New Years at the Firework Stand

A couple months ago, my friend Harrison asked me to work for him at a firework stand the week after Christmas. Harrison is 18, and has had a firework tent for a few years now. He didn't own the business, but was in charge of the busiest tent in Belleview. Tuesday, at 8 a.m. we drove down to set up the tent, here was the storage pod where everything was sitting, waiting to be unpacked.

 

First we unpacked the storage pod, than box by box, we placed the fireworks on the stands as nicely as possible. I did most of the organizing and beautifying I guess you could say.
 

 Here is Harrison bringing some boxes to the tent.
 

Me holding 'The King' a package of small fountains and fireworks.

Here is Harrison opening up the firework 'Disruption'. This "cake" as they call them shoots colorfull fireworks into the air than blows up.

 

Here are the biggest, legal, mortars we could sell. They shot around 200 feet in the air and blew up with different effects. I was really close to getting them for my family, but maybe next time.

 The truck really helped moving the boxes from the pod to the tent

 Finally we were done unpacking. After we swept up it looked great.

 I probably price tagged a thousand items by the end of the week! I don't even think it made a difference because everyone asked the prices for everything, they were just too lazy to read!

 

We had to stay there from Tuesday until Saturday, so we needed lots of entertainment including a TV, slingshot, xbox, and lots of food!
 

One morning we woke up to freezing weather and this much frost covering the car!! Never say it doesn't get cold in Florida! Sleeping was freezing and scary, not a good mix when you need to go to the bathroom... Luckly it got warmer every day and it never rained!! All together it was a fun week where I got to learn about fireworks, sell and talk to lots of strangers, and of course make money. Saturday night, i lit a cake for the family and we watched 14 shots fly high into the air and explode into many colors! That was a blast

All sugared up!

Christmas day, during the night after dad was asleep, we all got a little hyper and had a dance off. That, of course, led to a coordinated dance. Please watch for yourself!! You should probably turn off the music at the bottom for maximum viewing:)

Christmas gift!

I got a camera for Christmas so expect some posts soon!

Song I wrote and recorded for history

Best Ever Chocolate Cake

With a name like that, it must be the best ever!

For my birthday my mother made me the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake! And im not just calling it that because thats the name, but because it really is the best ever!! Confused? Anyways, every March my mom walks up to me and asks, "Sean, what kind of birthday cake would you like this year?" I reply, " I want the Chocolaty Chock Chock Chocolate Chip Birthday Cake!!" And, every year, my mom makes the most chocolate cake she can find (minus the chocolate chips!) If you notice, the recipe has up to 16 servings... My mom doubled it!! I guess she thought I could eat a serving per year I have been alive!! But even though its huge, and I probably won't finish it.. Thanks mom:) For more great pictures check out my mom's blog!! Wanna know what it looks like when 17 candles are shoved in your mouth??

12 to 16 Servings!!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting (see recipe below)

Directions

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease bottoms of three 8-inch round baking pans or two 8x8x2-inch square or 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour waxed paper and sides of pans. Or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set pan(s) aside.

2. In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder; and salt; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla.

4. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to beaten mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan(s).

5. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch square pans and the 13x9x2-inch pan, 30 to 35 minutes for 8- or 9-inch round pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Peel off waxed paper. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting: In a large saucepan melt 1 12-ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate pieces and 1/2 cup butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream. Gradually add 4-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (about 1 pound), beating with an electric mixer until smooth. This frosts tops and sides of two or three 8- or 9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost the top of a 13x9x2-inch cake.) Cover and store frosted cake in the refrigerator.

When it rains, it pores, and when it pores in Florida, we get tornado warnings

Thats right, there is a tornado in progess just a couple miles from Ocala. Today has been a good day? I would say no. I go to school thinking its just another stormy day with wonderfull lightning! (Ocala is thunderstorm capitol of the world after all!) Within two hours of being at school we were informed by the today show that OCALA is under a tornado warning! We skipped past the watch part and went straight to the warning! It got exciting! The rain was poring and it was my first real natural disaster!!
After a few moments of excitment I turned back to the TV just to see Al Roker show a live clip of the storm!! I saw the swirling of the dark clouds and i freaked! All of a sudden we could not leave our class! We were trapped! They shipped in some lunch from the surrounding schools, (because we dont have a lunchroom) and we ate inside! Not so bad right? WRONG! I ended up buying my free lunch consisting of Penut Butter and Jelly, Sun Chips, and Chocolate Milk! The chips were great, the milk was delicious, but the sandwich was frozen!! It was completely unbelieveable! After a bite or two the cement like penut butter did not satisfy my hunger. An idea popped in my mind and i headed down to the Teachers Lounge! The teachers who loved me heated up my food and it wasn't so bad after all!
After lunch i tried checking out, but failed becuase they did not allow it with the bad weather! Go figure.. So here I am now, sitting on the computer, trapped at my school, wondering when the tornado will shut off the power, causing me to lose my work:) As long as my truck doesn't get scratched!

On the contrary, I have a phone interview tomorrow for Lockheed Martin. I am going to be an intern! I can't wait!

Oh! while typing this blog post i overheard many of the conversations of people walking by.. the list includes

"I hope Gator Nationals won't be canceled!"
"This water will be great for going mudding this weekend!"
"I was in a tornado once, it totally took down my house, ya i jumped out the door just in time!"

Hmmmm.. some odd people! I guess I missed the part about them being worried of their families:)
Don't forget to Vote in my poll!
Over and Out..

GO VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!