Becoming a Nana
This is not the best photo of me, or even a very current one, but it is one of my favorites. This is the day the baby in this photo came home from the hospital. Sofie Lynn made me a Nana for the first time. That is me holding her. The beautiful young woman leaning in is my eldest daughter Samantha , Sofie's Momma. Although I am holding little Sofie, it didn't take long before we all figured out she holds my heart. To this day, Sofie Lynn still hangs the moon in my eyes. This photo was the beginning of the best years of my life, those I live out as Nana. Every day, I thank God in heaven for the blessings of my grandchildren.
My Story
My Story
My grandmother was an amazing home baker and I loved to help her in the kitchen when I was growing up. I've often thought maybe I've been gifted some of her talent.
I would love to tell you how I chose my profession and went to a prestigious school to obtain my culinary degree, but that is not the case. Instead, I learned by doing. I worked in a grocery store bakery in my teens, learned to decorate cakes, bake breads, cookies, and anything else you can think of finding in a bakery. I spent a few of my early twenties managing bakeries, and then moved into the training aspect of the bakery business. I traveled the east coast teaching bakery staff how to make gorgeous and delicious goods from the ingredients my companies could sell them. It was a great learning time for me. Later on, we moved to the Chicago area, where I was blessed to work with a phenomenal group of chefs at a high end catering company and set of stores . As an assistant Pastry Chef there, I worked harder than I ever have, but I also learned so much more about the business.
We made everything and I mean everything! If it didn't measure up, it didn't go out. I respected that then, and still do today. I won't sell something to someone that isn't what it should be. They took a chance on me and I gained as much if not more than they did.
Eventually we moved again, my husband was military after all. I stopped working in bakeries and took a desk job, went to college and earned my degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Fine Art. I thought that all that bakery business was behind me and I should have a more mature line of work. It was about that time that Sofie came along and made me a Nana. My perspective on life changed, and I finally understood that I had the passion and talent for baking. Nana's Lil Sweets was born to provide a creative outlet for me, but also to share the love and fun with baking with my grandbabies and so that I will always have at least two lil sweets, one for each hand, when they visit Nana.
Me and Sofie at my college graduation
Me and Sofie at my college graduation
Me with Lucas- my 2nd grandbaby
Me with Lucas- my 2nd grandbaby
Our newest grandbaby- Lil Man Jay!
Our newest grandbaby- Lil Man Jay!