Domestication Update

Just in case you were worried I was going to go all June Cleaver on you from this previous post, not to fear. I was making bread the other day (with the dough setting on my bread maker of course) and I started smelling something burning. I looked into my handy dandy bread maker and nothing was happening. The motor was running but the dough was not moving. So I got a spatula and poked the bottom to see if the mixer part was moving. Well silly me forgot to put the mixer part in! I was so sad because I was so excited to try this bread because I heard it was super yummy (it has 2/3 cup sugar in it!). So I was about to throw it all out, when I thought to myself (dangerous I know), "Hey, I can do this by hand!" So I took the dough out and started kneading it by hand. It was SO not fun. My mom thinks it is a great stress reliever, but I disagree. It was causing me major stress. So I was all frazzled and spend like an hour doing the whole process of kneading and forming the rolls. Not exactly what I wanted to do with my free time when Lily was napping and Isaac was at school, but whatever.

So I let the rolls rise for a couple hours and the house smelt SO good. I just couldn't wait to get my mouth on those yummy rolls. Fast forward to after I baked them. When they came out of the oven I let them cool a bit, then I grabbed one, buttered it and took a much anticipated bite. ...... YUCK! It was not good. It hardly had a taste at all. I couldn't understand why I was told they were SO delish. Then a thought came to my mind. Wasn't I supposed to add other ingredients after it mixed a bit in the bread maker? Oops. I guess in my frazzled state of smelling something burning and my dough ball not being formed I left out a slightly important step: Adding the egg, powdered milk, and salt.

P.S. I won't tell you that this is actually the second attempt at making these rolls. The first time I added to much floor and it overflowed my bread maker (that time I did throw it all out).



Maybe third times a charm?

So back to packaged dinners and crescent rolls it is.....

Domesticated?

For those of you who know me well you are going to have your jaw hanging open when I tell you what I have been doing lately.

BAKING!



Seriously. I don't know what has come over me. I made bread. Not just once. Twice. And....It tasted good! I forgot to take pictures afterwards, but I promise I did it!! Last week I also cooked two dinners from scratch. That probably isn't a big deal to you, but in our house it is a rarity. We do eat, don't get me wrong, but it is more of the variety of Orange Chicken from Trader Joe's or frozen lasagna. Maybe there is hope for me yet........

Updates

Here are some picture updates of what we have been doing lately.

The girls have been off track so we have been trying to find things to keep them busy. One morning we went to a new splash park nearby. The kids had a lot of fun, although next time I will have to make Isaac wear water shoes since he kept slipping. I had to take a picture of the sign because I just couldn't believe the things they had on there! Particularly I got a chuckle over the 2nd and 4th bullets. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Abby got a skate board for her birthday. She was so excited to skate with Emily. Here they are practicing.

Of course Isaac wanted to show off his skills as well. I am sure it is only a matter of time before he has a board too.

Here is our little Lily. I love this outfit so I had to take some pictures of her on Sunday. She will be 5 months old in a few days.

Isaac started 3 year old preschool yesterday. It was DIVINE! The girls and I hardly knew what to do with our selves. He had a great time, and already loves Miss Brooke. Here is a conversation we had after school that gave me a bit of a scare:

Me: What was your most favorite part of preschool?

Isaac: Peeing in the bushes (yes-- this is a direct quote).

Me: (mortified) WHAT???!! Please tell me you didn't.

Isaac: I did.

Me: I am so calling your teacher right now.

I did make that call and luckily Isaac did NOT pee in the bushes. Do you see what I have to deal with everyday?!

Yesterday I made cupcakes to take to Abby's soccer practice to celebrate her birthday. I had this grand idea to frost the cupcakes and then use junior mints to make them look like soccer balls. This is what they turned out like. Emily came over to look at them and asked what they were. When I told her she simply said, "Nice effort Mom." Now you understand why I don't cook.