Baking Away.....

I have never been a crafty person.  I can hear my Mom saying right now that I have to work at it.  This may be true but even if you try your hardest at something won't make you an artist.  I have some artistic friends and I just am in awe that they can create something that looks so nice and not something that a 4 year old would give you for mother's day.  Well Corey and I started a budget and I have 50 bucks a month to spend on home decor/ crafts.  So I am determined to at least try and brighten my home.  I know it is clean, but I wish it had more pizazz.  For November I have to get Danni's room painted so most of the money will go into that, but I am thinking in December maybe I should brighten my guest bathroom with a paint job.  It really needs something and I hate it when I even go in there.  When I finally get around to these things I will take pictures and post.  On to the subject of this whole post.....

So one thing I do LOVE to do is bake and cook.  I am a cookbook addict and love to collect them.  If you ever need to get me a gift just find a cookbook and I will love you.  My husband may not since I tend to not cook the same thing twice.  I love trying new recipes and he misses just steak and potatoes and some corn.  But I have found some great stuff while surfing my cookbooks and of course Pinterest.  But one thing I do know is you can't find the good old Grandma recipes.  I actually made not one, but two yesterday.  My Grandma Wilcox makes the best bread ever.  I am not lying.  Anyone who tries her bread is hooked and for years I have tried to make it just like hers and I have failed every time.  Well I got up the nerve to try again yesterday and I nailed it.  This bread turned out perfect.  It is dense and soft and oh so hearty.  I pulled 2 loaves out yesterday afternoon and one is pretty much gone already.  I think I might place the success on my Kitchen aid which I used to mix the dough.  It worked like a charm and saved me from having to use my hands.  Here is the recipe for my Grandma's bread.  I cut it in third because it made so much.  This made two loaves although I could have made 3 because the 2 were huge loaves.

First you have to mix the warm water, yeast and sugar and let it set for a little bit.  I think getting the water the right temperature is the hardest for me.  But with our tank less water heater the water comes out at 120 degrees which is perfect for yeast.  So I let the tap run for a little bit and it was magic.  1/3 C. water, 1 Tb yeast and 1/3 Tb sugar.  Next you mix up the dry ingredients.  I just put it in my kitchen Aid bowl. 4 2/3 C. white flour, 1/3 C. sugar, 1Tb salt, pinch of ginger.  Mix these ingredients together.  Then add 2 2/3 C. warm water, 1/3 C. oil and yeast mixture and mix this pretty well.  Then add another 2 2/3 C. flour in.  Mix until you get a nice dough.  Take it out of your mixer and put it in a bowl with a towel over it and let it raise.  After about an hour I took the dough out and punched it down a little bit.  Then divided it and formed loaves.  Put them into loaf pans and let raise again for about an hour.  Then put in a pre-heated 325 degree oven.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until brown on top.  Right when you take them out rub some butter on the crust.

If you are like me it will be near impossible not to take that knife and cut the big old butt off of one of the loaves and slather butter on it.  And if you happen to have a little bit of dough left because you made too much you can always do what Grandma did and fry them up into scones.  Those are oh so good as well.

Now normally I would think this was enough baking for the day but I was in the mode so I asked my mom for my Grandma Rollins Gingerbread Cookie recipe.  I know this is not every one's favorite kind of cookie.  I happen to love gingerbread and these are awesome.

3/4 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Baer Rabbit with green label Molasses
1 Egg
2 ts. Baking Soda
2 Cups Flour
1/2 ts. ground cloves
1/2 ts. ground ginger
1 ts. cinnamon
1/2 ts. salt.

Melt shortening in a pan on low heat; Remove and cool.  Add sugar, molasses and egg. Beat well.  Set aside.  Mix together flour, soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and salt.  Add to first mixture.  Mix well and chill. (now at this point the dough is crumbly like crushed graham crackers.  I freaked out and called my mom.  But trust me just stick it in the fridge for a little bit)  Form the crumbs into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.  Cook on cookie sheet at 375 for about 8 minutes.  You don't want to overcook these things or they will be crispy instead of soft.  My kids loved them and kept trying to sneak them as they were cooling.  I admit I had to go brush my teeth because I couldn't stay out of them.

Either recipe is so good and comforting.  Depending on what you are feeling like give one a try.

The Forward that Saved the Day.

I normally don't bother with forwards...and sometimes I won't even read them.  I got this forward email from my brother Thor and can I just say wow.  I was laughing so hard my ribs are still hurting me.  And it made my round ligament pain even worse.  I needed this laugh so bad, I don't think I have laughed this hard in years.  Give it a read, you won't be disappointed.

The Fart That (Almost) Altered My Destiny Written by Anna. Posted inMarriage.com.


Like everything in life, farts have a time and place. However, I never
realized that in the wrong time and place, flatulence had enough power to
alter my course in history. Well, it can if it's the third date with the
man of your dreams. And, if it makes his eyes burn. If God destined us to
be together, I was one SBD away from foiling His plans (that's "Silent But
Deadly" for you prudes).

It was about five years ago. I was trying to lose a few pounds so I was
staying away from carbs. That's when I met my husband, Rob. On our first
date, he booked the next two. He liked me. I liked him. Things were
looking real good.

He picked me up in a Cobra, Mustang and his pathetic attempt to win me over
with a car totally worked. I'm not shallow, but since I spent most of my
twenties picking men up because I didn't want my hair to frizz in their
non-air conditioned jalopies on 3 wheels and a 15 year old spare, I welcomed
his fancy sports car with open arms.

We arrived at the restaurant and Rob was ordering food I hadn't allowed
myself to eat in years. I didn't want to be "that girl" so I ate, drank, and
oh, was I merry. Later we shopped a bit. Rob surprised me by buying an
expensive pair of shoes that he caught me eyeing. Was this love?

That's when it happened. Gas strikes in two different ways - uncontrollable
toots or sharp, shooting pains that feel a lot like dying. I thought I was
dying. Not to make a scene, I told Rob I suddenly wasn't feeling well and
probably needed to head home.

On the way home in his Cobra, he tried to hold my hand and ask me lots of
questions, but I wasn't having any of it. The pain was so bad it felt like
I was being stabbed with a bunch of tiny forks. Then I realized .

My God, help me. I have a horrendous fart on deck. I'm in trouble. Big
trouble.
The more I held it in, the more pain would shoot through my stomach and down
my legs. I was even having to raise myself off the seat, gripping on to my
door and the dashboard.

"Seriously, you need to hurry - I'm in a lot of pain." I managed to say
through gritted teeth.

"Wow, it's that bad? What's wrong? Do I need to take you to a hospital?"

How do you tell a man you just started dating that the reason you're
writhing in pain is because you have to fart?

Well, you can either tell him, or like me, let the fart speak for itself.

People, hear me. There was nothing I could do. As impressive as I am with
sphincter control, this was out of my hands. Slowly, it eeked out. The
more I tried to stop it, the more it forced its way through the door.
However, to my pleasant surprise, there was no sound. I sat silently, sweat
accumulating above my upper lip. Ok, maybe I got away with it. Maybe I'm
home free. Then it hit me. Not an idea, a cloud. A horrific, fart cloud.
Not in a, "am I smelling something?" sort of way. More like a "is someone
dead and rotting in your trunk and am I in hell?" sort of way.

Suddenly, I panicked. "Roll down the windows!" I screamed (yes, I literally
screamed it like I was in a horror movie).

"What? Why?" Rob asked, starting to freak out because I was freaking out.

"I can't roll down the windows, unlock it! UNLOCK IT!"

"What's going on?" Rob yells back to me, "Why are you ." then it hit him. I
could see it in his eyes. Was it surprise? Horror? Water started to
accumulate at the base of his eyelids, "Oh my God, I CAN TASTE IT!" he
screamed.

"Roll down the windows!" As I screamed, the toots started to flood out
uncontrollably. I scratched and clawed at the window like I was being
kidnapped. Rob, unable to see either by fart cloud or panic, kept turning
on the windshield wipers instead of unlocking the window.

It was chaos. We were acting like we were under siege by gun fire. We were
under siege alright, just not by gun fire.

Finally he was able to hit the right control and he rolled down our windows.
We both gulped in fresh air. I was horrified, yet happy to be alive, then
remembered I just farted on the man of dreams, then sorta wished I was dead.

We sat silently for the rest of the way home. Although the shooting pains
had subsided, I now desperately needed to use the bathroom, in an urgent,
explosive kind of way.

He pulled up to my apartment and before he could come to a stop I had
already jumped out, "Ok, thanks for dinner, sorry about the fart, love the
shoes!" and ran in to my apartment like I was running from the cops.

I burst through my door and ran straight for the bathroom, where I was
finally able to unleash and make noises that no one should ever, EVER, hear
coming from another person.

Then I heard it. Rob's voice. Right. Outside. My. Bathroom. Door.

"Anna? You left your shoes in my car and your front door was open. Where
do you want me to put them?"

"Get away from the door!" I scream like Reagan from The Exorcist.

"Ok, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

*toot* *toot* *splatter* *ungodly noise*

"I'm fine, Rob - just leave the shoes there. I'll call you later okay?"

"Okay, are you sure you're ."

"I'm fine! Get away from the door!"

This man! I mean, I love him, but take a freakin' hint!

Finally, I heard the front door shut, and the Cobra engine zoom away. I
thought that was the last I'd hear from him. I didn't think it was possible
to ever see a man again after he screams he can taste your fart after only
knowing you for 48 hours.

But, to my surprise, I did. A couple days later, actually. Now we're
married and he's laying on the couch while I type this . "It was your rack
that saved you," he just lovingly reminded me.

Well, thank you boobs. You saved us. You saved our destiny.

Let It Snow

 



Ready or not here it comes....snow is here now.  It has been snowing all day and thank goodness the streets are warm from yesterday.  The roads are still clear but we have snow all over everything else.  Normally I hate snow because as a runner it really is not fun running in that stuff.  But since I can't run anyways I love to just look out at the soft whiteness and enjoy.

 Doesn't this look soothing?  Snow outside, hot cocoa and a good book.  Nothing better.

She is just so fascinated with snow.  She wants to put all her gear on and play in it.  Too bad she only wants to be outside for 5 minutes.  But she will just stare out the window and talk about the snow.

I feel the holidays approaching!!

5K Poker Run

First time for everything right?  Not only have I never ran through a pregnancy before, but I have never done a race while pregnant.  After doing this one, I think I will not do another one.  There is no way not to push yourself in a race atmosphere.  It is just too hard.  I know I probably pushed myself a little too much for the 3 miles.  The pace wasn' t that fast but it was up the mountain here and I was breathing so hard by the time I got to the top.  I didn't have any cramping or pains so that is good.  I just have too much competitive spirit in me to run a race and just take it easy.  But we made it and the girls did great.  I am so glad I met these girls and that they keep me on my feet but also remind me that I need to take it down a notch.

 

This is the hill that the trail goes back and forth and up and down...it was 3 miles of torture and hills.  I will keep to the streets for now.

24 weeks

 

I have hit 24 weeks now.  Seems to me that time is going way too fast.  In just 4 weeks I will be considered 3rd trimester.  Today I was watching A Baby Story on TLC and got a little freaked out.  I still don't know if I am ready for this again. 

 

Dr. appointment went well.  I am measuring right on and the heartbeat sounded great.  In fact she was so active we had to keep moving the machine around to re find her.  My Dr. recommended that I get a support belt to wear while running at this point.  Those suckers are expensive.  But I think of it as a pair of running shoes since I need it to keep running safe.  The best part is the physical therapist who fit me for the belt is also a runner.  She said they are always looking for running partners and I told her when I get back into it after baby I would give her a ring.  What better friend to have as a runner than a physical therapist? 

 

Things are going really well and now that the holidays are a round the corner time I am sure will go super fast.

 

A Mother's Influence

This post is all about THIS article.  I have to say it came to me at a very opportune moment for me.  In fact I would say it was meant for me but that sounds really Corny.  Here is the background: So I told my mom I was going to throw away  my scale because I have become fanatical about weighing myself.  It would determine my mood for the day.  So I put it out in the big green trash bin and left it there for a couple of days.  Thursday night (the night before trash comes) I snuck, yes I am a little ashamed, out and dug in our trash to get the scale out.  I just couldn't throw it away.  So I hid it in the garage and would go out in the morning before my run to weigh.  I thought I was being sneaky although I did confess to my Mom.  Corey was changing oil and guess what he found....yep my scale.  He just thought it was ridiculous that I couldn't throw it away.  I told him I would be good and not weigh that often. 

I made it a week and then last night I caved and weighed.  Let us just say I was not happy with the outcome.  I put on more pounds than I would have liked and it set me into my depression mode.  Corey sensed it right away and I know he struggles with how to deal with me.  In fact on his phone I found an alert that told him to throw my scale away.  So when I was on Facebook this morning I found a post from one of the YW I used to teach in Tulsa.  She had found the 10 day YW challenge for loving yourself.  I clicked on it and can I just say it was what I needed.  The articles just say what needs to be said about our society and our view on beauty.

After reading I felt somewhat ashamed that I was grouped in with that bunch.  And with this new self awareness I had a lunch group today and guess what every single woman there said during that two hour period?  Yep, at least once all said they were either fat and needed to lose weight, needed to exercise and drop some pounds or that they couldn't eat lunch because they were on a strict diet.  I found it ironic that the article proved so true.  I can't do it justice by quoting all the wonderful things I read so I just would recommend that everyone read this. 

I do know that I have a husband who continually puts up with me and has told me from the first day of our marriage how beautiful I am.  I need to listen to those who love me instead of the media and the world on what the definition of beautiful really is.

Sunny Singer

 

I had mentioned earlier that Logan tried out for a singing group in his school called Sunny Singers.  He did end up making it and they practice twice a week after school.  They had their first concert last night and I was so proud of him.

 

 

I have to admit I wasn't thrilled with the fact I had to buy Logan a full outfit including shoes for this, but he does look really nice.

 

You have to admit that is one good looking boy.  The scariest part is we found out he went up a whole pants size again.  Size 16 seems way too big for a 10 year old but I guess he will get some height after all.  They only sang two songs but they actually harmonized and it sounded really good.  I was impressed that kids this age were doing that.  Corey was non to happy about sitting through a whole concert including the high schoolers.  He is not really into the arts but he went to support his boy and that is what matters.

 

I just freak out when I look at pictures like this and realize how big he is getting.  Corey and I almost fainted when we thought it will be only about 7 years now until he leaves on his mission.  He really is such a great person.