Quinn makes 1 million dollars

You have to see it to believe it.

Remember that "UNDERBAG" from the Christmas party?
Well, q and his partner are forming a business to sell them world wide.

No Joke.

They have already lined up a production facility in China, established marketing, and we're in the grass roots phase of product design now.

I'm almost reluctant to post the pics for fear someone may steal the idea... but I think there's a patent in the works as well.

Anyhow, the website is coming together but we needed some preliminary photos so guess who got to be the model? You got it: I had to walk around the mall for an hour wearing our prototype! No, not embarrassing at all right?!?!

At one point Q said to me, "Now just walk around into the cool stores and pretend like you are shopping, we want to see how people react."

I thought he was crazy but much to my chagrin, he was really serious! And to cap it off- we even heard an audible, "Did you see that girl's bag-it's awesome!" from a group of unsuspecting teens.

Anyhow, they'll be on the market soon so I'll let you know when and where you can buy one.
Oh Q- Oh Q....

My First Fondant Cake!!!

I'm completely impressed with it... as long as I stand at least 10 feet back.

See how completely and totally THIN my black fondant layer is!!!???!!!
Meg had to help me get it on the cake-and with minimal tearing we had success.
I had a bit of trouble smoothing it out around the bottom though,
Plus, my pink is a new strawberry fondant that wouldn't dry
so it has my fingerprints all over in it.

Alas, it now awaits unsuspecting teachers in the faculty lounge.
Do you think anyone will eat it???

Birthday Success

The big day:

Treated myself to a much needed bi-annual hair cut-

My students were great. Every class broke out into a spontaneous burst of
"happy birthday to you" when I walked in the door.
Home base even hid under the desks and turned out the lights,
then jumped out and yelled SURPRISE
when I walked in.
You know it's good when 9th graders bring you presents
and sing for you of their own accord!

I stayed up tell LATE LATE the night before and made my very own mouthwatering carrot cake. I hunted for the perfect recipe with yogurt and found a none-to-easy Alton Brown go from some obscure foreign site. Everything was listed in ounces but it looked like the makings of a real winner so I slaved away for a few hours and the result was SO WORTH IT!

It was absolute bliss. Best cake I ever had!
This labor intensive delicatessen of love is worth the effort. Thanks Alton Brown, I will be making this again... when I'm up for a good work out that is.

I CAN'T BELIEVE Quinn threw me a SURPRISE PARTY!!!

I spent the whole time thinking about how wonderful my friends are. I need to tell them how cool I think they are but I'm not sure it is possible. Q called a few of my girl friends and put on a chick party he later said, "was way fun!" What a guy!!! Not only did he throw me a girl party, he served the cake and thoroughly enjoyed himself in the midst of wonderful girl company too.

Well, it happened. I turned 29. Ouch.

Don't have:

that house I want
flat stomach
tickets to Thailand

Do have:

hot Q
secure job
Kata D-467

I'd say it's better than six's all around, wouldn't you???

Don't forget: Dinner at Vietnamese (yes again) and a free B-Day Spoon Me!

CHECK IT:

I just made my first fondant cake! Don't look close- I'm pretty much horrible at it...plus I haven't finished decorating the thing yet. Polk-a-dots to come. Definitely I am not very good at this either. Three strikes in a row: Photography, sprouting grains, and cake decor all down the drain. Maybe I'll just come home and watch TV like a normal person next week.

If you are a Stirland...

You might like this Easter footage...

If you are not a Stirland, you will be bored out of your mind.

I become domesticated

Look what I made last night!!!

I wanted to bring one to everyone but mid delivery... I ate them all. No worries, now that I am domesticated I'll whip up some more. So easy- way time consuming- but perfectly delish! ...And if you are one of the three families that got these last night, consider yourselves tremendously lucky that Q refuses to eat one speck of sugar.

PLUS: I wanted to show you my new cake platter. Christensen's Homeworks is going out of business so I got this beauty 50% off! Still a small fortune, but totally worth it. As Steve would say,

"Isn't she a beauty?!"

Come What May And Love It

I love it. I love all of it. This life, that my problems aren't as difficult as others', that I have been prepared to handle them... Grateful that I put in those 10 years of college, that I have a job where I am valued and am satisified even if it is never what I wanted. I love that I am so excited for little things like cake class on Wednesdays and popcorn seasoning. I love that I get to live this life with this family in this town that I always thought I would want to leave. I love that I feel empowered and not inadequate, that I'm confident, that I am smart, that I don't fall for propaganda. I love love love my religion and am so excited and blessed by the truths it allows me to enjoy while on earth. I can't believe how absolutely blessed and enriched my life is all because of this gospel! Why me? Why do I get to be so lucky? I love my friends and I love admiring them from afar even though none of them know how much I think of them (I should tell them). I love Q being silly and a kid even though it drives me crazy... I love being driven crazy... and I love life. It's hard, it's not what I expect [ever], or want [most of the time], I'm not very good at it, I complain about most of it, but I love it... and, of course, I love that I love it!

Stirland Family Hunt

FAMILY FOOTAGE TO FOLLOW