Sunday, October 19, 2008

Bread Recipe

A few people have asked for the bread recipe A is using. It's SO easy, and really good!

1 tbsp. yeast
1/2 tbsp salt
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey or brown sugar
approx 5-6 cups flour (can use white, wheat, or both)

Mix first five ingredients in a lg. bowl or stand mixer. Add flour one cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Stir the dough for a minute or two. Let rise for about 45 min. to 1 hour(may need longer for all wheat bread). Separate into two loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 38 minutes.

We've been making it with honey and white flour. Yum!! In fact, A had some friends over on Monday and she made this and they ate both loaves before they ate any of the cookies, chips, etc. So it passes the teenager taste test. LOL

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Random Thoughts...

Random thoughts for today...

*Arm and Hammer Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator is a wonderful product...but do not use 3/4 of the box at one time. Two hours later and my eyes are still burning. The nasty pet odor is gone, but I'm not sure if it's really gone or if it's just that my sense of smell has been permanently destroyed.

*I love getting a great deal. A and I went shopping this weekend and found a fabulous formal gown for her to wear to an upcoming church dinner/dance -- original price $169...I paid $14.99. Gotta love it! And it will be easy to alter...I found a pattern that is exactly what I want in terms of having sleeves added, and the dress store was able to find the exact same dress for me at another store for the same price so that I can give it to the seamstress to cut up and use to make sleeves. Sometimes you just get really lucky.

*I can't believe how grown-up A looks in that dress. And how tall B has suddenly grown. It makes me realize that my girls are growing up so very, very quickly. The song, "Slipping Through My Fingers" from Mamma Mia comes to mind. I love that song but it always makes me sad. What will my girls remember from their childhood? Will they remember that I was always busy at work, or will they remember that we went to the fair, went shopping together, cooked together...? Will they remember that we tucked them in to bed each night?

*We went to the fair last week and it was fun. I wish the fair came around more than once each year -- I love roasted corn and elephant ears. Much to my surprise, B's favorite ride at the fair was the hang glider ride. The girls like rides that spin. No, thank you.

*Right now my house is full with the sounds of teenagers playing games, listening to music, and hanging out. I want our home to be the kind of home they want to be at...at times I think I'm succeeding...except that I'm succeeding with the kids that aren't mine. LOL Apparently the youth that I work with at church think I'm "cool" and "fun," while I embarrass my own daughter. I guess that's the way life goes.

*A learned how to make bread last week and is making bread for the sacrament each Sunday this month. The recipe is very easy and she does a really good job with it. I'm not sure where my girls got their love of cooking (certainly not from me), but I'm glad they enjoy it!

Friday, October 10, 2008

7 Things...

Saw this on my sister M's blog and decided to try it...although I'm not going to tag anyone specific, if you read this then please try it on your blog!

I'm supposed to post 7 weird things about myself. (If only there were only 7 weird things....)

1. I am terrified of elevators. To the point that I will willing walk up as many flights of stairs as necessary to avoid elevators...once I walked up 9 flights to a doctor's office to avoid the elevator.

2. I roll my lips in and bite down when concentrating...Ouch!

3. I like ranch dressing on french fries, chicken nuggets, and baked potatoes.

4. I can't stand to have wrinkled, messy bedding but I hate to make the bed. Even if I don't make the bed in the morning, I have to pull the pillowcases, sheets, and comforter straight on my side of the bed before I get in.

5. Poor grammar and sloppy enunciation drive me absolutely crazy.

6. I have to concentrate hard to say Massachusetts correctly.

7. I notice people's eyebrows...whether they're kept trimmed, plucked, waxed, etc...don't know why, but I am fanatical about my eyebrows looking good. LOL

Relax? What's That?

OK, so the concensus appears to be that I don't know how to relax. Yeah, that's probably true.

I took a few days off work while DH and the girls are on Fall Break from school. The girls and I spent yesterday getting their hair cuts, then off to the fair. I love fair food...it doesn't love me, but I love it. I was pretty good and had only a few curly fries, some roasted corn, a caramel apple, and a huge elephant ear. I only ate about 1/3 of the elephant ear but it was SO good! And why is it that caramel apples at the fair taste better than anywhere else? Or when I make them myself? Hmmmmmm.... After the fair I went to a book club meeting (first time). Then home.

Anyway, most people wouldn't think of that as a relaxing day. Really, for me it was. I was spending time with my girls, not at work, and watching them have fun. It doesn't get much better than that for me (unless there is shopping involved).

Today has been a lazy morning so far...I've been working on cleaning off the eating bar in the kitchen and am getting ready to run errands. I'd like to get my kitchen really cleaned today...we'll see how that goes. LOL

Relax...I guess it just means something different to me than it means to most people!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

You Have Got to be Kidding Me!

OK, I know this is ridiculous and is truly not a problem in the grand scheme of things...but it annoyed the heck out of me last night and so now you get to hear all about it!

This weekend in General Conference for church. That means we get to sleep in on Sunday, watch TV at home, and spend the day together as a family. I love conference weekend. And, in my family, we have a traditional Sunday morning conference meal -- monkey bread and orange juice. And Wal-Mart carries (well, I should say carried) this lovely pre-made monkey bread that just had to be popped in the microwave for a few minutes and then -- voila -- it was done!

So last night, after an already long day, when I could barely breathe and was exhausted, I headed off to Wal-Mart to buy our monkey bread. I took along with me a list of a few other items that we needed to get through until I'm off work at the end of next week...

Now, I don't like Wal-Mart. Really, truly, I don't. Yes, they have good prices. But they don't have the selection that my favorite grocery store has, the aisles are not wide enough nor are they very well lit, and it's just a messy store in general. But off to Wal-Mart I went. At 7:30 p.m. on a Saturday night. Not a fun time to be there.

Two of the items on my list: monkey bread and frozen egg rolls. And guess what Wal-Mart no longer carries? Monkey bread and frozen egg rolls. Yes, really -- I am sure -- I must have walked up and down the freezer section aisles 5 times, carefully scrutinizing every shelf, every item, ever possible space for monkey bread and egg rolls. To no avail.

The girls and I were really looking forward to monkey bread this morning. Instead, frozen cinnamon rolls had to suffice.

*Sigh* Guess I'll just have to start making it from scratch now.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Sick....

I have been sick for a week with a bad sinus infection and who knows what else...it seems like it's turning into something else.

I am not a good patient. I do not like being sick.

I am unhappy, crabby, and miserable.

This is not fun!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Have You Ever...

I saw this on someone's blog aqnd thought it would be fun!! You should do it too!
Just copy and paste the 200 statements then bold the ones you have done.
Have fun!

The idea is to highlight the things you have done out of the 200 items on the list.

The things I have done are in bold print!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars

3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone - verbal not physical
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report

69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle

79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover

86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name

90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad

93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four

106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse

111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe.
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train

123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant

127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage

131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning

161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books

171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives

191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible

198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter