So one day Candace called to tell me about a new wedding cake order she has been given & if I would be willing to help her. I have dedicated many a post to our culinary feats and the fact that I Love being her baking apprentice. This cake, however, was very different from anything we had done before. The couple came in with their cake topper and a description of what they wanted the cake to be like: "James Bond meets Harney County" They want camo colored fondant...yeah I said CAMO, with edible branches & leaves and to top it off (no pun intended) with their Bride & Groom Bond cake topper. Well, we discussed, planned, did a practice run & shook our heads the entire time. For a cake it looks fine, for a gun convention it's fine, even for a grooms cake it's fine, but a WEDDING cake?!? Come on!
One of the aunts at the reception asked me what I thought about the decor and how I reacted when they said camo. The nicest thing I could come up with was, "Now that I see the cake in it's element it really brings the reception theme together"
After running out of the church hall, trying to supress my laughter I wished that I had taken a good picture of the chocolate leaves that I made for the cake (that was my job). It really was alot of fun. Here are a few that were left over and they are as yummy as they look. Oh! Did I tell you that the groom & groomsmen had camo ties & vests on? Ohh and that the bride had a white camo wedding dress? (I'm kidding about that, but after the pictures you believed me right?)
On a sad note: Candace will be moving at the begining of the summer *sniff* sniff* Honestly I'm in deinal over the whole thing, but on a Happy Note: this horrid cake is not the last cake we will be making together - we have the RS Party ....it's going to be beautiful...just you wait!
Our next endovor was New Carpet!! Oh my what a difference it truley makes to have new carpet. We look like a new home!!
Brigham's first Christmas was just as fun as he is!! We traveled on the best weather days and we got to see tons of family & friends (sadly not all of them, but we can always try for next year!!) and came home with more toys than Brigham knows what to do with!!
We had Christmas Eve dinner with the Pope....
at Buca Di Beppos! This is one of the hardest-to-get tables and WE GOT IT!! The food was AMAZING!! (I could eat their cheesy garlic bread....oh the drool, it's getting in the way of my typing!!) Buca's is a Great Italian family style restaurant that I think will be part of our Christmas Eve tradition from now on! 
After some Christmas Eve gift opening at Grandpa's house (Brig's began the incredibly enormous toy collection there) we then spent the night at Grandma's. All the cousins were very excited Christmas morning to see if Santa had come!
Oh the gifts - and toys - became more plentiful after that! Do you see the incredibly cute bow and gift tag with that gift? Yeah, I made them myself. At Super Saturday there was a gift bow and tag making demo....I learned, I'm addicted, I'm never going to wrap the same again! Brigham had ALOT of fun playing with the little strips of paper that he would pull off with is little pudgy fingers, the toy train was just an after thought. I was pretty proud of myself with the gifts I got for Ryan - he's sooo hard to shop for, but I really made a home run with Star Wars the Force Unleashed for Wii (he still plays it!) and I got...... A Silhouette!!! YEAH!! Do you know what that means for you?? No more posts regarding giveaways for it!! Woot! Woot! Now I can just post my uber fabulous crafts that I make with it!
Onto Christmas with the Steiny's!! Everyone was home (including Jana & Brent from Louiiiisiana!). Brigsy got to meet his Uncle Brent for the first time - they hit it off right away. At some point in the week Brigham and Brent bonded while cuddling and watching football together (aaawh!) As you can see here Brigham has many cousins that are willing to help him with whatever he requires: food, toys and hydrated lips! It's so great to have Brigham surrounded by so many cousins - and he loves it too. We went through the whole Steiny Family Christmas vacation traditions! Gingerbread house making, big family dinners, Park City (I got to leave Brigham at home with the boys while I scored on 47 cent tank tops and $4 jeans!!), Brigs & Dad (and Grandpa) went a Jazz game, movies & games and of course....sledding.
This was Brighams first year. We bundled him up, hauled him out and then .... the screaming, the tears....the frustration!! It really was my fault because it was around his nap time so he really wasn't up for much anyways, but finally after a little help from Daddy, he seemed okay with trying it. We went down a few times. He kept a straight face so we think he liked it....maybe. And then he went back into the car for some warmth and hot chocolate.
As you can see, with my trusty snow gauge, it snowed far too much. Now (in February) it's pretty much melted with the exception of the mounds from snow plows - those won't go until July. But we made it home safe and sound and after Ryan shoveled us in (and Dan plowed our drive way). We spent the next few weeks unpacking. Why weeks you ask? Because I hate unpacking just as much as I hate putting my laundry away!