I love cake

I really do love cake.

I used to buy day old cakes and eat them on my lunch breaks...

Or I'd eat the scraps that the cake decorators cut off

of cakes when I worked in the bakery.

My coworkers were always impressed

at my cake-eating skills.

I once heard it said, 

"love what you do, and do what you love."

So...

Recently I was trying to think of something 

I can do to make a little extra money.

It had to be something I love.

I thought about using my training as a teacher to tutor,

but I teach my own kids all day long...

I needed something different.

Then one day, Danica and I made a cake for our 7 year old friend

who happened to be at our house on her birthday.

It brings me so much joy to make cakes, 

or cake-like things for others, and it came to me!

That's it! 

All those years back in high school and college, 

working in the bakery at The Fair Market...

coming back around...

You see, my actual job in the bakery was just general bakery stuff.

Like bagging bread, restocking donuts, selling and writing on cakes,

sweeping the floor, cleaning display cases windows

and washing muffin tins.

I worked mostly evenings and weekends.

It was just my job that paid for college (and coffee).

But the beauty in this job came in the mundane.

I worked there for so long that I got really efficient

at cleaning up the bakery for the evening,

so I often had extra time while finishing my shift.

What's a girl to do with extra time?

Practice cake decorating!!

(Salted Caramel Cake)

Isn't that so cool that the beauty came from the mundane?

I love that God works like that.

He provided this job for me when I was 16.

I couldn't even use the bread slicer 

or push the button on the garbage shoot.

(You had to be 18 to do that!?!)

My coworkers celebrated my 18th birthday with me

with the highlight being I could now use the bread slicer...

I worked there until I was 23...I quit to do my student teaching.

I taught elementary school for a few years,

then I had my own kids...

And now I teach them!

My oldest daughter is 14.

(Cool again how God prepares our way for us, isn't it?

The teaching experience I had was perfect for me

and the life that God had for my family!!)

It is especially cool to see how God works things together.

It has been so fun to teach my own kids,

not just reading, writing and math,

but cake decorating, and baking!

Stephen (age 8) has learned how to make frosting,

Jonathan (age 10) is our brownie bite (made from scratch!) maker,

Ellie (almost 13) is our very skilled photographer,

and Danica (age 14) decorates cakes and makes the best pies!

So what can I do to make a little extra money,

(and involve my kids and teach them a bit about business?)

Make cakes.

And cupcakes.

And cookies

and almond butter toffee ("roca")...

( Chocolate Almond Toffee Cake)

It is especially perfect because we can do this 

as it fits into our family life.

I only make things for friends and family.

(So far it has been mostly family,

thanks Mom!!)

~My mom volunteers for a local charity and has

donated or had others donate using my baking services!!

The two cakes pictured here were orders for an auction

happening today that provides for local children in need 

through Operation School Bell.

How cool is that?~

It is so fun to look back at my life so far

and see how God provided in ways I never saw coming...

This is comforting to me as I look at my own kids,

wondering where life will take them...

It helps me to trust that God is doing the same for them...

He will provide what they need for what He has planned for them.

Right now, they are all planning on opening a bakery...