The Bread Recipe

Whole Wheat Bread- from Kitchen Kneads

5 cups warm water
2 tablespoons yeast (heaping)
1/4 cup oil
3 tablespoons dough enhancer
1/2 cup gluten
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
12 cups whole wheat flour (approx.)

Make sure the temperature of your kitchen is above 70 degrees. (This is so your bread will rise. I have to turn the heat up in my house.) Add water and yeast in Bosch bowl. (I let this sit and bubble while I ground my flour). Then add oil, dough enhancer, gluten, honey and salt to your yeast. Next add flour 1 cup at a time while it is mixing. Let mix on speed 1 for 8-10 minutes. Form into 5 loaves. (I do the pat it out into an oval shape, fold both sides over at a point like a paper airplane then roll it from the top where the point is. Here is a link to a video that demonstrates:http://www.breadcetera.com/?p=82 ). Put into greased pans and cover with a damp towel. Let raise until it is the size you wish your bread to be. Preheat oven to 425. After you put your loaves in the oven turn the temperature of the oven down to 365 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes. Makes 5 loaves

Back to the Routine

I feel like I haven't posted anything new in a while and so I went to my camera to see what great memories I may have captured and was greeted with these 4 terrible words: "Folder Contains NO Images"  I haven't taken pictures of anything recently.

So what have I been doing? Well just the everyday mundane stuff. Cleaning, laundry, dishes, getting kids to and from their activities, piano lessons, homework, cooking dinner ect. I always find it ironic that we make new years resolutions in a month that for me is usually mundane and depressing. Sure I set a goal to loose the last of the baby weight. To bad I can't go running because it is cold and icy outside. Of course I want to do more fun things with my kids. To bad what really sounds fun is curling up in a blanket with a good book. I have a better idea, lets start hibernating like bears and start fresh in the spring. It makes a lot more sense to me.

On that cheerful note I better get going. I have to get Mikele off to school as usual.

The Master Baker

Ok that is a little bit of a stretch. But, if I do say so myself I made some amazing bread and I have pictures and a lot of empty bread bags to prove it.  This is even more impressive because this bread is 100% whole wheat.  I usually have a hard time making whole wheat bread that isn't heavy and flat. So if you are in the neighborhood on baking day be sure to stop by!

 

Allie's 6 Month Photo Shoot - I Need Your Help!!

I can hardly believe my baby is 6 months old. She is getting her personality and is much more interactive and fun. My friend Kassandra Namba came an took her pictures for me. You might remember me mentioning Kassandra, she took our family pictures the end of the summer. She does great work and comes right to your house to take the photos. It is so much more relaxing and enjoyable then going to a studio.  She is also very reasonably priced!!!! So this is what I need from you: If you will go to the following link Allie's Photo Shoot check out the other photos from Allie's photo shoot and leave a comment you can help me earn a free 8x10.  I need 15 comments! Thanks!!!

Allie also had her 6 month check up last week. Here are her stats and a little bit about her development:

Weight: 16 pound 2.5 ounces 55 percentile
Height: 26 1/4 inch 75 percentile
She rolled over for the first time on New Year's Day and she pulled her knees under her on Christmas day.  While on her belly Allie usually moves in a circle or backwards.  She sleeps for an average of 11 1/2-12 hours straight each night and usually takes one 2-3 hour nap in the early afternoon.  We have started solids but only rice and oatmeal.  Allie is a happy baby who only cries when she is hungry or tired. She is sitting up but needs to be spotted because she easily looses her balance. She is babbling and blowing raspberries and is fascinated with her hands but her absolute favorite thing to do and watch her big sisters and brother play. She has started a new habit of growling at me while she is nursing.  She use to be such a quiet eater and now it is almost embarrassing. Allie is a joy and I am looking forward to enjoying every new moment in her life.

Thanks again for helping me earn a free 8x10!

Kassie Graduates to Primary!

Kassie graduated from nursery and now attends the Sunbeam class in Primary.  I don't know why this was a little tough for me. I think it was because Kassie LOVED nursery and didn't really want to go to primary. She loved her teachers and the songs and the toys and she really loved the treats! I was trying to get Kassie excited about the change and told her how fun primary was going to be.  Finally she consented to go to Primary as long as afterwords she could go to nursery.  When the time came Kassie handled it pretty well. She was a little nervous and she was glad that Jason and I were subbing another class in primary so we were in there with her for opening exercises. She wasn't happy when we left to our class but when we picked her up after class she was all smiles. She loved the crown that she made in class and she got a treat!

Of course I took a few pictures of our little sunbeam!

(we had plenty of time now that we don't have church until 1:00)

Don't die of shock but yes I am in this picture. That doesn't happen very often.

Another cute hair style from that blog I mentioned in the previous post.

Hair Hair Everywhere

My friend Jessica told me about this blog with cute little girl hair styles. I love it! I tried out a few styles on Mikele and Kassie's hair.

Allie, Kai, Hadlee and Jordynn

On Saturday we drove to Maddox in Brigham City for the Hobbs Christmas dinner.  Yummy!!! Afterwords we had a photo shoot of the 4 new grand babies. Here are some of my favorite shots:

Jordynn, Allie, Kai and Hadlee

Someone wanted to sneak into our photo shoot.

Proud Grandparents. (Allie, Jordynn, Kai and Hadlee)

Papa and his baby girls. Really I think they are just going to give him more white hair.

(Kai, Allie, Hadlee and Jordynn)

 

Today blessing dresses tomorrow wedding dresses!

(Allie, Kai, Hadlee and Jordynn)

 

My Brother, Mat, gave me a BB gun.  The guys gave my Dad a new gun too. Over the summer I had some problems with robins attacking my house.  I told Jason I needed a gun. When Mat heard my story he asked Jason for permission to buy me a BB gun. Now I need to do some target practice so I make sure I hit birds and not windows. 

Christmas Morning 2009

Oh let the fun begin! We had a lot of milestones this year. 1. I had the wrapping done before Christmas eve. 2. Brock actually woke me up Christmas morning at around 6:30 instead of me waking the kids up. (I did wake up around 5:00 am but I promised Jason that we would let the kids wake us up this year) 4. The Bishop invited us over for a delicious breakfast!  3. I cooked my first turkey and it turned out perfect and 4. My gravy was actually thick and creamy. (I have a tendency of making thin gravy). With that said how could it not have  been a GREAT Christmas?

I think Brock is a little excited about his ipod touch that Santa brought him. He told Jason that he never thought he would actually get one but he might as well ask. It was the only thing he asked for.

Kassie and Mikele got this gorgeous doll house from Santa. Mikele's big question we how Santa got the house down the chimney.

 

Kassie liked her gift from Brock. This year the kids drew names and bought a gift for that sibling.

Kassie wanted a phone and keys for Christmas. Bree (Jason's sister) made this cute purse and gave Kassie a set of real keys and a phone.

Allie is ready for her first Christmas!

Ok this was a little more then she expected.

For the rest of the day we played and enjoyed our Christmas gifts.

We had a wonderful Christmas dinner with Turkey, warm rolls, mashed potatoes, thick gravy and pistachio salad.  Yummy! We also used candle sticks, my Christmas dishes and new stem ware.  Shockingly no dishes were broke during the entire dinner or clean up.

Christmas Eve

We got back from the Polar Express just in time for our Christmas Eve party.  Our tradition is to open one present. We usually give the kids pj's but this year we decided to give the kids a game instead because frankly they didn't need pj's. We gave the kids Mouse Trap this year.  It was so fun.  In the end Mikele won the game!

After the game we finished our Christmas book "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and then Jason read the first Christmas story about Jesus's Birth. Finally the kids went outside and left a special reindeer feed outside for Santa's reindeer. It was off to bed after that so we could be asleep before Santa came.

Polar Express Part 2 - The Train Ride to the North Pole!

After the sleighding we had dinner and then got ready to catch the Polar Express.  The kids were SOOO excited! We had a few minutes to take a few photos before boarding the train. Finally we were on our way.  We enjoyed cookies, hot chocolate and talking to the elves. When we arrived at the north pole we were surprised by a special visit with Mrs. Claus and then finally Santa Clause boarded the train.  He gave all of the kids a bell from his reindeer's harnesses. As we rode the train home we sang Christmas songs at the top of our lungs and heard a few Christmas jokes. After we got back the adults played some games while the kids watched "The Polar Express."  The next morning we went to the pool for a little swimming and then loaded up and headed home. Thanks again Mom and Dad! We had a GREAT time!

 

This is Jingles the elf that Brock thought was pretty cute.