We Love Fall!

My boys decided that it takes more than 2 or 3 kids (including Claire) to play all of those fun games and races, like the 3-legged race and calk walks. So, I embarked on a whim and began planning a Fall Festival to be held outside at our house. I enlisted the help of my friend Kim and together with our children we planned and held our first Fall Festival. With around 50 moms and kids attending, it was a great success!

We had a cake walk, fished for prizes, bobbed for apples and then covered them in caramel (yum!), played in a pool full of leaves, and lassoed a scarecrow. Next we did all of the races- 3 legged race, pumpkin rolling, pecan on a spoon race, potato sack race, and at the end, a whipped cream pie eating contest! We also had lots of healthy hotdogs and chips (ha!ha!) to eat.

By far the biggest hit was the bobbing for apples and then slathering them with yummy caramel. I have now decided that bobbing for apples is probably the most unsanitary, discusting thing kids can partcipate in. You don't even want to know what the tub of water looked like after about 30 kids dunked their dirty, snotty faces in that water and the dog occasionally drank out of it. But man, did they have fun attempting to get ahold of an apple with only their teeth. It is quite an accomplishment!

My boys have decided that this was to most fun they've ever had! I am sure next year when fall rolls around, i will hear, "when are we having the Fall Festival?"

Big thanks go to Kim and my Mom for all of their help. After the 3rd or 4th person told me how brave i was to do this, i began to doubt what I got myself in to. Kim and my Mom helped pull it all off. Thanks also to all the "big kids" who helped man the games!

Bread Recipe

Here is the most recent recipe I found that has worked well for us. It is a recipe for making homemade, fresh-ground whole wheat bread, although, it will work with already ground flour too. For those who are laughing right now, just keep reading. Making bread is really very easy to do and not to mention yummy and healthy! Of course, if you decide to give this a try and need help, just email, call, or come over and make bread with us sometime!

You can also visit Shelly's Breads by clicking the link on the right. She has tons of info and more recipes. Click on Tips/Recipes.

This recipe will make 6 loaves. I cut everything in half and make 3 instead. What's great about this recipe is it works for several different things. In one batch (3 loaves), we make 1 loaf of bread, 1 large pizza crust, 1 round pan of cinnamon rolls, and usually have a little left over to make dinner rolls! Or you can make all bread and freeze some.

Also, I do not have a Bosch (which is the amazing, top of the line mixing system that she mentions) so I use my KitchenAide. Any mixer will work or if you don't have one, it can be done by hand. I also have not made this using dough enhancer yet, since i don't have any.

Enjoy!

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SHELLY’S HONEY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

6.5—7 cups hot water
1 Cup oil
1 cup honey
2 T dough enhancer
1/3 Cup gluten
2 T salt
5-6 T Saf yeast
18+ C freshly milled
hard white spring wheat

Pour hot water into the Bosch mixing bowl. Be sure to have the dough guard on the center column before putting the dough hook on. (**warm up honey, not hot, but warm, for nice results) Add oil, honey, dough enhancer, gluten, salt and 10 C of flour. Add Saf yeast on top of flour. Use the momentary switch (M) to first mix. Turn the machine to speed 1 and continue to add flour only until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. (DO NOT ADD TOO MUCH FLOUR). The dough should be a little tacky.
Turn the machine to speed 2 and knead for 4-5 minutes. (BE SURE TO TAKE YOUR SPLASH RING OFF, BECAUSE IT COULD CRACK WITH THIS MUCH DOUGH IN THE BOWL.) Using an oil spray or oil, grease your counter and your hands and remove the dough from the bowl.

At this point, you can sponge your bread, by letting it sit on the counter with a towel over it, or leave it in your Bosch bowl for 15-20 minutes, or you can continue on and not sponge it. (Sponging makes the bread softer and lighter)

Slam your dough onto your counter 7 times. Then with a scissors cut your pie shaped dough into six equal parts. Slam each piece of dough on the counter another 7 times, and then shape into a loaf of bread and place in 6 greased pans. Let the loaves rise until they are doubled in size.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350º for 30-45 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and cool on a wire rack. Rub tops of hot bread with shortening or butter for shiny appearance.

This same recipe can be used for pizza crust, pita bread, cinnamon rolls, monkey bread, orange kisses, breakfast pizza, cold vegetable pizza, tea rings, dinner rolls, hamburger buns, piggy’s in a blanket, hoagie buns, cinnamon twist bread, mock rye bread, cinnamon raisin bread, croissants, and more. For recipes and directions along with many bread making secrets, order Shelly’s Breads for $12pp or Shelly’s Basic Bread Making Video (90 minutes) for $22 pp.

Saving Dinner-The Menus, Recipes, and Shopping Lists to Bring Your Family Back to the Table

I've told several people lately about this book and thought i would share it with everyone else.

I bought this about a year ago and still cook our favorites each month. It is more than a cook book. It is broken down into 8 weeks worth of menus for each of the 4 seasons. It also includes shopping lists at the beginning of each week and nutrional info after each recipe. Best of all, there is no pre-packaged, convience ingredients in the recipes. All of them are nutritious, home-cooked, healthy meals.

If the last sentence scares you, there are ways to make the transition easier. If you are in a hurry, you can prepare things in advance to cut down on cooking time. I always cook all of my ground beef, chicken, or ground turkey in large amounts, then separate them into containers to pull out ready to add to a recipe. The author also will point out places where you can doubleup or prepare things ahead for a meal later in the week.

Also, if you are worried about spending more time in the kitchen and less with your family, get them involved! I now have a "meal helper" for each meal of the day. When it is each ones turn to be a helper, an apron is almost always put on, and they are eager to get to help in whatever job i give them- cutting, peeling, stirring, chopping, whatever. They love getting the chance to do something so grown-up!!! These are the things they will remember.

There were lots of recipes we loved that I would never have imagined making or my family eating and there were some we didn't like. After we ate each meal, i would write in the margin how well we like it. After following the schedule for several months, i went back through the book and picked out all the ones we loved and added them to a few of my other recipes. I now have a month worth of meals that I know how to cook easily and know everyone will eat.

Even though it may take longer to cook these meals than you are used too, you can feel good about taking the time to prepare a healthier meal for your family. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I love to help!


Here is the listing on amazon.com

Book Description:
Certified nutritionist Leanne Ely has a simple philosophy: “Make it and they will come.” Dinner, that is. Take-out, opening a can, or microwave fare shouldn’t pass for a nice, healthy meal–and nothing can replace a family’s time together. Believe it or not, preparing dinner can be a stress-free endeavor. Even your time in the supermarket can be cut in half!Full of practical tips on simple, healthy meal planning, Saving Dinner is the ideal solution for today’s busy parents who would love to have their family sitting around the dinner table once again–sharing stories along with a nutritious meal. Efficiently divided by season, each section features six weeks of menus with delicious recipes, side dish suggestions, and an itemized grocery list that is organized by product (dairy, meat, produce) to make one-stop shopping a snap. Plus the book is packed with helpful hints and short cuts in the kitchen that make cooking easier and more fun.From Big Basil Burgers and Salmon Carbonara to Crockpot Chili and Spicy Apricot Chicken, Saving Dinner will have your family coming back to the table–and back again for seconds!
Leanne Ely is considered the expert on family cooking and healthy eating. Between her popular “Heart of a Woman” radio show in Southern California and her weekly “Food for Thought” column on the ever-popular Flylady.net Web site, thousands of fans have already discovered Leanne’s secrets to easily prepared, well-balanced meals.

A Few Words from Cody

This post is by Cody.

"I am 6 years old and just started Tiger Cub Scouts. I've had such a good time at Cub Scouts. It's been fun. We got to make a train out of wood last night. I am also selling popcorn to raise money for my Pack. Above is a picture of me in my uniform.

I am also in the AWANAS Sparks program at church where I am memorizing lots of Bible scriptures. I am in the Hiker handbook this year and I get to earn patches and jewels as I memorize the Bible verses. There is also game time in AWANAS. I have lots of fun!

I am learning to read. There is a book that I love to read. The title of the book is, Let's Jump In! There are other books called Bob Books and i like them too. Some of the books are very funny.

Oh, I have lost 2 more teeth. One of them is already coming in, even though it was to last one to come out. They are my 3rd and 4th teeth to lose. One of them was funny to lose because i bit into a carrot and it came out in the carrot!"

Welcome to our Blog!

Hi everyone!
We decided to keep this blog open only to people who we invite, to eliminate unwanted public viewers. I sent an invite to people in my email address book, so if you notice someone who isn't on the list that should be, please post or email me and I will add them.
My goal is to post at least once a week, but that's questionable???
We look forward to keeping in better touch with all of you!

Babies, Babies Everywhere!

It just dawned on me, while in a plethera? of friends births lately, that we have not formerly announced to many of our friends and family that we are having a baby. And it won't be much longer until we announce that Baby Davis #4 is here- just after Christmas, January 18 is the "official" date. So please accept our apologies if you were not informed by us, just know that i have only been feeling normal (meaning not throwing up or feeling like it) for 2 weeks and i'm already almost 22 weeks. It has been rough! But here we are mid way through, anxiously passing the months until our new blessing will arrive. I do not pass a day without many little hands and lips touching, loving, and kissing my growing belly. Each pregnancy brings a new perspective and enjoyment for what my body is growing, through the eyes of a child. We are again planning on a homebirth with a midwife.

Blog is Finally Finished-For Now!

I started setting this blog up months ago and have finally got it somewhat organized. I am not internet savvy like most of you, but this is my attempt. Now if i can only figure out how to get pictures on here easily, i will be happy!