Another Great Recipe

So I have found another great recipe and tweeked it to our liking. If you love soft pretzels, you will LOVE these. Enjoy!!!

1 pkg Active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp if you buy in bulk like we do)
5 cups Flour
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/8 cup warm water
1/3 cup brown sugar

Water/ Baking Soda
Sea Salt

Dissolve yeast in 1/8 cup warm water

Stir 1 1/3 cup water, brown sugar and flour in mixer until smooth. (I use our KitchenAid with the dough hook)
Kneed dough until smooth and elastic but don't over beat because dough will become tough. If it is too dry (if you have crumbs at the bottom, add a little bit of water until it all comes together )
if it is too wet add a little more flour

Heat oven to 450 degrees

In a saucepan, add 2 tbsp of baking soda to each 1 cup of water- enough to fill the pan and bring to a boil. (example: 10 tbsp for 5 cups of water )

Tear off dough and form pretzel shape. I actually tie them in knots (make a snake shape then loop around like you're tying your shoes. Its a lot quicker and easier.

Place pretzels in boiling water for 15- 30 sec. each. ( do them in batches) and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

You can sprinkle them now with kosher salt, but we have done a couple of different things. We like them better when they come out of the oven to brush them with water and then to sprinkle them with salt.

Bake them for 8- 10 min or until golden brown. Be careful to watch them so they don't get too brown.

I will let you know how they freeze up. They haven't yet made it to the freezer. They are definetly a winner in our house served warm with Yellow mustard. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have:)

Craft ideas

For the longest time, a group of us would get together weekly for Craft night. We had so much fun! Everyone brought something to work on, but if they were a new comer and didn't have a lot of supplies, we helped them out with supplies and ideas for a few weeks. Our tools and supplies were always tossed into the middle of the table for everyone to use as long as they were willing to do the same with there's. I truly miss our get togethers and apparantly so does everyone else. We all have some pretty hectic schedules, but have been trying to find time again to do this.
I thought for the next week or so, I would dig out some of my creations from those nights and post them with a list of supplies and directions for anyone interested in making them. Most of the cards that we made were done with Stampin Up items because I was a consultant for a while. You could definetly interchange those stamps for your favorites though.
Please check back and I will post some fun ideas soon! Have a great day!

2010

So with the start of a new year, most of us start in with a new or updated New Year's Resolution. This year, I seem to have many. I will be changing my blog slightly to show how our family has changed from last year. I wanted it to be more of a fun place to check out new things, ideas and accomplishments but as 2009 slowed to a close, I found myself not posting as often or writing about things that weren't crafty, new ideas or something funny. I hope to post a lot more activities and photos to go with every entry. It will still be a journey of sorts to keep track of our family and the speed in which they are growing, but also a fun place, when you need a new fresh idea or just want to learn something new. Being a mom is the hardest, yet most rewarding job on the planet. We all learn from each other and sometimes need to read that what we are going through is not new and unique. Sometimes we also need a break from our busy and sometimes stressful lives to have a quick laugh. I hope my blog in 2010 will contribute to that along with all the other great blogs out there that I enjoy reading so much each and every time I sit to look!

To everyone who follows my blog, or for any new readers, I wish 2010 to be everything you want and hope for. To many happy, healthy days and to meeting new friends while keeping the old close by. Happy New Years!!

-Beth

Life is hard, but count your blessings

Life is hard sometimes but I've realized in the past week that although we all have ups and downs everyday, we need to remember to count our blessings even when we feel like we have very few. We have blessings that we overlook in our busy lives that we take for granted sometimes. I have the best family. We do have very busy lives and sometimes we all feel overwhelmed, but we are happy, healthy and have a home with food on our table. We have great family and friends and each other. I am grateful of everyday that I get to spend with my family. My husband who makes me laugh even when I think I can't (or don't want to), my kids who try hard every day at school, sports & dance and make me a proud momma. I love them more and more everyday. I truly feel blessed!!! I wish everyone a happy and healthy, safe weekend!!!

Life is hard sometimes

We have always been a close-knit family. We have always tried to bring our kids up with manners, love and God in our lives everyday. This past year has been a struggle. We have had issues that I never saw coming! Bullying, horrible language, friends that aren't really friends, but more acquaintances who have no one to tell them right from wrong. My heart aches for my son. I love him more than he will ever understand and want the best for him. We struggle each and every day to teach him that bad decisions always have consequences. Its hard for him to grasp when some of his "friends" have no parental influences in their lives! It makes me so angry that people ignore their kids! I don't want him going down the wrong path. I feel like lately, he has made some decisions based on what his friends want and not what he knows is right. He is a good kid. He works hard at sports and is great at school but is social life is not so great. I wish I could magically take all the hard-ache and pain away from Jr. High, but unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. I don't want him to be the kid that gets in trouble, I want the kid who is happy and helpful to others. That's how my son has always been. I'm hoping that he never goes down that road and knows that he can always talk to us. Kids are mean and I will not allow my son to be one of them.... no matter what it takes! I pray each and everyday for God to watch over our family especially my kids. I hope that Anthony realizes that "those friends" aren't real friends at all. Our little boy is growing up very fast! I know that I can't protect him always, but I can sure do my best to guide him along the way!

Almost another year older...

My birthday is just a few hours away and I've been thinking a lot lately about my life and my family. We all get stuck in ruts every now and then, but sometimes we forget or take for granted what we have around us. I feel like the past year has flown by and things have changed, some for the better, some for the worse. The following is my reflection on the past year and how I'm going to look at the future....

*My kids are another year older, wiser, stronger, much more independent. They are beautiful!!!
*My husband, my best friend, is closer to me than yesterday, and will be even closer tomorrow.He is the most incredible husband anyone could ever ask for.. and hes all mine! I'm the luckiest girl in the world!!
*We have lost a very special family member that we stop each and every day to smile about and remember. She is sadly missed, but strongly remembered and will hold a special place in our hearts forever!
*We have met and made new friends and reconnected with old friends!
*We have gone on adventures, stayed at home in our pjs, been told we are unfair, and that we are the best parents in the world.
* I feel incredibly lucky that we have a home, wonderful friends and family around and jobs to support our family!
I have dedicated the next year completely to my family, keeping them healthy, spending Quality time not quantity time with them and taking lots of photos (too many as my children often say) even more than in past years. I love them more and more everyday even when I think that its just not possible. They are my life, my world. I want to protect them, love them, comfort them and enjoy them. They will always be my family, but life is flying by oh so quickly and they won't be little forever!

Fundraising and busy lives

So I've taken on the task of planning a fundraiser for my daughter's dance school. Although at times I think to myself..."what was I thinking???" I really have been enjoying the planning portion of it. Many have asked me why I don't do it for a living, but I don't think that I could take money from an organization that is trying to make money for a good cause. I'll stick to volunteering my time:)
The kids have been VERY busy lately. We have something going everyday of the week! It is nice when we have a down day occasionally, but I often watch them sleeping and think to myself, I wouldn't want it any other way! I am lucky enough to be home with them to get them everywhere they need to be and to watch to see how much they have improved and how far they've come. I am one lucky mom & wife! Life is hard sometimes, but I feel so happy and content being a mom and to be lucky enough to have married my best friend!
I will post new recipes soon! I've got a lot of them to share!!