New Goals...

While Wes and I were away in Europe we (each individually) made a list of goals for ourselves that we were determined to stick to as we "integrated" back into the "real world." These goals included and were not limited to cooking/food choices, basic life skills, work out plans, job goals, etc. Now that we've been back for 7 months it is time to assess those goals  and write new ones. One goal amongst the list is to sort out what I want from a blog. I miss blogging... or maybe it is that I miss wanting to blog? I loved writing blogs, and I used to wonder why everyone didn't have one--they're fun! I miss having a camera around my neck as I cook dinner, and sharing the latest Portland adventure with you all. But I guess that is just it.. we aren't in Portland anymore. Nor are we far away from our "audience" anymore. The whole point of the blog was to remain close with friends and family and keep you in touch with what we were doing. Now we are doing things with you, in the flesh! Anyway, my whole point here is simply to say that in the midst of transitioning into the rest of this California/no school/full time job/lifestyle, the blog will transition too.... maybe it will morph into nothing... maybe it will continue to be what it's always been... For today, it was fun to stop in and write something! And because blogs are always much more exciting with pictures, I thought I'd share a few pictures that we snapped with my phone of the wedding flowers I did over the weekend.

mini peach cabbage roses, white spray roses, coral peonies, wax flower, sweet pea, creamy hypericum berries, ruscus, maiden hair fern, hydrangea, lily of the valley, dusty miller, and a couple others joined the party.

So thankful to have such supportive family! After having an emergency set of 100 coral peonies sent to me the morning of the wedding, they huddled around and processed them for me. Thanks team! :)

a blurry shot of the bouquets all suited up and ready for the journey to the wedding.

Assembling the Chuppah arrangement. Couldn't have done it without my faithful sidekick, AKA, Mom. 

3 hours, many zip ties and staples later and...it's finished! 

It was a very surreal experience to get to sit in on the wedding and get to watch all my hard work interacted with and enjoyed.

Tree Stump Cake

Apparently, this blog is just going to turn into "my thoughts on cake!" I promise you that isn't true... However, today I experienced my first "sketch-turned-reality cake." That is, about a week ago, I helped a customer dream up their perfect cake. She said "think red woods." I said "what about a tree stump?" Within the hour a sketch of a tree stump was drawn up with moss, and mushrooms, and engraved initials to boot. She placed her order and today, I got to see the finished product, and let me tell you it was as adorable as it was rewarding. Chocolate shavings added to the realistic bark looking texture, a perfectly combed/swirl effect topped the cake to make it look as though the tree was a thousand years old. Loved it.

Look mom and dad! My years of doodling cupcakes on my homework really is paying off! ;)

The Smell of Cake

The word "intoxicating" comes to my mind quite often these days as I walk through the bakery.  When the day approaches that blessed hour where the cakes are sitting in front of fans in the cooling room and you breath nothing in but a hundred chocolate cakes, you can't help but be completely consumed with the strange and divine sensation that is our sense of smell.

I am approaching 3 months at the bakery. Last week we officially reached our 3 months of being back in Sacramento. It's hard for us to believe that we have been home the same amount of time we were traveling. Our three months in Europe felt like a lifetime and our three months of being home has gone wizzing by. The other day as I was stacking Tiramisu rounds, I marveled at how God has continued to surprise us and provide us with jobs and a home that we never imagined. Even in the many hours and hours we sat in Europe journaling and dreaming about all of the many possibilities never did we come up with this scenario.

In many ways we feel that we have successfully recreated what we had in Portland. That is... we have a grocery store, public transit, a coffee shop, a small budget movie theater, and restaurants all within blocks of our new two bedroom apartment. Even better... back in the days of dating Wes and I would go to this coffee shop and talk about how lovely it would be to live in the complex we just moved into. We now both work on the same street and within biking distance to our home. And not only did we both find jobs in a reasonable amount of time, they are actually aligned with our passions and creative interests. My conclusion is that, God is good. Plain and simple. I am so thankful for how God has provided. I cannot wait to finally live normal life in Sacramento. As we continue to unpack boxes I dream of the day we can invite friends and family over for dinner, cook a thousand new recipes (and share them with you here) and watch movies whilst eating Ben and Jerry's like we used to. Here's to new adventures in Sacramento: at the bakery, or at the coffee shop, in our new kitchen, with food, with flowers, or perhaps a spicy dram of scotch in hand. Cheers!

Hello Old Friend...

Dear Blog, 

I've missed you. You help me reflect on and relive the many joys of my incredibly full and rich life. You give me perspective and you listen. We meet again old friend, we meet again. I look forward to what this year will bring us. 

Sincerely,  

Yours Truly

I have officially been away from blogging for three months now. Most of you know that back in my portland days I would miss the blog if I was away from it for ten days let alone 3 months!! It has been a good time away. Not only did I completely stop blogging for the past three months, but the three months prior to that were spent doing a different type of blogging as we traveled through Europe. I am happy to be starting this up again. I envision it being an extension to our old Portland, 26th Street Sentiments blog, only with the fresh name and a new destination to write about- seeing as how we are back in our hometown. We are excited about what 2013 has in store for us. We have yet to have found a place of our own but don't you worry, you can follow every bit of it right here as we land on our own two (four) feet again and let down new roots. Happy New Year everyone!