Nothing is as simple as it seems

I love going to work, I really do, and I am one of the fortunate ones that loves their job! I am paid to play with food, bake cakes and make things out of icing. If you reread that first sentence,  you'll notice that I place particular emphasis on the word "going!"  The act of physically and mentally leaving one's home, getting in the car/bus/train and travelling a distance to one's workplace. This, I love. But with four kids, there is a hell-of-a-lot-of behind the scenes that goes into making that happen.......

So last Wednesday night, after 5 hours of Baton twirling training with 11 kids to yell at, a further hour of general preparation for the following school day ahead and then another 4 hours of fiddling with cake pops, I finally got to bed.   With roughly 4 hours sleep under my belt, I dragged myself out of bed at 6:30am and hit the ground shuffling for a long day ahead.
The Frustrated painter was on school drop off duty, which allowed me the luxury of simply going to work. Rephrase that....... there is no "simply" anything when  kids are involved. The preparation, to allow me this luxury, was anything but simple, but in the end, simply walk out the door I did.

I arrived at the Studio a good hour and a half later, scanning for somewhere to park my beast of a car as I drove up the narrow, already car-lined street. I have to admit, I must be a sight, turning up to inner city studios, where there is limited parking, limited road size and more often than not, height restrictions as well. I drive a 100 series, Landcruiser with 33 inch mud tyres, a 2 inch lift, heavy duty roof racks and and a candy cane aerial made for the CB and UHF that seriously is, taller than my kids. I don't look like I'd have the strength to carry my boxes, let a alone manouvre a car like the one I drive!!! . I left my car parked across the studio driveway and wandered into the studio,  politely asking the photographer if there was somewhere close by I could park OR if I could park in here (with the other cars) Something tells me, the next part of the conversation did not go the way he imagined. "Could you have brought a bigger car?" he commented. "Well that is my car. I don't have a smaller one," I replied.  He went on to say "You can leave it in here, but I have to fit in 6 cars," as he put his hand out for my keys??  I think my puzzled look and refusal to hand over my keys confused him. "You don't trust me?" I questioned as I eyed him, sizing up my car and the size of the entrance to his studio, the 4 cars I had to move around and then me! "It's my car, I drive it all day everyday, I can park it myself!!" I didn't mean to be rude and I certainly hope he did not take offence. I just spoke the truth. He reluctantly agreed that I could move my own car and  watched me like a hawk, as I used my best precision driving skills..... I missed all four cars, both side walls, his garage door and parked as close as humanly possible to the car in front to allow all the other cars he was expecting, a parking space of their own. With all that done.....I could finally get on with my job :)
It seems its just as hard to get into the Studio as it is to get out of my own house!!!!

This is how my every day starts!!! Coffee :) 

Just another busy day at work! This time from Gloria Jeans at Cronulla .....

Sharing the love ❤❤

Ready Steady Cook and the video clip

One of the advantages of so many children is there is always one of them around, usually asking me for something, but nonetheless, there is always one right by my side. An added advantage is this generation of kids are coputer savvy, ipod able and technologically gifted. Put these two together and you have an 8 year old that can film a video clip of me decorating one of my cakes, add special effects and upload it to Youtube.

So here it is.......

This was the cake that I was asked to make for the filming of the 1000th Celebration show for Ready Steady Cook. This is one of the many parts that no 3 filmed and the part that she gave me permission to post on my blog. I hope you like it.

X Nads

Mothers Day Eve

Although it took a little convincing, I managed to get the kids to agree that travelling from one end of Sydney to the other to watch Mummy set up a Wedding Cake at the Quarantine Station was an awesome way to spend Mothers Day Eve!!!

Im not entirely sure that I looked my most professional, turning up wearing Ugg Boots and with a car load of kids that looked and sounded like they had just been let out of their cages but that's how it happened. With the Autumn sun streaming through the windows, lighting up the empty hall, the kids strutted their stuff on the dance floor while I set up one of the prettiest cakes I have made all year. I finished off the cake with a last minute bow tied with a spare ribbon I found floating and some rose petals pinched from the tables. I loaded up my tools and my kids, piled into the Landcruiser and waved to the unsuspecting Bride as we drove out of the Quarantine Station.  



the people empty hall



Ben & Jerry's @ Manly



North Head National Park



 A quick visit and some sightseeing at North Head National Park and then a stop off in Manly for some much deserved Ice cream from Ben Jerry's would have been the perfect way to finish off our busy day. Amsuing the Irish Boy who served us by telling him my loud and over enthusiastic children were "a bunch of fat bastards" and then sitting back and watching them entertain passers by as they excitedly lined up over and over again to ride down the handrails and then drop to the sand below, was a pleasure that only the mother of four loud, over enthusiastic, fat bastards can enjoy......

Oh. I forgot to mention that our perfect day ended with an $88 FINE for forgetting to pay for parking :(



                    

OOPS!!!! 

Note to self: do NOT text and pour!