Getting things rolling on the house
The girls and I dropped off the purchase agreement to our friends this morning for the house we are buying from them. They will review it and sign it (we hope) and then it's off to getting our mortgage and homeowner's insurance and such. Oh, and I also need to make an appointment with a company that does lead testing. Lord willing, by the end of the month (March) we'll have a house (and a mortgage, that part's not quite as fun!).
Just wanted to keep y'all updated.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
English Muffin goodness update
For the sake of my friends who don't own a stand mixer and wanted to try the English Muffin recipe I had previously posted about, I made the EM's without the mixer a couple days ago. I used a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients and then kneaded it by hand with lots of flour (I don't like it when the dough sticks to my hands). The added flour didn't seem to affect the dough in a negative way.
A couple of notes:
1. I used 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour. I'm slowly working my way up. The rest was unbleached all purpose flour. I use King Arthur brand.
2. I kneaded the dough for about 6-8 minutes with the all-purpose flour as my dusting flour.
3. I let the dough sit for about 6 hours and it had a nice sourdough taste.
4. If you don't know how to knead dough, here is a fairly good video on how to do it by hand:
5. I use my large non-stick (ick, Teflon, I know) griddle to cook the muffins. I can fit all but two of them on there, so it goes much faster.
6. On my stove, it only takes about 5 minutes a side instead of ten minutes like the recipe said, so just keep checking yours so they don't burn.
Seriously, these are so good. Give it a try.
For the sake of my friends who don't own a stand mixer and wanted to try the English Muffin recipe I had previously posted about, I made the EM's without the mixer a couple days ago. I used a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients and then kneaded it by hand with lots of flour (I don't like it when the dough sticks to my hands). The added flour didn't seem to affect the dough in a negative way.
A couple of notes:
1. I used 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour. I'm slowly working my way up. The rest was unbleached all purpose flour. I use King Arthur brand.
2. I kneaded the dough for about 6-8 minutes with the all-purpose flour as my dusting flour.
3. I let the dough sit for about 6 hours and it had a nice sourdough taste.
4. If you don't know how to knead dough, here is a fairly good video on how to do it by hand:
5. I use my large non-stick (ick, Teflon, I know) griddle to cook the muffins. I can fit all but two of them on there, so it goes much faster.
6. On my stove, it only takes about 5 minutes a side instead of ten minutes like the recipe said, so just keep checking yours so they don't burn.
Seriously, these are so good. Give it a try.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
New blog for the girls
We started a new blog for the girls: Monkey See, Monkey Do. It's password protected. I just sent out an email, so if you didn't get one and would like to read it, don't be afraid to leave a comment here or email me to ask for it. And don't be offended if I know you and you didn't receive an email. Either I didn't think you'd be interested or I overlooked your email in my contacts or I don't have a current email address. Either way, let me know and so long as we're comfortable with you having access to their blog, we'll give you the necessary info.
I've put an update for both the girls on there, including pictures.
We started a new blog for the girls: Monkey See, Monkey Do. It's password protected. I just sent out an email, so if you didn't get one and would like to read it, don't be afraid to leave a comment here or email me to ask for it. And don't be offended if I know you and you didn't receive an email. Either I didn't think you'd be interested or I overlooked your email in my contacts or I don't have a current email address. Either way, let me know and so long as we're comfortable with you having access to their blog, we'll give you the necessary info.
I've put an update for both the girls on there, including pictures.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Homemade English Muffins
Seriously, after you make these, you will never want store bought English Muffins again. They are soooo good. I really didn't have the time or sanity to make them today, but did it anyway. I used my stand mixer for the whole mixing and kneading process. I used all-purpose flour (sorry, no whole wheat this time...maybe next time) and I let the dough rise for about 6 hours, so it had a slight sour dough taste to it. You can also let it rise overnight and then give it a second rise in the morning for 20 minutes. You can freeze what you don't eat right away.
Head on over and check out the recipe.
Seriously, after you make these, you will never want store bought English Muffins again. They are soooo good. I really didn't have the time or sanity to make them today, but did it anyway. I used my stand mixer for the whole mixing and kneading process. I used all-purpose flour (sorry, no whole wheat this time...maybe next time) and I let the dough rise for about 6 hours, so it had a slight sour dough taste to it. You can also let it rise overnight and then give it a second rise in the morning for 20 minutes. You can freeze what you don't eat right away.
Head on over and check out the recipe.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Date time
Some friends of ours called us up last week to offer to babysit while we sent out for some time alone. We jumped at the chance since we hardly ever go out...okay, we never go out by ourselves. They came over today and watched Becca and Ally while we went to the book store, to Meijer, and to pick up our lunch at Panera (we ran out of time to actually eat together). Not the most romantic date, but it was so refreshing to have the two hours together (and alone, since Nate and I go to very different parts of the book store).
I used a gift card that was given to Ally to buy two books for her (really, all we have is ours to share, so it was kind of for both of the girls). I bought Gossie, about a little gosling who likes to wear red boots and ends up sharing them with another gosling at the end. Adorable book. I also bought Olivia, about a little girl pig who is full of energy and wears her mommy out. It's a really funny book and quite cute. A Caldecott honor book too, I think.
At Meijer we picked up more plastic tubs in our quest to purge and organize what we have. We also got a digital clock to put next to my bed so I can know what time it is when I get up to feed Ally at night or to help her get back to sleep (or when Nate does, since he has been wonderfully taking the 4 or 5 o' clock shift, if Ally wakes up then). We also picked up some miscellaneous groceries, since I've been forgetting things lately when I go to the store.
Lastly, we got Panera...including my hot chocolate treat I like to get there. And the Asian Sesame Chicken salad...so yummy!
And in between we talked, walked, rode, and held hands...because we could.
Have I mentioned that I love my hubby...mush, mush.
Oh, and we love our friends who volunteered to give us a break from our beautiful daughters. Thanks, Jerry and Elizabeth.
Some friends of ours called us up last week to offer to babysit while we sent out for some time alone. We jumped at the chance since we hardly ever go out...okay, we never go out by ourselves. They came over today and watched Becca and Ally while we went to the book store, to Meijer, and to pick up our lunch at Panera (we ran out of time to actually eat together). Not the most romantic date, but it was so refreshing to have the two hours together (and alone, since Nate and I go to very different parts of the book store).
I used a gift card that was given to Ally to buy two books for her (really, all we have is ours to share, so it was kind of for both of the girls). I bought Gossie, about a little gosling who likes to wear red boots and ends up sharing them with another gosling at the end. Adorable book. I also bought Olivia, about a little girl pig who is full of energy and wears her mommy out. It's a really funny book and quite cute. A Caldecott honor book too, I think.
At Meijer we picked up more plastic tubs in our quest to purge and organize what we have. We also got a digital clock to put next to my bed so I can know what time it is when I get up to feed Ally at night or to help her get back to sleep (or when Nate does, since he has been wonderfully taking the 4 or 5 o' clock shift, if Ally wakes up then). We also picked up some miscellaneous groceries, since I've been forgetting things lately when I go to the store.
Lastly, we got Panera...including my hot chocolate treat I like to get there. And the Asian Sesame Chicken salad...so yummy!
And in between we talked, walked, rode, and held hands...because we could.
Have I mentioned that I love my hubby...mush, mush.
Oh, and we love our friends who volunteered to give us a break from our beautiful daughters. Thanks, Jerry and Elizabeth.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Some favorite sites
On breastfeeding, you just can't get much better than the Kellymom site.
On solid foods and particularly on making your own solid foods for your baby, I like Wholesome Baby Food.
My favorite Christian mommy forum: Mothering by Grace, where I am mostly a lurker. :)
On attachment parenting and in general just a good reference site: Ask Dr. Sears.
The parent hacks site has given me good tips on more than one occasion. (For instance, the easiest way to cut up an apple and how to turn a big toilet seat into a toddler size toilet seat without using a potty seat). I can't find the link to the apple post. I'll post it if I can find it later.
On breastfeeding, you just can't get much better than the Kellymom site.
On solid foods and particularly on making your own solid foods for your baby, I like Wholesome Baby Food.
My favorite Christian mommy forum: Mothering by Grace, where I am mostly a lurker. :)
On attachment parenting and in general just a good reference site: Ask Dr. Sears.
The parent hacks site has given me good tips on more than one occasion. (For instance, the easiest way to cut up an apple and how to turn a big toilet seat into a toddler size toilet seat without using a potty seat). I can't find the link to the apple post. I'll post it if I can find it later.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Not around much
We're a bit overwhelmed around here lately, so that's why I've not been on here much. Ally's struggling with sleep. We're also in the process of buying a house, so lots going on there. I have updates for the girls that I want to post eventually (Ally's six months old today!). Once things calm down, I'll try to post more.
We're a bit overwhelmed around here lately, so that's why I've not been on here much. Ally's struggling with sleep. We're also in the process of buying a house, so lots going on there. I have updates for the girls that I want to post eventually (Ally's six months old today!). Once things calm down, I'll try to post more.
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