Spring Break 2014

Here was the view from our deck one beautiful spring morning. . .

 

This year, because Jesse started a new job he didn't have any vacation time. So Kaysen and I decided to go up to Logan one day of spring break to see Sam and Jaret. Of course, Kaysen thinks we can't go up to Logan without going fishing. We went to Third Dam. I had fun trying out a few settings on our new camera that we got for Christmas.

Sam is a little nervous to cast her line. She thinks she'll hook someone. :) Here's Jaret showing her how to release the line as she casts.

Success!

Alas, all we caught was seafood salad. But we still had an amazing time!

And one can't go to Logan without stopping for Aggie ice cream!

Wedding Quilt

Jaret and Sam's wedding quilt is finished!

The pattern is based off of Ivory Spring's Flora Linda pattern.

Jaret is Engaged. . .

. . . to the most fabulous girl ever!

Sam Stone will be joining our family on December 17! We can't wait for her to be part of our family!

From Blog to Print

I printed Jaret's mission blog in a book. I like how it turned out. It looks sort of like a high school year book, but it has every single letter he sent to us for the entire two years. I placed all of our letters to him in sheet protectors and put them in a binder.

Another Missionary

It's official.  We'll have another missionary out in August, just one week after the first missionary comes home.

We'll miss him, but the FRANCE PARIS mission will be lucky to have him!  Congratulations, Bryant!

Halloween Traditions

No trick-or-treaters from our house this year.  Our youngest is growing up and wants to have a party instead.  I'm happy to oblige, since all the treats typically brought home seem to tempt and derail me from eating a healthy breakfast and snacks for weeks on end (all that chocolate is just too tempting).

We'll begin the evening with our traditional soup and breadsticks dinner for just the family.  It's always soup, chili, or stew for Halloween dinner.  But the breadsticks MUST be the Twists (copycat recipe from Pizza Factory at end of post).

The appliqued pumpkin placemats were easy and fun to make.  And the mitered-corner napkins. . . Easy peasy with these directions from Hello, My Name is Heather.

After dinner, the neighborhood kids will be invited to enjoy night games in our back yard. . . glow-in-the-dark soccer, laser tag, flash-light tag, etc. Since they aren't going trick-or-treating, I'll provide Spudnuts (recipe at end of post) and Hot Chocolate for the kids (and supervising parents) to enjoy around a campfire.  I plan to serve the treats on this Monster Munchie Table Runner I made last week at Quilt Guild (from McCall's Quilting).

It's been a beautiful Fall.  I certainly hope the weather continues to cooperate.  A chill in the air isn't a bad thing, but please no rain or snow until after Halloween!

Bread Stick Twists (Pizza Factory)

1 ½ cups hot water

1 T. sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 T. instant yeast

3 ½ - 4 cups flour

GLAZE:

2-3 T. melted butter

¼ tsp. garlic salt

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. dill weed

1/8 tsp. Italian seasoning

Combine water, sugar, salt, yeast, and enough flour to make a soft dough.  Knead for 3-4 minutes. On greased countertop, break off pieces of dough and roll into thin ropes that are about 1 ½ times the length of your skewers.  Twist the rope around the skewer and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Repeat till all dough is used. 

Let twists rise till doubled, about 30 minutes.  Bake at 375 for about 12-15 minutes or till golden brown.  While they are baking, combine the glaze ingredients.  Remove twists from oven and brush with the butter glaze. 

Spudnuts

2 cups milk, warmed

1 cup sugar

½ cup shortening

1 cup mashed potatoes

2 packets yeast dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water

3 eggs

½ tsp. nutmeg

8-10 cups flour

1 ½ tsp. salt

To hot milk, add sugar, shortening, potatoes, yeast mixture, eggs, and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  Add enough flour to resemble cake batter.  Let sponge until doubled.  Add remaining flour and salt to make a soft dough.  Mix and knead.  Let dough rise until doubled.  Punch down.  Let rise again. 

Roll out dough on floured surface about 1/3 – ½” thick and cut into doughnuts.  Let rise.  Deep fry in oil heated to 350 – 400 degrees.  Dip in glaze when warm (3 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup water, ½ tsp. vanilla).

Projects

I love to find a deal on KSL classifieds.  My family knows I'm addicted to looking at the ads, because I'd hate to have a good deal pass me by!  In fact, the other day when Kaysen was bored, I suggested we look for something on KSL.  I said, "What should we look for?"  He replied, "A boat.  A dog.  Anything but a dresser!"  He knows that the furniture section is my favorite, and a dresser is on my radar (I'd like to re-purpose it as a television stand).

In the last year, we've purchased. . .

a sectional couch for $100 (for our unfinished basement entertainment room)


a computer desk for $50 as a gift for Mom and Dad (refinished by Dad, Jesse, and Teresa; the top was sanded by Dad, then stained - fruitwood - by Teresa, and then the entire desk was varnished with a semi-gloss finish by Jesse and Teresa),

a dining table for $50 as a gift for Harriet (refinished by Jesse with dark walnut stain and satin finish polyurethane on top; black lacquer spray paint on base; sure wish we had a BEFORE picture, because this table was in HORRIBLE condition when we picked it up!)
















I've also helped a friend find some good buys to update some furnishings in her house, including a television stand (originally at Costco for around $250; she got it off KSL for $135), a computer desk (all wood in excellent condition, with hutch, for $50), and a computer chair ($35).

I've also been busy in my sewing room.  I finished a 45x60 baby quilt with my Sugar & Spice Fat Quarter Pack (by Amanda Herring of The Quilting Fish).  I've had the fat quarter pack for over a year and have been afraid to cut into it.  I've just been admiring the fabric on the shelf.  Finally, when I saw this pattern based on the Hawaiian flower commonly used in leis, Puakenikeni, I decided I had to use the fabric rather than leave it on my shelf or a minute more.

Dorky Homemade Quilts

Here's MY version with the fabric I admired for over a year before cutting into it!  Can't wait to see how it looks once it is machine quilted!