Happy Mother's Day...

to me! (and you too!)

some cheese and crackers and my favorite wine~ Apothic Red.

If you like red wine, try it!

It is a blend and just so yummy!
I am totally let my 10 year old sit next to me and eat Oreo's for dinner. 

I have some Ben and Jerry's half baked froyo for later to

enjoy with my latest obsession~ Downton Abbey.

I made brunch for my mom and MIL this morning so

the afternoon and evening have been my time.

I like time better than most gifts though I would never

 turn my nose up at a little sparkle or something from Coach.

My husband tried to give me a 'present' this morning but

I told him there is no re-gifting on Mother's Day.

Enjoy!

P.S. I am so giving my two notice tomorrow! Yippppppeeeee! This is

almost turning into a 'Friend's Don't Let Friend's Blog Bluzzed' post.

Before it does, I am out of here.

chick interrupted...

if there is anyone still out there taking the occasional gander at my blog, thank you. 

Life was interrupted...life has been just crazy. It has run the gamut from despair to elation and everything in between.  out of all of the crazy, has come some wonderful life changing things.  I do not think any of it would have been possible without a little Divine intervention for which I am so grateful.

Unhappiness with my job situation has turned into a new job for me. A very exciting opportunity.  My dream job (if there is such a thing when one works in the insurance industry) more money, great opportunities for learning and growth.

Illness for my dad turned into him finally being diagnosed properly for his ongoing health problems that have plagued him for the past 4 years.

Young love has transformed my 14 year old to 'boyfriend' to a nice(ish) girl.  Boy has this been a learning experience.

Dissatisfaction with our public school has prompted us to find better options for our boys though this is still much in flux.

on Monday I will give my notice to my current employer.  I am so happy to be able to put that chapter to a close though I will miss very much some good friends who have been an incredible source of support on this new journey.

we are anxiously awaiting a letter of acceptance(hopefully) for a school we have just fallen in love with for our 14 year old.

we are giddy with excitement over a chick shipment due to arrive a week from Monday. 

Life has resumed.

Life is good.

a piece of cake...for 200 people

I needed a lot of this...

 and a bunch of this...

The girls had been laying up a storm, good thing since I needed about 20 eggs for the cake.

Everyone always wants to know what my secret recipe is for my Chocolate cake.  It isn't such a big secret...

I use the Hershey's 'Perfectly Chocolate' Chocolate Cake recipe.  I do tweak it a little, but this is one of the best cakes I have ever made. It bakes nice and level, is dense and very moist.

After all the baking was done it was time to get down to decorating.  This cake was for the Cub Scout Banquet for the boys who were crossing over to become Boy Scouts.

    

I put a crumb coat on it and carved the trail to go up the mountain.

Here it is frosted and I put chocolate chip cookie crumbs down for the mountain trail.

Fondant canoe for the water.

Setting up camp on the top with fire, marshmallows and sleeping bag.

adding some of the water

adding trees, grass and rocks along the trail.

everything was edible except for the string for the fish, the bridge

and the sticks for the marshmallows. 

It was a great celebration for the boys and everyone loved the cake

(which made all of the hours I put into it worth while)

Next year my youngest crosses over and the cake will need

to be just that much more special..

time to get planning...

 

Blue and Gold

It is that time of year again for me.  It is Blue and Gold time aka banquet for

Cub Scouts and the boys moving up to Boy Scouts. 

I am a Cubmaster of our pack, yes it has taken me a few years to say

'I am a Cubmaster' with a

straight face.  My friends totally bust me for it,

but hey someone had to do it and I was tired of

it being done sub par.

We have a HUGE pack.  There are 84 boys and organizing 84 boys and families can be exhausting.
Thankfully we have a really good team in place that works really hard, but when things go bad
everyone always looks to the leadership.  So much to do to get ready but my big job is the cake. 
We have about 200 people in attendance so that is a lot of cake.

Last year I had a clear vision and was happy how I executed it.  I had just gotten back from vacation and had 2 days to put it together.  On top of that my MIL was here and y'all know how that can put me over the edge.

This is what I made last year:

It was all chocolate. I smelled like chocolate cake for days.  I couldn't get the smell out of my hair. 
I need to start baking tomorrow night.  I have so much to do, with just a sketch and 'kind of a vision' for the cake for this year.  I am nervous...

the welcome wagon

I remember when I was a kid my friend moved to a quaint New Hampshire town.
I had gone to stay with them for a few weeks right after their move and what do you know?
The welcome wagon showed up.  It was the first and last encounter I ever had with a welcome wagon.  I remember my friend's mother giving some, shall we say "nonfactual information" to said welcome wagoner.  You know, to give appearances that they were keeping up with the Jones.  Truth be told they had moved from a very small house in MA to a much bigger one in NH and did not have furniture to fill it up.
She made up a story about all the 'things' that they were waiting to arrive from MA. 
My friend and I giggled around the corner as we new that this was not true.
I will admit it, kids can be real tools and we were. 
Now that I am grown, the lady from the welcome wagon who visited my friend's mother
seemed more like trying to get the low down on the family than
actually welcoming them to the town,
but anywho I can be a little jaded at times....

I have my own welcome wagon.

Every time they see any human activity they gather and welcome.  

Some act happy to see us.

Some squawk like they have something to take up with the landlord,

but most of all they want to know what is in it for them...

some old bread, or other yummy kitchen scraps.  

No pretense and I love them for it.

I did partake in some post game misery.  I didn't shower, I'm not exactly sure when the last time I brushed my teeth and I have eaten more chips and cookies today than I care to truthfully disclose. 

I am dedicating this year to my year of health.  Last week I learned of a woman who was 5 years older than me and dropped dead from a heart attack.  I have to get my shit together here people.  I have to get and feel healthy.  I am going to take a shower and brush my teeth now, detox from cookies and chocolate tomorrow and develop my plan.  I am so happy I have picked this week as a I will be making a chocolate cake big enough to feed 200 people frosted with my delish butter cream frosting.  I can do this...I will keep you posted.