Resolution Revisit

So...I figured it was time to check myself with these resolutions I made...why, why, why did I make so many?  So, here's my rundown, excuses and all!

• Be more grateful (more on that in a future post)-So, yeah, I have been thinking about what I am grateful for most days, but haven't taken the time to write it all down as I'd planned...hmmmph...looks like I have some catching up to do.  I do think that taking a moment a few times a week to notice every day things that make me grateful and happy is a great first step, but writing them would help me remember on those days I'm feeling less than grateful.
• Lose 5 lbs (or exercise more-again)-Well, you see...hmm....I am watching my portions, thanks to my month-long stint with My FitnessPal.  I got frustrated with seeing no weight loss results after a few weeks.  The logging can be tedious, as I cook a lot from scratch, but I think it's a great app and website!
• Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains-Not too bad on this one.  I can always do better.  I am making my own bread and sometimes sub out some whole wheat flour.  That counts, right?
• Spend more time outside with the family-find more nature trails near and maybe even a little far away-Yeah, so this one's a little tough to report on with the winter we've had.  Once it warms up I will have happier news to report on this one!
• Make my family eat more good stuff and less bad-ha!  Well, that will at least be easier when all this Christmas candy and treats are finally out of the house....it is trash day, hmmm....-I am cooking a lot more these days, no drive-thru trips at all this year!  They asked for fruit salad (made from fresh fruits, not canned!) just this week. Score one for mom!
• Read more books (goodreads says only 8 books in 2013...say what??  I swear I read more than that!)-So far, I've read 11/2 this year...on track for 12 books this year at this rate.
• Begin meditation and yoga again...it was unbelievable how calm my school year started out when I was taking just 10 minutes to be still and quiet before I started my day.-Nothing to report here...
• More dates with my husband.  We've not done this nearly enough in 2013.-Well, we've had a couple of quiet meals at home after feeding the kids and one official night out.  We also had a quick 36 hour trip out of town. So, I'd say we're doing well so far!
• Actually do for others rather than plan and think about doing for others.-Our visit to Matthew 25 was a good start!  We're taking our Girl Scout Troop there next month.   Looks like I have work to do here, too. 

All in all, not a bad start.  I am giving myself the whole year and I am continuing to work on all of these things at some point.  Slow, and steady wins the race...right?

A Fancy (Valentine) Dinner

We've never been ones to make a huge deal out of  Valentine's Day, though I did get a special delivery at work! It's rare to fall on a weekend, so this year was different.  We planned a nice dinner at home with our boys.  Our oldest had plans with friends (how we're there already, I don't know!).  I'd decided I wanted to make the night a little nicer and more special and thought I would pull out some candlesticks that, honestly have never been used for more than decorative purposes in the 16+ years we've owned them.  Actually, they've been hidden in my candle stash for years.  So, they were happy to see the light, I am sure.  I set the table with placemats, cloth napkins and lit the candles just a few moments before dinner was ready. 
I was amazed at how that really set the mood for our usually, how shall I say...."spirited" 4 year old.  He sat still (only happens when he's sick...really, really sick), used nice manners and his napkin.  He thought the whole candle thing was so cool.  We all enjoyed this nice change of pace for mealtime.  We had nice conversation as usual, but those candles really made for a nicer night.  I hope to do more dinners like this, just to change things up a bit.  I know it won't be hard, as the little one has already asked twice this week for another "fancy dinner."  He loved it so much and was sad his sister didn't get to experience it, so we did it again the next night for her!  Who knew some candles could make such a difference! 
I'm always looking for fun little ways to treat my family.  This was definitely fun and different and will likely be a lasting memory.  I know the night felt more special than any words I can find right now...

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."

~Dr. Seuss

Snow Day Pretzel...fun??

So, another snow day is upon us.  Last night, I suspected this would happen and announced to my kids we'd be making soft pretzels the next day.  I wanted to ensure they'd have warm, happy memories of mom and snow days.  Interesting experience.  That's all I can say. 

It all started with Pinterest (stop....you're not that shocked, are you?).  Of course, the two recipes my pins linked back to were unsatisfactory to me.   Probably too many steps, time or something like that.  So, I go to the Food Network.  Trusted source, right?  I am sure Alton's recipe is fine, but I was saying bad words to him in my head almost the whole time...well, not the time the dough was rising...I stopped because it started to look promising at that point...maybe it was all fine and how it's supposed to be, but it sure didn't look or feel like it.  I mean, those pretzel bakers at the mall are never covered in sticky, gooey dough...

Anyway, here's how it all went down...

I found Alton's recipe here...http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-soft-pretzels-recipe.html and proceeded to gather ingredients and supplies.  I quickly scanned the recipe, rather than reading step by step, nice and slow...against my better judgement.  I mean, how hard can it be...plus I have three kids waiting for their turn to make their pretzels.  So, I added the ingredients as the recipe stated (I think...).  It looked like this:

Yeah, I know.  Hard to see as my mixer was whirling so quickly.  Something seemed off, so I continued, after checking the recipe (oops!  Didn't quite follow Alton's instructions) to let it whirl away, but at a slower speed.  In the meantime, I prepped a bowl-lightly greased it, as instructed.  Upon transferring the dough (okay, attempting the transfer...), this is what I got...

 

 

Ummm....still, something's off, but being a pretzel novice, I scraped off what I could from my hands and the mixing bowl and got this...Did I mention I had three kids in the kitchen wanting lunch, asking questions about everything under the sun, needing this, that or the other?

 

 

 

Then, it was time to let it rise!  I put it in my warm oven, covered with a towel.   This is when it started to look like things were turning around.  Isn't it beautiful?

 

Did I also mention that I decided to try a new bread recipe today?  And that I made changes to the new recipe I am trying this day?  So, this beauty had to wait while I finished up with the bread dough.  Then, I turned it out onto my counter...still looks promising-ish, right?

Yeah, not so much, huh?

 

This is where it gets stressful.  My delightful children think I can do and know everything.  At least I think that's why they were making me feel like we were playing 20 questions after I called them in once I'd "divided" the dough.  They took turns shaping their pretzels as I dunked them in the boiling mixture for 30 seconds or so...I was wise to make the 4 year old wait.  Things weren't looking like I thought they should.  It was sticky, icky and gooey.  It was hard to shape.  It was not looking good.  Not at all.  All I could do was a simple pretzel "stick" because it was so sticky and didn't go where I wanted.  Of course, my older two persisted (impressive as they are not always so persistent) and got pretzel-like shapes eventually.  Still, I wasn't convinced this was going to be worth all our time and wasted ingredients, not to mention the mess we were making.

 

Then, suddenly, as some of the pretzels were boiling in the solution, all hope, well, a tiny little sliver of hope, actually, was restored.

 

 

That smell...oooh....must be the yeast?  Whatever it was, it smelled like pretzels....Fingers crossed!

 

Little one took his turn.  Too stressful for little hands to do much with the dough.  "You do it, mommy, " he says as he runs off.  So I finished up and, ta daaaaah...

 

We had pretzels!

 

 

 

"...no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing."

 

~Julia Child