Friday's Fabulous Five

1. Christmas was wonderful. So very wonderful! I was still sewing up until it was 'pajama time'...seems I can't help myself. :) What can I say? I think it's in my blood.

The girls declared it was the "best Christmas ever!" They make my heart so happy. I love my little children so much! I love our lives. I love where we are at right now.

In many ways this year has been the hardest of my life; in others it has been the sweetest. It was a joyous Christmas a truly filled with gratitude for our Savior and His tender mercies in our lives.

2. My Violet has been having a hard time lately. She is trying so hard to be happy, but it seems often she is really strung out. As if she just can't control her feelings. It's been going on for months and I've finally figured out what it is!!!

Isn't that wonderful?!

At first I thought she was just very tired and needing to start taking naps again. Nope. Then I thought maybe just "terrible twos"? No. That's just not her personality. She is such a contented little lady. Sick? No. It's been going on too long.

As I watched her craziness, I found myself completely understanding how she felt and so I made an eye appointment. Lo and behold, she is far-sighted. Just like her mama. (Although thankfully not as bad as I am.)

She'll be getting new little glasses in a week or so. :) I am so glad that I'm familiar enough with what it feels like to deal with eye strain that I was able to recognize it and help her even though she is still very tiny.

3. We get to spend several days with nearly all of Nels's family this coming weekend and I'm so excited! I love the Chicks! There are always lots of games and laughs when they get together. - We may even get to see my SIL, Melyni, and her family - who have spent the last three years on England.

We are going to have such a wonderful time!

4. For Christmas this year Nels gave me a sweet gift! A plane ticket for a weekend in Arizona with two of my good friends! I am so excited!!! I wish it weren't still a month away!

5. Last fabulous news: the Christmas candy is finally gone!

(finally=2 days later) :)

It's a blessed day indeed!

Post edit: Yes. Of course I meant ON England. That makes perfect sense!

Tomato Mountain

Our backyard.

Yeah. It's rough. I know.

I got a wild hair last week and decided to actually follow through on something I'd told my kids we could do! It's kind of a novel idea for me, but it was so much fun we may do it again in the future.

Hazel and I were browsing Pinterest one afternoon when we came across a really cute and earthy idea for a wreath. We loved it. I pinned it. Then we decided to get started on it right away. (An almost unheard of experience at our house! I can assure you....my poor kids.)

Since moving up here, every time we go out I admire the beautiful mosses growing on everything. They are so green and lush and lovely and I LOVE all the different shades. I knew that we could find more than enough for our project in the backyard (and in the neighbor's backyard, but shhhh! don't tell!), so we set out with our basket in hand -- admiring the the misty mountain (hop!) along the way.

I won't tell you the story about another time I couldn't keep my mouth shut and trotted myself down the road to confronted our backyard neighbor about the condition of that horse. She looked so pretty standing there watching us. Just so perfectly beautiful!

We ventured into the woods, picking moss, enjoying the cedars and the birch trees and finding lots of hidden treasures on the way - a perfect little creek, lots of wacky fungi, and three deer.

And some really delightful children! Violet doesn't like the scary, dark trees, but she let me give her a piggy-back ride and got down enough to stomp in some puddles.

These girls make my heart overflow with love. They are so perfect!

Our haul was pretty good! We got tons of lovely textures and colors and it was so fun to see my little women get so excited over picking a big piece of moss with no tears. :)

I was feeling extra grateful to have this girl with me and feeling well enough to go tromping through the trees with me! She is always such a big help and such a sweet friend to spend the day with. I'm so lucky!

That night we let the moss dry, but the next day when Lilie got home from school, we glued all those pretty carpets onto our wreath form and even added some little friends to greet our visitors.

I love it so much that I almost want to put in on the inside of the door. :) 

Also, I learned that I am not great at tying bows. The resulting shenanigans with that one almost drove me to drink, but turned out pleasing - after I had about a cup of red glitter in my lap.

Another thing we did last week was get our Christmas tree! There is a Christmas tree farm just down the road from us and since Hazel wasn't quite up to a full-blown mountain experience, we decided to go there rather than head for the hills to cut our own. 

It turned out so pretty!

I was able to finish up the last two stockings while watching Animal Planet at the hospital. They make my heart happy.

All in all, it was a successful week. Filled with a few projects and lots of healing!

Now on to this week - which will be defined by the number of loads of laundry that actually get folded and put away!

Gosh, my life of servitude it hard!

P.S. The title of this post is coined from Violet. She calls the mountain we live on Tomato Mountain. The girls have even made up a song about it. It makes me laugh. Much. Tomato Mountain! Oh, YES! Tomato Mountain . . . 

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe and a bunch of Links

In response to a couple of questions:

The website that I got many of the Christmas presents for my babes and also has FREE GIFT WRAPPING (how cool is that?!) is ReallyGreatToys.com

I love toys that are a little different than what you'd typically find at Walmart and right now they've also got a 10% off coupon (until tomorrow) and free shipping over $65. I'm sure that next week they'll have some great deals, but I was pretty happy with what they had available right now. I bought my kids several of the Schleich World of Elves figurines. Like a couple pegasi (LOL!) for Elsie and a dragon for Lilie.

Christmas morning is going to be very mythical at our house. :)

I also bought a BUNCH of these little Safari animal "Toobs" for Violet. We'll have lots of new little animals at our house - which will be wonderful because the girls all LOVE them.

Now, yesterday I was also reminded that I've never shared my bread recipe with you. My reason for this is partly because I've only ever made bread with my Bosch and I know that most people don't own a Bosch. (But you should.) Also, I grind my own wheat and most people don't have their own wheat grinder. (But you especially should if you have wheat in your food storage.) The Bosch is great. It's a work horse that will last forever. It also easily makes 4 loaves at a time. I think a KitchenAid could handle a half recipe, but with a family of 7, nothing is in small batches anymore. :)

This recipe is easy, only requires a few ingredients, and only needs to rise once. Also, from start to finish - even with grinding my own wheat (unless I'm blogging at the same time :) - I can have the my bread made and rising in the pans with the counters cleaned up in 30 minutes. Making bread does require a little trial and error to get the consistency right. I think whether you're making bread loaves or cinnamon rolls, learning the consistency of bread is probably the thing that takes the most practice, but once you figure it out - you're set.

So here we go.

Whole Wheat Bread

INGREDIENTS:

6 c. warm water

2/3 c. oil

2/3 c. honey

2 Tb. salt

2 Tb. dough enhancer, heaping (opt)

6 c. whole wheat flour

2 Tb. SAF yeast, heaping

7-8 c. whole wheat flour

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place the water in your bowl. Temperature is important when making bread. I don't own a kitchen thermometer, so I go with good and warm, but NOT hot. (Don't want to kill your yeast.) Apparently about 115-120* is perfect.

Add oil next and then, using the same measuring cup, add the honey. Doing so makes the honey slip right out, with no scraping.

Add salt, dough enhancer, 6 c. flour, and yeast in order, mixing as you go.

Lastly, continue to slowly mix in flour until the dough starts to clean the sides of your bowl. I find it is usually about 7 or 8 cups, but does vary depending on how exact I was with my liquid ingredients (and maybe the phase of the moon or something). Take care to not add too much. Generally once it stops sticking to the sides of your bowl, it doesn't need much more. You want a dough that is still slightly sticky, but not gooey. It will take some practice to figure out the precise consistency that you're looking for, but honestly with this recipe, even the times I've added too much or too little, it's been very forgiving.

Knead dough for 7-8 minutes.

While dough is kneading, grease four large bread pans with shortening.

Once kneaded, dump dough out onto an oiled countertop. Divide into four equal parts, shape into loaves, and place into your greased pans.

Set your loaves in a warm area and let rise until about double the size. I go for about 1" above the edge of the pans.

Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes. 

When loaves are nice and golden, remove from oven and immediately slide out of the pans. (Leaving loaves in pans to cool will cause them to stick.) Set your loaves on a rack or clean towel to cool and butter the tops while they are still hot.

A couple of side notes: 

*I use a Bosch, which can handle 4 large loaves. If using a KitchenAid, half the recipe. 

*The use of dough enhancer IS optional. I ran out a couple months ago and have yet to buy more. However, using it produces a fluffier bread. You can find it at most whole foods stores or your local Bosch Kitchen Center.

*Since homemade bread doesn't have all the preservatives that store-bought bread does, it obviously has a shorter shelf-life. Once my bread is cool, I slice it up, bag it, and put my extra loaves in the freezer. Bread freezes beautifully. Bread bags can be bought at Walmart (packaged as Great Value Twist-Tie Bags) or at your local Bosch Kitchen Center.

*If you find that your bread is not rising as it should, evaluate whether the water you used was either too hot or too cold. Too hot and you can kill your yeast. If it was too cold, try setting your loaves in a warm dishwasher (not running, of course!) or in a warm oven - set to 200* with the door open. 

*The quality of your yeast can make or break your bread. My favorite is SAF instant yeast. I've been able to find it at a local grocery store in every city we've lived in. I know that Winco carries it for a very good price. Once opened, I pour the remainder of the bag into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge or freezer.

*I do believe this recipe could obviously be made by hand - but it would probably require more like 10+ minutes of kneading to achieve the desired elasticity. Kneading can't be scrimped on. It is what activates the gluten in your bread that holds it all together.

Happy bread making! And happy Christmas shopping!

How to Train You Children . . .

. . . to Ask for Impossible Christmas Gifts

Something I really love for Christmas is to have homemade gifts. I love to make stuff, so what could be better than making stuff for my own children?

Besides, there's just something about the personalization that I'm really, really drawn toward. If I had the time, I would honestly make gifts for everyone I love. I just love things to be personal.

Last year, I was finishing up the last of my Christmas shopping with Lilie at Walmart and for funzies, we walked down the toy aisle. There, on the end of one shelf, there was a display of stuffed "How to Train Your" dragons. About 8 inches tall and sorta cute, I guess.

Lilie has been IN LOVE with the movie since it came out. She already had a soft place in her heart for dragons (my older girls - especially - are a little unusual like that, if you hadn't noticed), so this movie just blew it into full-fledged obsession. Because I seem to be unable to control my mouth, I pointed them out to her - thinking that it would be really fun to find a little Toothless for her stocking or something. She was definitely interested and instantly asked if she could get one. I told her maybe Santa Claus could bring her one. As I looked through them, they had about every dragon BUT Toothless (of course) but I figured that one of the other many stores in town would have one --- or at the very least, I'd be able to find one online with plenty of time to get it by Christmas.  From then on, that was Lilie's one Christmas request. A stuffed Toothless. I'm so S.M.R.T.

Over the next couple days, I looked in every store. They were totally sold out of Toothless. I looked online. I love online Christmas shopping. But wouldn't you know it, this $10.00 toy from Walmart - made of cheap fabric and substandard stitching, not to mention kind of ugly design - was not to be found online for anything less than SIXTY DOLLARS. Plus shipping! Supply and demand, people. Ridiculous. There was just no way that I could pay 6 times as much for this kind of ugly little toy that would probably fall apart within a few weeks anyway.

However, as I was searching the internet for a "plush Toothless" I came across an interesting website. Some brilliantly talented and geeky person out there had been so in love with this movie that they actually designed and made their very own Toothless and then was generous enough to take the time to share their pattern with others. Bless those sweet little weirdy people out there who love cartoons.

I couldn't help myself. I just had to make one for my Lilie. (Now who's weirdy, right?)

Little did I know the hours and hours of work that this endeavor would entail. Not terribly difficult and incredibly inexpensive to make, but definitely time consuming. As I was cutting and sewing and sculpting and manipulating and stuffing and stitching, I kept wondering in the back of my mind if there were any way that I would consider making these to sell. After seeing the outrageous price for that laughably cheap little dragon from Walmart, one could imagine that you could turn quite a profit on these babies.

However. All things considered, there is no way I would make one of these for anything except love. It's just too detailed and time consuming that it would be difficult to make it worth your time for anything except the pure love of the one you're making it for.

That being said, it was worth every painstakingly tedious moment for this look on my daughter's face.

And truthfully, I like tedious little things. Especially when they're appreciated. :)

And boy has this guy been appreciated!

This toy has been hands down the absolute most played with toy we have ever had in our house. He has been played with every single day for over a year.

So, you see? Each and every single one of those painstaking stitches was worth it. (And have held up! Hooray!!!)

The last year has done nothing to diminish the obsession with cute cuddly dragons in our home. With a house full of girls, it's still surprising to me how much they love them, but they do and they come up with all sorts of fun stories and games with them. When they draw, they often draw dragons. When they play with Legos, they make little Lego dragons.

They've even created new, favorite dragons for each child. Hazel has invented a dragon named Clover and they invented one for Elsie named Purpleberry. :) I honestly don't think that Elsie would be naturally inclined to love these creatures as much if it weren't for Hazel and Lilie, but I'm glad that they have a fun game they all enjoy playing together.

So when I was thinking through Christmas gifts for this year, I decided that even though it would be an enormous undertaking, I was going to make some more dragons for my girls. While I wasn't going to make a new big one for Lilie (as she still loves the original Toothless) I was able to find a smaller and slightly simpler pattern on the same website and decided to make a baby dragon for her.

I think they are just so cute with their little clay eyes. Sculpey is fun stuff.

Purpleberry

Clover

Razzleberry

A year later, this little guy is a little pilly (which sorta ticks me off - as I was careful to buy anti-pill fleece) and has a chipped eye, but is still so loved.

Thanks little dragons for being my girls' buddies.

Christmas 2011

Christmas this year was lovely.

Christmas Eve day, I was still working on some finishing details for some presents --- feeling a little overwhelmed, but hopeful. ;) Somehow, without our volunteering, it was our family's turn to clean our church building so Nels took the girls to go give some holiday service while I stayed home sewing and crocheting with my Clarie.

We kept our candlelight Christmas Eve dinner relatively simple this year and enjoyed the evening together reading out of Luke, watching a couple Christmas videos from the LDS.org website, opening jammies, and then watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" together before sending the kids to bed. We let Elsie sleep with her older sisters in their bed and they were all so excited - but also very, very tired - so they went to sleep pretty quickly.

They were so cute all snuggled up together! As I went to check on them about half an hour later, they were all intertwined and happily snoozing away. I whispered happy Christmas wishes and love to each of them, kissing their darling little cheeks, and as I did so, Hazel smiled in her sleep. Nels and I asked her a couple of questions, to which she smiled or nodded or sleep-answered. It was so cute! and so funny. Adorable. I'm just the luckiest mom.

As Nels and I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" while we finished wrapping and preparing, it started snowing. It was such a beautiful and perfect night.

The next morning, I think I was just as excited for the kids to open their presents as they were, so we told the girls that they had to stay in bed until 6:30. At about that time, Clara woke up to eat and then by 6:45, the other girls were awake.

It was just such a fun and perfect morning.

Growing up, Christmas was always so amazing. My parents were excellent Santas and it was always magical. As a parent, I've realized that they set a pretty high standard and have tried very hard to recreate some of that for my own children. As a teenager, when most of my gifts were clothes that I'd picked out for myself :), clear through the time when I got married, Christmas lost some of it's excitement. I was always grateful and it was always fun, but it just wasn't the same as when we were little children. But I have to say, I think that Christmases now, with my own growing children are just as exciting to me as when I was a child myself. I love it. I love being a mom!

Violet and her WONDERPETS! :)

Lilie was SO excited for me to open a present that she'd bought for me at her school's Santa Store. For weeks she's been telling me that red diamonds are the rarest diamonds on earth . . .

One of the best gifts I've ever received. From a girl that loves her mama.

Elsie opening "Purpleberry".

And Hazel excited about her "Clover".

And all three girls with the Nightfurys. :) I love how Lilie looks a little blah. She was excited for her sisters to have a dragon so that all of them could play together, but you can see from her face that even though she still LOVES her own Toothless, she was a little sad she didn't have a new one also.

Don't worry. Her holiday woes were short-lived. :)

A BABY Nightfury! What could be more cute?

I can't even explain how excited I was to give these dragons to the girls. Nels was proud of me for being willing to put in so much work to make our girls' Christmas extra special and it was the most rewarding thing in the world to see their sweet little faces fill with excitement.

Last year, when I gave the original Toothless to Lilie (finally blogged about that a year later!), Nels had asked if I thought "Santa Claus" should give it to her. I answered with an quick and very firm, NO. There is NO. WAY. I would give the credit for so much happiness and hard work to a bunch of imaginary elves! These girls will know that their Mama did that just for them. Because I am able and because they are loved.

Santa Claus can take credit for gigantic lollipops and sugar cereal. :)

Violet and Elsie were very excited about their new dolly beds! So cute! That itty-bitty doll that Vi is tucking into that bed was a gift from Hazel. I love watching my little girl play with her little dollies. So fun!

It was such a fun Christmas morning.

After playing and relaxing for a bit, we ate breakfast and got ready to go to church. Our ward had a lovely combined service that was a simple musical program. I had an opportunity to sing a beautiful version of "Silent Night" in a quartet. It reminded me how much I love singing. Sometimes I forget.

I am so thankful this Christmas to my Heavenly Father for all that he has given me, most especially these sweet little people and my wonderful husband that bless my life with so much love and joy. I am so thankful to my Savior for giving me an opportunity to be with them forever. I'm so thankful for families.