Favorites Weekend

This week I'm featuring my favorite North American* vacation spots.
*I added this clarification because, once I started thinking about it, I realized that there are other places I would consider favorites, but they are all over the ocean. 

#1 Anna Maria Island, FL
We have been here twice.  One time was at a friend's grandparent's winter home, and the other we rented a condo.  Both very close to the beach.  And speaking of the beach!  It is beautiful.  White sand, not crowded at all, wonderful sunsets.  I love the smell of the ocean - and I really wish we could make it down this year.  Maybe next year!

#2 Lake Nipissing Ontario, Canada
This was our family vacation spot for most of my childhood.  I haven't been back in over 4 years, and I really miss it.  It wasn't your typical vacation.  We would get up super early to go out and fish, come back and eat a wonderful brunch, nap/read/munch, early supper, then back out on the lake until dusk.  We stayed in a fully furnished cabin, made all of our own meals, and just really spent some quality time as a family.  It was also nice that we never had to worry about taking nice clothes along. :)

Favorites Friday (the comeback)

So summer is really not the best time for blogging.  I can sense a down shift in activity in my Reader feed - with the exception of the non personal blogs of course. :)  I've been wanting to blog, it just seems like whenever I'm in the mood, there is some reason I can't get to it.  So finally I'm here - and with a comeback of the shortlived Favorites Friday.

First off are my new shoes.  As seen in the post previous to this one. I've been reading about barefoot running and it's advantages.  Also, I really like to be barefooted.  So I wanted to try out the shoes that claim to be as if you were barefooted.  Or as Ohlen would say, "I'm going out in tiptoes." :)  So after I did some research I decided on Nike Frees.  I'm usually an Adidas girl all the way - but Adidas doesn't make a barefoot shoe that I know of.  They are also pretty expensive new, but I was, luckily, able to find a slightly used pair on eBay for about half the price of a new pair.  I wanted to make sure that I liked them before I fully committed.  And I love them.  I really can tell a difference in how I run (jog...) in them.  If you want to know about all of the logistics of it, just google barefoot running and it will lead you to lots of information.

The second thing I wanted to talk about is this:

This is the final image seen in the series finale of Lost.  I loved this show.  Loved the finale.  And that is really all I'm going to say.  :)  If you would like to talk to me about Lost more - please send me an email. I love discussing this show - which is probably why I like it so much.

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. :))

Favorites Friday

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

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.

Favorites Weekend

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.

Favorites Friday

I thought it would be fun to start up a weekly post about my favorite things. Probably won't be many words, unless the picture needs some explaining. And I can't promise it will happen every Friday, but I'm hoping it will be most Fridays.

Look for another post coming very soon - maybe even within the hour - with some recipes for bread and soup. Perfect foods for a dreary day.