The Latest Wedding Cake

This is the wedding cake I did for Trent's wedding this past weekend. Two of the cakes were chocolate/chocolate chip with a chocolate mousse filling and the third was red velvet with a cream cheese filling.

Yummy Snack

Be sure to pause the music at the top before you hit play.


I thought it would be fun to share Matthew in all his super cute mischief.

CAKE!!

This past week was quite busy. I had my usual "stuff" to do that keeps me plenty busy. On top of the usual stuff, I had these two cakes that were both due for delivery on Saturday. One was for a 50th birthday party and the other was for a vineyard wedding. Both had their challenges and both were ultimately very fun and rewarding to do. I got to stretch myself and see just what I can do.

Everything on the cake was made by me and is completely edible.

I hand-rolled each grape out of fondant and cut and shaped every leaf. All were dried and then "painted" with additional color and luster dust to give it some sparkle and a more three-dimensional look. I then attached each grape and leaf individually to the cake.

Ivory and Pearls Wedding Cake

I delivered this wedding cake today. It had ivory fondant and white royal icing piping. All the dots were little edible pearls. The bottom tier was chocolate/chocolate chip cake with cream cheese and raspberry filling. The middle layer was white cake with bavarian cream and raspberry filling. The top layer was lemon cake with cream cheese and lemon filling.

Matthew's Hosptial Stay

Matthew was in the hospital last month (January). He had croup so I took him to the doctor. He was wheezing and having a hard time breathing. After a steroid shot and a breathing treatment at the doctor's office, the doctor didn't feel comfortable sending him home. He hadn't improved above how he was when I brought him in. She told me to take him to the emergency room where they could administer a more powerful breathing treatment. I basically wrestled him for eight hours sitting on a hospital bed in the ER. They found that his body wasn't using oxygen well. He was supposed to have a blood oxygen saturation of mid to upper 90%. He kept dipping into the upper 80% range when he was just breathing regular room air. As long as he was given additional oxygen he could maintain around 94%. After 8 hours and 2 breathing treatments they decided that he needed to be admitted to the hospital because of the oxygen issue. Unfortunately, our area doesn't have a pediatric unit. They transported him via ambulance to the San Diego Children's Hospital so they could keep him on oxygen for the ride there. I rode with him in the back of the ambulance. I was so exhausted by that point and riding in the back of an ambulance for over an hour on the freeway gave me motion sickness. Once we arrived at the hospital there the paramedics got lost inside the hospital. Apparently they are doing some renovations there. We wandered all over the place with Matthew on a gurney going up and down elevators, round and round in a rat's maze of hallways searching for the room he was supposed to go to. It was totally empty and abandoned feeling. We FINALLY found someone that we could ask directions from. Mercifully we were able to convince him to just take us to the room. HOLY COW! I was beat and poor Matthew was just as tired. Brett got there a bit later and we both stayed up with him most of the night. By around midnight Matthew was maintaining his oxygen very well and sounded really good. It took them until around noon to finally get around to releasing him from the hospital!! In the end, I am grateful that he recovered quickly and didn't have to stay longer. I am thankful for priesthood blessings. Brett and our friend, Todd Kelley, were able to give him a blessing just before he was transported to San Diego. I am thankful every day for the hand of the Lord in my life.

WOW!! Callie is 16!!

Isn't she gorgeous? People tell her she looks just like her mom. Hmmmm.

I really am very proud of the wonderful girl Callie has become. She is smart, funny, pretty, humble, obedient, spiritual, a good friend, talented in many ways, a great dancer, and courageous. I marvel at the way she handles life as a teen in these trying times. She is willing to stand up for what's right even when it means and has meant being ridiculed. She is a great example to me, her mom, of being in the world and not of the world. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the blessing that she is in my life and in our family's life.

Happy Birthday Matthew!!

I can't believe it's already been two years since Matthew joined our family. It is not possible to describe in words the absolute joy that he is in our family. I have said many times that he is the blessing I never knew I wanted, or needed, until I got it.

I love watching how he affects the people all around him. As an example... The other day I was standing in the check-out line at the Dollar Tree. I heard someone get in line behind me. I don't typically turn around to check out every person behind me and this time was no different. All of a sudden, from behind me, I hear, "BOO!" I figured they were interacting with Matthew so I still didn't turn to look. I just smiled at Matthew as I watched him watch the Booer. He didn't really react much at all. Then I heard again, "Boo!" Again, not much reaction from Matthew. I rubbed his head and continued waiting. This went on for several "Boos". Eventually he started to smile at whoever it was behind me that kept boo-ing. At last, I turned to see the person who was so intent on playing with Matthew. It was a body builder guy from LA Fitness! Hilarious! This is how it is when I go out with Matthew. All the ladies at the various stores I shop at know Matthew. Not because I have ever talked to them about him but because they notice him every time he comes in. I frequently get comments from random people about how big he is getting, etc... I know he is noticed because he has Down Syndrome and it is less common to see a little baby or now toddler who has it. I believe that he is also noticed because he absolutely radiates joy and peace and people are drawn to the spirit that is in him.

Matthew is fully into toddler mode. He makes mischief like any two-year-old does. As I type this, I can hear him in the family room ripping all the videos out. He does this many times every day. I am grateful that he has a healthy body and an inquisitive mind that drives him to explore with vigor the world around him. Soon enough he'll move on from happily tearing out videos and toys and have to face the bigger world. I look forward to all that life will bring with Matthew and I enjoy reflecting today on the past two years I have had with my special boy.