A Few of my Favorite things...Baking Tools

I love baking cookies. Unfortunately for my hips I love eating them as well. They are a sweet treat in the palm of your hand and they always go so well with a cup of coffee or fresh milk. Cookies are the quintessential treat of childhood. They are portable for little hands and can even be sneaked off with quite well in a pocket.

Recently I have acquired some fun baking tools I would like to share with you. First and foremost I love my new Kitchen Aid it feels like fancy baking now! I have been wanting one forever but a few months ago my luck changed. You see my husband hit 40 and he decided it was time to get his dream car, a corvette. So I decided now was the chance for me to get a few things of my own so we agreed if he got the car a Kitchen Aid would be in the front seat! (I also managed in the plea for a very girly master bedroom makeover).

He was more than happy to meet my (in comparison) simple request.

Now for the smaller and more obtainable items. My new measuring cups were an impromptu gift from my mother. She purchased them at Pier One and said they reminded her of me!

On pinterest everyones new favorite addiction, I found the idea of making cookies that can rest on the edge of  a cup. While shopping at World Market I found cookie cutter for this very thing!

And the price is oh so right at $1.49

I also have it in flower shape. While there I also picked up a scalloped shape cutter that I can also use for biscuits. 

The kids are always on hand to help ice these sugar cookies and dip them in what else sugar. 

Now what is that mysterious green Stamp object. Well, it is truly a divine and much wanted item. It's a Cookie Stamp and it says this:

I feel in love with this $3.99 little gem! 

Have a cookie and a cuppa and enjoy your Friday! 

Sunrise in the Tea Room

Notice a lack of chairs. They have all been taken to the school room upstairs.

Here are just a few treasures from my(supposed to be dining room) Tea Room. The Ethan Allen hutch in this room belonged to my husbands maternal grandmother. He loves the hutch and when we were dating it was in his apartment and I was scolded for put a drink on it. Now I try to protect it as well. 

Tea for one purchased for my birthday with gift card from mother in law. 

Cookie jar thrifted from Goodwill

Love to go thrifting but have not tried it out in my new city.

A tea set from my hubby for Mothers Day

Table/desk was from Goodwill and painted white.

Have a wonderful Thursday. The weekend is almost here we will be sharing it with family. My eldest son is turning 11.

Depression Glass from my maternal Grandmother.

Linking to:A Delightsome life: Home and Garden Thursday

His Gentle Reminder

I picked up my bible the ribbon marker was set to Proverbs 31. I started to read and then gave pause. Something about the scene before me hit me: I am so blessed what do I have to complain about. The weight of my bible in my hand, the knitting started at the side, the comfy bed I'm sitting in, the cup of coffee by my side, the uninterrupted bath I just took. Blessings all around me.

Thank you Lord for your gentle nudge to see beauty all around me. Father keep me present through this day to all you providing ways. When I'm at the store and having to be frugal don't let me complain inwardly. When my feet get tired later from chores and my ankles swell don't let me feel like a martyr. Bring me back to that gentle reminder of how awesomely I am blessed by You. Any suffering that I feel is like being beat with an eyelash in comparison of the suffering others endure and especially your glorious son. In Jesus Name, Amen

Linking to:Deep Roots at Home

Not Giving in!

I almost did it. I almost gave in after only a year of homeschooling.....but I'm not.

I'm not giving in to: 

laziness and selfishness

thinking someone else should teach my child to read

my 9 year old son being extremely uncooperative during school time

The kids need socialization

I need a break

Is public school really so bad here?

People telling me to send them to school (I know it is all well meaning and comes from love.)

Convictions waning 

These are real issues and I need to address them, just not let them defeat me. So what am I going to do about these real issues I (we) have. Well my list is a little turned upside down because the first and most important issue really is my conviction to homeschool. That is what all these other problems hinge on. So how do I fix this? By revisiting my reasons in the first place. 

Convictions Waning: I am battling this two fold by prayer and reading. 

Pray Pray Pray then Read Read Read then Pray Pray Pray

What am I reading:

The Bible

Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell (for the 2nd time) 

Simplify Your Homeschool Day by Tamara L. Chilver

How to Avoid Homeschool Burnout by Renee Ellison 

My next purchase will be 

There are also great listening resources at www.bluebehemoth.com  

What are my convictions to homeschool then? 

1. That seeking wisdom and knowledge are not separate from God and in fact begin and end with him. Public school will not do this for my children so I should. 

2. I think that there is no better place for my children then with family.

3. Homeschool builds a closer family. I never knew my children the way I do now after a year of homeschooling. (Isn't that reason enough to homeschool?)

4. It adds so much more to my life as a mother then just physical care of cooking and cleaning. During my day I teach from Kindergarten to 7th grade and I also work as proof reader for my husbands college papers that are usually about law and politics. Let's just say my mind has to stay engaged during the day! 

5. When you ask my 5 year old what she wants to be when she grows up she says "a mommy teacher."

And the list goes on......

I will address the other issues in next posts. If anyone out there has other books that might help my journey please post a comment.

Today I'm linking to :

Teach me Tuesday