What I learned today.

I rode my bike today for 10 miles. If you've never done this then you are like I was this morning, and completely underestimate the feat that this is. I learned a lot today.

• 10 miles is a really long way.
• A 31-year-old body is not a 10-year-old body. My son could've done 20 miles easily.
• A half cup of oatmeal is not adequate nutrition for a workout like this.
• That which you sit upon is the most important thing of all. In other words I needed a bigger, more comfortable seat.
• I do not have enough workout music on my iPod.
• On that same note, Chicago is not the best group to listen to when climbing an impossible hill.
• And I am not coordinated enough to ride and do anything else at the same time, so I need a playlist ready and one of those drink hats.
  
• One should probably practice riding and get up to 10 miles, not start with that.
• I can ride my bike, a long way, in pain and without crying.
• No one can tell me how many calories I burned today, but it's somewhere between 300-3000.
  
• I have a lot of will power....I could have called and been picked up anytime during the ride.
• I'm in pain, my body burns, my head hurts and I can't stand for very long. And I feel great!
  

It's quite possible I will do this again soon. Well maybe 5 miles.

Take a Leap

It's never to late to take a leap...

• Ray Kroc was 54 when he started McDonalds
• Harlan "Kentucky Fried Chicken" Sanders was 65 when he started KFC
• Noah was 500 years old when he built the Ark

It's about taking leaps and learning from your decisions. It's about not being afraid and having faith. Surround yourself with people that support your decisions, even if they don't agree with them, but they also don't watch you fall off the cliff. It's about taking ownership of your choices and not getting stuck.

No regrets, but we all dream of being Jerry McGuire once in awhile.

Adventures in Cake Decorating

#4 ...I secretly dream of creating amazing cakes...

Where do I start? If I won the lottery I would quit my job, fly out to Chicago for a few weeks and soak in every possible Wilton course I could. I would find an amazing (I seem to be favoring that word) location and open an amazing (it works ok?) bakery. I would hire people who shared my passion and we would make cakes and cupcakes and candies that would be simply, you guessed it, amazing. Sigh. But since I don't play the lottery that seems impossible.

Wake up, back to reality.

I take classes at Michael's, just basics of course. I think a lot of what I'll do is going to be self-taught. I watch A LOT of Food Network and am considering a magazine subscription <-- I know it's online, I prefer paper remember?

Some day I'll look back and read this and see where I started.

Okay this is cake #1. It's a simple star cake. I know it's hard to see the detail, but this picture with Amariah is the cutest that I have.

I made a rookie mistake here. In an attempt to limit the amount of cake being eaten in my house I tried styrofoam. Apparently frosting falls off of styrofoam. I drove so fast to get home for a picture and at this angle it almost looks like the sides stayed on.

This is my latest. My first attempt at fondant. I learned a lot here.

Rule #1, add flavor

Rule #2, use powdered sugar, it's sticky

Rule #3, fondant doesn't like it when it's 105 degrees outside

One of my strengths is writing, I didn't demonstrate that here very well though. I had to make a quick batch of royal icing and added a little too much water.

This weekend I am making one for a baby shower. It'll be a two-tiered cake with white fondant and blue and brown accents.

In regards to my dream of school in Chicago, I'm considering donations. A friend at work brought up bake sales. I'm thinking a Paypal button on here may be the way to go. What do you think? Anyone interested in helping me raise $6,000?

Things I Believe

Since it's my blog, I'm going to keep writing about me. 20 things.

I BELIEVE:

1. People are inherently good. But they're not all heroric.
2. At the end of our lives, if global warming turns out to be fake I still won't regret teaching my kids to recycle.
3. In a magic diaper door. (this deserves a post to itself)
4. In GOD.
5. All of my kids will grow to be successful.
6. Defining moments in life are unrecognizable at the time they occur.
7. Not everyone is meant to go to college, but no one should be denied the opportunity.
8. My kids won't always want to be around me, so I will take every moment they'll give me now.
9. Newspapers won't die. (but name one industry that looks the same 300 years after it started.)
10. Videogames won't rot children's brains. Parents who think videogames are babysitters will.
11. People who criticize media are it's biggest supporters. (And wonders why those that heckle at crime scenes are even there.)
12. I can save people, I just don't know where to start.
13. People shouldn't ignore crime, it is your problem.
    
14. In dreams.
15. In innocence.
16. In hard work.
17. Just because boys and girls can do the same things doesn't mean they should.
18. In words of wisdom I find on magnets in giftshops.
19. That if I ignore the amount of time it took me to make the money I'll miss it less when I spend it.
20. That staying home on a Friday night watching my kids play videogames is the best way to spend my Friday night.
    

Me

I'm writing a blog.

And this is my first post.

I'm not a phenomenal writer. I use short sentences. I like words like neat and nifty. I used to write when I was younger, maybe I can do it again.

I'll give you insight on me...twenty-five things.

1. I married at 18. Nearly 13 years later and I'm still happy.
2. I am a mom. I have four smart, beautiful children.
3. I have a job I love and I truly care about the people I work with.
4. But I secretly dream of creating amazing cakes for a living.
5. I love my family. I don't tell them very often because I'm not a mushy person, but I do.
6. I was the first one to hold my niece when she was born. This forever connected us.
7. I don't have a preference for my name. It really doesn't matter if you say Sam or Samantha or Sambo...just don't say Sammy.
8. Deep down I'm just a silly girl who loves chick flicks.
9. And contrary to what most believe I do cry. Just NEVER at work.
10. I believe that ice cream can fix most anything.
11. I miss tapes and Polaroid cameras.
    
12. But I'll never be nostalgic for payphones.
13. I don't know everything, I know that.
14. I can't swim, but I love the ocean.
15. I think people who don't crave cereal at night are odd.
16. I like cheesy disaster movies with poor editing.
17. I love books, I just don't like to read them.
18. I made a song for each of my kids that I only sing to them.
19. I aspire to be great.
20. I'm an optimist.
21. I prefer board games and reruns to going out.
22. I overly fret about my children out-growing me.
23. I love the idea of shopping, but I hate the disappointment of it.
24. I prefer paper and Sharpie pens to computers.
25. I don't have a favorite holiday, color, food, movie, song, book or shirt. I think it's unrealistic to choose and I just don't feel like it.