Involuntary Whistling ....during church...

So today in church during the closing song Lauren spontaneously started to whistle. I was certainly surprised, seems like something I would do to get a reaction out of her. Truth is: I was not as surprised as she was when she realized what she was doing! Her eyes grew big as apples and she clapped her hand over her mouth with a slap.

To make matter worse I started laughing at a rest in the song, making Lauren laugh... couple of kids about to have a kid...

Find of the month, maybe the year..

My craftsmen mowers, Im thinking of starting a mowing business...

Ok not really. The mower in the background kinda blew up... it was crazy.. loud banging and smoking. Not good. But amazingly on the way home from work I decided to take a look at the D.I. and For 7 dollars!!! i got a bigger better 6.75 horsepower self propelled craftsmen 22 inch lawn mower. A 7 dollar upgrade from my free (came with the house) 6.0 horsepower 20 inch push lawermower. Thank you D.I.

Announcement

I started a new Blog! I'm really excited about it because I'm mostly going to talk about food and crafting etc. So, take a look, and save the link. I'll probably post here to let you know when I've updated it.

www.nestinghabits.blogspot.com

Quick Look at this!

You folks better look fast cause if Lauren see's this post it might be erased. I will do my best to keep it up here. Your job is to comment and say how dang cute and good looking she is for over 6.5 months pregnant.

Nursery Update

We are so close to finishing the nursery I can almost taste it!! If you have been to our house it is unlikely that you saw it in it's original condition. We have done a TON of work on every surface, and this is what our nursery used to look like. That's right, mustard yellow sponge painted walls, and matching ceiling.

We've made a few changes.

As soon as we put the finishing touches on the paint we'll refinish the floor and finally be able to open up those huge boxes that are currently housing the dresser and crib!

Gooey Honey Sticky Buns

I found this recipe in the September Martha Stewart. Bless her creative team, and the people who write her recipes. These sticky buns are sweetened mostly with honey, and are filled with marscapone, creme fraiche, honey and pecans. The pictures in the magazine are prettier than mine, but they were really yummy. So, I want to share the recipe with all of you.

Dough:

2T active Dry Yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1 cup whole milk, room temp
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1/3 cup honey
2t coarse salt
1t pure vanilla extract
5-6 cups all purpose flour
Oil for bowl

Filling and Topping:

4 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey, plus more for brushing and drizzling
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 T sugar
1/2 cup marscapone cheese
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bowl, let stand until foamy.
Whisk milk, butter, eggs, honey, salt, and vanilla with a mixer on medium.
Add yeast mixture and whisk for 1 minute.
Switch to dough hook, reduce speed to low, and add 4 cups flour.
After flour is incorporated, raise speed to medium and continue kneading.
Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough no longer sticks.
Raise speed to medium high and knead for 10 minutes (by hand 15-20 till smooth)
Turn out dough on floured surface, knead by hand until very smooth, 5 minutes.
Transfer to lightly oiled bowl, cover in draft free spot, about an hour until double.

Make filling and topping:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in honey, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a gentle simmer, remove and cool
Combine marscapone and creme fraiche in a bowl

Punch down dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface
Divide into three portions, and freeze 2 for up to 3 months.
Roll remaining dough into a 10 by 131/2-inch rectangle.
Brush lightly with honey, spread cream mixture evenly on top, leave 1inch border
Sprinkle with pecans
Roll dough into a log, pinch seams to seal, cut into nine 11/2 inch thick slices.

Pour honey mixture into 8-inch square baking pan, 3 to a row
Let rise in warm draft free spot until doubled in size, 30-40 minutes

Pre-heat oven to 375. Place oven rack in lower third. Bake buns, and rotate half way through until brown and bubbling, about 1 hour (cover with foil if they brown to quickly - mine did)

Immediately invert buns onto rack, drizzle with honey, serve warm, and ENJOY!

September is for Peaches

Picking out your peaches from the Orchard and letting them ripen

Making a new French Toast Recipe you've been thinking about since last peach season (that probably just applies to me)

Canning your peaches

Making jam out of them

Fresh Peach Pies

And enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Dear Grandmother,
Thank you for all those days we spent in my Septembers at home putting up peaches and making pies for people. I wish that I had been in your kitchen doing all of this with you.
I LOVE YOU!
Lauren