Fondant Cakes

For my final cake class we made 2 types of fondant cakes. First we made a square cake decorated as a present and second a tiered cake. Fondant is definitely going to be tricky but I'm excited to practice with it. My favorite part of the class was learning to make the flowers, especially the daisies.

Easter Cake

Course 2 of my cake decorating class is finally complete!  It was an entire course dedicated to learning to make flowers out of royal icing.  We learned how to make daisies, pansies, daffodils, violets and apple blossoms.  Those were fun to learn but I think that the basketweave around the sides was my favorite part.  I thought it would be really hard but it was surprisingly really easy!  Luckily we made this cake right in time for Easter as this is my contribution to Easter dinner.  Monday Cindy and I start Course 3... fondant!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name...

I have a confession. I LOVE ice cream. There, I've said it.
Sadly, I have come to realize that this may not be a good thing. Not only for the fat and calories but also because of the easy accessability. The building where I work is connected to a food court and what does every food court have? Yes, that's right, a McDonald's, where hot fudge sundaes with peanuts are offered for $1.08, including tax. I know, I'm pathetic.
You know you have frequented a certain McDonald's one too many times when they don't even ask your name when you order anymore. Granted, they didn't remember my correct name, thank heavens, because when I ordered they put my name down as "Dominic". Do I look like a "Dominic?" The first time this happened to me I was in shock! Notice that I said first? This has happened a few times now. How embarassing that a fast food restaurant practically has your order ready for you when they see you coming down the escalator? Ok, maybe it's not that bad but that's still pretty embarassing.
Oh well, I won't let that get me down. I have to have my sometimes tri-weekly fix... let's face it, these things are delicious!

Primary Quotes

I teach the CTR 5 in our ward and I am convinced that I have the best calling! The kids in the primary are so cute and so teachable. Some of my favorite quotes so far...

Lesson: Joseph Smith at age 14 and his experience in the Sacred Grove.
CTR 5 boy: (wide eyes) "You mean it's true?!"
Me: "Of course it's true!"
CTR 5 boy: "You mean it really happened?!"
Me: "Yes, it really happened!"
CTR 5 boy: "Wow!"

Sharing Time: Each class received a scripture reference and had to pick the picture on the board of who in the scripture was speaking (i.e. Joseph Smith, Nephi, etc.) and tell of whom they were speaking of. After each class chose a picture a cute CTR 4 boy went to the front of the room to tell what all of the scriptures had in common.
CTR 4 Boy: (with the same or more conviction than any Apostle) "I Testify that each of these men were testifying of Jesus Christ"... it was enough to melt anyone's heart. (Remember, this kid is only 4!) He's going to make a great missionary one day!

A New Hobby

Over the past month my cousin Cindy and I have been taking a cake decorating class. We love it! We just finished with Course 1 and believe it or not... we passed! Hurray! We learned how to make flowers, leaves and a whole lot of other designs.

This is my first attempt at decorating a cake. We were supposed to transfer a pattern onto the cake and decorate from there but I was unsure of what I wanted to do and class time was running out. So I just made the Carlson "C" and called it good.

This is my attempt at cupcakes. I may have gotten a little carried away on the flowers (we had just learned how to make them and they were so easy and fun). The best looking cupcake is the yin yang that Dave created himself at home, while he was helping me frost them.

This was my final cake of Course 1. We learned how to make roses and they are so darn fun! I could have made them all night!

Course 2 starts tomorrow! I can't wait to learn how to make a basket weave cake!

A Note to A Special Missionary

Tomorrow is my little sister Amy's birthday. She will be 22 and is currently serving as a missionary in the Pittsburgh, PA Mission. Since our birthdays are exactly a week apart we always have a joint family party but this year it was just me... and i missed her.



I hope you have a great birthday Melio! Next year I will make you ham and Benson potatoes... just the way you like them!

Carlisle?

Dave and I took a quick little trip this past weekend. We decided to get out of the freezing cold temperatures in Utah and headed to Maui (the land of 80 degrees and sunshine)! We only had Saturday there so we spent a few hours at the beach, watched some whales in the distance and ate at Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina. All in all a pretty relaxing trip! But I guess the highlight of the trip would have to be when we snuck into the Four Seasons Resort and went swimming.
After the beach we needed a place to rinse off since we had already checked out of where we were staying. We parked, walked into the Four Seasons (which is huge by the way) down to the pool, swam for a while and sat in the hot tub. Then we had the audacity to sit on a lounge chair! We were approached by a waiter to see if we wanted a drink and our chairs set up. We gratefully took the water but declined on the chair covers... we weren't planning on being there long. Then we were approached again and again asked if we would like our chairs set up. When we declined for a second time the employee asked us what name our room was under. At that point Dave said the first thing that came to his mind... Carlisle.
Now, I don't know any Carlisles and am not quite sure if Dave does but when the man turned away and went to check to see if there were any "Carlisle's" registered, Dave and I stood up, grabbed our stuff and left. The only way out just happened to be next to the kiosk where we were under scrutinization. So,trying to be discrete, we walked around the back, opened some doors I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to, hopped a gate and walked as fast as we dared back to our car trying not to seem suspicious.
We laughed about that the whole way home. It wasn't fun at the time, my heart was pounding at the thought of getting stopped on our way out, but looking back on the whole scenario, it was pretty funny. I was secretly hoping that there were some Carlisle's checked in though... we still hadn't made it up to the serenity pool!