Hi! My name is Juventa. Welcome to Home Baked Joy!
Who am I? I am a mom, a photographer (stock as well as portrait), an author, a gardener, a dreamer, a Latter-day Saint, and so much more. I am the mother of six children who are growing up too quickly. I love to travel and one day want to see the world. I love to make things stretch and see how I can use them in creative ways. I love music, playing the piano, and singing. I also love food. Some of my fondest memories are waking up to the scent of freshly baked bread or sitting down to a home baked meal. Growing up in a family with eight kids, my mom was a master of making a complete meal out of “nothing.” She gave us a love of food and of family and taught me the importance of having dinner together when possible. I love seeing where our food comes from (personal gardening and buying local from the organic farm) and using the produce in all its diversity. I love trying new things and experimenting with different tastes and textures while also using what I have on hand. I have learned a lot over the years and love continuing to learn on a daily basis.
Why Home Baked Joy as the name for my blog?
I chose HOME because that is at the heart of who I am and what I want to help strengthen. Being a stay at home mom can be tough, but also really rewarding. I love the quote, “No other success can compensate for failure in the home.” (David O. McKay) I want to help others create wonderful homes in spite of their circumstances.
I chose BAKED because in my home the kitchen is at the heart of it. We are constantly baking, canning, eating, and cleaning in the kitchen. I have learned a ton about using the resources I have on hand (like food storage) as well as making meals from scratch. I want to share what I have learned with YOU! There is an ancient art to baking and it can bring so much happiness and satisfaction.
I chose JOY because that is what I want to feel and share with others. I was in a car accident several years ago during which my life changed in so many ways. I sustained a concussion and while the doctors were doing the scans, they found a cyst on my brain. After an MRI, 4 more cysts were discovered. Why am I sharing this? In case it will help someone else out there who may have suffered from a similar prognosis. The biggest lesson I have learned from this continuing trial is that none of us know how long we will have here on this earth, but we CAN make the most of what time we do have, and so I CHOOSE JOY and I CHOOSE LIFE. There was a time I wanted to crawl up into a little ball and never leave my bed but then I made a decision. We can’t always be happy. Believe me, with six children, we are living in what I like to call joyful chaos much of the time. Occasionally, “tsunami mommy” (as my kids call it) comes out and all the joy seems to leave momentarily. That said, there is great joy that can be found in the day to day living, and the GREATEST JOY I have found in my life has come from within the walls of my own home. We can find joy in the laughter of a child, watching a plant grow, seeing a sunset, and reaching out and lifting up others. Each day we have is a gift. Each day an opportunity. May you find joy in your own journey. Thanks for being a part of mine!