Well here is my basketweave cake from my Wilton level 2 class. I was really proud of it because we were always late and slow to catch on and I know it could have been so much better. I know if I attempt it again, it will come out even better. Honestly, I don't know a bakery that makes flowers and then crafts them onto the cake! We are learning a lot, I guess we can charge a lot if people want this special stuff on their cake. Finally Friday our level 3 class starts, fondant and tiered cakes! We get to make a wedding cake! My teacher had said we could make a topsy turvy cake so I could learn how to do it. I can't wait because I definitely want to do a topsy turvy for my 30th cake.

Well, Maddy is feeling better! I'm so glad, that was awful. I made a pretty awesome cake on Friday, it wasn't the best in class and still looked great to me! This friday we start on fondant and gum paste w/tiered cakes! That is going to be fun! I talked to my dad and he's getting my mom the red stand mixer for mothers day! She doesn't read this blog unless I tell her to so I feel safe mentioning it here : ) I can't wait until I can get my stand mixer. Right now I want pink but the red one is too cute too.

Soooo....

Maddy's been running a fever ever since she woke up this morning. She likes to be held a lot when she's sick so I know my body heat isn't helping. I'm giving her Tylenol and it seems to be helping. I have her laying on my bed right now in just a onesie and she's playing with a teether and actually making happy noises for the first time all day. She still has a fever so I need to give her Tylenol in a bit. I had my lil sis over because I thought I would be able to get out and take her to the Poppy Festival but that didn't happen. I'm super congested, sneezy and my eyes keep watering. Maddy is feverish and coughing every now and then. No congestion and I hope it stays that way!

My parents are in Bakersfield doing some shopping and they just called to tell me they are on their way here to bring Maddy something! I told them its okay just wait til I see them next but they are insisting! I wonder what it is? *carseat, carseat, carseat* One can only hope ; ) XOXO Edited: They got her a carseat! Phew, one less thing for us to worry about! We don't need a thing as of now. Here she is taking a vapor bath yesterday, still sick today but no fever, thank the Lord.

So this morning I took Mad to ped urgent care so they could check her out. She threw up a couple times, felt really warm during the night and was cranky/not herself. She didn't have a fever though. She may have a virus the dr said and she's really drooly and teething. We finally got her a highchair yesterday. Finally broke out of girly mode and got a unisex Chicco Polly "Candy". It snapped together with just a few clicks and its really cute = ) I sat her in it for a few minutes and she just chewed the straps, lol(I added pics below, you can tell she is sick, just look at her little sick eyes). Ok, I typed this entry w/one hand, she is sleep in my arms, so I'm going to post pics later. I've gotten pretty good at this one handed typing, but I'm tired! haha

Soooo....

Well last week we missed our cake decorating class because little miss maddy had a fit the minute we turned the corner and freaked out on Yollie. I have no idea why but she did so we turned around and headed back home. This week we're going though and hopefully she won't act up. We get to make up the class for free in may though, woohoo! I'm lovin these classes, I'm so inspired! I think it would be cute to open a bakery boutique w/my baby clothes I wanted to open, is that a dorky weird combo? I figure a lot of people going to a place that sells cupcakes, cookies and cakes would be women and have or know small children whom they might want to buy outfits for. I would just sell limited items like handmade outfits, tutus, hairbows, shoes and things and sell the rest online at www.xoxobebe.com I'm constantly brainstorming! Now I'm selling on ebay and my goal is a consistent $500 a week for now and I'm doing it : ) My friend Deb also has the cutest baby clothes, tye dye at her site www.debdenio.com I'm going to put some on Mad and have her modelling it on here.

Today is our Friday. I'm so glad, Fabian will be off the next two days! He's been working so much and so many doubles lately, I won't be surprised if he wants to sleep the whole day away! My lil sis Deb is here so I'm thinking of trying to get Alvin & the Chipmunks since it comes out tomorrow. It seems kinda cute. Madison is acting so moody lately, smiling and laughing, then she'll have a crying outburst. I think she may be teething finally? It is about that time! She is so crazy though, she is laying across my lap playing with a teething ring right now. This is a tag my friend made me on Myspace, its the typical "Myspace" pose I always make fun of, haha.

Debra, Mad and I decided to go to LA and visit with Fabians Mom. We had a great time. We all went to the mall together and she let me pick a few cute outfits for Mad and we had a nice dinner together. We got size 12 months. Well, M freaked out in the car after a few seconds strapped in and before I could get to her, bleeeeech, she puked all over herself. We didnt want her to get sick and stay wet so I stripped her and put on one of the new outfits (I know, I always prewash but this time I didn't, and so far, no reaction from the chemicals of the new clothes). Anyway, it FIT! So now my little girl is 6mos old barely and wearing size 12 mo. I guess because she is so tall! Her torso is where all her length is at and she is bottom heavy w/short chunky legs and butt so that makes bigger bottoms fit, just a little longer. Anyway, wow so I need to start getting size 18mo because she barely fit that 12 mo. Ok, going to bed now, well, not really whenever M finally goes to bed I will!

Mad had her 6mo vacc today. She is average for weight but 95th percentile for height so she is tall! I need a new car seat! She also gave me a food chart, she should be eating solids 2-3xs a day and milk 3-4 bottles a day 6 ounces each. Juice diluted and only from a sippy cup, no more than 4 ounces/day. It also said solids should be 30% of her diet or about 1/3. I got work to do! I gave her Tylenol before her shots and she is sleep in my arms now.

Mad's New Expression

Okay so today she made this face, I made it back to her, and she imitated me! Excuse the blurriness, cell phone cam ; )

HAPPY EASTER! I took too many pics to post so I just made a silly slideshow. The end pics are my lil sis and I posing like people on Myspace in the car. Can you tell we were bored? haha. Easter was a beautiful day spent with family and church was wonderful. Mad was a good baby as usual. She does have little outburst of crying now for seemingly no reason and she stops in an instant. I think its because she exhausts herself and won't nap. I'm going to ask her Ped on Friday at her appt. All I got M was that giant bunny for Easter, no pics w/the "Easter Bunny" or anything like that.

Today I baked the cake I need for tomorrows creepy clown cake we're making in class. The cake is yellow so I made a lemon cake and a lemon pudding filling, I hope it taste good because I love lemon! The white cake was TOO sweet. The wilton buttercream frosting recipe is all sugar. They have a whipped icing recipe that has WAY less sugar, instead of 4 cups, 2 tablespoons! I'm looking forward to making that one instead. Hopefully I will still be able to decorate on top of it.

Lost is on, you know its on my dvr so I don't HAVE to watch it right now but I think I might, I'm so addicted! But I'm ready for these dam people to get off the island already, its been 3 years! haha, well only a couple months in "Lost" time.

I'm such a slacker. I got Maddy's Christmas dress before she was even born and now its Easter and I didn't get her one : ( Now the dresses are picked through, of course, not to mention shoes and all that. I'm going to try to find her one tomorrow after class anyway. I have to get new batteries for the camera so I can put up new pics of Mad.

GOOD NEWS: I went to Verizon tuesday and they told me the same thing, phone damage not covered under warranty because its not internal. But the lady was so sweet she ordered me a replacement anyway! So, phew, I will have a new phone tomorrow. And Fabian rigged my old one to get it to charge and I transfered all my phone book and pics/vids of Maddy! I was so sad about that but now I have it! And its time I invest in a REAL video camera and stop relying on my cell phone, thats so sad. haha



EDITED: Okay, heres that cake! I can't wait to start working w/smooth fondant frosting and no more buttercream. I want a smooth fake looking cake. haha

Mad ate pears for breakfast and carrots for dinner, did I mention she loves carrots?? I hope she will start to love green veggies!

I give up on peas! No, not really, but it is like pulling teeth trying to get Mad to eat them. This time I gave her peas w/brown rice and she still didn't like it. She holds her mouth tightly and when I managed to get some in her mouth she would spit it all over me and everywhere.

My cell phone broke last night! I don't qualify for an upgrade until 2/2009! That phone was barely 6 months old! Beware the LG Chocolate! The spot where you plug the charger into the phone, broke off the phone! I pulled out the charger and it was attached to it! Freakish but I'm a phone addict so I'm going through withdrawels right now : ( I want a pink blackberry pearl or a XV 6800 so I definitely need to wait for an upgrade, no good deals on ebay either.

You Are Totally Like Your Mom

You and your mom are practically clones. You think alike, and you even seem to read each other's minds. You're definitely you're mother's child... and that's just fine with you.

Are You Like Your Mom?

Your Leprechaun Name Is:

Stinky Potfiller

What's" Your Leprechaun Name?

You Communicate With Your Body

This isn't as bad as it sounds, it just means that you're a "touchy-feely" person. You need a lot of affection in your life. And for you, this means both giving and receiving little touches. Warm hearted, you bond with people easily. In fact, you often feel a little sad when you're not in the company of others. A little moody, you tend to be controlled by your emotions. But a bit hug always comforts you!

How Do You Communicate?

You Are A Good Friend

You're always willing to listen Or lend a shoulder to cry on You're there through thick and thin Many people consider you their "best friend"!

What Kind of Friend Are You?

Today...

Maddy ate a whole tub almost of organic carrots, she really loves them! She didn't care for the organic peaches/oatmeal/banana combo though. haha Ok, she is cranky, ready for a bath and shushybye!

My first cake!

It turned out okay, but it is only my first. I didn't know what to put on it so I dedicated it to Mad turning 6 months old on the 26th = ) This doesn't seem that hard at all, especially with a lot of practice. Next week we make a clown cake. I don't like clowns, they are scary to me, ewww. haha I guess I need to learn in case anyone wants a scary clown cake ; )

Madison is getting big! She doesn't like it when I lay her down, starting today! So, I had to sit her up on the couch and she held herself up. And she gets mad when she rolls on her tummy but I have to let her try and roll out of it. She's having peach oatmeal banana for breakfast. I'm saving all the jars so I can store food I make. My good friend Maurisa (love you) shared some tips w/me for making and storing baby food that I'm going to share for anyone who's interested. ((HUGS))

From Ris:

Basically all I did was take whatever fruit or vegetable I was making a batch of peel all the skin off and steam until soft. Even soft fruits like pears need to be steamed it adds to the nutrient value. I would then puree them in a really good blender sometimes using the leftover juices from steaming if a veggie was too thick (carrots) and put them in the glass baby food jars and freeze them. If you don't have many stock piled glass jars then you can also use ice cube trays. I for one tried not to becaus small scratches in the plastic trays leach bacteria into the food and the plastic breaks down and is an endocrine disrupter in our bodies. (Early puberty for some children among other harmful disruptions in growing bodies)

When I did a batch I would usually do 30 or more jars. So one day I would do sweet potatoes (which is more nutrient rich when baked in the oven, it brings out more natural sweetners in the veggie.) and freeze all the jars in a big zip lock bag for extra protection, another day pears, another green beans, whatever organic fruit and vegetables were on sale.

I rarely made applesauce only because I just bought it in the ready to eat containers for kids 6 packs, (like earths best or santa cruze) it was much cheaper that way. After doing this one fruit or vegetable a day for a week I had a great stock and was able to just keep up after that, once I ran out of all of a fruit or veggie I would then remake that food. I also made chile, corn and potatoe soup and spaghetti with tiny pasta and homeade sauce all of organic ingredients. My kids loved it all.

Don't let this overwhelm you. It really is a simple process. At one point I even wanted to make a company out of it. I really did enjoy it. There are many cookbooks that you can find for homeade baby food. And it is a commitment. If in the end you realize that it is more than you are willing to commit to, dont feel like your any less of a mom. Many great children grow up very healthy on jarred food.

Okay so the one day trip to Vegas was fun! We went to pick up Mom's order first, then Mom said, "I always wanted to go to Lake Mead" after we passed the sign. I said, "Lets GO!" So we went, it was beautiful. Then we saw signs, Hoover Dam 8 miles. Hey, why not? So we went, it was pretty awesome and beautiful.

Fabian spent the day with Mad and took her to THE MALL. I don't even have to say what happened.

Nothing new today. Mad's pink eye from the yucky cold virus we have seems to have cleared up on its own so we won't need those drops the dr. prescribed, phew. I bought a lot of organic baby food today and hopefully I'll be making most of her food from now on (wish me luck!) Tomorrow my Mom and I are driving to Vegas to pick up some items she bought from a liquidation website. I'm excited because I get to have one of the sewing machines so I can finally start sewing! I've been making hair bows like crazy and I'm ready to start making cute little boutique outfits for my baby website and ebay. I make tutu's too so if any one wants one! I'm going to do a princess theme for Madison's first birthday party in September and I'm going to custom make tutu's for all her girly guests : ) I think that will be fun. And I'm going to try to make a castle cake and princess cupcakes. Friday we decorate our first cake in our cake decorating class, a rainbow cake. I'm going to decorate it for Maddy turning 6 months. I want to throw it away afterwards because I don't need all those calories in this house! I wish I knew a good place to donate all these cakes I'm going to be making! And who knows what I'm going to do with the tiered wedding cakes I'll be making in the level 3 class! haha, take pictures then get them outta here! I'm down 5 pounds under the weight I was when I first got pregnant! I think I want to lose 6 more pounds, but I'm getting kinda skinny so I don't know.



Our 1st cake is this design, this is someone elses cake, I'll post ours once we do them Friday after class.

These are from Mad's first trip to church. I know its a long time, but we wanted to wait until we could all go as a family for the first time and this was Fabians first Sunday off in months.