The Cake Maker

Here are some creations by my favorite cake designer and maker, Alexis - when we arrived for our visit she was busy thinning out the fondant for her latest cakes. Here is her popcorn cupcake, she made two but her Dad ate the other one! Is she good or what!

click picture to enlarge

She also makes cookie bouquets, this is one she made for her Dad's Valentine's Day gift. Wow.



I was trying not to bother her while she was working, but really enjoyed just watching her work. She had ssuch concentration as she pipes the icing on the cake. She was decorating this cake for a Army Reserve unit that was returning from deployment.

We had to leave before she completed the cakes, I'll have to check back with her Dad to see pictures of the completed masterpieces.

What An Opportunity!

Don't you love seeing and hearing about kids doing the right thing? I certainly do! When my friend Tina sent me her annual "what's been going on with us" letter, she told how excited daughter Catherine (age 13) was being accepted into a leadership program with People to People where she will represent our country in a three week trip to China this summer. Here is the the letter from Catherine telling all about her big news!

Hello it’s Catherine,

I have some exciting news! I have an opportunity to go to China and I’m looking forward to your support. The organization hosting my trip to China is People to People - which represents the culmination of President Eisenhower’s lifelong crusade for world peace. He felt very strongly that everyday citizens of the world wanted peace and could attain it much more effectively without government interference. In January of 1956, President Eisenhower held an international conference at the White House to meet with the top 100 business leaders in the United States to help him form the organization to be called People to People (for additional information please see www.studentambassadors.org).

I have been recommended by my teachers to attend this trip due to academic status and leadership skills. I will visit China from July 24 – August 9 of 2009; while there I will go to Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Xian. The total cost of my trip to China is $6,739.00 which is due in May of 2009; therefore whatever support you provide should be received by May 1, 2009 at RR 2 Box 2676, Cresco, PA 18326 (please make all payments payable to Catherine R. A. Fornwald).

This trip will allow me to:

* Develop the global mindset and critical thinking skills that will become valuable to my college and future pursuits.
* Make social studies personal by comparing cultures and traditions with a host family in Shanghai.
* Go beyond the history textbook, seeing firsthand the Terracotta Warriors of Xian, the Great Wall, and other ancient works of art.
* Gain an appreciation of Chinese politics and ask questions of a government expert in Beijing.

In preparation for my visit to China I attend monthly meetings with twenty other Student Ambassadors and our two local People to People Leaders. To communicate while in China I have been learning Chinese and I have completed the People to People Student Ambassadors Certifications in the following subjects:

China Food and Customs
China Geography
China History and Government
China Religion and Art
China Daily Life
Your Home Stay
Hotel Procedure Safety & Behavior
Standards for Success
Staying Healthy
Money Matters
Making the Most of It!

Also please send me your e-mail address so I can keep you posted as I prepare for my journey and share my report & photos upon my return. Between you and me my parents (Mark & Tina) are so proud of me, but I think my brother (Alexander) is just glad I will be gone for 17 days!

Thank you in advance for your support,


Catherine R.A Fornwald
People to People Student Ambassador
My e-mail is craf@ptd.net

A Star Is Born!

Eric called me today to let me know that our friend Chris' dog Stormy is a celebrity. Stormy has the cover of a bag of Southern States dog food, click on the link to check him out. Mr. Stormy is a therapy dog, with a vest full of credentials, and is as cute as can be. Way to go Stormy! I just want to know when I can get your your pawtograph?

I am Loved!

Friends are flowers in the garden of life!

I received a gift from my friend Trish in the mail Tuesday! It's not even my birthday - she sent me the gift because she loves me and thought of me when she saw the set. Do I have a terrific friend or what!

The journal has "Enjoy Life!" on the front, there is a 2 year planner, a pack of recipe cards, a magnetic list pad, and a pack of note cards. I love everything, even the green tissue paper! Thank you so my dear friend, I love you bunches!

This is what is on the top of the list pad:

A little more laughter

A little less worry

A little more kindness

A little less hurry

What a Cutie...

Here is a picture of Nike, the new addition for friend Michelle and family. Nike is only 4 weeks old so she is still nursing with mum but will be joining her new family soon. Isn't she adorable!

Simply Blue

My friend Michelle just celebrated her birthday, and I made these earrings for her. Blue cat eye beads with flat Bali spacers, which go nicely with the cat eye bracelet that I restrung for her.

Here is the bracelet I restrung for Michelle, the cat eye bracelet is stunning. She received two necklaces to match the bracelet for her birthday, different sizes both lovely, plus other magnificent pieces.


Michelle and I are planning a "field trip" to go to the shop where she purchased the bracelet, I am so looking forward to going - I get giddy going to bead stores, so I will be grinning from ear to ear the whole time in a store that has lots of handmade jewelry!

Baby Elijah David

Congratulations to my friend Jenny and family at ForingerFamily, she gave birth to Elijah David on this past Sunday.

Jenny wrote a very amusing post on what a mother of 8/9 children does after her water breaks, be sure to read it, amazing is all I can say! Click here to read the post "The Baby is Coming".

Giant Sunflower

I just had to share this with you, fellow home school mom Kristin sent these pictures yesterday of her daughter Becca's sunflower.

Is this amazing or what. Kristin said that Becca received the sunflower seeds during book club for our home school group, planted her tiny seeds in the front yard, and here is the fruit of her labor. She measured the plant a few days ago, it was 8 feet 6 inches and is still growing. Way to go Becca!

It is amazing what God can do with just a small seed or ANYTHING! We just need to allow ourselves to be cultivated.

Another Beautiful Day

My friend Kelly, a Mary Kay consultant came over yesterday so we could play with make-up. I was amazed at how much I learned and how it doesn't take all that long to clean, moisturize, and "do" my face. It felt good to "do right" by my skin! Kelly organized my products in my handy-dandy carrying case in the order of usage, well I started messing about and got things all out of order - I was able to figure it out on my own; I did e-mail her to make sure that I had it back in the correct order! Hey, I'm new at this stuff.

After my facial pampering the kids and I headed to the park for a picnic with a fellow homeschool family. It was such a beautiful day, the kids had fun running and playing, they even played with some younger children who showed up as well. One little boy had a bag of toys, he told Nicole to hold them because they were really heavy for him! It was too funny. When we were packing up and leaving the boys mother complimented my friend Yvonne and I on how well behaved our children were. You gotta love those "unsocialized" homeschooled kids!

Thank you Yvonne, Meagan and Connor for a great afternoon of fun and fellowship!

Friends

A friend is:

A push when you’ve stopped

A word when you’re lonely

A guide when you’re searching

A smile when you’re sad

A song when you’re glad.

- Author Unknown



Saturday I had dinner with a few girlfriends. We have been trying to get together every other month to catch up and just strengthen our friendship. At this gathering we had six in attendance and meet at O’Charley's for fellowship, fun and laughter.

I did remember to bring my camera but forgot to ask the ladies if I could share the photos here. Here are two of the desserts that were enjoyed!