Yummy bread

I'd like to give a shout out to my friend Natalie. She has provided me with the most wonderful whole wheat bread recipe, and is single handedly responsible for the 10-15 pounds I will surely gain over the next month and a half. I consider myself a pretty decent bread baker. I've tried dozens of recipes, but this one beats all others in easiness and yumminess. With pretty much every other wheat recipe I've tried, I end up having to do half and half wheat and white flour in order to make it come out with anything other than the texture of a clay brick. But this recipe allows me to use 100% whole wheat. Yummers! Here it is -- it's SUPER easy, and if you think you can't bake bread, you CAN with this recipe. (I hope Natalie doesn't mind me posting her recipe!)

1 1/2 c wheat flour
3T wheat gluten
1 T yeast
1 1/4 c warm tap water

Blend the above ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes.

Then mix in:
1 tsp salt
3T oil
3T honey
2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup whole wheat flour

Let rise for 30 minutes. Then put in a bread pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

The above is Natalie's actual recipe. I'm lazy, so I decided to see what would happen if I just kneaded it all together and then let it rise in the baking pan -- PERFECT! I just kneaded it until it felt just right, greased the loaf pan and plopped it in. I covered it and let it rise, and then just threw it in the oven. It was a little loaf of carb-y goodness in just a little over an hour. And by the way, I am currently out of honey and substituted brown sugar and it was great, although I'm sure it'll be even better with the honey.

More birthday partying...

This is the last birthday post I'll make, I promise. Yes, I know that I have posted 207 topics about birthdays in the last couple of weeks, but really, I don't have much else going on besides our upcoming move. Oh yeah, by the way, we sold our condo and are moving to a nearby townhouse in about 3 weeks.

Avery had her friend birthday party at Build-A-Bear Workshop. I'm telling you, parents, that is the way to go for a small child's party. I sent out the invitations and then showed up for the party. The Build-A-Bear people did everything else. The kids had a GREAT time building their new little friends, and when they went home, they had a fun toy to take with them. I did have to really restrict the number of friends she could invite, but at this age, I've decided less is more. Unfortunately, we forgot the camera. We did remember the video camera, so if I ever get savvy enough, I'll download some of the footage. For now, here is a polaroid that the Build-A-Bear people took for us.

Avery blowing out her candles (it's a pink and purple ladybug):


And, all the birthday fun is over until next year....

Happy Birthday, Avery!

Our little girl turned 5 today!!! She woke up to a decorated bedroom and breakfast in bed (with Donovan, of course - and yes, he still has a binkie).

She got a new bike for her birthday, which we somehow failed to get a photo of. I guess we were too busy running the video camera to think about taking an actual picture. But it was a huge hit for the following 4 reasons: 1) It's pink. 2) It has ladybugs on it. Avery loves telling random strangers that her nickname is "Ladybug." 3) It has training wheels. And best of all.... 4) It is not a tricycle!!! Last week, while Avery was talking to my mom on the phone, I overheard her telling "Mum" that it was embarrassing to ride a tricycle when you are 4 and a half, almost 5. We had already decided to get her a bicycle by then, but that sealed the deal.

She wore her brand new party girl dress, with ribbons in her hair that said "Happy Birthday!"

At school, she had a special crown to wear.

Donovan and I brought cupcakes to her class for a party, and she begged us to stay the whole day, which we did! Donovan thought that was just the best thing ever, and I dread dropping her off at school next week, because I know he'll think he gets to stay with her again.

For dinner, we went to "The Pink Pizza Place" (known to the general public as Generous George's Positive Pizza and Pasta Palace). Avery decided that she wanted to try for a stuffed animal out of the machine with the claw. I rolled my eyes when Scott agreed to it, because I have never, ever seen anyone win something out of those things and I knew she'd be disappointed. Well, they won not one, not two, but THREE stuffed animals. Avery and Donovan were beside themselves with delight (Scott too)!

Five...

Could someone please tell me how a child goes from this...

to this...

...in what seems like 30 seconds. It feels like it was just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. And now, she will be five tomorrow. I'm not old enough to have a five year old! Five year olds go to kindergarten. And lose teeth. And ride two wheelers. When you have a small child, sometimes, it kind of feels like you're playing house - mommy, daddy and the baby, how cute! But now it feels like we're all of a sudden in real life. I LOVE the little girl Avery is becoming, but sometimes I just want to go back to diapers, teething and crawling! I feel like it's going WAY too fast. Everyone says that it will, but you never believe it until it happens to you. I think I'll probably wake up tomorrow and be dropping her off at college.

Poor second child....

Donovan has been attaching the word "too" to all of his requests lately. "Wawa, too?" (Water, too?) It makes me laugh, but also makes me feel a little guilty, because I realize that the reason he is doing it is because I usually offer Avery something, and then ask Donovan if he would like one too. The kid is so used to it, that he thinks that's how he needs to ask, even if Avery isn't around! Poor second child, always getting the leftovers...


...but isn't he cute!?!





AND, he's not just a pretty face -- he's super talented too. We're so proud! (Check out those mammoth feet - he and Avery wear almost the same size shoe!)

Happy Easter!!!

We celebrated Easter all week long. With Scott in Brazil all week, and Avery being off school or Spring Break, we participated in as many activities as we could. On Monday, we went to an Easter Egg hung at our new friend Leah's house. Wednesday, we went to see all the new baby animals at Frying Pan Farm (I'll post cute pics later). On Friday, we went to the Ward's playgroup and did some Easter crafts and did some springtime dancing. On Saturday, we went to our Ward's Primary party and Easter Egg hunt. Later in the day, we dyed our eggs. The Easter Bunny left some goodies for us this morning, and we went to our friends' the Christensens for Easter dinner. Scott sang with the choir in church, and Avery sang with the Primary children. She sang "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus" and "Did Jesus Really Live Again." She knew every word, and I could hear her from my seat!

Avery goes to a Baptist preschool. I love that they talk a lot about Jesus and Heavenly Father there. She made "Resurrection Eggs" at school, which are plastic eggs filled with little objects to tell the story of Jesus' last days, death and resurrection. She can tell the whole thing by herself, and loves to share her Resurrection Eggs with everyone! It's fun having a child old enough to understand the real meaning behind Easter. She loves Jesus, and loves to talk about Him!



Donovan's favorite thing about Easter -- the CANDY (CAN-EEEEE!!!!!)

He just couldn't get enough, and had a screaming fit when we tried to take it from him. He's trying to make sure that we KNOW that he's two! I think some of our candy may get "lost."



Avery's favorite thing -- new Easter clothes. It says "Cinderella" on the tag of her dress. (Must be the brand name??) Anyway, she was convinced that means that the REAL Cinderella must have the exact same dress, and told everyone that she saw. This is Donovan's first suit. I thought he looked very handsome, but he hated it at first, especially the jacket, until I told him that he looked just like Daddy. Then, he let me put it on him, and walked around pointing to it and saying "Da-da coat." In his nursery class at church, his teacher told me that they passed out cookies in the shape of bunnies and chicks. The told the kids to sit down because they were going to eat bunnies, and Donovan got really upset. Apparently, he thought they were going to eat real bunnies! He was very relieved to see they were bunny cookies!



I have no idea where she learned THIS, but she loves to pose for any picture. I'll take out the camera, and she doesn't just smile like a normal child, she strikes a supermodel pose everytime. But today was the first time I saw this particular pose.


Both kids loved dyeing Easter eggs.

My baby is 2!!!

I can't believe it! I can't get away with saying I have a baby anymore. He is a full-fledged big kid. It doesn't matter that he has been the size of a three year old for 6 months, actually saying he is TWO makes him seem so much older to me! His birthday is on Saturday. When Avery turned 2, we sat down and discussed her birthday party beforehand. She told me that she wanted a "pink and purple princess party," told me who she wanted to invite, and which park she wanted to have it at. We went to the party store, and she picked out the invitations herself. She fully knew what was going on. Donovan, on the other hand, is utterly clueless about his, or anyone else's, birthday party. He can say the names of two of his friends (Coo-Coo for Cooper and Nanna for Anna), but he doesn't get the concept of a guest list. I took him to the party store, and he just wanted to run in the isles and throw the balls! So, we decided to do without a formal birthday party this year. Poor second child...

In the morning, we went out to breakfast at "The Diner." He devoured a plate of pancakes, as well as my eggs, and part of Avery's pancakes. Maybe turning two will mean he will actually start eating food from now on.

Avery wanted to wear a hat too:

We then went, as a family to Chuck E. Cheese. Dono isn't a fan of the singing, dancing animals, but he does love the rides and the Ski-Ball.

They also got a big kick out of Air Hockey.

After naps, we went to the park, ate spaghetti (his favorite food), had cake and ice cream, and opened presents. I think he had a great birthday!