Learning from Experience

Why oh why didn't someone tell me, its a good idea to turn off the pretty pink KA mixer BEFORE adding the dry ingredients. Thats right, in my bold and excited attempt at baking christmas cookies from scratch, I learned the hard way not to add dry ingredients, you know, stuff like flour and such, to the dough without turning off the mixer. I, and my kitchen, looked just like the sterotypical baker wife, covered in flour, from head to toe.

Oh, and that cute little plastic shield thingie that goes over the mixing bowl, it didn't help at all.

Ah, 'tis the season!

Bake Me A Cake, Just As Fast As You Can

So...I'm not really a baker. I mean, I bake a cake once a year for my oldest son's birthday, since it has become a tradition for him to have a certain, made from scratch, strawberry cake. The extent of my baking, at least for the last 10 years or so, has been Pillsbury slice and bake cookies. Easy and good!

But for some reason, it must be another new season in my life, I have really wanted a Kitchen Aid blender, and have admired them for the past couple of years. I am so in awe of my friends and sisters, who whip up gorgeous pound cakes, breads, and cookies with their KA mixer while wearing their cute little aprons. I would think, "I want to do that!" But I never could justify the cost of a KA blender, not really being a baker and all. But then, a friend told me about the great deal on Amazon. So, I decide to wander over there and take a look. Wow! Great prices! So many wonderful colors! So, I broke down and bought one.

And, in PINK!

I was excited when it arrived on my doorstep. I unpacked it, handling it so carefully. I was in awe of the size and complexity of this new machine. I read the owner's manual, and tried out all the parts. Then, promptly went to work making my son's annual Strawberry Birthday Cake. I was a nervous wreck the entire time I was mixing the cake in my new blender. But it turned out great!

So, on to my next project. For the first year in what seems like a life time, I'm baking for Christmas. This weekend I plan to make Peanut Butter Criss Cross Cookies, Toffee Crunch Cookies, Gingersnaps, and Magic Bars. I can't wait to see the look on my hubby's face. I bet he'll wonder what alien has taken over his not so domestic wife. Or, he may blame it on hormones.

Happy Christmas baking!

The New World of Blogging

Well, at least its new for me. I've thought about starting a blog, for some time now. And frankly, I was a little intimidated by that thought. I mean, I'm not super computer saavy. I can do the basic stuff, but the thought of actually creating my own space on the web was a little overwhelming. But I decided to timidly check it out, and much to my surprise, found it not nearly as worrisome as I thought it might be. In fact, its been sort of fun to think about a name, pick out fonts and colors and such. So, I'll see where this takes me.

Speaking of a name...I had a nice name picked out for my blog, a name that I've used in other ways, one that actually meant something to me. But I'm thinking maybe God had other plans. In my quiet time this morning, I was worshipping and thinking about God's grace, and how in every season of my life, now that I've finally had to grow up and actually have seasons I can look back on, God has loved me, and always shown me His grace. No matter what. No matter what I did, where I was, or how hard I tried to be unworthy, or even too busy and unconcerned of His love for me (yep, there was that time), but in every season, He has loved me and shown Himself to me. So, "In Every Season" sort of jumped into my thoughts as a blog name, and I guess it stuck there.

I don't know what the purpose is for this blog, or if there really is one. Maybe it will be just a place to reflect, vent, praise, giggle, and share. But if there is a purpose, I hope in someway it reflects Him, and His plan for my crazy life, and all the things that go into making my life the wild and wonderful ride that it has been so far.