Beautiful Life

I'm back from Texas!! I found us a really cute home with a BIG YARD and 4 BEDROOMS! WAHOO!!! We are really excited about it. The lease is a little intense - definitely not what we are used to. Hilda and Saul have been like family - we won't ever even meet our new landlord. He does everything through a real estate agency. We are responsible for all minor repairs and all yard maintenance. The equipment isn't even provided! We've got some big expenditures coming up this summer.

* Moving costs
* Refrigerator
* Lawn mower
* Weed wacker
* Washer and dryer - unless we can get ours fixed (keeping our fingers crossed!!)
* VAN! ( I admit it. I'm excited about this purchase.)

AND a million other little things that come with moving. YIKES!! I don't have pictures of our new place yet but I will take some when we get there. I LOVED Texas and it makes it even better that Brooke and Scott are there! Brenan loved chillin' with his cousins. Here he is with Drew!

EASTER FESTIVITIES!!!

The kids colored eggs with their friend Wyatt.

Attended the annual playgroup Easter Egg Hunt.
Had fun finding eggs and Easter baskets that the silly Easter bunny left.

Dressed in their Easter outfits! We broke these out early this year for Jordan's wedding. I know - I am SUCH a good photographer!!! =)

Mom - this one is for you. Here is some of the art work that Anika has done with the bendaroos!

Best bread ever. It's as soft as store bread. It's my mom's recipe and it's SOOOOO GOOD!!
Didn't it turn out pretty?!

Here is the recipe for you - but I don't know how you'd do it without a bosch or some sort of mixer. You definitely can't hand knead this stuff. It's WAY too sticky!!

YUMMIEST, SOFTEST WHOLE WHEAT BREAD EVER!!!
Makes 4 loaves

6 Cups hot water - about 115 degrees
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup honey
1 Tbs. salt

Run mixer for 30 seconds then add:

4-5 cups whole wheat flour
3 Tbs. yeast
1/4 cup wheat gluten

Run mixer for 30 seconds - it will be a cake batter consistency. Now start adding bread flour or white flour until it pulls away from the bottom/sides. I think I usually add another 5 cups of flour. Run your mixer until you can take a glob of dough (your hands will need to be nice and oily!) and stretch it. If it makes a thin "window" (picture stretched out bubble gum) but doesn't make a hole it's ready. If not - mix for a few more minutes and then try again. Sorry if that doesn't make sense - it's hard to describe it with words!

Next you will need to pour some canola oil on the counter and spread it out. Now pick up your huge glob of dough and smack it down on the counter a few times. Cut into 4 loaf sized blobs and place them in your greased bread pans. My pans are 12 inches long and they make the perfect sized loaves. I think 4 is a bit much so I'll usually make 2 loaves and then use the rest for cinnamon rolls or bread sticks or something.

Now it's time for rising! You can do it the long way - let them rise on your counter for 45 min. to an hour or you can do it the fast way - set your oven to it's lowest setting and place the bread in for 20 minutes then just turn up the oven to 350 degrees (you don't need to remove the bread while it heats up). Bake for about 30 minutes. I don't think it makes much difference - I've done it both ways and the bread is always delicious. After you remove the bread you can spread some butter over the top - this will make the crust nice and soft.

Now just spread some jelly or butter or cinnamon/sugar butter (even better!!) on a nice thick slice and enjoy!! This bread is soft enough it can be used for sandwiches! YAY!!

Have a great week!!

P.S. Has anyone seen 17 Again yet?? I think it looks SO cute. I'm thinking I might need to put together a girl's night this week and go see it!!