Toast 2 Mom

A New Sweet Journey

I pretty much assume anyone that reads my blog knows me - and probably knows by now that yesterday I launched my new business - Sydalie's Cookies.  If you did not know - tada!! 

This was the tease I referred to a few days or so ago. I really wanted to write something here yesterday - but the day just was insane. And today was about the same. I'm not complaining - becuase the response to my new gig has been so very positive. 

This weekend I'll be selling my new cookies at an open house tour in our neighborhood. Homes that have recently been remodeled were chosen for this tour. Our home happens to be one of those on the tour. So with the house tour, the cookie business, end of the year school activities, swim team, dance recital practices and day to day - time is flying by! 

I'm very excited about this new journey and excited to market my product with hopefuly a very big crown this weekend! Until Sunday night, I might not come up for air. 

Check out my web site and visit my page on Facebook! And below are my business cards - which I just love!!! My awesome and super design-savvy friend Joelle helped me design them. Check out her business here.  

What's Goin' On?

I always feel badly when I don't get around to blogging. I really just don't have a lot to share, or that I'm willing to share right now. Some things are just meant for me. And when the days are our typical things - errands, lessons, school, making meals, yada.... That just doesn't sound all that interesting to read/write about.  Then I feel badly because I'm sure I miss several things about the girls that are defnitely note-worthy. And this space is primarily for them. 

I guess the latest excitement in our household - aka, drama to a six and four year old - has been the negotiation of sharing new toys. Cheekers got a mermaid barbie for Easter. Sydney has been trying to play with it ever since. Cheekers is claiming it's "her special". So no luck there when it comes to sharing. 

At Sydney's school, her class earned a privilege by filling their marble jar. They voted to bring something from home on Friday to class. Sydney wanted to bring her sister's mermaid. "No way," said little sis. 

So yesterday during Cheekers' dance class, I told Sydney that we could walk down to the dollar store and she could buy something with her money from her piggy bank. Sydney has been earning stars on her home chore chart. She also hasn't bought anything with her own money in a long time. I thought since she did a good job at school, and has been doing a great job of helping at home, she could go pick out something with five dollars of her own money.  

After much (much) looking around, row after row in the dollar store, Syd picked out a pink pony that came with a crown and a comb. Yeah, that sounds exactly like what she would pick!  After the grand purchase was made, we then wandered back to the dance studio to pick up Cheeks. And that's when the whining began.....

Ever since then, all I've been doing is battling fighting and whining. That's also when it was determined that "mermaids are boring" and "sharing is a good thing" and "Mommy should buy another pony so the new one has a friend."

Well this Mommy is not spending one dime on another pony for this house. But can I eliminate some whinig for a period of time? While big sister is away at school all day, things happen.....

The "Girl" Bunny Cake

We completed our next Easter activity today.... Behold the bowtie wearing "girl" bunny cake. You can also tell she's a girl "because she has eyelashes."  Happy Easter!

A Whirlwind

We've been in a tailspin for the past three days or more....so much so that I took a nap today! I feel like I caught up on my sleep a bit - but now I'm behind in my household chores. But at least I'm rested! 

Sydney's school had its carnival on Saturday. I ended up chairing one of the events from the carnival - the Cake Walk. You would have thought it would have been a "cake walk" - but ended up being a bit more of a task that I origninally thought. After the event was over, and seeing how successfully it all went down, I enjoyed being a part of it. It was great fun. 

Rewinding a little bit, on Friday, Cheekers had a program at her school. In between carnival set up and spending lots of lots of time in the kitchen baking the end of last week, I took a break to have a picnic with Cheekers and watched her perform songs about spring, the outdoors and Easter. Those programs always leave me with a warm heart and misty eyes. They are so sweet. 

Friday night was set up at the carnival. The girls were great volunteers with me.

Saturday we spent most of the day at the carnival. By the end of the day, the girls had their face painted, got their hair sprayed pink and purple, got tattoos, had pizza, a snowcone, did the jumpy house, won pink dracula teeth, went into a haunted house, and brought home three cakes from the cake walk. I think they had a good time!! 

Luckily we had a bit of down time yesterday afternoon. We went over to some friends house for dinner. It was another late night - like the night before and the night before that. 

Today we all slept in until 8:30 - a rare day - to probably any parent. The fun didn't stop there, though. We went over to some other friends' house for brunch, followed by a trip to the park. And then to make things even more exciting, we took the girls swimming this evening (after our naps this afternoon). 

Whew, a whirlwind, right?! 

Right now I've got the dishwasher and the washing machine going and I'm about to plan my week ahead - sure to be another busy one. 

A few photos from our past few days. 

Valentine Treats

I saw a cute cookie idea on Pinterest. It's a remake on the classic Hershey's kiss peanut butter blossom cookies - but with Dove heart shaped cookies instead. How cute for Valentine's. My Hubby's work gets very lucky on these occasions when I want to experiment in the kitchen. I definitely don't want the cookies in my house. (I'm still working off my Christmas cookies :) 

As always, I had the most FANTASTIC helper!!

 

Would You Pay For These?

When does a person know when to take a leap of faith? I guess in this case, it's not a leap of faith for me - rather just getting the guts to do "it". 

My husband is right - I seem to have something stuck in my head that unless I'll become an over-night success with something, then why bother doing it. Although he's kind of wrong too - becuase I'm also the queen of trying new things. I start and try a lot, but, yeah, I don't dig very deep to really give them a shot at success. 

He and I joke that I should write a book about all the things you should sort of, kind of, maybe, I guess, try to start up and achieve when you beome a mom. Things like... sew - make one dress for each child and call it a wardrobe, knit - make a row with yarn, then throw the needles across the room because knitting sucks, half-way write a half dozen children's books - maybe some kids will only want to read half a book anyway. 

I, like a lot of moms, love my role as mom more than any other role. But it doesn't pay the bills. And as time goes by, I am facing a period of time when I'll need to find "something" to do, along with my mom roles, to add to the savings account. 

It's my biggest hobby - coming up with ideas to be with my girls the most and be in a non-stimulating, life-sucking cubicle the least. But my challenge is....as always....me.

I like to do lots of things. I like to come up with a lot of ideas for things. Some things I can do well.... but "well enough" are always the last two words out of my mouth. "Yeah, but a lot of people are writing books." "Yeah, but a lot of people take pictures of their kids." "Yeah but a lot of people make better food than I do." 

So my latest "well enough" question is do I make cookies "well enough, good enough"? A lot of people have told me I make good cookies. Many are those comments have come from family members - which do not count. There are others, though - non-family members, who have sung my cookie praises. 

And here's the part where the "but" enters my mind.... I only currently offer one good cookie - can I make more as well? How do I sell them - door to door? From a truck? Online? They only taste fresh for one, maybe two days....do they get dry too fast? Have I really mastered my recipe yet - are they always consistant? Would anyone really pay for these?

I'm just not sure. When will I find that "thing" that my gut says, "do it" vs "buttttt"?

Today's deep thoughts have been sponsored for you today by Melissa's Magical Cookies :)

Cheekers is Four!!

Today Miss Natalie Cheekers is four! It's been birthday party extravaganza this weekend. Yesterday we had Natalie's party here at our house. We had an "animal" themed party. We couldn't decide between her love of squirrels, cats, dogs and other furry things - that we just went "animal". The kids wore noses. We had animal "foods" and did animal art work and games. This morning it was time to open the oodles of presents that got shipped her way over the past week and delivered by the "present truck" or the UPS truck to others. After that, we were off to another birthday party at a classmate's house. There were no issues in this - having a party on her birthday. Why would she be upset? This party had pony rides! So parties, presents, cake, more cake, games, balloons, art, ponies.Yeah, turning four is pretty awesome!

I simply could not pick and choose my photos very well today. So here are many that captured our weekend!