Relativity

My sister said that I should fess up that things are more megacomplicated over here than megasimple these days. Really, megacomplicated only translates to megabusy, which is why I haven’t been posting, but I do miss blogging. Escher’s Relativity lithograph is the best visual representation of “megacomplicated” that I could find and I found it in lego form too!  Don’t these people look busy?
Daniel Shiu and Andrew Lipson created the lego version.

Homemade Bread

One of the things on Kent’s Lenten List is to make bread once a week. I’m loving his list. He made me French bread on our first date and it’s been my favorite ever since. Sunday night he took his French bread recipe and made it in regular bread loaf pans instead of the French loaf shape. It turned out really good. We had one to eat and one to give. 

Recipe: French Bread Recipe Adapted from The More with Less Cookbook
Dissolve: 2 pkg dry yeast in 1/2 c. warm water and 1/2t. of sugar.
Combine: 2T sugar (Kent uses brown sugar) 2T fat (Kent uses olive oil) 2t salt, 2 c. lukewarm water
Add: Yeast mixture to combined mixture.
Stir In: 7 1/2c – 8c flour. Knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once. Let rise until doubled. Punch down and let rest 15 minutes. Divide dough in half. 
For a French Loaves: On floured surface, roll each half to a 12 X 15” rectangle.  Roll up, starting at 15” edge. Place loaves on greased cookie sheets and make 4-5 slashes diagonally across tops.  Let rise until doubled again. Mix 1 egg and 2T of milk and brush on the top of the loaf.
For bread loaves: Form into a loaf and put in greased loaf pan. Let rise until doubled.
Bake: 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Lenten Lists

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting, but will be making my best attempt to keep things megasimple. We’ve created Lenten lists of 40 items to focus on during this Lenten season. I’m starting with sharing part of the list I created to help me focus during the next forty days.  Lists are a fairly effective tool for me. Do you make lists? Do you have any Lenten goals/plans/ideas?

2. Make megasimple food.
4. Give
9. Read :mnmlst
12. Water
14. Finish sewing projects I’ve started. 
22. Fast
24. Complete organization project #2.
27. Spend time with Grandpa.
29. Learn more about The Daughter Project.
33. Clean out inboxes.

Fat Tuesday

I’ll be skipping Fat Tuesday because we had Fat Monday.  We took my nephews out for Five Guys and Coldstone.  Have you had Five Guys? The menu is pretty simple with mostly burgers and fries. The burgers are really good and the fries are made from whole real potatoes. Sammy’s favorite part was eating the free peanuts from the shell while we waited for our food.  If you visit their website do not look at the nutritional information.  I repeat…do NOT look at the nutritional information. It is a perfect joint for Fat Tuesday.  We ended the evening at Coldstone, or frozenstone as Sammy kept calling it. 

Do you have any Fat Tuesday traditions/plans?

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Home Improvement Before and After

Before…
The Pioneer Woman might have her Marlboro Man, but I’ve got a Doorman…a Garage Doorman. Kent works for Haas Door which is a company that manufactures garage doors. If you are in the market for a garage door check out their brand new website that Kent created.  It’s a quick and easy way to give the exterior of your home a facelift.

After…

We are back in the mood to do more home improvements. Next is finishing an office for me and painting the kitchen.

Taaaa Daaaah!

I finished my sundress at my sewing class tonight! There is something really satisfying about creating something and…well, finishing it.  I’m often pretty good with the starting part, but the finishing is another story.  I highly recommend the classes at Sauder Village.  All of the teachers are really patient and so helpful.  For a newbie like me sewing can be pretty challenging, but our teachers guide us through every single step. I think what I love most about the classes is that they allow me to forget about work, laundry, bills etc. It’s really good stress relief. I’m hoping my next project is a small quilt.

Vote Morgan Intern of the Month

My post about Morgan yesterday ends up being quite timely because today I learned that Morgan is up for Intern Life of the Month on the website The Intern View.  Go here to vote for her and learn more about her internship experiences.  If she wins she’ll be featured on the website next week!

Morgan is my Fave

So recently I’ve been contemplating this blog. Do I keep going? Do I let it go? Do I start that other blog I’ve been considering? Do I do both?  Last week, I told Morgan, my little sister, that I had a bad case of blogger block and I was thinking about dumping it.  Then we went on our “meet Ree” adventure and I continued to blog and did another giveaway.  She texted me last night…

Morgan: “R u still having blogger mid life crisis or did the giveaway pump u back up?”

Me: “Umm well…I’ve got nothing to post for tomorrow?.

Morgan: “Umm…All ab how ur little sister is ur fave-DUH”

Me: “OK…I’ll work on a post about you and I’m including that last text…verbatim."

Morgan: “Fo reals?”

Me: “Fo reals.”

Morgan: “Ballerrr. Don’t make me sound like a dooooohdahhh.”

Me: “The more you text the longer my post keeps getting.”

CRICKETS



Why Morgan is My Fave

10. She wrecked her mo-ped 20 minutes after she got it and Pop called her Sarah Fisher and she cried a lot on her birthday.
9. She ran over Alex’s mo-ped with our Pop’s truck and wedged it under another truck the day after Alex found someone to buy it from him.
8. She holds the world record for owning, losing and spilling buttered noodles on an infinite number of cell phones.
7. She is a third wheel in the best way.
6. She is a social butterfly that can and will talk with anyone about anything.
5.  She is very happy and sings…Haaaaaapppy Hooooolidays even when it’s not the holidays.
4. She uses the word “whoopasies”…daily.
3. She’s a misfit. She owns it. She laughs at herself. Refer to #10,#9 &#8.
2. Despite the spectacular display of literary composition in her texts, she’s extremely smart and is graduating early this Spring from college and has job offers coming in. 
1. She is the most well rounded, solidly grounded and light hearted girl I know.

And…those are just 10, among many, of the reasons she’s my fave.