Rough Day

I am sure all of you are better people than me and have never had this thought. Today at the end of church I wondered why we continue to take a one year old and fight him for three hours. Mark and I take turns chasing Luke in the halls for the entire three hours. By the end of church he is exhausted and we are exhausted. This picture doesn't do him justice because we tried to patch him up as the accidents happened.

In desperation I offered a sucker that failed, but left a lovely mess.

Spit and drooled chewed graham crackers all over himself.

Grabbed a pen out of our neighbor's hand and drew on his face.

Somehow cut his little ear that bled.

Bit a hole in his sippy cup that then leaked pink all over his white shirt.

I keep telling myself that we are establishing habits of going to church as I longingly walk past the nursery door!

Century Ride

Mark did his first century ride for the summer on Saturday. Luke and I went out to cheer for him when he crossed the finish line. He had really good time and felt pretty good when he was done. We're so proud of him! Luke got hungry while we were out there and ate everything they were handing out for the riders. You would have thought he just rode 106 miles and burned all those calories! We should have drawn the line at the Creamy! So messy!

Washing Baby

Luke is obsessed with his little froggy. He'll walk around the house holding him by his head saying, "a baby, a baby..." We decided it was probably a good idea to get two so we'd have a backup. I always try to wash just one at a time, but they were both too gross today. It was a rough day without them. Our two hour morning nap was only a half an hour. He walked around the house whining and saying, "Baby." When he heard my open the dryer to put his clothes in he come running in and spotted his froggy. He tried so hard to reach him. I finally gave up and handed over a wet frog. Life was good again!

Luke's Favorites

Last night while Mark was at the Jazz game Lukers and I were hanging out in our family room watching the game. Luke has a few favorites right now and he goes from one favorite to the next! I snapped a few pictures as he played!

Luke's number one is probably his frog...or "Baby" as Luke says. Baby is always with us and cures anything! He also loves his Yankees hat. He walks around holding it on his head and then hands it to me to put on his sweet head.

He has a new obsession with cell phones. Fake or old cell phones won't do the trick...he knows. Luke will sit and push buttons then hold the phone up to his ear and talk.

The basketball hoop is the new fav this week! He can finally dunk it in. Luke loves to chase the ball yelling "ba" and then make a dunk! Who needs to be at the game when you can hangout with this guy?!?!

Easy Packaging

I always have my students at school make yummy bath salts for their mothers for Mother's Day. We take epsom salt and add coloring and scents. The fun part is this way cute packaging. It is super simple and I have used it for other things You just take a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper and cute it into 3" strips. Fold your 3" strip so you have a 1, 5, and 6 inch section. Punch a large circle in the center to show off the fun treat inside! Use a small cellophane bag and fill you with candy or whatever you are giving away. Place the cellophane bag inside the paper strip. Poke a brad through the paper and bag to secure it in place!

Big One Year Old

I still can't believe my little boy is one. It is amazing what happens in just a short year. As much as I miss having a newborn Luke is becoming lots of fun. I love seeing his little personality come out! We are able to do a lot more together! Here are a few stats on my Lukers!

Weight - 20.6 lbs /18th percentile

Length - 30 in. / 59th percentile

Head - 18.5 in. / 69th percentile

Has 6 tiny teeth that he likes to grind...gross.

Eats just about anything...especially if you're eating it!

Takes two naps about two hours each and sleeps eleven hours at night.

Says mama, dada and baby.

Still has to have his frog wherever he goes. Except he is now referred to as baby.

Watches Baby Signing Time on a daily basis and still only knows the sign for more!

Is starting to get a terrible temper. Has even been known to bite or make himself pass out if he gets mad enough.

Is the happiest when he is outside on his bike or on a walk. Still doesn't love the feel of grass though.

Loves to play chase and wrestle...all boy!

Amish Friendship Bread

Have you ever heard of Amish Friendship Bread? It is my favorite bread, although Amish Friendship Cake would be a better name for it! A few times I have received a starter for this bread. My dear friend was grossed out by the thought of a bag of dough sitting on her counter for a week. After she tried the bread she was hooked. The only problem is you have to wait for a starter to be given to you. If you want to be the good friend that passes along a starter here are the instructions below. I know the instructions look long, but it is easy and way worth it! Yum-o!

Amish friendship bread is a bread dough that is passed around from friend to friend, with the recipe attached to it. The dough has live yeast in it, which grows as the dough ferments. Amish friendship bread is one of those things that can be a blessing and a curse. It is extremely delicious, but it does tend to take over your life. If you commit to growing the dough and making the bread, you will be baking about every ten days.


1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110°F)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. Stir well.

2. In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup sifted flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or the flour will get lumpy when you add the milk.

3. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Place mixture in a gallon size Ziploc. The mixture will get bubbly. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle, or the day you receive or make the starter. The starter only needs to be made once.



Day 1 - The day you make/recieve the dough

Day 2 - Mush bag

Day 3 - Mush bag

Day 4 - Mush bag

Day 5 - Add 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk.

Day 6 - Mush bag

Day 7 - Mush bag

Day 8 - Mush bag

Day 9 - Mush bag

Day 10 - Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk in to a NON-METAL bowl . Combine with NON-METAL spoon. Divide into 4 1 gallon ziploc bags( 1 cup per bag ). Give 3 bags to your friends and keep 1 bag for your self. Don't forget to provide your friends these instructions along with the dough.

To the rest of the dough add:

1 cup oil (I use 1/2 C oil and 1/2 C applesauce so I feel better eating it!)
3 eggs

1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 large box instant "vanilla" pudding

Combine.

Grease two loaf pans with butter or baking spray. Mix an additional 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Dust the greased pans with half of this mixture. Pour the mixture evenly into the 2 pans and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture over the top.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour (individual oven temperatures vary). Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans. Makes two loaves of Amish Friendship Bread.