CafeMom Tickers

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Decisions, Decisions...

Do you ever feel like you are NON-STOP during your days, but then it seems like you still haven't done ANYTHING that day? I seem to be feeling that way a lot lately. For example, today I had planned on baking a cake and doing my practice grooms cake that I have coming up in only four short weeks. I don't normally do a "practice cake" but this one is the first one that's a little more detailed. It's a fire helmet one with a good bit of detail that I've not done before. I also planned on continuing my house cleaning and re-organizing. But what have I gotten done? Well, we woke up way earlier than normal today... 8am. So I was so excited that I'd have the whole day to get a head start on things. But for some reason it's now almost 3:30pm and I haven't gotten ANY of what I'd planned on doing done. Garrett ate breakfast and we went to Wal-Mart to get a couple of things and get some pictures printed for my Dad for his 50th Birthday this weekend.. but the pictures took a lot longer than I'd expected in Wal-Mart and then I had to do some things for the water system which took me a couple hours because it's a pain.. Microsoft Word label documents don't do what I need it to do so it's like re-typing them all the time because they HAVE to be in a certain order. So that has taken up most of my day...which in turn makes me feel guilty because Brandon will come home and wonder what I've done all day.. which makes me feel like crap. But then again, I don't want to complain because I like helping his Mamaw out with the Water System labels. It's not just today though..it seems like that happens a LOT. Like I'm not getting the things done that I need or want to do because I'm too busy tending to other peoples things. That's NOT said in a negative way.. I think I just have too much going on. Which brings me to decisions - I've decided that I need to probably either do cake OR photography because I'm not so sure I have time for both. Especially considering that cakes and pictures are usually a weekend to-do. I LOVE doing both, but am trying to decide which one I like to do more and fly with it. I wish someone would just tell me what to do sometimes. HAHA. Here is a breakdown of both things with the pros and cons:

Cakes - I love baking. I don't like icing the cakes much because I'm not that great at it. It's EXTREMELY time consuming.. sometimes I have to make some things WELL in advance. My hands are usually cracked and bleeding from washing them soooo much by the time I finish all the cleaning up from all the dishes I have to clean from baking, making icing, making fondant, etc. so many times per cake. But the end reward is great - The customers have always loved it from what I hear! So it's rewarding to hear that people love it so much... not only do they look good, they taste good too. I always hear that. I just don't think people fully understand why it's a little pricey to bake and decorate cakes.. I know for sure that I didn't realize how much time and effort it took when I started doing it. I never knew how stressful it could be. But it IS. And it's not cheap to make a nice cake. After all the ingredients, energy and electricity, and water used doing it.. I'm not even sure I come out much ahead... ESPECIALLY for the hours I put into them. I also always feel so guilty because I'm literally in the kitchen for the entire day of decorating and icing day..so Garrett pretty much has to tend to himself and I feel so bad not playing with him. And another part that I'm not liking anymore - Brandon is off on weekends now and since I have cakes to do..we are pretty much confined at home and not able to do much or go anywhere and that STINKS. I definitely don't want to do a cake every single weekend.

Photography - I don't think there are many cons to this at all. I am in LOVE with photography. I still have a TON to learn on taking and editing pictures though. I have so many people that I'm obsessed with looking at their photography and they are such inspirations to me! With doing cakes and tending to Garrett and many other things... I don't hardly have time to pick up my book to learn more about my camera..or edit pictures.. or anything so I can't give photography my full attention like I'd love to right now. Taking a picture is a life long keepsake and such a special moment for many families. Times you can't ever get back. It's "in the moment" and just so beautiful a lot of the time. I'm not so sure I'll ever be as good as some of my inspirations... but I'd love to be way better than I am now!!!

Either or... they are BOTH very expensive hobbies (or jobs). My camera and lenses are extremely expensive but it's definitely a great investment. Cake supplies - I NEVER knew they would have cost me as much as they have already. I think I've spent well over $2,000 for pans, classes, utensils, mixer, ingredients, accessories, cake boards, supports...the list goes on and on. So I hate to give up cake baking because so much has been put into it and I have so much stuff now. Maybe I just shouldn't take on too many cakes right now? But I like to help Brandon out some and put a little extra money in the bank... however, I don't come out too much ahead when I do a cake after adding up ingredients, water, and electricity... not to mention the TIME I put into them. Ahhh... I know, I know.. It sounds like I'm just ranting and complaining and that's not intentional. I just have so much on my mind. I know that there are so many amazing people who already take pictures out there that it'd be hard for me to even compete or get business. But EVERYBODY needs cakes! HAHA! And bakeries (other than Wal-Mart, Brookshires, etc) charge a FORTUNE for their cakes.. I don't charge a fortune. I do know that. Even though I'm sure some think "Why does it cost so much to do a cake??" when I give them a quote... I'll tell you what. If you ever want to know why, choose a cake I've done and make it! Just to see how long it takes you and how stressful it can be! HAHA. My friend, Angie, who I met in my cake course.. We've stayed friends since the classes ended and I'm SO THANKFUL to have met her and us become friends. She and I are constantly calling each other...freaking out..asking for opinions.. because we both stress out to the max about them. But in the end... photography and cakes are both usually rewarding when seeing the end result. I just am not sure I have time for BOTH things, but I LOVE both...

That's enough of that. I'm getting on my own nerves. Hope you are all (all two of you) having an amazing Thursday!!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

What a day...

Wow. Chemotherapy is not a fun process. After messing with my blog and not going to bed until after 2am and having to get up at 5:45am for an allllll day affair, I'm exhausted. My butt is numb and I can't quit yawning. Sitting in a little thin cushioned chair from 8:45am- almost 3pm is NOT easy. But at the same time, I'm thankful that I can be here to help my Grandparents drive to Shreveport to the cancer center and tend to them as much as needed. Which brings me to giving props to all you hard working, full-time Mama's!! I have NO CLUE how you are away from your babies all day. I'm so lucky to be a stay-at-home Mama. I've missed him soooooooo much all day - he was all I was thinking about mostly and I get home at 3:30 so excited to see him and guess what?? He's NAPPING!!! I am so ready for him to wake up and let me love on him. I know some women aren't cut out to stay at home with their children, but I think I was MEANT to be home!! And I'm extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to do this.

For ANY new followers I may (or probably won't) get... I am a Scentsy Consultant and would love to be your sales rep! Here is the link to my website where you can order and have it shipped directly to your front door!!!
https://andreaneal.scentsy.us/Home

I hope you all have had a wonderful Tuesday - I have a million things I am thinking about and would like to talk about, but I'm too tired to sit here anymore!! AND I'm about to go wake my baby boy up!!!

Monday, August 16, 2010

I'm gonna regret this...

So I'm addicted to fixing up my blog now.. I've been trying to fix it for a while and now I can't make myself stop. It's almost 11pm and I have to get up EARLY to take my Granddaddy to chemotherapy tomorrow. But when I have my mind set... It's SET. It's driving me crazy that I can't change my Header font.. I've tried creating a file in Photoshop, but it applies a white background even though I selected "transparent" background.. Who knows. I'll have to try to figure that out later. But I DID figure out how to change the date/title fonts and colors and I think that makes it so much cuter!!! HOWEVER, I did make a big uh-oh while trying to fix it and selected to "delete widgets" and lost all of my lists on my blog such as "Blogs I love" the Garrett ticker and all of that..so I'm going to have to get all that back on there!!! I'm looking forward to blogging more and more. I really enjoyed when I did it while I was pregnant.. I felt a lot better after writing stuff down for some reason. Anyways, I only have two actual followers (one who I have no idea who he is) and hope to gain more.. I'll try to think of some interesting things to talk about! HAHA. Let me know what you think about the layout and everything!