Someone's baby is double digits!

I know I've said it before but I LOVE my repeat customers because they are so sweet & kind to support my creative venue of cakes & cookies ... thank you Lisa!

So Lisa's "baby" turned the dreaded (not really) double digits! I think as moms we just don't want our baby girls to grow up. It's one thing to see them go from babies to young ladies but for me it's all the in between things that make me nervous. However, with all the "in-between" things, there's even more goodness with each day so for that I'm thankful!

Lisa's double-digit daughter had recently seen "Soul Surfer" (loved this movie) and wanted to go with a surfboard theme for her birthday complete with a bite out of the board.

What sweet dedication to an amazing young lady like Bethany Hamilton! I loved creating this cake while thinking about this movie and remembering that no matter what or how severe if your faith is grounded in Jesus Christ, He will help you move through. It may not be pleasant, fun or easy but He will always be there for you to lean on. I definitely need to be more like that ... it's okay to get mad and "fall down" but I have to remember .... it's not about how many times you fell down ... it's how many times you got up! Not only do I need to remind myself of this truth but for my peepers (Hannah & Hank) as well .... it's okay for me to watch them "fall down" but I need to be there to help them "get up" and learn from the falls.

Thank you Lisa & Meredith for reminding me to keep pressing on no matter what! Happy Happy Double-Digits to Meredith!

Turning 9 and oh so fine!

My sweet friend Traci (love my repeat customers!) asked me to create her darling daughter's (Fiona) 9th birthday cake!

Ms. Fiona also is getting ready to receive her blackbelt (kick it Fiona!) so a Taekwondo (not Karate as Traci educated me and btw hotmail detected that Taekwondo was not in their dictionary, but a possible substitute was "Wonderbra" ... really? Must be b/c they are kickin'? Not sure there but hilarious! Thanks Traci for the belly laugh!) cake was definitely in order!

This is what I love about creating cakes and cookies for all events, milestones and just because reasons. I feel like I get to be a part of the celebration in the design and creation. I never know what kind of creations my friends will ask for and I'm always up for the challenge ... that's the best part!

So Happy 9th Kickin' Taekwondo Blackbelt gettin' Birthday Fiona! May you continue to kick it forward and accomplish great things!

Sweet & Surprising 16!

I love how good news travels around ... my friend Pam @ work asked me last week about doing a cake for her son's 16th birthday .... that weekend. Well, if you know me, I can't say no when it comes to my cakes because I would hate to miss out on helping to create a celebration and creating a new cake! I asked Pam how she knew I did cakes and my other friend, Brenda had swayed Pam from going to Costco (don't get me wrong, LOVE their cakes!) and calling me instead! Thank you girls!

While we're on the subject of 16th birthdays, I remember my 16th birthday like it was yesterday (yes that's a bit cliche' but it's true) for a couple of reasons.

The 1st reason was the surprise 16th birthday party my parents pulled off for me (who knew parents could be cool when you're 16 AND pull off a surprise party). My mom had secretly moved my clock back by an hour or so AND had managed to get a boat load of my friends over to the house BEFORE school to surprise me when I came downstairs. Of course my mom had all this awesome food & table set-up (like she always did for pretty much any meal) and everything was perfect.

The 2nd reason was getting my drivers license ... excited and nervous at the same time. I really remember this day like it was yesterday so bear with me on the details.

I'm in Typing 1 (yes with electric typewriters) and my mom comes to pick me up in the middle of class so everyone knows I'm going in for my drivers test. I'm sure my mom was coaching me the entire way because her whole life she never received a ticket and no I'm not kidding and yes, she liked to tell us that. So ... at the DMV (the old 18th Expressway location) .... it's old and gross in there and no one is nice. I take the test and pass. Check. Now for the drivers test.

Picture this ... I'm in a 2 door Oldsmobile Delta 88 ... light blue ... with crush velour seats. Nice. The drivers test guy goes through the safety checks and everything's going smoothly until we get to testing the horn ... really? A horn test? Well, I go to honk the horn and nothing. Okay, so it's broken ... let's get on with the test. The super cool 'Barney Fife'-like drivers test guy says, "No can do miss. Not with a broken horn." Again, really? Super. The worst part was not really getting to take my drivers test but going back to school where everyone was waiting (or so it felt) to see my drivers license. And to top it all off, I'm sure I'd had changed several times that morning to be sure my picture was perfect. Talk about embarrassing!

Talk about a day of surprises ... all in all, I survived and still had friends and had the pleasure of returning for my drivers test with our lovely wood paneled, diesel station wagon complete with an alarm ... and I passed.

Learning to handle the little letdowns along the way is always challenging but after I've gotten through it, it's really not that bad. I have my health, my family and blessed with more than I could ever imagine.

So Happy 16th Birthday Gus and may your life be full of 'sweet surprises' that continue to help you grow & be stronger! Bring on the surprises!

Celebrating Sophie's sweet 1st Communion

I felt so honored when my friend Kristy asked me to create a special cake in celebration of their sweet daughter Sophie's 1st Communion. I'm certainly not an expert on 1st Communion's but know they are very important and anytime our children can learn more about Christ and be closer to Him ... it is a good thing!

Both of my peepers, Hannah & Hank are just starting to ask questions about "the bread & the blood" (as they call it) and what it means to take that and what it means to be a Christian. Hannah was just asking me about being a Christian the other day and we talked about it and she was so sweet and said, "Mom, I think I'll wait a little bit." I love that she is really thinking about it and not just doing it just to do it. My sweet Hannah is very much a thinker and marches (or kicks to the soccer ball) to her own drum. My Hanker does the same thing for that matter!

I love that they are so curious and so wish I could share these things with my mom ... she would love knowing this and how her life and love for Christ played a part in their little lives. I'm so thankful that our peepers have my dad and his wife and Torie's parents to carry on that example and provide support where needed. I love that my parents and Torie's parents instilled such a good foundation of the importance of knowing Jesus and what that means.

So Happy 1st Communion Sweet Sophie! Your parents are laying a great foundation for you & your sister!

Oh to be 5 AND a Princess!

I love that my friend Nikki asked me to create "Princess Grace's" 5th birthday party cake. I very much remember my own "Princess Hannah's" 5th birthday party ... except it involved an Ariel cake ... we had already gone through "princess" phase @ the ripe 'ole age of 3! I loved that "princess" phase when it was all about pink, glitter & dress-up. We had the whole she-bang ... bedspread, dust ruffle and all things princess in her room. I think I secretly loved it more than she did!

Being 5 is tough ... Hannah had so much fun at her party ... about 15 girls (that should've been my first clue), too many pictures (my bad) and gymnastics on top of that. What set off the party into a melt-down was that "mommy" didn't get enough treat bags ... "Princess Hannah" did not get a treat bag! Oh boy, did everyone get to see my little "Princess" be not so much a princess. Oh well, I think one of her cousins (probably sweet Emma) gave up her treat bag and saved the day!

Now that my "Princess" is 8 ... it's all about soccer and certainly not anything princessy ... "mom, I'm way too big for that!" Where did my baby go? The other day, my other baby, Hank (who is 6) told me I could only hug him at home! What? At least Hannah was super impressed I knew what "TMI" & "FYI" meant .... yes, I"m pretty much a rock star mom who only gets hugs at home. I'm good with all that.

So to all those mom's with "princesses" or "princes" for that matter at home ... savor every moment ... even meltdowns because they don't last as long as you think (yes, even the meltdowns will pass and then it will be something else like not listening or a balant "NO!") ... our babies grow up too quickly these days but thankful for every minute!

Now back to the birthday girl! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY 5th Birthday Princess Grace! I think Princess Grace has a certain ring to it and knowing Nikki and how graceful and beautiful she is ... she's definitely got a sweet "princess" on her hands!

Someone else's baby is 8 today!

I love my friends & how supportive they are of my creative outlet ... creating cakes & cookies in honor & memory of my mom. Monday will be 4 years she's been gone and it still seems like yesterday and I miss her more than ever ... I just want to call her and tell her all the funny & silly things that H&H do. I loved how she had us over for dinner once or twice or whatever a week ... at least Torie could count on a good meal. I loved how my mom loved life. I've recently been reading her journals and she was just plain & simple ... happy to be living life. You wouldn't have known for a second she had Ovarian Cancer ... she always was giving & doing for others ... that & her faith in Jesus is what got her through each day.

Thank you to my sweet friend Lisa and her sweet son Anthony for letting me continue my memories and creating cakes & cookies for my mom! Happy Happy 8th Birthday Anthony ... Rock Chalk!