earlier this year as well. This was his butterfly.

This is my friend, Royale's, memory candle for her son, Dallin

"We Remember Them" - Rabbi Sylvan Kamens

At the rising of the sun and at its going down,

We remember them.

At the blowing of the wind and the chill of the Winter,

We remember them.

At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of Spring,

We remember them.

At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of Autumn,

We remember them.

At the beginning of the year and when it ends,

We remember them.

As long as we live, they too will live,

For they are now apart of us as we remember them.

When lost and sick at heart,

We remember them.

When we have joy we crave to share,

We remember them.

As long as we live they too will live,

For they are now apart of us as we remember them.

“Parents are entrusted with the education of their

children, and, ultimately, parents must ensure that their

children are being taught what their

Heavenly Father would have them learn…

It is our sacred duty to do our very best.”

-Elder L. Tom Perry

SASSY... all capital letters

I laughed out loud when I saw this shirt at Target and knew that my Sassy girl had to have it!

My Birthday

My 29th year is off to a great start! I had a wonderful birthday!

Cameron and the kids woke me up singing "Happy Birthday" with a card and the necklaces that the kids picked out all by themselves. Cameron told me that when he asked the kids last week what they wanted to get me for my birthday, Jackson said, "a green light-saber" and Caroline said, "a baby." Then Jackson said, "a necklace and a bracelet." They settled on two necklaces. It was really sweet.

Then Dalene watched the kids for me for a few hours so I could go to lunch with Amy and Kasey (whose birthday is just two days after mine). We went to the Olive Garden, of course and it was so nice to have a girls' lunch.

I probably can't even count the number of pictures we have exactly like this one from over the years.

Then the fun started. We went to the fair for my birthday because I LOVE the fair and because they were having unlimited rides. Mom came up and David and Leda came with us, too.

Jackson had fun helping me open presents.



Mom made me my favorite dessert for my birthday instead of cake... pudding dessert

We had so much fun at the fair! Everyone took turms with the kids when someone wanted to ride something that Caroline couldn't get on. Jackson was able to go on everything except the pirate ship and he LOVED it. I'm so glad he likes rides like I do!

This was a pool that had beah balls that were big enough to get inside and walk/bounce across the water. So cool!

Everyone was able to ride the Ferris Wheel and Jackson, Caroline and I were the only ones not freaking out about the height and not beig well secured.

I know you can't tell, but Cameron was freaking out and was about to come un-glued in this picture

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I made Caroline wear a baby leash... a little white-trashy, but after our experience in Kohls, I wasn't taking any chances. I got a few eye-rolls, but you know what, she was safe and was still able to run and walk and not have to be confined to a stroller. It was a win-win!

Me and mom at the end of the night, It was so fun!

Thanks to everyone who made my birthday so wonderful! It was so fun and I feel so loved!

Chocolate Pudding dessert:

crust:

1 c chopped pecans

1 stick softened butter

3/4 c flour with 1/4 c powdered sugar

cream cheese layer:

1 c powdered sugar

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1 c cool whip

pudding layers:

prepare a package of chocolate pudding and vanilla pudding per package directions

Combine crust indredients. Put in a 9x13 and bake A 350 for 20 minutes. Cool completely and then top with cream cheese layer (just combine ingredients and spread over crust). Then layer chocolate pudding then vanilla pudding. Top with cool whip and more chopped pecans.