I love watching American Idol. This week the auditions had all we've come to expect from the contestants...some great, some so-so, some weird and some really, really bad. The best, IMHO, was the emotional audition of the young girl who's dad died two days before in a car accident.
Wipe away the tears...
Anyway...all those songs and what gets stuck in my head?
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Florida Snaps
Hi! We're back from our tour of Florida! What a fun vacation...we even managed to relax a bit and feel refreshed and ready to jump back in to everyday life. Here are a few family snapshots of our adventures. We came home with over 200 photos so I'm sure there will be more to post here and over at Silly Rabbits of the kids.
This is Siesta Key Beach just south of Sarasota. It was a beautiful afternoon, though a bit chilly with the wind off the Gulf of Mexico. That didn't phase the kiddos though and they played their hearts out in the sand and sea!
This is taken on our short visit over at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort at Disney World. We were out on their savannah viewing deck to see some animals. We might have to stay their next time as it was really a beautiful hotel.
The classic family shot on Main Street USA in front of Cinderella's castle. We had early breakfast reservations in the Magic Kingdom so we got to enter before the rest of the crowds. Otherwise this street is usually teeming with people.
Elena and Kai are posing here on our way to our departing flight back to Kansas City. They have some really great 3D murals like this at the Orlando airport.
My Aunt Cle and Uncle Ed graciously let us stay with them the for four nights. They have a beautiful home near Brooksville and this photo is our going away lunch.
Ahhh, the mermaids! The live show was amazing and here we got to pose with Mermaid Jen. Kai was terrified and ran out of the area as fast as his little legs would carry him!
This is us on our date night in Ybor City in Tampa. We are standing outside Columbia Restaurant. I don't know what's up with that weird look on my face. Lovely.
Every vacation we have to have at least one group shot where we set our camera's timer. This time it was at sunset on the beach!
More to follow.....Happy Monday!
This is Siesta Key Beach just south of Sarasota. It was a beautiful afternoon, though a bit chilly with the wind off the Gulf of Mexico. That didn't phase the kiddos though and they played their hearts out in the sand and sea!
This is taken on our short visit over at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort at Disney World. We were out on their savannah viewing deck to see some animals. We might have to stay their next time as it was really a beautiful hotel.
The classic family shot on Main Street USA in front of Cinderella's castle. We had early breakfast reservations in the Magic Kingdom so we got to enter before the rest of the crowds. Otherwise this street is usually teeming with people.
Elena and Kai are posing here on our way to our departing flight back to Kansas City. They have some really great 3D murals like this at the Orlando airport.
My Aunt Cle and Uncle Ed graciously let us stay with them the for four nights. They have a beautiful home near Brooksville and this photo is our going away lunch.
Ahhh, the mermaids! The live show was amazing and here we got to pose with Mermaid Jen. Kai was terrified and ran out of the area as fast as his little legs would carry him!
This is us on our date night in Ybor City in Tampa. We are standing outside Columbia Restaurant. I don't know what's up with that weird look on my face. Lovely.
Every vacation we have to have at least one group shot where we set our camera's timer. This time it was at sunset on the beach!
More to follow.....Happy Monday!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Brrrrr...
BAD: Current Temperature, Kansas City: 8 degrees
BETTER: Current Temperature, Oakland, CA (where Eric is): 43 degrees
BEST: Current Temperature, Orlando, FL: 70 degrees
Can't...wait...any...longer...
BETTER: Current Temperature, Oakland, CA (where Eric is): 43 degrees
BEST: Current Temperature, Orlando, FL: 70 degrees
Can't...wait...any...longer...
Monday, January 21, 2008
Flamenco!
Our date night out in Tampa should be a fun one. We have reservations in Ybor City at the famous Columbia Restaurant for dinner and the Flamenco Dancing show. I'm giddy.
Ole!
Ole!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Cakes of Late
It's been a crazy busy couple of months for The Sweet Ladybug...that's my cake gig. Yesterday I wrapped up my last two "big" cakes before our much needed vacation. This one is the teddy bear baby shower cake and I don't have the pix loaded from Tisha's party cake yet.
The teddy is sculpted out of fondant...really fun to do and a lot like working with polymer clay. I haven't done something like that in years...I think it was 8!!? years ago when my friend Michelle had a girls night of clay ornament making or something. Wow. Anyway, I digress. He was a super blobby looking bear until I lopped off about a third of his hiney.
The bow is made from a mixture of fondant and gumpaste. Gumpaste dries a lot faster than fondant and I think made it easier to work with. I rolled it so thin that it felt like a piece of fabric. The gumpaste must also keep it from stretching as it held shape really well. I followed an online tutorial over at CakeCentral (where all great cake things live) and it worked like a charm.
My favorite cake of late has to be the "Bo Hunts Game" hunk of camo that I made for part of my brother's Christmas gift. He liked it. The buttercream colors were nasty looking on their own, but together they just disappeared. Ha. (My attempt at hunter humor.) Along the edges it said "Run Game Run. Fly Game Fly. Swim Fish Swim. Hide Game Hide."
I also got to take another shot at castle building last month. This time the whole thing was gleaming as I sprayed it with an awesome little thing called "luster dust". Bring on the bling!
I still want to try a more realistic looking castle someday...ahem, no pink & purple....all fondant covered with cobblestones and flowering vines climbing the towers. Maybe that's what I'll make for myself. I doubt it....we're pretty caked out at our house. Chips and salsa anyone?
The teddy is sculpted out of fondant...really fun to do and a lot like working with polymer clay. I haven't done something like that in years...I think it was 8!!? years ago when my friend Michelle had a girls night of clay ornament making or something. Wow. Anyway, I digress. He was a super blobby looking bear until I lopped off about a third of his hiney.
The bow is made from a mixture of fondant and gumpaste. Gumpaste dries a lot faster than fondant and I think made it easier to work with. I rolled it so thin that it felt like a piece of fabric. The gumpaste must also keep it from stretching as it held shape really well. I followed an online tutorial over at CakeCentral (where all great cake things live) and it worked like a charm.
My favorite cake of late has to be the "Bo Hunts Game" hunk of camo that I made for part of my brother's Christmas gift. He liked it. The buttercream colors were nasty looking on their own, but together they just disappeared. Ha. (My attempt at hunter humor.) Along the edges it said "Run Game Run. Fly Game Fly. Swim Fish Swim. Hide Game Hide."
I also got to take another shot at castle building last month. This time the whole thing was gleaming as I sprayed it with an awesome little thing called "luster dust". Bring on the bling!
I still want to try a more realistic looking castle someday...ahem, no pink & purple....all fondant covered with cobblestones and flowering vines climbing the towers. Maybe that's what I'll make for myself. I doubt it....we're pretty caked out at our house. Chips and salsa anyone?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Silly Rabbits
So, Maria, since I've been a slacker blogger, here's a random post to keep my quota up :) !
Right now Kai is bathing his dragon (aka stegosaurus) in the downstairs bathroom sink. He is singing a little song and has used half a travel sized tube of Country Apple lotion as the soap. The hand towel is completely drenched...and--oh, yes, the water is running again...must have needed a warm up refill in the 'tub'!
Elena is sleeping after a 20 minute tantrum and discipline session. She flipped out when I asked her to take off her new Cinderella dress for lunch...she is currently struggling with submission to authority. Is there a four-year old who isn't? We have small breakthroughs here and there, but it's a continuing battle.
Here is a picture with my kids and nieces, Naomi and Stella (the middle two redheads), from before Christmas...I haven't even uploaded from the camera since then!
Eric and Elena and I visited Discovery Homeschool Academy this morning and are really excited to enroll her for the fall. It is a one-day/week enrichment program for homeschool kids...a little taste of classroom school with fun things like art, music, PE and school lunch! She said she thinks she'll like the arts and crafts the best. Her friend, Aidan, will also be starting Kindergarten at home and is planning on going to Discovery too.
I'm planning for the Powell Gardens bridal fair coming up in February where I will have a demo cake and hand out info & samples for my business. My friend Molly is going to spend the day with me...I'm just as excited for the girl-time as I am the potential for new business! My goal is to have my dummy cake (which will be in competition with all the other cake vendors' dummies...some who TOTALLY intimidate me w/their awesome talent) done by next week so I won't have to scramble after vacation.
I also just got word yesterday that I have another couple who wants to contract me for their May wedding...yay! Soooo...now I'm also doing a pricing review, something I should probably do annually anyway. I've been keeping my bridal prices cheap since I'm just starting out...but now that I have some experience, I'm going to actually make enough to pay myself...how about them apples? Duh. All in all the cake world is still staying fun...especially as I get to do new things...like I made a sculpted fondant teddy bear for a baby shower cake this week. He's really fat and really cute. I like the artsy stuff!
Okay, so that's a wrap on this random post...I'm sure there's more to come sometime....Peace.
Right now Kai is bathing his dragon (aka stegosaurus) in the downstairs bathroom sink. He is singing a little song and has used half a travel sized tube of Country Apple lotion as the soap. The hand towel is completely drenched...and--oh, yes, the water is running again...must have needed a warm up refill in the 'tub'!
Elena is sleeping after a 20 minute tantrum and discipline session. She flipped out when I asked her to take off her new Cinderella dress for lunch...she is currently struggling with submission to authority. Is there a four-year old who isn't? We have small breakthroughs here and there, but it's a continuing battle.
Here is a picture with my kids and nieces, Naomi and Stella (the middle two redheads), from before Christmas...I haven't even uploaded from the camera since then!
Eric and Elena and I visited Discovery Homeschool Academy this morning and are really excited to enroll her for the fall. It is a one-day/week enrichment program for homeschool kids...a little taste of classroom school with fun things like art, music, PE and school lunch! She said she thinks she'll like the arts and crafts the best. Her friend, Aidan, will also be starting Kindergarten at home and is planning on going to Discovery too.
I'm planning for the Powell Gardens bridal fair coming up in February where I will have a demo cake and hand out info & samples for my business. My friend Molly is going to spend the day with me...I'm just as excited for the girl-time as I am the potential for new business! My goal is to have my dummy cake (which will be in competition with all the other cake vendors' dummies...some who TOTALLY intimidate me w/their awesome talent) done by next week so I won't have to scramble after vacation.
I also just got word yesterday that I have another couple who wants to contract me for their May wedding...yay! Soooo...now I'm also doing a pricing review, something I should probably do annually anyway. I've been keeping my bridal prices cheap since I'm just starting out...but now that I have some experience, I'm going to actually make enough to pay myself...how about them apples? Duh. All in all the cake world is still staying fun...especially as I get to do new things...like I made a sculpted fondant teddy bear for a baby shower cake this week. He's really fat and really cute. I like the artsy stuff!
Okay, so that's a wrap on this random post...I'm sure there's more to come sometime....Peace.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Disney Excitement
Our family vacation this year is generating much excitement...we're going to Disney World! As children, Disney wasn't even really on the radar for me or Eric...it just wasn't going to happen. So being able to take our kiddos when the magic of fairytales is so real they can almost taste it is truly wonderful.
We're staying at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort at Disney World for 3 nights. We may be a bit crazy, but we're going to hit the Magic Kingdom for just one day and then spending the other day at our resort and doing other things like riding the monorail, hopefully seeing some memorable sites along the way. We figure we'll do a longer tour of the parks when the kids are a bit older.
My Aunt Cle and Uncle Ed live just north of Tampa so they'll join us at the Magic Kingdom and then we'll spend the second half of our vacation at their home. We have lots of fun things planned: a trip to the beach at Seista Key, a live mermaid show at Weeki Wachee Springs and a cruise on the Crystal River to hopefully view some manatees--I'm not sure if that link is the company we're going with, and we're not donning wetsuits to go in the river with the beasts! We're also going to take in Rainbow Springs State Park, some disc golf and Eric and I are going to enjoy a date night out in Tampa while the kids stay with Cle and Ed.
All in all...the kids are of course most excited about the airplane, the pools (heated, thank goodness), seeing the princesses (Elena) and being big enough to ride the kiddie roller coaster (Kai) "I AM BIGGER!". I have a feeling we may need a vacation after vacation...
We're staying at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort at Disney World for 3 nights. We may be a bit crazy, but we're going to hit the Magic Kingdom for just one day and then spending the other day at our resort and doing other things like riding the monorail, hopefully seeing some memorable sites along the way. We figure we'll do a longer tour of the parks when the kids are a bit older.My Aunt Cle and Uncle Ed live just north of Tampa so they'll join us at the Magic Kingdom and then we'll spend the second half of our vacation at their home. We have lots of fun things planned: a trip to the beach at Seista Key, a live mermaid show at Weeki Wachee Springs and a cruise on the Crystal River to hopefully view some manatees--I'm not sure if that link is the company we're going with, and we're not donning wetsuits to go in the river with the beasts! We're also going to take in Rainbow Springs State Park, some disc golf and Eric and I are going to enjoy a date night out in Tampa while the kids stay with Cle and Ed.
All in all...the kids are of course most excited about the airplane, the pools (heated, thank goodness), seeing the princesses (Elena) and being big enough to ride the kiddie roller coaster (Kai) "I AM BIGGER!". I have a feeling we may need a vacation after vacation...
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