Tender Teaching Moments

I love my Willow Tree figurines. I have a collection from the different milestones and memories in my life, many of which were gifts from my husband when we were engaged or when our little boy came along. My husband picked this one out for our little boy to give me for Christmas when he was a year old and it brought me to tears. I love the moment this statue captures. This figure reminds me of the countless sacrifices a mother makes for her child, and the greatest thing she gets in return is knowing that she holds the future of that child. She is the one who makes him feel safe, who can provide comfort, and who teaches him life's greatest lessons. Everything she does molds him into who he will become.  
Two years later, it was that same little boy that knocked it off the shelf in a careless accident. I was devastated to see one of my precious figures broken into so many pieces. I was frustrated. Frustrated that he didn't listen after being told repeatedly not to do that in the house, and especially frustrated that I got the consequence of his actions. It would have been easy to blame him and release some of my frustration through a long rant and what he did that was wrong, but I held back. I had a moment to think because I was not in the room when this happened. I overheard and understood the situation; my husband told our little boy he needed to go tell me what had happened. I waited and thought. When my sweet little boy brought my broken figurine in his arms with regret in his eyes, I wasn't angry. Not when I thought of everything that figurine represented to me. That figurine shows the influence a mother has on her son, and I used that moment to teach him. I let him express his apology and I forgave him. I let him know I was disappointed, but that I know he did not mean to break it. "It happened by accident, and we all have many accidents in our lives. Thank you for telling me and trying to make it better." Then I gathered pieces and tried to glue them back together. It took quite an effort to keep them in the right place while the glue dried, but the cracked figure still sits on my shelf. When I look at it I still remember the lesson I taught my son that day, but more importantly the lesson I learned that day.
It is our role as parents to teach our children. We must be consistent in our rules and in our consequences. But I believe we also owe our children a little mercy. Think of all the times you have made a mistake and wronged someone else...especially when that someone else if one of our children. We expect them to forgive us and deal with our imperfections. We can create a stronger bond with our children when we recognize the times they are trying...they are trying to get things right, and we just accept their effort, despite the mistakes that come along with it.

Chocolate Chip Cookies: soft, gooey, and baked to perfection!

These cookies are such a winner. They are a big hit when I bring them to a picnic or other sharing event and they are devoured even faster in my own house. With a light browning on the outside and a soft gooey center, these cookies are perfect. The recipe is great, but technique is everything with these cookies. Follow directions for the ingredients, the proper mixing, and most importantly, the proper baking.

You will need:

• 1/2 cup (8 oz or 1 stick) butter, melted then cooled to room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• approximately 1/2 cup chocolate chips (preferably Hershey's special dark or semisweet)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. 

As stated, start by melting the better completely, then let it cool to room temperature so that it is in a very soft solid state. Add that to a stand mixer along with the sugar, and beat with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes. Make the sugars and fat a good creamy consistency. 

Add the egg and vanilla, then beat for another 10-15 seconds. Do not over-mix this one. It should be mostly mixed in. Not perfectly, but mostly. Then add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until it is just barely mixed in.

As soon as the ingredients come together, stop the mixer. For the rest you can use your hand or a rubber scraper. Scrape down and knead the unmixed flour into the dough. Add the chocolate chips and fold them in.  I find a heaping 1/2 cup to be the perfect amount, but you can play around with this a little depending on how many or how few chocolate chips you like. Once incorporated, drop into 1-1/2 " round balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven. I find that 9 minutes works for me every time, but ovens may slightly differ. Start with an 8 minute bake time. If the tops or edges have slight golden tips, then they are done: even if the center looks doughy- it will finish baking while cooling. Do not wait for the entire cookie to be golden; it should have some parts that look un-done. It may take some practice identifying a perfectly baked cookie, but it is definitely worth learning. 😊

Easy and delicious breakfast on the GO

My family loves when we make breakfast sandwiches with eggs, cheese, sausage or bacon, on a biscuit or bagel. Well the night before our early morning road trip I decided to put together something similar that we could grab and go in the morning. These were great. I could fix them up quickly in advance, keep them in the refrigerator, and my family all enjoyed them in the car. 

What you'll need: 

• 1 box with 10 precooked sausage links
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 tube of Pillsbury crescent rolls 

1. Scramble the eggs. Whip with a dollop of sour cream before cooking for a better consistency. Add the cheese while scrambling. Brown the sausage lings and chop. 

2. Lay out each individual crescent roll.

3. Spoon approximately 1/3 of a cup of the sausage and egg filling onto each crescent.

4. Overlap the corners, then tightly roll to enclose the egg and sausage completely.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until slightly golden. 

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week and enjoy at any time!

Accessorizing your Home on a Budget- DIY wood sign

Home decor can add up so quickly especially if you like to change things up occasionally. There are so many great DIY projects that can give you great pieces for your home for little or no cost. I love this one I started with my sister last summer. We just used scrap wood our parents had around the house, but for this project you need a 10"x12" piece of plywood and four cuts of a 1x2 board: two that are 10.5" long and two 8.5" long pieces. Stain all pieces of wood on all sides and allow to dry thoroughly. 

Pick a quote or phrase that inspires you and design it graphically. For a small sign just use 1-2 fonts. Usually matching a serif font with a sanserif font and a simple with a more elaborate font will create more interest and the two fonts will complement each other. Design within a 7"x9" space, leaving an additional 1/4" border without any text. Use the layout of other quotes for inspiration to decide smaller and larger text as well as text placement. You can also use size and font to emphasize the most important part of the quote or phrase.

Print on your desired card stock. (or, if you're brave, freehand letter onto the paper using a fine tip sharpie.) I chose a neutral beige with a linen pattern. Cut down just larger than the opening (8x10"). Using spray adhesive, mount the printed quote centered onto the plywood. Next, properly arrange the 1x2" boards. First board all the way to the left side running along the top, the next running form the top edge down along the right side, the third aligned in the bottom right corner and laying across the bottom, then the last laying from the bottom left corner until it meets the edge of the first board. Secure each piece with wood glue.

Allow to dry completely and display with an easel or mount hardware on the back to hang on the wall.

Enliven your Space

Do you ever find your space feeling a little drab? Maybe you think you need a whole house renovation or maybe you can't pin point anything you particularly don't like, but you also aren't in love with how it looks and feels...The good news is there are a few simple points that can enhance the overall tone and appearance without breaking the bank.

1. Make your space livable
There is nothing like a living plant (or something that mimics a living plant) to actually make your space come alive. Just a single potted plant or vase of flowers brings life into the space and makes for a beautiful accessory. Living plants make a great addition, but must be well kept in order to continue looking nice. If keeping up with the watering and trimming is not your thing, then the good news is you can always find beautiful fakes that look just as fantastic.

2. Shed a little Light on the Subject
Lighting is the single most important element of design. Lighting effects how you see everything else within the space. Your lighting can set the entire mood of the room or space. If you want the room to feel calm, relaxing, and serene use cooler and less direct lighting to wash the walls and accent focal points.  If you like your space to feel warm, cheerful, and lively then let light flood in! Use warm hues with the space fully illuminated. Utilize natural light whenever possible and let let lighting play a significant role in general purpose as well as accenting and accessorizing the space.

3. Connect personally
Every time you walk in the room you should be able to connect to the space emotionally. This happens when you display words or pictures with personal significance. Choose pictures or paintings with people you love or places you are passionate about. Have words or quotes that speak to your soul and reflect your ambitions. Let your space reflect who you are. Even the most simplistic things can leave an impression every time we see it.