Grandchildren

People!  Having grandchildren live in our area is a game changer!  Honestly, we LOVE having six of our nine grands live near us.  We love to attend their events and have them come over for activities. We enjoy visiting them at their homes.  We love to play, work and hang out together.  It's so fun to get to know them better and to do all sorts of activities together.   We love to interact with them and we just love them so much!  Their parents aren't bad either.  

The east is not like the west

We enjoyed a week in North Carolina in March with Dave, Courtney and their darling family.  It was so beautiful to be there is the springtime.  The weather was perfect and I continue to be amazed by how beautiful and GREEN the east coast states are.  Trees everywhere!
We spent many hours playing with the Charlie, Margaret and Sam.  They are such sweet, funny, enjoyable little kids and we had a lot of fun with them.  We visited Dave at his work, went out to eat southern food (trying fried pickles for the first time) went on long walks, I finished Sam's baby quilt, went shopping, babysat while Dave and Courtney had a date night, went to a children's activity museum, washed all the windows, had many long talks and just enjoyed this little family.  We love them so much!  Can't wait to go again.  They are such wonderful hosts and we enjoy our time with them.

Pioneer Theater 2016-2017

Rick and I enjoyed another great season at Pioneer Theater.  The acting is top drawer and the sets and music are amazing. We have season tickets and go to a play about every six weeks. This year some of our friends also got season tickets and went with us and that has been even more enjoyable.  Rick and I love good theater!  This year we saw most of the plays on their season roster which were:
The Last Ship

The Glass Menagerie

Oliver!

 Fences

King Charles III

And the Will Rogers Follies

We learned, we laughed, we cried, we had more understanding for people in other times and places, we enjoyed, we escaped to another time and place and we were entertained.  What more could we expect from a good theater experience?? Can't wait until next year!

100% Fuhriman wheat

So, yesterday I had a hankering to make some whole wheat bread.  I haven't made it for awhile since I could eat a whole loaf myself and I don't need the calories.  Anyway, I used a recipe my sister Lee shared with me.  It is so easy and so good!  The bread turns out great every time and it is moist and light, not like normal 100% whole wheat bread.  I gave three loaves away and Rick and I are enjoying the 4th.  The wheat came from my cousin's dry farm in Idaho, which makes it especially good bread! Here's the recipe:

5 cups very warm water
2 T. SAF instant yeast
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. dough conditioner or 3T dough enhancer (1 used the enhancer)
1/2 c. gluten
1/4 c. honey
1 T. salt
8 (approximate) cups whole wheat flour

Mix water, yeast, oil, dough conditioner or enhancer, gluten, honey and 6 cups of flour in Bosch mixer for 1 minute on speed 1.  While mixer is still running, add salt and remaining flour gradually until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer.  Be careful to not add too much flour. Turn speed up to 2 for an additional 6 minutes.  After mixing, shape into 4 loaves and put into greased pans and let raise until double, about 1-1 1/2 hours.  Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Take out of pans and place on cooling rack and brush the top of the warm bread with butter.

Dough enhancer and gluten can be found in most grocery stores by the flours or in speciality baking stores.  I found mine locally at Bosch Kitchen Center.