round two...unsupervised

I just might be getting the hang of this. This time I was on my own, with yet another new recipe... (I have about a half dozen I want to try in my effort to find the perfect one for me) My loaves still need a little work on shaping... but give me a little more practice and I will be crossing this off my 2010 resolution list and getting my mom to sign off on my personal progress project!


Warm wheat bread fresh out of the oven and a steaming hot bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup was just what this winter day needed.

Adventures in Babysitting...

BY THE NUMBERS:

8 - number of days
4 - number of children we were responsible for
3 - number of different schools they attend
2 - number of times we got toilet papered (the joys of a beautiful teenage girl)
186 - the number of paper hearts I cut out and/or colored this week
5.62 - the number of times I watched "UP" this week
7 - number of days that CJ got a hot breakfast
0 - number of days that CJ usually gets a hot breakfast
6 - the hour of the morning that I got up each day to get everyone fed, ready and off
27 - the number of times we were awoken in the night to screams and/or crys of a 4 yr old
1 - the number of nights that we woke up to a 4 yr old in bed with us
1 - number of bandaids used (that's pretty good, eh?)
3 - the number of Valentine's boxes that we mod podged
6 - the number of nights that we read "pinkalicious" as a bedtime story
22 - episodes of spongebob I caught atleast parts of
2 - number of days I cried (and neither had much to do with babysitting)
1 - number of days that I recieved fantastic news
1 - number of days that I recieved heartbreaking news
15 - loads of laundry I did (about 12 more than I'm used to)
4 - number of strikes I had on our bowling adventure
1 - night that I got atleast 6 continuous hours sleep
22 - times I cleaned up spills
2 - number of times I had to sweep the kitchen floor each day
418 - dirty, disgusting little boy socks I picked up throughout the week (atleast it seemed like that many)
13 - loads of dishes throughout the week
16 - PB & J sandwiches and sack lunches I made
44 - sweet 4 yr old's hugs and loves
43 - mean 4 yr old's tantrums
1 - hellacious evening spend at an elementary school fundraiser dinner
0 - number of days when someone didn't have a lesson, practice or game to be to
4 - number of dentist appointments I had to take kids to
2 - number of early morning (like 6:15am) piano lessons I had to get kids to
93 - number of times CJ made everyone laugh
1001 - times I was thankful for CJ
2 - creepy phone calls
4.5 - gallons of milk we went through
3 - loaves of bread gone
3 - number of nights we ate banana splits (our peace offering)
5 - number of days that CJ took a load of kids to school
7 - average number of times that I wiped the kitchen counters each day
8 - number of days that I thanked my Heavenly Father for tender mercies and patience

WE SURVIVED...



...but it's sooooo good to be home!

New Year's Resolution #1:

Master the Art of Baking Bread.

I love to spend time in the kitchen. I cook regularly and I do a lot of baking, however, somehow I have always stayed away from traditional breads and yeast doughs. Something about dealing with live fungi has scared me a bit. Well not anymore, mr fungi. I decided that this is the year that I conquer my fears and master it! I have been busy collecting favorite recipes from friends and misc recipe blogs but my most important first resource was none other than my mom. I twisted her arm and got her to come up and spend the day with me teaching me all of her favorite dough recipes. It couldn't have been messier or more fun.

We started with her basic bread recipe... half white flour/half wheat flour:

My loaves weren't perfect...but for a first attempt, not too bad:

Next it was her famous hot roll recipe. I sometimes dream about these rolls and it was about time that I learn all her tips and secrets:

Once the rolls were set and left to rise... it was lunchtime:


We had to test out my inaugural bread!
Blackforest Ham/Provolone Sandwiches and Spinach/Strawberry Salad
and topped off with a dc.
Delish



Check out these beauties... definately an afternoon success:


And lastly... I talked her into teaching me her homemade cinnamon rolls...
I got the hang of them pretty quickly...


And they were the perfect way to end a pretty productive day!


That, my friends, is a LOT of baked goods for one day!

Mom:
Thank you for teaching me all your skills and for spending all day making messes with me. It was so fun! Although I haven't mastered this whole baking thing yet, I think I'm well on my way, thanks to you!!
You're the best mom ever! I love you!




And now we're off for a week of real "adventures in babysitting"

CJ & I + 4 kids + 8 days = pray for us.
we don't have a clue what we are doing.

C + K + 3y =

HaPpInEsS!

Thanks CJ! I can't wait for the next 63!

XOX

-the mrs.