Freedom Friday

Starting this week Fridays are my free days. I am free to write about anything I want, whether or not it relates to cupcakes. Who knows what topics you may see here!

This week I wanted to tell you a little bit more about myself. I have a short blurb in the "About Me" section but I wanted you to be able to know me better.

I am a 28-year-old wife and mother living in Norfolk, VA. My husband Frank and I have been married since February 2008. We met at church when we were 14. Although we were good friends we fought like crazy! We never even considered each other in a romantic light. I dated his best friend and he had a crush on mine. We lost contact for a few years but started talking again online in 2006. The rest is history!

Our daughter Ella just celebrated her first birthday. She brings us such joy and laughter every day it's unbelievable! She is stubborn and funny and absolutely adorable. We want to add several more children to our family. Hopefully sooner than later!

I am currently a stay-at-home-mom although I have worked in all sorts of places. I have been a party host at a children's play place, the "housekeeper" for a welding shop, a youth and children's minister at a church in Chicago, an ear piercing professional, and management at a retail clothing store. I hope I never have to return to work. I wouldn't mind working from home but I always want to be available to my children. If the time came, I would love to go to school to become a pastry chef. I would open my own bakery and of course there would be cupcakes.

I have never had any formal training or classes for baking (unless you count Home Ec in junior high). My experience is from baking with my Nana for many years and pure old trial and error. I love to bake everything - cakes, bread, pies, cookies, etc. If it can be put in the oven I am all for it - even more if it is sweet! I am not quite sure where my love of cupcakes came from. I am pretty sure I began making them out of necessity. There is no way my hubby and I could eat an entire 9-inch round cake. I wanted to bake and experiment and the cupcake was the perfect outlet. They are much prettier to share with family and friends than a large slab of part of a cake!

Here are some random facts about me:

*I love Broadway theatre.

*I am somewhat obsessed with all things Snoopy.

*I have bipolar disorder.

*I have been to Romania, Moldova, Singapore, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, and Ecuador - all with various church groups.

*I want to have a big family - at least 4 kids.

*I hate doing dishes.

*I am terrified of needles and singing in front of people.

*I am the clumsiest person you will ever meet.

*Don't go to a craft store with me. I can browse the aisles for hours.

*I would kill for some hibachi steak, veggies, fried rice, and shrimp sauce right now. Who am I kidding? I could eat that for every meal!

*I am allergic to cream cheese and down feathers.

*I love collecting old hardcover books.

Well I hope you can get a better picture of who I am. Tune in again next week to see what random topic will pop up!

Don't forget that the giveaway ends at 11:59 pm tonight! The winner will be announced early next week. Have a great weekend!