The Cake is Done!!!

I again didn't sleep much last night.  I was stacking the layers of the cake, frosting them, and covering them in fondant.  Plus, I had my family over and we talked as I worked, so even though it was a long night, it was also a fun night!

When I woke up, the adrenaline helped to keep me awake to work on the cake, which now needed the finishing touches.

After everyone had breakfast, my parents and my brothers went to the church building to help decorate the gym for the reception tonight.  Lorelehi and Almalia stayed home with me so that they could help me with Alegria and Odette.

Almalia brought out the walker for Alegria to play with:

While Almalia played with Alegria, Lorelehi helped me painting the layers of the cake with edible pearl dust (Odette was taking a nap, so Lorelehi had her hands free to help me with anything she could!):

While we worked, Alegria kept coming into the kitchen and dining room to see what we were up to...she's a very curious child!  During one of her trips into the dining room, she noticed the white powder on the table where I was working on making fondant ribbons to place on the bottom of the cake layers.  She touched it, tasted it, and when she realized it was sweet (I was using confectioner's sugar), she decided to lick it right off the table!!!

As the morning wore on, I realized I wouldn't have time to create a monogram cake topper for the cake, so I asked Ammon to stop by Walmart and buy me a cake topper.  He sent us pictures of the ones that were in stock at the store and we decided on one...which ended up being my inspiration for the stenciling on the cake!

When he arrived back at the house, Alegria had fun playing horsie with him, though why she decided to get under his shirt to do so, I have no idea!

Working on the stenciling:

After having practiced a few times on a scrap of fondant and with Lorelehi's suggestions, I came up with a design to paint on the cake!

The stenciling tied in the topper and the cake beautifully!  Here's the finished product (without flash):

And here's the cake using the camera's flash:

In my excitement to get the cake stacked for pictures and to see how I did on my first wedding cake ever...I accidentally forgot to place the top of the columns of the short columns on!!!  I didn't notice til later on at home, when as I was cleaning some up in the kitchen, I saw them on the counter!

See the difference in the tops of these columns?  I don't think anyone noticed, though!  Thank goodness it wasn't a cake I was charging someone for!!!  Haha!!!  :)

Overall, I was very pleased with myself and the way the cake turned out!!!  :)

I finished the cake at 3 pm.  The reception started at 4:30.  I still had to shower and get myself and the girls ready once I was done, so we ended up showing up a little late.  But it was fine.  :)

At the reception, once I had the cake stacked and on its table, I was able to relax and enjoy the evening! 

Here's Odette enjoying herself:

Abilehi and Ryan at the table of honor in the middle of the reception hall while they watched a slideshow that someone made of them...Alegria just had to join them!  :)

The cake, finally on it's designated table!  The lighting was so dim at the reception, that you couldn't see the topper very well when I took the pictures!  That's ok, though!  :)

Their first dance as a married couple!

Odette with Abuelita:

Odette was sooo tired...!  She ended up falling asleep and sleeping for a good while!  :)

Alegria was also extremely tired.  She had refused to nap earlier today.  It's always difficult for her to nap when we have guests over because she doesn't like missing out on anything!  But Alegria fought the sleep and kept herself busy climbing on everyone's lap...here she is with Nefilinda:

Daddy-daughter dance!

Finally there was some groovin' music, so I took Alegria out to the dance floor with me and we had a blast dancing!

Dancing with Uncle Ryan:

I saw Little Josh wandering on the perimeter of the dance floor, so I called him over and danced with him for a little bit...and then brought him over to Alegria to see if they would dance together...and they did!



Alegria was more into it than he was, though!  :)

Abilehi and me and their wedding gift from me...the cake!  :)

LOVE the dress!!!  :)

The happy couple!  The McFarlands!!!

Once Odette woke up and before the night was through, I tried getting a good picture of the three of us...Alegria was getting very tired, so we had to try quite a few times!

Alegria and Aunt Abilehi:

Odette and Abuelita again:

Later on, from what I heard, Alegria came up to Caiden and asked him, "Dance with me!"  At first, she danced with Caiden and his mom, Amanda...

But then Alegria danced with just Caiden!

Meanwhile, I danced with Odette!

After the reception, everyone helped take down the decorations.  I packaged up the cake...hardly any had been eaten since they'd had a sheet cake as refreshments.  :(  Hopefully tomorrow at church, people will take some home!

Everyone in my family except for Lorelehi left for their respective homes after all of the clean up was done.  The girls and I went home, too, and Lorelehi came home with us as well.

The first thing I did when I got home was to put the girls to bed.  And now, even though there's so much to clean in my kitchen, I'm going to make an exception and leave it for tomorrow.  My battery is running on low after so many nights of not sleeping much because of making the cake, so now I should really go to bed.

Good night everyone!!!