Jacob's Mission

Jacob got his call!

I finally got it done! Uploaded the video, took over 2 hours, then decided to cancel that and go the YouTube route (much faster!). Got that done, then lost the rest of the post. Had to start over, but at least the video was done. I'm going to route you over to Jacob's Mission Blog. There is also a link to the left. I thought there might be a few that would only be interested in keeping up on Jacob's experiences and not necessarily by thoughts on food, music, the new pets, the other kids, or any other random thought I may have. It is still in the beginnings and pretty raw. It was a spur of the moment thought, I hope to get it cleaned up and looking better in the next few days. I hope you are only interested in the video and pictures. Enjoy! Love, Jenn =)

Bottle Blowing

This is one of my favorite music commercials. I'm sure you have played with a bottle, blowing across the top just right. As you drink, the pitch changes, (it gets lower). My dad sent me this link quite a while ago and I use it once in a while teaching. Sometimes, when the kids come having had a bad day, their mind is wandering, can't focus.......I revert to a few minutes of music appreciation. YouTube is a great place to find unique clips. But this commercial, and the site, is all in the promotion. It is such a novel idea, and I really love watching it and behind the scenes. It goes along with chatting with Eckert Preu, just love the full orchestra. Enjoy! Love, Jenn =) http://vbsymphony.com.au/view/ If you are a little squirmy about it being an Australian Beer Company, remember this is music appreciation! ~ Wouldn't this be fun with a Primary song or in a Group Lesson? Just had an idea!

Yum! Bread.......

Found another use for my new rolling pin. ^.^ I made bread tonight and thought I would share it with everyone. It is a simple french bread recipe that I have stumbled across and have made a few changes.

Ingredients:

2 TB yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups hot water

3 TB splenda

1 TB salt

5 TB Shortening, melted, or vegetable oil

6 cups flour, unsifted and divided

3 egg whites, beaten

1/2 cup sesame seeds

In a small cup dissolve yeast in the warm water. In a large bowl, combine hot water, sugar, salt, shortening and 3 cups of the flour. Beat well with wooden spoon, or in a large mixer using a dough attachment. Stir in dissolved yeast. Add remaining 3 cups of flour, mixing well until blended.

Leave spoon/dough hook in batter, allowing dough to rest for 10 minutes. Stir again vigorously, allowing dough to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat until dough has been stirred 5 times.

On floured board (counter), turn out dough and knead once or twice until it is lightly covered with flour. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into rectangles, about 9x12 inches.

Starting at the long edge, roll loosely, like a jelly roll, sealing the edge. Place roll, seam side down on a large baking sheet, arranging so both loaves will fit on one sheet. Gash the top of each loaf diagonally with sharp knife, 3-4 times, then brush with beaten egg while and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Allow loaves to rise 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. I let them cool about 20 minutes before slicing.

You can see the butter melting on top...yum! You can also see dh trying to sneak his hand in for a taste!

Strategy Tips:

1. I love using my Kitchen Aid with the dough attatchment. I can knead, but haven't done it enough, so it scares me. Silly, but true!

2. These loaves I used 3 cups whole wheat and 3 cups white flour.

3. I place a sticky note on the cupboard and use tally marks to count the mixing and resting cycles. I can get side-tracked easily!

4. Once again, I can not believe how easy it was to roll out the dough with my marble pin! I am starting to think, "How in the world did I ever live without this!"

5. I forgot to put the gashes in the top of my loaves. Running out the door to the airport!

6. The bread rose almost an hour because of the round-trip to the airport. Still turned out great. Just in case you get side-tracked in the rising step - it can go longer!

7. Enjoy! Love, Jenn =)

My New Toy

This is my new toy! Mike let me get it for my birthday, I got it from a great little website for baking and cooking. They are located in Rigby, ID. If you want to browse around you can look here: www.preparedpantry.com/index.html Hope you enjoy it! Anyhoo, I'm still learning how to use my new camera and other photo techniques.

One of my favorite things is the marbling patterns in the marble! I know there must be a better way to say that, but I'm tired tonight. It sits above my sink on a ledge looking into the living room. I do my dishes and look at the colors and patterns. Then I rotate it a little and look some more! Ooooo, pretty!!So, my first adventure was pizza! I got this recipe from Liz's blog. I made it for lunch yesterday with my own variations (more about that in another post, when I get some other recipes going). I liked the weight of it, the pressure seemed to be more uniform than my old-stand-by wooden rolling pin. I instantly could tell a difference in my work load and the results on the dough.

Nice!!!! Now I need to think of other things to do with my new toy! Pie......cookies.......biscuits? Any others? I can think all I want, now, just to find the time.

Oh, and the pizza was yummy, too! Thanks, Liz!

Love, Jenn =)

Music Monday (on Tuesday)

This year (actually September - but that is the "New Year" as far as school and music students are concerned), I joined the Spokane Music Teachers Association, SMTA. I have enjoyed it tremendously! I have been able to rub shoulders with fabulous people and have learned a lot. Along with our monthly agenda for business and student stuff, there is a small recital by a member, 2-3 pieces, which totally intimidate me, and then a presenter from the membership or community on a variety of different topics. For January's meeting we had this man -

Who is he, you say? He is Eckart Preu, the Conductor of the Spokane Symphony. He was delightful, entertaining and very charming (oh, there are a LOT of old ladies in this group). He talked about his growing up in East Germany before the wall fell and what it was like to not really know what was happening as a child. Growing up in a music boarding school and being indoctrinated to his government and not having anything but music to express himself. He also talked about different teachers he has had through the years and things he learned from each one of them. Just fascinating! It was a highlight for me, in my emerging music world! =) Jenn

Container Tips

I just came across in one of my newsletter's a great article about containers that we use in our home, ie. Tupperware, Glad, Rubbermaid. Are they worth the money? It talks about how they compared each, including when you might re-use a sour cream or yogurt container (uh-hum, no one does that at this house!). It was great, plus a quick read too. See how you are doing. Enjoy! http://link.ixs1.net/s/lt?id=68693207&si=x213034973&pc=o2009&ei=t302977

Music Monday....

This is my dad. He is pretty cool in his old age. Yes, dad, you are getting old. He likes music. Growing up we would listen to the radio. I learned to appreciate Big Band, jazz (although that still is a little hard), and Barbershop Singing. I still prefer men's voices to women's.

When he visits, he likes to sit with Becca and play the piano. They do Chopsticks, Heart n' Soul, and any version in between they come up with. When you play music with others, there is a give and take. Where you are able to listen, with your heart n' soul. The last time for me was when I accompanied Lara and Shannon Stott after Chritmas. They were singing an arrangement of Silent Night. It was originally a solo, but Lara wrote an alto part that added so much more. They have amazing voices, and as siblings blend! There was music, emotion, and words. It was beautiful!

This is Dad and Becca making music. Sharing in the give and take. I love to see them sit together and laugh, experiment, and have fun. Becca has picked up some jazz, composition and improvization from music camp. (see earlier post from the summer)

Mallory joined in and it was interesting to hear her do counter-melodies, harmonies, and play off Dad's rhythms. It was fun.

Memories made and now documented.

So, on another note. I am learning that I really need to plan time, and thoughts for this. I have about 3 ready for my music, and none for SB. I may have to put that off. I am eating healthier since the new year, if you don't count the Jack-in-the-Box for breakfast or the giant frosted chocolate chip cookie we made for FHE. Doesn't help that every time I look at lettuce, my stomach turns. What is up with that! It has never happened before, so I am not actually going to worry about it today. (Got the Tera-syndrome going on!)

And the last note of the day. Most that read know about the new Stake changes. It is really amazing to know that there has been so much growth in our Stake that there was a need to create a new Ward. As they carve that Ward into the map, all boundaries of the 6 remaining Wards were adjusted. We ended up in the Belle Terre Ward, the Ward of my in-laws, the Ward of Mike's youth, and the Ward with the Temple. Every Ward lost half of their membership or more and gained half back from Wards on either side. HUGE changes for each and every Ward and family. I love our Stake Presidency, I know that these changes were not decided lightly or without the Lord's help. Change is hard, but with it comes growth. Love, Jenn =)

New Year, New Changes, New Pets

It's a New Year! As my first entry of the year I have some new goals, just like I hope you have. One of them is doing a little more on my blog. I have been inspired from other friends and think I might give it a go for some changes. So, I have come up with a few new features, some new formats, and please comment. One feature is going to be South Beach Saturdays. I have renewed my commitment to loose weight and be healthy. I love to cook, so I will be sharing SB friendly recipes that I like (or maybe I didn't) and then I can get better with my food photos. (My dad & hubby got be this great little camera and so now there is no excuse). I have a few other ideas for posting new features and then odds and ends as needed. So, hence, the title, New Year, New Changes, and.... New pets! Becca and Mallory have these cute sisters. Chloe is on the right, she is all black. Mallory's is the kitty on the left. With her white paws, white tummy, white ring around her neck, and the cute white whiskers against her black face, Mal named her DM, short for Drum Major. They are hilarious! Because they are sisters, they sleep and play, sleep and play. Poor Cocoa, our 10 yo cat, is having a very hard time adjusting, it's been 2 weeks and we still don't see her very often. She hides a lot, but we are very loving and kind to her and Mallory work with her along with teaching the kittens to be a little more respectful. And if you didn't think we were already crazy adding 2 kittens with an older stubborn barn cat....we added Zeke!

Yes, Zeke is a rambunctious, smart, sweet, stinky, Lab/Border Collie. When we get him house trained, he will be an awesome companion. Santa brought him early on Christmas Eve because he was a little too rowdy for the sleigh! He's mainly Richy's puppy, but we all have to take part in the training as we need to be people trained too. Maybe I can think of a feature for the pets. Anyway, Happy New Year and I hope everyone can think of one thing to improve on and make positive changes. Love, Jenn

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