A Weekend of Baking

Sometimes yeast is intimidating and frustrating, like when you follow the directions precisely and your dough not only doesn't rise but still has little balls of yeast in it, too. Bleh. Don't let it get you down. Go back to the store at 10:30pm for more ingredients if you have to, come home, and show that yeast who's boss! It's SO worth it.

Make PW's cinnamon rolls.
Two notes: measure the temperature before adding the yeast (needs to be around 100F) letting it cool for 45min to an hour (as the recipe states) may not be enough time to get it down to that temperature. Use your stand mixer if you have one. So much easier.


I've been dying to try something fun like homemade hostess cupcakes for a while now. So when the Agape in Action fundraiser was looking for cupcakes, I knew just the ones I wanted to make. I wasn't overly excited by the taste, and it was more work than usual (4 bowls, 2 baking pans, 2 pots!), but they turned out pretty cute. Johnnie has a new favorite -- chocolate ganache. He's already placed an order for his birthday cake.

A while ago Colby gave up his morning nap. He still gets pretty cranky around that time, though, so I've been putting him in his crib and letting him "rest" for about 45 minutes. Zoe and I still usually do something that we can only do while he's away and sometimes I do a quick treadmill workout, too. This morning he seemed like he was going to protest, so I found it odd that when I turned the monitor on, he was completely silent the entire time. I figured he may have just been extra tired from the Sunday craziness. When I went up there, though, I spotted something on his sock -- blood. Then I spotted lots of blood on the crib railing. Blood on his teddy, his shirt, his pillow, his blanket! It was everywhere! Why didn't he cry out?! Upon further inspection (turning the light on) I come to find that this blood is
chocolate.
He had a grand old time up there in his crib today. Not one single complaint when you're put to bed with a chocolate egg that fell out of mommy's pocket while she was trying to hide it from sister! whoops.

Man, he needs another haircut.

Embrace the Camera: March 3, 2011 - Photo Booth Edition

When Daddy is away, the mice will play! J is out of town again so I took the kids to the mall to get out of the house and our usual free activity took a turn for the worst (worse?) when I got the brilliant idea to take both of the kids into a photo booth. One teeny tiny little stool that swivels and two children up past nap time = not the greatest pictures in the world (that second picture is awful!). Especially when you consider the $5!! spent (sorry, honey). But, alas, we have a fun memory...right? :)