OK so my baby boy turned 4 years old on Dec 13th. He LOVES Cars (the movie) so we decided to have his party be a Cars theme. I love making cakes for my kids birthdays and it seems like each year the cakes get more and more complicated! So this time I went all out and made a Cars Lightening McQueen cake, and let me tell you- it was a challenge! I used rolled fondant for the first time ever, and the next time I use it, I will definitely be doing some things differently! It is an experience all on its own! OK, so onto the photos!

There are actually 2 separate cakes involved. The car is a made out of a Sara Lee frozen pound cake, that I carved into the shape of Lightening. I added *smooshed* Rice Krispy Treats for the wheels, spoiler, and to bring the top of the car up higher. Then I covered it with fondant. Cut out the details and added those to the car and painted it all!

The race track was made using a box cake mix, baked in an oval shaped pan. I frosted it with regular frosting (not fondant!)

So after I finished decorating the “race track” I just placed the car right on top!

I also made a fondant flag, and wrote “Happy 4th Birthday Jeremy!” on the cake.

Of course all the kids wanted to eat the car! LOL

Ok, so this time I am doing a giveaway for some FABULOUS products! Mix It Up! gourmet has the most wonderful gourmet dip mixes, they are sooo yummy!!

There is a huge variety of dip mixes, dessert mixes, and even sugar free desserts! These mixes contain no MSG or preservatives!

Ok, so what am I giving away?? DIPS of course!

There will be 3 winners, and each winner will receive 2 dips! (min of 30 entries)

What do you have to do to win?

It’s easy!

Just go to www.mixitupgourmet.com and look around, then come back here and leave a post telling me which dip you would most like to try!

My favorite dip is the “Savory Sun-Dried Tomato & Bacon”!!

Earn extra entries!

1. Grab our button and post it on your website or blog. (leave a comment letting us know where to find it!)

2. Post about our giveaway on your blog! (leave a comment letting us know where to read it!)

3. Subscribe to our blog! (leave another comment!)

4. Earn 2 extra entries for joining the Mix It Up! gourmet affiliate programat http://mixitupgourmet.com/affiliateprogram.html (leave a comment!!)

5. Earn 10 extra entries for making a purchase!! (leave a comment with order number)

In addition to the giveaway, you can also save 30% on your order by using code “RetroMomma” at checkout!

Contest ends on December 19th, 2008 at 11:59 PM, EST

GOOD LUCK!!

Ok, so it’s been awhile since I’ve made a post! I’m sorry!! Life Happens! I have been sooo busy it’s just crazy. I have had a lot of web design clients trying to get their sites revamped before the holidays!

I have also had a ton of doctor appointments. You’d think I’m dying. I swear I have 2-3 appointments a week! It’s just nuts! I see my regular doctor, my gastroenterologist (for Ulcerative Colitis), my rheumatologist (for Lupus), and (shame on me) my dentist (I am a sweet tooth!) - Not to mention my daughters pediatrician, gastro, and cardiologist! Yikes! Then of course, there are all the “new baby” appointments, because they just have to see her every few weeks - as if I wasn’t busy enough!

I also got a job- OMG! When I am going to find the time- I do not know! I start next Monday, Dec 1st - working part time as an assistant at a daycare. Even with my husbands full-time income, and my web design income, we still just can’t make ends meet- so here I go- my first “real” job in 5 years. Pretty scarey!

Ok, so I know I am late posting this, but life has been hectic to say the least. The winner of my very first giveaway is Shannon -shannon.bittmann(at)gmail(dot)com! Congratulations Shannon! Please contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize!

For those of you who did not win, I will offer a discount on a custom blog design, comment on this post that you would like the discount and I will contact you with a coupon for 50% off of premade blog templates or 30% off of a custom blog design! Make sure you include your email addy so that I know where to send it to!!

Stay tuned, I am going to be doing a book review this week, as well as more giveaways!!

Wow am I tired. My oldest is in Kindergarten this year, and me- the unknowing, first child in school, stay at home mother- signed myself and my daughter up for everything! Wow! I am sooo tired. On Tuesday I had to cook a meal for 40 people (part of the Families And Schools Together program) - then go to the meeting, LOL On Wednesday I was super-busy trying to prepare for my very first Girl Scout meeting. I am the troop leader. Yay! So exhausting exciting! I am leading the Daisy (K-1) troop for our school, and we had 16 girls fill out interest forms. So I was trying to prepare packets and activities for 16 girls and moms. Wow. We only had 8 actually show up to this first meeting, which was much easier to handle then 16- but I guess we will have to wait and see! The girls had a great time, all except my own daughter - who at the end yelled “I didn’t have ANY fun!” How freakin embarrassing. Thanks, Taylor. Tonight is the school’s Safe Halloween, where the kids trick our treat at the classrooms, and play games, and crafts, and then there is a dance in the gym. Not only are we going to this, but as a PTG volunteer I have to monitor the dance. Oh man, I can’t wait till Saturday! I don’t want to do ANYTHING!

Ok, so all the blogs that I read do giveaways. They are always giving things away! So now I am going to do a giveaway. It sounds fun, I know I love winning things, so I am sure you do to! I guess your probably wondering WHAT I’m giving away, right? Well… since I am a web designer, and this is my blog… I thought - HEY! - how about I give away a custom blog design! This design can be for WordPress or Blogger.

Ok, so how do you enter into the drawing to win a custom blog design?

Leave a comment on this post. Any comment will do!

Get an additional entry by doing one or all of the following…

1. Blog about this giveaway! Why not share the fun with your readers? Leave a comment with a link to your post!

2. Add our button to your blog or website. Leave a comment with a link to where we can find the button!

3. Subscribe to this blog

You can do any or all of these to get entries!

Contest ends at 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday, November 5th 2008.

Good Luck!

Ok so DJane over at Blogging Momma told me about this awesome Blogathon going on today at The Secret Is In The Sauce! There are giving away awesome prizes, one every hour! I never win anything, but I’m going to try and I’ll let you know how it goes!!

Yes, I know… you stumble over here and expect to see our usual look, and WHAM! It’s PINK!

We are going PINK for October! It is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and we want to show our support!

My husbands grandmother is currently battling breast cancer and had a double mastectomy in September.

His aunt passed away after a long battle with breast cancer, that spread to her lungs. She fought long and hard for several years, and she is greatly missed.

Breast Cancer is a scary thing and we need to do what we can to fight it! If you can, please make a donation to help find the cure!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Mommy’s Idea is putting together a PASSIONATELY PINK team!

The Passionately Pink team is banding together this month for Breast Cancer Awareness. They are giving away a fabulous tote on their site! You can have your name entered into the drawing several times. The more you do for Breast Cancer Awareness, the more you get entered! You can Go Pink For October! Donate to the Susan G Komen Foundation, add the button to your site and much more!

It’s a great idea so be sure to check out Mommy’s Idea and do your part!

Ok, so you have a website, you have an ad button- you want to put the button on your website- right? But how do you make it “clickable”??

So easy…

Start with the “clicky” part.

<a href=”http://www.yourwebsite.com”>

Then… instead of having text for your link, insert an image code!

<img src=”http://www.yourwebsite.com/yourimage.gif”>

then just close the tag.

</a>

So it ends up like this:

<a href=”http://www.yourwebsite.com”><img src=”http://www.yourwebsite.com/yourimage.gif”></a>

Easy right?