Spring Cake

An answer to prayer...

I started working as an intern at Deloitte in the fall of 2003. Later that year I was offered a full-time position as an actuary. I was ecstatic! I took the job and continued to work there full-time until after my 15 week maternity leave with Madisyn, upon which I started working part-time (60%, three days per week). I continued working part-time until I was given the opportunity to take a new position (I felt I was much better suited for), which was offered full-time starting November 2007.

With mixed emotions, I took the position. I was thrilled, but a little concerned about going back to full-time. Until last fall, I think I was handling it fairly well... trying my hardest to balance work and family. Then it seemed like something hit me and made me realize how quickly our kids are growing up. Madisyn is going to be entering kindergarten next year (fall 2010) and I have hardly had any time home with Landon since I started working full-time when he was seven months old.

To make a very long story short, I have been given approval of going back to part-time (60% again) starting March 9th. I really am so grateful that things have worked out as well as they have and I feel like I can finally have a better work/life balance that I've been longing for!

Who needs a bed when you have a linen closet?

Rob found her sleeping here today. I heard little footsteps after she went "down" to bed, but little did I know that she was making herself a bed in the linen closet :)

First real haircuts!

Yesterday I was blessed with an unplanned day with the kids (our nanny had the flu). Since their pictures are coming up, I decided it would be best to get their hair trimmed by someone other than myself (for the first time ever for both of them!). Others suggested that I bring them to Snip-it’s since it’s for kids and would be worth the extra money. On our way we went… 25 minute drive there and the kids were really excited. I’ll try to make a long story short…

My words, "I want to leave all of the curls, so please just give him a little trim around the ears and in the back so it doesn’t look so shaggy."

Apparent interpretation, "Please cut off all of his curls, cut his bangs ridiculously short, and cut nothing in the back so that it looks like he has a mullet."

Did I mention that Landon was upset the entire time, the girl cutting his hair didn’t seem to care or be patient with him, instead insisted that she gets kids worse than this and rushed through his cut? I didn’t really have a chance to look at it until after his nap, and I nearly cried. I’m not the emotional type when it comes to these things, never saved the first locks took pictures of their first cut (by me). Now I have to move their picture date back, just hoping that his hair will grow out enough to look as cute as it did… and I know Madisyn’s won’t look nearly as nice by then.

Against all of my non-confrontational nature, I called to tell them that I had a poor (very underestimated) experience, I was nearly in tears again! She said she was sorry and offered for me to bring him back, but I politely declined and said that I’d rather not go back. Seriously, you can’t make his hair longer. I don’t know what I expected her to do, maybe refund my money? But she couldn’t refund my nearly hour long drive round-trip, the fact that I’m not going to have the kids two and four year pictures (or proofs) at their birthday party, which was the plan, or the fact that I wasted the kids first real haircut on an overpriced bad experience. Oh, and did I mention that the girl was asking Madisyn to tilt her head in directions that she didn’t really understand and she just kept asking her to do it?! Are you serious? You’re supposed to specialize in kids haircuts, don’t you think that you can cut it as long as she holds her head still? I know I can.

Kelli, I should have had you do it… why didn’t I think of that before?!

Melissa, thanks for rescheduling!

Thanks for reading my rant.

Before...

During...

After...

Before...

During... (notice that neither one really enjoyed the process)

Recent cakes

I loved doing this cake, with all the bright colors, especially the orange!


Although the cake turned out, I wasn't real fond of how the cupcakes turned out :( (the 88 and 79 were for grandparents of Nolan who also had a birthday close to his)

Valentine's cupcakes (these were last minute, so they didn't get the detail I would have liked, but I still liked them)

Practice cake... I love the colors!

Like father, like daughter

Madisyn was with me when I brought Landon to his room at church the other day and the teacher asked Madisyn, "What grade are you in?"

I looked at her and said, "She wants to know how old you are."

After Madisyn told her she was three, the woman said, "Wow, you're tall for a three year old!"

The picture says it all! (taken at her Christmas program with girls her age from school)