Spot of Sweetness and Reward, Baking Cupcakes

~~~This is Candy Cat. Candy Cat is a small cat with some physical problems, but she is not aware her problems are indeed PROBLEMS. She is unable to do many things, and her eyes do not dilate properly , nor do her claws retract, but she is a happy cat and very easy to have around. I bring her up in today's post because she was a Christmas gift from our grandchildren and the granddaughter who loves her to pieces stayed with us for 2 nights and 3 days JUST FOR FUN ! Candy cat was snuggled and loved by #2Granddaughter in between all the playing and baking and arts and crafts !~~~#2 Granddaughter (below) is cracking open the eggs for the lemon cupcakes she and I are baking. She chose the cake mix and she told me cracking the eggs open is her favorite part of baking. ( I think tasting the batter is really her favorite)

~~~She is carefully scraping the sides of the bowl while the mixer does it's magic.~~~ "The torch of love is lit in the kitchen."Anon.

~~~Look at the concentration on her face as she carefully fills each paper cup with batter.~~~ ~~~While the cupcakes bake she is working on a sheep she is making. She and I spent the evening before making sheep. I make little sheep to sell at bazaars. I think she will be a future business partner. Last night she was my 'glue girl', and a very good glue girl she is.She did all the gluing, a step that takes a little extra time, so she saved me some time and labor. But, here she is working on her own sheep. (below) ~~~The cupcakes are out of the oven. We could not resist. We ate warm cupcakes without frosting. She has peppermint tea with hers and I had fresh coffee. She insisted on us using the pretty butterfly teacups. (below)

~~~"If the divine creator has taken pains to give us delicious and exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve them with ceremony." Fernand Poins ~~~

~~~Hubby and #2 Granddaughter frosting cupcakes. Well, Hubby was frosting his own cupcake. Hubby comes from a family that believes dessert IS the meal, and I believe the quote below is their family motto , actually, I think they believe life IS dessert !~~~

~~~"Life is unsure, always eat your dessert first."~~~

~~~Here is the cupcake our granddaughter made for me. She made little fairy toppers and wanted to make sure I kept this one. I think I will eat it for breakfast. Thank-you Granddaughter. ~~~I count it a privilege and a blessing to be able to do special things with children. Even better that I have grandchildren to have fun with. It takes so little to make a child happy, read a story together, bake together, color in a coloring book or play a game together. Sing silly songs or do jumping jacks together.Pick up colorful leaves, or cuddle in the rocking chair while you watch a special movie together. ~~~This verse from the Bible is one I take to heart and believe God is pleased to grant us here on earth. "Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labors in which he toils under the sun during the few years of life which God has given him; for this is his reward." Ecclesiastes 5:18 And I believe sharing time with the grandchildren borne of the children Hubby and I had in our youth is a true reward from God.