There's nothing like the smell of fresh baked bread!

There is nothing quite like the aroma of fresh baked bread....mmmm!! I was soo intimidated by making my own bread for so long but i have stumbled upon the perfect easy recipe for fresh baked artisan bread. After trial and error and with much tweaking I have found that this recipe is AWESOME and is perfect for a loaf a day while the dough sits in the fridge and they freeze sooo well!
Here are the ingredients & supplies you will need:

• 3 Tbsp yeast
• 3 Tbsp kosher salt
• 6 Cups of warm water
• 13 Cups unbleached all purpose flour
• A Handful of cormeal
• large container with lid (for storing dough in fridge)

**If you don't have a large family or don't want to make such a large batch, just cut everything in half**

1. Combine the salt, yeast, and water.
2. Add flour and mix until there are no dry spots.
3. Cover with a loose lid and leave at room temperature for 2 hours. It will start to rise quite a bit!

 4.. Dust the top of the dough with flour and cut off a hunk or two about the size of a grapefruit. Let that rise for 40 minutes on a corn meal dusted surface or right in the loaf pan which is what i do.
 5. After the bread has been rising 20 minutes, Preheat the oven to 450 or if your oven is really temperamental like mine-425.
6. At the end of the 40 minute rise, put into the oven and bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes.
7. Allow the loaves to cool on a wire rack.

*Put the rest of the dough loosely covered in the fridge and take out a hunk a day for fresh daily baked bread and repeat the process!
*Get creative with them! I have added honey into one loaf, rosemary and garlic into another...the possibilities are endless!

Bon Appetit

Character Qualities

We believe that in order for our children to become strong and stable adults that will be productive and an asset to society that they need to possess strong character qualities. We find that instilling these in them from very young will create a great work ethic, build strong communication and conflict resolution skills and help them in various relationships and situations they will face in their lives. We use this chart in the training of them and it has been most helpful and beneficial to our family, I hope it will be to yours as well :)

 http://www.duggarfamily.com/content/character_qualities

The Well Intentioned Child

I don't know about your house but around here it can go from calm to crazy in 60 seconds and most days it does just that! As the children grow older i encourage them that when they see something in a place it doesn't belong pick it up, be diligent with their chores, look for opportunities to help out without being asked etc. In the process of the older ones learning this the younger ones learn from their example which brings us to the well intentioned child......

You know the one im talking about.........
The one who will try to put a glass in the sink and it shatters in a million teeny tiny pieces on the tile.
The one who tries to clean a diaper for you and ends up making a way bigger mess.
The one who brings you some paint for a craft, trips and covers everyone and everything in the way in pink paint.
The one who brings you the huge bag of oatmeal and you end up with this on the kitchen floor.

So in these moments we are faced with a challenge and how we respond immediately and over time will strongly affect that child. We must be careful not to feed our own selfish desire to be exasperated and inconvenienced, when these accidents come at the MOST inconvenient times often. So here are a few verses i have memorized that have helped me greatly to overcome my selfish desires to feel violated against and let words come from my mouth that will give the impression i am mad, upset, frustrated, tired and so on....

• Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21
• There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18
• A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

 I do not always get it right and i fail at keeping my emotions in check but I try to realize what a great heart opportunity i have at hand to point them to the gospel not just in my words but my actions. If i respond calmly and lovingly then they in turn will do that when they are wronged, but in those occasions when i miss this I can come to them and repent and give them the opportunity to see forgiveness in action.

I'd love to hear some of your funny "well intentioned" child stories!

These are a few of my favorite things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens......Just kidding! But i do want to share with you some of my favorite things to help you get to know me a little better, so here goes:

• I absolutely LOVE being a wife and mother. I believe its what God has designed and called me to do so that has to be my most favorite thing <3
• I enjoy reading a wide range of books from faith to personal growth to biographies and of course my Bible.
• I am a history buff and especially like to study WWII so any book, documentary, or article from that time I've probably read it!
• As dorky as it sounds i truly enjoy to research EVERYTHING! Whether it be finding the best rates for car insurance, planning a vacation or looking deeper into a new found hobby i tend to be a little 'fact crazy' and jump right into it.
• I thoroughly enjoy traveling and while i have been very blessed to see quite a bit of the USA and have traveled to Italy, Greece, and some Islands I soo want to be able to see so much more of this beautiful world that our Lord created. I pray I am blessed to do so and share the love of travel with my children.
• Me and my kitchen aid mixer are best friends...seriously! I guess its a good thing since i spend most of my day in the kitchen feeding everyone that cooking and baking has quickly risen near the top of the list of my favorite things as well! This is a huge accomplishment for me considering when i got married Michael used to joke that i couldn't even boil water....and he was right..lol
• The Gilmore Girls is my haven when i need to get away from life...Stars Hollow will always have a special spot in my heart. That show makes me crack up and even if I've seen it in its entirety over a dozen times it never gets old!
• I like watching old movies, my kids call them the 'dark movies' because they are in black and white and they can't figure out why they won't turn the light on inside the tv....hehe
• And i will save the best for last....Chocolate! No explanation needed there!!!!

Now its your turn...share with me some of your favorite things!

Meet the Funnies

 Time to Get Acquainted with the Funnyfarm:

 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them! 

Psalm 127:3-5

 These are our beautiful, spunky, smart, talented, and EXTREMELY energetic children

• Isabella is 8 and she is a typical first born. She is born to lead, loves to take command (sometimes a little too much) and is a tremendous help. I am so blessed by her and tell her all the time that God knew what he was doing when he gave her to me first!
• Michaela is 6 and is a craaazzy! She is incredibly smart, spunky, has a great imagination and has an insane amount of energy! She is a force to be reckoned with and the Lord has blessed her with a super strong will that im sure in her years to come will be used for His glory!
•  Levi is 4 and our oldest boy. He is smart as a whip and is very detail oriented. He loves to learn and picks up everything super fast! He is very cautious and likes to weigh the pros/cons before jumping into something new!
• Silas is 3 and oh my..... if only we all lived life like he does! He is sweet, loving, kind yet adventurous, daring and fearless. He amazes me everyday and lives to the fullest. He also is full of energy and at times astounds us with his lack of need for sleep!

• Gideon is our youngest and he is 20 months. We joke sometimes and say that it took us 5 tries to get a calm one..lol. He is very laid back, sweet & affectionate. He goes with the flow of the rest of the funnies and joins in where he can. He has a little quirky side to him and its funny to see that little personality peek out.   

Meet the Fur Funnies:

•  This is Barnabas and the newest addition to the Funnyfarm. He is a Lhasa Apso and is about 3 months old now. He is a tiny little while snowball and we all love him to pieces! He is very cuddly and calm and gives a whole new meaning to the term "ankle biter" and is adjusting very well to his new role as the "baby" in all the pretend games.

• This is miss Lucy. She is our yard sale kitty! We went out yard-saling one Saturday last summer and came home with a free kitty! She is precious and sweet and is a wonderful cat. She is so very tolerant of being held, dressed up, slung over a shoulder and pushed around in a laundry basket by the kids.

The beginning was just that, the beginning

I Love the quotes you see on all the picture frames and plaques...."It all began when 2 people fell in love", "Our family grows better with Love" etc. I am a sap for the romantic. There is romance in every love story between a husband and a wife and each one is unique & special.

My husband and best friend Michael is the Funnyfarm Papa around here. He is the solid force that leads this family with love, grace and strength. His is a wonderful husband, father, provider, and shepherd of our children's hearts. He is a man who strives to please the Lord in everything he does, admits when he is wrong and asks forgiveness, and is my hero. God has used him mightily in my life and I would not be who I am today without him.

 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Genesis 2:23

This quote is especially special to me because Michael has always called me "My Rib". It is so wonderful to see in the Bible the very beginning of marriage, as well as the vast amount of scripture in the entire Bible pertaining to marriage.

Our story may not have been what one would call traditional but it was perfect for us and most importantly ordained by God. Although life has thrown twists and turns at us in every direction, we are in this together. It is the BEST feeling to know your best friend is always beside you ready to face what comes. Who knew when we met it would be the beginning....the beginning of something truly wonderful!

Ready or Not.....

So after much contemplation, hesitation and fear....Here I am!! I have been wanting to blog for some time now and wanted a way to chronicle these wonderful fast paced years of our live. So much happens around here on a daily basis from the funny to the strange to the sweet/thoughtful to the "umm did that really just happen" and I don't want to forget a minute of it as it is fleeting so fast!

Fear has been one of the main things that has held me back, as silly as it may sound. As I took the final breath and leap to creating this blog i was reminded of the Lords reassurance in His Word "Fear Not". If I hold on to that than there is nothing to fear...EVER. So here I go, ready or not, and as I jump into this world to be able to create a scrapbook of the best years of our live, I'd love it if you'd join me for the ride.....

After all what are you afraid of....????