Wedding Cake Marathon and then some

Ok, so last time I updated you all (all 12 of you - one of which is Baker Man) I was telling you about our first wedding cake fiasco. Well the week after that we had another wedding cake, the week after that we had a wedding cake, a groom's cake, and a birthday cake. Can we say exhausted?! Oh, I failed to mention, Baker Man and I did not take any time off for these. In fact, Baker Man is back to working his two jobs...

Mental side note: I just heard the toilet upstairs flush for the 5th time, pretty sure Little Man is trying to avoid sleep.

...And on top of him working his two jobs, I realized the triathlon I signed up for is less than a month away. Are you supposed to train for those? Pretty sure you are if you don't want to DIE! So, we've been playing our little game of tag-here's the kids-hand off and I've been waking up every morning Baker Man is home (which is only every third morning) and going running. I choose to listen to music so I can't hear myself breathing because I sound like a train trying to make its way up the side of Mount McKinley. I even created my own station on Pandora - Family Force Five - AWESOME!
Off that rant, here were the cakes...that didn't nose dive:

Beach Sea Shell Wedding Cake for Chris and Natasha Ginn

Chocolate Sea Shells

You might be wondering why I chose to put this picture on the blog...well, actually all of these pictures were done by Nathan Fowler Photography. See, the reception was indoors and was really dark. I couldn't seem to get a very good picture of it because I had to have my shutter speed to slow to allow enough light and I kept shaking. Plus I am by no means a professional photographer! He offered to send us the pictures of the cake. Uh, YEAH! Thank you Nathan!

Now the next is the wedding/groom/birthday cake week, so here goes:

Black and White Wedding cake for Mr. and Mrs. Bias, thus the 'B'

Castle Groom's Cake for Brett and Lori, thus the 'L' & 'B'

The letter/monogram emblems on these two cakes were taken off their invitation and wedding program, how did we do?

Baseball Cake - sorry the picture is a little side ways ... I was rushed ok. Don't judge me.

So, that's it in a nut shell...well, we actually did another cake this week but I had the camera at work and Baker Man took a picture with his phone...yet another picture lost in the abyss never to be seen again.

This is me signing out!

Wedding Cake Bash or Crash?

Ok, so I've been waiting to blog about last week's wedding cake because I wasn't sure how to approach it. So, I'm just going to start at the beginning. About six years ago...just kidding, I'll save you the how we knew the bride and groom and jump into the cake fairy tale nightmare. We were asked to do a wedding cake for a couple of our friends months ago. This, as some of you may know, would be our first wedding cake. We accepted the challenge which quickly turned from not just a cake but a five tier wedding cake, 150 cupcakes, 120 cake pops, and "as many brownie pops as we can get." I don't have that much room in my little fridge or my house for that matter, but if you know me, I have a hard time saying no. Shopping and prep started months ago but the real fun began on June 20, 2010. Baker Man took the week off from the fire department to ensure we could achieve our task. Monday, June 21, 4:00 PM when I, Cake Lady, got off work, we made our final trip to the Cake Art Party Store. Tuesday, June 22- I took the day off work to help with cake/cupcake/cakepop/brownie pop baking and prep. Mimi watched the munchkins and we got to work. Our oven was on ALL day long leaving our house at approximately melting temperature for humans. Luckily we were able to get just about everything baked in one day...well for the most part. June 23- Cake Lady went back to the grind at work and Baker Man finished up the last of the baking and started making icing...LOTS of icing. Our freezer has been filled to the brim with cake/brownie pops. June 24: I took the day off work again so Baker Man and I can get down to business and a friend takes the kids for the day. We iced all cupcakes, made cupcake decor, iced cakes, decorated some, ran up and down the stairs to our freezer a million times (you know since I'm supposed to be training for a triathlon). So, the end of day four or is this five...we had three of the five tiers done, cake/brownie pops completed, cupcakes check...very sleepy. Friday June 25-Cake Lady off work again (with no pay might I add) by 4:00 I could see the chaos coming to an end...a light at the end of the tunnel. Little Man was the ring bearer in the wedding and we were supposed to be at the church for rehersal at 6:00. Baker Man and I thought we would go ahead and take everything to the church because they were going to allow us to use the fridge for cupcakes, cake/brownie pops and whatever else we needed. We got the and decided we would go ahead and set up the cake so we could take our time and have one less thing to have to worry about for game day. We set it up and headed to rehearsal which lasted until about 8:30-8:45 PM. The bride and groom couldn't wait to see the cake so we took them to the reception room and she almost started crying. "It's beautiful!" she squeeled! We went on to rehearsal and had to dip out early when the kids started to become unglued at about 10:30 PM. The bride wanted everyone at the church at 8:30 AM the next morning so all bridesmaids could get ready together and start pictures by 11:00 AM. Little Man was needed no later than 11:30 AM for pictures with the groom/bridal party. So...first person arrived at 8:30 AM...went to take a looksy at the cake, and there she was, standing tall, in all her glory...all five tiers. Mother of the Bride (or MOB) also saw it and tears (it must run in the family to cry when you see a cake). Then...at about 11:00 AM, we were getting ready to head to the church for Little Man's big debut when our phone rang...it was MOB..."the cake...it crashed." My heart started pounded and tears started flowing...I'm starting to think cakes just have that affect on people. Baker Man says, "We're on our way to see what we can do." We get in the car and all I can think is...how are we going to fix what has taken us a week to prepare. We started calling Publix to see if there was any way we could get some plain cakes on the fly. We arrived at the church with half of our kitchen and I walked into the reception room where all the groom's men were gathered around the demolished cake as if they were at some memorial service...REALLY??!?! Can you please get out of here before start sobbing and use your neck tie as a tissue. No kidding...it looked as though some 300 lb football player got down into his "let's do this" stance and plowed over the cake. How is this possible?! It stood tall and proud for over 14 hours...and then gravity just decided to cause it to plumit to it's death?! Well, however it happened we had to do something! The bottom tier was fine...untouched even. The next one was still standing but we couldn't manage to save it. The middle tier cake was fine but the icing and decor...not so much. So, we scraped it off and started making icing. The top two looked as though they were hit by a mack truck and then picked over by wild hyenas while laughing in my face. We found a Publix that could get us three iced cakes without decorations in one hour. Baker Man took off and returned with three cakes...we decorated them and were able to get a five tier cake up just seconds before the ceremony began...here's the before and after...

Five tier wedding damask wedding cake before the cake decided to pull a humpty dumpty

After all the kings horses and all the kings men...

And, here's the rest of the sweetest things we had there that didn't attempt cake suicide...

Cake Pops (idea from Bakerella)

Damask Cupcake Stand (directions on how to build this stand found on Ellez Designs)

Close up of the Monogram Letter Cupcakes

And the other Monogram Letter Cupcakes

So, lesson Cakes on the Corner will take away from June 26, 2010...swallow your pride and get down on your knees and thank God for Publix!

It can only get better right?!

This is the first time in a while I have sat down to actually write a little more than..."Here's what you missed on Glee." Speaking of Glee, does any one other than me and Baker Man watch it?! I know my sister does, but when I ask people outside my perimeter they look at me like I'm crazy, "Glee?" Anyway, the season finale had me crying. Baker Man would say I cry at everything including and not limited to the Wal-Mart commercial with the clown. You know the one?! But really, those tears are ones of laughter rather than the "that touched me real deep" kind of tears. Anyways, if anyone else saw it, you are not alone. I watched and grabbed for the tissues too.

So lately...Baker Man is back to working both jobs--Firefighter/paramedic and late night hospital shifts 7pm - 3am. When he's there, after I put the kids to bed, I fold laundry and watch General Hospital while hoping and praying Northside Cherokee is not that dramatic! I'm back to working my two jobs - Corporate services representative for Terracon and Special Events manager at the Pavillion. Then there's the kids and the cakes and the church stuff. I think I have seen Baker Man a total of 3 waking hours this past week, 2 of which we were arguing about the PS3 after which we both had to apologize. So, I say all that to say this...it can only get better right?! I mean eventually we will be normal humans that get at least 8 hours of sleep at night instead of Zombies that are lucky to put on matching shoes. Yes, I must assure myself...this life is not like milk. It will not go sour, start to clump and reek of death like the sippy cup we found in the car shoved under the driver side seat (which I was starting to think that odor was a dead bear rotting in my car). There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Althouh very dim, it's there!

The kids lately--Little Man is taking swim lessons with his future wife (yes he's only three but it's been decided). He absolutely loves it! The downfall - the past three times we went, the moment we stepped foot onto the pool deck...thunder...wait...lightning...cancelled. Devestating to a three year old that was all pumped up to plunge his body off the diving board all in an attempt to show his woman his super hero powers. So, we've been rescheduled for next week. Which might be the craziest week of our lives! Wedding cake, cupcakes, cake pops, brownie balls and wedding festivities...I'm not sure sleep will fit in the schedule this week. Little Girl has been up to no good! She insists on climbing on and jumping off of everything. Including the dog, Mayonaise. She has a monstruous knot on her forehead with a bruise that is now turning a lovely shade of green. She thinks Mayonaise is a horse and her booster seat is a diving board. She has already busted her head open once (which we superglued shut) and now I'm just waiting for that phone call from Baker Man while I'm at work, "We're on our way to the hospital because Little Girl..." That one keeps us on our toes!

And now for the latest cake...

Flower birthday cake for Evie's 1st birthday (her awesome mom has one of my favorite blogs!)

Up Close of one of the flowers

Well, I'm going to bed...look before 11:00!!

Latest and possibly our greatest...

No time for small talk. As you can all tell, I haven't been here much. So, here's what has been going down...

 Had another landfill cake. This one was modeled after Anderson Landfill in South Carolina and this cake had company logos.

This is the second baseball cake. The first one we did...the picture is stuck on Baker Man's phone. One day he'll upload it.

Fire Helmet Cake

Groom's cake at the wedding. Apparently Lunar in firefighter talk means MADAY, Firefighter in trouble. So, it was meant to be a joke that only the firemen would understand. Good times.

Other things we have been up to...Little Man had his first week of swim lessons and loved it. Baker Man's brother Luke got engaged while home from Iraq. Little Man will be in a wedding on the 26th and got fitted for his tux. What a handsome devil he will be! Baker Man is working like CRAZY. Cake Lady here is trying to stay sane...I think I'm doing a good job although Baker Man might disagree. Cousin Camp for the kiddos was a HUGE success. The grand finale video was done by Leak Productions and was a HUGE hit. We've already watched it five times and just got it last night. That's it for me. I'm ready for bed...early night for me maybe. POOH, I forgot I have laundry to finish...I'm trying to keep FLYing!

Quick recap of the past couple weeks...

Lots of stuff going on lately...but here are the latest cakes.

Yes we do cupcakes. There are Magic Rabbit Hole Cupcakes

Star Wars Clone Trooper Cake

Bathing Suit Tattoo Cake (this is as adult as we will go so don't ask for any less clothing!)

We have another landfill cake coming up that will be modeled after the Anderson County Landfill in South Carolina. It will be making it's appearance at the South Carolina SWANA Conference. Other than that, life has been slam packed of fun and excitement. Little Man is back up and running only now tonsil free and has slept through the night the last three night. That calls for a huge PRAISE THE LORD! Off to Puggles. Over and out.

Remember to FLY!

Ok, my house is utter chaos. I feel like death run over by a Mack truck...twice. I keep thinking Proverbs 31. I need to be a Proverbs 31 woman, right NOW! My sister is my inspiration not to mention amazing. She started this thing called Fly Lady. Her thoughts, in my words, are: your house didn't KABOOM over night and therefore will not bippity boppity boo over night either. I can't do this in one day. Baby steps. Here we go. I did it. I shined my sink and swept my floor. Did I stop sneezing snot everywhere? No. But I will wake up to a clean kitchen. Yes! A little hug from Fly Lady :) However, before I leave the disaster I call a bedroom (I haven't gotten to that step yet) I will make my bed, even if my husband is still in it.

One week until Little Man's surgery. He keeps wanting to show everyone his tonsils...a little weird...

Least favorite thing to do...Title a blog

So...what's up?! Sometimes I feel like writing: Dear Diary because with only nine followers I think I'm writing to myself. Anyway...as of late :) The landfill cake was a huge success! For me, I was excited about it but wasn't sure how it would effect my life on the blogging scene. BOY I was wrong. We got more compliments on that cake than any other cake we've done. We got phone calls and emails about how cool it was. Apparently the hit of the conference. I guess people that spend their time thinking and dreaming landfills never thought it could be put in edible format. I only have pictures of the complete cake but am trying to get a hold of the pictures that were taken while we were making it. Even the engineer got his hands in the fun! He learned how to use rice krispie treats and fondant to make leachate tanks. Don't know what that is? I didn't either until I made a landfill cake. I learned more about landfills in that week than I ever thought possible. There has been talk about a next time and ways to improve the realistic factor. No we won't be putting real garbage in it but just a couple material changes.
On the life side of things...Little Man will be getting tonsils and adnoids out on April 27th. At his pre-op appointment the Dr. said, "Wow, he's got a set of tonsils doesn't he!" I'm thinking to myself...yeah, thus the surgery. I mean really. It's like when the dermo told me she'd never seen someone with so many moles. REALLY LADY!?! You just shouldn't say these things. Moving on. I'm going to try to make a menu for the week. At first I thought I would attempt a menu for the month...quickly realized I needed to snap back to reality. I can barely think of something for dinner tonight...what makes me think I am going to think of dinner for the rest of the month?!? Start small right?! Here's what I've got so far: Sunday...   ...   I think I'm doing pretty good don't you? Ummm, maybe I could use some help. Any input would be welcomed!

Aerial View of the Landfill Cake

Water Monitoring Well

The Flare and the Leachate Tanks

Complete Landfill, just from another angle (in case you needed it)

We just did another order of petit fours but forgot to take pictures. Shame on me, I know. Coming up next weekend...Magic themed cupcakes and another bustier cake although there was a request for a larger bust...hmmm