All this talk about weddings reminds me of my wedding. The best day of my life. Sigh. 
I don't think I will ever forget the experience of making my first wedding cake. Honestly, it has been a crazy couple of days but I made it out alive and there's a cake to show for it as well....so I guess it was a success. Maybe I'll blog about the details another day...but for now I'm just glad that it's done! Also, the top layer of sage fondant hasn't fully dried, which is why the color is slightly off from the 2nd tier. Overall, I'm happy with it. 
This is the person I try to be. The image I aspire to. It is lovingly referred to as Supermom. The mom who can do anything. Bake anything. Sew anything. Turn anything into a fun art project. The Mom who never yells at her kids. The Mom who always has everything in her diaper bag. The Mom who always knows the answer to every question. The Mom who never wonders if she is good enough. For me, motherhood is beyond rewarding. I love my sweet kids. But lately I just feel like I've been coming up short. I always seem to feel more pressure when Ned is deployed. I have to enforce all the discipline. Teach all the life lessons. Reassure the kids that Daddy is coming home and he loves them. Talk about a new baby coming and what it means. It never ends. Some days, I feel so tired. And not the kind of tired that a nap will fix. Just emotionally spent. For the past few weeks, this is how I've felt:
Like I'm running as fast as I possibly can and getting absolutely no where. I've been a Navy wife long enough to know that getting in these funks are normal and not to panic. After I picked up Tatum from preschool, I dropped by a friend's house to go over a couple things for next week. I ended up holding down the fort for her while she took her oldest child to a volleyball game. Maybe it was being in a different house, but my kids were just so content to sit and watch a movie and chill out with me. After my friend returned home, we had dinner together and another Navy wife friend joined us. All of our husbands are deployed right now and it was just nice to sit and be with my friends. For some unexplained reason, I got my 3rd wind. I got a 2nd wind around Christmas when the morning sickness was still so bad and I felt I couldn't make it one more day. But that wind was fading fast as I've been packing, doing cakes left and right and trying to keep the kids happy and the baby on the way safe. But tonight, I just got recharged. I felt like I can be the mom that I want to be. Maybe not always perfect, but on the right track. Ned always say...sometimes your best isn't good enough. Sometimes it takes what the job requires. I guess motherhood is like that. My kids need me to be happy and at peace. They don't care if I can't do everything perfectly. But they do need to know that I love them and appreciate them for who they are. So here's to my 3rd wind. I desperately needed it and hopefully it can carry me through to the end of this thing. Yay for second (and third and fourth) chances!I know all of you are probably getting sick of the whole cake thing....too bad. Here's a picture of my first wedding cake. Except it's not done. The bottom two tiers are made from styrofoam. A BIG TIME SAVER. The top layer I will make in a couple days and it will be real. So the couple cuts into the cake, eats a bite...and no one knows it's fake. Oh, except for you because I just told you. Shhh...it will be our secret. I'll post some more later when it's all finished with the topper and everything.
I really don't know what I would do without my sweet little Tatum. She is so nurturing and loving, it amazes me. Everymorning she comes up to me, gives me a big hug and kiss and asks how I'm feeling and if my tummy hurts. Then throughout the day, she always says "Mom, I'm sorry about all these messes. I'll help you clean them up." She is just my little angel. Anyway, I found this beautiful dress clearanced out for 4 bucks on Friday. I was so excited to give it to her, especially since she gave a talk in Primary today. She was so happy to give a talk. Here are some pictures of her being a camera ham this morning.
Tatum was so excited to host her very first slumber party last night. She had two friends over to sleep and it was so fun. We had bannana splits and watched a movie. Carson joined in on the fun, too. This picture below is of him snoozing on my bed. He might make me crazy during the day, but it's hard not to just melt when he's sleeping!
I don't know what it is, but when I'm working on a cake project...I go into crazy mode. I eat, sleep, breathe cake. Cake ideas, cake pictures, cake this, cake that. There should really be a support group for people like me. I'm so excited because I have not only one but TWO cakes coming up. I am doing a friend's Bridal Shower cake and Wedding cake in the next few weeks. I think the thing that I love about decorating a cake is that it just allows me to be creative and make something from nothing. Usually my days are so routine, and it's a nice break from the ordinary. Anyway, the other thing I love about it is the thrill of the hunt. Finding that perfect thing that will make the cake special. I am so excited because I was at a party store today and found this adorable ring holder with a fun ring inside. (Totally fake, but still cute...) Anyway I am so stoked to use it as a cake topper. I mean, ladies...let's face it. When you're engaged it's so fabulous. You finally can say..."hey, it's MY turn to get the ring, the guy, the fairy tale!" So I'm excited to do this cake and contribute to the fairytale even if it's in such a small way. Pictures to follow...BTW...what do you think of the topper? Is it too cute, or is it just me?
I took some pictures of us this Sunday for Ned and thought I'd post them here. This past week has been crazy and I have another crazy one coming up. I wish that I had a more creative blog post for today. But honestly, I've just had one of those weeks where I'm really tired!
One of the perks for living in military housing is that you get to add a bedroom for every child you have until you hit 4 bedrooms. With baby #3 coming, I was able to get on the list for the 4 bedroom homes here. I was expecting such a long wait and yesterday out of the blue I was offered a 4 bedroom townhouse in the adjoining neighborhood from where we are now. I am thrilled. It just so happens to be right next door to my friend, Cassia too! Yay! I was nervous I'd have to pull off a move before Ned got home, but much to my suprise the house wasn't available until the first week in March. So...Ned will be back to help. I am so excited and feeling so blessed that we are able to get this house with more space for our growing family. The kids will be so happy to have thier own yard and life will be much more comfortable. Pictures and updates to follow soon!
