this pool party cake was indeed headed 4 a pool party on Saturday...i hope the rain held off & that Miss Hallie was able 2 have a good time!
it's all yellow cake, iced in butter cream...the pool is wrapped in fondant & has a gum paste ladder...the sand is brown sugar & all the kiddos & their accessories r plastic (Polly Pockets, 2 b exact)
this Lego cake was done 4 the "cake sister's" daughter...& as u can tell by the picture below, Alyx loved her cake!
it was all yellow cake as well...iced in butter cream & covered in fondant...i made all the little Legos & Lego people from fondant too
2moro morning, my sis & i r driving 3 1/2 hours 2 Princeton WVa 2 attend our 1st cousin's wedding...no, i'm not making the cake :0( i was going thru treatment when they began planning, & of course we had no idea when i'd finish up, how i'd b feeling, etc...but i'm psyched 2 see all the fam & yes, check out that wedding cake ;0)
Kelly (my sis) & i will b staying the night at a hotel down there on Saturday, then we'll drive home on Sunday...on the way home, we're making a stop at Mountain Lake Resort again (we went there last June)...we hear the lake is rising now & we want 2 check it out!
it'll b just Curtis & the kiddos while i'm gone...we all know he's the best daddy on Earth, so i'm not worried at all...just hoping it doesn't rain all weekend (like the forecast says it will) so that they can get out of the house & have some fun
i'll b back in this place on Monday...i'll have my 2 weekend cakes 2 share (1 is being delivered 2day & the other is being picked up in the morn b4 we head out)...& of course, i'll have pics from our weekend road trip...i hope u all have a FAB weekend too! ♥
Jaden needs constant direction (& redirection) with almost everything...he's gotten better over the years - he's even able to follow 2 or 3 step directions now without getting side tracked & totally 4getting what he's supposed 2 b doing (example: go upstairs & get dressed, get your backpack & come back down)...this in itself is huge - compared 2 how he was barely able 2 complete 1 step directions without getting distracted just a few years ago!
but taking a shower has always been 1 task that he's needed assistance with
Curtis is his assitant...he'll wait outside the bathroom until Jaden has gotten in the shower (Jaden is very modest!)...then he'll come in 2 adjust the water 2 Jaden's desired temp, hand him the wash cloth, give him the soap...then he'll stand there - right outside the shower - directing Jaden step by step on what he's 2 do...wash ur face, don't 4get under ur arms, here's some shampoo, lather up ur hair...u get the idea
well lately, he's been giving him less & less instruction...instead, asking him "ok, what r u supposed 2 do next?"...they've been slowly making strides - every day, Jaden does/remembers a little more on his own
finally 2 the point that last week, Jaden took his shower entirely on his own! AND every day since!
this might not seem like a big deal 2 most...i mean, the boy is 9 years old, of course he should know how 2 bathe himself by now, right?!
well...not so much
Jaden can dress himself, get himself a bowl of cereal, put his favorite DVD in or start up daddy's Playstation 2 play a game...there's lots of tasks he can complete on his own...especially if it's something he's really interested in doing...but the shower is waaaay too distracting! he loves the water - & believe it or not, the shower is almost as much fun as a pool 2 him...he'd stand in there 4 hours if u let him - feeling the spray hit his back, re-enacting his favorite scene from Home Alone 2*, just plain messing around...anything BUT what a shower is intended 4
but ever since that day last week, when he was able 2 completely go thru his entire shower routine without any prompting from dad - he's continued 2 get the job done on his own! Curtis will still pop in the bathroom occasionally 2 make sure Jaden hasn't gotten off track...but now, we more or less say, "Jaden, go hop in the shower" & he does! he turns on the water himself, does all the washing & scrubbing alone, even finds the right shampoo & washes his hair independently! (daddy & Jaden use different stuff than us girls)
it rocks!
& he's sooooo proud too! he loves getting in there & getting the job done...then that leaves him plenty of time 4 the Cool Jerk* at the end!
now, if we could only get him 2 learn 2 tie his shoes on his own...i think then, we'd feel like we've accomplished everything we need 2 in life! ;0)
* in Home Alone 2, there's a scene where Kevin has 2 go in the bathroom 2 fetch his tie, while his Uncle Frank is in the shower...Uncle Frank is singing Cool Jerk by The Capitols & Kevin records it...Kevin later uses that tape 2 fool a concierge at the hotel in New York...i looked hard 4 a video of 1 of those 2 scenes from the movie, but all i could find was this short clip of the tail end of the hotel scene...
here's the full song...
& u know what? now that i'm thinking about it, i know i have a video of Jaden singing this song in the shower years ago...i'm gonna have 2 go dig that up now ;0)
2day is the 1st day of school 4 all 5 of my kiddos
even tho i wasn't there this morning 2 take embarrassing pics of my step-sons, they went off 2 begin their Junior (Corey) & Senior (Curtis Jr) years in high school...simply unbelievable!
the 3 yougins began a new year 2day too...Jaden is now a very proud 3rd grader...Gabrielle is excited 2 finally b in the 1st grade...& Corinn is now a kindergartner - officially in a "real" grade
this is just too much 4 Mama's heart tho!
they no longer worry about whether they'll make new friends, or if their teacher will b nice or not...they're not scared of walking around the school & finding their way 2 their new classrooms...& believe me, i'm thankful we don't have those issues!
but where did my babies go? when did they grow up 2 become such confident individuals?!
everything came back looking good...it shows i still have some swollen lymph nodes in my neck & chest, but she says that's mostly likely due 2 scarring from treatment...my blood work is normal too...so, i'll meet back with her in 3 months & we'll check on things again...but for now, i've been given the...
ALL CLEAR!!!
the nurses all loved my tat! they kept calling each other over 2 check it out, saying it was the cutest 1 they'd seen...they're so sweet! it's kinda weird 2 say - but i'm actually gonna miss em!
i plan 2 pop in sometime in the near future...i wanna take a cake in 4 my docs & all the amazing oncology nurses 2 share...i can't imagine having their job - seeing so many people, going thru probably the hardest time of their life...but the RN's & LPN's always stay very upbeat & friendly! they greet u with a smile each day, ask about ur family, actually remember ur name & history without having 2 check out ur chart...u can tell they really do care!
i also want 2 take a cake over 2 the radiation side - mostly 4 my man, Wayne (picture a skinny 50 year old bald man) - he's an absolute sweetheart & was the tech that set me up with my zapping every day for those 3 weeks of radiation...he was always so personable & talkative...he definitely deserves a cake too! ;0)
i didn't blog about it, but i met with my oncologist & radiation doc last month as well...i was finally taken off the Coumadin because the clot had long since disappeared & i wasn't appearing 2 have any other blood issues...they explained that the sore throat & reflux that i'm still experiencing pretty frequently is normal...that it will probably continue 4 a few more months - especially in2 the fall with the change of seasons
they both discussed my future with me - explaining that 4 the next year, i'll come back 2 meet with my oncologist every 3 or 4 months...i'll continue 2 have PET scans about every 6 months 4 the next year or 2...then after that (if everything stays clear), i'll have 2 have routine MRIs 2 monitor not only my lymph nodes, but my breasts/lung area as well...the radiation treatment tripled my risk of developing another cancer later on in life - especially since i was zapped directly in those areas - so they have 2 keep a close watch on that
i'll likely have scans & routine tests 4 the rest of my life - but if nothing pops up in the meantime, i'll b considered cancer free in 5 or 10 years!
Friday evening kicked off the weekend with a bang...Corinn & i went out 2 gather our daily garden goodies 4 dinner...finally, we have cucumbers!!!
after dinner, we were blessed with this beautiful sunset...i was out watering the garden & Corinn came out 2 join me...she says, "whoa, pink clouds! i've gotta go get Gabby, Jaden & Daddy 2 see this...they're not gonna believe it!"
she went inside 2 bring them out...we sat & took in the view 4 a little while, until the mosquitoes had practically eaten us alive! then we went inside 2 start getting ready 4 bed...we've been trying 2 get the kiddos used 2 an earlier bedtime since school starts 2moro...we've been somewhat successful - in that they've been in the bed by 8:30pm...unfortunately, they haven't been falling asleep as easily...hey, at least we tried!
Saturday was a complete wash! the bright, cool morning gave us the impression that the rain might not show up, but by late morning the rain was coming down hard...it did that off & on all day long...so we had fun inside...the girls got in plenty of dress-up & make-up time!
we played board games & many, many hands of cards!
Corinn even taught us 2 play Slap Jack (she says a friend at daycare taught her how 2 play)...except we didn't have Jacks in our Dora deck - we just used 1s instead ;0)
thankfully, the rain finally stopped late in the afternoon...we had been planning on taking the kiddos 2 the county fair & Saturday was the last nite it would b there...they had earned free tickets this past spring (by reading at home 4 a school program) & a friend had given Curtis & i admission tickets as well...u can't beat getting the entire fam in 4 free!
Jaden & i wanted 2 go 2 the tractor pull too - but we were outnumbered...the girls could really care less & Curtis wasn't exactly jumping 2 go ;0)
so we just strolled around, enjoying the animals, exhibits & rides
this little dragon roller coaster was of course a huge hit with Jaden!
but i think the girls enjoyed it too ;0)
next, the Scrambler - a classic ride! here they r, ready 2 go...
uh, oh - hold on!
love this!
while the girls took a 2nd turn on the long slide, Jaden wanted 2 go on the Ferris Wheel...it was much smaller than the 1 we rode at Kings Dominion (which made him really nervous), but it also went a great deal faster...i was surprised he wanted 2 go on it at all - but especially alone!
he ended up getting paired with another little boy after all...& they both seemed 2 b having a good time!
we grabbed some cotton candy 4 the kiddos on the way out...& a candy apple 4 Mama...& even tho we left with mud-caked feet (cause of all the rain earlier in the day), it was a great night with the fam!
Sunday, daddy made us all breakfast...the sun was out & we finally got 2 play outside & mow the grass...after the kiddos finished up at children's choir practice that evening, we headed over 2 visit Grandpa - & his precious babies, Scooby & Ginger too ;0)
Nana is away on a cruise this week with 2 of her girlfriends...so Grandpa was lonely & needed some attention from the kiddos! Matthew was there too...
well, i've jumped back in! for the rest of this year, i have at least 1 cake per weekend scheduled...sometimes 2...& there's the occasional free weekend thrown in there too...i'm so not gonna over-book myself...easing back in slowly
this cake is a 2-layer yellow/butter cake (serves 60), iced in my homemade butter cream...the birthday banner is fondant & i made all the flowers from butter cream...of course, the Disney Princess figures r not edible
this was my 2nd year making Rylee's cake (here's last year's)...her mom always keeps the design simple, cute & girly ;0)
ps. the customer picked this cake up from me at work 2day, so it rode (inside it's box) in the front passenger seat of my truck this morning...as i drove the kiddos 2 daycare, they were all sitting in the back, dancing & singing the commercial below - over & over again! i couldn't help but join in - it's so darn catchy!
speaking of...do u remember this post? ;0) (scroll all the way 2 the video at the bottom of the post)
it's the last pool day 4 the kiddos...school starts next Tuesday, & 2day is the last day that their summer daycare is trekking over 2 the local public pool 4 the afternoon
in honor of this special occasion, Gabrielle insisted on wearing her beloved 2-piece bathing suit...which coincidentally, was no where 2 b found!
ugh.
she's got 2 other options...but no, those won't do...she HAS TO wear the 2-piece 2day!
ugh.
i quickly search high & low...we're already running behind because Mama pushed the snooze button 2 too many times...& the suit is totally MIA!
ugh.
i break the news 2 her..."sorry babe, i can't find it & we're running out of time...u're gonna have 2 wear 1 of ur other suits 2day"
to which she whips around, turning her back towards me, & crosses her arms in total disgust
ugh.
i instruct her 2 get dressed & i leave the room...moving on with our morning routine
a few minutes later, i pass back thru the girls' room...she's dressed - her reject bathing suit underneath the shorts & tank top i laid out 4 her...but the same disgusted scowl is still on her face
ugh.
meanwhile, Mr. Stimmy (Jaden) is in major sensory overload...when he gets up in the morning, he quickly gets dressed, brushes his teeth & washes his face...his goal is 2 speed thru the required items of his morning routine, so that he can get 2 his beloved Cartoon Network, while every1 else is finishing getting ready...Johnny Test is on this morning (1 of his fav shows) & 4 whatever reason, 2day's episode has him giggling, squealing & stimming up a storm!
ugh.
next thing i know, Gabby is bawling...i ask her what's wrong, only 2 find out that Miss Corinn has been lifting up her shirt - rubbing it in that she is wearing her 2-piece 2day & Gabby isn't
ugh.
Corinn promptly gets a time out, then instructions 2 march upstairs & change in2 1 of her other suits...resulting in more tears & wailing
2day was my final PET scan...well, hopefully the last 1 for a while anyway
i'll meet with my oncologist on Monday (the 24th) to find out the results...i've already claimed a clean report tho! y else would i have already gotten my "i kicked cancer's ass" tattoo?! ;0)
it was actually a little different 2day than myother PET scans...1st difference was that i had a nose ring this time - & those meanies made me take it out! thankfully, it wasn't as scary as i thought it would b - went back in fairly easily...also, the wait (while the radioactive juice was flowing thru my veins 4 an hour) was a lot more relaxing - i actually got in a nap! & this time they had me put all my stuff in a locker b4 i went back & changed in2 scrubs...they didn't let me take my phone or ipod back with me (that's y i napped instead of tweeting, or updating my facebook, or reading on my kindle app, or snapping pics ~wink~)...i guess they're cracking down in the scanning facility...oh, & it also took 2 sticks 2 get a vein 4 my IV - & it wasn't even that great of a vein! after digging around, trying 2 puncture the only visible vein in my arm & having no luck, she had 2 move 2 the back of my hand - & stab hard 2 get the needle in2 it - saying "u have tough veins!"...i've also been told they "jump" ~lol~
of course, there will b more PET scans (& MRIs) in my future...but once i get the "all clear" from this one, i'll b done with scans/tests/blood work for a while
can i just say...
PRAISE GOD!!!
i'm so ready 2 have a big break from all this...hey, 3 or 4 months IS a big break in my eyes! ;0)
bright & early Saturday morning, we got up & got moving...we picked up my step-sons & headed 2 Northern VA 2 visit Grandma & Pop (Curt's parents)
they had some swimming fun planned 4 us...1st, us girls (me & my girls went along with Curt's mom, Roxie & her sister, Faye) did some shopping 4 lunch supplies...then after eating, we hit the pool
(Corinn, Aunt Faye, Grandma, Gabby & Jaden)
& we had a blast! the girls loved hanging on 2 me, then all 3 of us would go underwater 2gether
Pop just recently had knee surgery - so he took it easy poolside - snapping pics of the fun...that doesn't mean he didn't enjoy our visit tho...here's part of the email i got from him this morn...
"Words can't describe the spiritual boost I got from this weekend. Pain??? What pain?! Pain, pain, go away. I'm still basking in the afterglow, kid!"
he & Curtis also got in a much needed heart-to-heart with Curtis Jr & Corey while we were there...i'm so thankful that Curtis has had such a positive male role model in his life...& we pray that he's doing the same 4 his boys - regardless of where they live & how much time we get 2 spend with em
the kiddos have such a good time with Aunt Faye - she's just a big kid at heart!
we finally had 2 corral the kiddos out of the pool...& even tho they wouldn't admit it, they were beat!
b4 we left, we had 2 have cake on the balcony! Corey just turned 17 yesterday...& Curtis Jr turns 18 in 2 days!!!
where has the time gone?! i need 2 scan in some pics of the boys when i 1st met Curtis (no digital camera back then)...they were only 6 & 7 years old...such sweet boys (regardless of what drama & turmoil their mother was putting them thru) - anxious 2 explore & spend time with us on the weekends!
& they're still super sweet! they've been the BEST big brothers & never once made me feel like i wasn't welcome in their relationship with their dad!
this is how Gabby enjoys her cake ~lol~
(no, i didn't make the cake - my oven has been broke down - but finally fixed 2day by my awesome hubby!)
we finally had 2 trek home (2hr drive)...there was a beautiful sunset as we neared our exit
& i finally caught a pic of this creation near our home...i spotted it a week or so ago - it sits way up on a hill (i used my super zoom 2 get this pic) & u don't really see it unless u happen 2 look up that way...as we neared the building site, i made Curtis slow down so i could snap a pic & show the kids
do u think it's going 2 b a home? u know the thought of having a castle near where we live got Jaden really excited! ;0)
Sunday morning, Curtis was feeling well & Gabrielle was having a play date with her BFF...so it was just me & the other 2 kiddos 4 church
Gab's play date was actually supposed 2 b a sleepover, but at around 9:30pm Saturday nite, i got a call that she was scared & wanted 2 come home...turns out, her friend had told her they have ghosts in their house (just kidding tho - u know, ghost stories at sleepovers?)...well, Gabby wasn't having any part of it! it didn't matter what any1 said - she was convinced it was true & she was NOT staying the night there! luckily, they just live up the street - i went & picked her up 4 the nite, then dropped her back off the next morning so she could spend the day with her friend
after church, Nana treated us 2 lunch
& she even let Corinn wear her earrings! ;0)
the rest of the day was spent relaxing...it was super hot out! i went out 2 work in the garden 4 maybe 15-20 minutes & came inside drenched with sweat!
but look, we finally have cucumbers!
& the tomatoes r still pouring in...thankfully, they're mine & Corinn's fav! ;0)
sorry it took me so long 2 recap the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance (like u've been waiting on pins & needles 2 hear my opinion, right?! ~lol~)
well, it came down 2 Brandon & Jeanine - my 2 favorites!!! i really hoped Brandon would win it all, but Jeanine ended up snagging the title...they were both great dancers tho & well deserving!
here's a video from when they announced the winner...1st, u'll see the top 8 (plus the judges come out dancing as a surprise at the end of the routine) performing 1 last routine, then Kat announces the winner...
(the blonde girl & red-headed boy on the ends r a co-worker's kiddos...they met up with Ma & our 4 kiddos at the pool on Saturday)
nah, i don't think they had any fun while we were gone! ;0)
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the other day, i came upstairs & noticed that the door 2 Jaden's room was almost all the way closed...i walk in2 his room, 2 see him sitting right up in front of his TV, with his closet door open (it blocks the TV a little when open)...as soon as i come in, he reaches up & changes the channel
i ask, "what were u watching?"
he sighs, puts his head down, & mumbles, "iCarly"
i giggle, realizing he's just embarrassed...iCarly is a show that the girls LOVE, & Jaden thinks it's a total "girl show"
i tell him, "it's ok Bub, u can watch that show if u want to...i promise i won't tell any1" & i give him a wink
he says, "ok, thanks" he pauses 4 a sec then, in a fast & frantic tone, he says, "but don't turn it 2 channel 47, because i think i saw a little bit of Ed, Edd n Eddy...i think it's on right now!"
oh. my. goodness. he totally just got me!
Ed, Edd n Eddy is a show on Cartoon Network that i'm sooo not a fan of! it's about 3 teenage brothers...it's obnoxious, gross & it gets Jaden all hyped up (giggling uncontrollably, stimming left & right...total sensory overload)...it's not necessarily off limits 2 him (cause that will only make him want 2 watch it more), but he's only allowed 2 watch it occasionally - & under the supervision of me or Curtis (so we can make sure nothing too inappropriate it being shown) - usually Curtis since i can't stand the show!
i can't believe he just got me! he just told a lie - & a GOOD one, at that!
he totally made me think he was being sweet & embarrassed about watching a "girl show"...when he was really just trying 2 cover up the fact that he was hiding something from me!
it made me realize that boy, sometimes his imagination & skill 4 acting is gonna b used against us...that we can't write Jaden off as naive & innocent - not capable of pulling the wool over our eyes...if anything, he may just keep us on our toes more than the girls!
well, that is if he can remember 2 not tell on himself 1st! ~lol~
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my garden is pumping out the tomatoes right now!
Corinn & i love our nightly routine of picking all the red ones off the vines & watering the whole garden...we even get a yellow squash now & then
& look, we've even got baby peppers!
we're still waiting on cucumbers too...but we're in no rush...we're having fun!
the only downside? we get eaten up by mosquitoes every nite! & 2day...i have 2 bites on my butt! how the heck did that happen?! ~lol~
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we've got a pretty chill weekend planned...driving up to NoVa 2moro, 2 visit my in-laws...hoping 2 have my step-sons in tow as well
there's been some recent drama at their house...so we're not 100% they'll go with...i hope so tho - we really need 2 talk & sort out a few things...oh how i wish they were with us all the time - i know they'd b much better off...but hey, such is life right?!
actually, Corey turns 17 on Sunday...then Curtis Jr will b 18 on Wednesday!
can u believe that?!
they won't b off & on their own just yet tho...Curtis Jr still has 1 more year of school left (& Corey, 2)...& neither has even gotten their driver's license yet! we're working on em tho - trying our best 2 teach em some responsibility & that every decision comes with consequences...it's really hard tho - especially when there's an ex-wife psycho in the mix!
this pool party cake was indeed headed 4 a pool party on Saturday...i hope the rain held off & that Miss Hallie was able 2 have a good time!
this Lego cake was done 4 the "cake sister's" daughter...& as u can tell by the picture below, Alyx loved her cake!
thx 4 looking!
