Cookies Anyone?

What do you do on a snowy day when the kids are home from school, besides stay in your pajamas all day? You bake cookies, lots and lots of cookies.

With Emily getting older and telling me so all the time, I want her to start participating regularly in domestic tasks around our home which will ultimately train her for her future home and family. When I told her we were going to bake cookies, but that I was only going to supervise and she was to do the  majority of the work, she was very excited. Now, I'm going to be completely honest and confess that all of the cookies were made with mixes from my good friend Betty Crocker. 

Matt, of course, did not want to be left out from the action and contributed in his own way. He did help pour in one of the ingredients needed for the first batch of cookies but found his "job" when we removed the mixer from its stand. Matt did clean up!

First cookies up, molasses. My personal favorites!

Next, peanut butter cookies with mini m&m's. Another yummy favorite!

Our final cookie was key lime with key lime frosting. We were trying to bring the taste of summer to this very cold, snowy, winter day.

One of the reasons I planned to bake cookies today is that I wanted to give some as a "thank you" to our neighbor. Last night, he came over around 10 p.m. and plowed our sidewalks and driveway.

This task became a good teaching lesson for Emily and Matt. You see I want them to learn that when someone does something for you, especially something unexpected and so very helpful that you can just say "thank you" but doing something as small as baking cookies makes the "thank you" even more special. 

Emily was very proud of the work she had done baking today and is already wondering when her next baking day will be. What made me even happier was that she was excited that the cookies were going to be given to our neighbor to say "thank you". Lesson learned.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Our Tribute

Today on the way to school the kids and I talked about the significance of today.  How people went to work that September morning not knowing what it would bring. How people who don't like our country decided to hurt us and many people died that day. How when the towers were struck people went to help those inside and in the end many of them sacrificed their lives.  I explained that today is a day to remember the people who died and those who loved them, the people who sacrificed their lives in service of others and the people who protect our country every day in the armed forces. 

Also, it is a day for us to thank God that on that day, their daddy came home.  

As I finished my workout in the park, my heart was speaking.  I want the kids to know that we should thank and serve those who serve us. In that moment, my "lightbulb" went off and I was off to Walmart. While the kids were at school, I baked several batches of chocolate chip cookies. After I picked them up from school, we headed to our town police department to give them our "thank you" of cookies. Sadly our fire departments are volunteer because I would have liked to "thank" them too.

My reason for this post is not for you to applaud us for what we did but to let you know that I realize as Emily and Matt's mother it is my responsibility to nurture and train my children.  It is the God given blessing I received at their birth. My kids will not learn unless they are taught and it is my job as their mother to be their example not only in word but in action.  It is in serving others where we can find the greatest joy and I want them to experience that...... not looking for something in return but just having a heart overflowing with joy having made someone feel appreciated and loved.  My hope would be that next year when they hear this day is upon us they will be reminded of our "thank you" and want to serve again but also that this moment will build in them the desire to love and serve others every day of their lives.

A Helping Hand

A Girl's Backpack

With the economy being the way that it is,  employment being unstable and people struggling to provide basic needs, we are trying to find opportunities to teach Emily and Matt just how blessed we are.  

The company that Dave is consulting for is participating in a outreach program called Operation Backpack.  You are given a school supply list for a child in a grade of your choosing and fill a backpack with the needed supplies.  The backpacks will be collected and then distributed to needy NYC children on their first day of school.

It was Emily who chose that our backpack be for a PreK/Kindergarten child. We later decided that it would be for a girl.

We are hoping that she will enjoy and get great use out of the items we have provided.