Orlando or bust!

the company i work for is holding a conference this week in Orlando FL....curtis is coming along too! i'll b busy a lot of the time with work, but we'll also get in some free time together

instead of flying, we opted to drive down (since the company will pay for my travel, but not his - always trying to save a buck!)....we're traveling with another couple - and luckily, the other hubby is insisting on driving the whole way! i told darlene (my partner in crime at work) that we'd try not to make-out too much in their back seat! ;0)....of course, he'll room with me so no extra expense there either....we'll only have to pay for his meals, any activities we want to enjoy, and souvenirs for the kiddos

we're heading out on the 13 hour drive tomorrow around lunch time, & won't get back until the middle of the night saturday/sunday.....my sister & brother/sister-in-law are going to be watching the kiddos for us - getting them to & from school (since my mom works for the same company, she'll b in Orlando too)....the girls will be at one house, jaden at the other - then they're going to switch, so they get 2 days at each house....not sure what i'd do without my awesome family! thx for all ur help guys!!! :0)

the kiddos have had overnights before (lots), but this will b the first time that they're away from us for more than one night - actually 4!

here's where we're staying...

curtis is sooooo looking forward to spending most of his time in the resort gyms! ~lol~ i'm hoping to get in some drinking/lounging time at one of the 3 pools at the resort! ;0)

2nite will b the fun part - packing up 5 people for 4 days!
wish me luck!

oh, and don't mention to the girls that we'll b miles away from Disney World - they'd just die! ~teehee~

2-fer Tuesday

as promised, here's a 2-fer tuesday for ya

this was my 2nd time doing this cake (here's the 1st) - a lil different this time....dark chocolate cake, iced in blue butter cream....splattered with gold/silver/yellow edible dusts....i made the sun/moon from fondant

camp rock theme for 12 yr old courtney....confetti cake, iced in butter cream....i made the accessories from fondant & gum paste....the sign & wire are not edible

thx for looking...again! :0)

weekend recap...

saturday, curtis kept the kids busy YET AGAIN, until i could finish up & deliver/assemble my cakes - thx again babe!

i know i keep saying i'm slowing down soon - but i'm for real this time - this really was the last crazy weekend for me this year! from here on out - it's smooooooth sailing! ;0)

here's a pic of the beautiful vineyard where the wedding was held

see the grapes?


on my way back into the town where we live - it was a GORGEOUS day!


that afternoon, we headed to the park as it was beginning to get dark

the place was empty & they had tons of fallen leaves

mama thought - great time for pics!

kiddos thought - great time for fun!

hey, can u blame em?!

(i only posted this pic for the tiny little butt crack! ~teehee~)

daddy showed us how to use sticks as rakes

and once the pile was big enough...

where'd they go?!

that look on corinn's face is priceless!
like, "maybe that wasn't as much fun as i thought it'd be"

jaden's turn...

"bury me all the way guys"

"ok girls, that's enough!"

after our park trip, we headed over to nana & grandpa's....they had planned on watching the girls (& my nephew Bryan) while me, Curtis & my sis took Jaden & Deandra to...

FEAR FOREST!

me, my sis & curtis all went to Fear Forest together last year - sans kiddos

because of jaden's LOVE for halloween, and because he's not scared very easily - in fact, he finds amusement in scaring anyone & everyone - curtis & i decided to include him this year if he was interested

i spent tons of time explaining to him what it was....that we'd walk through the dark forest & that there'd be scary decorations & people in costumes would be jumping out to scare us...that there would even be some with chainsaws & axes & crazy stuff like that - but that it's all fake & they aren't allowed to touch us for real....that it was all just pretend - actually safe & fun, if u like to be scared - but that if he didn't think it sounded like fun or if he thought he'd get too scared, that it wouldn't be a good idea for him to go....we had this discussion lots....each & every time - he begged to go!

so when i told my sister i was taking jaden, she thought maybe deandra would like to go too....i wasn't so sure - jaden has a certain tolerance/fascination/interest in stuff like that....and even though deandra is the same age, i wasn't sure she'd be ready....i advised kelly to talk lots to her & assess it for herself - she ended up deciding to take her


remember this pic?


i can't blame kelly at all for bringing her - they were sooooo cocky - especially deandra!
occasionally, one of the workers in costume would walk by the entrance line, trying to creep people out....deandra would be like "hey, what's up?!"....she was talking so much smack about how she wasn't going to be scared - that she would just karate chop anything that jumped out at her ~lol~

waiting in line...boy it was cold!

well, this is the entrance....when u walk into the mouth, u're in a tight, super dark tunnel....u can hear people on either side growling & making scary sounds....and u can hear something in front of u, so u're scared to keep walking through - because of course u're not sure what it is

until u ruin the fun & snap a pic! then ur flash catches this...

~lol~

i guess this set the tone for deandra's experience....the tunnel must have really freaked her out - cause when we started on the barely lit path, i could hear her whimpering....kelly did a good job of trying to talk her down - reassuring her it's all fake & preparing her for anything that might jump out

the first person popped out & she screamed....jaden clung to my waist & would gasp or make little sounds - but he seemed fine....i couldn't get him to talk much - u could tell he was trying to spot the "monsters"

then, as we approached a tent that u walk through - 3 guys all in masks & wielding axes/swords jumped out of the tent & roared at us loud

deandra LOST IT!
she started screaming & crying....then, the best thing ever happened - ALL THREE guys whipped off their masks & came in close so she could see their faces....they were so quick to react & tried to console her until she calmed down (it's so cool that they're taught to do that)

we stepped to the side to finish calming deandra down & found out there wasn't any turning back - they're averaging about 500+ people a night (it only grows as halloween gets closer) & have a tight little system....trying to walk back through might ruin the surprise for others coming down the path....so instead, one of the guys offered to walk through the rest of the forest with kelly & deandra - & warn the workers up ahead so they wouldn't jump out & scare them

i thought maybe deandra freaking would have effected jaden - but he wasn't phased at all....i asked, and he said he wanted to keep going....so we walked up ahead of the girls & their escort - so we could get the full experience ;0)

we were spooked plenty - and i expected jaden to take off running when the guy with the (chainless) chainsaw came at us, but he didn't - he just clung to me & enjoyed the whole thing!

ata boy! ;0)

(i held my camera out & snapped this in the middle of the forest - it was dark, so he couldn't tell i was about to take his pic)

he slept peacefully all night, that night - no trouble falling asleep & not one nightmare!

in fact, he asked me on sunday - if we could go again!
:0)

weekend cakes...

i made this adorable little cake for a friend...she threw her sister a baby shower with a baby boy elephant theme....she emailed me a pic of the napkins & i went from there...3 tiers - bottom yellow & top 2 dark chocolate, all iced in butter cream....i made the elephant, blanket, blocks & dots/stars from fondant


i mentioned delivering this cake on friday morning...it was a surprise, made for the groom, to be served at the couple's rehearsal dinner...fudge chip base (groom's fav) with white cake ball (bride's fav)...iced in butter cream - the ball is covered in fondant & dark chocolate fondant

and here's the couple's wedding cake...4 tiers - bottom is white, then marble, then fudge chip, then marble again...all iced in butter cream...i did the scroll work in dark chocolate butter cream & made the pearls from fondant

the wedding was held at a new local vineyard - the bride said she's only the 2nd person to wed there - and u could tell...even though i showed up earlier than i told the bride i would, & i had plenty of time to set up this cake before the guests started arriving, i felt very rushed by the staff at the vineyard to hurry, set up, and leave...they had me put the cake on a cart that would be wheeled into the center of the floor when it was time for the presentation of the cake...unfortunately, they sat the cart in front of a doorway & some wall art, so i couldn't get a great picture after i assembled it...and since it was sitting on a ceramic tile floor, i didn't want to take the chance of wheeling it around to a better spot for the photo & something go wrong...i also made sure to warn them to carefully wheel it into the ballroom - that i had plenty of internal support inside the cake, but that whoever is wheeling it needs to take it easy on the cracks/bumps & not just try & shove it quickly across...i really hope all went well! that's the hardest part about wedding cakes - the couple leaves on their honeymoon & i don't usually hear anything about how it all went until a week or 2 later

i have 2 more cakes due tomorrow....so stay tuned for a special 2-fer tuesday cake post! ;0)

fall is finally here!

i had to deliver a cake this morning (a groom's cake for the rehearsal dinner of the wedding i'm also doing the cake for this weekend).....and as i drove down the lane of the bride's parent's home, on this cold & crisp morning - i realized that fall is officially here!

even tho the first day of fall was weeks ago, mother nature wasn't aware

we've had mid-70 degree weather for the last several weeks.....and while i really enjoy not too hot, not too cool days - i just couldn't get into fall mode

now, not only are the leaves showing signs, but the weather took a drastic turn today.....as if overnight, our temperature highs for the next couple of weeks have changed to high 50's/low 60's!

welcome fall - it's about time u show up for the party!
;0)

thursday randomness...

yes, i finally got my modem yesterday....and after TWO HOURS, i got my DSL installed! yep, it really took that long....i blame it partially on stupid verizon (their connections kept failing) & partially on my dinosaur PC - it's so darn slow! i've been saving up for a laptop - but after last night, that item just got bumped to the top of my wish list!

---


my mom came by my cube yesterday to share this funny story with me, and i want to share it with u :0)
i've told u about my brother's farm - and how they raise chickens for the eggs & my parents also live on the farm & help out every other weekend with the egg gathering
well, last week sometime - my dad had the brilliant plan of tricking my brother with some dyed eggs!
he'd collected some of the double yolks & tiny eggs (they sell these to anyone that would like to buy them - cheap too - but they're not sent on to the hatcheries)....dad took them home & dyed a few blue, a few half yellow/half green & one that said "gotcha" on it!
he placed them randomly on the line & went on about his day
later my brother & his wife, katie, go down to do the gathering....when one of the blue eggs shows up on the conveyor belt, my bro freaks out & calls his service man "you'll never guess what i just got!" ~lol~
he got a few more & ran over to show katie!
a little while later, they get a half & half egg & start to suspect someone is having fun with them.....finally, they get the "gotcha" one & know they've been had!
~lmao~
my dad is a nut! :0)

---


and i wanted to say thank u to wendy!
just last night, i found a package in my hubby's car that had arrived for me amidst our move....curtis stashed it there & totally forgot to give it to me!
(yeah, i gave him an ear full ~teehee~)

not only did i win her book giveaway , but i also won this cool recycled toothbrush (since no one else entered! ~lol~)!

i'm anxious to start reading grown up books again!
thx wendy!!! :0)

othello

back when mom & i had our yard sale - she got rid of a ton of the board games she's collected throughout the years....my sister & i claimed our favorites before they could b sold....kelly's being uncle wiggly & mine being othello (aka reversi)

the other night, i decided to pull it out & teach curtis how to play.....it's a pretty simple concept, but as he's learning, there's lots of strategy involved! ;0)


as a kid, i always had to b black.....so naturally, i still want to b black.....but so does curtis
(yeah, i totally played the race card on him too! ~lol~)

and i swear, that's my team color - if i have to b white, i don't do as well

so, for the first game - i took it easy on him & we didn't even count up at the end.....by the 2nd game, he had gotten the hang of it & i tightened up on him a little - just winning by a few chips.....the third game, i kicked his booty & he gave up! ~lol~

last night, we played again.....curtis insisted on being black too! grrrr!
the 1st game - i kicked his butt again - white chips & all!
the 2nd game, i started taking these pics & wasn't paying enough attention - we tied! ~lol~

here's a cool online version of the game if u're interested in trying it out :0)

guess who's DSL is connected?!

whoo hoo - i'm connected again baby!!!

~grinning ear to ear~

now, off to bed...

~lol~

where's my daggum modem already?!

Dear Verizon,

PLEASE?! For Pete's sake.....do NOT ship anything else to my old address!!! I FINALLY received my misdirected DSL kit 3 days ago - unfortunately, it was missing a very key part....please send me my daggum modem already! I've only been waiting for it for 2 weeks now!

And please don't make me call UPS again! Why am I cleaning up YOUR address mix up for the 3rd time now?!

I just wanna get online already!!!

Whiny & Waiting,
Sharon

laundry sux!

i've always despised doing laundry - especially folding

i mean come on, 3 kiddos? that's a LOT of itty bitty stuff to fold!

well, now i know - it could be waaaaay worse!

try not having a dryer - AT ALL!

(i know ma, u did try it - for many, many years! and having us 4 kiddos - i'm appreciating u more now than ever! ~lol~)

our old place had a washing machine & dryer already provided in the apartment.....and about 2 years into living there, we came across a great deal on a new washing machine.....so we jumped on it - not really needing to worry about a dryer at the time

well, our new place has a washer/dryer hook-up out on the mud porch, but no appliances......we have our wonderful washing machine - but no dryer!

so, i've been hanging clothes out on the line every morning - it's a pain in my booty, but i'm thankful that at least our new place had a clothes line already installed!

plus, think of the electricity we're saving!

we've had a warm streak this last week or so.....so that's another definite plus

and hey, at least i have help...

the girls have really enjoyed the job of hanging up socks & panties inside, on the drying racks....they even turned it into a game, coming up with different patterns as they hang...

sock, panties, sock, panties...

sock, sock, panties, sock, sock, panties....

~teehee~

jaden doesn't exactly enjoy this job.....but he doesn't complain (much).....he just always thinks he needs "help" with any job - and i just tell him "come on jaden, it's just hanging up socks - i know you can do it!" and he does ;0)


then last night, my not-so-little bro showed up with a present for me!



ok, ok - i know it's not the prettiest thing ever!

but it works!

and it's a whirlpool heavy duty! :0)

his friend just so happened to get a new dryer recently, but still had this classic one that works.....yeah, it's green.....and yeah, it's got stain across the top from where the previous owner laid pieces of wood on it for staining (???).....but again,
IT WORKS!

~grin~

plus, green is my favorite color!
;0)

my hubby just has to put an electrical cord on it tonight & then i'll get that baby running - cause this heavy duty fam, has got some heavy duty clothes, that need some heavy duty drying!

i'll probably still use the line here & there, until it gets too cold (right around the corner).....but, when spring rolls around again - that line will definitely get some more use! i prefer to have my clothes hung to dry - i'm a big & tall girl - i can't afford any shrinkage (in my clothes that is...i could definitely afford some shrinkage in my big & tall! ~lol~)

and think of the electricity we'll b saving!
(my hubby hates hearing that - especially when i say it as i'm turning off the light in the room he's not quite exited yet! ~teehee~ remember? i can b a freak about saving electricity sometimes)
;0)

flyers

last evening, curtis had to work super late - his first long day at the new job....he walked in the door at 10:30pm last night, completely beat! his supervisor says curtis is the most enthusiastic guy he's seen in a long time & he sees major potential in him....so he's out training with the "best" tech this week - and they were given 6 jobs to complete yesterday (avg is usually 3 calls)! one of which, required them to dig a 150 foot trench!!! needless to say, the 6th service call was not happy when the guys knocked on his door at 10pm - so the boys headed home.....i told curtis he might want to check with his supervisor on that one - i find it hard to believe that the company would b ok with techs knocking on doors past 9pm at least! i know i wouldn't answer! but the experienced tech insisted they try to complete the call???

so anyway, the point was - since curtis was working late & i was already scheduled to work till 6pm yesterday too....i had to ask my mom to pick up the kids last evening....when i arrived at her house to scoop them up, she'd already fed them pizza, and they were headed outside to try out grandpa's newly installed swings - affectionately named "flyers" by my kiddos :0)

it's hard to tell, but the swings are hung from some sturdy limbs WAAAAAY high up in 2 different oak trees

unfortunately, my dad wasn't there to enjoy seeing the kids' faces when they tried these out

when i asked ma how dad hung these up, she said "don't even ask!"

ma said when my sister-in-law spotted dad scaling the trees - she told my brother that she better not EVER catch him doing something like that! ~lol~

the things that man will do for his grandkids!!! :0)