The Perfect Pancake

Sometime ago while I was pregnant with Jensen, I decided that I could both feed my sweets craving and give Gianna a lesson in baking and measuring by making desserts by scratch with her. Truth be told, the only dessert I had ever really made by scratch before was my grandma's pumpkin bread (mmmm...pumpkin bread) and good ol' fashioned Rice Crispy Treats. I found that I really enjoyed it and have made some really yummy treats much to the chagrin of my waistline.
In our household, Daniel is the cook and a very good one I might add but he likes to really get in and take over if ever I try to cook. However, baking is where I have him beat...he's not into the whole measuring thing so I have found my corner of the kitchen in baking.
Awhile back I decided that I wanted to make some delicious homemade pancakes...easier said than done. Apparently, I am a pancake snob! None of the recipes I have tried have been to my liking. I feel like Goldilocks...this one is too flat, this one is too dense but I have yet to find my JUST right. So, I am putting it out to the public in an effort to spare myself from eating anymore mediocre pancakes on Saturday mornings. If am gonna down the calories I want it to at least be worth it. If you have or know of a recipe that meets the following criteria please pass it on. In the meantime, I will keep trying and will post if I find it first.

Criteria for the perfect pancake:
*Fluffy
*Not made with wheat...just doesnt have the right texture.
*Not too dense
*Thick not thin
*Not too sweet
*Minimal amount of ingredients

Thanks in advance!

Family Verse

Two years ago we dedicated Gianna at our church and next month we will be standing in front of our friends and family and dedicating Jensen. When we called to meet with our pastor we assumed that what we would discuss would be much of the same as what we did with Gianna. However, this time when we were getting ready to leave he challenged us as a family to find our "Family Verse."
I haven't really ever thought of a family verse before but Daniel and I thought what a cool thing for us to find together. And now, that Jensen has completed our family and he is being dedicated, its also the perfect time to find it.
A family verse is something of a family motto that either describes or embodies what your family stands for or perhaps what you strive for in everyday life. Almost like a coat of arms made up of scripture. I loved the idea but didn't really realize what a challenge it would be. How do you sum up what you want to teach your children or what you want your family to embody in one verse of scripture?
At first I started going through all my highlighted favorite verses in my bible and that just seemed to be kind of cheating. Also, none of them really stood out or spoke to me...maybe because I had read them so many times but either way I knew I had to go about it another way. Daniel and I had talked about characteristics that we felt we had as a family and I looked those up in the index and read related scripture. That didn't really work too well either. Than one day after doing my daily devotional I flipped to the next page and read the short book of Colossians.
I have read Colossians before but this time the whole book just spoke to me and then...I found our verse...it just lept right off the page at me! Daniel and I sat and read it together and it resonated with both of us. Simple and perfect for us. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17.
Seems silly but I was really excited to find it and now am even more excited for our family to find ways to utilize it and apply it. Such a simple task and yet it spurred so much thought and discussion within ourselves and our family. I appreciated the challenge and know we will cherish our new family verse as another one of the many and awesome traditions we are starting as a family.
So now, I challenge you if you haven't already, to sit down and find your family verse. If you find one, I'd love to hear what you decided on.

Mom, CEO & President of Household Operations

Time flies! A year ago, I walked out of the corporate world and into the awesome world of being a stay at home mom. The next day I found out I was pregnant with Jensen, making my decision to stay home that much more easy. (Especially getting to be at home through morning sickness...blah!) I admit my initial transition was a little harder than I thought it would be but I think that would be the same in any career change...losing one identity and gaining another. What made the transition even easier was having a husband that was and still is 100% behind our decision for me to stay home. He is so supportive and understanding of just how demanding, challenging and yet, oh so rewarding my job is that its awesome.

I have always been a creative person trapped inside in the flourescent lighting of a business office dying to get out. Now, I have the awesome responsibility of keeping my 2 1/2 year old learning and having fun while doing it which gives me so many ways to be creative. Being hands on and watching Gianna grow and learn every day is a better bonus than I could ever get at any job that I have had. (Not to mention the all day hugs and kisses!)

Jensen is now 4 months old, the same age Gianna was when I went back to work. I can't help but count my lucky stars every day that I don't have to worry about leaving him like I did with Gianna. (Although thanks to my awesome sister Chelsea, I never had to worry much about Gianna.) Getting to spend my day playing with him on the floor and listening to him giggle at his big sister is absolute music to my ears! I also have more time to invest in things that I love like photography, which I have mentioned before has really grown into something much more than I could have imagined and I no doubt never would have had the time to nourish this passion as I have if I were still working.

Now looking back at this last year, its amazing how much has changed in such a short time. Our family has gained a sweet and handsome new member to complete our now family of four. I have learned the ropes of being a stay at home mom including the hours of the zoo, story times at the library, all the cool play groups in town :) and now, how to get two kids down for a nap at the same time. (Its harder than it sounds!) In all seriousness, the worlds of a working mom and stay at home mom are really not able to be compared...they are very different and both have challenges and great rewards. Now that I have had the chance to do both, I feel fortunate to make my career in the one I love best. I will say that there are challenges to being home both financially and mentally but I'll take those challenges any day over the alternative.

I really never thought I'd be a stay at home mom because I knew how much I loved to work although I never found a job I truly loved. Who knew I'd find my calling in exactly what I didn't think I wanted and love it so much?! I truly couldn't imagine my life any other way than doing exactly what I am doing. I am excited to spend my days watching my kids grow, laugh and learn and even more excited to see what I will learn from them.