Hi there!

So I have been busy! Very very busy! We have moved again. I seemed destined to move a lot... LOL!! We are in a little house back in town and that's okay. Things are going well. The kiddos are out for summer and so far they are having a good time. I know that soon boredom will be setting in.. But they will have a soccer camp at the end of June.

We camped over Memorial Day weekend and had a lovely time. The weather was wonderful! The children had a lot of fun with their cousins. There was swimming and s'mores and scary campfire stories and bike riding and kite flying and of course lots of good camp food!

My sister Windi and I were discussing how we used to camp in a Volvo station wagon and wondered how the heck we managed it. W got to thinking that it was because we bare bones camped. 1 tent, sleeping bags, 1 cooler, 1camp stove, dishes, 2 pans, and minimum clothes.

This year I added a roof top container and was still trying to figure out how to haul more!! ROFLMBO! I brought 4 tents, 7 camp chairs, 3 air mattresses, 1 cook stove, pans, dishes, a basket full of health and beauty stuff, 6 sleeping bags, my pillows, sheets, and comforter, 3 coolers, 3 bikes, 1 wagon, squirt guns, kite, extra fuel, flashlights, lantern, skateboards, a backpack full of clothes for each of 7 people, 6 kids 1 dog and myself! Sheesh it makes my tired just typing that all out!

I am glad that my children are enjoying camping. Before the divorce, we didn't do many of the things we do now, as the children's father was just not into much of anything except his band. So we stayed home a lot unless the concerts were near by. So since the divorce we have experienced a lot more things. Summers spent at the pool, camping, wandering for wanderings sake, the boys are enrolled in soccer whenever the opportunities arise. We are enjoying life as it comes...

I struggle at my job. Most people who work where I work could not care one bit less about doing their jobs well then they already do. I have never experienced in my life the total lack of care in how things are cleaned, handled and done... I struggle with that. As someone who has OCD/perfectionist tendencies and especially when it comes to the preparation of food, it drives me nuts some times going in there... I am forcing myself to learn not to care... Its hard...

I recently was blessed by attending a wedding for a very happy couple and I wish them many wonderful years of great happiness. I am relieved that I have reached a point of being able to be happy for others and not just be cranky because I am alone.. This is a new thing. And its not that I miss my used to be husband, because I don't. That ship has sailed and I waved and wished it bon voyage!!! It is just hard sometimes to be alone. But I was blessed in that at the reception I sat with a wonderful couple from my church as well as my sister in law who was the photographer for the wedding, so I didn't sit with her all that much, but still. I was blessed to be a part of it!!

I am not sure what the future holds but I have hope!

 

Be Blessed Everyone!

Bouncing back from adversity

If anyone knows me they know that I am A. a pretty great cook and baker B. I am my own worst critic and really hard on myself C. I have higher standards over how something looks and tastes than the restraunts and other places I have worked and D. I don't settle for crap.. I don't care, who is eating it, what it's for, where it's being served, what it is, or when it's being served it should both look good and taste good..... I have been called a food snob and worse...

So when Thursday morning, the area manager where I work came in and threw away a bunch of the doughnuts I had made and called them crap, you can imagine I was pretty upset. He insisted I stay and make another batch... I was supposed to leave at 10 it was 9:30. I was pretty upset... I told my manager that she could give the job back to the old doughnut maker, that I was done... At that point I was angry... I moved over to do dishes while the oil heated up again to do another batch and I cried....

I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE HAD SOMEONE TELL ME MY FOOD IS CRAP!! I HAVE HAD PEOPLE TELL ME THEY WOULD EAT MY CAKE OFF THE GROUND, I HAVE PEOPLE WHO ASK ME WHAT I MADE WHEN WE GO TO POTLUCKS SO THEY CAN GET SOME, I AM SO OCD ABOUT ALL THE FOOD I MAKE BECAUSE I WANT IT PERFECT, I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYONE CALL MY FOOD CRAP!!!

This about broke my heart... I took some trash out and one of our regulars was coming in as I was going out and he said he felt sorry for me as he didn't like those two, the area and district managers. He heard what happened and when I was coming back inside he caught me before I went in and gave me a big hug and told me not to listen to them that my doughnuts were awesome... Made me smile, it also made me smile when I came back inside and customers where looking for the good doughnuts that I make.. They left without purchasing anything since mine had all been thrown away..

Meanwhile, I mixed up a batch his way and they came out smaller than the doughnuts I made... So he and the district manager and the store manager made a batch and they came out exactly the same size as the doughnuts I made... I was a bit vindicated in that.. All my mornings work thrown in the trash and for what? Nothing... There was no difference between his doughnuts and mine... But that was not mentioned... I admit I came back in Friday rather angry still...

I don't like being angry.. I am very much a forgive and forget kind of person.. I prefer to get along and get on with life... Thankfully this last weekend was my weekend off... Today was a better day.. I had a few days to rest, relax, and let it go.. I don't wanna be a cranky person.. And people where happy they love my doughnuts.. Last Thursday that was just a bad day.. Everyday can be great!!

Today I had my annual review, my boss is happy with me I had all good marks! Life is good..

Long time no see

Hello, I hope this post finds everyone well and blessed in this new year. My kiddos and I are doing well and things are improving after alot of changes we suddenly were forced to make... My daughter is now going to public school and doing fantastic!! I am so proud of her.. My boys are doing amazing. They played soccer again last fall and are improving more and more.. They are doing well in school and have made some great friends. I am now a doughnut and cookie maker... I go in so early in the morning, but it leaves the rest of my day free for my kids. I no longer have to be away from home while they are awake except right in the morning, but I leave work to pick them up and take them to school. So we have time to talk, and pray together on the way and start the day off well... Its working, even if mom is a bit tired, LOL! We were forced to move and were unable to find a home in the country. I have had to give up all of my dogs except my daughers. My heart broke.. I still cant think about them or I tear up... My daughter was also able to keep her elderly cat and her guinea pig... Life goes on.... I wish and pray blessings upon you all! Hugs Amy Ellen

Robbed.

I am so frustrated. I had my wallet stolen today, I took it out of my purse to take out my drivers liscense, and had set it on the chair beside me. I stood up to go into an office and realized after a couple of minutes that I had left it on the chair. I went back out to grab it, and it was gone. There was a women siting 1 chair over in the waiting room. There were only 4 other people in that office besides me and none of them was near that chair except her, and the others where all in my line of sight. I called the police. And as the people in the office had her info, rather stupid on her part, the police have her info and she has been in trouble for doing things like this before. I have called my bank and now am busy contacting people I needed to pay and am asking them to wait as a hold has been put on everything... I AM SOOOOOO ANGRY... WHY ARE PEOPLE SO NASTY.... I CAN'T PAY RENT, OR BY GROCERIES OR PET FOOD, OR PUT GAS IN TO GET TO WORK... My son graciously purchased TP for us and put a bit of gas in. I am believing that all this will work for good... I am discouraged. I am working on forgivness... I am so so... Yeah....

A view I love

Sigh.... relaxing...

Anniversary Cake

This cake turned out rather lovely especially considering all the catastrophes that occured with this cake...

Mozzila Firefox Markup

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My baby is 8

My babys birthday was Friday. He is 8... It seems like only yesterday I held his sweet little self for the first time... He had beautiful auburn hair and a sweet little round face. He has been my most determined child, but my most cuddly as well. He loves to sit with mom and read stories and play games. He wants to help all the time. He even helped frost his cake. I am so proud of him and cant wait to see what he is going to do as he gets older.

Party at Prairie Flower Farm

Join the Party over on Prairie Flower Farm. Linda is a lovely Godly women here in Kansas, that post so many wonderful recipes, give-aways, and wonderful Godly wisdom, please stop by and visit her. You will find it time well spent, a refreshing breath in your busy day! Oh and if you just click on the title to this post it will take you right over.
Hugs
Amy

Struggling with Doubt

Why is it that even when we no better, and I do, that we still can fall into a season of doubting. There I said it. I don't like to admit it. I have been struggling with this. I know for a fact that my Heavenly Father will carry me through all things. And yet, over the last two months I have been really struggling with this. I avoid conversations with people, blogging or asking for prayer, because I don't want to admit my struggle.

I want people to think, hey Amy is doing great. A single mom with 6 kids, she's smiling, making things work, doing things for others. What happens is I become quiet when I am stressed. Because once I start I unload and I so did not want to bring others down. I want to be a positive person, the cheerleader, the I have faith that is unshakable person! But I'm not always that person that I so very much want to be.

Well, I am weary! Things have been a bit tough lately. Some days, I worry that I can't pay my bills, and I don't have major bills. I have been living in a bit of a state of panic and worry, praying Lord please don't let someone ruin another pair of shoes or pants or whatever. Lord please don't let them be quite so hungry ALL THE TIME! Lord please make that $20 I put in my suburban last the week so I can get to work to make enough money to pay rent. Lord please hold the truck together til I can afford to fix the oil leak.... SIGH.... and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Lord I can't afford tithe. I know before I even have my check that there is NOT enough.

I know so many others are in the exact same boat without a paddle. And I honestly don't mean to whine. I just wanted to ask for prayer from anyone who may stop by. This is me being honest and humbly asking for your prayers for peace, for favor, for strength when I am tired. I will be tithing this week. I KNOW better. I am believing that the Lord will bless what is left and make it go farther then it ever should. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
Hugs
Amy

Having a house party

I joined this really cool thing, where you get really cool party packs from companys trying new products. This will be my first one. It is for Velveeta. They have 4 brand new Velveeta Cheesy Skillets coming out. We are pretty excited, the party packs often come with coupons and lots of goodies My sister has done a number of them and we have always had alot of fun!

More of whats keeping me busy, LOL...

This cake was for my 9 year old. I have never tried to cut out and decorate any sort of cake like this. And while this little penguin might not be mistaken as an escapee from the zoo, he turned out kinda cute!

A graduation cake for a friends daughter. They loved the one I had done for the bridal shower and so decided on a similar one except for blue and pink.

Storms

The weather has been bad as I am sure everyone knows. Two days ago we had wave after wave go over and I went out shortly before dark and caught these pictures. It was very eerie outside, the wind had died down and it was very quite until more of the storm reached us and the thunder and lightning started. The neighbor and I were both out there just watching. I am very thankful that the tornadoes skipped over our area. While being very saddened for those that the tornadoes did hit.

What I have been up to!

I have been so busy over the last 3 weeks, well months actually, but especially the last 3 weeks, when I was not working or at church, I was making cakes.

This is a cake for a bridal shower for a young lady at church. I love how this one turned out.
This cupcake was one of 24 for my son Elijah's birthday celebration at school. I love how the colored sugars look on these.
My son Josephs birthday is in July, but we always send treats to celebrate with the class near the end of school, he wanted all sorts of colors on his.
One of two graduation cakes for my bosses daughter. The other was my dark chocolate "I love you" cake, LOL.
One of two graduation cakes for the daughter of a friend from church, the other was my apple spice "Will you marry me" cake... I told people I was going to rename my cakes what people say to me about them... : )
Some whimsical baby shower cupcakes. Polka dots and stripes. The turned out cute although not my favorite, I have to say.


We have also had an igloo cake for my Elijah's birthday, ummmm as I was in the process of decorating it another way, and then he came home and wanted an igloo, it did not turn out exactly well, anyway, it will not be making a preview here, LOL.

Well, spring seems to have sprung, well mostly, LOL.... We have been so busy. We still are not quite settled in. We had sooooo much bad, or uhhh snowy and icy weather that I have not been able, translate that into willing to move my stuff out of storage. I hate the cold. The kids are doing well. Enjoying riding the bus to school now as we live out in the country. There are neighbor kids to play with, forts to build, bikes to ride, and trees to climb. They are pretty content.

We are keeping busy with church and work. My oldest has his first job. During the divorce and the following ummm restructuring is a good word, he was irreplaceable at home, as I worked a second shift job. So he was unable to work previously. He has a job at a restaurant and is doing well. I am so proud of him!!


My second oldest son who is 16 went to prom... EEeeeeeek... What has happened here? Where did time go? Wasn't he just a baby a couple of days ago? David looked so handsome in his tux and Cierra looks so lovely as well. I took some pictures, neither of them was very inclined to let me snap away to my hearts content, LOL... We might have still been there..

I have been busy baking and it looks as if I will have a number of cakes here in May for graduations. My new job is going well. I work hours that the kids are at school. So it is working out well. I am still thoroughly happy at my church and am thankful for the wonderful church family I have there. I have adapted back to this "huge" town, LOL... But after the tiny town of Hillsboro, where I am at now felt really big for quite a long time. Well better head to bed.

Be Blessed
Hugs
Amy