Ok so I just lied to my best friend! LOL! I told her that this recipe was on my blog, she searched for it and still couldn't find it. I came on here to find it for her, and it wasn't on here! SORRY TINA! :) This is a recipe from online, and it is FANTASTIC! This recipe is for 2 thin, or 1 thick crust. I usually double this and make 4 pizzas. We used to have enough left over for lunch. Not so much anymore! LOL!
Ingredients:
1 tsp white sugar
1&1/2 cups warm water
1 TBS active dry yeast
1 TBS olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1&1/2 cups all purpose flour
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, sprinkle yeast over top and let stand(proof) for 10 minutes. It should be slightly foamy.
Stir in the flour, olive oil, and salt. If you're using a kitchenaid or similar stand mixer with the dough hook, it can all go in together. If not, mix in the olive oil and salt first, then the whole wheat flour, and 1 cup of the white flour. You can put the last 1/2 cup on the counter, and knead the dough in it until it's all incorporated into the dough, and the dough is smooth. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to lightly coat the dough in oil. Cover with a towel, place in a warm place to rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide in half for 2 thin crusts, or leave whole for a thick crust. Form into a tight ball(s), cover and let rise until doubled (about 45 minutes).
Preheat oven to 450. Roll/spread onto pizza pans. Top and bake 12-20 minutes depending on thickness of crust and toppings. ENJOY! :)
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
This is NOT my recipe! I got it online! They are oh so yummy though!!!! I did switch up a few things based on what we like in our family! This recipe makes 24 cupcakes.
Ingredients:
2 & 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 TBS. coffee grounds(the finer the better!)
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 & 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar(or 1 cup white, 1 cup brown if you don't use the organic kind)
1 cup oil(I use grapeseed but any oil would work)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup coffee(prepared) for brushing
2 & 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, coffee grounds, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture slowly, mixing JUST until incorporated.
Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush them two or three times with the coffee, allowing the first coat to soak in before repeating. Let cool completely.
To make the frosting, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer(preferably with the whisk attachment) until stiff peaks form. Frost cooled cupcakes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Ingredients:
2 & 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 TBS. coffee grounds(the finer the better!)
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 & 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 cups sugar(or 1 cup white, 1 cup brown if you don't use the organic kind)
1 cup oil(I use grapeseed but any oil would work)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup coffee(prepared) for brushing
2 & 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, coffee grounds, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture slowly, mixing JUST until incorporated.
Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush them two or three times with the coffee, allowing the first coat to soak in before repeating. Let cool completely.
To make the frosting, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer(preferably with the whisk attachment) until stiff peaks form. Frost cooled cupcakes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
knockoff nutella
Ok, so this is how I make the nutella knockoff! I love it b/c it's mostly hazelnuts instead of mostly sugar, and there is no added oil at all!
2 cups hazelnuts(filberts)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Rub as much of the bitter skins off as possible. Some will come off with surprising ease, others you have to rub pretty hard. Place in blender and blend, scraping down the sides until liquefied. Even with my crappy cheap blender it only took about 2 minutes. The smoother, the better! Then add in the powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and blend again until smooth. I usually use the pulse cycle a few times to make sure the sugar and cocoa don't blow everywhere! Scrape down the sides to make sure that everything is incorporated. The mixture will be quite warm from the blending, and will thicken a little once it cools. Store in the refrigerator. ENJOY!
2 cups hazelnuts(filberts)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Rub as much of the bitter skins off as possible. Some will come off with surprising ease, others you have to rub pretty hard. Place in blender and blend, scraping down the sides until liquefied. Even with my crappy cheap blender it only took about 2 minutes. The smoother, the better! Then add in the powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla and blend again until smooth. I usually use the pulse cycle a few times to make sure the sugar and cocoa don't blow everywhere! Scrape down the sides to make sure that everything is incorporated. The mixture will be quite warm from the blending, and will thicken a little once it cools. Store in the refrigerator. ENJOY!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Anna's glasses
Well we picked up Anna's glasses yesterday evening. She's really good about keeping them on, and is very excited about them! I was worried that she wouldn't feel very pretty with them on, but I think it's just the opposite! I told her I thought that she was beautiful and asked her if she felt beautiful, she didn't answer. A few minutes later I repeated the question. She, very annoyed, answered me, "Yes, so stop asking me that!" HAHA! I told her that she didn't answer me the first time, and she just giggled.
She stood up on the slide in our livingroom last night and yelled, "Hey! I can see the stairs from here!" I guess that's a good sign! I asked her if she could see my face and she said yes, so then I asked her if I was beautiful, and she looked at me all crazy. I'm gonna pretend that was an enthusiastic yes... HAHA!
She stood up on the slide in our livingroom last night and yelled, "Hey! I can see the stairs from here!" I guess that's a good sign! I asked her if she could see my face and she said yes, so then I asked her if I was beautiful, and she looked at me all crazy. I'm gonna pretend that was an enthusiastic yes... HAHA!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
oops
About a month ago all of my kids had their well child checkups. I then remembered that it had been quite awhile since my older kids had seen the optometrist, and my middle ones hadn't ever been, so I made them all appointments for the same day. My oldest(11) I was fairly certain was fine, the second one down(8), I was pretty sure needed reading glasses since she decided a few weeks ago to start holding books about 6 inches from her face. She told me that the letters get all mixed up if she holds it any further away. The pediatrician thought that the third one(7) might have some vision issues, since he was having a hard time reading their chart, and the fourth one(5) was just kind of along for the ride.
So on Monday, after 5 hours in the optometry office, many annoying shows on PBS, a ton of snacks and treats, and I'm sure the biggest family visit they've ever had, this is what we found out. We were right about the oldest, his vision is great. The second one doesn't need glasses(although she REALLY wishes she did), the third doesn't need them quite yet, although he probably will by next year, for the OPPOSITE reason we thought he needed them! It turns out that he will need them for reading soon. They were amazed that he doesn't complain about it or anything!
My poor poor sweet fourth child, the one that was really only along for the ride, the one I was kicking myself for even making an appointment for... her vision is terrible. It's worse than 20/40, and is so bad that the optometrist won't even give her the full prescription yet. He wants her to wear half her prescription for 6 months before he gives her the full one. It was so bad that she couldn't even name one letter on the board, and they had to switch to pictures. She could still only make out the biggest 2, and then guessed some of the 3rd biggest. Poor thing can't see a thing! He had to use a stronger eyedrop to dialate her eyes, that didn't wear off for over 24 hours, just so he could make sure her prescription was accurate.
It runs in the family, both sides really, but we would have NEVER guessed that she was having issues. I was kicking myself wondering how I didn't notice, why she didn't say anything... I started asking her questions after we got home, like why didn't she want to sit on the couch to watch tv, already knowing the answer now. I had thought it was because she was 5 and couldn't see past all her siblings. I asked her to show me where she could see the tv well. She pulled her chair about 3 feet away from it. I stood about 7 feet away from her and asked if she could see my face. Nope. Poor thing! It answers so many questions, and explains so many things! We've been just cracking up talking about how she won't come to me when I call her in a crowded room, she probably can't tell which adult I am. No wonder when I give her a dirty look from across the room she smiles at me in return. I thought she was being ornery, she was probably thinking, my mommy sure does love me! HAHA!
I told her yesterday that when she gets her glasses she'll be able to see my face from across the room, and see the tv from the couch. She got pretty excited. So today we went to order her glasses, and she is so happy. We got a great deal on 2 pairs that she picked out, and they should be here by next week. I'm so excited to see how much this effects her, and to know that she can see! How is it that a problem we weren't even aware existed a few days ago, could make me feel so horrible, and so relieved when it was solved? I guess that's all part of being a mom, and wanting the best for your kids. I can't wait to upload some pics of my beautiful little one with her brand new glasses. BTW, she had SO much fun trying on almost every pair in the store, and admiring herself in the mirror!
So on Monday, after 5 hours in the optometry office, many annoying shows on PBS, a ton of snacks and treats, and I'm sure the biggest family visit they've ever had, this is what we found out. We were right about the oldest, his vision is great. The second one doesn't need glasses(although she REALLY wishes she did), the third doesn't need them quite yet, although he probably will by next year, for the OPPOSITE reason we thought he needed them! It turns out that he will need them for reading soon. They were amazed that he doesn't complain about it or anything!
My poor poor sweet fourth child, the one that was really only along for the ride, the one I was kicking myself for even making an appointment for... her vision is terrible. It's worse than 20/40, and is so bad that the optometrist won't even give her the full prescription yet. He wants her to wear half her prescription for 6 months before he gives her the full one. It was so bad that she couldn't even name one letter on the board, and they had to switch to pictures. She could still only make out the biggest 2, and then guessed some of the 3rd biggest. Poor thing can't see a thing! He had to use a stronger eyedrop to dialate her eyes, that didn't wear off for over 24 hours, just so he could make sure her prescription was accurate.
It runs in the family, both sides really, but we would have NEVER guessed that she was having issues. I was kicking myself wondering how I didn't notice, why she didn't say anything... I started asking her questions after we got home, like why didn't she want to sit on the couch to watch tv, already knowing the answer now. I had thought it was because she was 5 and couldn't see past all her siblings. I asked her to show me where she could see the tv well. She pulled her chair about 3 feet away from it. I stood about 7 feet away from her and asked if she could see my face. Nope. Poor thing! It answers so many questions, and explains so many things! We've been just cracking up talking about how she won't come to me when I call her in a crowded room, she probably can't tell which adult I am. No wonder when I give her a dirty look from across the room she smiles at me in return. I thought she was being ornery, she was probably thinking, my mommy sure does love me! HAHA!
I told her yesterday that when she gets her glasses she'll be able to see my face from across the room, and see the tv from the couch. She got pretty excited. So today we went to order her glasses, and she is so happy. We got a great deal on 2 pairs that she picked out, and they should be here by next week. I'm so excited to see how much this effects her, and to know that she can see! How is it that a problem we weren't even aware existed a few days ago, could make me feel so horrible, and so relieved when it was solved? I guess that's all part of being a mom, and wanting the best for your kids. I can't wait to upload some pics of my beautiful little one with her brand new glasses. BTW, she had SO much fun trying on almost every pair in the store, and admiring herself in the mirror!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The goings on at the Boyer house...
Well, alot of you know, who know us well, what's been going on here. However, I figure it's about time to share with the general public. I know alot of you are thinking, how can she announce she's pregnant again while she's still pregnant??? HAHA! I deserve that one, since it's usually the only big news we have around here. Actually, God has been working in some pretty big ways around here, and I've been waiting for enough time to blog about it without interruption. Well, today is the day! :)
I guess it all really started when T and I were growing up. Both of us were brought up in good Christian homes, where we were taught all about Jesus, and serving the Lord. We were missionaries for a little while when I was in elementary school, and ever since then I have wanted to do missionary work, long or short term, it didn't matter to me. T did a little missionary work, but never really felt much of a call to that. He did however feel God's call on his life. We both had turned from our faith, and were kind of doing our own thing when we met. Since then, God has called us back to Him, and strengthened both of our relationships with Him, and our marriage and family through the years.
T is in the Army, and has always planned on staying there. He didn't want to do 20 years and retire, he wanted to do 30! He likes everything about the Army, the job, the guys he works with, the stability. Since we've been up in Alaska, we've been going to this really great church. It'll be hard to leave when we're done with our 3 years up here! A little over a month ago, as we were sitting in church, our pastor was preaching, and I really felt like God was speaking to T. I don't usually sit in church and think, oh man, is God speaking to that other person over there, but this time, I really did feel that. I sat in my chair next to my wonderful husband and just silently prayed over him the whole sermon. He looked really nervous, chewing his nails and the whole bit. The more I prayed, the more nervous he looked...
When service was over, we picked up our masses and headed out to the car. He's still acting nervous as all get out. We start to pull out of church, and he says that he doesn't know how to tell me this, but he thinks we're supposed to get out of the Army and go into full time ministry service. So of course, instantly I'm hoping it's missionary work. He's thinking of(and praying for) something else... HAHA! I think he expected me to freak out, instead I couldn't stop grinning ear to ear. We have no idea what exactly God is calling us to, except for now, to get ready. We have 3 years left on T's contract, during which time we will get the rest of the way out of debt, and T will go to school online. Then we'll use his GI bill to finish up his last year to 3 years of school. That's all the instruction we get for now, and to be honest, it's more than I thought we'd get. God does, after all, ask us to live day to day for Him, not necessarily with a road map, or a step by step guide.
Funny enough, I'm totally not even worried about it. I can honestly say I have more peace about this than anything else in a long time. I know without a doubt that we will have all the things we need, and so much more. I'm really looking forward to this next part of our adventure. A little side note to those of you wondering what this does to our "we'll take a many kids as God will give us" belief.... It changes nothing. What kind of belief would it be if the first sign of instability made us turn our backs on it?
My hope is that my hairbows and diaper cakes will take off enough that I can help T out so he doesn't have to go to school and work full time when he's done with the Army. I keep feeling like there's something else I should be doing as well to get ready, but for now, God hasn't revealed that to me. So, as a friend reminded me, if you don't feel any instruction from the Lord on what you should do next, just do the last thing He told you to do, until He gives you a new task. So for now I'll be homeschooling, paying off debt, building a business, supporting my man, and waiting...
I guess it all really started when T and I were growing up. Both of us were brought up in good Christian homes, where we were taught all about Jesus, and serving the Lord. We were missionaries for a little while when I was in elementary school, and ever since then I have wanted to do missionary work, long or short term, it didn't matter to me. T did a little missionary work, but never really felt much of a call to that. He did however feel God's call on his life. We both had turned from our faith, and were kind of doing our own thing when we met. Since then, God has called us back to Him, and strengthened both of our relationships with Him, and our marriage and family through the years.
T is in the Army, and has always planned on staying there. He didn't want to do 20 years and retire, he wanted to do 30! He likes everything about the Army, the job, the guys he works with, the stability. Since we've been up in Alaska, we've been going to this really great church. It'll be hard to leave when we're done with our 3 years up here! A little over a month ago, as we were sitting in church, our pastor was preaching, and I really felt like God was speaking to T. I don't usually sit in church and think, oh man, is God speaking to that other person over there, but this time, I really did feel that. I sat in my chair next to my wonderful husband and just silently prayed over him the whole sermon. He looked really nervous, chewing his nails and the whole bit. The more I prayed, the more nervous he looked...
When service was over, we picked up our masses and headed out to the car. He's still acting nervous as all get out. We start to pull out of church, and he says that he doesn't know how to tell me this, but he thinks we're supposed to get out of the Army and go into full time ministry service. So of course, instantly I'm hoping it's missionary work. He's thinking of(and praying for) something else... HAHA! I think he expected me to freak out, instead I couldn't stop grinning ear to ear. We have no idea what exactly God is calling us to, except for now, to get ready. We have 3 years left on T's contract, during which time we will get the rest of the way out of debt, and T will go to school online. Then we'll use his GI bill to finish up his last year to 3 years of school. That's all the instruction we get for now, and to be honest, it's more than I thought we'd get. God does, after all, ask us to live day to day for Him, not necessarily with a road map, or a step by step guide.
Funny enough, I'm totally not even worried about it. I can honestly say I have more peace about this than anything else in a long time. I know without a doubt that we will have all the things we need, and so much more. I'm really looking forward to this next part of our adventure. A little side note to those of you wondering what this does to our "we'll take a many kids as God will give us" belief.... It changes nothing. What kind of belief would it be if the first sign of instability made us turn our backs on it?
My hope is that my hairbows and diaper cakes will take off enough that I can help T out so he doesn't have to go to school and work full time when he's done with the Army. I keep feeling like there's something else I should be doing as well to get ready, but for now, God hasn't revealed that to me. So, as a friend reminded me, if you don't feel any instruction from the Lord on what you should do next, just do the last thing He told you to do, until He gives you a new task. So for now I'll be homeschooling, paying off debt, building a business, supporting my man, and waiting...
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
making baby stuff
So lately, to keep off the urge to go buy a bunch of baby stuff, I've been making stuff like crazy. I finally found, after much looking, owl flannel that I really liked at Joann's. I bought about 3 yards of it, and another 3 yards of a coordinating fabric, and I've been sewing like crazy ever since! :) I guess this is more like a brag than an actual blog post. I really wanted to post pics, and since I've been trying to stay off of FB except for 10 minutes on the weekend, I figured I could post the pics here instead!
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| One side of the crib blanket |
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| The other side of the crib blanket |
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| One side of the stroller blanket |
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| The other side of the stroller blanket |
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| Outside cover of the changing table, unfolded |
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| Inside changing pad, unfolded |
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| The changing pad, all buttoned up! |
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| 2 of the burp cloths |
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| My favorite part, the mobile! I love the owls and apples together! |
Monday, May 16, 2011
flour tortillas
Ok, so the other day I needed a recipe for tortillas and for whatever reason couldn't pull my whole wheat one up on the computer, so I pulled out a super old church cookbook, and there was this recipe for flour tortillas, and I thought, sure, why not...
Well, I'm not sure I'll ever go back to making my whole wheat ones because these are FANTASTIC! Here's what I did...
4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
10 Tbs oil/butter/etc
up to 1&1/2 cup warm water
Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together, then mix the oil in with a pastry blender. Add water a little at a time until dough is sticky. Dump out on floured surface and knead until soft and even. Divide dough into egg sized balls(I usually get 20-22). Let rest 20 minutes. Roll out each ball very thin, and cook on griddle or in a pan(ungreased) on medium about 30 seconds on each side.
This is double the original recipe, so if you don't need as many, you could half the recipe, or make this and freeze the leftovers for another meal. We only get 1 meal out of 20-22 tortillas! We had tacos tonight with these and we had 1 tortilla left over! HAHA!
Well, I'm not sure I'll ever go back to making my whole wheat ones because these are FANTASTIC! Here's what I did...
4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
10 Tbs oil/butter/etc
up to 1&1/2 cup warm water
Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together, then mix the oil in with a pastry blender. Add water a little at a time until dough is sticky. Dump out on floured surface and knead until soft and even. Divide dough into egg sized balls(I usually get 20-22). Let rest 20 minutes. Roll out each ball very thin, and cook on griddle or in a pan(ungreased) on medium about 30 seconds on each side.
This is double the original recipe, so if you don't need as many, you could half the recipe, or make this and freeze the leftovers for another meal. We only get 1 meal out of 20-22 tortillas! We had tacos tonight with these and we had 1 tortilla left over! HAHA!
Friday, April 22, 2011
whole wheat bread
Ok so another one I thought that I had already put up.... apparently not! This is a recipe that I got out of a cookbook that my mom gave me, the one my husband calls my hippy monk book... I love this bread, and the fact that the recipe makes 4 loaves. It uses the sponge method, which I had never used before, and I was a little intimidated the first time, but it's super easy! After a little altering, this is how I make it:
Sponge stage:
6 cups lukewarm water
4 Tbs yeast
3/4 cup sweetening(I use honey, but you could use sugar or whatever)
8 cups whole wheat flour
Pour water into a LARGE bowl, and sprinkle the yeast overtop. Mix lightly with a wisk. Add sweetener, and mix to dissolve. Add in the flour 1-2 cups at a time, stirring until incorporated. Wisk until all the flour is mixed in and creamy. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set in a warm place to rise. Let rise about 45 minutes. It will get extremely high and overflow all over your counter if you don't use a big enough bowl... believe me! HAHA!
Either fold in, or use your dough hook on your mixer to add in:
2 1/2 Tbs salt
1/2 cup oil(or butter etc)
7 cups whole wheat flour
additional flour for kneading
Once the salt, oil, and flour are incorporated, tip dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and even. Place in oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set in a warm place to rise. Let rise 60 minutes.
Punch down(using your fist push the dough down) about 30 times, then re-cover and rise for another 45 minutes.
Shape your loaves. This is how I do it:
Separate the dough into 4 equal pieces, fold over and push down edges of each piece in a circular motion to making a circle. Roll up the dough and pat the edges to make a log, then roll over and pinch all the edges together. Place into a bread pan seam side up and press down into pan with the back of your knuckles. Flip the dough out and place back in the pan seam side down and repeat pressing. Repeat with the other 3 loaves. Cover and allow to rise 25 minutes from the time you finish the last loaf.
Preheat oven to 350. Make a 1/2 inch slit in each loaf, and brush with egg wash(1 egg plus 1/4 c. water or milk). Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown on the top and has a deep hollow sound when tapped with your finger. Remove from pan immediately, cool completely for easy slicing.
Enjoy! BTW, in case anyone is wondering, my favorite pan to use, the one that turns out the best loaves and is easiest to get the bread out, is a stone loaf pan! :)
Sponge stage:
6 cups lukewarm water
4 Tbs yeast
3/4 cup sweetening(I use honey, but you could use sugar or whatever)
8 cups whole wheat flour
Pour water into a LARGE bowl, and sprinkle the yeast overtop. Mix lightly with a wisk. Add sweetener, and mix to dissolve. Add in the flour 1-2 cups at a time, stirring until incorporated. Wisk until all the flour is mixed in and creamy. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set in a warm place to rise. Let rise about 45 minutes. It will get extremely high and overflow all over your counter if you don't use a big enough bowl... believe me! HAHA!
Either fold in, or use your dough hook on your mixer to add in:
2 1/2 Tbs salt
1/2 cup oil(or butter etc)
7 cups whole wheat flour
additional flour for kneading
Once the salt, oil, and flour are incorporated, tip dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and even. Place in oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set in a warm place to rise. Let rise 60 minutes.
Punch down(using your fist push the dough down) about 30 times, then re-cover and rise for another 45 minutes.
Shape your loaves. This is how I do it:
Separate the dough into 4 equal pieces, fold over and push down edges of each piece in a circular motion to making a circle. Roll up the dough and pat the edges to make a log, then roll over and pinch all the edges together. Place into a bread pan seam side up and press down into pan with the back of your knuckles. Flip the dough out and place back in the pan seam side down and repeat pressing. Repeat with the other 3 loaves. Cover and allow to rise 25 minutes from the time you finish the last loaf.
Preheat oven to 350. Make a 1/2 inch slit in each loaf, and brush with egg wash(1 egg plus 1/4 c. water or milk). Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown on the top and has a deep hollow sound when tapped with your finger. Remove from pan immediately, cool completely for easy slicing.
Enjoy! BTW, in case anyone is wondering, my favorite pan to use, the one that turns out the best loaves and is easiest to get the bread out, is a stone loaf pan! :)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Banana Bread
Ok here's my banana bread recipe I've been making forever, although it's not super healthy, you can definitely make it that way! :) This makes 1 loaf, or about 12 muffins.
1/2 cup butter(could substitute for applesauce or ground flax seed)
3/4 cup sugar(or sweetener)
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour(whole wheat or white or any combo in between)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in bananas, milk and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Pour in to a 9X5" greased loaf pan or lined muffin tin. Bake 50-60 minutes, or 20-30 for muffins.
I just tried adding in 1/2 cup peanut butter and 3/4 cup chocolate chips, and it was AMAZING! This recipe doubles super easy! Have fun and make it your own! :)
1/2 cup butter(could substitute for applesauce or ground flax seed)
3/4 cup sugar(or sweetener)
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour(whole wheat or white or any combo in between)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in bananas, milk and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Pour in to a 9X5" greased loaf pan or lined muffin tin. Bake 50-60 minutes, or 20-30 for muffins.
I just tried adding in 1/2 cup peanut butter and 3/4 cup chocolate chips, and it was AMAZING! This recipe doubles super easy! Have fun and make it your own! :)
tortilla soup
This one I got from a friend, and it's soooooo yummy! :)
2 cans diced tomatoes
3-4 chicken breasts cubed
2 TBS cilantro(I use WAY more than that!)
1 TBS cumin
2 cans(or 4 cups) of chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 tsp garlic(again I use WAY more than that!)
Cook 8 hours in the crockpot then add:
1 can rinsed black beans
1 can mexicorn(I use 2 cups frozen corn)
Serve with chips(or tortilla strips), sour cream, diced avacado, hot sauce or salsa and cheddar cheese!
2 cans diced tomatoes
3-4 chicken breasts cubed
2 TBS cilantro(I use WAY more than that!)
1 TBS cumin
2 cans(or 4 cups) of chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 tsp garlic(again I use WAY more than that!)
Cook 8 hours in the crockpot then add:
1 can rinsed black beans
1 can mexicorn(I use 2 cups frozen corn)
Serve with chips(or tortilla strips), sour cream, diced avacado, hot sauce or salsa and cheddar cheese!
hot dog or hamburger buns
Another one from online. You can do this whole wheat, or white and they are very good! It's also a very quick recipe, about an hour start to finish!
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter(or oil, last time I used coconut oil and it was great!)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar(or other sweetener)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
In a small saucepan, heat milk, water, and butter until very warm(about 120 degrees but not too much above that)
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add in milk mixture and egg. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth.
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces for hamburger buns or 16 equal pieces for hot dog buns. Shape into smooth balls, and place on a greased baking sheet, and flatten slightly for hamburger buns. For hot dog buns, roll out into 4X6" rectangles and roll up into buns and pinch ends. Cover, and let rise 30 to 35 minutes.
Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
tortillas
This is a recipe that I got online, and it's very easy and versatile! You can make it all whole wheat, or all white, or any combination that you want!
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole wheat bread flour
1/2 cup oil of some sort(or butter) last time I used grapeseed and it was awesome!
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
all-purpose flour for rolling
In a large bowl, stir together flours and salt. Mix in the oil then rub by hand until the mixture is the texture of oatmeal. Make a well in the center, and pour in the boiling water. Mix with a fork until all of the water is evenly incorporated. Dump out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
Divide into 18 balls and leave on counter covered to sit for at least an hour, and up to 8 hours.
Heat griddle or skillet(the heavier the better, I use my cast iron griddle) to about medium. Roll out each ball very thin into as close to a circle as you can get it. Place tortillas one at a time on heated griddle or skillet for about 30 seconds on each side. Adjust heat as necessary. You can also slice these up after you cook them and bake them in the oven to make tortilla chips, or strips.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Cinnamon Rolls
Here is THE cinnamon roll recipe... It's off the internet, and a little modified. Anyway, this is the way I do it.
Dough:
1 cup warm milk(about 110 degrees)
2 eggs, room temp
1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast
4 1/2 c. flour(I have substituted partial whole wheat, it's just ok)
1 tsp salt
Filling:
2 1/2 TBS cinnamon
1/3 c. butter(softened)
1 c. sugar
Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Mix warm milk, eggs, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Proof(let sit) for 10 minutes or until foamy. Add flour and salt. Knead until smooth(or let your kitchen-aid do the work for you with the dough hook). Heat oven to 200, then turn off. Place dough in oiled bowl and cover with towel. Place in warm oven and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.
Roll dough into a 16X12" rectangle/oval. Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Spread butter on dough and sprinkle with sugar mixture(use all of it). Roll up dough lengthwise and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls into a lightly greased 9X13" pan. Cover and let rise in warm place until nearly doubled(30-60 minutes). Or you can cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep in refrigerator over night. In the morning you can take it out, remove covering, let it rise for 1 hour(in an oven heated to 200, then turned off), and then bake.
Preheat oven to 350. Bake about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert onto cookie sheet for 30 seconds, then flip back over, and allow to cool while making frosting.
Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Spread on warm rolls.
Dough:
1 cup warm milk(about 110 degrees)
2 eggs, room temp
1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp yeast
4 1/2 c. flour(I have substituted partial whole wheat, it's just ok)
1 tsp salt
Filling:
2 1/2 TBS cinnamon
1/3 c. butter(softened)
1 c. sugar
Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Mix warm milk, eggs, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Proof(let sit) for 10 minutes or until foamy. Add flour and salt. Knead until smooth(or let your kitchen-aid do the work for you with the dough hook). Heat oven to 200, then turn off. Place dough in oiled bowl and cover with towel. Place in warm oven and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.
Roll dough into a 16X12" rectangle/oval. Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Spread butter on dough and sprinkle with sugar mixture(use all of it). Roll up dough lengthwise and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls into a lightly greased 9X13" pan. Cover and let rise in warm place until nearly doubled(30-60 minutes). Or you can cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep in refrigerator over night. In the morning you can take it out, remove covering, let it rise for 1 hour(in an oven heated to 200, then turned off), and then bake.
Preheat oven to 350. Bake about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert onto cookie sheet for 30 seconds, then flip back over, and allow to cool while making frosting.
Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Spread on warm rolls.
Carrot Cake
This recipe came out of a church cookbook, and I've been making it for YEARS. It's the only carrot cake recipe I'll use since I don't like nuts or raisins in my carrot cake. The pineapple makes it perfect! Ok so how to write this recipe? Original or modified??? I guess I'll do the original and describe the changes I make??? Try to keep up! :)
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil(I use applesauce instead)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 c. grated carrots
2 1/2 c. flour(half and half whole wheat or whatever you're brave enough to try!)
8 oz. crushed pineapple
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
(I also add some vanilla)
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease and flour a 9X13" pan or two 9" pans. Mix all ingredients until smooth and well blended. Bake 50-60 minutes for 9X13, or 30-45 minutes for 9" pans.
I ALWAYS double the recipe for the frosting, but here it is in it's original form!
3 oz cream cheese room temp
1 tsp vanilla(I use about twice that amount)
1/4 c. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
Beat all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Frost cake when cool.
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil(I use applesauce instead)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 c. grated carrots
2 1/2 c. flour(half and half whole wheat or whatever you're brave enough to try!)
8 oz. crushed pineapple
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
(I also add some vanilla)
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease and flour a 9X13" pan or two 9" pans. Mix all ingredients until smooth and well blended. Bake 50-60 minutes for 9X13, or 30-45 minutes for 9" pans.
I ALWAYS double the recipe for the frosting, but here it is in it's original form!
3 oz cream cheese room temp
1 tsp vanilla(I use about twice that amount)
1/4 c. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
Beat all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Frost cake when cool.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Urkey Lurkey(Italian pasta dish)
I got this awesome recipe from a friend, who I think, got it off of a cooking show. It rocks! :)
1 lb pasta
1 head cauliflower, broccoli, or both
1 lb Italian sausage(we leave this out when T is home b/c he doesn't like it)
4 oz salami or pepperoni(when T is home we do 4-6 oz of each)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil(I only use 1/4 cup)
1 large onion
1 red or green bell pepper julienned
2 TBS minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper(I use this only in my portion, it's much too spicy for my kids)
8 oz cubed mozzarella cheese(I use closer to 16oz)
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 TBS freshly chopped parsley leaves
finely grated Parmesan cheese for passing at the table
Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and cook pasta according to directions. Strain and place in large pot or pasta dish, cover.
Meanwhile, bring another pot of salted water to boil, and cook cauliflower, broccoli, or both, until tender crisp(about 5 minutes). Using slotted spoon, transfer to pot with pasta and cover.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over med/high, crumble and cook Italian sausage until browned and cooked though. Add pepperoni/salami and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer meats to pot with pasta and cover.
Add 1 1/2 TBS olive oil to a hot skillet with onions and bell peppers, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper, and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Using spoon, transfer to pasta pot.
Add olive oil, cubed cheese, green and black olives, and parsley to pot. Toss to thoroughly combine. Serve in large bowl.
1 lb pasta
1 head cauliflower, broccoli, or both
1 lb Italian sausage(we leave this out when T is home b/c he doesn't like it)
4 oz salami or pepperoni(when T is home we do 4-6 oz of each)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil(I only use 1/4 cup)
1 large onion
1 red or green bell pepper julienned
2 TBS minced garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper(I use this only in my portion, it's much too spicy for my kids)
8 oz cubed mozzarella cheese(I use closer to 16oz)
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 TBS freshly chopped parsley leaves
finely grated Parmesan cheese for passing at the table
Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and cook pasta according to directions. Strain and place in large pot or pasta dish, cover.
Meanwhile, bring another pot of salted water to boil, and cook cauliflower, broccoli, or both, until tender crisp(about 5 minutes). Using slotted spoon, transfer to pot with pasta and cover.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over med/high, crumble and cook Italian sausage until browned and cooked though. Add pepperoni/salami and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer meats to pot with pasta and cover.
Add 1 1/2 TBS olive oil to a hot skillet with onions and bell peppers, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper, and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Using spoon, transfer to pasta pot.
Add olive oil, cubed cheese, green and black olives, and parsley to pot. Toss to thoroughly combine. Serve in large bowl.
Chicken Nuggets
These are super easy to make, and way cheaper than buying organic chicken nuggets! :)
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts(be sure the chicken is completely defrosted!)
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts(be sure the chicken is completely defrosted!)
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs(I just made my own with organic whole wheat bread and Italian seasoning)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 400. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch sized pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put melted butter in a bowl or dish for dipping. Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the well-coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
That's it! It's so yummy!
powdered sugar
I thought that I already blogged this, but going back through my posts I can't find it! This is how to make powdered sugar, which is very expensive if you buy organic because powdered sugar is more expensive than organic granulated sugar!
1 cup sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
Blend in blender until smooth and powdered.
That's it! Have fun! :)
1 cup sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
Blend in blender until smooth and powdered.
That's it! Have fun! :)
organic creamer
Ok for those of you who haven't looked at what's in that coffee creamer you drink every morning, quick go look right now! I'm not even sure it can be considered a food product! :(
So my husband is completely in love with coffee creamer, so when we went organic, asking him to give that up is like asking him to cut off his right arm! Looking online this morning I found a super easy, super yummy recipe! The best part? It makes alot, and you can tweak it to be any flavor you want! Here's the basic recipe:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 TBS maple syrup(I'm sure you could use agave nectar)
Steam over medium heat, remove from heat, and cool.
That's it! Now for some add ins:
To make Vanilla just add a TBS of vanilla, or a vanilla bean cut in half!
To make Cinnamon, you guessed it, just add cinnamon!
Pumpkin pie spice: Add pumpkin pie spice
Chocolate: Add a few TBS of Cacao powder
Are you getting the picture? Add whatever you want, to taste, to make it your own! How easy is that???? Much love to you all(obviously why I share all this with you!!!!)
So my husband is completely in love with coffee creamer, so when we went organic, asking him to give that up is like asking him to cut off his right arm! Looking online this morning I found a super easy, super yummy recipe! The best part? It makes alot, and you can tweak it to be any flavor you want! Here's the basic recipe:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 TBS maple syrup(I'm sure you could use agave nectar)
Steam over medium heat, remove from heat, and cool.
That's it! Now for some add ins:
To make Vanilla just add a TBS of vanilla, or a vanilla bean cut in half!
To make Cinnamon, you guessed it, just add cinnamon!
Pumpkin pie spice: Add pumpkin pie spice
Chocolate: Add a few TBS of Cacao powder
Are you getting the picture? Add whatever you want, to taste, to make it your own! How easy is that???? Much love to you all(obviously why I share all this with you!!!!)
Friday, March 11, 2011
birthing
So lately I have been confronted with a brand new dilemma. When I was pregnant with our littlest(for at the least the next 4 months) I had my midwife ask me if I wanted any of the kids present during my birth. At the time my oldest 2 were a 9 year old boy, and a 7 year old girl. I responded no, that if the oldest was a girl maybe, but that I thought that a 9 year old boy was too young to be in the delivery room. Until she asked, I had never even thought about letting any of the kids in the room.
So by the time this baby is going to be born our oldest daughter will be 9, so my plan(that I hadn't even cleared with my hubby yet!) was to ask her if she was interested in being there, and if so, show her some actual birth footage, get a backup person to take her out of the room if necessary, and go from there. I never got the chance to discuss with hubby or to ask!
2 nights ago, during prayer time, our 5 year old daughter said that she wanted to see the baby come out. I said, "Well you already know how a baby comes out." She said, "Yeah but I want to SEE it." Hmmm. Then my 9 year old pipes in with, "Yeah, me too!" I'm trying to come up with a good reason why not. Not that I want to say no, but I don't want to just say yes without thinking it through either. If they know what they're in for, and I have a backup plan, then why not? I have very calm labors and deliveries, and I don't scream or yell or get out of hand...
Something for our family to pray about and decide! I'll let you all in on the answer when we figure it out! :)
So by the time this baby is going to be born our oldest daughter will be 9, so my plan(that I hadn't even cleared with my hubby yet!) was to ask her if she was interested in being there, and if so, show her some actual birth footage, get a backup person to take her out of the room if necessary, and go from there. I never got the chance to discuss with hubby or to ask!
2 nights ago, during prayer time, our 5 year old daughter said that she wanted to see the baby come out. I said, "Well you already know how a baby comes out." She said, "Yeah but I want to SEE it." Hmmm. Then my 9 year old pipes in with, "Yeah, me too!" I'm trying to come up with a good reason why not. Not that I want to say no, but I don't want to just say yes without thinking it through either. If they know what they're in for, and I have a backup plan, then why not? I have very calm labors and deliveries, and I don't scream or yell or get out of hand...
Something for our family to pray about and decide! I'll let you all in on the answer when we figure it out! :)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
wahooooo!
Midwife called this morning and gave me the all clear! Apparently she meant it when she said that she was bad at measuring placentas! The radiologist doc told her that it wasn't anywhere near my cervix, and I'm off all my restrictions! She said only God knows why I was spotting, but apparently no need for alarm! Totally looking forward to the rest of this pregnancy, hopefully the rest will be VERY uneventful! :)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
the waiting game
So once again we're playing the waiting game. This time it's waiting for the doc to call back and tell me where my placenta is, something I never thought I'd really care about. They rushed me in this morning to see the doc, who rushed me in to get an ultrasound, then the ultrasound tech rushed me back to the doc to see what was going on. Too bad the doc left to go deliver a baby! :)
She's supposed to call before the end of the day, but she's on call delivering babies so her day ends at 7am tomorrow! She hopefully will let me know at that time what kind of restrictions(if any) I am on, and where my placenta is.
Right now all I can think about is the long list of housecleaning I want to get done. You know, basic stuff like dust my whole house, scrub all the kid drawings off of my walls, vacuum all my floors, and scrub my bathrooms! I'd also like to make a big batch of granola for breakfast. I'm wondering how much I can get away with doing without EXACTLY doing what I was told not to...
She's supposed to call before the end of the day, but she's on call delivering babies so her day ends at 7am tomorrow! She hopefully will let me know at that time what kind of restrictions(if any) I am on, and where my placenta is.
Right now all I can think about is the long list of housecleaning I want to get done. You know, basic stuff like dust my whole house, scrub all the kid drawings off of my walls, vacuum all my floors, and scrub my bathrooms! I'd also like to make a big batch of granola for breakfast. I'm wondering how much I can get away with doing without EXACTLY doing what I was told not to...
Monday, March 7, 2011
pregnancy...
It's crazy how after so many easy uncomplicated pregnancies, you can have one that just wants to scare you! This is pregnancy number 7 for us, we have 5 beautiful children, and one up in heaven with Jesus. The pregnancy we lost started out just like the rest, and was totally uneventful, until I woke up one morning and spotted just the tiniest bit. I don't EVER spot, I didn't feel like I was very big, and I hadn't felt the baby move yet(I was 18 weeks) so I just knew in the pit of my stomach that something was wrong. We went into the ER, and they couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. It crushed us.
This pregnancy started out exactly the same as the rest as well. About 7 weeks I had some spotting and just fell apart. I had determined already in my mind that there was no hope for this baby. We went into the clinic and they found a heartbeat right away, and everything was fine. They said they thought it was a result of intercourse, and just to know that it would probably happen again, and it did. Occasionally, until I went on vacation 8 weeks ago, I would spot after sex. Apparently super common, and nothing to worry about.
So I got back from vacation a day before my husband, and we hadn't done anything in days before that anyway, but the day after I got home, I started spotting. I called L&D and they wanted me to come in. A good friend of mine came to sit with the kids, and her hubby offered to pick Terence up from the airport for me. After going in and getting checked out it turns out that my placenta is really low and close to my cervix. So I have to go back in to have it measured etc. to see how bad it is.
It's crazy to me that something so rare has been happening to so may ladies that I know lately. Supposedly only 1 in 200 pregnancies have partial or full previa, so what is that .5%? So how weird is it that I know 2 ladies personally that have been effected by this just in the last 6 months, and more over the last couple of years. I certainly don't know 400 women. Supposedly things that make you more likely to have this are smoking(nope), cocaine use(nope), and being over 35(nope). The chances of you losing a baby after 10 weeks and hearing the baby's heartbeat are less than 1%, yet I know 2 ladies plus myself, for a total of 3, that this has happened to in the last 2 years. It makes me wonder why all of these pregnancy and birth issues are so prevalent right now. I'm wondering if there are some spiritual forces against us...
So, pray ladies, pray hard for your families, and your babies!
This pregnancy started out exactly the same as the rest as well. About 7 weeks I had some spotting and just fell apart. I had determined already in my mind that there was no hope for this baby. We went into the clinic and they found a heartbeat right away, and everything was fine. They said they thought it was a result of intercourse, and just to know that it would probably happen again, and it did. Occasionally, until I went on vacation 8 weeks ago, I would spot after sex. Apparently super common, and nothing to worry about.
So I got back from vacation a day before my husband, and we hadn't done anything in days before that anyway, but the day after I got home, I started spotting. I called L&D and they wanted me to come in. A good friend of mine came to sit with the kids, and her hubby offered to pick Terence up from the airport for me. After going in and getting checked out it turns out that my placenta is really low and close to my cervix. So I have to go back in to have it measured etc. to see how bad it is.
It's crazy to me that something so rare has been happening to so may ladies that I know lately. Supposedly only 1 in 200 pregnancies have partial or full previa, so what is that .5%? So how weird is it that I know 2 ladies personally that have been effected by this just in the last 6 months, and more over the last couple of years. I certainly don't know 400 women. Supposedly things that make you more likely to have this are smoking(nope), cocaine use(nope), and being over 35(nope). The chances of you losing a baby after 10 weeks and hearing the baby's heartbeat are less than 1%, yet I know 2 ladies plus myself, for a total of 3, that this has happened to in the last 2 years. It makes me wonder why all of these pregnancy and birth issues are so prevalent right now. I'm wondering if there are some spiritual forces against us...
So, pray ladies, pray hard for your families, and your babies!
the longest vacation EVER
So we just got back from the longest vacation we have ever taken. It was fun, and we made alot of memories. but I am so glad to be HOME! Terence was scheduled to go to a school so I figured I'd hop a MAC flight and head down to Washington State for a 3 week visit. Well, between his school date getting bumped, him needing to come down to take care of some business, and then him not being able to come down right away for those 2 weeks, we ended up away from home for 65 days!
We were able to get alot of visiting in with alot of friends and family that it's been too long since we've seen. They got to spend a TON of time with their grandparents. They got to run around quite a bit with my best friend's kids. 3 of the kids had birthdays while we were down there. Terence and I had the opportunity to take them to the great wolf lodge, which we've never been to. I think that was the highlight of my trip!
To any of my cloth diapering friends who think that it's too hard to go on vacation with your cloth diapers, it can be done! Back and forth between my mom's and my friends' houses, 2 different stays in hotels, and a whole lot of traveling, and we still never had to use a disposable. I'm so proud of myself! HAHA!
I had to take a break from blogging as well since I didn't bring my laptop with me. All I had was my iphone and I haven't figured out how to blog efficiently from it yet. You'd think that they'd have an app for that!
All in all it was a super fun and super busy vacation, and totally worth it. But, like I said, it is good to be HOME! I forgot how much I love my house, taking care of my house, and cooking meals for my family! I don't plan on going on vacation again ANY time soon! :)
We were able to get alot of visiting in with alot of friends and family that it's been too long since we've seen. They got to spend a TON of time with their grandparents. They got to run around quite a bit with my best friend's kids. 3 of the kids had birthdays while we were down there. Terence and I had the opportunity to take them to the great wolf lodge, which we've never been to. I think that was the highlight of my trip!
To any of my cloth diapering friends who think that it's too hard to go on vacation with your cloth diapers, it can be done! Back and forth between my mom's and my friends' houses, 2 different stays in hotels, and a whole lot of traveling, and we still never had to use a disposable. I'm so proud of myself! HAHA!
I had to take a break from blogging as well since I didn't bring my laptop with me. All I had was my iphone and I haven't figured out how to blog efficiently from it yet. You'd think that they'd have an app for that!
All in all it was a super fun and super busy vacation, and totally worth it. But, like I said, it is good to be HOME! I forgot how much I love my house, taking care of my house, and cooking meals for my family! I don't plan on going on vacation again ANY time soon! :)
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