The Wedding Extravaganza

Kate and Don are officially hitched! Now you'll know why we were exhausted...my feet hurt so bad I didn't put my grown up shoes on until right before the wedding. I kept my furry house shoes on until absolutely necessary. It was chaotic but totally worth it! Check out pictures below....

 The sanctuary

 The pew bows....not tied by me...I'm a bow-tying failure. We're lucky I don't have to wear velcro shoes.

 We're going to decorate the sanctuary like this for Christmas next year...too pretty not to.

 Jace the Flower Girl...pre dress

The beautiful bride.... 

 Reception center pieces....way to go Mom!

 Don't be jealous of her shoes....they were her favorite part of the entire day

 Look at those adorable groomsmen, all dressed and sitting there so composed. It may have something to do with the fact that the wedding planner told everyone to be at the church for pictures by 11am - even though pictures didn't start until 11:45. Yes, that's right - I lied. We had a schedule to keep people! Kate thanked me for my sneakiness later.

 Ta da! Didn't she turn out pretty!

 My parents and Jacie

 Pretty, pretty bridesmaids

 Jacie telling the photographer what to do...there's a shocker.

 Dad and Lee...Looking at them you'd never know I almost committed homicide at Goody's over their tux issues...

My sister Em and niece Sydney....I'm pretty sure Em needs a second career in cosmotology... Syd's hair and Kate's hair turned out beautiful

 Shhhhh.....wedding in progress....

The beautiful reception....the cake went under the tent 

 Who needs a grooms cake when you can have a candy table instead? It was a huge hit!

The wedding party table

Glad I can feel my feet again,

Mandy

My Masterpiece.....

So, you probably know that my little sister Kate, got married the weekend before Christmas. 


No, I'm not going to get all sentimental on you. 


So what if I can remember holding her when she was born....
or how she had little Yoda ears when she was a baby...
or how much she loved the pet turtle I secretly released from his ice cream bucket home when she was six (Sorry Kate, you had to find out someday). 


Its amazing how time flies and tiny, follow-you-around-everywhere-siblings grow up into beautiful brides. 


Anyway, not only was I her wedding planner - I was also the cake maker. 


Can you tell I like a challenge? Its either that or I'm crazy. It probably takes a little of both to survive in my world. 


Either way its absolutely true that I love Kate (and my new BIL Don) 4 tiers worth of blood, sweat, and almost exhaustion induced tears. And I have the photo to prove it. (All actual evidence in this case has been eaten)


I struck out on my adventure to learn to make cakes like this a few years ago and I have Googled and experimented and bluffed my way through it. I have learned.....


1. Mini marshmallows are oddly versatile....hence the Marshmallow Fondant on the cake pictured below. 


2. The afore mentioned mini marshmallows WILL spontaneously combust just like an Easter Peep if microwaved for too long. 


3. Flowers, ribbon, and stenciling are not just pretty....they're mistake hiders :)


4. PVC pipe isn't just for plumbing.... its also a wonderful gigantic rolling pin when you need it.


5. In fact, any household item can qualify as a "cake sculpting tool"...toothpicks, q-tips, pizza cutters.....


6. How many people does it take to cover a large cake layer in fondant? -If you're short -at least 3


7. Forget Oil of Olay...Crisco Vegetable Shortening will give you hands 10 times softer for a fraction of the price. 


8. If I made homemade fondant every day, Michelle Obama would want to trade arms with me. 

Mom did the flowers and bridesmaids-of-the-year Michelle and Morgan helped me with the layers! They were wonderful assistants. We're still waiting on Ace of Cakes to call and ask us for our autographs. 

Wedding pictures coming soon to a blog near you...

Cake Crafter Mandy

Christmas Around the World

....was the title of our kid's Christmas play this year....which means that each kid got to dress up in a different international costume. 

That's right...you see a Japan, Ireland, Sweden, Rome, Africa, Scotland, America, and Mexico represented.

 Our Roman soldier was hilarious!...he was barefoot and had a sword and shield to entertain himself with

The only angel I've every seen with a pacy.....

More to come...

Mandy

Kings Kids Christmas

The month of December has been complete. utter. mindboggling. CHAOS for the Knight family. I am sooo ready for January to get here so we can be boring again. Here is a glimpse of one of the wonderful things that filled the last 30 days....

This year JCN adopted 7 kids from our community for the Christmas season. We interviewed families and had the kids (ages 1 - 9) make their Christmas lists out. One little picked out EVERY item in the toy catalog (which is really the antithesis of picking) and one little girl picked out every PINK item in the toy catalog. A few weeks before Christmas I met several people at Walmart to do the Christmas shopping. I have never felt more inadequate in my life.....who knew shopping for toys could be so difficult. So I commandeered a couple of kids to help me out in the toy section.  One Wednesday night before Christmas we had a pizza party with all of the families, told the Christmas Story, and then let them tear into their gifts. It was so much fun!

Elf Abby Lynn.....she was perfectly enthusiastic. (and it got me out of being the elf myself!)

 Yes, that's right...Santa arrived to take pictures with the kids.

 The conversation I had with Elf Abby just before I told the Christmas Story:

Me: Abby, can you help me lay out the quilts so we can tell the Christmas Story?

Abby: Which Christmas Story??

Me: ABBY?! THEChristmas Story... you know, the one with Baby Jesus in it.

Abby: Oh, that one. 

 Each kid got to pick a handmade ornament off the tree to take home.

 Our faithful teens! They jumped right in and made our guests feel right at home!

Our kid friendly Christmas tree....our Women's Ministry made a ton of ornaments to decorate our colorful tree.

I hope at some point this Christmas you got to open an excited kid open a present! 

Mandy