bread!

Did I mention how much I love to bake? I received this lovely, useful book as a holiday gift and it has become my bread bible. I had no interest in baking really until I had kids, and now I can't stop! Yeast has always been intimidating to me and I still get so excited when any dough I make actually rises! One of my goals for 2010 was to bake our own bread and so I've been making a batch of dough at the start of the week, and bake several loaves (or buns or naan) throughout the week. Brilliant I say! I love knowing exactly what goes into it and the way it makes our house smell on baking day. And honestly, what is better than warm bread right out of the oven? My pre-schoolers can eat half a loaf in one sitting, provided there's a little honey to go along with it. If you have ever thought about baking bread, take a peak at this blog and give it a try! The book is filled with great recipes, healthy ingredients and honestly requires very little work. Right up my alley! YUM!

an ordinary day

so appropo to my post yesterday...

where i've been...

:: riding trains at the zoo

:: taking the kids to & from school & activities

:: having lots of snuggle time (my favorite place in the world to be)

:: learning about the healing power of food

:: being so thankful I feel like myself again!

:: making bread dough (that can be used for so many cool things other than bread)

:: going to bed very early

:: researching summer activities for o & m

:: planning & making dinners

:: finding a dance class for mia (her first one!)

:: hiking with dear friends

:: planning baby & bridal showers

:: celebrating my cousin's birthday at an awesome restaurant root down

:: starting at-home date nights with my husband

:: feeling my energy return

:: researching a csa to join (I think we'll join this one)

:: enrolling o for kindergarten (yikes!!!!)

:: spending time with my mom

:: making plans with friends

:: starting a knitting group

:: getting back into our family rhythm

...what a blessing in disguise to appreciate all of these beautiful little things again!

he's off!

It was such an exciting weekend for us! Owen learned how to ride his bike with pedals! He was seriously proud and announced to everyone we passed, 'I can ride my bike with pedals now.' It was a magical day, and a wonderful memory to see the sparkle in Owen's eye. Of course we had to celebrate by having ice cream for lunch. Yum yum!

yummy treats

Baking is therapeutic! We do it at least several times a week and I love trying healthy recipes or substituting healthy ingredients for not-so-healthy ones. We recently made these yummy peanut butter krispy treats from one of my very favorite food blogs 101 cookbooks. I combined almond butter with the peanut butter and used only a little maple syrup combined with lots of yummy raw honey. I'm determined to get my kids to eat anything in the peanut butter family because it's such and easy source of protein for their little growing bodies and truly, life would be so easy if we could just make peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for lunches & picnics. Like the recipe called for, I put in a few pistachio nuts (also hoping the kids wouldn't really notice the nuts smothered in honey-flavored goodness) but to no avail. They both picked out every nut. So it goes... Owen did like them and has brought them to school the whole week, and a few extra to share with friends. I want to make every recipe Heidi features on her blog. I mean the photos alone make you want to grab a fork and take a bite right out of the screen! Her recipes are divine and full of healthy, natural, whole food vegetarian goodness, and she is working on her third book Super Natural Every Day. I can't wait!

little guardian

I believe we all have one, a guardian angel to watch over us and guide us... and this little one is as sweet as she can be. I am smitten with this artist's style and aesthetic, and love how she has created these guardian angel dolls (she has a boy version too!) that are so simple, warm, adorable and have such an enchanting meaning. What a wonderful gift this would be for someone you adore! Happy Thursday!

oh spring...

...definitely puts me the mood for a sweet little dress like this! Leave it to Anthropologie, the store I love to wander through from time to time not only to see their latest and greatest and hunt the sale rack, but just to be inspired by all of the colors, patterns and textures they use in their merchandising and home accessories. Have you ever noticed how many things they repurpose and recycle into fabulous decor?!? I am in awe of their ideas and yes, I would love to just move right in!