Domestic Goddess, Part 1

Oh, yeah.

That's totally me: Domestic Diva.

Well for today I actually am.  You see, I am making bread.  And not just the fast kind that you add baking powder to.  I am making real-live, yeast-risen, hand-kneaded, wooden-spoon-stirred, white bread.

Jealous?

Jealous?

Because you totally should be.

Not that she has ever seen this blog, but thank you to "Aunt" Lesley who gave us this adorable bowl as a wedding gift.  It is gigantic, therefore seldom used in our dinner-for-two life, and absolutely perfect for mixing up this dough.

The following is what I can remember of this recipe:

(originally from Jill Ray)

Set aside 1/2 cup warm water, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 Tablespoon of yeast (I am pretty sure one package is one Tbsp).

In a large bowl toss in:

2 and 1/2 Tablespoons salt

1/4 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of powdered milk

1/3 cup shortening

Pour 2 cups boiling water over that stuff and stir.  When dissolved completely, add 1 cup COLD water.

Then, add the yeast mixture.

Start adding white flour now.  At about 6 cups you will want to turn it out onto a floured surface and begin kneading in the next 2-3 cups.  Stop adding flour when it is still sticky, but not too firm.

(NOTE: I really have no idea what that means.  I used 8 and 1/2 cups total.  I even sifted it all, adding 2 cups at a time)

Let rise two times.

Form 3 separate loaves:

Divide into three sections.

Flatten each with a rolling pin.

Roll up to create a loaf.

Place each into a buttered and floured loaf pan, rolled edge down.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400F

then, for another 27 minutes at 350F

(just cover with foil when the loaf is brown enough for you)..

(NOTE: I actually freeze two of the loaves of dough.  Just take them out with enough time to thaw and bake as directed above.  They turn out great!)

Photos of the finished product for Part 2, stay tuned.........

Smartest. Kid. Ever.

Well, Ok maybe not ever. 

Especially when she's around Olivia, who speaks sentences better than most third graders in Soledad.

Or when she's around her older (and totally beautiful) cousin Elsie.

Or when Delaney is saying "go-go-go" as she crawls up the stairs.

But, she's pretty danged smart.

And, it is SOOO fun to watch her learn.

What the heck am I talking about, you ask?

Jane is starting to TALK.  Lately she's been introducing new sounds to her babble.  She just sits there and has little unintelligible conversations with herself.  Today, Blaine was my witness that she says "do" - think 'dog' without the "g" - and points outside where Sky is sitting in front of the sliding glass door.  

So we eat breakfast, and I tell her she's my sweet cuddly baby.  And she says - clear as day - "baby". Two syllables.  Two vowels.  Oh, yeah, she's smart.

For a while now she has said "yeah" in response to many questions.  She started in on "no-no" two weeks ago.  "Mama" and "Dada" have been staples for a couple months.

It is super fun to say words.  S..l..o..w..l..y... and watch her try to process and repeat.  It's like," Jane, say ca-rr-ot"  she stares at my mouth, kinda nods, then says..... "yeah".  Pretty cute.  But times are a changin'.

I can tell there is a windfall coming.

Anyhow, Happy V-day:

Happy Valentines Day!

2-14-2008

What a difference a year makes!

Here's some lovin' with my cute little girl this year.

Have a great day,

Peace. I'm outta here,

SW

Off to go shopping!

In my end-of-year recap blog post I listed five great things in 2008.  Once of those top 5 was fancy jeans.  They are fabulous.  Any jeans that make me look like I actually have booty are worth their weight in gold.  See for yourself:

I am actually in this photo (in my rockin' jeans) if you look closely.  Oh yeah, the bride-to-be is my sister Kylie.  So don't look if you aren't supposed to see her in a potential dress.

I digress.

Well, not really.

You see, I bought more pairs than I really needed, so I returned one (along with two dresses that I never wore to Blaine's sister Amanda's wedding rehearsal dinner).  

Sooooooooo.......

I actually have a credit at Macy's.  (Because I am such a fantastic credit card payer-offer each month).

Yea!  Now that I have no job, and a VERY low clothing budget, I have a secret stash of credit.

Wish me luck in finding a couple of wintery-cute tops.  Of course in a solid color.  I just don't do patterns.

I leave you with a really cute photo of the dog, Sky, from Tuesday.  He's just frolic-ing in the grass thankful, as I am, that we live in California and not, say, North Dakota - NO offense to you serving our military in Grand Forks OK?

Just playing in fully manual mode on my new camera.  It is tough to get Jane to actually smile, but I love the natural light colors.  Once I figure out more Photoshop (I only have Elements) I will play around with different levels and masks, and layers!  

I am a new-ish follower to The Pioneer Woman (thepioneerwoman.com).  She is a funny lady that writes about her life on the Prairie, as well as cooking and photography (including photoshop) tips!  She cracks me up!  Visit her today.  You won't be sorry.

Here I am trying out more photos of Jane the morning after our Nikon class.  This is program mode.

And this great shot was taken in auto, sans flash.  I have an entire series and they are too danged adorable.  Blaine's mud (and probably pesticide)-caked boots.  They are up to her (you-know-what) and her feet are barely touching the bottom of the shoes.  She really wanted to be in them, and then she really wanted to be out of them!  A-dor-a-ble.

I hope you are all having a fabulous day filled with more excitement than mine!  (laundry, laundry, and diaper duty).

SW

testing... testing...IS THIS THING ON?!

As you can see, the new year has brought with it a whole new level of activity around here.  Jane not only needs to be monitored every second of the day (yeah, don't tell CPS that she carried a blade for a paper trimmer out to Blaine one night - they really are miniscule, I swear!).  

We spent the night with the Schmidts for Carson's B-day.

And Patty and I had scrap-a-palooza the following day.

We spent the night with the Serranos for Delaney and Emelyn's B-day.

We had lunch with Marisol.

We hosted a scrapbooking Moms day at our house.

We started babysitting Piper every now and again:

We went to MOPS.

We shopped for wedding dresses with Aunt Kylie (and once also with Grandma).

We celebrated the super bowl with the Wilsons.

We shopped with Marie and Olivia.

We attended a Nikon Class.

We (actually THEY - only Blaine and Jane) are successfully (28 hours sober) revived from the flu.

That's us in a nutshell (hey, it's cramped here in this nutshell).

More updates (I swear!) super soon.  I have a MILLION photos to upload from my AWESOME new camera!!!  (Am I allowed to post the ones of Kylie in wedding dresses?)

Peace.

SW

Looks like Happy learned how to putt.

This is a shout out to cousin Patty: I think I figured out your "secret" ingredient!  These choco chip cookies are good enough for the food network fo sho!

Have a great day.

Happy New Year!

Reflecting back on the past year is something Blaine usually does with me in the beginning of the new year.  I thought I would get a jump start in anticipation of his questioning and think on my top 5 moments of 2008.

1. Having a family of my own.  I have longed for a loving family of my own through all the years of babysitting and caring for the other families in my life.  To hold my very own baby girl, and to see her daddy smile upon her with such a strong and powerful love.... well it is amazing.  I pray each night to our God in thanksgiving of another amazing day - a gift of one more day - and I ask for just one more tomorrow.  It is a time when I feel God so strongly teaching me about His own love for me - a love that I do not feel I deserve, and have difficulty understanding.  

2. Yvonne Gray.  She is my workout partner/therapist.  She has listened to my complaining, whining, and absolute joyful story telling through the years as we work out our bodies and our emotions.  Without her I would NEVER get up at the crack of dawn to run 6 miles in the dark and the rain.  Without her I would NEVER have trained for the half-marathon.  I owe my slightly normal mental state and my rockin' after-baby new bod to my dear friend Yvonne.  She rules.

3. Living close enough to my family.  I have a giant family.  I have a dysfunctional family.  I have a scattered-around-the-globe family.  I have a passionate family.  I really love them all, but we are so far away.  I am thankful to have been able to see my nieces and nephews every chance I get. I hope to be able to visit Amanda and Amy while they are abroad.  No offense Amy, buy I may wait until you get to sunny Hawaii!!  

4.  Taking the big leap to quit my career and become a stay-at-home-mom.  Although it was so tough to make the decision (selfishly wanting the best of both worlds), I cannot imagine another day without my little girl under my very own strict tutillage (sp?).  I want to give her the very best this world has to offer, and I know that is TIME.  High five SAHMs.... hello MOPS... and more time for MAMBI...

5.  Buying expensive jeans.  It may become a narcotic-type addiction.  I am telling you, people - you get what you pay for.  Even if it makes you pass out to write the check. 

Now, that is looking back.  See me next week for resolutions.  They may include the words tri-, clean, and six-pack.  That's all I'm sayin....

Peace,

S-dub