This year I took the leap to take custom cake orders, and boy it took off for me, I told myself to just handle one per month and just see how it went, allow myself to decline orders and allow myself time in between orders to take part in skill stretching groups, get creative on designs, and make cakes just for the helluvit.
Cake Classes. OKAY. So about February-ish, Wes was set on moving, somewhere out of the norm once school was done for him. He wanted an opportunity way out of county lines- no like waaaay out of county lines- LOGAN . oh my mama heart was sad. But my role as a spouse is to allow my partner to take on their own goals and figure out their paths, too. So for me, it was a disheartening thought to move, but at the same time just a way for me to let him know I love him, 100% no matter what. What this did for me though was put me in the zones of uncertainty and ‘can’t plan anything!’ and so I just assumed that my cake class and wine night days were over. I literally planned May 2019 was my last go at it. We got really close to making the leap, he was inching closer to job possibilities and I was starting to organize and cull through my stuff in the house. BUT THEN- Charlotte got a last minute call into Navigator Pointe, one of THE best charter schools in the county- super hard to get into and at that moment- the end of MAY, I said yes and told Wes we are staying as long as we can here for Charlotte to get this opportunity. So there we go. For about 4 months I endured this moment of not knowing what my life was going to be like, to now I can plan the rest of 2019, hooray!
This year, I finally booked my first Conference room cake class too in August! I worked so hard to try and find the right angle to market it and my dear friend Amanda saw the potential in it and booked a class for her department! And it snow balled from their, I booked two more after that cause of her! Amanda I owe you a cake!
And I also did a couple kids classes, one of which I was hired to do for a birthday party- and that seriously was so fun- I love teaching kids…my smile can’t stop beaming with pride over how well these kids do and how easy going they are and creative.
So you guys, my Goal this year was to have 10 cake classes and I ended up having 18! This including the two University Classes I did through Lifelong Learning! I mean, DANG GINA!
because of one post from a great person that got me noticed
With the classes I booked, one of my goals I set for myself was to pay for Disney vacation for my little family, and I am able to do it. I just saved up the little profits I had and got our vacation booked during September for next September. And now that’s what my efforts are all about, paying for magical moments with my loves. I did it over Christmas by planning a little retreat downtown at the Little America too, handled all of our food for our Lava Hot Springs road trip and a few more. It is a way for me to contribute to my family without feeling like I’m working to much, or not enough.
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| 7 am swimming at little america |
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| first thing they did was test the bounce |
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| grand america court yard |
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| grand america toy store |
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| my 2019 vision board |
Charbug started freakin kindergarten! So exciting- I did not cry, in fact I was pretty much in a hurry the morning I dropped her off and was like see ya- though sometime in October I did tear up a little- she jumped out of the car and one of her little friends was waiting for her and that smile on her face was just irreplaceable and everything I hoped school would be for her.
Charter school life is great, I don’t have to volunteer, there are no room moms or over the top holiday parties. Its pretty much get dressed in what we tell you and learn. Its amazing. Charlotte loves it. But I honestly have to say that the kindergarten department here is spoiling them, they have 2 teachers and 3 aides for one am class and one pm class. Haha. I mean there’s a lot of attention going around.
Everyone is like “ I thought you would like being a room mom and planning parties” hey…uh do you know me? I am a control freak that speaks with my facial expressions. It was good it was totally off the table for me.
Wes graduated with an MBA degree from the University of Utah- oh dear lord it was the most intense 2.5 years we have endured. Sooo intense and time consuming on all sides. I don’t know how I survived. I implore you to pursue your MBA when you don’t have a family and kids. Definitely do it while you are in a place where obligations are just work and sleep.
My artie turned 3 this year. OH MY HECK 3 is a hard age for me with him. I am tired with him all the time, its like a defiant train off the rails with Cheetos and chocolate smeared through whatever it is he is running through. But yet he is so sweet and so smart, he loves to sing and play with his sister!
In fact they both play amazingly well together- I can trust them to leave me alone for a good hour and they can play and entertain each other. Also we’ve been super lucky ‘knock on wood’ that none of our kids ever had to feel the need to sleep in our bed, or come in our room in the middle of the night or anything. Our space is our space and theirs is theirs, it’s a great arrangement haha. We really have great kids, I don’t know how we got so stinkin lucky in life with them.
Charbug turned 5- and oh my goodness, it was like she turned into an adult- she thought it was the biggest moment in her life…turning 5! All her statements always ended with “…cause I’m 5 now” haha.
More baking and cooking, but not cookbook. My annoyance on getting this done is growing so I just need to stop thinking about it. My time now has been focused on cakes and classes and my family. But I did get a title and a point of view nailed down on it at least.
Friends and family are always on the forefront of my mind. I’ve always been a purposeful people pleaser. It’s been part of the dynamic of what has made be able to do the things I’ve done. And I’ve learned through this past year that people don’t always absorb that notion. So I’m definitely just pulling back and loving from afar and it has allowed me to refocus on the people who understand that people part of me and accept me for it.
It’s been great and fulfilling to have all walks of life to connect with but its more meaningful to keep my circles similar to me, and that sometimes involved getting to know brand new people, but though new- the commonalities make it seem like we were always friends. It also means not only loving from afar to others, but parting ways completely with a few. That’s hard. It took me a solid year to come to terms with this when someone did it to me but the liberation I have now from not holding onto the why is a healing moment. So if you are struggling, find a way to let go of the why and it really is an uplifting time of realization that people don’t owe you any explanation, nor you to them.
Speaking of people- Lots of people in my life made big strides this year and I am so happy to have been a small witness to their tremendous moments- of course Wes, graduating! Woohoo! Rachel winning best of state Real Estate Agent by City Weekly, Love Lake City’s grand fundraiser, A new nephew, Kallum! A wedding, congrats Courtney- thanks Lauren for hiring me haha! My friend Kathryn rocking her new role at People Helping People and also opening up a new co working space, My friend Emily opening up her screen printing business and just staying so busy with all the jobs- go girl! Watching renae grow her clients with her uber talent of softap/microblading cosmetics- ive seen her twice and its worth all the fake sneezing moments that tickle your nerves on your eyebrows. And more amazing things I can’t even list them all! But just listing the ones I did really made me feel so much gratitude for life and the abundance of opportunities we get each and every day!
lots of bestie time
Another goal of mine was to get my kids in the kitchen more, it was more charlotte that wanted to, and thats okay, arthur will have his moment when he's ready. he was ready to lick frosting off the beaters though, no prob there!
mirror selfie game was gaining too, haha- I got really comfortable with the odd shape of my body and came to accept it in a way that would allow me to have confidence in the clothes sizes I had to buy. its definitly difficult navigating a plus size world but I am learning as I go.
That one time i meal prepped and thought posting it would motivate me to keep meal prepping. it lasted 8 weeks , haha
Wes and I got lots of Dates this year too thanks to baby sitters. oh date nights are so much needed for us- its just that little moment to connect, and most of the time it was dinner and shopping haha
So Much fun family time, i made a point this year to really make it happen because the kids are at the best age for it and its so impressionable when we do things like we do.
Shark Week! I am that weird one that celebrates it all week with snacks and letting the kids stay up late haha
an epic summer altogether!
the summer I hated kids soccer
and fall soccer
oh and this short stage of wood burning...haha
I hope your 2020 is amazing and that you get a chance to act on those beliefs you are working on within yourself. it truly is astounding the achievements you make simply by believing in yourself and your goals
