Bread Bowls

Yesterday was such an awfully cold and windy day that  some super cozy comfort food like clam chowder was definitely what we needed -- it was a day to make lemonade out of lemons.  I thought instead of just clam chowder I'd do something cool to go with it. I love clam chowder, but it's just not the same without serving it in a warm bread bowl. That's our favorite way to eat it. So I decided I would try and make my own. Traditionally, bread bowls are made using a sour dough recipe. I just used the simple french bread recipe I have, rolled the dough into four small balls for the bowls, (not the gigantic ones you usually get when you eat out) and then I made a small little loaf of bread for the kids with the extra dough. After baking I let them cool just enough to be able to handle them. To serve, I cut the tops off and buttered them to serve alongside the hollowed out bowls filled with chowder. To hollow them out I just ran a knife a little bit from the edge all the way around and then the middle all came out mostly in one big chunk which was pretty yummy to eat as well. They turned out great. Riley said that was the best bread he's ever had (probably because it was all soaked up in chowder.) I guess I should have acted like they were much harder to make so he would have been even more impressed. :) This was just one more of those "duh" moments for me, like why hadn't I tried this before? I make french bread all of the time.

I'm glad I attempted to try this out and I'll be doing it a lot more often with other soups and things. The bread held up really well and didn't get overly soggy. It was very fun and very easy.

I'm happy there were leftovers for my lunch today because after running this morning I was STARVING! MMmmmm........

If you don't already have a french bread recipe you like, here is the really easy generic one I use:

French Bread:
2 T yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 T sugar
1 T salt
7 cups flour (not approximate, I kind of eyeball the last cup until it's the right consistency)

(I use my stand mixer and this usually makes 2 big loaves)
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Add salt and 2 cups of the flour. Mix well. Add the rest of the flour cup by cup making sure it doesn't get too dry (sometimes you can add a little bit of water to it if it is) and knead for about 5 minutes. Let rise for about 30-45 minutes. Grease cookies sheets. Punch down the bread and knead for another minute on a floured surface. Divide dough into whatever sizes are needed at this time. Let rest 10 minutes. (I usually just skip that part). Roll into ropes pinching ends under and then place on cookie sheet. Let raise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Place a pan of hot water on the lower shelf of the oven. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the bread gives a hollow sound when it is tapped.

Book Reviews

Yay! Finally got a few new books reviewed on my book blog. I've had them on the back burner of my mind for a while as I've been too busy to write about them. I finally had a somewhat quiet Saturday afternoon to put some thoughts down. Jump over there and take a look if you'd like. Both were very interesting in their own way. Enjoy!

Not much is new around our place. It's been freezing cold the last few days and when it gets that cold, it just makes me want to throw chores and productivity out the window and instead curl up with a blanket and a book in front of the fireplace. It was 9 degrees this morning when Kendle left for school, it's definitely a hot chocolate type of day. I'm hoping this is one of the last cold fronts before that earthy, rainy spring weather starts making it's way in the door with March. But at least the sun is shining, so I will take that and be happy with it today. I think I got caught up on my vitamin C intake for the year by eating at least half a box of those yummy little cutie oranges and it's making me long for warmer weather.

I've been rearranging furniture and getting some organizing done this week and also enjoying my new vacuum which I can use on our hard floors. Kale absolutely hates the vacuum with a vengeance and pretty much doesn't stop screaming and crying until it's not only shut off, but put back into the closet and out of his sight. Cooper doesn't mind it so much as long as it's not coming in his direction, if it is he will promptly sprint off to a safer location to observe what I'm doing. Morgan hated the vacuum at their age as well and he still covers his ears when it gets too close to him. It is a lot louder on the hard floors than on the carpet, I will admit that. I bought some new area rugs and the kids have been loving them and actually want to spend time in the living room now. I should have got some a long time ago. I also ordered some new curtains and a cool lamp this week which I'm excited to get.

Kendle has her very last basketball game tomorrow. Sad to see the season end because it's been really fun, but it's getting over at a good time just before this next week when things get crazy again with Riley's high school soccer season starting. Now he'll be overlapping club and high school until the end of May or so and then we'll be throwing Kendle's softball into the mix as well later on in the spring. Riley also has a home tournament with his club team this weekend. They are supposed to be playing at 8:00 in the morning tomorrow and I don't even want to imagine how cold and uncomfortable that will be. Those are tough girls -  that's for sure. I feel so bad for them and just hope nobody gets an injury or pulled muscle related to the cold. I don't know who's more dedicated, the girls or the parents who sit out in the cold to watch them.

Kendle was super excited when she came home from school yesterday. She got a new book for the AR points she has earned and it was the next Percy Jackson book she has been waiting to read. Talk about stoked. She's tried to check it out at the library but it's always checked out since it's a popular book I guess. She was one happy reading machine last night. I guess I will have to give in and read them so I can know what she's going on and on about. She's also started reading the Lemony Snicket books and really liking those.

My family has been telling me how deprived they have been that we haven't had any home made cookies or treats in the house all week. (I think they are just spoiled) I should use up the bananas in the freezer and make some banana bread at least I suppose. That's one of Kendle's favorites. I've been craving pumpkin bars, but those can be pretty dangerous as I find it impossible to not want to eat the whole pan. Might have to make it a baking weekend and make some big batches to stock up the freezer with for later. I've also got some new books to review on my book blog and hopefully I can get around to that this weekend as well.

Well, I have had to stop and start writing this post about fifty times to keep the twins from injuring or maiming themselves. They have mastered climbing up on chairs and everything else in this house so it takes constant vigilance to prevent one disaster after another, so that's all for today!

If you give Cooper a cookie

When I went to wash the boys up after supper last night, I got quite the shock.

Here is my neat and tidy Kale who barely needed much more than his hands wiped up:

And then I look over to find Mr. Cooper who looks like he took his cookie and used it to give himself an oreo facial:

Yikes! That is all from HALF an oreo cookie. I'd hate to see what he could do with a whole one.

He was laughing just like he new it was really funny too and really hamming it up. Riley and I were nearly in tears we were laughing so hard ourselves.

The cleaned up "after" shot. That's much better!

Thanks for the laughs Cooper.

Opposition in All Things

****************************************************************

Good: Ran my 3.1 miles in 27:15 today.

Not Good: My second toe on my right foot (mainly the toenail that needs to fall off) is still hurting me.

Good: Made giant snickerdoodles for Kendle's Activity Day group this afternoon

Not Good: No leftovers (or maybe that is good)

Good: Morgan has kept himself totally entertained today

Not Good: Unfortunately that means there are Lego's and blocks everywhere.

Good: The Valentine's Candy is almost gone

Not Good: All of the good candy is gone.

Good: Despicable Me - very cute movie

Not Good: Having it on what seems to be constant repeat.

Good: Tax Returns

Not Good: Having to use the returns for really boring practical stuff. Boo!

Good: Coaching free 3 day weekend for Riley

Not Good: LOTS to do in that amount of time.

Good: Stack of good books waiting to be read

Not Good: Not enough hours in the day

Good: Painted fingernails

Not Good: Chipped polish

Good: Glimpses of sunshine and spring colors

Not Good: Drab winter days


Taking the good with the not so good is an essential part of life. Learning how to do it well is a continual process.

The Day After

I have to say, yesterday was one of my best Valentine's Days yet. Not because of fancy presents or a romantic dinner for two (although Riley did bring me roses), but I just thoroughly enjoyed being with my loved ones and seeing everyone trying their hardest to be nice to each other. The kids were all really well behaved most of the day. Riley out did himself on making dinner. He came home early to get it all going. Along with grilling the best savory pork tenderloin I've ever had {I mean really, the guy has serious skills on the grill}, he accompanied it with garlic mashed potatoes, caesar salad, and french bread. It was delicious and I think it would have been pretty hard to have gone out to eat and had something as equally yummy. I appreciated the effort he put into making it special for me and also doing all the cleaning up afterwards. Best present ever right there. We had a great time during dinner and lots of nice things were said all around. Yummy cupcakes for dessert and then I felt like somebody needed to roll me right into bed. It was such a pleasant and relaxing night that Riley and I nearly fell asleep while watching a movie after the kids were in bed. I love my kids and my husband so much, and I really felt overwhelmed by all the love they have for me. And that is what Valentine's Day is all about!

This morning though was another story.  I felt like I had a big party hangover from all the sweets and treats and fun that has been going on since the weekend, so a good workout was in order. I am glad to say I totally owned Jillian Michael's this morning. Oh yeah. Feeling good -- too bad Morgan brought home more candy from his preschool party today............I think we're good on sugar and sweets until at least Easter. :)

Valentine's 2011

Valentine's Day so far:

*Going to attempt to make these cupcakes.

*My kids waking me up waayyyyy too early (but I love them anyways)

*Riley mumbling a "happy Valentine's Day" as I rolled out of bed to get Kendle ready for school, but then redeemed himself by getting the babies up for me while I made breakfast.

*Kendle wanting to wear something extra "cute" today and tried on a few different outfits. Then she didn't even complain as I straightened her hair. (I would kill for her hair)

*Riley taking Kendle to school so she wouldn't have to squish all of her valentine's into her backpack. We made some little treat bags, and carrying 29 of them were quite heavy! She loves when dad takes her to school.

*Morgan watching the Wizard of Oz for the first time and sitting completely enthralled without budging, until it got to the part where they had to go through the scary forest to go after the witch.

*Looking at my big sign on my wall that says "There's No Place Like Home" and feeling today more than ever how much I love all five of my Valentine's.

*Having a little chocolate with my breakfast and not feeling one bit guilty about it.

*Planning an extra special dinner for my family.


Happy Valentine's Day!

The Kids

This has been a pretty low-key week. It feels like the calm before the storm. Riley will be taking off again for a double header in Seattle tomorrow and be gone until Sunday night, Kendle has another basketball game tomorrow, and it's Valentine's Day on Monday which means I better get in gear and help Kendle and Morgan get their valentine's done over the weekend and plan something fun for Monday. I also promised I'd make our annual batch of valentine's cookies Sunday afternoon and I will have to be praying for some serious will power to not eat like 20.

Kendle came skipping home from the bus yesterday afternoon, bringing home a huge pink poster she decorated at school that says I love you mom and dad. She wanted to hang it right on the back of the front door where everyone would see it. She is so funny sometimes, all it takes is a little craft project at school to have it be "the best day ever".
They made their Valentine's envelopes at school this year, which I have to say I was kind of relieved about. Fun for the kids, and fun for me to not have to sweep glitter up for a week. I think she enjoys school more than she lets on. She tries to act kind of nonchalant about it. She always gets 100% on her spelling tests plus the bonus words. I've never really had to study them with her, she just already knows most of them. I think they need to give them some harder words to challenge them a bit. I told her we should start doing some of our own spelling tests at home with harder words and she kind of just rolled her eyes at me. One of her goals she made at the beginning of the school year was to be 1st place for AR in her grade. A boy was ahead of her for a while and then she started checking out a lot harder books from the library and got ahead. She proposed an idea for a reward and struck up a deal with her dad and I if she finishes out in 1st place at the end of the year -- a very BIG reward I might add, not in monetary means or anything like that, but a compromise on an issue we've discussed before. She really wants to get her ears pierced and we've told her she has to wait until she's ten, but I think if she keeps up like she has been, we will be holding up our end of the bargain.

Basketball has actually been going better than I thought it would. Kendle has been loving it and continues to surprise us every game. She likes practicing and we really need to get a hoop. At their practice on Tuesday night their coach gave every girl a pair of hard plastic goggle type glasses with the lower half of each lens blacked out with duct tape. It is supposed to help them not look down when they dribble and practice looking straight ahead. I thought that was such a great idea. She has been wearing them around the house and outside while she practices dribbling up and down the street. Their practice got cancelled last night so Riley just took her down there anyways since they already had the gym reserved and practiced more with her. He said she made 40 baskets. In her game last Saturday she made two really good shots. The first one was off a rebound under the basket, but the second one was AMAZING. She took it down the court and got  farther outside and just swished it, nothing but net. Riley and I just looked at each other and were like - WHOAH, where did that come from!? She is getting better ball control and can steal the ball away from the other players almost 90% of the time. She also makes good passes and assisted a few other girls in scoring. It has been really fun to watch. This probably sounds way too much like I'm bragging, but really we are just genuinely shocked she has been picking it up so well. She had never even really dribbled a ball before this season, and if truth be told she can be kind of a spazz and a walking tornado sometimes. Ha! I think playing soccer has helped a lot though in knowing how to defend people and looking down the court for your team mates to score and such. I  have also seen the extra boost of confidence it has given her and I'm proud of the way she plays hard and tries to do her best (although last week we had to remind her not to stomp on another players toes, no matter how annoying or mean they are). When she is done with her games she is sweaty and tired and happy. I love it. I'm sad there are only a few games left!

Morgan doesn't like watching the basketball games so much. He'd rather be wrestling with his brothers or down hiding under the bleachers or eating ten packets of fruit snacks. He gets mad that he's not old enough to play yet and doesn't get to go to practice. He does occasionally let loose a big old "Go Kendle" every once in a while during her games (usually when the other team has just scored). He loves tractors and since his grandpa showed him these tractor videos on YouTube, that is all that he wants to watch. (They are soooo boring, but some are put to some kind of fun music). His favorite ones to watch are when the tractors are stuck in the mud. He loves his grandpa and tells me all of the time how when he grows up he's going to be Grandpa Tovey. For the last few days he has been coming up to me and telling me he wanted to go see "the miracles" and he was making tickets for the "miracles". I could not for the life of me figure out what he was saying. Finally he said something about sitting on the tractor at "the miracles" and it dawned on me he was talking about Country Mercantile! Mercantile, miracles -- is that not the cutest thing? I thought so. That is his favorite place to go. He loves to sit on the big red tractor and then go inside the store and pick out a treat. He has such a mechanical little mind and always wants to see how things work. He is still obsessed with all things Toy Story and asks me all the time who I like best, Woody or Buzz.  He is really excited for his little Valentine's Day party at preschool next week. Hopefully I can make it through helping him sign his name ten times without either of us losing our tempers.

What to say about Cooper and Kale today....hmmmm.....they are just the busiest babies I've ever seen. Cooper more than Kale I would have to say. He goes a mile a minute and you can see the wheels just constantly turning. The poor kid this week has bashed his head about fifty times, got a bloody lip, and so on. His poor little face just looks terrible. I was telling Riley last night that he never cries for long after he's fallen off of something or just hit his head because he's already plotting his next move. He's always climbing up on something or running and falling. Kale is more methodical and not so random. He has certain things he likes to try and do and get into over and over again. His m.o. is wearing you down. His current favorite is turning the computer off at least ten times a day and getting into the dishwasher. Kale also really likes to bring me things and show me things and likes to throw things in the garbage so I have to be pretty vigilant about checking every so often what's in there. He is the one though that is learning to pick up their dirty clothes and put them by the laundry room door. :) They are sweet little guys with the happiest faces and growing up in fast forward it seems. They both got another tooth recently as well. They love to go "bye, bye" and when they know we are leaving to go pick up Morgan from school they will go in their room and start bringing me random shoes. Cooper will stand on his tip toes and try and turn the front door knob. Kale even brought me the diaper bag the other day and I thought that was so smart he thought we needed to take some stuff with us. I got all the bottles packed away yesterday and it was kind of a bittersweet feeling. No more "babies" in our house. :(

Well I didn't really intend for this to turn into that long of an update but there it is. Now nap time and workout time is calling. Too bad the nap time is for the twins and not me!

Future Football Players

At least once a day Morgan will come ask to play catch with me. He loves football. It is amazing to see this little 3 year old boy throw an amazing perfect spiral like a rocket to you. Before his throws he will get set up, make sure his hands are in the right spot and then fire away at you. He loves it when I yell -- TOUCHDOWN! The twins love chasing after the loose or overthrown balls and being the little retrievers. They will come stand in front of me with the ball raised up to their shoulder and act like they are trying to throw it. It won't be long until they do I'm sure and then things will get really wild! I love it though. I enjoy the moments where they all play together and can catch little glimpses of what it will be like in the future. It's my dream to have a yard big enough someday where we can make a little football/soccer field for the kids to play on.

Bye Bye Bottles

Today I spontaneously decided that today was the day I was getting rid of Cooper and Kale's bottles. It was something I have been wanting to do for a while, but I had been afraid of the consequences -- no sleep. They are almost 15 months and that is a lot longer than I let Kendle or Morgan keep theirs. They only get one at nap time and bed time, (the most crucial parts of the day), so out of the blue figured I would make the leap today. We got home from picking up Morgan from preschool and I filled up their sippy cups and laid them both down. They were SO mad. They cried and cried and gave me their best dirty looks and threw all their blankets and the cups out of their beds and shook the cribs. I quietly went in and picked everything up and laid them back down and they cried for a bit longer and then went to sleep. I won't be jumping up and down until bed time goes as smoothly. What a relief it will be to no longer have bottles lined up on my counter and the chore of scrubbing and washing them day in and day out. And let's face it, they both look big and strong enough to bench press each other so it was starting to look a bit silly for them to have a bottle anyways. It was a comfort thing at this point. It is so crazy to think it was not that long ago that I would rock and hold one in each arm and feed them both. How did I ever manage that, I do not know. Now they hardly sit still long enough to let me hold them and rock them unless they wake up at night. There are days when I wouldn't mind going back to those times as I'm already starting to forget the little details of their early months and their cute little newborn faces. We are moving into a new stage of life here folks.

*Post Edit: Last night went really well!

The Hard

Today was just one of those weird emotional days for me. It was a just a strange day. Riley has been coaching the last month or so and has been out of town almost every weekend so I've been either taking the kids to church by myself while he's gone or having friends and family help me watch the twins so that I can get to church and make sure Kendle and Morgan can be there. It has been really, really tough. It takes a lot of effort to make arrangements and figure things out just to get there. Today was the second week in a row that I was the recipient of some big time selfless service from friends who offered their help. It has been very humbling for me to receive so many acts of service over the last year or more since the twins were born. I know they don't view it as a big deal to help me, but it really means a lot to me and I don't take it for granted.

I realized over the last week that there is a season and time for everything and this is just a really, really challenging one for me. I've been fighting it and fighting it, and feeling that I can handle anything that comes along, but it was a losing battle. So I've finally given myself some permission to just let those feelings go. I feel like a little of the stress is gone.

It is NOT my season to be the person that volunteers to help out for everything that comes along.

It is NOT my time to try and keep up and worry about what everyone else is doing and what fun things I might be missing out on.

It IS my season to like going to bed early and be more of a home body because I'm really needing all the sleep I can get.

It IS my time to be home with my children every day and try my best to make their childhood wonderful and they are the only ones I care to impress with my time and devotion.

It IS my season to have an imperfect home with toys left all over the house and messes being constantly made, because four little children live in this "cozy" little house of ours.

I don't know why the simplest conclusions are the hardest to come by sometimes, because I feel like this was kind of a "duh" moment for me. I wish I could push rewind and go back before the twins were born and tell myself that the next few years were going to push me and challenge me and mold me in ways I never thought possible and that it would be emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting - every single day. That basically no matter how hard I tried to imagine what it was going to be like, there was no way to prepare for it. That I would simultaneously wish every day for a vacation, yet also dread leaving my little ones behind. That every day would be a roller coaster of emotions and ups and downs. That those two adorable little boys would be SO DARN BUSY. AND CLEVER. AND FAST!!!

But I found while offering a friend some advice the other day, that it was exactly the advice I needed to be listening to myself. (Why is that?)  I said something along the lines of "that from the hardest challenges come the greatest blessings" or "sometimes the hardest things are the most worth it". Something like that. And then I remembered one of my most favorite lines from the movie A League of Their Own where Geena Davis tells Tom Hanks that she was quitting and going home "because it just got too hard." And then he replies to her, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard, is what makes it great." Gah! I love that movie.

Well, it is late and I am starting to ramble so I need to go to bed, but I just felt like I really needed to write these feelings down. I want my children to know how much I love them though, and how every single thing I do for them is worth it and I couldn't imagine life without each and every one of them.

Happy Birthday Riley

Today Riley turns the big 30! Welcome to the 30's, it's really not so bad. I thought I would write down 30 things about him in honor of his big day.

1. Favorite author is Tom Clancy
2. Loves Johnny Cash and vintage country
3. Favorite college football team is Ohio State
4. Some of his favorite TV shows are Deadliest Catch, Ax Men, American Pickers, and Pawn Stars.
5. Loves to sleep in and take naps
6. Likes mowing the lawn and making our yard look nice
7. Loves coaching
8. Favorite colors are blue and green
9. Is an awesome bbq man on the grill and would love to start up his own bbq/catering business.
10. Favorite ice cream is cookies and cream
11. Loves chocolate milk
12. Favorite book is "A Place Called Freedom" by Ken Follet
13. Born in Moses Lake, Wa
14. Used to be a sleepwalker as a child
15. Is good about doing things for our kids' sakes so they can have fun. (ie, riding the dumbo ride with Morgan at Silverwood and riding all the roller coasters with Kendle)
16. Favorite professional soccer team is Manchester United
17. Knows almost all the words to all the teen pop songs on the radio (he spends a LOT of time in the car for work)
18. Favorite meal is fried chicken and mashed potatoes
19. Favorite treats are rice crispy treats
20. Loves being a dad
21. Refuses to give in and start a facebook account
22. Hates onions, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower
23. He is great at running errands or stopping to pick things up that I need
24. Is a night owl
25. Loves any sort of athletic clothing by Nike or Under Armor
26. Pretty much let me pick out all of our children's names
27. Can fall asleep just about anywhere
28. Has a great sense of humor and makes me laugh
29. Loves avocados
30. His perfect day would consist of some golfing or hunting (or both) man food, a good game, rice crispy treats, and a good nap.

Riley's morning got off to a great start with his favorite breakfast - fried egg sandwich and chocolate milk. Tonight the kids are excited to have a little "party" for dad with cake and ice cream. Making his favorite - yellow cake with fudgy chocolate frosting. (and some peanut butter cups might be finding their way onto the cake as well)

Happy Birthday Riley! I hope this is a great year full of lots of wonderful things for you.