Ridin' Home in November!
9:30 AM - Posted by Lyonel and McKenzie - 2 comments
I am so excited to finally be able to announce that I am pregnant! Tomorrow I will be 13 weeks!  I am excited to be able to somewhat document my pregnancy.
Ly and I found out we were prego on March 20th, 2012, first day of Spring!
I went to lunch with my bestie that day and we got to talking about my cycle and how many days its been since... and she freaked saying I was 2 days late!  I had to take a pregnancy test! We stop by the closest grocery store and bought a test, ran back to the bathroom and began screaming! I didn't believe the 2nd faint pink line but Tab said it was for sure! 
I wasn't going to tell Ly. I was going to wait and take another test when I got home that night... it got the best of me and I text him a pic of the test with the 2 pink lines. He had no idea what it was. Then long story short, he was mad that A: he was not the first person to know and B: I text him!  We laugh about it now but it was a big deal when it happened!
Around 5 weeks we mailed our parents and grandparents these cute little postcards!  Some of our family took awhile to catch on but once they did, everyone was very excited!
Around week 6, I started to get morning sickness and it still is kicking my butt! I have a prescription and it has saved my life. I try to take is sparingly because I feel kinda guilty but it works wonders.
Around week 9 I had my first Dr.'s appointment and my first ultrasound. They could not hear the heartbeat that soon but blood work confirmed everything was ok. The ultrasound looked like a black blob!
Around week 12 I had my second Dr.'s appointment. It was short and sweet. We heard the heartbeat, beating at 170. We are healthy and good to go! I have had a pinched nerve that is in my left lower back that just about killed me but seams to be doing better now. 
All I have been able to do is walk-jog and yoga. The thought of anything else makes me what to vomit!
We are finding out what we are having on June 12th. I want a girl and Ly wants a boy, so whatever we get will be just great. I am dying to find out! We bought a turquoise nightstand, dresser and mirror that I am in love with. With a boy or girl, we are going to make the nursery so cute!
Axel (the dog) is not going to know what to do once his mommy is busy! He is already getting yelled at when he jumps on my tummy! Although I have only gained 3 pounds, it doesn't feel great!
I am due on November 25th, right around Thanksgiving! Ly calls the baby a "bean." We know what we will name it if it's a girl but we cannot decide on boy names! Good thing we still have 6 months!





My Husband's Talent...
7:56 AM - Posted by Lyonel and McKenzie - 2 comments
For my wedding Ly built me a bed out of knotty alder. I love it, I didn't love not have a matching bedroom set... of course. So he started building me a dresser to match the bed 9 months ago.  Summer months don't count because I lose my husband in the summer because its motorcycle riding season. So I finally got my dresser a month ago!
I picked out the pulls to match my red nightstands I had to have.


This is not the greatest pic of our bedroom, usually Ly makes the bed, its not my forte.




Landscaping!
11:01 AM - Posted by Lyonel and McKenzie - 3 comments
When we first bought our house this is what it looked like!



We started our landscaping this summer a little bit at a time. First we did the dirt levels, gravel, curbing and then the tress and bushes!



And this is what it looks like now! Much better. We still have work to do in the back and side yard. Im excited for my garden in the back. The deer are eating my bushes and tree so who knows what they will do to my garden. 



My Crafty Side
10:29 AM - Posted by Lyonel and McKenzie - 2 comments
While Ly was gone I needed a craft project to keep me entertained. So I decided to make pillows for my couches. It started with just two until my mom came over and planted the bug in my ear that every cushion need a pillow. Off I went and made 5!






First I made the sash by putting small folds to create texture then sewed the seams.



If you iron your seams, it makes it easier to sew


 Then you put your pillow squares right sides together, making sure your sash is in beween.

Then start sewing, making sure you leave a opening to insert the pillow fluff!

If you cut the corners while it is still inside out, it lays nicer

Then I just stuffed a normal bed pillow into a small opening.

Sewed her up!

Add some cute stuff with a glue gun


And poof! The job a snap! ( Just went to Mary Poppins!)



Another Birthday Cake!
8:11 AM - Posted by Lyonel and McKenzie - 2 comments
Wednesday was my sister-in-law's birthday and her husband asked me to make her a cake. So I agreed, thinking I would bake the cakes Monday and decorate them Tuesday. Then my mom calls Monday night to remind me we are going to Mary Poppins on Tues! So that means I have to bake and decorate all in one night, 5 hours to be exact! So with a little (or a lot) of help from my husband we finally got it done.

First, I baked 3 cakes, the part that takes so long is waiting for them to cool before I can dirty frost them.

                             In hopes that I could speed the process up, I stuffed them into my freezer!
I finally learned the tricks of getting the cakes out of the pan with ease...
I asked (made) my husband roll out the fondant to cover the cakes. Then I form it into the cake, which is harder then it looks!
Then comes the fun part of decorating with my Cricut Cake
I think I need a bigger kitchen!
And this is the finished product!



Slowly getting better decorating cakes!
8:49 AM - Posted by Lyonel and McKenzie - 1 comments



So it is my brother-in-laws birthday today and since I got a Cricut Cake for Christmas, I take every opportunity to make cakes! I thought it would be so much fun and it is... don't get me wrong but it is hard! Baking the cakes, dealing with them falling in the center and having to stack them without them going everywhere or having to fill the center with a gallon of butter cream frosting to even them out... It's a process! The first one I made was my mother-in-law's birthday cake. After I threw away the first two cakes that I had to bake separately for 30 minutes each, I started again, 6 hours later I was done! Then I attempted to make a tri level cake for my sister's baptism. Ly helped... we were frustrated and the fondant didn't like me that day and her cake was not the best and I swore to never make a cake again.
Then time went on.
So I hit the Internet and logging on to cake schools. I cannot believe some of the stuff that is out there! They help me a ton! I am getting better with every cake I make. Here is the process of making one of my
Masterpieces HA HA!

 

First I baked 2-10in round cakes in these awesome cake pans my mom got me. The sides loosen and the bottom comes out, make this obstacle a little easier to over come. Then since the center fell so much I leveled it out with butter cream frosting. Then you let the butter cream "crust," in cake school words! Once crusted, roll out the fondant 1/4 inch thick, store bought of course and lay it over the cake. Just like that! NOT! This is the hardest part! Making sure there are no creased at the bottom is major stress!
 I think I finally learned this skill on my third cake!


Then you want to trim the extra fondant with your circut cake tools that I got for my birthday! Thanks Mamma Terry!


This my friends... is the Cricut Cake! You roll out your fondant on the mat, use ANY cartridge you want and cut!


Once it is cut, put straight onto the cake, another hard lesson learned! If it doesn't stick, add a dab of water to the back and it will adhere. Don't add to much water or the color will run on your white fondant!




My boys love their Red Sox!


 There you have it! I am very proud of it!


Thanks to all those who helped! My next project might be a bridal shower...wish me luck!


First Attempt with my Cricut Cake
2:55 PM - Posted by Lyonel and McKenzie - 3 comments
My mother-in-law got me a Cricut Cake for Christmas and my first attempt was to make her birthday cake! It took me 5 hours! First of all I only had one 8 in pan so I had to bake the two separately. Then I tried to frost them too early and they crumbled. So then I had to bake two more! 2 1/2 hours later and a little help from my husband I was ready to play!  I put the cakes in the freezer then frosted them and that worked great. Next I rolled out the white fondant and laid it over the cake. Then I went to town cutting. Let me emphasize, I could not of done this without my husband! He was a life saver.

My next project is my birthday cake!  I am going to make a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and then go to town on my Cricut! I post pictures of either my masterpiece or disaster cake!