Here we are at week #3 of cake decorating!

I made a plain white cake without filling this week. With all the other things going on, splitting and filling a cake seemed like an extra unnecessary step. Especially after making four different frosting colors. It came out really well, although next time I should read the directions, pay attention, and use egg whites. It was a little creamy colored rather than super white.

This week's theme was a baby sweater. Not very exciting, but if you had a baby shower to go to, it would be pretty cute. Maybe it would be neater as a sports jersey.

We cut out wax paper templates and laid them over our crumb-iced cakes. Really, it was just a matter of cutting out little triangles on each side and a small semicircle from the top. Then it was on to decorating! I really like decorating with the tips and bags. I'm not an artist, but drawing with the right tip really makes a world of difference.

And there it is! You can see that we even decorated the sides, but not the bottom or arm holes. They were very particular about us not icing where the baby would be sticking out.

On the left side of the sweater is a rattle, and on the right is a little flower pattern of my own creation.

They all came out so well! My coworkers are really starting to appreciate weekly cake. Next week's cake is a doll's dress.

Wh-y-y-y is $33 too much for an apron?

In case you're wondering why I am not squee-ing with delight over my fancy new car, it's because there is so much going on. I can't drive it because when I call the insurance company, I get this crazy lady that yells at me; when Andy calls, we get discounts. OK, that might not be entirely true. I do have temporary magic coverage until our insurance is settled, and when Andy calls he just gets to talk to our agent. But the crazy lady does yell at me.

Plus I have to take it to the dealership to have them repaint the mirror. And I can't drive on the highway until it has 300 miles. If you are not from southern California, this probably doesn't sound bad. If you are, you know this is completely ridiculous and insane.

Here is the to do list for today:

• Copy and mail the DJ contract. I forgot a stamp and someone broke the copier (again). The envelope was pre-stamped. Der.
  
• Make an appointment to get previously mentioned mirror painted (further keeping me from achieving 300 miles)
  
• Go bridezilla on Alfred Angelo re: a bridesmaid dress. They screwed me up.
  
• Call the restaurant with the menu choices.
  
• Order my headpiece. OK, I chickened out. I'd rather go to a local store (I have connections, potentially) than order online. I ordered bridesmaid gifts instead, so I'm calling this a win.
  
• Email pictures of our defective unity ... candle ... thingy to the knot. Don't order from the knot.
  
• Call the pharmacy for a refill. Seriously. What is so confusing about automatic refills and emailing me when it is ready???
  
• Start the laundry when I get home. Yuck.
  
• Obsessively check FedEx for my phone. Tracking numbers are evil. It's here!
  
• Make potato chips and acorn squash. I think the potato I saw in there is still good. The chips got made, the squash did not.

Whew! Not bad for an overloaded day. Plus there's always tomorrow...

I have something new. And shiny.


It kinda looks like that.

I'm trying to be positive and say it was a good weekend, but let's just say I'm non-plussed. Weren't things supposed to calm down after school?

Friday we had leftover risotto and blackened salmon for dinner. We rearranged the living room a little for better TV-watching, and lately we've been watching Firefly during dinner. I like the show only because it's fluffy, silly, and doesn't take a lot of brain power. At least I hope that's why it's popular.

Saturday I dreaded because we were going to do two of my very least favorite things: go to a car dealership and go to the Verizon store. I hate them both equally for different reasons.

We started with the dealership. I wanted to drive a 2009 model, since I drove a 2008 last year and it seemed like the new model might be different. So Andy, myself, and a car salesman who could be no older than 20 got in the car and drove around the block. Where else can you test drive a car on PCH? Then we went in and did the haggling song and dance, and that took another 45 minutes. That's my least favorite part. Since I needed some more information and had to make some more calls on Monday, they talked me in to setting an appointment after work Monday night. Eep.

Then we rolled over to the Verizon store. The stores (around here at least) are of various sizes and service levels, so we usually go to one a little further away with a big selection of live phones. But it's usually obscenely crowded with icky people on the weekend. I narrowed it down between the Samsung Sway and the LG Decoy, and they had them side by side. A few minutes of pushing buttons and the Decoy won. Of course, it had an unfair advantage. I wanted it anyway.














I spent the afternoon baking my cake for next week and doing some cleaning. It was nice to be able to do that! We had a quick dinner and then went out to the IMAX to see Dark Knight. Before the movie started I called up Verizon to order my new phone, since the website wasn't working and apparently every store in southern California was sold out. The guy on the phone was nice, but why did they still have my address from five years ago? I'd leave Verizon, if I just cared a little more.


Maybe the movie would have been better on a regular screen, or maybe on TV at home. But in IMAX, where it fills all your vision and the sound system makes you feel every little noise through your butt, I have to say I was not a fan. It was too violent, too scary, and the story was kind of ... meh. Not to mention the acting was not good. So stop saying it was "slighted" for an Oscar. Dead =/= Oscar material.

Sunday we went to Disneyland, rather than watch the Superbowl. I didn't know until Friday that it was even Superbowl weekend. That made it a perfect day to go! We finally went through the Sleeping Beauty walkthrough but I was a little disappointed. The story was out of order. We didn't stay long and with the looming stress of what to do with my current car, we came home and watched a few commercials online. Were there any good ones I should go watch?