Friday, February 19, 2010

Favorites Friday



Video Capture device $100ish
Clementine $ 0.50ish
Capturing the laughter of 4 generations of family - priceless

(You can't see the 3rd generation - but you can hear them. :))

Friday, February 12, 2010

Favorites Friday




A new favorite book and a preview of a soon to come review post.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Go to store. Buy can of Cinnamon Rolls. Open. Pull apart... I kid I kid.
Not knocking the can ones - I've made plenty batches of those.

I wanted a nice warm treat for us after we came in from the snow yesterday, so I found this recipe and whipped them up. I thought they turned out great.

Cinnamon Rolls (Recipe adapted from a recipe found on Allrecipes.com)

2 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (1 pkg)
3/4 C warm water
1/4 C white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg, room temperature
2 1/2 C bread flour

1/4 C butter, softened
1 Tbs Ground Cinnamon
1/2 C Brown Sugar

Dissolve yeast in warm water - let sit about 10 minutes. Combine sugar, salt, egg, and 1 c flour with the yeast mixture. Stir in the remaining flour 1/2 c at a time. Mixing well each addition. Put dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Cover with damp cloth and let rest 10 minutes. (I realize now that I did not do this step... and mine turned out fine.)
Roll out dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the butter over the dough, sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the butter. Starting from one of the longer sides, roll.
Slice the roll into equal pieces - about 16.


Grease a pan, 8x8 square, 8 or 9 in circle, a larger pan you just won't fill all the way. Don't really think it matters all that much. Place rolls in pan cut side up. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes. Mine sat longer. You can also cover the pan and put in the refrigerator over night. Preheat oven to 400. Bake until golden brown - 15-20 minutes.




The recipe I had didn't have an icing recipe included, so I whipped up one up using Shortening, Milk, Powdered Sugar, and Vanilla.

I love this frosting! I wish I could tell you exact measurements, but I really didn't keep close track... but here is what I think I used.

1/4 C shortening
1/4 C Milk
1 1/2 C powdered sugar (least sure about this one)
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together the shortening, milk, and powdered sugar. Add in vanilla. Add more of any of the ingredients to achieve desired consistency and/or taste.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Late Favorites

I never did get around to doing a favorite last Friday - or over the weekend. But I was inspired to post today about my current favorite television show....

Picture borrowed from HERE.


Last night I came home from a great night of exercising, put the boys to bed, made myself a bowl of the Iced Banana stuff I blogged about last week (I added some blue berries, raspberries, and cranberries, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup - it was Excellent!!), and curled up on the couch for 2 hours of wonderful television. I think my heart rate was elevated the entire time. I don't think I've ever looked forward to watching something as much as I look forward to Lost. Plus my best friend loves it too, and we exchanged texts through out, which was alot of fun. I also Love the fact that they have a definitive end to the series. Some shows just kind of climax and then just fizzle along until the network finally pull the plug long after they are very enjoyable - sometimes leaving gaps in the story. There will probably be gaps left in this story, but it will all be planned in advance, which for some reason makes it better for me... And they can have the ending be exactly what they want it to be.
So if you ever wonder where I am on a late Tuesday night (as long as it stays there.) , I'll be at home watching my favorite show.

Monday, February 1, 2010

So Much to Do

Sorry for the lack of a Favorite this Friday - I'm planning on posting one tomorrow....errr later today... It was a fun filled weekend with some friends from out of town. There was an extra little one in the house, which was fun. :) And then more friends were over tonight to celebrate a friend's birthday - much fun. More babies in the house - most excellent.

Things are starting to get busy around here. So much for a little winter hibernation. I've got a few things simmering that I hope to take off soon.

MCC (Mennonite Central Committee - when you go to a Mennonite church you soon realize that there are acronyms for just about ever committee there is - probably acronyms for acronyms...) Anyways... MCC put some fliers in our bulletins a week or so ago that they will be collecting items for relief kits as well as comforters. They need everything by Feb. 28th. They are supposed to be Twin sized. I'm hoping to get one made. This needs to start tomorrow. (After I do our taxes... and hit up the local antiques store...)

Then there is the laundry room that will become a guest bedroom and small work area for me. That is on a far back burner.

I bought fabric on Saturday to use in a quilt-a-long. It's late and I don't want to run around for links, so I'll post more about this soon.

Starting to get the gardening bug - I have big plans for our garden this year.

Then there is the big one. This is brand new, as in today, errr.... yesterday I guess. There is a good chance that Jonathan and I will be going on a 10 day mission trip this summer. I have been praying for a chance to go on a trip like this for a long time. And that it would be good timing to leave the kids. It seems to be at a great time. Plus, we aren't currently pregnant, which adds to the great timing. (God does know what He's doing doesn't He Nicole... how quickly I can forget.) And even if pregnancy happens soon, it shouldn't hinder my going. As soon as I am for sure that it is going to happen I will share more. We need to figure out logistics for care for the boys while we are gone. Really, I am doubting that it will be a problem.

Plus there are several on going projects that I would like to finish... comforters for the boys, some pj pants I didn't finish for Christmas, a bag for Ohlen's animals, painting our bathroom, possibly painting other rooms in the house, weight loss/healthy living, the list goes on and on.

I'm hoping to keep my sanity, we'll see how that goes...






ps - I didn't proof read this thing and it's about 1230am, so please excuse any horrible spelling/ grammar/ mistypes.