links

I meant to include these links for the patterns I posted about a bit ago.
Owl purse:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_1&listing_id=22916325&ga_search_query=crocheted+owl+purse&ga_search_type=tag_title&ga_page=&min=&max=&order=

"John" doll:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22920035

relationship advice...

Take a minute for a good chuckle!
http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=5fdac416407d2162cb30

projects

I'm always so excited when I start a project, but somewhere during the "fun", I get bogged down, and side-tracked by life. So, I've had this project going for a while, and just finally finished it.

My sister Michelle's daughter, Adri, loves owls. She has for a while. So when I saw this cute purse pattern, obviously I thought of her. It was a lot of fun to make. And I really love those eyes! What's not to love? (This was only the top half of the owl, but it was actually finished when I sent it. I'm sure I took a picture of the whole thing, but I can't find it right now. I'll have to add it later when it turns up.)

And then of course I couldn't leave Sally out of the fun, so I used the same pattern to make Sally a purse too. (I had a picture of Sally's purse too, maybe I'll find it oneday...)

And how would Weston feel if he wasn't in on the fun? So way back before Christmas (I told you I get bogged down) I started these cute boy dolls - one for Weston and one for Silas. They were a lot of fun to make. I've made a few different dolls, and everytime I'm stuffing them, Shawn reminisces of all the times he would sit and help his mom stuff dolls and the like. :)

Here are just the body pieces, before all the sewing and stuffing.

Here are the boys without faces.

And finally all finished.

Silas sleeping with his beloved doll. Actually he liked the dolls a lot better when they were both together, and before he was gifted it for Christmas. Funny how that works. Oh well.

favorite

Shawn and I are going to Branson, just for one night, for some work meetings. So, I thought I'd help out our young married babysitting couple by leaving Tuesday night dinner in the freezer. And then I realized that since I had never posted this recipe I really ought too, it is one of my very favorite recipes!

My kids really love it too, and like to help when they're around. We have it probably at least once a week, usually on Thursday nights when Shawn is gone teaching his night class... he's not a real lover of pizza. Crazy, I know. Thanks Candice and Emily for the recipe!

Calzones:

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups hot water

1 1/2 T. yeast

4 T. oil (the original recipe calls for olive oil, which I usually love, but in this recipe I don't like the flavor in the dough for some reason, so I use canola.)

1 1/2 tsp. salt
6-7 cups flour

Combine hot water, sugar and yeast. Allow yeast to soften, and then add the rest of the ingredients. If using a kitchen aid, knead dough for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for at least 10-15 minutes. (But when I forget to plan ahead, which is usually most of the time, I don't let it rest that long, and it turns out fine.) Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 30 calzones, depending on size.

You can also be really fast and just buy the frozen Rhodes Rolls dough. Thaw it by preheating your oven to 200 degrees, once it's preheated, turn the oven off and put the rolls in. Let them sit in there for about 20 minutes, then they should be thawed. Then continue with the process - flatten the dough, etc.

Here are a few pictures of the actual shaping of the calzones. Please remember when viewing, we're not going for beauty...

Here's what the dough should look like as you're kneading it.

After letting the dough rest/rise, dump it onto the counter, and cut into little dough mounds.

Then just flatten them like pancakes.

Fill them with whatever toppings you like... we usually end up with plain cheese and cheese and pepperoni. But we have made them with lots of other yummy stuff too... ham and pineapple, green peppers, mushrooms... the list goes on and on.

Fold them in half and smash the outside edge with a fork to seal it. You can also just fold the outside edge over a bit if you'd rather.

And here's the finished product. Dip in sauce when you serve them. Yum! I always stick the leftovers in the freezer and then pull them out when we need them. I even send them to school in their lunch boxes, nice to have options.