courtrooms, camping and cupcakes

I spent the better part of last week stuck in a room the size of my closet at home, no windows, no paintings, no fake trees or plants...just four walls and a handful of chairs. It was pure torture. Okay, so it wasn't as torturous as I'm sure getting your finger nails yanked off with pliers would be...but it was close, haha.
I lost respect for mankind, really I did. It was sad. No, not sad because it was a murder trial and some innocent person was taken from the earth...no it was sad because it was a civil law suit. A lady was filing a law suit against the city of columbia for a small...what I would call fender bender....what did the lady want?? over 1 million dollars. **sigh** and we wonder why our world is crashing down around us. Greed. Selfishness. Stupidity. Laziness. The trial lasted FOUR days!!! Those are four days that I will never get back. What a waste. The scary part? Some jurors wanted to award her the money she wanted. The part that was the saddest....her attorney kept going on and on about how she was a "good christian woman"...this made me the saddest.
Okay...so thats enough with the depressing worldiscomingtoanend talk, haha.

We spent memorial day camping!!! I NEEDED to camp after the week I had!! We spent our days under the open sky and our nights under the twinkling stars. The smell of a camp smoke is one of my favorite smells. I ate one toooo many smore's and roasted hotdogs :) I spent time walking in the creek, turning over rocks and digging in the mud. I fell asleep cozy under a sleeping bag, on the floor of a tent, listening to frogs croak and crickets sing. Of course we spent alot of time riding too!! I would like to think I'm getting better at my riding skills...though I still have the minor accident here and there...we all do :) I do believe I sprained my wrist on a nasty fall this time. I also took a nice little dive over the handlebars and slid belly-to-dirt down a slippery little hill. I spent alot of time cleaning mud off of myself...but it was fun. I discovered that I'm not very good at riding over wet tree limbs but in the end I was able to conquer much of the trails with limited falls. Monday came wayyy toooo quickly. We packed up and went to meet my mom and dad for dinner. Dad surprised sevy and myself with a cool ramp to load and unload our bikes with...handmade!! very cool. He also got us new riding shirts...we'll be riding in style now, hehe. My poor bike suffered a flat rear tire and needed a few minor adjustments, so its currently visiting the bike doctor this week. We had ALOT of fun and I can't WAIT to do it again!!! Camping is definitely in my blood and something I enjoy doing very much!!

This week will be spent making cupcakes...again :) Starting tonight I will be working on decorations for 40 little cupcakes. I'll try and take pictures as I go. These are for my cousin and her baby shower on Saturday. I have many ideas, but limited time...so hopefully I'll get most of my creations done and worthy of presenting baby Henry with, hehe.

Yipee for a four day work week!!!!! Though now...its only three :)

Cupcake Wedding Cake

So my daddy actually emailed me the pictures of my cupcake wedding cake. So here you go, you can click on the pictures and they should appear larger :)

The bride said her wedding colors were ivory and black, she wanted a cross topper and her wedding flowers were tulips and daisies. She expected 50 guests and other than those bits of information, she told me to do what I wanted. This is what I turned out:

I found a stand online and had it and the black cupcake liners shipped. The stand was actually made out of styrofoam. I went to Hobby Lobby and found pretty, silky, ivory fabric and black ribbon. I also got some pearl pins. I draped the clothe over the stand and used the pins to tack the cloth to my liking. Then I took the black ribbon and pinned it around the bottom of each stand layer. This took a longgggg time, I just couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with the stand, but I was pleased with how it turned out. I wish I could get the stand back, but the bride technically paid for it...so its hers to keep.

The cake has about 68 cupcakes total. All chocolate with homemade butter cream frosting. My sweet mother actually helped me ice the cupcakes. I like the big, fluffy, swirl for my cupcake icing...she perfected her icing skills and did a marvelous job!

The mini cake on top is chocolate with buttercream frosting and daisies. I made the cross topper by mixing gum paste and fondant icing. I rolled it out, using my nice marble roller mom got me :), and then I just cut a cross shape out by hand. I let that harden (over night) and then mixed gum paste and hot water to make edible cake "glue". I hand glued each of the little sugar pearls onto the cross. Then I used luster dust (an edible sparkle, glittery powder) to make the cross have a little shine. I took a star icing tip and made the little stars that outline the bottom of the cake, then took a sugar pearl and placed it in the middle of each star.

I'm pretty proud of the way my very first cupcake wedding cake turned out :) I also heard that the cake was a big hit and the bride LOVED it!!! yahoooo...thats all that matters!!

REALLY RANDOM...

I've been saying I would post pics for a longgggg time...but I haven't....but now I am :) However, this creates a very random post, with a bunch of random pictures. I'm sorry for the randomness...but really, what else would you expect from ME?!! Enjoy...or don't, I'm just clearing my conscious and posting pics like I said I would, hehe.

These are from the circus...if you remember wayyyy back when, for Valentines day, Sevy got me tickets to the circus. It was a lovely date night, that I posted about...well...heres some of the pics:

This guy was on a motorcycle, on a high wire, balanced by a girl swinging below him!!:

The cute mini horses doing fancy little tricks.

Pretty picture I took on one of our many random drives on a sunday afternoon:

Me and my Mommy :) On our wild girls weekend on the coast (excuse the wild, wind blown hair!!):

Little Sevy posing for a picture...don't worry, he DOESNT ride w/out a helmet!!:

Sorry...but this is the only picture I have right now from my wedding cupcake cake...its the cake topper. It is ivory with a white cross and flowers. I made the cross out of gum paste and royal icing, then glued little sugar pearls around the edges of the cross, one little pearl at a time :) When mom sends the finished picutres, I'll share:

MY BATTLE WOUNDS!!! This was from the first ride, a couple days after the ride:

OUCH :(...hehe, but really it wasn't as bad as it looks:

Last Sunday, getting ready to ride in Swansea at Palmetto Motorsports Track:

So I live with a really big kid...I like to call him a tornado on two legs, or a Tasmanian devil, or just plain WILD. I love him to pieces, I really do...but he is ROUGH on our house...he's def. all boy. Anyways, he has a bad habit of PLOPPING down on the couch from a standing position. Our poor couch just gave up one day and the supporting bars gave out...from that day forward if you sat on our couch...the couch literally sucked you in!!! It was reallllllllly embarrassing and annoying. So while sevy took a nap on Saturday after he went fishing and before dinner, I decided to perform surgery on our couch and fix the sucker!!! I took a mid-picture...but forgot to take an after. I will say that it was a success and our couch came out of surgery with 100% recovery!!! I flipped it over, performed a small incision in the bottom fabric and then purchased a 2x4 to replace the broken support boards. Cut the boards to size and drilled those puppies in!!! wala...a new couch :)



The underside of the couch, during surgery:

The end.

I told you...reallllllllllly random :)

I'm on jury duty allllllllll week, yes...feel bad for me!!! haha.

My moment as a Mom....

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

a day late.
but my theory is, why do we need to devote one day to our mothers?? She went through more than one day of being our mom. We should let our moms know how much we love her and appreciate her on a daily basis. HA....okay...so that was also my excuse for not seeing my mom on mothers day.
BUT I did see my mom on Saturday and we spent a very nice time together...she even took me out for brunch...yes...SHE took ME out for brunch...LOL...**sigh** oh the joys of being a mom ;-)
Because moms are really super heros under cover...my mom flew to my side friday evening to help me ice some cupcakes and then deliver them on Saturday. We had fun...or I had fun, hanging out with her in my kitchen on friday evening. We had icing up to our eyeballs. Cupcakes and cupcake supplies were piled up all over the kitchen. We went to bed after 1:30am. That's because when she signed up to be a mom, she signed the dotted line that said "will not complain when child needs help, advice or supermom powers; no matter the hour!!"
Dad and Sev got up Saturday morning and took off to ride dirtbikes in Sumter, SC. Mom and I ran to Lowes, so mom could get flowers for MY flower bed (another thing moms do). We came home and mom planted flowers and worked out in MY yard while I finished up the last of the cupcake stuff and then packed the car. Mom then road with me to Florence, to deliver the cupcakes (about 11/2 hour drive). We had a tad bit of trouble finding the wedding reception location...long story....but because my mom is also required to be patient (another dotted line she had to sign) we ended up finding it just in the nick of time!! Mom then helped me set up the cake and we snapped some pictures...another thing moms do, take pictures of their childs creations be it good or bad :-) It was 90 degrees and the wedding was OUTSIDE!!! We left before my cake surely melted....it would have crushed me :-( to witness that!!

On our way home, mom and I decided to stop at TJMaxx and just "have a look around." As we were looking, mom walked off toward one part of the store and I another. As I was browsing the racks I felt something awfully close to my back side. I turned around and this little boy, who couldn't have been over 4 years old, was standing directly behind me clutching a fire truck. Thinking I was blocking him for going to wherever he was going, I moved to the side only to have him move to the side with me, while looking up at me and smiling...odd. I started walking...he started walking....I stopped, he stopped....I looked down at him, he looked up at me with a huge grin. "Where is this kids mother!!!"...I started walking again, he started walking again.........thinking: "I don't know where HIS mom is...but I'm going to find MINE!!!" He followed me all the way across the store and stopped when I stopped beside my mom. I looked at mom and said "he's following me!!" with panic in my voice. Mom (because shes a mom, she knows what to do in these situations) smiled down at the little boy and said "honey, are you lost." He then proceeded to grab my hand. I said "where is your mom??"...and thinking about the germs that kids have on them, yikes!! he said "I yo mamma"......huh?? Mom and I smiled at each other and then proceeded to say "wheres your mom?" ...." I YOMAMMA!!!" pointing to me!! My mom: "Whats your name" child: "marcus". My mom:"Okay marcus, lets go up front and look for your mom" child now named marcus: "I her mamma!" pointing to me and by now he is clinging to my arm and I'm bent over trying to pluck him off of me and trying not to laugh or get totally freaked out. I had just been adopted!!!
We started walking to the front of the store and Marcus proceeded to grab a buggy and climb inside, while holding my arm, and told me to "push". I just stood there...there is no way in this world I am going to push this kid in a buggy, who isn't even my kid OR my buggy for that matter...around the store...I was helpless!! People were looking and this kid was yelling and insisting that I was his mom!!!...............wanna know the funny part..........he was African American. WHERE WAS THIS KIDS MOM????
Mom went the rest of the way up to the front of the store, while I stood, helpless, beside the buggy, with the kid yelling that I'm his mom and clutching my arm. The clerk at the counter came over to us..."whats your name?" "marcus" "whats your moms name?" "Patrice" "where is your mom?" Marcus points to me "I HER MAMMA!!" Clerk smiles, people look and FINALLY his mom walks around the corner.......does she act likes shes been wondering where her 4 year old has been gone all of this time? NO Does she act like its weird that her son has adopted me, some white girl, as his mom? NO...she simply says "marcus, get on over here and stop messin'".......
and in the words of Marcus, "mom, I YO MAMMA!!" and THANK GOODNESS for that!!
Some moms just don't get it.

Anyways....thanks mom for being my mom and my super hero!! We have a joke in our family, if you need advice or help with things around the house, cars or anything electronic...call dad....but if you need a hug, compassion or someone to call at 3am when the house alarm is screeching and you're home alone....call mom!!!

LOVE YA MOM, HAPPY LATE MOTHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Dad, why are you walking like an old man?"

Those are the words I spoke to dad after his first big ride a few weekends ago.
Those were the words I followed up with a laugh and some eye rolling.
Those are the words that dad responded to with "keep talking linds, just keeeep talking."
Those are the words I had to eat this past weekend.

Friday afternoon:
Me: "I can't wait to ride!!"
Dad: "You're going to learn what is like to use muscles you didnt even know you had!"
Me: "Right dad, right. No worries!! Tell you what...on Sunday I'll even wash your truck and moms hoopty (what we call her expedition) if you'll buy me a pair of riding boots!!"
Dad: "okay linds, deal."


We had the best time Saturday. Dad, Chris, Severyn and myself got up Saturday morning around 7am. We loaded up the trucks with bikes and gear. We stopped for gas, food and to fill the cooler up and then headed for the trails. I was lucky enough to have my dad for a riding partner. My brother rides a dirt bike much like a jack rabbit and Severyn was quick to follow in his tracks. I discovered I ride much like someone thats afraid of breaking bones, lol. It took a few minutes for me to get the hang of riding. I have respect for those that can ride faster than a snails pace. Luckily, my dad is pretty patient and a great teacher and before long I started feeling a little more "froggy" and started taking turns a little bit faster and a little bit harder (this is not to be confused with the way my brother rides, I will NEVER be that froggy!!haha). I was prepared to fall, I was even prepared to get hurt...but I was NOT prepared for the complete and total muscle exhaustion that comes along with riding. After a good while of riding I took a turn and took my first fall. It was more like, I took a turn and my body just gave up. I just laid it right over. My first battle wound was formed on my left elbow...not too bad. I jumped up, brushed it off and we took off. Not even a few hundred yards up the trail...another left turn...another lay down. Second battle wound to the left arm. My body was beyond tired. Lucky for me...my dad knew the signs of exhaustion and suggested we rest. After a few short minutes I was feeling better and ready to go. The rest of the day went well. I improved a little and learned ALOT. I watched some very experienced and talented riders (my brother and dad being two of them) and saw some the CUTEST little kids, on the worlds SMALLEST little dirt bikes. Seriously, cute. One little dirt bike had TRAINING WHEELS on it!!! We even saw the worlds smallest, female, dirt bike rider...okay, so I don't know that for a fact...but she was sooooo tiny and couldn't have been over 5 or 6 years old. She was decked out in all pink riding gear and was just getting it on the trails. I was impressed...and lucky for my pride, I was at a stop, so she didn't pass me while riding ;-)
Later on in the evening we decided to go for one more loop before calling it a day. Chris and Severyn took off. Dad and I took off...but at much slower pace. Suddenly it began to rain. My goggles were covered in rain drops, I was once again at the point of complete muscle exhaustion and we were only about half way through the last loop. I took another left hand turn...and lost it. This time...a bit harder. I fell off the high side of the bike and took a little bounce before landing in the middle of the trail. Ouch. Its funny, but when you fall (or at least when I fall) the first thing I can think about is if the bike is okay. I scrambled to my feet and pushed the bike up. It was all I could do to hold the bike up while my dad came and got it back onto the trail and put the kick stand down. Man was I beat!! I was wet, I was covered in mud and I was BEAT!! We still had half the loop to go (about 5 or 6 miles) before we would be back to the truck. We got back on and started off...at a much slower pace. I was at the point where I couldn't even stand up when we went over bumps. I just couldn't. I had no strength left in me. I was able to twist the throttle and keep it on the trail...but that was it. I don't remember a time that I've ever felt like my body was that useless. We made it back to the truck safe and sound. I was drenched, I was muddy, I was exhausted and I had the best time EVER!!! We rode 44.7 miles.

I was prepared for the dirt.
I was prepared for a fall.
I was NOT prepared for the screaming muscles the day after.

Sunday morning:
Dad: "Lindsey, why are you walking like an old lady?"


PS. I DID manage to wash both moms expedition AND dads truck on Sunday!!