Third Rising: Whole Wheat Bread (Again, Some More)

I've posted about my issues with bread-baking here and here using my mom's recipe, but I never did get it to work out perfectly every time. When I had Jack, my friend Emily brought soup and bread to us one night for dinner. It was so good, and she offered to have me over for a long playdate one day to show me exactly how she does it. She starts, as did my mom, with whole wheat berries that she grinds into flour. I don't have a grain mill (yet) so I go with the same brand of flour, Wheat Montana, which is nonGMO and can be purchased in bulk on amazon. There is only one store locally that sells it, and that's Wal-Mart, though I've requested it at two other grocery stores, so we'll see if they start to carry it. I love the Prairie Gold varietal, because it doesn't produce too dense a bread, but their other varietals are great, along with the all-purpose flour, which is a natural white flour; unbleached and unbromated.

The recipe she uses for her everyday bread is the Fresh Milk Bread from The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book, with a lot of' 'you'll know it's ready when it feels like this' and she'd pinch the dough between two fingers looking for the perfect amount of give. It was the best, most generous thing for her to host us for about four hours on a sticky, summer day. She walked me through each step, fed my kids lunch and sent me home with a loaf of fresh bread.


I ordered the book right away and embarked on my quest to replicate. After several months, I've had consistently good bread and am so grateful to her. My kids are brimming with gratitude as well. I believe H's direct quote was 'Can't we just buy bread at the store like normal people?' Brats. I do a one and-a-half batch of this bread to make three full loaves. My kitchen aid won't work a full double batch. The big-daddy kitchen aid is next on my appliance upgrade list. Also, I find that it's really important to weigh your flour because the way you scoop and measure it, may make the difference of about a cup when you compare weight to volume.

First rising

Punched down and risen again

use a bench scraper to divide into three equal balls and allow to rest on the counter

roll each ball with a pin into a rectangle and then roll up into a loaf and place in pans to raise for a third time

Third rising complete and ready to go into a 350 oven for 40 minutes

Golden Delicious

cool before cutting

Unless you baked it, and then you get a warm slice with honey and butter

Do you have a favorite bread recipe?

But Tonight, I'm Cleanin' Out My Closet

For almost four years we've lived with a huge master closet that has the most dysfunctional storage, so it looks like a giant craphole about 90% of the time. Coming from apartment living, it felt pretty ungrateful to complain about a closet that could serve as an extra bedroom in a pinch. Once every six months or so, I go through and make it all pretty again, but it doesn't last long because there's not a home for everything. Add having a giant rolling laundry cart that takes a big chunk of the floorspace, and it just looks bad. I swear, we're not giant slobs but you'd never know it to see our closet.

Last year we got an estimate for a closet system that was so ridiculous, I was glad I was holding a cup of coffee in front of my mouth when he read out the number because my jaw dropped and I closed it just in time to let him know we'd get back to him. Then a friend got her closet done and it was gorgeous. I had All City Closet (Formerly Tri-City Closets) come give an estimate and it was significantly lower than the competition, and instead of drawing up a quick plan at my table, they took all of the measurements, a list of our needs and requests and rendered drawings for me about three days later along with the estimate. It was spot on with what I wanted.

Over J's drill weekend, my mom came and helped me drag everything out of the closet, sort it, goodwill it, yardsale pile it and every other tedious thing you do with a closet that's bursting at the seams.

Here's the ugly before, which I really didn't want to take, but it makes the after so much better.

Doesn't my side look so much less cluttered than J's? Oh, wait, that's because all of this was shoved under the shelf; a big basket of clothes waiting to be consigned, two laundry baskets of clothes that the kids had outgrown and needed to be sorted, plus random bags from day travel and swim lessons...oh the treasures to behold.

Closet emptied, it was time to tear out the old shelves. I think a lot of basic closets have this issue; decent square footage, but not big on storage. After I used a rubber mallet to get all of the shelves up, I texted the foreman for our builder to make sure the wooden supports were just nailed and not glued/nailed to the wall. I was not excited at the prospect of replacing the drywall. Once I had assurance they were nailed only, I thought it would be easy-peasy. Not so. Those suckers were securely affixed!

The conversation with my mom went something like this (as I was grunting with effort to get the board to even wiggle).

Mom: I bet they're glued.

Me: They're not glued. Just nailed.

Mom: Hm. They seem like they might be glued.

Me: They're not glued, I asked the foreman.

Mom: (after I'd used a screwdriver to try and get behind a board and succeeded only in gouging the drywall). I bet dollars to donuts they used glue and he just forgot.

Me: THEY'RE NOT (insert word you should not scream at your lovely mama) GLUED TO THE WALL!

I decided to put down the sharp objects at that point and ask dear Facebook what a girl should do. I was given a lot of good suggestions, including the one from my husband that said 'Um. Leave it alone. I'll fix it when I get home.' Since I knew that a pretty closet was not high on his list of wants for the house, I figured that chiseling lumber off the walls of said closet after driving three hours to get home from working all weekend was likely not high on his wishlist either.

When I told him I couldn't wait for him because I needed to paint, he replied 'Are you going to drywall as well?' Oh, ye of little faith. A neighbor so kindly dropped by that night with three wood shims, a prybar, spackle and a multi-use paint tool. I could have kissed her. 

The next morning, I spent a good hour plus gently loosening, pry, pry prying and then putting a little muscle into it once I'd gotten a good purchase. I was trying to leave all of the pieces intact so we can reuse them to create more storage in other areas of the house and donating what we don't end up using.

Next to deal with the dingy paint color. I used just one good coat of Enamelware by Martha Stewart color matched to Behr Ultra Paint Plus Primer in satin finish. I plan to use the same color on the bathroom in the next few months. 

These were taken about 8pm after I was done painting last night.

The carpenters came at 9am, and when they were done at 2, this is what I have now. I couldn't be happier!

Shoes and bags will all have a home, and there will no longer be a shelf full of shoes sitting just under the window. These windows are the front of my house and if the light was on in the closet, you could see stuff sticking up from outside. Not attractive.

The shelf on top is a full wrap around if you need space for baskets of winter sweaters or other seasonal clothes

Jared's end has both a belt and tie rack that pulls out from the long-hang bar

Laundry baskets! I love that these will be integrated into the system instead of taking space on the floor

There is a row of four wire baskets at the very end, and they pull all the way out and are removable.

The system is fully adjustable and if I find that I need something different as time goes, we can always have them come back out and make the changes we need. I couldn't be happier! Now to put all of our clothes away. In rainbow order, of course.

Updated with more photos for your viewing pleasure-J and I stayed up after he got home from work last night and got it all squared away. It feels so nice to have a home for everything with room to spare. I have a few ideas to decorate the shelf below the window simply.

the second pull-out scarf rack houses my race medals

swimsuits, running tights and running skirts

I added this branchy thang to hang my necklaces under the window-purdy! 

What's for Dinner?

One of the things that makes a day that feels too long feel even longer is staring down the witching hour without a plan for dinner. What kids, you don't want fish sticks or spaghetti and meatballs three nights in a row? Weird.

Over the last few years I've relied heavily on meal planning to make my weeks run smoothly, and the menu chalkboard in my dining room is honestly just an ornamental extension of that plan, because I sometimes, okay frequently, go a couple of weeks without changing it. I'll try to share my weekly plan on Mondays from here on out so that might encourage me to stay on top of changing the board. However, my actual plan is written on a magnetic notepad on my fridge that has a column for groceries needed to complete that list, which I also use to write down the meat I need to pull from the freezer one to two nights before, and I try to incorporate a night of leftovers so that we don't have a build-up of mystery containers in the fridge the next time I do the pre-grocery shopping sniff and toss.

When I feel like I'm in a rut, I look through my pinterest boards to get inspiration. I know, I know, those boards are actually meant to be used for something other than time suckage and wishful thinking. I have boards for the crock-pot, for freezer meals, for the battle of the bulge and for nights of comfort. I have found that my kids will eat almost anything if I put it in a taco, so we have Taco Tuesdays which have spanned the range from fish tacos to this week's Pot Roast tacos with horseradish sauce (which I won't put on theirs because it's a) white b) 'Hot like Wasabi!' (in Charlie's words) and c) a condiment other than ketchup). Mondays I try for a meatless meal and Wednesdays are sometimes wheatless, although those nights are for putting variety in our menu more than anything because I heart gluten.

The chalkboard may not be updated, but we do sit down to the same meal as a family every single night, with the exception of nights that J and I have a date night. J's schedule means that I do the dinner, bath, bedtime gig alone a lot, but I've long since left behind my days as a short-order cook with chicken nuggets and pb&j for the kids while I eat a crappy dinner over the sink by myself later. There has been a lot of research on the importance of eating dinner as a family, and I love the books The Family Dinner and Dinner: A Love Story as a starting point for establishing this as a routine in your house.

Without further ado, here's my menu for this week:

Monday: Breakfast Burritos (egg and cheese for the kids, egg, cheese and roasted veggie for me).
Tuesday: Pot Roast Tacos with Horseradish Sauce *
Wednesday: Thai Peanut Noodles with tofu and roasted vegetables. I use brown rice noodles instead of udon or linguine.
Thursday: Spinach Lasagna Rolls
Friday: Family Movie Night (every Friday) Leftovers followed by Stove-top Popcorn (I have seriously perfected this-no old maids!) and treats.
Saturday: Date Night for Us, but Turkey Chili and Cornbread for the kids.
Sunday: Superbowl Pot Luck (Likely will be gluttonous. Not to be confused with, though may also include, glutenous)

*denotes recipes I'm trying for the first time.

52 Weeks of Stash-Busting

Christmas is over and New Year's Day is looming on the horizon. I'm not really a big resolutions gal because I just break it in a month with the rest of the nation and then feel like a loser. So, this year, I'm setting some goals.

Like this gorgeous attic craft room...

With visions from pinterest dancing in my head, I've begun to formulate a plan to transform our bonus room from cavern of crap to sweet WOman cave/crafting haven with a guest space. Aside from a wall of books, the majority of which I'd love to transfer to nice bookcases downstairs, there are DVD's, CD and then a whooooole lotta random items purchased for crafts that never came to pass...but that doesn't mean I don't want them to.

I have found that my etsy shop is a great way for me to create something beautiful and then have a good venue to pass the finished product to somebody else. However, I have learned the hard way that I need to be realistic with the amount of time I have to devote to it, and also to guard my passion. It's wonderful to make a pair of socks that I hand-knit from beautiful yarn and relax, and watch the stitches glide off the end of the needles row by row. When I get to try a new technique or pattern at the same time, it's so satisfying! Making three pairs of basic stockinette socks right in a row to fill an order as quickly as possible? Not so much. It's what turns a hobby into a chore, and it was completely my fault for letting it get to that point. Plus, inevitably, the one color I don't have is what's requested, so in addition an opportunity to cull from my stash is lost.

It was in looking through a small bag of embellishments I'd purchased with the intent of making notecards to list in the shop, but never had time for, that the idea for the year of stash-busting came to me. Sure, I've seen lots of people commit to not buying yarn for a year, but my supply hoard goes a little deeper. From chalkboards to fabric for maxi-skirts and everything in between, I've probably got it. Not massive amounts for each thing, but enough to complete one. From works in progress, to those never begun, I've got plenty to keep me busy for the year, and my goal will be to bring any one of them to completion each week. I will create, photograph and blog about the project and then list on my etsy shop if it wasn't purchased specifically for someone...and cross my fingers that it sells so that I don't end up with the new problem of hoarding said completed items. 

Idea firmly planted, where to begin? I thought a good place would be with the sweater I started for the Summer Sweater Knit Along, which I paused in knitting so I could test-knit the Antrorse Sweater for Shannon Cook. That test-knit was exactly the kind of project that makes me giddy with creative happiness. The front of my sweater is complete and I cast on the hem stitches for the back yesterday, so that I can complete it by next Sunday, enabling me to actually wear the sweater while it's still cold enough to do so. 

Here's to a year of stash-busting, please look for a new post each Sunday night! I'll work on creating a badge, and will post when it's ready, who else has a stash that they'd like to bust along with me?

Rhapsody in Grey

After many, many paint samples lovingly applied to the walls in crazy quilt fashion, I finally hit on the perfect grey (or 'greige') tones for my kitchen and living room that weren't too blue, too green or too anything other than what I had envisioned. When we built the house, I had to pick one color to put all over the house; walls and ceilings, so I didn't go for anything too dark. I settled on Knot by Parker Paints after a quick flip through the available swatches. I'm really glad I didn't have them paint the rooms the colors I thought I'd want because a) we didn't have the exorbitant amount of money they'd have charged to do that and b) the colors I've settled on were nowhere in my consciousness at the time. Now, after almost two years of living in the spaces, I feel like I know what I want. For now.

For the kitchen, I went with Behr's Fashion Grey in their Ultra Paint plus Primer. Not only, does it have the most amazing coverage of any paint in a single coat (remember the crazy turquoise in my bedroom? One coat!), but it's a no VOC paint as well, so my preggo self can use it with confidence. Wait? Did she just say preggo? Yes, it's been awhile!

I've been a little preoccupied with nesting instincts, school obligations and the other general chaos that comes with a busy life of little boys, volunteer work and striving to make my house a home before a newly imposed deadline of mid-August. We found out yesterday that the bundle we're bringing home is going to be adding even more testosterone to our abode, as it's baby boy #3 for the HP clan.

Okay, back to paint. I started cutting in along the ceiling of the dining room last Saturday morning, took a short break to take the kiddos bowling, then back at it until I got 'er done and all put back together at about 12:30am. Climbing onto the countertops with a five months baked kiddo in utero proved to add a little 'fun' to my already afeared of heights self, but I prevailed.

My mom was here while I was painting and was not afraid to voice her reservations about painting the entirety of my main living spaces grey. But, alas, she was able to eat her slice of humble pie with a smile as we sat back at the end and admired how lovely it was. The woodwork now looks rich instead of bland and the tone plays off the stainless appliances nicely.

These photos were taken at night (obviously) and I love the daytime glow of the paint even more!

Today, I'll be starting on the main living space, because we have company coming for dinner tomorrow, who haven't seen our house in almost a year...so why wouldn't I tear my living room apart tonight?  I love me some unnecessary stress.

For my next indoors project, I've already started an active pinboard with nursery ideas, which will be a soothing grey with pops of bright colors. I have so many fun ideas and I can't wait to tackle my first real nursery.

Mr. HP will be gone for most of April and May, so our Pergola, outdoor shed and raised beds will be built upon his return. Believe me, he's rushing home in anticipation of those fun chores, while I've created another pinboard with ideas for how to stage seating areas around the yard and our newly extended patio. Should be a busy spring and summer with lots to share, fights to snark about and stresses to laugh about 'someday.'

Bedroom Update

Thanksgiving weekend, I bought some great fabric at JoAnn's in order to finish 'dressing' my bed, and I realized I never posted pictures of the completed fandelier. Good thing, because in the meantime I also got a sweet deal on some pintuck bedding from Target (69.99 for a king comforter and 2 shams, plus free shipping!). Sorry, West Elm...I love you, but I couldn't pass it up!

I still need to make the pillows, but I feel like our room is finally really coming together. I also need to figure out a bedskirt-ish solution to the box spring showing, and a chair in the corner of the room...oh, and staging all of the walls, but really, details...is it ever really 'done'?

Here it is today, with a slightly rumpled bed, and grey skies abounding outside.

And one with  the flash, and the light off. Wow...those walls really need some  bling!

Trip the Light Fantastic

Photo From House*Tweaking

I was perusing DIY blogs (shocking, I know) after talking with my friend about options for a capiz chandelier in the bedroom without forfeiting our ceiling fan, and she pointed me to House*Tweaking for the awesome mash-up; The Fandelier. Her ceiling fan looks almost identical to mine, so I knew it would be a great fit. I'm so excited!

Our King bed arrived, and it's been la-la-la lovely to get a great night's sleep with, or without (but mostly with from about 3am on), three other people in my sleeping space. We settled on the Englander Nature's Finest Organic Natural Latex mattress. J and I have both found it very comfortable, though it's been just a week; it's pretty darn cozy. It needs to be spun (head to foot) weekly for the first three months, and then about once a month after that. I had read some reviews that there were 'deep body impressions', but I think it could be because they didn't ever rotate the mattress. Either way, it has a lifetime warranty, and if there are body impressions after 6 months, we get a brand new mattress.

My point to detailing this cozy love nest is that, with the advent of late Fall/early Winter, we put our down comforter back on which served to reinforce that we use our ceiling fan year round. I had first had my heart set on this capiz chandelier from West Elm and with 20% off lighting, I thought I had it in the bag! Problem; it's a plug in, not hardwired, so I couldn't add it on to our fan.

As I was talking to that same wise DIY friend about my sadness, she urged me to look at World Market's Capiz pendant, which does not include a light. But, how would that work? She asked me kindly, 'Doesn't your fan already have a light?' Oh my, is she a genius...or maybe I'm just slow. Luck be a lady, the World Market version was on sale for $52, instead of the $100 I was willing to spend on the sale-priced West Elm version, and the creams and browns will go better with my color scheme anyhow, since I've not had as much white as I first anticipated.  

I just got the email confirmation that it's been shipped to me, so I'll post pictures when I swap out the glass bowl for the chandelier (and cross my fingers that the tinkling shells don't drive J bonkers in the night...I'm hoping it just makes him feel like he's at the beach!). I'm not sure what I was thinking with the other light, which just goes to show that I should always hire out electrical work!