Who wants their CAKE and eat it too?

I wanted to share a few of my favorite cakes!

The monkey cake was for a friend of mine, Shannon Hartz Cox for her baby shower. Shannon and I played high school and college softball together. It was such a privledge to play on the same ball team as her through out the years. It is amazing to watch us grow up together as teenage ball players and now become wives and mommies.

The Bee themed baby shower cake is my most recent cake and one of my favorites. It was for Marena Malizia Spell. Mimi and I were neighbors growing up and have known each other since we were 12 years old. Even though, we parted ways (in a good way) for a while due to "life", I am so glad that her and I can catch up like we were still neighbors. She is offically my hair lady and I love chattingwith her as if we never had a break from each other. We just laugh and talk about the crazy times we had.

This pink and Black wedding cake was for my sister, Aron. She married her high school best friend on August 26, 2006. I love this cake. Aron always tells me, "why do you always put my wedding cake as your profiel pic? I seen you make prettier cakes than mine."

Well, she is right, in a way, but since then, I have worked with fondant over and over and it has really brought a lot of variety my skill. So, I wouldn't call the other cakes prettier, just different.

Plus, who wouldn't love their sister's wedding cake?

It's an honor to create these kinds of things for family!

The Tiffany style box cake is my absolute favorite!

When the bride, Karla, told me she wanted a tiffany box style cake, I got really excited, because ideas started spinning immediately. The most exciting part was that she gave me the topper and said, "do whatever." I love it when brides give me free range. It doesn't happen often, but I love it.

I am so glad I met Karla and was able to create this cake for her. Everything on this cake, except the cake topper is 100% edible!

Although, these are not all of my favorites, I could go on and on, but I just wanted to share a few that I considered different or a challenge.

Thanks for peeking!

No coupons, say what?

CVS

$130 before coupons, $26 after with $10 extra bucks back, so basically a $16 trip

• 6 12pk charmin toilet paper
• 2 dove body washes
• 1 men's dove body wash
• 3 excedrins
• 2 oral b power toothbrushes
• 2 crest 3D white toothpastes

Today, I had to take Cooper to the doctor for his horrible diaper rash. The poor little guys has been fighting an ear infection since March 5th. We have tried 3 different antibiotics, causing an allergic reaction with an outbreak in hives. Now, he is fighting this terrible rash and the ear infection doesn't seem to be getting any better. But, on a good note, he is still happy and hasn't had any fevers!

So, the doctor recommended a certain kind of cream. Even though, I knew I was going to "pay" a pretty penny for it, so against my better judegement, I decided to make a one stop shop at Publix without any coupons. I was avoiding having to stop again and unload my super tired, ready-for-a-nap son!

What was I thinking going in there without any coupons?

This is the first time, ever, since October when I started couponing that I went shopping without coupons. Let me tell you, that will never happen again!

I almost had a heart attack when the cashier gave me my total ($113) when I only had 7 bags of groceries. It hurt to pay that much!

Rite Aid $118 before coupons, $45 after

• 3 boxes of huggies diapers
• 2 4pks of quilted northern
• 3 pks of wet ones
• 2 zicams
• 2 loreal make ups
• 4 pks of huggies wipes

Publix $57.33 before coupons, $1.63 after coupons

• 12 pks of kotex
• 3 colgate toothpastes
• 4 sundown fish oils

These are just a few of my many successful couponing shopping trips. I know it takes a little bit of time to save money...not much, just a little. When you can save this much with coupons, why wouldn't you?

I say spend the time to save money or you will be spending money to save time!

In the famous words of Hannah Montanna, "No coupons, say what?"
I will never go into a grocery store without coupons again!!!

The Heart of An Athlete

So...my sister has encouraged me to blog. She seems to think I have a lot to talk about with my cake decorating and couponing. Even though I am a first time mom, it will be hard to stay away from the personal "mommy" experiences, but I am going try and keep this blog mostly about my experiences with couponing, running and cake designing. I seem to love all three, I call it my triple threat!

I recently became a runner over the last couple months. I never thought in a million years that I would run just to run...and actually enjoy it! I hated running in my high school and college sports (softball and volleyball). All coaches seem to use running as a form of punishment. When you mess up in practice, you ran. When you struck out looking in a game, you ran. When you missed curfew in college, you ran. When you lost a game you weren't supposed, you ran. When you did bad in school or cut class, you ran. RUN, RUN, RUN!!! I mean, seriously, who likes to run?

Well, this girl does!!!

I wanted to run for two reasons: the obvious being to lose weight and to get in shape. I worry about setting a good example for my son. So, not only to run to try to be heart healthy, but I also started a clean eating diet. Well, I really wouldn't even consider a "diet" but a change of lifestyle in the way we eat. Cancer, heart disease and obesity scare me! I am not perfect at it, but I try. It's hard on the wallet to try and eat clean 100% of the time.

When I first started running back in January, I could barely run a mile without stopping. I am carrying so much extra weight and it killed my knees, hurt my lungs and I just wanted to quit! My exact words in my mind were "this crap is for the birds!" BUT, I kept at it, thanks to an excellent running buddy, Felicia, who pushed me.

My very first race was on February 26th, 2011, a 5K (3.1 miles) in James Island. I was so nervous. I had first time "at bat" jitters. You know those "game day" jitters. I felt like I was playing ball again in high school or college.

The heart started to race and all I kept thinking about was "just go, Rhonda!"

I told Felicia "do not let me stop!"

Towards the end of the race, that last 0.1 mile to go seemed the hardest, because Felicia said "Don't let the purple shirt lady pass us." Us both being very competitive...so, we sprinted...

I was saying out loud..."Oh God!"

Felicia said. "Don't stop, keep going. We are almost there!"

Like Nemo "Keep on Swimming" well, we kept on sprinting. I felt like that little stretch of 0.1 miles was 5 miles away. I thought I was going to die, literally when I crossed that finish line.

Felicia said, "I thought you were going to quit on me at the end"

I said, "No way girl, I made it that far, I was going to finish!" And I did, finally! 41 minutes and 4 seconds later, I finished.

What an accomplishment for me after only training for a week. I ran here and there, but never consistent. I felt so relieved that it was over, but at the same time, I was ready for more!

2011 Race Results

1. February 26th * Lifepoint 5K * James Island, SC * Time 41.07
2. March 12th * Flowertown 5K * Summerville, SC * Time 37.41
3. March 17th * Catch the Leprechaun * Mt Pleasant, SC * Time 35.51

I have improved and so excited! It only gets better from here.

My goal at the end of the year is to run a 1/2 marathon, which is 13.1 miles. Some people think I am crazy, but this is my personal goal along with dropping 30 more lbs aside from the 15 I have already dropped.

I haven't felt this great since my collegiate athlete days. Back then, 1998-2002, I was only 130lbs and running was easy, even though I hated it, I could do it with no problem. Although I am no where near the athlete I used to be, I am now doing it for different reasons.

I can tell it is definitely getting easier, because I am up to 5.5 miles in one run, my knees have finally stopped aching and my lungs don't feel like they are going to collapse through my chest.

I want to be heart healthy!