The "S" in Cookies

I am having lots of fun making cookies and learning the art of decorating them well. They're still not without flaws, but I believe I improve with each new batch.

My brother and sister-in-law gave me the coolest gifts for my birthday this year. (Ok, I'm pretty sure it was all my SIL's idea, but she did sign his name on the card.) They gave me this cookie press and a very cute apron.

Look closely at what it says.

Isn't that great? She is so creative and thoughtful. Her gifts (and cards) always speak straight to my heart.

Several years ago she bought me a gluten-free cookbook when we put our youngest son on that diet. (Which we're about to go back to.) She bought me a beautiful robe when we moved into our new house and some classic books when I was on my all-I-want-to-do-is-read kick a few years ago.

I appreciate her so much.


Though I did use my apron today to make cookies today, I am still trying to figure out the cookie press. There seems to be a trick to it that I'm just not getting.

So instead of being little spritz cookies, I rolled out the dough and used a cookie cutter. They were great with a big cup of coffee. Or that's what my family told me.

I make 'em, but I don't eat 'em.

We'll be getting back into the swing of things this week. I believe my youngest son and I will be making a Whole Foods/Costco trip tomorrow, and I have lots of cleaning to do before my mom and aunt get in Friday night. We will head to Trade Days on Saturday morning and eat at my favorite restaurant Saturday night. Fun, fun!

Have a wonderful week!

We survived the first day

When my son, A, was in 1st grade, his teacher pulled me aside one day to show me a picture he drew. I held my breath before I looked at it because with him, you never really knew what he would come up with.

She had asked her students to draw a picture of how they saw themselves. He drew Superman.

Today, on his first day as a sophomore in high school, knowing no-one in any of his classes, his health teacher asked the students to write their name on a piece of paper and on the back write one word that they thought described them.

He wrote "talented".

I'm thinking he's going to do all right.

To say that my heart is overjoyed this afternoon that he had a great day back at school would be an understatement. It still shocked me a little that he left the house with his sister this morning, but I truly had a peace about his decision all day.

(Of course I stayed reeeeeally busy, too, but that's beside the point.)

I know that his day was great because of all of the prayers, so to those of you who have prayed for us these past few days thank you very, very much.

Yesterday we (all of us + my daughter's boyfriend) went school shopping. For a child who has never really cared about what his clothes looked like, he thoroughly enjoyed the new wardrobe we bought him. Clothes, shoes, backpack, belt, etc. He is looking sharp!

Tonight is Spirit Night at the stadium, and he asked if we could go. In previous years, we've had to make him attend this event.

This boy is blossoming before my eyes, and I am just in awe.

Coming soon.... Pictures of a very special birthday present from my very creative SIL and a new sweet recipe.

I guess it's really happening

My 15 year-old that I have home schooled the past four years just enrolled in public school.

I honestly can't believe I just typed that. I think I'm still in shock.

I pulled him out of public school after fifth grade because he kept asking me to. He wasn't a very good student and he had some issues staying focused.

(There are still focusing issues, but his schooling has improved.)

We tried school at home for a year and both loved it, and we decided to keep going. Every year I would ask him if he was ready to go back to public school and he always said "no". Even in May of this year he said "no".

But Wednesday, FIVE DAYS before the new school year started, he decided to tell us that he really wanted to go back to school.

(I really think God did this to me on purpose so I wouldn't have a long time to worry about him. In case you've ever wondered about God's sense of humor, I'm here to tell you that He does, in fact, have one.)

My husband and I talked to A for a long time. We prayed, we asked him lots of questions, and I honestly couldn't argue with his responses. He sat up very straight while he talked to us and seemed very confident about his decision.

Anyone who knows my son knows that he is a researcher. When there is a subject that interests him, he learns everything there is to learn about it. And I mean everything.

So after talking to him the past couple of days, I realized that he has been thinking about this decision for a while. He just decided to keep it to himself for some reason.

So now, he's enrolled. He will ride to school with his sister on Monday morning. And I will be praying all. day. loooooooong.