A Cupboard Full of Bread

I can happily say my cupboard is full of homemade bread this week. It has been way too long since I had the time. But now that my house is cleaned out, I have a lot of time for things like bread baking without feeling overwhelmed. This has been a good week so far, with many more things on my list of To Do's!

My lovely Bread rising to the occasion

Recipe
Whole Wheat Bread
5 1/2 cups of Very Warm Water. I let my faucet get really hot.
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup Honey, Raw Sugar, Agave, or any sweetener of your choice
1 cup Gluten Flour
1 1/2 T. Salt
3 T. Dry Yeast
12-14 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

I put the water, salt, sweetener in the mixing bowl of my Bosh. I mix till dissolved. Then I add my yeast and make sure it has all gotten wet. Then I let the yeast do its things till it is foamy. About 10 minutes. Then I add my oil and Gluten Flour and start my mixer on low. Slowly add my flour till is starts to pull away from the edges. I don't use all my flour. I like light fluffy bread. Then let it knead for 10 minutes in mixer. Then I mold it into loaves( I do 4 loaf pans so it is tall and makes great sandwiches)and let rise by my oven on warm till it is as big as I am wanting. Then Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

I love this recipe and it works every time. Thanks Sandra for sharing! She is my inspiration in homemade cooking.

what time is it anyway??

So last night was a crazy night with Savanna having an earache all night. So to say the least, we didn't get much sleep. The alarm goes off this morning and Jeremy get ups. I am so tired I can't pry my eyes open. Before I know it he kisses me and is off to work. I am not sure how long has past and I open my eyes which are very blurry and it is 10 minutes till 7:00. On tuesdays is his Staff Meeting so he leaves at 6:30. So I assumed it was 10 minutes till 7:00. So I am debating about sending the kids. Do I have the energy to get them ready?? After another 5 minutes I decide to get up and get them ready. I go to the bathroom and when I come out I look at the clock and it is 5:55. What the heck?? Why did Jeremy go to work an hour early?? So I call him on his cell phone and I say. "What the heck are you doing??" "Why did you go to work so early?" Then he says. " I am such a retard, I thought it was extra dark outside" So he is sitting in the Walmart parking lot an hour early waiting for his boss to pick him up to carpool to work. So he walks around Walmart for an hour. I was laughing so hard. That's what happens when you're up all night and VERY tired I guess.

I am glad he can laugh at himself!

Take A Peek

Into my Week!

Fisher is enjoying leftover popcorn from the night before. Jeremy and the kids watched a Sun's Game together with a treat!

I don't let Fisher eat popcorn yet, so he is loving this.

Savanna and I made Applesauce muffins for an after school night one afternoon.

This is Loralie's first Sewing Project. It is a colored pencil, crayon, small notebook holder for Church. I tried to think something up with straight lines for her. With some help she did wonderful!

Carlee loves to draw and her and the kids made pictures

I thought were pretty cute to post.

This is evidence that Hunter had a piece of fruit. I always find the sticker stuck somewhere after he cleans it with fruit & veggie cleaner.

This is from Loralie. When she gets home from school she puts on comfortable clothes, sits in the recliner with her crayon and whatever projects she is working on. I love it!

This is Fisher's first picture he's ever drawn. Carlee sat down with him and got him started.

Here is Miss Savanna with an earache that kept me up for two night straight. Why do they always get worse at NIGHT???

She finally figured out how to get the bike going on her own. The peddles where hard for her. Now she loves to ride her bike. Yesterday I needed to get to the post office before it closed, so I quickly got the kids round up and put them into the car, put it into drive and I ran something over. Well, I open my door to find her little bike squished. Jeremy is pretty sure he can fix it. Let me just tell you, my rule if NO FRONT YARD. So when I ran that bike over, they got an ear full the whole way to the post office!

Cutest Beaded Watches!

These are the cutest watches ever! The bands are interchangeable and so much fun. I ordered two for myself this last Christmas! Check out her blog she is having a giveaway! This is one of the watches I got. I love it! It is like a bracelet and watch in one.

http://www.bejeweledbeads.blogspot.com/

More Life

So I was watching Oprah a while back and she had a show featuring woman around the world and how they live. It was so interesting! The people that really impressed me the most was the people of Copenhagen Denmark. They are very family oriented. They get off work at 4:00, they eat all their meals together, and they spent their time with their family. But what really made an impression on me was the way they lived. Their homes where very small and very clean. The average family had about 3 children. But Oprah went into one family's home and she was amazed at how clean and clutter free it was. Then the husband said these simple but ingenious words, " Less Space, Less Stuff, More Life". That hit me like a ton of bricks. The bigger the house, the more to clean, and the more stuff we put into it. All I do all day long is move stuff, clean stuff, get rid of stuff, or buy stuff. I am so busy with those things that I don't really get the time to do the things I love, which is be with my family. So I took it as a challenge. I went through my entire house and de cluttered. This was a big project that took me many days but it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. My laundry is under control, my kitchen is easy to clean, the toys are simple to put away. I can't tell you the change it has brought to my life. It was very freeing to get rid of things. Plus Jeremy and I have decided for 1 year to not buy STUFF. Only food, gas, vacations, or things for other people, like for Birthdays, ect. One year should really make a difference in our bank account and our life. These are the simple things I did.

1) De cluttered all of the kids clothes. They are allowed 7 shirts, 5 pairs of pants, and 2 church outfits. That is it. I packed away the shorts and short sleeves for summer. Out in our garage Jeremy put hooks on the wall for coats and bags. Below each child has a bin for shoes, hats, gloves, ect. So all of that stays out of the bedrooms and house. And it all has a home. Laundry is a cinch!

2) De cluttered all the kitchen cabinets and got rid of the junk I never use. Cleared off my counters with only a couple things left.

3) All closets are clean. Extra stuff put into the storage room.

4) I packed away extra towels and kitchen towels. I didn't want to get rid of them knowing they are expensive plus they wear out. So I only left what we use. Closets are clutter free and the laundry doesn't get out of control.

5) If you haven't used it for a year, your probably not going to. Donate it so someone else can!

Simple things that really make a difference. Less stuff, more life!

What organizing tricks do you have?? I would love to hear them!

What a Day!

For Journal Purposes

8:00 a.m. Was to the doctor's office with myself, Savanna, and Fisher dressed. Found out I have to have another sonogram at 28 weeks because they couldnt see the right side of the heart well enough.

8:30 shopping for groceries

11:30 get home and pay bills

1:30 went on a walk with Megan

2:30 Hunter complains his tooth hurts and I look to find that his new filling has fallen out! Had to make another appointment. I'll be spending Monday morning getting that fixed

3:00 girls get home from school and Loralie comes in crying that she lost her brand new necklace

3:30 Hunter goes out into the front yard (like is isn't suppose to) leaves the front door open, Fisher follows and Hunter smashes his whole hand in the Excursion door!

4:30 I call a babysitter for Friday night. I decided Jeremy need to go out on a date. Much needed!

5:30 Jeremy is home

6:00 Meeting for RS

8:00 p.m. I get home to find my living room floor has been redecorated with popcorn. But all kids are happy and watching way too much t.v.

9:00 go to bed in hoped tomorrow will be a little slower!

No More Yelling Mommy!!

One of my favorite blogs posted about a mother who had a struggle with yelling. I could totally relate to her. It is something I have struggled with a lot. It is either when I am upset, trying to get their attention, or just too lazy to get up and go into the room they are in. So I am trying her same tactic and hopefully will reach my goal of no yelling. If you struggle the same as I do you will appreciate her willingness to share!

www.placetobloom.blogspot.com

NOT a Diet, but a Lifestyle Change!!

I've decided this is the year to change our lifestyle of eating and begin a healthier life.

I've been watching Dr. OZ everyday and I really agree with all he believes in. He wants America to change the way they eat and get healthier without medications and operations if possible.

He list 5 things that we should take out of our diets and NEVER let back in. So I cleaned out my cabinets of the following things. These things are making us FAT and Killing us!

#1 any types of syrups, High Fructose Corn Syrup, corn syrup, ect.

#2 Simple Sugars

#3 WHITE Flour or any flour that says ENRICHED, there are no nutrients

#4 Trans Fats, Anything oil that says Hydrogenated. They have changed the oil so it will have an extended shelf life, but it will shorted human life by clogging our arteries and making us fat!

#5 Saturated Fat, these fats come from four legged animals like pigs and cows. We do not eat ANY PORK, but eat very little beef and make sure it is lean. Alternatives are Chicken and Turkey. We love it!

Dr. OZ recommends stretching daily and 30 minutes of walking or other exercise. This will take some planning and diet change, but I think it is keeping the Work of Wisdom. We should be eating things that Nourish and Strengthen our bodies. How can we ask a blessing on the food from Heavenly Father that we know if not good for our bodies?? Having a treat once in awhile is one thing, but we should really look in our cupboards and rethink our health. Otherwise how will be do the Lord's work we came here to do is we are tired and never feel good!

Of course he recommends lots of fiber and grains, eating less meat, and lots of fruits and vegetables, 100% whole grains like for your pasta. So looking at it, it is the Work of Wisdom! You will love his book.

Key, don't eat processed foods.

Here is his new book. I have his other one and I love it!

{Welcome} New Year

This is an exciting time with the New Year! I love the feeling of being able to start over. I've been reading many of my friends New Years Goals and decided to post my own. I love how so many of us are working on the same things. It is alot of fun supporting each other.

My New Year Goals

1) Read the entire Book of Mormon by May 1st

2) Attend the Temple once a month

3) Now that all the holiday junk is out, means back to my healthy diet. Got a Vita mix, VERY excited! My goal is to ONLY gain 25 pounds with this baby. Wish me luck!

4) Exercise 5 times a week ( I am not training for a marathon like many of my friends, just Child Birth!!)

5) Continue to learn the Lord's plan for my life

6) Focus only on the positive and starve the negative

Like my friend Mary said, I am sure the Lord has a lot in mind for me this year. But I believe as I strive to keep these goals I will be able to endure any trials this year that I will be faced with!

Challenge Add On

I should tell anyone who wants to do this challenge if you will read two chapters daily from January 1st to May 1st you will have completed the entire Book of Mormon!

Challenge

Our Stake Relief Society has issued a challenge to all the sisters in the stake to read the Book of Mormon by May 1st and to complete the YW virtue value. I am really excited about this challenge. I decided to make a wall hanging for my wall with the quote from Marion G. Romney. I could use all the blessing mentioned. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. I love how it helps and encourages us to be better each day!