Kristen's Cakery: Party of 12

Last weekend I was FINALLY able to meet my friend (and caking mentor) Rose, of Rose Bakes face to face. We have shared many emails, countless IM sessions, some texts, and a few phone calls...but with busy schedules and a 2 hour drive in between us we had never been able to arrange a meeting until now.

Us and the babies

Let me give you the back story on how we "met". Rose and her husband (Richy) went to college with my husband (Toby) WAAAAYYYY back in the day. ;) Richy and Toby were even roommates for a while. Toby caught up with them on facebook and he showed me some of Rose's cakes on several occasions. He also told me that she had a money saving blog, to which I replied "COOL!" but I didn't look at it right then. Just a short while later Toby sent me an urgent message that I must read this post and make him some tater tot casserole (Which I did, by the way, and it was easy and yummy!). He had always told me about someone (not Rose and Richy actually) making him tater tot casserole in his college days and raved about it.

I began browsing her site and was excited to see so many great recipes and tutorials on there. I was actually going to be doing a hot pink and zebra cake for a friend's daughter's birthday very soon and thought it was the perfect opportunity to try decorating with fondant for the first time...not just any fondant though, homemade marshmallow fondant! Despite her very thorough tutorial with lots of pictures, I still managed to have questions ;) so in early February 2011 I dropped her a line and introduced myself. She answered all my questions (despite being at home with a newborn) and after I showed her the finished product she was excited that my first time with fondant went well. That cake is pictured here.

The next several months we kept in touch some...mainly it was me incessantly asking her questions about cakes or coupons or sometimes we talked baby. Then, over the summer, we began to share more about ourselves with one another. We quickly realized that we had quite a lot in common and our friendship sparked. We are both Christians (born-again, saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, Bible believing Christians). We are both stay at home moms (myself of 2, and Rose of 6 beautiful sweet children). We homeschool (well she homeschools and I WILL BE homeschooling). We serve with our husbands at our churches in various capacities. We are both baking enthusiasts (obviously)! She was just the friend I needed at exactly the right time. Sometimes it's awfully hard and isolating being a stay at home mom but, no matter the struggles, it is always worth it.

Since then we have talked recipes and hashed out cake designs. We have made each other laugh (especially the night I spent at the hospital with Katy :P) and laughed at each other. We have prayed for one another and prayed with one another. We have confided in one another and sought advice from one another. We have encouraged one another. We have had each others backs (unfortunately a situation occurred in which that was necessary). We have checked in on each other at times that really counted. I mean, she even listened to me ugly cry over the phone on an especially bad day. I can laugh about it now ;).

It was such a great time to finally sit down together...old friends and new friends and all of our children...at a table of 12 with some good country cooking...overflowing with laughter and love.