About

Hello! Thank you so much for visiting my blog!

I am a single mom of four great kids, who made the decision to no longer let chronic illness define her. Admittedly, there are times it kicks my butt, but it will never take over my heart or sense of self again.

I am a major foodie, who’s first love is making confections and baking. I really feel that scratch home-baking isn’t really a thing anymore and because it’s so easy to pick up great baked goods at your local grocery store bakery, I can kind of understand why.  Nonetheless with me, it’s a GIANT “thing” so I’m happy to share what I love. I should mention that I also love to flip recipes. Other than when I was fortunate enough to attend culinary school, I have stubbornly changed almost every single solitary cooking recipe in my life.  There have been times where this ended in some disastrous defeats and a lot of take-out pizza, but I remain a recipe rebel. I love to take a recipe and make it secretly healthier (this is important because I have two teenage boys that I have to fool). I can usually change one for specific dietary needs, or even jazz it up with my own not-so-secret spice blends, sauces or simple substitutions. Food is my adventure and most definitely my bliss!

I had an incredible opportunity to apprentice with the Sara Moulton, at a live event. Yes! Food Network, Good Morning America Sara Moulton! Not to mention renowned cookbook author, and wow so much more. I remember being so nervous to meet her but despite that and amazingly enough, I actually didn’t mess anything up. (I was an obsessed loon of a fan of hers so that really is amazing!) By the way, she is about the nicest down to earth person given her esteemed stature on the Food-Chain. <—-(Yes, that was a really bad pun.)

I was also fortunate enough to be asked to do some feature spots for our local Kansas City WDAF-TV/Fox-4 news. Admittedly, although I wasn’t exactly frozen in place, deer-in-the-headlights scared, watching that digital clock count down to your segment beginning did give me absolute television amnesia. If friends and family had not recorded me, I still don’t believe, I would be able to recall those incredible opportunities and experiences.

My blog will be focused mostly on cooking, baking & candy making. Fortunately for my loved ones, who are forced to eat my baking, and candies, Baking is food science, so I have to follow those recipes. (I still tweak whenever possible.) I  did cater desserts for friends, family, family friends and company functions for years, so  it will always be my happy place.

I love to write, (hence this blog and other fun projects). I am an amateur photographer who is also in love with ink and water-color painting.  But in a nutshell, I am just a somewhat normal mom, who made the decision to begin to live life one sweet second at a time; on good days or bad.  I am choosing to embrace and live through everything I love. Life certainly doesn’t  seem as scary this way, and I am constantly amazed at the little things I might have missed before.

The decision to begin this blog was born when it became evident that some of the more serious symptoms of my illness were beginning to worsen. After a life riddled with both tremendous  emotional and physical pain, I knew I needed to gain control how I was living. So I did!

This blog is for my children to look back on, although it will also be a space for me to collect in one place, all of the beautiful things that I love and want to share with others; especially this city where all of my children were born; beautiful and culturally vibrant, Kansas City, Missouri.

Lastly and most importantly; I will also tell you, I am a huge proponent for our United States Veterans. They have returned home to the country they sacrificed and fought for, only to face obstacle after obstacle. I personally feel that I owe these brave soldiers and Marines everything. They sacrificed everything for the country and freedoms that my children and one day; my grandchildren will grow up in. We as a country need to do so much more for our brave Veterans. Their needs are unmet, and most would probably never even say anything about it. I could go on and on, and I will; just not right here.

Well, this is me. Gradually I will get this Blogging thing down. I am new to this, but so excited! I sincerely hope you choose to take this new journey with me.

Thanks again so much for stopping by!

-Jaye