Tall Diaries Update

It's just like the title says.. I've updated the Tall Diaries.. Hope you enjoy

Pirate Party

I'm a day late, I'm sorry.. but here are the pictures from the Pirate Party!

Katie did a great job making the desserts!

the birthday boy

Dan is ready to attack the little pirate ship

this picture just makes me laugh! I love the Quincy is talking to Kyle like nothing is out of the ordinary

Kyle scared these poor children. They thought he was a scary homeless man

hidden treasure

I told him to make a pirate face

Katie and Davy

Dan with baby brother pirate

the aunts.. a little hard to take a picture while the boys were squirming

March Blessings

I'm sitting here on my bed as Kyle organizes his piles of... well everything.. clothes, papers, junk. Now before you go thinking that I'm a bad wife not organizing his stuff for him, there is a thing you need to know about Kyle. He has a slight case of OCD. He doesn't want me to organize for him. So for the first time since I can remember we have an evening off to just enjoy each other as we "catch-up". (He has now stopped organizing to help me type this post)

We've had a CRAZY March. It has been really fun, but busy. We have been up in LA 3 weekends in a row.

Weekend number 1. Kyle and I decided to head to LA and give his parents some undivided attention. For the most part when we go back it's for a friends birthday party or something like that and so we only see his parents when we can squeeze them in for a quick meal.

This weekend we were there only to see them. It was great to catch up and hear all about how they are doing and how the Lord is growing them.

We also had yummy Thompson Tacos... my favorite!

Weekend number 2. Kyle had training in LA so I decided to go with him. I wanted make the most of my time so I. (deep breath...)

-Went to our old Bible Study where I caught up with friends, but particularly got to see my old pastor and his wife
- Met my dear friend Michelle at our favorite spot!
- Spent and afternoon with my sister
- Had a St. Patty's day themed meal with dear friends
- Stayed the night with Chloa. Time with her is always sweet
- Coffee with Jessica, we decided on coffee instead of breakfast for the sake of time, but took 2 hours talking anyway.
- Saw my sister again.
- Spent time with some dear family friends that I used to live with.
- Finally saw my hubby again, then we went to another friends house for games and dessert
- Stayed the night at a friends house, went to church (saw so many friends, could have talked all afternoon)
- Drove home and went to a friends house for dinner

(exhale)

Weekend number 3. My nephew David turned 4! We drove up Saturday morning for the Pirate Birthday Party. I will post pictures from it tomorrow. It was ADORABLE. Kyle and I miss the nephews and nieces like crazy! We love that we're close enough for things like birthday party's.

David is such a sweet boy. He is ALL boy, loves to play rough and get dirty, but he also loves to cuddle and is very tender hearted, especially for a 4 year old. He is so aware of people's feelings. He always says thank you. One of my favorite things to do with David is to say: "I love you" he'll respond with "I love you more" then I say "I love you most" and one day he looked at me and started saying "I love you mostest!"

After the birthday we saw Hunger Games with friends, crashed on a friends futon and came home in time for church this morning.

We aren't planning anything for April! (at least that's what we keep telling ourselves)

"this is so much more fun than tickling huh?"

those were the word Kyle said to me just moments ago.

Here is a little glimpse into our marriage...

First of all, if I seem a little too serious, frustrated, focused, anything that is not as light-hearted as Kyle would want me to be he says: "do you need to be tickled?"

No, I NEVER need to be tickled. 

Kyle disagrees, and then proceeds to tickle me until he is satisfied that I'm no longer too serious.

A second little glimpse...

while trying to navigate with the mouse on the laptop, kyle took the other mouse (the real mouse, the one not a part of the laptop) and started clicking random things and moving it around so I couldn't get anything done, just when he thought he had frustrated me enough he said,

"this is so much more fun than tickling huh?"

I couldn't help but laugh. We have so much fun together.

Being taken care of...

I am blessed daily by my husband. He is amazing in so many ways, but this week I have been blessed by how he takes care of me. 

For example: one day we got into a little fight, and he still brought me home flowers because he knew that I had had a hard day and he wanted me to know he was thinking of me. (the fight was my fault by the way)

He's been checking daily for cheap airline tickets home so that I can see my new niece. It's not really in our budget, but if he can find a way I know he'll make it happen. 

He filled up my car with gas. This might seem simple, but he knows I don't like to fill up, he didn't even tell me that he did it, there's nothing like getting in a car that used to be empty and then seeing you have a full tank!

And for my favorite, this morning we were up at the usual 4am. Kyle could tell I was a little more tired than normal and so after breakfast he stopped getting ready to just cuddle me on the couch for a couple of minutes before work. 

I am blessed!

Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

I got a text from a dear friend yesterday reminding me that I promised to give you the Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe, and then didn't... So, with out further ado here it is.

  

If your just looking for the Ingredients and want to see the steps later, at least scroll to the bottom to see a couple of tips that I use that have helped a lot.

Ingredients:

2 packages regular active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 cups very warm water (120°F to 130°F)

4 1/2 cups Gold Medal® whole wheat flour

2 3/4 to 3 3/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 

 

 

• 1 In large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, set aside. Add honey, butter, salt, 2 1/2 cups very warm water and 3 cups of the whole wheat flour in mixer. Add the dissolved yeast. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour.
• 2 With spoon, stir in 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups of the all-purpose flour until dough pulls cleanly away from side of bowl.
• 3 On lightly floured surface, knead in remaining 1/2 to 1 cup all-purpose flour; continue kneading 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray; place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover; let rise in warm place 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
• 4 Generously grease 2 (8x4- or 9x5-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate; divide in half. Shape dough into loaves; place in pans. Cover; let rise in warm place 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
• 5 Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough; bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. 
  Tips:
  1. When they tell you the temperature of the water.. they mean it, especially for the yeast. If you don't want to pull out a thermometer (like me) don't try to overcompensate by making it a little hot. If you make it too hot it will kill the yeast and your bread wont rise.
  2. grease the bowl that you let the dough rise in, just like they say, but I also take a little crisco and do a good job greasing the top so it doesn't dry out while it rises. I also grease the loaves when they are rising in the bread pans.
   3. buy some large ziplock bags to store your bread. It keeps it nice and fresh and soft. 
  4. for the most part baking is pretty straight forward, but with baking bread it gets better with time! keep practicing and every loaf will get better. 
  5. Oh! and the most important tip. I add at least 3/4 cup honey.