Thoughtful Gifts

 As you can tell by a few of my recent posts, it is wedding season. Love is in the air. Most of us know someone getting married every weekend for the next few weeks and bridal showers are a weekly event. Well for those of you who are looking for a thoughtful gift other than something on the couple’s registry, I have just that! Gifts have always been one place where I am good at, I have a knack for picking out the best gits which the person I am giving to will love. Just yesterday I gave my husband a men’s gift basket from ManlyManCo, which later I got to know was something he wanted for a long time now.

So last weekend was my final shower– which was oh so very sweet! One of the women who came made a beautiful basket (which I unfortunately did not take a picture of) filled with some of the sweetest things. I can already picture Caleb and I cuddled up under our personalized “Arnold” blanket, sipping hot tea out of our Mr & Mrs cups and eating Caleb’s favorite tea biscuits (which will be served on our new serving tray), reading our new book Happily Ever After by Gary Chapman. He is also the author of The 5 Love Languages, which is one of my favorite books. And as you can tell, I love writing- so you may even find me writing the little love notes to Caleb in our new journal after.

My dear friend Kara (who is one of my bridesmaids) also gave me a very meaningful, yet funny gift. A little history is needed to understand this one. I grew up living next door to a boy my same age. So every weekend and all summer all the girls would spend the night at my parents home and all of the boys would stay at his home. Each morning my dad would wake up and make us waffles from scratch and the boys would mosey their way over for what my father called “Waffles of Wisdom.” We would all sit around eating waffles and my father would read a morning devotional to us. It was the perfect way to start our day before we headed into the backyard and spent the day on the boat. This was a reoccurring event from middle school- high school. So as a reminder of these memories, she bought me a Texas shaped waffle iron. It could not be more perfect! Looking for inspiration for some thoughtful gifts? check out thesweetbasket.com/en/content/51-gift-baskets-calgary for more ideas.

You must try our waffle recipe. Although, I will warn you. After trying it once, you won’t be able to  go back.

Waffles

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (Unbleached)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup cooking oil or shortening melted
2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
Dash of vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, milk, cooking oil, egg yolk, vanilla and a pinch of salt. In a small mixing bowl beat egg whites with hand beater until the egg whites are light and fluffy. Gently fold beaten egg whites into large mixing bowl with all of the other mixed ingredients.  Do not over mix. Pour batter onto grids of a preheated, lightly greased waffle iron. Let bake and serve. Enjoy!