Author Archives: Franci

5 Most Used and Most Loved Kitchen Gadgets

My cooking has dramatically improved with practice and I’ve learned a lot over the years from family, friends, Food Network stars, podcasts, and blogs. I’ve found that having the right tools in my kitchen really does make things easier. The items below are things I use all the time. They are simple and most don’t cost much, but make a huge impact in your kitchen.

Silpat Baking Mat

Black and white sketch of Silpat baking mat.
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Harry Potter Themed Birthday Party to Delight any Muggle

Black chalk board with white chalk drawing of Hogwarts. Flowers and balloons around.

Our oldest, Grant, turned 10, and poof a whole decade has gone by. He is such a joy to have around and a blessing to our family. I’m so thankful God gave us the gift of a little red-headed boy. He’s also great at dreaming up awesome birthday parties!

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Have You Ever Hosted Thanksgiving?

pumpkin, rockwell print and wheat straw

Thanksgiving. It really is such an awesome holiday, full of comfort food, family, and no pressure to bring gifts like at Christmas. I have very fond memories of this holiday. Growing up we would travel to both sets of grandparents one for lunch and one for dinner. I loved seeing the cousins, playing football outside, and enjoying all the traditional food of the season.

After Brent and I were married for a few years I was able to host Thanksgiving at our home. Finally, I saw all the work that went into the holiday. From making memories to the ambiance and last but not least the food. There are some things I’ve learned along the way.

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