Stacey

Chapters

2012-01-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

Life is fickle. You finish a chapter, learn from what you've read and are ready to dive into the next one. You don't know where the next chapter will take you but you've allowed enough time to pass to become excited about the unknown. You start to emerge yourself and are finding it very pleasing. But all of a sudden the pages turn backwards and you find yourself in the previous chapter. You don't know why you're there or what it means and you keep trying to get back to the new chapter. But life's persistent. Now you find yourself with one eye skimming the previous chapter trying to figure out why you're back here while allowing your other eye to forge ahead in the new chapter. Suddenly you're very confused and you're not sure what to do or where to go. If only someone could tell you which chapter to read. Which chapter will bring you the greatest happiness. But alas...you have to figure it out on your own. And there aren't any cliff notes to speed up the process. You have to take it one line at a time and hope you figure out where you want to be before the book ends.

Christmas Goodies

2011-12-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

For neighbor gifts this year I made cocoa stirring spoons.

I dipped plastic spoons in chocolate then crushed candy canes...

or put marshmallow snowmen on the chocolate...

or dipped Reeses peanut butter chips with chocolate chips

Then packaged them with some Stephen's cocoa YUM!

I decided to try some new things for our Christmas Eve treats

Some worked out...like my peanut brittle

Some didn't...like these wreath cookies. They looked good until they came out of the oven :(

The peanut brittle was actually much easier than I imagined it would be...this may become a tradition

I also made a caramel chex mix

It makes a ton...but it tastes good!

Christmas Fun

2011-12-10T20:46:00.001-07:00

I don't know what it is, but this Christmas I have been a little Martha Stewart making Christmas decorations and now making homemade Christmas gifts. I made this cute little hat for my niece ( I hope she likes it.)

I've never knitted anything before in my life, but this was actually very easy. I used a knitting loom, popped in a movie and a couple hours later, tada!

Next on my list is to make some homemade treats. I'm feeling adventurous so we'll see what I end up doing. Stay tuned!

Projects 1 & 2 Complete

2011-11-27T15:01:00.001-07:00

It was so nice having a room where I could leave my crafts out while I worked on them. I'm sure there will be more to follow.

Craft Bug

2011-11-17T21:38:00.001-07:00

The craft bug has bitten me...

Favorite Time of Year

2011-09-16T23:43:00.000-06:00

Fall, I love you...you bring me my favorite past time. Who wouldn't want to watch a bunch of guys tackling each other? You're filled with sweet smells of pumpkin baking in my oven, the sound of leaves crunching beneath my boots, sweaters to keep me warm in the cool, crisp air and the start of the holiday season. Why oh why is it that you do not like me? Summer gives me a gift of joy and hope for the future only for you to snatch it away. I never understood the ability to love and hate something all at the same time but now I'm starting to.

Recent Projects

2011-08-09T19:07:00.007-06:00

I've quit the blog challenge...the post questions were silly so instead I'll update you on some recent projects I've been doing in my house.

I felt the taupe paint color that is all throughout the house was a little drab, so I decided to spice things up a bit!

I'm not afraid of color...as you can see :)

I love it when people first see my living room and their instance reaction is "OH!"

I figure go bold or go home!

I painted the living room by myself which was a great idea in theory. But in reality my timing could have been better. I unfortunately was not my usual peppy self at the time and it took me several weeks to recover. But it looks great!

This is my FAVORITE! If you know me and my love for green then you know this was a no brainer ;) My parents were kind enough to help me with this room and it went like a breeze.

100% Stacey's Kitchen!

Post 3: Ideal Perfect First Date

2011-07-17T14:25:00.002-06:00

My idea of the perfect first date would be a handsome man picking me up and taking me to a football or basketball game. Something energetic and fun where we could laugh and have a great time while still being able to talk to get to know each other better. I'm not a fan of blind dates because they are extremely awkward and it is hard for me to be comfortable with someone I just barely met. (I'm not knocking blind dates because I know they can work since that is how my parents met, it's just not the ideal date situation for me). So in this ideal situation we would already be friends or acquaintances where we both were comfortable in our own skin. Afterwards we would go get ice cream and sit in a park eating, laughing and talking. Then the night would end with a very sweet kiss and the promise of a second date.

My Favorite Movie

2011-06-21T19:48:00.002-06:00

Post 2 - My Favorite Movie

People look at me crazy when I tell them my favorite movie...but it makes me laugh every time I see it and it is just the BEST MOVIE EVER! My favorite movie is Rat Race. There is just something about the characters and the crazy stunts they pull that have me laughing in stitches. I can be watching it completely alone and I've seen it a million times but every time I'm full on belly laughing. I'll never forget the first time I saw this movie...I was with my friend Mad and I think we almost wet our pants, we were laughing so hard. Those are the greatest times; laughing uncontrollably at something so goofy. But this is my kind of humor. A lot of people don't get it and think it is "stupid" (as my mom would say), but I love it!

Joining the Bandwagon

2011-06-16T20:53:00.002-06:00

For the past couple of months I've seen all of these blog challenge posts everywhere and thought that would be fun to do one but A. do I really want to look like a follower and copy everyone else and B. would I actually post something everyday? Since I don't seem to do much on the week nights and I'm trying to find something constructive to do I've decided I don't care if I'm a follower...whatever. And I'm going to promise from the beginning that mine will NOT be a 30 day challenge. I'm not going to put a time limit on it. I will just call it a 30 post blog challenge. I've been thinking I should post more often and this gives me ideas on what to blog about...so here goes:

Post 1 - Your Favorite Song

I LOVE music and am addicted to iTunes. I'm pretty sure I download new music every week. So it is really hard for me to pick one favorite song. So instead I am going to pick my current favorite artist, which isn't really an artist per say, it's a compilation of several talented people...it's the cast from GLEE. I absolutely love their music and am an avid viewer of the show. My favorite night of the week is Tuesday because I can't wait to hear what songs and renditions they are going to do. They can take old and new songs, mash them up or put a modern spin on them and I love that aspect. Of course there are songs that don't suit my fancy, but 9 times out of 10 I am downloading at least 1 song from every episode. I find myself counting the weeks until Glee is back on the air; pathetic I know. But I just can't get enough of it!

Soap Box

2011-04-13T19:47:00.003-06:00

Summer is approaching which means swimsuit season. I know that modesty is shot with society and that it is harder and harder for teen girls and women to stay fashionable and still maintain a modest style. But it really makes me sad when I see women who share my faith throw their modesty card out the window when they put on that bathing suit. Just because you have the body to wear the bikini doesn't mean you should...I'm just sayin'.

My Next 30 Years

2011-01-03T20:36:00.003-07:00

It's the eve to my big 3 0 birthday. I'm not sad or depressed about turning 30; it feels surreal. I don't feel old enough to be 30. But I can honestly say I'm actually looking forward to it. Not the getting older part, but ever since I was little my mom would tell me how much she loved her thirties because she finally had a sense of who she was, where she was going and what she wanted to do (to some degree) with her life. She wasn't struggling financially like her twenties; she had a sense of purpose. And I agree; I feel the same.

I did a lot of things in my twenties (both good and bad); experienced things I never thought I would do (again both good and bad) and had a lot of heartache and tears along the way. Whoever said growing up was easy was definitely mistaken. I've learned a lot of life's lessons and I'm ready for my next 30 years. The biggest one has been that life definitely does not work out the way you plan; which is so difficult in the moment but when you are able to finally look back you can see that it turns out so much better. It's amazing how much I thought I knew only to realize I didn't know anything. I'm so much more appreciative of the things I have and how I've gotten here. Struggle is one of the hardest things in life but it is so needed to become the person you want to be.

I'm not a woman with many words; I'm not eloquent and have a hard time expressing my emotions through speech. I better relate to music and often express my feelings through talented artists who are able to write down similar emotions through song. I can't get Tim McGraw's 'My Next 30 Years' out of my head. I'm not one for new years resolutions. I think you're just putting yourself up for failure telling yourself you're going to break bad habits because a new year has rolled around. Come on, how many times do you tell yourself you're going to do the same thing each year and for about a month you work on it and then nothing. I'd rather work on life resolutions. There are a few lines in Tim's song that have really hit a special note with me:

"Maybe now I’ve conquered all my adolescent fears
And I’ll do it better in my next thirty years"

"My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores
Cry a little less, laugh a little more"

I've let fear lead my life way too much these past 30 years. The fear of disappointment, rejection, failure. Why do I do this? Well, no more! I've learned that the best things in life are worth the risk and I need kick fear to the curb. For so many years I was scared to go upside down on a roller coaster. Making up excuses because of a scarring car accident. Truth is I was just chicken and thought I would be better off sitting on the sidelines while everyone else enjoyed the ride than actually face my fear. Finally one day I let someone talk me into going and it was the greatest feeling ever. I couldn't believe I had wasted so much time being scared. Now I'm a coaster junkie. This will be my next 30 years. No more sidelines for me. I know what I want and I'm not going to let fear stop me from getting there.

So goodbye twenties; you were good to me some of the time but I'm ready to move on. Hello thirties...LET'S DO THIS!

Early Christmas Present

2010-11-30T21:19:00.010-07:00

Christmas came early this year. Here are some pics of my new house (sorry to those of you who are sick of me talking about this):

Merry Christmas!

I still can't believe it...

2010-10-16T20:35:00.002-06:00

I am buying my first house!

Do you ever feel like things are just meant to be? I do! I have always been lead more by my heart than my head. It all started at the beginning of this year. If you've been following my blog you already know about my decision to leave a job and an industry that I've been in for my whole professional life and start a new adventure. Never in a million years would I have guessed that that decision would have lead me to this.

I knew that it was time for me to make a change in my life. I was miserable and I kept receiving promptings from the Lord that it was time to move on. I didn't know where I would go; I quit without another job locked in. I had some savings and I knew from the promptings I felt that I would be okay. I got a job doing hair, which at the time I thought would be my new career. Was I ever wrong! I was working so hard trying to make this new career work, but still found myself coming home with a paycheck that was barely minimum wage + tips. I wasn't sure what was going to happen but I still felt really good about my decision to leave JB. Then one day I was getting ready for work and I couldn't use my left arm. I was in so much pain and could not lift my arm to do my own hair let alone 8 hours of doing hair in the salon. I had no choice but to quit. I didn't know what I was going to do now. Before I had hair as an alternative career...now what!? I didn't know what I would do, or where I would go but I knew that I was going to be okay because the spirit told me so. I had to make some tough decisions regarding my finances; I knew that I could get by if I cashed in some investments I had and got completely out of debt, so I did.

Four long weeks went by with little to no interviews even though I was applying for jobs like crazy. Then my friend got me an interview with her new company. I went to the interview with little information; I didn't even know what the position was for. I had 2 interviews and could not believe how perfect the job was for me and my experience. It was in the same field as my previous JB job, but for a handbag company! I knew that this was where I was meant to be.

For the first time in my life I was debt free and had a good job. So I started thinking about how nice it would be to own my own home. It was really just a thought; I didn't think it could happen for at least a year. I would sit and talk with my brother and we would daydream about what we would do, how much we could afford and how soon we could do it. Every time we talked I would get really excited, go home and look at listings. I would then find an online mortgage calculator and have my dreams crushed when it estimated how much I could qualify for. I kept talking about it, but never put any action in place. Finally my dad told me I would never know until I tried, so he suggested I contact a mortgage broker and try to get pre-qualifed.

Weeks went by I never put my thoughts into action. I was too scared to find out the answer. Then one day I got a mailer from a realtor with a mortgage website. I was curious, so I went online to take a look. I decided I would email her with my questions. She emailed me right back, asking me to fill out an application and said "I think you'll be surprised". So I did. Next thing I know, I'm pre-qualified and looking for listings!

I figured it would take months to find something and I wasn't in any rush. My realtor told me to go online and make a list of properties I wanted to see. I made a huge list; properties all over the valley but one kept coming back to me. I knew going into this I was going to let my heart guide me. (I had a previous experience when my family moved back from CA that we were meant to live in a certain neighborhood; I knew that was where we were meant to be just by driving down the street before we even saw the house.) That's the same feeling I wanted with my house. I went on the first appointment with the realtor and looked at house after house after house and I didn't see anything that really caught my attention. Then the last house for the night was the one that kept popping into my head. And it was the only property the realtor didn't have the key box code for! We peeked through the windows and I got that feeling I had once before. We came back 2 days later with the key box code and I knew that was the house. I had been officially house hunting for 1 week and I was making an offer! (Did I mention that the day in between peeking through the windows and actually going inside that the seller lowered the price?)

The house was a flip. The seller had purchased the home from the bank and completely renovated the place; new roof, windows, appliances, paint and flooring. Since it was a bank owned home, my realtor suggested we do a meth test. Which was a good thing because it came back positive. Extremely low, but still positive. So we went back to the seller and said that we would only proceed if he replaced the furnace, sterilized the duct work and took the necessary steps to make the home certified safe and clean by the state of Utah. He agreed so we proceeded with the home inspection and appraisal. We got back the results yesterday and except for a few minor corrections, the house passed with flying colors!

All of this has happened in 3 weeks! As long as nothing major occurs, I will be closing on the home the first part of November. I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father; I definitely would not be here if he had not lead me to this job and this house. I don't know what lies in store for me in this new home, neighborhood and ward but I know that if this is where I am meant to be everything will work out.

New Hobby

2010-09-09T20:37:00.013-06:00

I've always liked taking pictures and actually always have my camera with me. But it wasn't until recently when I purchased an iMac that I fell in love with editing photos. It's my new favorite thing! (I was warned by friends that I would fall in love.)

Here are some shots I took this weekend with my cute little niece:

July 4th Weekend

2010-07-06T20:22:00.014-06:00

I LOVE having a 3 day holiday weekend! My fun adventures actually started the weekend before when I went to Lagoon with my brother for his work Lagoon day. At lunch time they played bingo and his friend's dad won a free pass on the catapult. They weren't going to use it so she gave it to us. My brother didn't want to use it but my younger brother did. He actually had done the catapult before but had never done the sky coaster, so they got someone to buy the ticket from him so he could buy a ticket for the sky coaster. I thought it would be fun to go but didn't want to pay, so I took my nephew on the bumper cars while he got in line. I got off the ride and the next thing I know my brother had purchased me a ticket and I was going with him. I was so scared! But he didn't give me a chance to back out...so there I was, being strapped into a safety harnesh ready to freefall through the sky!Talk about a thrill ride! It was exhilarating! I have never felt anything like it before. I have never thought about skydiving (I've always been too scared), but after this adrenaline rush I think I could do it (strapped to a cute instructor, of course.) tee hee

For the 4th of July weekend I refused to stay home and do nothing. The last couple of years had been pretty dull, so I refused to let that happen again. Especially since this was a 3 day event. On Saturday, my mom had a great idea to go up to Park City, walk around Main Street and go to Park City Resort and go down the alpine slide. The last time I had gone on the alpine slide I think I was 9 when my dad's family went up together. My how things change in 20 years. Not only do they have the alpine slide, now they have the alpine coaster (basically the slide on a track above the ground), a zip line, mini golf and tons more.
We had a great time. My dad, brother and I did the slide and the coaster. I was a little apprehensive around the corners on the slide. My brother told me the last time he rode it he ran over a gopher and fell off his slide! I don't like to get hurt so I went a little slow. But not too slow that I was holding people up behind me.

The alpine coaster was great. You're on a track so you can't fall off but you still manage the speed. I held down the bar as far as it would go. Even though it felt like I was going to fly off around the turns I refused to let the boys make fun of me. You do get a little whip lash (just a warning).

After, we decided to go to Main Street and have dinner. I'll be honest, this was my first time walking Main Street. Not sure why I've never done it before even though I've lived here most of my life. But it was great. It definitely has a small resort town feel. I kept thinking I was on vacation shopping.

That night we went to my brother's and watch the Sugarhouse fireworks. They live right by the park so we were able to watch the fireworks from his backyard. On Sunday night my older brother and I, with his 5 yr old son camped out for the Provo parade. I LOVE camping out for parades. I've been doing it since I was little. My dad's family would camp out for the 24th of July parade downtown. As we got older, people camped out less and less until there really wasn't anyone left. I'm so glad my brother still likes to camp out because it is a blast!

This was my first time for the Provo parade, but it was pretty much the same. People lined the streets with their chairs, blankets, air mattresses, couches...you name it they had it! I could not believe how many blow up screens I saw with people playing games all night. I was a little jealous because one group was playing guitar hero. It was crazy! I've always had a hard time convincing friends to come with me. They just never understood why I would want to sleep out on the street. You DON'T sleep...it's just an all night party! People drag the street all night, there are police everywhere so it is safe and you just have fun. I could not believe how many pedal bikes there were. The 7-Eleven parking lot was completely packed with people and their bikes. My favorite was this guy who had two huge speakers strapped to a basket on the back of his bike and he would ride up and down the street with his posse. People would join in (even on foot) while they rode up and down blaring his music. It was hysterical!

(not the best pic...but you can sort of make out the bikes)

We were camped out across the street from a tuxedo shop. The lights were turned off, but suddently I see this teenage boy pop out of the door in a top hat and cane. Then another, and another. They pranced around the entrance of the shop. At first I wasn't sure what they were doing. I watched as they went back in the store. The next thing I see, they turned on the spotlight in the shop window, removed the jackets from the mannequins, moved the mannequins to the floor, then got up in the window and posed. It was hysterical! There had to be about 6 guys and they each took turns in the window. Some of them had just jackets and top hats on. Others were decked out in the entire tuxedo. They would stand there motionless until people would walk by then freak them out by doing some crazy move. It was great entertainment. Eventually the cops showed up, made them come out of the shop and verified that they were in there legally. I thought the cops were going to tell them to stop, but they let them go right back to what they were doing. We had a good laugh.

The parade was fun but freezing! We were cold the entire night. And it didn't help too much when the sprinklers turned on about 4am. We didn't mind though because we weren't asleep like our neighbors. We watched as this older couple sprang out of their comfy air mattress and tried to get all of their stuff off the grass before the water soaked everything. I think they had enough stuff for a small apartment! The man was SO mad. Their son actually broke the sprinkler in front of our section of grass trying to stop the water with his foot. We just laughed.

That night I went and saw Eclipse with my sister-in-law and her sister. Definitely the better movie out of the 3. I still wouldn't buy it, but it was entertaining. I crashed as soon as I got home, only having a 2 hour nap after no sleep the night before. It was hard getting up for work this morning but it was worth it! What a great weekend!

Say Cheese!

2010-06-14T18:16:00.009-06:00

She can't smile normal with a camera in her face...

The one time she smiles nice...and I don't

This is as good as it's going to get!

Update

2010-05-28T17:48:00.003-06:00

It has been a while since I last posted so I thought I would give everyone a quick update on what I've been up to. This year has been quite the rollercoaster so far. I'm not one that likes change; especially when it comes to jobs. In the last 10 years I've only worked at two places...with 5 year stints at each. But this year (and yes, it is only May), I have gone from job to job it seems. Not intentionally! At the beginning of this year I decided it was time to move on from the travel world and try my hand at the beauty world. But what I didn't know is that my body (arms and shoulders in particular) were not going to cooperate with me. It seems that having my arms up at a 90 degree angle for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week presented a problem. My left arm quit working in retaliation. It would go numb from my fingertips all the way up to my shoulder blade for hours on end, to the point where I couldn't even lift my arm. So...I took a nice long vacation (unpaid unfortunately) to find something that I could do without lifting my arms all day. And what did I stumble across (with the help of my wonderful friend)...Miche Bag!

Who would have thought that my beauty endeavor would lead me to the fashion world? Luckily it did and I am now working for a great company that sells interchangeable hand bags. If you know me, you know that I LOVE hand bags! What a perfect place for me to be. Now, this was only my first week on the job, but take a look at the cute bags I have already started collecting:

Currently Miche Bag offers two hand bag sizes. There is the Classic Bag and the Big Bag. The shells are magnetized so it's quick and easy to change them out.
One of the coolest things about these bags is that they store flat so they take up less room; which means you can buy more without worrying about where you're going to store them!

So that's life for now...

Discount Car Lot

2010-04-01T21:54:00.008-06:00

This economy is really taking a toll on car owners. Take a look at these amazingly low asking prices for used Subaru Outbacks:

People are basically just giving cars away at these prices.

The question is....

Do the owners know about this?

Happy April Fools Day!

First Week

2010-03-06T20:46:00.002-07:00

I survived my first week in a salon...and though my back aches, my feet are numb and my body doesn't want to move; it was a great week! I love the relaxed environment and being able to do what I love all day long. And the best part........I get to leave work at work! I don't have to bring it home with me. That is the best feeling EVER! So if you're in need of getting your hair done, come see me in WJ. (Those who know me will know how to get the info.)

Floor Update

2010-02-13T21:43:00.007-07:00

It's been 4 months since the flood. The floor is done and looks great. It was finished right before Christmas, these pics are little late. (I've been a little preoccupied, but better late than never.) I don't have any before pics, but trust me...it looks SO much better! I think the carpet was as old as me. Thanks neighbors for fixing up the place!

Life

2010-02-02T21:15:00.002-07:00

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you know going into it it's going to be a dusey? That was my week. The week started out on a bad note and it only got worse. I think I cried all of the tears my body could produce. But in the end, it seemed to be the best thing for me. I'm not one who likes to initiate change. Sure I talk about it, but I don't often actually put it into action unless I receive a push. And that is what last week was. My push. My push to finally walk the walk. So I'm switching careers. I'm saying goodbye to the travel world and hello to the beauty world. After all, this is why I went to school, right? It's time I stop putting my passion on hold for a job that's comfortable. I'm taking a leap of faith...trusting in my Heavenly Father...and hoping I get a salon job before my 2 weeks are up.

Change is hard...but change is necessary and it can restore the joy you lost along the way.

Christmas Prank

2009-12-16T22:08:00.006-07:00

A couple posts ago I blogged about a prank my friends pulled on me with my broken car window. Retaliation has begun...

I gift wrapped one of the pranksters desks...including everything on top ie. computer, keyboard, mouse, phone, pictures...even her cell phone she left at work.

Then I ribboned off the desk area with a gift tag...

I worked on mastering my wrapping technique.

Here's the end result.

More pranks to come...

Whovillation

2009-11-11T18:03:00.010-07:00

Halloween is fast becoming one of my favorite holidays; mostly because I work with some awesome people who give in to my crazy demands to dress the department up in a theme. The past 2 years have been pretty good...but this year tops it.

Not only did I get everyone to participate, but we even had a Whovillation and invited our reservation team to join us for a Christmas dinner including a roast beast.

To quote the Grinch himself "A holiday Whobe Whatey?"

Welcome to Whoville

We decked out the office in Christmas. We got a lot of people upset with us the day before because they didn't know what we were doing. Many yelled...it was quite funny.

Here's the entire gang...including the Mayor, little Cindi Lou-Who, the Grinch with his dog Max and several Whoville residents.

I was lit up from head to toe...literally. I used battery powered Christmas lights on my skirt and in my hair.

My mom did my awesome hair. (Yes, that's my real hair.) I had 4 styrofoam cups in the middle to keep it standing tall all day.

This is last year's group. Only 3 of us participated. (I think the others felt left out so that is why we had so many participate this year.) We came as SNL and Mad TV characters: Mary-Katherine Gallagher "Super Star", "Coffee Talk" Lady and Stewart. We had fun being "in character" all day.

This was the first year's pic. We were super heroes and villains. I of course was my favorite...Wonder Woman.

I found a surprise...

2009-10-01T18:09:00.005-06:00

As I was walking to my car tonight I noticed from a distance that there was something sitting by my car tire that looked like garbage. As I got closer it was the remains of what looked liked a brown bagged lunch. I was annoyed that someone left me their trash.

But when I reached my car, I found more than just garbage...

Someone was sleeping in my car!!!!!

Turns out it was a dummy and I was being pranked.

I will admit that I jumped at first. Who wouldn't if they found what looked like a person sleeping in the backseat of their car? After the initial panic (and testing to make sure it really was a fake)...I immediately had my suspicions of who would have done this. Turns out I was dead on.

Back story:
I still have not gotten my broken window fixed in my car and my friends at work were giving me a hard time since it had been several months since it had been broken. I admit it...I am a procrastinator; especially when it comes to car repairs. I drove through an entire winter on bald tires because I just never "got around" to getting new ones. (I am happy to report that this winter will be much safer.) I did try once to get my window fixed...but they didn't have the right window in stock and I haven't really tried since. Anyways...because of the crazy weather change, we were chatting yesterday in the office about my window and one of my friends joked that some bum could climb in my car to get out of the rain and take a nap. And so the prank was born.

I applaud my friends...this was a great prank! I'm going to have so much fun paying each one of them back! Ü

Halloween Costume Ideas

2009-09-14T18:06:00.008-06:00

Halloween is fast approaching...and I thought I would offer some helpful ideas for costumes in case you were having a difficult time finding that PERFECT costume. All three of these ideas were generously inspired by Lady GaGa:

If you want to be a bride...but are looking for something a little bit more unique, here's the costume for you.

If you want to be a princess with a devilish side, this one is for you.

This last one is my ultimate favorite. If you're a huge fan of The Wizard of Oz, and playing the Cowardly Lion is your ultimate dream...this costume is hands down ideal!

(All 3 outfits were worn by Lady GaGa at the 2009 VMA's. I'm so glad girls today have such a great role model to look up to.)

Buses & Trains

2009-09-09T21:45:00.004-06:00

I came across a song today that relates to my life at the moment:

Hey Mom

Why didn't you tell me

Why didn't you teach me a thing or two

You just let me go

Out into the World

You never thought to share what you knew

So I walked under a bus

I got hit by a train

Keep falling in love

Which is kinda the same

I've sunk out at sea

Crashed my car, gone insane

And it felt so good

I want to do it again

Hey Mom

Why didn't you warn me

Coz about boys is something i should have known

They`re like chocolate cake

Like cigarettes

I know they're bad for me

But I just can't leave 'em alone

So I walked under a bus

I got hit by a train

Keep falling in love

Which is kinda the same

I've sunk out at sea

Crashed my car, gone insane

And it felt so good

I want to do it again

Hey Mom

Since we're talking

What was it like when you were young

Has the world changed

Or is it still the same

A man can kill and still be the sweetest love.

So I walked under a bus

I got hit by a train

Keep falling in love

Which is kinda the same

I've sunk out at sea

Crashed my car, gone insane

And it felt so good

I want to do it again

I like the last two lines the most...."and it felt so good, I want to do it again." So even though I keep dating idiots, I'm getting back on the horse until I fall in love with the right one.

It's my favorite time of year

2009-09-01T18:20:00.003-06:00

Football Season!

Go Utes!

Stupid Vandals!

2009-07-20T23:03:00.005-06:00

Some jerk decided to break into my car and steal my haircutting case from the backseat while I was having Sunday dinner at my grandparents house.

The jokes on them...what I'm sure they thought was a computer was just a bunch of combs, clippers and scissors. But now I have to replace all of my stuff before I can do anymore hair :(

I hope they cut themselves while trying to steal my stuff...Rotten THIEVES!

Orange County Swap Meet

2009-06-29T20:56:00.008-06:00

The Orange County Swap Meet is a favorite in the Grow family. My cousin and I decided to go down for the day (benefits of working for an airline) and do some shopping. Our flight left at 7:30am so I was up bright and early Saturday morning. Unfortunatetly Kate's alarm didn't go off and I had to wake the entire household to get her up. Sorry Em and Riley! Not to worry though...we made our flight in time.

I don't know what it was about us and airports that day, but we kept coming across some strange men. On our way down to California, the TSA agent told Kate she couldn't fly because "he doesn't let the cute ones go." This was supposed to come across as flattering I'm sure...but it just came across as creepy. Then on our way back (waiting in line again) the guy in front of me was on his phone dancing around (he couldn't keep still). I didn't even know he had looked at me, but as soon as he hung up his phone, he turned to me and said "Your eyes are CRAZY tight!" Um, thanks? This obviously became the quote of the day. hahaha

Whenever we go we always find something unique that we haven't seen before. As you know from my earlier posts I love giraffe print anything. So my find for the day was a carry on luggage case in giraffe print with red lining. I LOVE it! We actually saw a lot of zebra print luggage pieces and were on the hunt for giraffe print. We finally found it at the end of the day.

Kate's great find was a hand-painted pink parasol with flowers painted on it. She got it for her sister's upcoming bridals since the parasol happened to be the exact colors of the wedding. It is going to look so good in her photos.

We rented a car for the day...but did not expect to rent a little fire engine! But that is what we got. We were looking hot in this thing! Well...not really, but we tried. It was actually a really hidious looking car. And of course we had to take a photo with it. I normally drive a manual car and so was not used to driving an automatic. This became very apparant to Kate when we were on the freeway and the car in front of me started to break. On impulse my left foot when to push in the clutch but was instead pressing on the brake which made Kate lung forward in her chair, drop the GPS and hit her head on the dashboard. OOPS. Luckily no harm was done to the car or to Kate's head.

We had a fews hours after the swap meet before we had to head back to the airport, so we thought we would drive to the beach. But we completely forgot that it was the end of June which meant high season for tourists. So while we battled traffic to get to the beach, there wasn't a parking spot for us once we arrived. So we had to turn around and spend the next hour fighting traffic to get back to the airport. But we did get to see the beach on the PCH Highway.

We ended the day by stopping at In N' Out Burger for a quick bite before we headed back home. How better to end a great day?

Sisters

2009-06-14T15:38:00.004-06:00

Last Sunday my sister and I took some spring pictures in my parent's yard.

This is a great shot of Steph...very pretty. The wind always works in her advantage when taking pictures.

We are two complete opposites in every imagineable way; from our looks to our interests, but I couldn't ask for a better sister :) Love ya Steph!

Girls Night Out

2009-06-05T23:06:00.015-06:00

Bowling: $12

Greasy food at the lanes: $10

Getting silly and laughing uncontrollably with good friends: PRICELESS

Girls night out is something I look forward to every month. Even though not everyone could make it this time, those of us that did had a great time. I love being able to let my hair down and get silly without caring.

Thanks girls for a great night...see you next month!

Mommy 101

2009-05-26T18:53:00.009-06:00

This past weekend I had a little glimpse into what motherhood is like. I got to babysit my 1 year old niece for the weekend while her parents went off to Las Vegas. It was a great experience...we had so much fun and she is the easiest baby I've ever watched.

But I did learn some very valuable lessons or should I say some things I can hopefully perfect by the time I have a little one running around.

#1 - Remember to make time for a diaper change even when you have a hectic schedule. I was running around on Sunday picking up my sister before church, running back home because I had lost one of Cali's new shoes I had bought the previous day and then trying to find the new church building. I wasn't even thinking about how long it had been since I had changed her diaper. And at the beginning of our last meeting of the day (Relief Society) I felt something wet on my skirt. And it wasn't just a little wet...I was covered in her diaper overflow.

#2 - Kids don't follow YOUR schedule. Cali had slept in until 10am on Saturday morning, so on Sunday I figured I would get up by 9am...get showered and dressed by 10am and she would be ready to get up so I could get her ready. Didn't happen. She was up by 9:15am...so I had to stick her in her high chair and feed her breakfast while I finished getting ready. (BTW...I totally understand why mom's don't always shower everyday.)

#3 - Kids like to eat anything off the floor. This one I already knew, but thought I would reiterate. I was constantly pulling paper, wrappers, food from who-knows-where, and whatever else out of her mouth.

#4 - Find shoes that stay ON their little feet. As I previously mentioned in my #1 I had bought Cali some really cute sandals to wear to church. But they didn't make it there. I had lost one that morning and didn't figure it out until we were on our way to church. I thought for sure it was in the yard somewhere...but come to find out it didn't even make it out of the house.

#5 - There's no easy way to avoid the weather when your car is parked outside and you are strapping in a child. I'm still trying to figure out a solution for this one. When it was time to leave the house on Sunday it was pouring rain. I was carrying 2 bags and Cali so I couldn't hold an umbrella. As we ran out to the car, I started buckling Cali in her car seat. My back was outside in the rain getting wetter and wetter by the second. I haven't discovered a way of strapping in a child fast with all of the straps and buckles that come in a car seat. By the time I got into the car my whole backside was drenched.

#6 - If you're looking for a fast dinner away from home, drive-through is the only way to go (if you're by yourself). I knew Cali liked pizza so on Saturday night I thought Little Caesars would be easy. That is until I realized you have to go INSIDE to get the pizza. There was no way I could carry Cali, my purse and diaper bag PLUS a pizza. I would inevidably drop something and it most likely would have been the pizza.

#7 - One year olds don't like to hold their feet still for anything...especially to have their toes painted. I thought it would be cute to paint Cali's toes for Sunday with her new sandals. But I got only 2 toes out of 10 painted before she lost complete interest and started to scream when I tried to hold her foot still to paint the others. What should have only taken 2 minutes ended up taking 45 minutes. I had to quickly paint one toe at a time and then wait a while so she wouldn't fight me right off the bat when I tried to paint another one.

#8 - Toys are a great distraction when changing a diaper. Like a lot of kids, Cali doesn't like to have her diaper changed. So to keep the screaming to a minimum I would hand her a toy or the remote control (which is her favorite) to distract her while I changed her diaper. Worked like a charm...most of the time.

#9 - Naps are AMAZING! This is a great time to do all the things you can't do while the baby is awake. For instance, tidying up the house, doing some dishes, reading a book or taking a nap yourself. But I found the thing I always did while she was napping was going to the bathroom. I never found a good time to use the bathroom while she was awake...I guess I was afraid of what she would be doing while I was in there. So this was the best time for me to use the facilities.

#10 - Laundry is endless. Kids are kids and they're going to get dirty. But you don't realize how dirty YOU'RE going to be. I can usually get away with doing a couple loads of laundry a week for myself (if that). But that is just not the case when you have a little one who is constantly wiping food, goobers and who-knows-what else on you all the time. And not to mention when they have an accident while they are sitting on your lap. If you're not changing their clothes all the time, you are changing your own.

I have to take my hat off to all those mom's out there. You just don't realize how much work is really involved in taking care of little ones until you do it. (And I only did it for a couple of days.) I found it bitter sweet when I was leaving Cali last night. I was really tired and excited to sleep in my own bed. But I had so much fun spending time with her that I was a little sad. People kept asking me all weekend if I was ready to be a mom. And although I know it is a TON of work...I think I am. :)

Cake Bag

2009-05-21T21:37:00.006-06:00

My friend Terry and I have always loved giraffe print and it all started from our San Juan, Puerto Rico trip where we got matching giraffe bags...

Then we discovered some giraffe print shoes and had to get them...

So it's no surprise that for her birthday I made her a giraffe print cake bag...

Thanks Sue for the great idea! I think it turned out pretty well...and it tasted good too.

Summer-itis

2009-05-15T21:47:00.005-06:00

Summer is almost here! The sunshine is calling my name and I am having a hard time concentrating at work...being locked indoors all day long staring out the window. I wish we could get summer off from work like kids do from school. I would be outside from morning till night...soaking up the warm sun...drinking nice cold lemonade...eating smores by the campfire...playing a game or two of family baseball in the backyard...but I'm determined to make the most of the summertime I do get. I'll just have to figure out how to squeeze all the fun in between my work hours.

Quiz about me...

2009-05-01T22:20:00.002-06:00

I saw this quiz on Kate's blog and thought it was pretty fun.

1. Last beverage→Cherry coke
2. Last phone call→Christine telling me she was waiting at the movie theater
3. Last text message→Tiffanie
4. Last song you listened to→So Small by Matt Giraud (American Idol contestant...my fave)
5. Last time you cried→Wednesday

HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice →Seriously contemplated it
7. Been cheated on? →Sorta...I guess yes
8. Kissed someone & regretted it? → No
9. Lost someone special?→Yes
10. Been depressed?→Yes
11. Been drunk?→Nope

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Red
13. Sage green
14. Brown/pink

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU:
15. Made new friends→Yes
16. Fallen out of love - No
17. Laughed until you cried →Yes, one of my favorite things to do
18. Met someone who changed you→ No
19. Found out who your true friends were→Yes...it's been tested a little too much lately
20. Found out someone was talking about you → Yes...but my new favorite quote is "what other people think about you is none of your business"
21. Kissed anyone on your friend's list→ No

TRUTH
22. How many kids do you want to have→It used to be 6...but the older I get the number goes down. I would say probably 4
23. Do you have any pets →Yes, 2 dogs
24. Do you want to change your name→No...it's an okay name and not too popular
25. What did you do for your last birthday→Had dinner with the fam...I don't remember anything else
26. What time did you wake up today? 7am
27. What were you doing at midnight last night?→In bed sound asleep
28. Name something you CANNOT wait for→For the next chapter in my life to begin
29. Last time you saw your father→Sunday
30.What is one thing you wish you could change about your life→ I wish I wasn't so shy and could just strike up conversations with anyone I wanted
31. What are you listening to right now →Soul Mate by Natasha Bedingfield
32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom →Yes
33. What's getting on your nerves right now? →My dog yiping

PERSONAL:
34. What's your full name →Stacey Lynn
35. Relationship Status →Single
36. Zodiac sign →Capricorn
37. Male or female→ Female
38. Primary School→Uintah and La Tierra
39. High school →Mission Viejo, Highland and Jordan
40. Hair color →Brown
41. Long or short →Long but not long enough...I just cut 2 1/2 inches off :(
42. Height →5' 6"
43. Do you have a crush on someone? →Do celebrities count?
44. What do you like about yourself?→I'm a positive person and have a good sense of humor...life is supposed to be enjoyed, even when it's rough
45. Piercings →One in each ear
46. Tattoos →None
47. Righty or lefty →Righty...though I do play cards with my left hand

FIRSTS :
48. First surgery →Hasn't happened yet
49. First piercing →My ears when I was 5...my mom had to bribe me
50. First tattoo →Don't have one...never will, don't like em'
51. First best friend →Stephanie
52. First sport you joined →Basketball...Jr. Jazz
53. First pet →Rusty our dog
54. First vacation→Disneyland
55. First concert →Neil Diamond...don't be jealous!
56. First crush→Jordan
57. First alcoholic drink→None...unless you count the sorbet that had wine in it. The waiter brought it to cleanse the pallat between courses and I didn't know it had anything in it. Leo thought it was pretty funny.

RIGHT NOW:
58. Eating →Nada
59. Drink → Nothing
60. I'm about to → Watch a movie
61. Listening to →iTunes
62. Waiting for → Warm weather...the sun keeps playing tricks on us!
63. Want kids? →Most definitely
64. Want to get married?→Yes
65. Careers in mind? →Mom, small business owner...either ColdStone or party planner/catering-bakery, hair stylist

WHICH IS BETTER:
66. Lips or eyes →Eyes
67. Hugs or kisses →I like both
68. Shorter or taller →taller
69. Older or Younger →I prefer older but have dated younger
70. Romantic or spontaneous →Romantic
71. Nice stomach or nice arms → Probably arms
72. Tattoos or piercings?→None
73. Sensitive or loud →Sensitive...but still a manly man
74. Hook-up or relationship →Relationship
75. Trouble maker or hesitant→Trouble maker

HAVE YOU EVER :
76. Kissed a stranger →No but I would have if he was staying at the same hotel
77. Drank hard liquor →Nope
78. Lost glasses/contacts →Not that I remember
79. Cried yourself to sleep→Yes :(
80. Danced in the rain→I don't know if you could actually call it "dancing"...but yes
81. Broken someones heart →Unintentionally
82. Had your own heart broken →Yes
83. Been arrested → Nope
84. Turned someone down→Yes
85. Cried when someone died → Yes
86. Liked a friend more then just a friend →Yes

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
87. Yourself → Yes I do
88. Miracles → Oh yes!
89. Love at first sight →Not at first sight...but maybe at first conversation
90. Heaven → Absolutely
91. Santa Claus → Technically no...but it's always fun to pretend
92. Kissing on the first date →Depends on the connection
93. Angels → Yes

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
94. Is there one person you want to be with right now? No
95. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? →Are you kidding? Too much work...I can only focus my attention on one guy at a time
96. Do you believe it’s possible to remain faithful forever?→Definitely
97. Where is your favorite place to vacation? Big cities I've recently discovered
98. What's the one thing you cannot live without?→My family
99. What is your biggest pet peeve?→Walking around barefoot at work...I don't even do that in my own house!
100. One thing that most people don’t know about you → I'm terrified I'm going to end up alone...I put up a brave front

The Phone Call No One Wants...

2009-04-30T18:19:00.007-06:00

Monday night I was at home watching a movie when my brother called me. When I answered the phone, this is what I heard "I need you to come over here right away. Something's wrong with Cali and the ambulance is on the way!" Immediately I rushed out the door scared to death about what's happening to my little 1 year old niece.

When I arrived at their house there was an ambulance and firetruck outside and as I approached the door I saw through the window my sister-in-law in tears. I ran inside to find my niece lifeless on the floor with the EMT's hovering over her taking her vitals. She was white as a ghost! (An image I don't want to see again but at the same time cannot get out of my head.)

My sister-in-law told me she had just put Luke in the bath; when she came into the living room she found Cali on the living room floor having a seizure which lasted for about 1 minute.

The EMT's started giving her some oxygen and she came to and started crying. The best sound in the world! They took her up to Primary Children's Hospital to run some tests on her.

The diagnosis was, Cali's high fever of 102 degrees caused her to have a seizure. Though it was very scary to see, the doctors said that it wasn't too serious. Unfortunately, she had another seizure early the next morning. So since she has had 2 seizures, the doctors said this is more likely to happen again if/when she gets a high enough fever.

So anytime she gets a fever, my brother and sister-in-law will have to watch her very closely and make sure they are giving her tylenol and motrin every 3 hours to keep the fever down.

This was a very scary ordeal for my family, and Cali's fever hasn't broken yet...but I am happy to report that she is doing a lot better.

Fun in the Sun

2009-04-30T17:35:00.023-06:00

My sister-in-law and I just got back from a great girls weekend to Nassau, Bahamas. I was a little worried we might not make it on the flights (the joys of flying standby) since there was a huge rain storm in New York and they were canceling flights left and right. But luckily we were able to go through Fort Lauderdale and bypass the congestion all together.

This was my view while taking a leisurely nap from flying all night. I needed it after stressing about our flights.

Bri relaxing by the pool listening to some tunes.

We stayed on Cable Beach which is the nicest beach on the island.

While doing some shopping in Downtown Nassau, I came across some guitars made entirely out of soda cans. I thought they were pretty cool.

There was even a motorcyle made out of coke cans.

A candid shot together while enjoying the resort's nightly entertainment. Some of the music was a little interesting and the Bahamians sure love their music LOUD!

We found a Ben & Jerry's at the Atlantis Resort...it sure was tempting.

Rum cakes were the dessert of choice on this island.

Both Bri and I have a big fear of sharks...so we took some pictures of us with a shark (a fake one that is) as an inside joke. Bri wouldn't even go in the water past her ankles.

On our last night, Bri got the crowd jumping when she sang Michael Jackson's "Thriller" at kareoke night. (I chickened out)...but she did a great job!

It's gonna be a long night...

2009-04-13T22:25:00.005-06:00

I came home tonight from work in pretty good spirits. That is until I realized my little dog Sadie was sick. At first I didn't think anything of it. Dogs occasionally throw up. But then she did it again...and again...and again...and again. Then I looked inside her kennel and realized she must have been sick all day long. So I've spent the evening washing blankets, cleaning out her kennel and down on my hands and knees cleaning the carpet EVERYWHERE! Tell me again why I have dogs?? At least they are preparing me for motherhood, right?

My giraffe has gas...

2009-03-25T22:42:00.004-06:00

Don't you hate it when you find a cute pair of shoes and after the first day of use you find they squeak! I hate that!! I wore these shoes to work for the first time and as the day progressed, the squeaking got worse and worse. It turned into a huge joke and I couldn't walk past my friends cubicle without bursting into laughter. I just started saying "sorry...my giraffe has gas." But these shoes are just too cute not to wear...so although I may be referred to as "tootie" around the office, I am going to continue wearing the squeaky shoes.

Hair Extensions?

2009-03-25T22:27:00.007-06:00

I love how attentive guys are to details. I have been growing my hair out for a couple of years now and I see my older brother on a regular basis. So I found it funny last week when he says to me "did you get hair extensions?" Hair extensions!? Seriously?? So my snappy comeback was..."they're real and they're spectacular!" For those that watch Seinfeld...you should get the joke.

Maybe it was the curly hair that threw him off...but no Scott, they are not hair extensions.

Auntie...

2009-03-18T22:18:00.008-06:00

I just have to say I LOVE being an aunt! I have the cutest niece and nephews and I am so glad I live close enough to see them as much as I want. Tonight I got a random phone call from my brother asking me to come babysit for a few hours. It ended up only being for Cali...but we had so much fun. I was jungle-stacey (instead of jungle-jim). We danced and we sang. She loves the Paramore song "That's what you get" and sings along with the "ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh's." She is so stinkin' cute. And the boys are just as cute. When they came home, my oldest nephew Andy said "Stacey Lynn...come down to my room." I followed him down and climbed into the bunk bed and pretended to go to sleep. His younger brother Luke came into the room and Andy said "look who's in your bed." Luke responded with..."that's okay, she needs her rest." Hahaha...then Andy protested when I tried to get up and leave. He really did want me to have a sleep over in Luke's bed. If it wasn't a work night...I probably would have.

I had to post this picture with Andy flipping off the camera. We were all trying to tell him that wasn't a nice thing to do...but I was laughing SO hard I couldn't keep a straight face!

Ding Dong...

2009-03-13T18:14:00.007-06:00

I am a huge fan of The Office and and had to share the link to my favorite scene from last night's episode. I think I watched it 10 times at work and laughed so hard every time. I love it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f394LXDqFuc

First cake order

2009-03-07T13:49:00.008-07:00

I've completed my first cake order and I think it turned out pretty well. My friend's nephew was turning 1 and she asked me to make a Boston Red Sox baseball cake since his name is Boston. This was a pretty simple cake to make and I had a lot of fun.

I can just picture him digging into his own little cake...fun!

I like to...

2009-03-03T22:44:00.003-07:00

I copied this from Bec's blog...Google "{your name} likes to" (with the quotation marks) and see what the first 10 hits say about you. For those of you who know me really well, #1 is hysterical!

Stacey likes to:
1. Eat feet

2. Read, cook, travel and relax with friends

3. Take whoever is peeing her off to the hospital (seriously...this is what it said)

4. Go to the movies, the theater and improve her pottery skills

5. Snap photos

6. Read all history novels and is a Shakespearian buff

7. Share

8. Spend her free time working out, reading, spending time with friends and family and attending any type of sporting event

9. Excercise at the gym during off hours and is trying to improve skill in order to get ahead professionally

10. Shoot

I guess that's me in a nut shell...hehehe

Pranks...

2009-03-03T22:31:00.002-07:00

I'm in a prank war with someone at work and everytime I come up with something good...she hits me stronger and harder. So I need some help. If anyone has some ideas on a great prank that could be done at work...without getting in too much trouble :) I would be so grateful! Just to let you know, the biggest thing she's done was stuck a fake rat in my garbage can, tied fishing wire around it, strung the wire under the desk to the other side and had someone yank the wire while I was working at my desk to make the rat rattle around in the garbage liner. That disgusting rat thing was literally jumping in the garbage...I NEED TO GET HER BACK GOOD!

Washington DC

2009-03-02T20:06:00.009-07:00

I had the good fortune of going to DC to work a trade show with my good friend. Lately I have forgotten how fortunate I am to work for a company where I can fly for free and explore our great country. Things have been so stressful at work lately, especially with the economy...it was great to get away from the office and go to our Nation's capital and see the monuments and memorials of our great leaders and soldiers who risked their lives for our freedom. It really put things in perspective. It made me stop and think about what our Forefathers and ancestors went through to give us the luxuries we have today. As we were approaching the Vietnam Memorial, there was a Veteran soldier in his uniform leaving the memorial with tears streaming down his face. This set the mood for our visit and my emotions began to swell within me and tears began to form in my eyes. Both my Grandfathers served in the Vietnam war and all I could think as I looked at the names on the wall, was how many of these people served with my grandpas? It was a very humbling experience. I'm thankful I was able to see this great city. If you haven't had a chance to visit Washington DC, I recommend you make the trip. It will be one you won't forget!

Cupcakes...

2009-03-02T20:02:00.003-07:00

In our third cake decorating class we got to practice different techniques on cupcakes. Unfortunately I got pneumonia and wasn't able to attend my final class which was supposed to be a 10 inch cake. I might still make one one my own. But I'm also going to decorate cakes for friends and family and I will post those pics as well.

Cake 101

2009-02-12T21:17:00.006-07:00

So for my mom's birthday I gave her some cake decorating classes for the two of us to do together. I've always wanted to learn how to decorate cakes and was very excited for this gift (yes...this was a little for me too). We went to class the first day and after watching the instructor thought this was going to be a breeze! Our assignment for the next class was to bring a cake torted and frosted, ready to decorate. No problem, right? Well...little did we know how long it would take us. The night before the class we got together to make the frosting and frost our cakes. It was 7pm and we thought we had plenty of time to do a little shopping first. Got back around 8pm and started making the frosting. Keep in mind that we needed to bring several cups of frosting for practice plus whatever colors we wanted to use. First batch went like a breeze. Then it was time to actually frost the cakes. My mom starts on the sides...I see her struggling so I think to myself, I'm going to start on the top. I don't know if the frosting was too cold, thick or if we just didn't know what we were doing, but we couldn't get the frosting to stick to cake! Meanwhile my dad and brother quietly gather in the kitchen just enjoying the entertainment. My mother and I are getting frustrated and we start talking to the frosting. Yelling at it to stick to the cake...not sure why we were doing this. All I can say is you do strange things when you get crazy. Finally my dad pipes up after he's had a good laugh and tells us to dip our spatulas in hot water...this will make the icing glide easier and stick to the cake. My mother says to him "the instructor didn't say anything about that and I don't want to ruin my cake..." so she keeps going at it the same way. Me...being wise, listens to my very intelligent father (and remembering he used to work in a bakery) dip my spatula in hot water. Wha la! The icing is as smooth as butter. While my mother continues to struggle I decide to make the extra frosting needed for class. Making the frosting was not difficult, but it was time consuming having to make so much. We finally get through and it's quarter to 11pm. I had to get home to bed, so unfortunately I had to leave my mom with the entire kitchen mess...sorry mom! But all in all...I think our cakes turned out pretty well. Especially being beginners.

I made the pink and chocolate cake and my mom made the heart shape cake. My co-workers ate all but one piece...I guess that means they liked it.

Can't wait for my next class...we're decorating cupcakes!

I've arrived!

2009-02-12T21:05:00.003-07:00

Ok...so I finally got on the blogging band wagon. Hopefully I can keep this pretty entertaining so someone will want to keep reading about my crazy life. The last thing I need is a snooze fest...I have a hard time staying awake as it is. Here it goes...wish me luck! :)