Friday, January 8, 2010

BAKiNG


"Life is unsure, always eat your dessert first."
Anon


We are in Texas visiting family. Mimi commissioned Violet and I to make a One Bowl Apple Cake. When we were here back in the fall I made it and it was a hit. It is the perfect way to use up those apples that are on the way out. The recipe came from Maya*Made, one of my favorite all inspiring blogs.

Violet can really hold her own in the kitchen these days...being the almost six-year old that she is. Mimi and Grand Daddy gave her some awesome kitchen gadgets for Christmas and she has really loved using them. My favorite are the knives. They actually cut really well, but are made so that little helpers can't cut themselves. Mimi found them on the Batter Up Kids website. It is definitely worth checking out.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

PEACE, JOY, AND FAMiLY


"Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true."
~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850


Greetings! Happy New Year! It will be a year filled with new opportunities and growth. I love the cleansing effect that the turning of a year brings.

I have made a few resolutions to live by for 2010:

I will continue my quest for organization.

I will remember to take deep breaths, slow down, and enjoy the simple moments.

I will keep the motto I developed over the holiday season "Peace, Joy, and Family."

This motto came to me in a poignant article. I really wish I could remember who the author was or which magazine it was in. It really brought some things into perspective for me. The author of this wonderful article, wrote that her family adopts goals each Christmas season. She takes the goals that her family sets and posts them on the family message board. This year the family decided on Peace, Joy, and Family. The family keeps these goals in mind through the season. If that means going to one less party or agreeing to do one less deed than so be it. I think this is such a wonderful idea. I realize that it is difficult to do all of the time. Life can be so demanding sometimes. I just want to keep these in mind through out the daily routine.


I shared this with my sweet mama who made me this:


so that I can be gently reminded. I love that the Christmas tree is a pin that used to be my Grandmother's. It is going to be hard to put it away for next year.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and send you the best wishes for 2010!!