I saw this in a store the other day.

In case my last post made anyone think that I had given up cakes then rest assured that didn't happen. I just have to take things slower because of Nathaniel. For instance, last year for the Austin cake show I started my cakes about two weeks ahead of the event...this year, I started yesterday, and the event is not till the end of February.

Anyhow, before this year's cake show rolls around I should share some things from the last years. to start with in this blog I'm going to brag a little about an opportunity that came to me because of a cake I entered in last year's "That Takes the Cake" show. You might recall that I posted a blog about my excitement that one of my cakes made it on the Cake Wrecks blog; well, that same cake also got me a magazine interview. The magazine is called American Cake Decorating and I made it into the Nov./Dec. issue on technical cakes.

Here are some pictures of it for your enjoyment!

First, the Cover of the magazine:

Yup, that's my cake on the cover!!! From this view point you can see the LED lights that were inside.

Next, on pages 20 and 21 you have my article:

If by chance you can't see them very well here are the pictures and the writing separately. (If you click on a picture you can see it at it's biggest.)

The two pictures on the the second page (above) were actually taken by me. I emailed them to the magazine people so that they could see what it looked like with the lights off. It was very bright in the hall where they took their pictures so they didn't have any shots that showed the blue light very well.

(Click picture to enlarge it to read.)

I guess they have a bit of creative license when they write an article because I never said I dreamed this cake up. I specifically said I couldn't sleep when I thought of it. But I guess their way made a more exciting beginning to the article. And anything that's quoted by me in the article could be true...hard to remember since I had only been home from the hospital a week and half after the birth of my son when I answered the interviewers questions. I might have been a bit loopy.

Then lastly, we have page 56. On this page they included each contributor's favorite tool to work with. Here's the page:
And after the magazine went out I received an email from a gentleman that ran a cakes and catering company in Kentucky that wanted more information about the metal icing smoother I used so that he could go get one. That was nuts....but pretty neat.
That means at least one person somewhere read the article. :)

Life Decisions

I know most people would expect an update and pictures of Nathaniel or possibly some new pictures of cakes here on my blog, but I'm not writing about either of these. Well, I guess this is about cakes but I'm not going to upload a bunch of pictures of my new stuff. (Though I intend to get around to that some day.)

Today I need to talk about motherhood, life decisions, and giving things up. I got a couple of interesting emails today. I was contacted by someone who is opening up a bakery in San Antonio. They had come across my website while looking for Austin Bakers. They also found my resume on LinkedIn. They liked what they saw and wanted to know if I was at all interested in a job as they were looking for professional head bakers for the bakery they were opening up in San Antonio.

There was probably a whole five minutes that I sat there contemplating the offer. I saw myself working at a bakery making cakes all day long. I saw myself creating masterpieces, receiving praise for my delicious work, and getting paid on top of it all. My dream job. I nearly started hyperventilating with the excitement that I felt!

And then I came back to reality.

I looked down at my son who was wiggling in my lap. He's only 6 months old and has turned into Velcro baby these last few days. I haven't showered in two days. He cries if he can't be with me 24/7 and even needs to be sitting against me or he'll keep one hand on my leg while he's playing with his toys. He didn't used to be this way. Now, he's permanently stuck. I don't know if this is just what 6 month olds are like or if he's going through something. Maybe he's not feeling well. He's been sleeping a lot lately too. But only in my arms. Anyhow, the point is it hit me suddenly. I can't do this. I can't get a job as a head baker in a shop and become a famous decorator...at least not right now. And it's not just Nathaniel, Monte loves his job here in Austin. He's good at and enjoys it. I'm proud of him. And a good job, good pay, good health insurance.....you can't really pass that up (especially in this economy) to go chasing after dreams.

A few years ago, before I was married, before I had a child, before I had a house mortgage, it would have been easy. I would have moved to San Antonio. I would have taken the job. I would have taken the chance that it might not turnout great, that the business might fail, that it might be mediocre. But I would have tried. Now, I just can't do that. I've made a decision about my life. And in all truthfulness I do love my home, I love my life here in Austin, I love my husband's company, and most of all I love my family. But this is the first time that my dreams of home and family have been in conflict with my dreams of career and ...well... my own interest and selfish pursuits.

I was extremely flattered by the job offer. It made me feel good. Yet I felt sad too and fought back tears as I typed my reply. I turned down the offer. And then I held my son till he fell asleep again.


As mothers, or fathers, have you faced this moment yet? How did you deal with it?