Just Keep Baking And It Will Be All Right!

Here's a little shot of what I've been up to this week:

Muffins....lots and lots of muffins (raspberry and blueberry..just plain blueberry..just plain, plain muffins!)

Homemade meatballs with fresh garlic bread sticks from Coconut Lime..delicious!!!!

I also made my first popover pancake...no photo, but ooh was it good!

This morning we made peanut butter granola bars for breakfast...again..kids gobbled them up before I thought of a picture!!!

So here's my favorite thing that I made this week (can you tell I'm loving my new mixer!?!?!?!?!):

Brioche Rolls with Lemon Curd, Strawberries and Blueberries

I fudged a couple of recipes because I knew if there were more...we'd eat them:)

1/2 c milk

1/8 c sugar

2 eggs, room temp

2 1/2 - 2 3/4 c flour

1 packet instant yeast

pinch of salt

3/4 c butter, room temp

1. Heat milk in microwave for about 30 seconds.

2. In mixer, combine milk and sugar. Add yeast and salt. Add 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup at a time.

3. Switch to dough hooks (or knead by hand on floured surface). On low speed add flour until dough forms (will be pretty sticky).

4. Put paddle back on mixer. Add butter in 2 Tbs increments, fully mixing between each addition.

5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. (I am impatient so I let it sit out for 1 hour and then put it in the fridge for an hour...turned out fine for us!)

6. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, form dough into "canoe" shaped rolls. I did 5, but they got SO big in the oven that I would have been better off with 10! Place 1-2 spoonfuls of lemon curd into the dough. Add strawberries, blueberries..whatever you want! Let the dough rest for 45min. (again, I am super impatient so I did about 30min. and popped them into the oven, not preheated!)

7. Bake 350 for about 25-30 min (if you make them smaller, the time will be around 15-20)....until they are golden brown. Let cool if you can!!! (I refrigerated the leftover one...kind of hard this morning, but was great after 45 sec. in the microwave!!!)

Corey LOVED them!!!! He wolfed down that whole thing! And yes it's 3:30 in the afternoon and he STILL has his super man pj's on...he'd changed at least 4 times by then, but kept putting these back on!

Keepin' On Keepin' On

These last few weeks have been strange to say the least! I didn't feel like I had much to say here, until last night.

We started a new series at Church called Life. Money. Hope. I admit that at first I was thinking "oh boy...another 'money' talk"...not that our church is like that...its just where my heart was last night!!! God promptly V8 slapped me in the head and yet again showed patience AND mercy on this fool he calls his child!

Life.Money.Hope: its all about finding hope in the midst of hardship...for most right now this economy is hitting them pretty hard. In that aspect I feel like we're a couple of pages ahead...been there done that over the last few years!! The thing that got me was we have hardships of all kinds, money..relationships..kids.

Lately I've been feeling like I'm barely hanging on...you know the picture: some poor lady caught in a flash flood, hanging on God knows how to a twig of a tree, getting whipped around in the torrent! Yep, that's me!

But in the midst of this flash flood of trouble, I have to rely on hope. Hope in the fact that this is only a season, hope that no matter how crazy the boys seem now...they are good kids, hope in the fact that I can over come, hope in a future that God has promised!!!

Kieth had said a ton of things last night that hit home, but the biggest was this:

Don't forget in the dark what God has promised in the light!

Its so easy to be all Pollyanna when things are going good! But when the storm hits, we have to find that twig of hope to hang on to!!! (Which might feel like a twig, but its connected to a big huge God whose got it all under control!!!)

So, if you're out there, feeling swept away by life...hold tight to the God whose faithful in the light and right there for you to hold onto in the dark!

Weekend in Pictures

This weekend was so packed full of events...too much to blog about so here you go!

Saturday we went to Madison...Jim skied even though it was FREEZING! Jamie almost got up- next time he'll be a terror on the water!

Sunday I finished planting my flower beds...ran out of mulch otherwise I'd have shown you more! :)

Monday, Jim's grandpa's flag was retired at a ceremony...the weather almost didn't cooperate, but it held out until the balloon release! We also had a birthday party for Jamie that evening. Lots of people, food and of course, lots and lots of presents for the birthday boy (spoiled rotten I tell you, SPOILED ROTTEN!!!!) We had a rock theme going on thanks to Amber----Corey wouldn't put down the blow up guitar, even sang happy birthday like he was playing the guitar!

Nine is Fine!

Happy Birthday Jamie!

(he requested steak and chocolate cake for his birthday.....what a boy!) I'll post some pictures of the cake later: Devil's Food Cake from Zoe Bakes.

Clean Livin'.....Room

(Cheesey! I know..can't help myself!)

Day 2 of the deep clean: the living room. Its supposed to be a 2 day project, but I just kept going--dont stop the cleaning mojo when it hits!

Now before you can see my Before pictures I need to explain that the folding table was in the middle of the living room from our mother's day get together...the boys have been doing their drawing and some school work there...its not a normal occurance! The videos strewn all over the floor IS a regular thing (as I hang my head in shame)! Oh, and please dont feel the need to call the bomb squad...as you can see it had already gone off!

SO here we go:

Before

After

Sigh! Much better! (Trash tossed, couches moved, cob webs gone, floor mopped and windows cleaned!) Sorry for all the glare in the "clean" tv picture~ who would have thought that de-nose printing the window would make such a difference in the lighting!

I also used a homade window cleaner because ours was empty! Much cheaper then the normal blue stuff! Who knew?!?!

Window cleaner:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1/2 Tbs white vinegar

Works GREAT! (got off all of the dog nose prints with minimal effort!)

Tossing And Turning

I stumbled on a blog that is doing a 10 day spring cleaning...found it a little late in their journey, but maybe blogging about it will help motivate me to get organized! (Maybe! Don't hold your breath!). If you're interested, simplemom is where this is going on.

TOSSING is the topic for Day 1. Going through your house and just tossing the trash... Not a big deal you say? For some reason 3 boys are the biggest trash magnets (especially when 1 draws all the time, leaving a trail of pictures behind him!)

TURNING is for my little site map saying I have gotten over 1000 hits since last June! This might not seem like a big deal, but I think its pretty cool!

Hey You Guys!!!!

While finding our way to the farmer's market this weekend, Amber and I heard the craziest sound:

HEY YOU GUYS!!! bounced off of the buildings, causing everyone to stop...what kind of crazy person would yell that....the one and only Kathy of course~

Yes, she's wearing shorts~despite the fact that it was 50 some degrees on Saturday! I think someone has been living up north for too long!

I got to spend the day with the girls! Feet were sore from trekking around in flip flops, side ached from laughing so hard, and my heart was full from having such an amazing afternoon!

In what seemed like a flash, it was time for us to go....thanks for the happy mom's day/ Kathy's birthday get together! I had a blast, lets not wait another year for this to happen again!

When Life Gives You Lemons....

Make Lemon Curd!

Zested and juiced some lemons.
Blended zest with butter and sugar...added eggs....and then:

Recipe said that it would look curdled, but really..this is gross!

Cooked it over low heat until it was thickening and smooth......DELICIOUS!!

It is supposed to be for Lemon Cloud Cupcakes, but it might not make it until mother's day!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Combustion

So...tonight I combusted. If it were possible, right now I'd be a pile of ashes on the floor!

We have been waiting for what seems like forever to crest this mountain. We are so close that I can taste it! Jim's done with school, needs to take his exam, but...done with school none the less. To me that means let's start looking at fire departments, the testing process takes forever soooo let's get moving! I've spent countless hours googling departments testing this summer and fall. I've bookmarked them, map quested them, researched their towns...seriously, I've invested a LOT of time into this!

Fast forward to after dinner tonight. Thought I'd show Jim what I've come up with (he has been really busy, so he knows that I've been searching but not what I've found). This is where it went down hill- he didn't seem all that interested or at least not as obsessed as I have been...sooo I kind of sort of lost it, hence the pile of smoldering ashes!

I'm not a patient person. I don't like waiting. I see our future right befor us and I just want reach out and GRAB it! I want to shuck this old sucky season and start our new adventure!

Jim on the other hand, likes to take his time, not rush into things...keep a level head.

He likes to dip his toe in the water first, get aclimated to it and then, slowly go in. Me, I dive in head first no matter how cold the water.

1 Peter 3:8-9

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord, one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

I know these verses are about Jesus returning, but it hit me. God knows where we need to be, his timing is perfect, and thank you God that you are SO patient with me!

Tomorrow is a new day. I'm going to try to dip my toe in, waiting patiently for God to give the go ahead!