A Garden Party Indoors!!

We have hit the one year mark in our new home. That’s amazing! I have wanted to have a BBQ to celebrate. Nothing big, just the in laws. But the problem remains I have a huge yard and no garden decor! We moved in at the end of the summer last year, when all of the patio sets were on clearance, and we just missed all of the good ones. This year, there just isn’t a few extra hundred lying around to drop on it!

So I’m thinking that if the BBQ goes forward, we’ll just eat in doors! I would love to make the cake above for dessert. It’s so “Yard”ish and cute. I would want more of a flower pot shape, and heck–even some sugar cookie flowers on sucker sticks. How fun would that be??

Rediscovering Books!!

I think I’m the only one on the planet that hasn’t listened to an audio book! First off, with so many kids running a hundred different ways, there hasn’t been much time for reading anything at all. Recently though, I’ve discovered that I do love settling down at night and getting lost in a good book while I’m getting sleepy. I’ve just finished the third book of the Twilight saga and am starting the fourth book tonight. Aside from them, my favorites are The Goose Girl trilogy from Shannon Hale.

I loved to read as a young teenager, but it’s been really fun discovering my love of a good story again!

Future Finances!!

I think it’s the fact that we found a life insurance quote for my husband and I the other day that has gotten my head thinking about the future. He has a much higher amount on him because of all of the support we would need if I was left alone with four kids. If something were to happen to me he would simply need some help with child care. Well, that and paying off the mortgage. But he would still have his livelihood. As a homemaker, if something happened to him I would be left with nothing. Nothing and a whole lot of bills! So yes, at this moment in time, his life is far more valuable than my own…but I’m hoping we’ll never have to touch a dime of it!

Finding Alternatives!!

It’s been a long time since I’ve made a cake to decorate! I know, I lament about that a lot. I was thinking this next week end it would be fun to try something new and fun. I don’t know what, but I’m itching to make one. If I had to find something to fall back on career wise, as much as I would love to be a cake decorator up at the local grocery store, I could make a little more money finding one of the many IT jobs out there. It would require a little more schooling, but how fun would that be? I’m hoping nothing becomes too necessary in the near future because everything seems to be going pretty good right now, but it’s nice to know there are things to fall back on if an emergency arose!

The Man & The Sauce!

I have been working really hard on my husband’s company blog. There is a button in the side bar that can take you to his bosses MySpace page, and I wanted a picture to go along with it. But not just any picture, I wanted one of him in one of those company logo shirts. I don’t know why it was that important to me, but it just was! He’s the NAME! The name on the shirt, the name on the sauce, the name on the restaurants! He had to be in a company shirt!

I’m not sure he’ll like the one I found…but if he’d like it changed, he better be willing to step outside and model his t-shirt for me! Head on over to the blog, and let me know what you think!!

1 Year & Counting!

It’s been a year since we moved in to our house. I remember the first time we walked in to see it, and then again after closing when I had the key to the ‘then’ empty place. The living room carpet is so plush that you just sink right into it. Kind of like home theater carpet, but even better cause it was mine!

A lot has happened in our first year in the house. The kids have trashed the joint! Ok, maybe not so much…but it doesn’t quite look the same as it did a year ago walking in after closing. The carpet is still plush, but after a year of feeling it under my feet, I just don’t seem to notice it any more. How sad is that? It’s been a good home for the year! Lots of great memories already, and I hope we have many wonderful ones yet to come!

Saving Time Online!!

I’ve mentioned in other posts that I’ve opened some internet stores. It’s been kind of fun kicking them into gear and learning the ropes. But as with most sites, my stores are very much niche stores. Monster Trucks, The Tween Scene, and Chicago Sports…not much else! If you aren’t interested in any of those items, then my site would be a waste of time for you! However, if you are looking for a true “One Stop” for all of your online shopping you should be looking at Shopwiki.com! It’s amazing, I went from looking at stand mixers in the kitchen section to back to school needs in the clothing section!

The stand mixer is a gift we have in mind for a family member, but if it was a gift for me, I would totally want an ice cream maker! We eat a TON of ice cream in my family, and I would like to “Bobby Flay” it for once and add my own flavors! The kids would probably go for the outdoor fun and the hubby would head over to the grill section! And you can get it all at the same shop! What an amazing time saver!

Taking Myself To The Bank!!

I’ve mentioned in several blog posts about the fact that I’ve started several internet stores. I love them–but they do take up a lot of time, and I’m not really selling anything of my own. The reason? I have no way to accept credit cards. Or so I thought! I just came across authorize.net, and although it still needs some looking into on my part, it looks easy enough to use on a store of my own. I don’t know what I would sell as of yet, but just knowing that there is a way to be able to process payments all by my little old self is really exciting! I’m definitely going to have to look into this more!

Romantic Getaways!

I remember before we had kids we took a weekend trip to Park City, Utah and stayed in a condo hotel. It was amazing the luxury there! I think we spent one night, so the huge jacuzzi in the bathroom suite went unused, but it was certainly fun to look at as we passed by!

Now that we have kids, the little romantic getaways have all but gone away. We did manage a trip to Vegas last fall and would love to hit Boston this Veteran’s Day weekend. But with the economy the way it is, it will be the first thing pushed back in order to pay for the necessities of life. Bummer!

Growing Furniture!!

Spending the weekend with a baby was a lot of fun, but I now can see the fun in being a grandparent! We loved that baby, snuggled him, made him giggle-had all the fun, but left everything up to his momma! I remembered how I had to pack like we were taking a trip across the country just to go to the mall, I don’t miss that at all! Then once the baby was grown up, I was left with all of the baby equipment that I would never need again! So much of it went to Good Will, but by golly, what a waste of money!

Nowadays there is a new option. Have you seen the Stokke Tripp Trapp brand high chairs? They are kind of like those “grow with your child” cribs I wish I would have gotten. It starts as a high chair (ergonomically correct for your baby) and then grows into a chair that can hold up to 300 pounds! Even though it’s a chair, it looks like it would make a super cool shelving unit too! How fun is that?

Back In The Cakes!!

This is the cake I’m going to try to duplicate for my brother in laws birthday! Can you tell he’s a golfer? If he had his way I’m sure he’d rather I sculpt his beloved Cobra golf clubs for the topper, but life is just too short to try for that! I’m just excited to have a reason to make and decorate a cake! It’s been a long time. My kids birthday’s start up again in 2 months, and then they are every month through the winter, so be prepared for some new content. Finally!

Goodbye Girls!!

That was what my first cake made in the city of Chicago said! We had just moved here in time for my mother in law to have a breast reduction surgery, so I made a little pound cake and put two of those pink Hostess Snow Ball cakes up on top representing the ‘girls’. I didn’t spike the cake with progesterone or anything, but it was definitely a “Girl” cake! I’m not sure her husband didn’t enjoy it also…he got a big laugh out of the decor! I think I’m going to dig out the photo of it…it was classic!

It’s Just That Time Again!

We are coming up on my most favorite time of the year…BACK TO SCHOOL!  I know, bad me! But after a summer home I can honestly say my kids are just as frustrated with me as I am with them!  I think we will spend the weekend finishing up their school supply shopping.  Each child has a list nearly 2 pages long…2 pages!  Now, I do have to admit that I have a certain little school supply fetish.  I could collect clean, never before used 3 subject notebooks.  For no reason, I just love them!  My other addiction are pens.  I’m not too picky as to whether they are the blue topped-clear bottomed Bics or even the cool promotional pens–I just love my pens. I usually prefer blue ink, unless it’s something super business oriented, then it’s boring old black…but oh! My husband’s company has hundreds of pens with the company name on them, and they are so great! I just wish I could pass them off as the pen requirement for school…it would save me a fortune!

More Skin Woes!

I’m thinking of trying Proactiv again. I know, I’m game for just about anything that promises help with my terrible skin. I shouldn’t say “Again” however, I tried a knock off of it the last time. I’m just not an everyday face cleanser. I wash and moisturize, but that cleansing and toning seems to have the opposite effect on my skin, and I tend to break out more after a few days of a rigorous cleansing routine. But I’m willing to take Proactiv at it’s word, and if it doesn’t work…I will get my money back–what’s there to lose!

Baby Cakes…Diaper Cakes!!

Ok, so it’s not really an edible cake, but look at how far diaper cakes have come! This one is darling, and who wouldn’t love to receive this amazing gift. It even doubles as a one of a kind centerpiece!

We held our baby shower a couple of weeks ago, and aside from the fact that I came down with pink eye that morning, it was really fun. We will be shipping all of the baby shower gifts to the couple in San Diego, so we were happy that most people brought cute baby girl clothes and gift cards. I told my mother in law (in jest) that I was NOT shipping a high chair across the country!

What made the shower fun was that we combined it with our nephew’s 21st birthday. So there weren’t just baby gifts, there was plenty of love for him as well. Of course, wouldn’t you rather shop for a new baby rather than a 21 year old who wears his pants down around his knees?? Kidding…but it was really fun. Everyone came and showed their support for these two family members, and I can’t wait to see some pictures of the new baby in some of her new baby clothes. That’s the most fun!