Jumping!!!

Today we went to the Jump Zone in Bentonville, AR. I am exhausted. We were there for 3 hours. I can not believe Jack even was able to jump that much. He gladly came home and took a nap.

More Jeni Cakes

So here are some really OLD pictures of some cakes. I apologize for some being so fuzzy.

Jack's first birthday. Only picture of Elmo cake and he had already pulled the left eye off. Cake was a yellow butter cake and tinted butter cream icing. 100% edible.

View #2 of yellow butter and chocolate checkerboard cake with chocolate butter cream icing made for NWA bake sale (Mommies on a Mission). When the cake is sliced, it resembles a checkerboard inside (hence the name).

Final exam cake for class II. This was a devil's food cake with a butter cream icing. This used a basket weave, multiple flowers, and color flow technique.

View #2
Sponge Bob cake made for niece's birthday a few years ago. This was a cake to feed 45 people and used an icing and rolled fondant technique.

Another cake for my niece. This cake was to feed 35 people. It was a yellow cake with raspberry filling. The icing was butter cream and decorated with rolled fondant and icing. Everything is edible except for the Strawberry Shortcake candle (and the few candles next to it).

Name of blog and about me

So, I guess I should probably explain the name of the blog "Hall-Mark Life" and tell everyone a little bit about me. No, we do not have a greeting card type of marriage, family, or life. But we try the best we can. The name came from the combination of my maiden name Hall and my now married name Markowitz. Gee, I am just so smart. After moving here to NWA, I felt that I needed something to occupy my time. Yes, Jack does take up MOST of that, but I mean do something. Go back to work as an accountant had crossed my mind many many times and financially, it is probably the best thing for our family. My dream would be to do something from home where I could earn a little more mula until Jack is in school full time (and hope to have another one on the way before too long....but that is another story). When I first moved to Alexandria, VA after college, my boss encouraged me to take up a hobby. I worked an average of 55 hours a week managing a CVS on Arlington Blvd just blocks from the Pentagon. I lived alone and the closest family member was over 250 miles away. All I did was work work work. So, I agreed to take a look at a local community college paper. That is where I found it....Cake Decorating. That is where I met my cake mentor and Master Wilton Cake Decorator Jeri. I learned so much from her. She showed me how to channel my work frustrations into squeezing a feather-weight bag of stiff icing and making something wonderful (that you could eat as well!). From there, I completed level I, II, and III of Wilton Cake Decorating and also completed a gum-paste flower and petite four cake classes. It took about 3 years to complete all of these courses (at night) but at the end, I was awarded with a certification from Fairfax County and Wilton that certified me to decorate cakes. I never really thought much about it after that. In the mean time, I had decided I hated my job at CVS and wanted to do something more with numbers. So, I went back to school to get my second bachelors in accounting (my first was in Economics). My plan was to sit for the CPA and make some $$$. I finished the accounting degree and started studying my brains out. We had just moved back to PA a month before I was scheduled to take my first section, Auditing. I was able to take the Auditing, Business, and Regulation sections, but became pregnant with Jack before I could take the Financial test. With being on bed rest the last month of the pregnancy, I was banned from stress and stress related activities so that temp. put an end to my CPA path. I realized that my current commute (1.5 hours each way) was not going to last long either once I had a new baby. So, I found another job only 30 min from home that provided daycare and shorter hours. The only drawback was a $20,000 reduction in pay. But, I made the decision to do so in hopes to get back on that CPA track. Then, it happened. Aaron got promoted and we moved here to sunny NWA. So, I am back to the same old delema.....go back to work and put Jack in daycare (where he was always sick) or stay home with Jack. Hardest decision in my life. I think for now, I will continue to stay at home with him but use this time to start back up with the CPA thing and go back to decorating cakes on the side. Since I have only done cakes for family and friends, I am pretty new to the entire thing. But, if you live in the area, and want something affordable, I can probably help you out. I guess this is the only way to get started, right???

Cakes

I have decided that I would like to start selling cakes on the side. I will post pictures of cakes I have done in the past. If anyone is interested in having me create a cake for them, please notify me.

This particular cake is a yellow and chocoate checker board cake with a chocolate buttercream icing.

starting out

So, we are starting this blog in hopes that it works.