Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Mixing Day & It's a Wonderful Life

Good Morning!  Today is Mixing Day!  If you were one of my fortunate customers to be getting cookies between now and Mother's Day... (I am sorry that I had to turn a few orders away.) then the cutest little sous-chef in Southern Johnson County (or maybe the whole world...) and I started your cookies this morning!

Momma and Lil' L.,
My Sweet  Sous-Chef

When I have A LOT of cookies to make, then I can gain a little bit in economies of scale if I only mix once.  It takes a little longer, but I only have to clean up once... which is a BIG help! (I forgot to take the before picture, but this is these are the after. and what you can't see is that my sweet Lil' sous-chef "helped" me spill a nearly full bottle of Pure Almond Extract on my counter... let's just say, it is a good thing that she is so incredibly cute! ;^) This is also redeemed by the fact that she just might be the only two-year old in town that can crack an egg, and the pay is right...)


Yes, that is flour, not just a glare.
Ready for Recycle
Dishes anyone?
 





If you need egg shells to keep slugs from eating your hostas,
you know who to call.


Then I package the dough with your name on it and stick it into the refrigerator or freezer until I am ready to bake your order.  This also helps me to be able to take one day out of the timeline to squeeze orders in closer together.

What this big mixing day made me think about is how I am so thankful for my great customers, my home, and my family (not necessarily in that order. ;^)), and how far my little cookie company has come in the last 9 months.  I have learned so much.  I have grown so much.  I have had so much fun.



Plus, since Christmas, we have been self-sustaining, which means, I am not stealing money from my family's grocery budget to buy the ingredients for your cookies or cookie cutters, etc.  It made me think of one of my favorite movies "It's a Wonderful Life"  where in the bank run scene George Bailey says "Well, your money is in Joe's house, that's right next to yours, and the Kennedy house, and a hundred others..."  Well, your money is in their cookies... And I thank you! ;^)

On top of that, I get to do something that I really enjoy, in my home, with my children, on my own time frame, and make money doing it!  It is truly a Wonderful Life!  Thank you!!

Finally, all this made me remember to share... that I almost always buy my baking eggs at Aldi's.  Why?  Because they carry "Golden" eggs, which always has this verse written inside the carton.


Have a Blessed Day!
Sarah