Hallelujah!!!

Ibis got his job back last week. We're so blessed. We are slowly, but surely working our way into a home. The first task is paying off debt. After he lost his job, I felt that it would never happen since we couldn't make double and triple payments anymore. But, now that I'm working at the bakery, singing with SDO next month, running my MK biz and teaching dance classes and he's working again, we have more than enough to get out of that debt ASAP! I'm so excited and looking forward to the day when we can purchase our very own home!

Marli's 16 Month Stats

Can she really be that old already? Wow! I couldn't take her to the doctor, but Ibis did and here are her stats:

23 lbs. (right on track for her height)
2 ft. 8 inches (80th percentile for height! Got a tall one!)

She's growing so much and I am wanting another little one soon! No, we're not trying yet, so don't get too excited! LOL!

Scary GI Joes!!

I have to backtrack a bit to tell you about a funny thing that happened back in December. I never wrote about it, but I was just reminded today and HAD to get it down somewhere! Ibis's grandmother passed away (Alfy's mom) before Christmas, so the whole family went down to Tijuana for the funeral. As most of you know, there is serious trouble in TJ right now with the drug rings and murders and everything. A bit scary. I was very nervous. Well, we were in Coco's big Excursion and as we crossed the border into Mexico, we had to be searched off to the side. Everyone got out, except Marli, because she was strapped into her carseat and it would have been a hassle for such a quick search to get her out for just a minute. The guys searching the car were in full-on battle regalia! They had helmets, guns and bulletproof vests and the whole shebang! Poor little Marli started FREAKING out when they crawled into the car and were checking the upholstery and under the seats all around her. Poor thing thought we left her and were giving her to the GI Joes!!! So, I quickly unbuckled her and got her out of the car to calm her down. Now it's a standing joke that she's afraid of the GI Joes. They scared her so badly! Hey, I'd be scared too if guys with guns slung over their backs and wearing helmets came into my car and I was a little baby. Pretty funny though, at the time. :o)

Some Pro Cakes

Well, as promised, here are some of the cakes I've done at the bakery this past week.

He likes me!

So, Fernando, the executive pastry chef at Crumbs of Paris has asked me to come back tomorrow and we'll be discussing pay and schedule. I'm very excited because that means I didn't totally stink last week! He had to fix a few of my cakes because the clients were repeats and they were very picky and know his work. Glad he did, cuz I don't want to be the one to lose the clients!

As for Marli, she gets to spend lots of quality time with Daddy. That's good for him because he is such a good daddy and has soooo much patience for her! I married a very great man. :o) Marli has discovered her fish face and when I do it back to her, she kisses me. Just tonight, I put a goldfish in my lips and she came up and took it with her mouth like a little bird. So cute! I read a story to her tonight (twice-same book) and then she went to sleep after her tooth brushing session. She loves her routine and she knows that after her bath, she puts on her pj's, has a snack and some milk, reads a book with Mommy or Daddy, brushes her teeth and then the lights are out for bedtime. She's so precious! :o)

All dolled up in Mommy's hat, Daddy's watch and with her pacifier that she's actually never really used except as a toy!

She decided that she wanted to do some work like Mommy, so she moves the mouse, then punches the keys, then the mouse again, and so on. Too cute!

Happy Birthday!

On Friday, we went to my mom's to celebrate her birthday and then today, we went to the Bueno's to celebrate Annya's birthday. I made a cake of course! Here it is:

This was my first attempt at the basketweave technique, and I think it turned out well! I start my new job as a cake decorator at Crumbs of Paris this Tuesday. He's just trying me out for the week until he feels he knows where to start me as a decorator. I'm stoked! Just to be around it and learn from an executive pastry chef is going to be so exciting! I'll definitely be keeping this updated with all my creations! :o)

Also, a lady at church has asked me to do 10 cakes for her son's wedding open house reception here in a couple of weeks. I'm a bit nervous, but she doesn't want anything too fancy, so it should be okay! She also wants a 3-tiered cake on the front table. The 10 cakes will be used as part of the centerpieces. I'm excited to see how I do. I'll be doing them all in white and will be making each one different.