Family Read Aloud

So. Some of you may have noticed the picture of the book on the left-hand side. Zoe got this book for Christmas. We have been reading Nim's Island by Wendy Orr as a family read aloud every night before the kids go to bed. I read one chapter each night. Last night we finished the last chapter.

For the most part, everyone liked it. Zoe did like to jump around on the bed a bit. But Aryn just wanted me to keep reading. She didn't want the chapter to end. That's what I love about reading just one chapter each night. The anticipation.

I love to read. And I love to read aloud. If there is one thing I would like to pass onto each of my children, it is the love of reading. You'll be hearing more about the books we read together as a family here.

We'll be starting the next one soon. It's a book my mom read to us when we were little...

LOOK what I can DO!

Do you remember when it was you first learned to blow a bubble with bubble gum? How about ride a bike? I do. Now it's Zoe's turn. A week or so ago she learned the bubble trick. This weekend she learned the bike thing! I can hardly believe it. So grown up.
Being able to reach the ground with your feet is key.
Having a daddy to help you get started is important too.
Of course, you've got to have a serious look that matches your determination. (Or fear?)
Then, you're off. Riding like the biggest 4 year old/almost 5 year old EVER!

Bread Wednesday

Wednesday was our bread making day. The only thing I regret about the whole thing is that my house never gets that "bread baking in the oven" smell. Or feel. Because I believe that there is a definite feeling that comes with making bread. It's one of those things that turns a house into a home. And creates memories...

Anyway, here is the recipe. I'm going off memory. I don't know if it makes any difference, but my grandma and I use a BOSCH bread mixer.

Grandma's Bread Recipe

2 Tablespoons salt

2 Tablespoons dry milk

2 Tablespoons SAF instant yeast

2 Tablespoons dough enhancer

2 Tablespoons gluten

2/3 cup oil

2/3 cup honey10-16 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour (we use 16 cups)

6 cups warm water

Put in the 6 cups of warm water. Add in the honey and oil (this will cool the water). Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (salt, dry milk, yeast, enhancer, gluten). Then add these to the water. Add in 6 cups of flour. Mix this together using the M setting. Once everything is mixed, turn the knob to the 1 setting. Begin adding flour until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Then set a timer for 10 minutes, this will knead the dough. Put some oil onto a flat surface and your hands. Remove the dough and separate it into 6 balls. Form into loaves, and place in pans. Cover. Let the dough rise to double in size. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the pans to let cool. Brush butter over the tops. Makes 6 loaves.

Amazing A

My daughter amazes me. I was putting some pictures on the computer and I found this picture. It was taken by Aryn a few weeks ago after we'd had the snow and wind and freezing cold. I love it. It speaks to me. She and a friend made up a word that describes it perfectly...

FANTABLIAWESOME!

Reflection

I've always liked making things. When I was little I wanted to be an artist. There's something about taking materials from different places and turning it into something new. And useful. And beautiful. CREATION.

I think about things a lot. Way too much sometimes. My mind is busy with things I want to do or make, and how they'll turn out. Oftentimes, my thinking gets in the way of the actual doing. And then I get frustrated, and don't DO anything.

After I knit those arm warmers, my mind started thinking again. But this time, it was different. I started thinking about our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus. How we were thought about before we were actually made. They took materials and made US. New. And useful. And beautiful. CREATION.

It is interesting to me to think that in something as simple as making something for someone else, a testimony about our very own creation can be found.

Birthday GIVEAWAY

GUESS WHO?
It's my lovely sister Kasey. And it's her birthday today!

I love my sister so much. She is wonderful. I can be myself around her and no matter what I say or do, she still likes me.

These are what I'm giving to her. I found the pattern for knitting them here. She calls hers TOAST and says, " Worn with a sweater with 3/4 sleeves, or poking out of a sleeve of a jacket." I altered the pattern a little bit. And so I'm naming mine CINNAMON TOAST.

Cinnamon Toast

Yarn: Paton's Kroy, Summer Moss Jaquard

75% washable wool, 25% nylon

Needles: 3

Cast on 56 stitches. Divide onto 3 needles (needle 1, 24 stitches; needle 2 ,16 stitches; needle 3, 16 stitches). Join for working in the round. Work in (Knit 4, Purl 4) ribbing for 11 inches. Bind off. Weave in both ends. And there you are!

And so in honor of my sister I'm going to give away a pair!

(The pair I'll give away is slightly different. The yarn is Fern Rose Jacquard, and I'll make them using the TOAST pattern, so they'll look like this.)

It's going to work like last time... Leave a comment on this post and you're entered.

Here's an added twist: if you e-mail a birthday message to my sister TODAY ONLY (JANUARY 16) you'll get an extra entry!

The drawing will close Sunday at 5:30pm MST

The drawing is now closed. This is how the giveaway pair turned out. They're comfy, cozy to wear. I'll announce the winner in just a minute.

Congratulations to AUTUMNTIME!

E-mail me your address, and I'll bring these babies right on over! For some added fun, you should take a picture of yourself wearing TOAST and post it on your blog for all of us to see!

Primary Colors

I know we're a few weeks into starting the new year, but I wanted to show some slipcovers I made for our Primary. ( I actually made them a year or so ago, but we never got into the habit of using them. We started using them again for the new year.) I used yellow fabric for the Sunbeams, green fabric for the CTR classes, and blue fabric for the Valiant classes.
First, I made a pattern of the top of the chair by tracing it onto a piece of old wallpaper. Next, I cut that out and traced it onto the colored fabric. I sewed the fabric together around the edge on the sewing machine. Then, I hemmed along the bottom. Then, I turned it right-side-out and cut up some plastic sheet protectors for the pockets. Last, I made cards with the number for each age group out of cardstock.

I really like how they turned out. I enjoy the bright, happy colors. I had to hand sew the plastic sheet protectors on because my sewing machine didn't like them. I also made some red ones for the talks and prayer, and a white one for the person being baptized.

Two Little Red Hens

First you grind the wheat into flour.

Then you mix in these other ingredients and some water.

Voila! Bread.

It's just that easy.

Oh yeah. And I got some good stories to go along with the bread. (I probably learned some things I never would have known had I not made bread with my grandma today. One of the most important things: Grandma does NOT gossip. And she does NOT lie.)

Work IS Fun!

Last Saturday our family went over to help my grandma and grandpa with their pecans. In addition to picking up the pecans, my grandpa was having the entire tree pruned. So we got to help with the branches as well.

This is the kind of stuff Isaac just loves! I think he must have some of my grandpa's blood in him.

Grandpa is always telling us that work is fun. I used to argue with him and say that if WORK was fun it would be called FUN not work.

However, now that I'm a little older, I'm starting to believe him. There's a certain satisfaction in getting something done. There's also a mental calmness that accompanies physical labor. A balance.

And when we're all together, WORK is FUN.

NOTE: This is the tree service my grandparents used. This guy is one hard worker. He probably didn't expect all the help he was going to get!

One more picture. I think he's got some FUN work cut out for himself this winter!

Our 2008 Year in Pictures