Lets do it...

Alright let just go a head and get right down to it.

2009


We started off 2009 with me fresh from school (so naive and new) and starting my externship at Sweet Cakes...



In April, Hyrum and I celebrated our 2ND wedding anniversary by getting our picture taken at the Rose Garden...



May brought my graduation from WCI (go me)...




and along with it a brand new car...




Lily and I spent lots of time laying in the grass...



I got back into painting (not because I am good at it, but because it helps me relax)




I turned 22 on July 28Th...



My grandparents celebrated their 50Th wedding anniversary...



And I started working at The Dessert Tray, making real money...



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But things weren't all peaches this year.

Grandpa went to the hospital and it was a very scary time for a while...



and Lily was hit by a car...



But we have since bounced back and are doing fantastic!
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As far as 2010 goes, there will be a lot more traveling and a lot of work. I just hope we can keep up.

Here is to the hope that by the end of 2010 we have:

1. Traveled to Bangalore India.
2. Spent a weekend in a Yert.
3. Adopted a 3rd world child.

and finally a "Kenzi" specific goal:

4. Frosted that perfect cake.

Drool.

Dont rain on my parade!

The boys and I finally put up our Christmas tree and lights. We have been getting in the festive mood, which is a very good thing considering my work is crazy with Christmas orders right now.

Tons and tons of shortbread cookies...



Not to mention the endless amount of Dessert Bar Trays in festive boxes...




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The weather has been dreadfully freezing, but practically no rain... pretty random.

Although I do love having a fire place for this very reason...



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Just a little peak inside our festive home...




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And also... I am a mean pet parent...



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Also... I would like to introduce you to my brother in law Dave who is staying with us until February.




Alright. Back to work!

Little China Girl

I have had such a busy couple of weeks but I got to enjoy 2 whole days off in the middle of the week. It has been a month or so since I last baked at home,I have been giving work all of my attention creatively.


One of my favorite things this year is that I am able to use my Grandma Zola's china. It is so original and lovely and I have been in love with those dishes ever since I can remember.

They are definately special.


My china hut.









My Black China!



Its nerdy how much I love dishes.


The baking bug has been biting lately!

Apple:






I wanted a razzle dazzle:





Pumpkin:





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The last few weeks Hyrum has been refurbishing my dining table.

If you look in this picture you can tell the wood was getting banged up and I never really liked the color of the wood.



So a few weeks ago we went out to eat at Stanfords and they have these really gorgeous dark wood tables that are just beautiful. I mentioned them to Hy over dinner and as a suprise later that night he started working on it.

When he first showed me the table after the first few coats it looked like this:




When it was finally finished, it was beautifully redone:




Now its time for the chairs!

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I love being able to use our dishes for things like Thanksgiving!



We had a total feast!

(The amount of leftovers we had was rediculous. Seriously rediculous.)

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Holiday Madness!

I don't usually work Mondays, but yesterday was not a usual day!There were so many orders for this week! One of the jobs I was given yesterday was pulling everything out of the walk-in to be decorated, filled, frosted...all the good stuff. By the time I was finished there was cake covering all of the counters. And the carts. And the shelves.

These are only the Italian Almond cakes and the bunts that had to be done...



I think you are starting to get the point.



I did 21 Germans...just Germans! It was so much fun! I love a good challenge!

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Angel (one of my bosses) ordered a cake this weekend. I was able to do the whole thing.It was really fun. I looked in our fondant flower box and saw little pink ones... and well I just went with it. Haha.



It is Red Velvet cake and cream cheese filling.

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I also did a Gingerbread Bunt for a special order. I am really beginning to feel festive!

Only 2 more days

Monday and Tuesday are going to very busy this week. Lots of happenings in the bakery trying to fill all of the Thanksgiving orders for cakes, pies, and what not.

So until then, I will still be talking about cake! After Tuesday night I will get back to the rest of my life!

This baby went this weekend:



We have had to do a lot of whole sale birthday cakes (wow bad picture)...



I am officially a fan of the vegan cakes now. My favorite is banana spice. But a close second is the chocolate peanut butter...



So until my break...that is all.

Thanksgiving is around here some where...

I have been so busy at work. Boy it was a long week and I was ready for a Saturday! Can I just say that I love my job? I love my job. I am working hard and am trying really hard to do my best. I love when something so kicks your butt and you just have to give in to it.

Lately we have been making and baking a lot of Aplet and Cotlets. Yes Still. 800 lbs takes a minute or two.


Or ten.






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A lot of our Fall and Thanksgiving menu is in! One of my favorite additions?

Vegan Banana Cupcakes with cinnamon caramel buttercream.



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Next week I will be working 6 days, trying to prepare for Thanksgiving. And for probably 12 hours or more on Monday. Apparently it is crazy. Tons of pie and extra whole sale orders. Im excited to see how nuts it gets! Bring it.

Also next week , my brother-in-law Dave is moving into our house for a little while. Now I have an excuss to make a huge Thanksgiving. Everyone else is invited as well. Unless we barely know each other, because then that would be akward.



Here is to a good 12 hours of sleep I am going to get tonight.

Aplets and Cotlets

It is finally Saturday. Thank heavens.


Work has been super busy lately! What I thought was busy before has been totally replaced with a new kind of crazy. It is very exciting and the new menu is coming in next week. There will be lots of new changes. Followed by the Open House, the photo shoot, and dum dum dum Thanksgiving.

I will be in Pie Hell.

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Made a million mini tiers this week:




The whole sale list over Halloween was totally crazy and I made a million of these:





Made this cake for the store:



Oh and today?

I scooped 240 lbs of Aplet and Cotlet cookies, using the worlds smalles cookie scoop.
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One of our very dear friends Heather had her baby this last week!




Doesn't he look just like her? What an adorable little man!



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Last Thanksgiving I spent in Southern Utah with my parents and extended family. Thanksgiving was at their house and after driving 18 hours and not sleeping for 2 days....I decided to just make most of it.

It was a blast...

and I spent a ton of time with my nephew...



But this time around I will be at Dessert Tray working my tush off! Too much to do to sneak away for a mini vacation!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I know I sure will!

Life lately...

Hyrum and I have been just working lately and having a very busy life! We spent some time getting the house ready to have friends stay with us for a few days and have been working tons!

We finally got a second to breath and went and bought enough pumpkin to make pie for a year...



(Okay obviously not all of these are ours!)

and of course I had to get some fall flowers up in the house...



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My best college girlfriend(Cassandra) flew in on Thursday to attend Graduation at WCI.I was able to spend some time with her and my god daughter Olivia! It was so great to be able to run around together like we used to and I cannot believe how big Olivia has gotten! Totally mind boggling...

Isn't she just adorable though?



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Our fun started out by attending WCI's first Alumni mixer at Restaurant Bleu. We saw some friends and chefs that we hadn't seen in a long time. There was wine and hors d'oeuvres. Some were pretty yummy, although the cake was only so-so. Maybe I'm just prejudice.



That was just the beginning of our girls night out on the town! Cass took the pictures because my camera (which I finally remembered to bring) had zero batteries! I will post the rest of the pictures later in the week when I get them from her!

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Today we went to Cass's graduation at the Portland Convention Center...





which happens to be a beautiful building with lots of art instillation's.





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After graduation we went to dinner at Stanfords. I had some pretty good Macaroni and Cheese. It had Gruyere, Cheddar, and Fontina cheese. It was also served with bacon and Panko. Yum.

I love the interior and the art...





and outside of Stanfords, one of my favorite fountains...

(Click to see the details)



As you can tell, we have been very busy lately! Time for a relaxing weekend!