Project Life Week 48

I will be sharing some of the last of Project Life 2013 this week,  I finished it off and boy it feels good to be caught up!  
Week 48 was Family Vacation.  Again the Project Life kit came in handy so I could avoid finding yellow and orange papers in my massive stash.  I added some embellishments and stickers and really just let the photos tell our story from family vacation.  

Bread #1 - Homemade White/wheat Bread

So this year I'm experimenting in baking. I'm pretty excited to do this. I haven't spent much time baking other than cookies/cakes so I thought breads might be a good alternative.  I started out by baking a simple bread although I did change it up a bit.  Here's the recipe... 

Homemade half white/wheat bread 

Ingredients: 

6 1/2 cups white bread flour

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tblsp salt 

3 1/8 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 packages of yeast
2 eggs 

1/3 cup oil 

Butter

 

Directions: 

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups white flour and wheat flour, 1 cup of sugar, and the salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Heat milk (to not quite boiling).  Cool about 5 minutes.  Mix in yeast and remaining sugar.  
3. Set milk and yeast aside for 5 minutes until the yeast dissolves.  
4. Mix milk and flour mixture together (I used my dough hook and kitchenaid). 
5. Add in 2 eggs and oil.
6. Gradually add in the remaining white flour. 
7. Knead bread until texture looks smooth and ingredients seem mixed. 
8. Let rise in a a warm place covered for about 1 1/2 hours. 
9. Punch down.  Divide into 3 pieces let dough rise another hour or two in the pan.  
10. Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes or until done in the middle. 
11. Butter top when removing from oven. 
12. Let cool and remove from pan.

The bread turned out good however the wheat flour I think made the dough a little bit doughier and the texture different than I planned on.  However it tastes good and we like the crust. 

Project Life 2012

Yesterday in the snow blizzard Kathleen and I Project Lifed.  I caught up on Project Life 2013 and 2012.  After completing 8 weeks from last year I decided I wasn't interested in finishing the other missing 4 weeks of 2012.  Mostly because nothing really happened and partially because I had nothing to add but pictures and paper to the sleeves.  I am okay with this.  But I did do some of the big weeks that had been skipped over - like our camping trip and Spring Break!  Here are a few of these pages back later to conclude 2013 too. 

The layouts from camping are pretty basic but I like the hang tag I saved and the photos do most of the talking.

Spring Break week was really like 6 spreads but I am only sharing these fees image the others looking mostly the same.  I am looking back on my ridiculously long hair and wanting it back too.  

On 9 Months

 

Today we have been married for nine months. 
We did a whole lot less traveling, both together and apart these past three months.

We spent a whole lot more time together.
We discovered two was going to become three.
We celebrated our tiny miracle.
We told people when we were keeping it a secret.
We discovered just how bad we are at secrets.

 

We watched a lot of x-files together.
We went on family vacation to Omaha.
We had thanksgiving in close quarters.
We struggled with Dustin's job.
We started a new small group.
We found double date friends with John and Lynely and Jason and Ashley.
We learned that sometimes God watches out for us.
We appreciated our friendships.

We celebrated Christmas several times.
We had a scare which took us to the ER.
We relished in the everything is OK moment.
We heard our babies heartbeat.
We saw our baby move and look a little like a lizard.
We took less photos together.
We rang in the new year with Dustin's family & our Kathleen. 

Dustin -
Nine months has flown by in a jiff.  Each day is new and full of potential. 
Don't be so discouraged about work, sometimes life is just not fair, it will work out or you'll move on.  You are hardworking and honest and those are traits that are worth having in any worker, coworker, client, or boss.
I love the way you care for me and watch over me and now the baby too.  Your going to make a good father, and I'm excited about this next chapter in our lives.
Let's make snow cones in this snow.   Let's make soup and cuddle under a quilt.  Let's find a way to love others this winter. 
I love you much.

Best of Life Videos - December 2013

This is the last one of the year. I'm not sure yet if I will continue making these for 2014. I absolutely love having them however I was half a year behind making them most of the time. And selecting the song is always such a challenge but the verdict is not yet out. 
But just incase here's a little lovely from December. Song is Sail by AWOLNATION, which actually was popular with the Jones and Co bunch like 2 years ago but had been getting a lot of radio play this year.  To view it directly on youtube click here. 

Best of Life Video - November 2013

Here's the November video. We kicked off the month with some camping, and ended with a road trip. This might be my favorite video from 2013 who doesn't love family vacation.  It was a good month. Song is by Ben Howard - Keep Your Head Up.
You can view the video on youtube here if the below doesn't work.  

Best of Life Videos - October 2013

Here's the latest video, October 2013. October in the grand scheme seemed to be a very boring month. I didn't take a lot of interesting photos and only a handful of videos however this was what happened. So it's a record of our lives October 2013.  Song is The White Stripes - We are going to be Friends it took me forever to select that song not sure why but I finally picked it.  Video is also available on youtube click here.

52 goals from 2013.

On new years day I was a guest Blogger for Lemon and Raspberry. I blogged about my 52 goals. You can check it out here.  I'm pretty excited about my 2014 list which I'll be posting either later today or tomorrow depending on when I get my list typed in. 

I updated my list from 2013 and I completed 33 things and 4 partially.  Not to shabby I don't think of course that's about where I always finish off.   I am a little sad I only completed 3 quilts in 2013 that seems rather depressing - especially since two were baby quilts and one was 1/2 finished in 2012.  I did however craft a wedding the first part of the year which is time consuming.  I also almost finished with Project Life 2013 and I pretty much think that project is one of my favorites from last year.  And I did take almost a photo a day all last year and that's a fun project too.  But next year I'm going to make a point to intentionally finish certain projects. 

Stay tuned for the 2014 and for the remaining videos of 2013 I finished a few but can't decide on songs. 

365/365

The last of these photos.  I actually made it through the majority of the year surprisingly even though I missed some days.  

Monday - Molly's birthday ice skating

Tuesday/Wednesday/thrusday -  photos taken on my SLR

Friday - text to Amy about ridiculous things to pack.  

Saturday - birthday surprises

Sunday - new tattoo for the mister

Monday - the naked tree

Tuesday - berries on a bagel (ta da last day of the year!  365 done)

#7 Be Spontaneous with Amy

So for Amy's birthday we got spontaneous #7 from the list.   We started out picking her up blind folding her and taking her to the JW for a slumber party (that was also #38 on my list).  She was so excited she also had no idea what was happening.  

The after church Sunday we had a surprise limo pick her up for lunch and cupcakes.  Lunch was mcdonalds because Amy loves mcdonalds. 

Then we got dropped off at Game paradise for a surprise with more friends and 1300 board games to play.  It was super fun.  Happy birthday Amy!