Guitar Practice

Old Testament Fun

Thank You Grandad and Bebe

Wordless Wednesday

Just Do the Next Thing.

I have to admit that lately I have felt so overloaded! When I start to think about everything that I need to do, I get completely overwhelmed and find myself not able to get anything accomplished! Is anyone with me? Have you ever been here?

Then, I read a quote from a homeschooling, mother of 4, whose kids are about the same age as mine. She said  "don't think about all you have to do, just do the next thing!"

It sounds so simple, it just might work.

Eisley's Own Bed

Our poor sweet Eisley has not had a bed to call her own since we took down her baby bed. I thought it was a great idea to let Ashtyn share her full bed with Eisley. After all, I remember my Grandmother telling me stories of how she and her sisters had always shared a bed. What a great idea! It's cheaper and space saving!

Or maybe not...
Eisley has been going back and forth between sleeping with Ashtyn in "their" bed and sleeping on the the boy's trundle, under their bunk beds. She prefers to "sleep by Jo". However, at bedtime it is frequently discussed who "has to" sleep with Eisley. Poor Baby Girl! Then again, I guess she does tend to talk alot, get up and down frequently, take a long time to get still enough to fall asleep, and once she did give Ashtyn that black eye.

To add to the sad story, she randomly makes a pouty face and says "miss my baby bed." awwwww... I have never had a child miss their baby bed and tell people for no reason "my baby bed lost"

She really doesn't even think she has a room. She sleeps in the boys room and her stuff is in Ashy's room.

I have thought through all the possible options, and thanks to my sister's help on Saturday, I got EIsley her own toddler bed. And she loves it! As Brent was opening the box, to put it together, she said over and over again "dank you daddy. " She is a sweet girl and I love to see her so happy!

Thankfully I still had all her baby bedding!

Eisley's little bed matches Ashtyn's big bed

Time to Make the Bread

After feeding your starter flour and water for a week, it is finally fermented and ready to make bread.

Because it is fermented it actually breaks down those difficult to digest phytates. Phytates basically bind up the minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus and prevent your body from being able to absorb them. This is one of the healthiest bread you can make because you are actually able to absorb and use the nutrients that are released. But that is another story for another day.

To make the bread you need:
2 cups sourdough starter
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cold filtered water
2-4 cups whole wheat flour

Step 1: take remaining starter and pour it into a clean jar, seal it with a lid and store it in the refridgerator until you are ready to use it again. *Remember to pull it out once a week, feed it, leave it out on the counter overnight, and then put it back in the fridge in order to maintain it.*

Step 2: mix the starter and the salt in a clean glass bowl.

Step 3: stir in water.

Step 4: mix in flour, 1-2 cups at a time (amount will vary depending on the consistency of your starter.

Step 5: knead your dough for 8-10 minutes (you can use a machine if you want to!)

put the dough back in your bowl

Step 6: Cover and let the natural yeast go to work to make the dough rise. In 3-4 hours my glass bowl was filled to the top. It could take much more. Remember this is the slow, old fashioned way. I had mentally prepared myself for it to take all day, so I was surprised at how fast it went.

Step 7: Knead the dough again for about 5 minutes.

Step 8: Cut your dough in half.

Step 9: Form to round balls and place in stone or glass pan.

Step 10: Allow the dough to rise in the pan on average 1-3 hours. (I had to leave my house in 2 hours, so  I only let mine rise for 1 hour)

Step 11: Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Not very pretty for my first try, but it tasted great! 

Be sure and let me know how yours turns out! And I'll start working on some more recipes for our sourdough starters!