be on the lookout!

No, there is no one after you.  I don't think...I can't honestly be too sure.  However, do be on the lookout for my baking blog 'confections of a bakeaholic' back up and running!  I had been avoiding it because I couldn't come up with a good way to design it, and I didn't want an ugly blog!  Well folks, it won't be ugly for much longer!  I'm getting a Mandy designed blog!  She designs really cute and fun blogs and usually a percentage of her proceeds benefits a different charity each month.  This month is her birthday month though, and so she's running a deal that all (that's right 100%) of the proceeds benefit the MS Society bike ride that she participates in every year!  You can get anywhere from a blog button to a full on blog makeover, and you'll be donating money to a very worthy cause!  If you're a master blog designer yourself and don't really want a supercool blog, you can just donate any amount of money here, but why wouldn't you want something designed by her.  We need to keep Mandy busy, because she just has too much time on her hands.  Between running Survival Mode Parent, participating in Awana nights at her church, working full time, being a wife and supporting her husband as his TaeKwonDo tournaments, she just doesn't have much to do!  I am of course being sarcastic, she sets an amazing example that I surely admire, so I coulnd't imagine donating to anyone else!  So, go check out her blog and I'll of course announce when my baking blog is pretty!  It's gonna be good!

Testing

So, a dear friend of mine suggested trying out Windows Live for blogging purposes.  Since it’s free, and I like free, I decided to give it a go, and test out the capabilities here.  If you already have this, which you probably do, since I am very slow on the uptake, you can just ignore this post…but would you really want to?   Apparently this free package comes with family safety programs, movie maker, photo album, some sort of mail something, and Windows live writer (which is what I’m using now)  This program allows you to compile your blog in a program much akin to Microsoft Word.  Let’s see what we can do, shall we?

The main grievance I hear (and sympathize with) is the headache of  importing photos to blogger.  So, let’s post some pictures and see how it does.  Can you feel the tension, do you feel like you’re here with me trying this?  Ok, so here we’ve got a picture of Apollo, waiting for Brandon to come home.  All I did was insert and this program gives me the options to re-size, change the contrast, position, margins, borders, some basic effects, and some other options.  I have chosen the shake it like a Polaroid picture option.  (No, it’s not actually called that. )  I am a fan so far.

I hate when I’m in the middle of an inspiring paragraph and decide to insert a picture.  For some reason Blogger inserts the picture to the top of the page, and I’ll have to drag it down to where I’d like it.  It doesn’t sound like much of an inconvenience until you insert more than one picture, then you begin the mayhem.  Not so with this program!  Live writer inserts the picture where your curser is, Wee!  I’ve got the sepia tone, a tilt and photo paper effect all for the low low price of…free!  Just for the ease of inserting the pictures, I’m already quite impressed.  Have I expressed that yet?  I tend to repeat myself when I’m excited about something.

Hmm, let's see what else I can play with!!!  Ooh fonts! Do I like this font?  No, but I do like this one and I like it bold!   Oh, me oh my!  I have 374 words so far!  Did I count?  NO! 

I can also share maps, photo albums, tables, and videos with you!  Oh yes, you!  I’m sold!  Ok…it doesn’t take much to sell something to me that is free…but this is actually pretty cool.  Here’s why

1. I have numbered bullets (and the round ones, but I want to use the numbers right now.
2. I can blog at any moment in time, even if I don’t have internet access, I can just save my post until I can share my incredible words of wisdom with you
3. I can ctrl z something if I make a mistake!
4. you can have it too if you go here

no witty title

When I discover something new, usually two things happen. One, I get really excited and want to tell everyone about it. Usually that's when number two happens. Everyone already knew about it, and I find I am way behind. It doesn't stop me though. Oh no! I've come across a couple of things new to me that I have fallen in love with. Don't tell Brandon.

I am not a cookbook person. I just don't like to use them. They take up my valuable counter space, and the big ones don't fit in my book holder upper. Also, I tend to get quite messy, and thus transfer my mess onto the pages. Then that mess sticks the pages together and that starts a whole new problem when I try to find the recipe again, as you can imagine. So I tend to find recipes online and print them out, put them in a plastic page sleeve and put them in a binder. That way they wipe off. Anyhow, that's not my new thing, I came across a new blog. Well, it's actually not new its just new to me. Smitten kitchen :) the name is so cute you just want to pinch its cheeks, and it almost rhymes! However, the content is even better! Tasty recipes for all occasions! Indian, Italian, cakes, cookies and even an entire section of recipes made with beans and legumes (for those of you who are wanting to cut back on pricey meats) Not only does this website have amazing sounding dishes, her photography is pretty cool too. (She's even hung out with the Pioneer Woman...yeah!) So you should check it out, if you want.

Another issue I have (I have many) is gift giving. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a miser, I love to give gifts, but I have to find the perfect gift. You can ask anyone who's shopped with me while I'm shopping for someone else. I'm annoying. I get a little (ok a lot) grouchy when I just can't find the perfect thing. I realize that takes away from the whole gift giving thing, but I don't want to settle for something that they won't like. Anyhow, I'm going off on another tangent. While looking at the Target website (no I didn't just discover Target) I saw a section called "red hot shop." This section highlights cool little gifts and things that you can't just find anywhere. It was there that I saw a "Singing in the Rain" shower curtain! However, they were out of stock, so to Google I went to find if there was any other vendor selling them. That's when I came across heliotrope. It has something for anyone. Where else can you find a bomb shaped vase huh? They carry from the quirky (like cat butt magnets...weirdly enough those were all over Seattle actually) to the super cool (like the shower curtain, they also have Jaws, Yellow Submarine, 20,000 leagues, and Psycho :D) Check it out, really!

Brandon just got me the crafters Bible according to Martha Stewart. Yep, it's her encyclopedia of crafts and it's AMAZING! Any crafter would flip a lid over this book! I haven't even looked through the whole thing yet and I'm already scheming :)

I did see attle

"what are you talking about you loon, who's attle, or are you making one of your lame jokes again?" Yep, making a lame joke, it's what I do. We just got back from Seattle (get it now? don't worry about a pity laugh, I can't hear you anyway) and Whidbey Island Washington. Why did we go there? Well, Brandon's mom wanted to take a trip and we'd never been there, but may end up living on Whidbey, so we thought it'd be a good place to go..and cheaper than Hawaii. We spent two days in Seattle, seeing the space needle and the pikes place market, and the very first starbucks (its crowded for only serving coffee and nothing else!) We went to the lamest but expensive scifi museum, and saw the Seattle underground (also not quite as impressive as one would imagine) and after all of that, we headed off to the island. Brandon's mom actually found a house for use to rent that was right on the water, so needless to say we had an amazing view! I saw seal while standing on the front porch, and salmon leaping out of the water (trying to get away from Brandon) We watched the tide roll in and out, and some of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen. We took a whale watching tour...which was 2.5 hours of sailing in fridged wind, 30 minutes of whales (which was really cool) and then another 2.5 hours to sail back. Awesome, but not worth the whole day. Just go to Victoria Canada and save the time eh. We visited the Suquamish indian reservation...of which there's pretty much nothing left, so I don't know what they're boasting about their lame museum and "old man house" for. For one, there is no house, It was burned down like in the 18oos, and two, the museum was mostly pictures and the same quote used numerous times. We went hiking in Olypmic park, and by hiking I mean we drove through it. Then we actually went hiking off of Deception pass, which was beautiful! I would say overall that I probably wouldn't mind living there, after I overhaul my wardrobe to warmer stuff, but stuff to do is quite limited to small shops and hiking. They did at least have Albertsons, so it's not all small stuff. I think Hawaii would be much of the same, beautiful scenery, not much to do other than explore, but better weather. We haven't made a decision yet, and we still have plenty of time to do so. Until then, I'm going to go pick up my doggie from boarding! I missed him so much :)

oh the world of wally

What's shocking about http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/ is that you're suprised you're not surprised...what is the world coming to?

Blogs for a Cause

How many times have you heard a heart wrenching story and wondered what you could do to help, only to realize that there wasn't anything that you could physically do, because what could one person do? Well, it's true, one person can't do a whole lot, alone. However, one person combined with ambition and the power of the internet can reach hundreds, if not thousands of people to bring real hope to those who need some. My friend Mandy from Jack and Mandy the blog, has begun an amazing venture (inspired by personal struggles and the inspiring story of Stellan, the little boy suffering from SVT,) providing a way for people like us, to help those parents going through the darkest time in their lives. Please go read her entry titled "Survival Mode Parent" because, well, you should, but also because I can't do it justice. Its so awesome to see that God can even use a social networking site to achieve His greater plan!

Mandy also designs blogs for a cause. She donates part of the proceeds to different charities, currently she's supporting the Ronald McDonald House. So, if you're looking for a new blog design, or you want to start your own blog, you can check that option out here.

two weeks notice

drum roll please........come on I said please......thanks. Brandon got P3s!! Of course if you're a facebooker, you already know that, but I thought I'd share more info here. That of course means that we get to leave Florida and move back to civilization! Um...oh yeah, in two weeks. Yup. So, I had to tell my manager that I couldn't really give her two weeks notice because we needed to pack and fill out tons of paperwork and such. Lucky for me, she's from a military family and married a military guy, so she was understanding and so tomorrow is my last day of work! I can't say I'm sad to go. Corpus Christi here we come! However, for some reason we have to be there in two weeks, but Brandon doesn't actually start training until October....don't ask, I don't know why we have to get there in such a hurry. Hurry up and wait I guess. After he starts in October, we should be in Texas for around 6 months, then we'll head back to Florida and live in Jacksonville for a little while. After that I suppose is when we could move to Hawaii or Washington, or stay in jacksonville...which would make me really sad. Goodbye Pensacola :D Now, I just have to find another job....crap!

18? 21? 24?

Well folks, we are less than one week away from knowing which plane Brandon will be training for. Next Thursday we'll know! Yep, he was pushed through 15 flights in a little over a week. He's recovering from working so much lately, but he's so excited to be done with primary! I am too, no more waking up at 4 in the morning for his 5:13 am briefs.

As for me, my birthday was yesterday. I realize that as an adult you have to work on your birthday, but it's kind of frustrating when you're being yelled at to do 2093402937 things at one time and then hear "oh and by the way, happy birthday!" Yeah...happy birthday to me, I'm going to be at work for 10 hours because you have to have everything done right this very second. Wee. I am being overly dramatic though, it was a pretty good day. Hectic, but good. Upon hearing it was my birthday I got the following. So what you're 21? Oh are you turning 18? You're so young! Oh you're still a baby. Um..yeah I know I'm young, and just when are you not a baby anymore? When you're in your 50s talking to a girl in her twenties? I am almost halfway eligible for AARP thank you very much! I'm just kidding. I'm not offended. I had a pretty good day actually, once I got off of work. We went out for dinner (by we I mean my husband and brother in law and I) and I got some pretty nice things. Brandon got me a light weight scarf because Stacy and Clinton say to accessorize with colored things like scarfs. (yes that was his reasoning :)) He also got me the super awesome towel/oven mitts that Rachael Ray uses and sells. I've been jonesing for one of those for a long time! The boy does listen to me :) A friend of mine sent these silicone individual cupcake cups that you just place on a cookie sheet and bake your desired muffin/cupcake in. No spray, muffin tin, nothing. They're dishwasher safe too :D She also sent a book on cupcakes, which is pretty much thrilling for me! I've become such a baking nerd...I can't wait for The Julie/Julia Project to come out next week!

Are my eyes spinning?

Don't be scared, I'm not about to complain a whole bunch! However, quite a bit has been going on, and since it's been a while since I've posted, it may get a little long winded. Or not...sometimes I think I have more to say than I actually do. We'll see. OK here we go. Brandon has suddenly become a high priority student, which means that they're finally giving him a lot of scheduled flights. In the past, he'd been moving along flight school at snails pace because his flights would be canceled due to weather, or he would just not be scheduled at all. Now, he's been double and triple pumped (which means two or three flights a day) and is just about finished with primary. If the weather cooperates, by this coming Tuesday, Brandon will be finished and by the following Thursday (not two days later but 9 days) we should know what plane he'll be training for. We're praying for the P-3 Orion. Its a large propeller plane used for surveillance, tracking and finding illegal goings on, and hauling stuff around. What's great about it, and a big reason why Brandon wants it, is because it's too big to land on a carrier, meaning that it's always land based so he won't be away from home for long periods of time as often! What's also great about it, is that we'll get to move back to Texas!! I have two weddings in which I get to support two wonderful people as bridesmaid that both take place in Houston, and it'll be so nice if I can be a 4 hour drive away from them, instead of a 14 hour drive. We'll also be closer to family, which will be nice too. Another positive for this plane, is that they fly out of, wait for it, Hawaii. So, yeah, we may get to live in Hawaii!
As far as work is going, I love what I'm doing, I really do. I don't like where I'm doing it, but it's giving me a great foundation on which to build on. I am learning to ice cakes better and quicker, and so that means I can get to the cool part sooner! I made the mistake of telling my manager I was tired the other day after she asked how I was. All I meant was that I had been working for 7 hours straight without as much as sitting down for a second. So, yeah, I was a little dehydrated, and my blood sugar was low. I didn't mean that the job was too hard and I couldn't handle it. Unfortunately, I think that's the impression that my manager got. I know they've been gossiping about me, and now everyone thinks I'm about to have some sort of mental episode. It's a little funny, but not at the same time. I don't want my manager to think I can't handle my job, I hate when people thing I can't handle things. I've been working 40+ hours for the past 4 weeks, and I've usually exceeded 40 hours by 11 am on the fifth day I work. (oh yeah, I was hired to be part-time...) It's tiring, but I can handle the work. I did just get two consecutive days off for the first time in a month, so I was thrilled about that! I actually got to see Brandon for a little while, which had been frustrating me some lately. We live in the same house, but hardly saw each-other. I got to go to the outlet store and I bought myself a Fossil bag for 70% less that sticker price! Maybe spending a little more on a bag will mean that it'll last longer, than buying a few cheap bags.
This coming Monday, Brandon's brother will be here to visit for a full week. I'm glad Brandon will have some time with him before he may move to Japan. However, I can hardly cook for one once I'm off work, having to cook for three will be a challenge. Maybe I can get most of it done Sunday, and just reheat stuff. Especially since Brandon will have three flights that day, I'll need something to keep me busy ;) So, life is good, but moving swiftly as of right now. I'll keep you guys posted about Brandon's flight training! Please just pray that God puts us where we need to be, not just where we want to be.

Lessons learned

Ok folks, here are some shopping tips I'd like to share with you, if you decide to buy a cake from a grocery store.
1) Please don't ask for the chocolate cake "right there" when there are 4 varieties of chocolate cakes on the same shelf. I don't know what you want, I'm not in your head
2) I also don't know what "one of these things right there" is. I am behind the counter and can't see where your finger is pointing.
3) If you're calling in a cake order, know what you want. Don't expect me to pick a cake for you from the giant binder of designs. Again, I don't know you, and I'm still not in your head.
4) No, I don't know if everything in the bakery tastes good
5) If I'm sweeping or moping, that means I'm trying to go home after a 9 or 10 hour shift. Leave me alone. I don't care if you want cake...even though it pays my paycheck
6) If you say that you're just looking, then don't get all offended if I go back to work and don't have the 6th sense to realize you've changed your mind and now actually want something
7) In fact...just don't ever "just look" by stopping in front of the counter, bending down point around, talking amongst yourselves and then say that you don't want anything. If you're "just looking" keep walking while looking.
8) don't yak on your cell phone for every decision that you need to make. I've got things to do, and if you're not capable of picking out a cake by yourself because you have never met your family and don't know what they like, then just don't get a cake.
9) don't ask for a cake and then leave while I'm boxing it up without letting me know. I am not your personal slave, I won't wait around for you.
10) when I ask "how may I help you" don't answer with "well I need a cake." duh, you're standing in front a cake counter, I've figured that one out. Thanks and gig 'em. Oh you don't know what gig 'em is....
11) don't talk down to me, or treat me like I'm an idiot because I work at a grocery store. I have a degree, and am actually probably smarter than you, because I'm doing what I love and learning more about it so that I can get better at it. You work in a closed off office in a lonely cubicle, hating your life and trying to make it better by eating cake. That, and you're floridian, and I am not. boo ya.

among the living

So, when I got the opportunity to work, I was super excited! I mean, if you've been reading you know how frustrated I was. I got a part time opportunity to work on decorating cakes! How perfect! Um yeah, that's when I thought part time meant 25-35 hours a week. Not so much. Now, I am still very glad to have a job, and I'm not complaining about it so much. I just wish I had known I'd be pulling near 50 hour weeks as a part time associate. Call me crazy, that sounds like workaholic full time. Granted, we lost two decorators for a week. One went to help another opening store and the other was promoted and sent to manage another store. So then there were two. One and a half if you will, since I'm still learning the ropes. I'm lucky that people there are very patient and understanding, but gracious, when you've been standing at work for 12 hours, you just can't help but get grumpy. However, that is my sob story for why I've neglected this blog. I don't really forsee getting the opportunity to update "confections" for a while. When I do get a minute though, I'll check in. I am still among the living, but just barely :)

Florida education?

So, since moving here I've discovered that education is not viewed the same way everywhere. Ok, I already had a sense of that truth, but here are a few examples

1. I was checking out at Target, and I just happened to be wearing an A&M shirt (mostly because that's the only type of tshirt I have) The lady checking me out apparently is also from Texas and struck up a conversation with me, asking about my major and wondering what brought me here. I explained our situation, and she just came out of no-where and said "So you gave up your education for some boy!?" To which I replied "Uh...no, I finished." What on earth made her just assume that I gave up my education?

2. I submitted a portfolio of my cake designs to Publix, in order to make my resume stand out. To me, it was a great idea, because it obviously worked, however to some people apperently that means I think I'm some prima donna cake decorator that demands special treatment. Though my co-workers are all very nice, they seemed to kind of tip-toe around me the first couple of days, which was just weird.

3. I was told it must be frustrating having to do all of these tedious tasks when I have a college education. To which I explained that I actually wanted to be working there. Believe me, I've done many tedious tasks in my day, and having a diploma doesn't save you from doing such things.

4. Upon finding out that my husband is a military officer I've gotten the following replies

• what are you working for then? You should be rolling in money!
  
• ooh once he gets his wings, you won't have to work anymore

Let me just explain something Floridians, some people like to work, I didn't spend 4.5 years in school to be a house wife. Once we start a family, I'll be more than happy to stay home for a couple of years, but until then I want to work. why is that so weird?

A post!

It's a post! I know it's been a while. I've neglected "msm" for two weeks now, and I'll make it up to you I promise! It's been a busy couple of weeks! I love my new job, it's challenging and I learn new things everyday, but it's exhausting! Usually by the time I get home, I have enough energy to take my shoes off and plop down on the couch. However there have been times I don't even make it to the couch. All last week, Brandon had night flights, so I hardly saw him. However, it was nice to just eat cereal for dinner and not worry about feeding him properly. Unfortunately though, his birthday cake didn't happen due to my exhaustion. I baked, carved and iced it ahead of time, but when it came time to decorate, I just couldn't muster the strength. I felt terrible about it, here I decorate cake all day long and I can't even do one for my own husband! But we did have undecorated Dr. Pepper cake and that's what I'm going to share with you

Dr. Pepper Cake

1 box German Chocolate cake mix
2/3 c oil
1tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 can dr. pepper*

Mix all ingredients in large bowl until well blended, then bake in whatever size pan at 350. Start with 30 minutes and check from there depending on your pan size.

*I special ordered dublin dr pepper for Brandon's birthday. (its the dr pepper that uses real cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, so according to Brandon, it's healthy dr pepper...goober) You can find it at www.dublindrpepper.com if you are or know a dr pepper aficionado like my husband. You buy the drinks by the case (which is 24 cans) but there are other dr pepper things you can get, like bbq sauce, marinade, cake mix, syrup, and the like.

where working is a pleasure?

Well folks, I have officially worked my first day as a Publix ("where shopping is a pleasure") cake decorator. Of course they had me work Saturday 8-5, the busiest day of the week, so it was quite overwhelming, but I think I can do this. The toughest part will be looking up from cake decorating to make sure that customers are getting the attention they need. Why they don't have a special customer service person there, I don't know, but they should! I've never stood for so long, it made Aggie Football games look like nothing! My feet were sore, and by body was tired, but I have a job and it's not sitting behind a desk getting yelled at. It's standing at a countertop getting yelled at...so much better! I won't be posting pictures of cakes I make there, because that is apparently against code...but I will be posting the father's day cookies soon and Brandon's birthday cake next week! I'll still also have my bday cake in a month and then we'll see from there

Also, a little happy birthday to a certain boxer mix! He's made it a year, stepped out of puppyhood and into doghood! I just wish someone would explain that to him. We took him to the doggie beach where he drank a bunch of salt water that gave him the runs, he tripped and scraped up his legs on the pavillion, and he threw up his breakfast on the way home (probably also caused by the salt water consumption.) Once at home he got a bath to wash off all of the salt water and to clean his wounds. All in all, not the greatest day for old 'Po, but he had fun with the other dogs.

*Then he proceeded to wet the floor.....big time.....ugh!

:D part deux

I am now currently employed! As of this coming Saturday, I will be a part time Publix cake decorator! Ironically enough, it'll be a year to the date that we started moving out of College Station, and a few days short of when we arrived here!

:D

Guess who has an interview on Friday!? ME! It's only taken a year, but I have finally managed to get an interview and its for a cake decorating position at a local grocery store! woo! Not just any grocery store, it's Publix, one of Fortune Magazines top 100 companies to work for! Down side...we may be moving in three months. Brandon is nearing the end of his training here (unless he gets helicopters...then we'll be here for a while longer) He probably has 2 or 3 more months before we'll find out the plane he'll be selected to train for. Until then, we just won't know. However, I may have a real job, not a volunteer job for that time. WHOOP! Even if I don't get it, I am totally at peace about it now. At least someone got back to me, and I got one interview. It gets very discouraging when you apply for some 50 positions and only hear back from one (up until now) saying that they're not hiring right now. Those are ridiculous figures. It's even worse when you're signed up with a staffing agency and they can't get you a job either, despite their efforts. Anyhow, I am excited that I can see God answering prayer right now, because to be honest, I had been blind to it before. If I had gotten a job when I wanted, which was right when we moved here, I wouldn't have taken the cake decorating classes. I wouldn't have discovered a talent that I have, and I wouldn't have met the wonderful people that have the same passion. I am learning patience and that when the Lord says wait, it doesn't matter what I do, I must wait. That's always been a tough lesson for me, but obviously I still need to learn it.

summer plans

So, this summer I think I'll be taking the time to read these, since clearly I missed out during my childhood. As I'm reading, I'll be wearing these. Just so you know my plans :)

back in the ground I go?

ok...I guess I'll try to keep two blogs, one of my personal goings on, and one for baking and decorating. That way, if you don't care about one or the other you can avoid the blog of your dislike ;) (I'm only kidding) I really appreciate the comments, I'm glad that you guys like to be part of my life, so thank you for voicing your opinion! I'll do my best to keep both up!

pulling out roots

I suppose I should have announced this instead of just deleting this blog. However, I am starting a new blog and leaving this one behind. I'll still make something on mondays, but the gist of the blog will be devoted to my pastry endeavors and not so much personal info. My life isn't all that interesting anyway ;) So, it will be titled "confections of a bakeaholic" to be found at http://flourgirlconfections.blogspot.com/ but for now is still under construction.

Muster Sound off

The tradition of Muster is bar none my favorite tradition of Texas A&M. For those of you who may not be familiar with it, every April 21st Aggies around the world draw together to remember and honor fallen Aggies, and just spend time talking about their favorite memories at the greatest school ever. Each year, in the evening, a roll call for the fallen is held, in which someone represents (usually family or friends of the deceased) their loved one who passed and answers "here" when their name is called. This represents that that persons spirit is still remembered and cherished as part of the Aggie family. It's just incredible and humbling to know that when I pass, I will be remembered! In the past, I've been in College Station, so going to Muster wasn't an issue, because the main one was going on right there. Now, however, I graduated and moved away. The Gulf coast chapter had a Muster, don't get me wrong, however they held it at a yacht club and charged $30 a person. Um....how about we make this accessible to all Aggies and not those who are members of this yacht club guys. I'm sorry, but I am not willing to shuck out 60 bucks to go to the local Muster, when it would probably be cheaper to drive all the way to College Station and go to the real one! (that is if we could crash at the Limesands ;)) While, yes it would have been neat to meet other Aggies at a probably very nice yacht club, that's not what Muster is about. It's not a high school reunion to show off your money, boats and fake tan. It's about remembering our Aggie family. Thanks and gig 'em.