Time Goes By Quickly

This last month has been crazy...teaching school two days a week, soccer games (and a wedding) EVERY Saturday, and planning a huge night for the Young Women at church. I did manage to get away with one of my best friends in the whole world, Trina. We have known each other since birth and have grown up together. Celebrating us both turning 30, we decided to get away for a night and head to the Rancho Bernardo Inn. Trina has stayed here several times...and I have only played for weddings here.. It is so lovely, fancy, quiet and quaint all at once. We spent the day at their brand new spa (something I have NEVER done before). I felt spoiled and wonderful all at the same time! We slept in, ate out, relaxed, got a massage (AWESOME!!!!) and swam in a private salt water pool. Thanks David for watching the kids and letting me relax. Boy...I needed that one. I feel like I run on overdrive all the time! Happy Birthday Trina...Thanks for taking me along!

WOW!

This week I have my friend, Julie Stainbrook staying with me again. Even though she moved to Utah in the summer, she still has MANY clients down here and will be coming every six weeks or so to do some photo shoots. Today she took pictures of my little sister Jenna. All I can say is WOW! I can't believe how beautiful they came out! Julie your ability to capture to true beauty in people is amazing, and Jenna, you are BEAUTIFUL. I can't believe you will be 16 next year. You are such a blessing in my life. Thanks for all the babysitting you do for me. I couldn't imagine my life with out you in it. You bring so much joy and happiness to others. And....you love who you are. It shows in all you do......Just look at yourself in these pictures....it's nice to see a beautiful daughter of God who is confident with who she is and isn't afraid to be herself. I love you Jenna!
You can see all of my sister's sneak peak at: www.juliestainbrookphotography.blogspot.com

I suck at blogging

Victoria's first day of first grade at her new school (I started here in first grade also)

Jocelyn ALWAYS finds time to dress up, put on makeup (even when I say no), and always has a purse packed with junk...she is our little pack rat.(she really does take stuff from the trash)

Tyler is obsessed with four things: cupcakes, animals, cars and balls.

Notice the pizza sauce smeared in his hair. After this picture, he climbed ON the table and was throwing pieces of his pizza everywhere.

I always say I am going to get better at blogging, and then it just doesn't happen. Life is hectic and crazy as usual and I just added more choas by adding a part time job teaching music at Tori's school. I teach k-2nd grade music ten hours a week at Monte Vista Elementary. I am really excited, just stressed as I try to make up lesson plans and activities for all the different grades, plus four special ed classes. There are curriculum guidelines I have to follow and the principal wants a full winter performance in December before the break. Notice I say "Winter;" Songs about snowmen, jack frost, snowflakes...all the things that San Diego children see LOTS of (yeah right). No Jingle Bells, Silent Night, Away in the Manger.....actually I don't think I can even sing songs with the word "ghost" or "witch" in it at Halloween. It's pretty sad, but nevertheless, I still have a big performance to come up with. So with that, a church calling, both the girls in soccer, Tori's piano lessons and three dance classes a week, Jocelyn's dance, watching my niece on Monday's and weddings on the weekend, the Hunts are a busy group. Tyler is a full time job in itself. Here he is, doing what he does best: eating and making a mess. I can't keep up with this boy. His overhand throw is just getting stronger (especially with strawberries across the kitchen) and his purposeful attempts to pull the girls hair and hit them with things until they cry just baffles me....Hope we can all hang in there! Maybe one day I'll learn to take it easy....but probably not!

Cheap Books!

I LOVE Free Stuff! These books aren't free, but pretty close. I am buying some now to save as Christmas presents for the girls:
Go HERE to BARGAIN BOOKS for the juvenile fiction sale.
Use this code to hopefully get your free shipping: BKLVFREE

Artisan Bread

Why Go To Panera?

Ok...so I love to make bread, but usually just do my same recipe, which takes about three hours of "love" to make. My uncle has been telling me that I should try his bread recipe. I finally tried it, because if he could do it, I knew it must be a piece of cake....or bread for that matter. Here's what you do:

In a bowl, add:

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup water

Mix and put in covered bowl for 8-10 hrs

Pre heat pan and lid to 475 (pot roast)

Roll dough in flour on counter

Cook 30 min covered

Cook 5-10 uncovered until brown then cool on rack

Here's what I did differently: I added cornmeal to the bottom of the bread and because I wasn't sure what kind of pot to use, I made a water bath to put in the bottom of my oven (fill a 13x9 pan with a few cups of water to heat up with the oven. It will create steam, just like the lid on the pot will do). I just used a non-stick cookie sheet to put the bread on. Also, I didn't cook it long enough, so it didn't get super crunchy on the outside and was a tad bit doughy on the inside, but everyone said they liked it this way. We served it with fresh tomatoes and basil on it. Yum and it it beats the cost of buying a loaf at Panera.

ENJOY!

(Picture Courtesy of Julie Stainbrook...it's great when a photographer stays at your house...you get awesome pics. every day)

Peanut Butter Fun

Tyler has been really sick the last few days and today he was really fussy. We decided to spend the day at home. I was trying to think of something fun to do...something new. I got online and found a recipe for peanut butter playdough. It was so much fun. The kids were eating, shaping, eating some more, and cutting it with cookie cutters! It didn't make a mess and wasn't sticky. Tyler loved it to. It got us through the morning instead of watching T.V. and got them through to lunch!

Recipe:

3.5 Cups Peanut Butter

4 Cups Powdered Sugar

A few drizzles of honey until it's smooth. Stir and enjoy!

Keep wrapped when not using.

Boys will be Boys!

So yesterday we had no power all day. It was a good lesson for the girls to learn. No power means no T.V., no radio, no homemade bread we were planning on making (and no blow dryer for mommy)... We had dinner at my parents and when we came home at 8:00 pm, it was finally back on. The trucks from the electric company were still there working on the power lines. (we were one of the few lucky houses whose power came back early...the other 250 people were still out of luck). I got home (David was still at the community college helping with sport's physicals for the fall) and unloaded the kids and all my stuff from the day. Once I was finally inside, I realized that Tyler was not in with the girls. I panicked because I REALLY couldn't find him anywhere. I ran outside and sure enough he was still standing by my truck (at least 5 minutes later). He was fascinated by the big work trucks and the bright lights set up across the street. I picked him up and he kept pointing at the big trucks and grunting. He didn't want to leave. We stood there for a few minutes more, and I realized that it really doesn't take much to make him happy. Boys are so less complicated than girls. It's such a refreshing change from the girls fighting over dress up clothes and crying because they can't have MORE lip gloss on before bed. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE my girls, but I also love the change of pace that little boys bring. Yeah, Tyler's crazy and has learned how to pull the girls hair, hit people with his plastic hammer, and throw strawberries overhand across the room, but he also likes to stand and look at electric trucks. It was nice to share that simple moment with a 14 month old. I need to have (and ENJOY) more moments like this....