Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Mama Giraffe!






I am in love with making these, I am going to be selling them!  If you are interested email me or call me!

Granola



3 C quick cook oats
1 C mixed nuts
1/4 C flax seeds
3/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 C dried fruit (I use a mix of dried bananas, orange flavored cranberries, and dried apples)
8 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
5 Tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 350. Put dry ingredients, including coconut and cinnamon, but not the dried fruit on a sheet pan. Stir well and smooth out. Drizzle maple syrup and olive oil and stir again. Place pan in oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. While it's toasting, roughly chop up any large dried fruit. When granola is golden remove from oven and stir in dried fruit and let it cool.  Watch closely at the end, it will burn fast.
This recipe is from my good friend Amy, I modified it a bit.

Wheat Bread


I have been searching everywhere for a wheat bread recipe that I liked.  This one is by far my favorite! This recipe comes from my Grandpa Walker's mother.

4 cups scalded milk
2/3 cups honey
2/3 cups oil (I used olive oil)
2 TBSP yeast
2 TBSP salt
6 cups white flour
6 cups wheat flour

Mix together liquid ingredients in mixer, add half of the flour and then add the yeast.  Once everything is incorporated, knead with dough hook for 10 minutes.  Raise until doubled, punch down, separate into pans and allow to rise again until doubled.

This recipe yields 4 loaves, I have to half the recipe because my mixer can't take that much.  (It should because I have the biggest Kitchen Aid, but it can't handle it...so disappointed in it, it dies and I haven't even had it for 6 months! ...don't buy a Kitchen Aid!)

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 300 for 30 minutes (the recipe says 400 for 15 and 300 for 35, but it was too long, so I decreased it.)

30 Things To Do Before I Turn 30!!

So remember when I made my 25 Things To Do Before I turn 25.... I didn't complete them all, partly because I accomplished number 10!  So I decided to add to them and finish them all by the time I am 30.  I turn 27 in April, so hopefully I have given myself enough time to accomplish them this time.

Since being married I feel like I don't have time like I use to.  I have slacked on a lot of things in the last few years.  I have been constantly trying to get back on track, but I keep coming up short.  Something was said by someone in my ward that really hit me hard and has been a huge reality check.  Last spring I was called to be in the Stake Relief Society Presidency, I was extremely overwhelmed by this calling. I have never had a calling in the Relief Society, so I had no clue what to do.  Once in the calling we weren't really trained, so I felt like I didn't make a difference.  Everything was already decided and it didn't matter what my opinion was.  I was told that I would be in the calling for a year.  One day Cole got a call to meet with the Stake President and we thought he was getting a stake calling too, but it was me, I was being released after 6 months (the other counselors were also released, so it wasn't just me).  I took it really hard, I felt like the president was not pleased with our service and that I wasn't given a chance to make a difference.  It took me awhile to get over it.  Several weeks later we were hanging out with some people from our ward and the Relief Society President from our ward told me that after I got called to my position, some girl in the ward came up to her and expressed her concern with me being in a Stake Relief Society position.  She didn't think that I was fit for the calling, at first I thought this was really funny and then it really hit me.  When I was in college I had regional callings and institute callings where I was in charge of huge activities.  In all of my other wards, I have always been someone that the bishop could go to for anything and they used me all over the ward.  I felt needed and everyone thought that I was a really good person.  I have always believed myself to be a great person, spiritually and personally.  When this girl questioned me for this calling, I had to step back and look at myself.  I have not got involved in our ward at all, I have had a hard time feeling like I belong.  No one knows that I have a strong testimony because I haven't shared it.  Sorry for the long story, but I really need to make changes in my life.  I used to love making goals and I was so good at keeping them, I have to get back to my old self.  Hopefully I can stick to it!

I have 30 Things To Do Before I am 30 and my Goals for 2013.

{Left over goals from 25 Things To Do Before I am 25}

1. Have a Summerfest Booth

2. Design my Own Fabric with Spoonflower

3. Go to Nepal

4. Go to the East Coast in the Fall to see the Leaves

5. Read the Bible Dictionary

6. Train for a Triathlon or Half Marathon

7. Do a Personal Photo Project

8. Visit all of the Temples in Utah.
     Temples that I have left to visit:
          Timpanogous
          Provo
          Vernal
          Payson
          Monticello
          St. George
          Brigham
          Provo II

9. Learn Illustrator

{New Goals}

10. Hike Half-Dome in Yosemite, CA

11. Photograph a Ghost Town

12. Oregon Coast- Clamming and Crabbing
     Cole and I went August 11-15, 2012, see our trip here. 

13. Salmon Fishing

14. Make the Nieces a Quilt

15. Finish Applique Quilt
     Finished December 2012

16. Do a High Fashion Photo Shoot

17. Read Jesus the Christ

18. Apply to be a Documentary Photographer

19. Take Piano/Musical Instrument Lessons

20. Learn Book Making

21. Make a Meal from the Land

22. Cross Country Ski Bryce Canyon

23. Go to all of the National Parks in Utah
     Bryce Canyon: May 30, 2012
     Zions
    Arches
    Capitol Reef
    Canyonlands
    Glen Canyon

24. Perfect Bread Making- Artisan Breads and the Chemistry behind it

25. Perfect Cake Making

26. Design an Inspiration Wedding Shoot.
     August 24, 2012- It was published on the Top Wedding Blog-Style Me Pretty!!

27. Perfect Cheese Making

28. Learn Print Making

29. Master Machine Quilting

30. Make 30 Things for an Organization in Need; Toys/Animals/Dolls


I am really excited to start on these goals!  I hope that I can accomplish them!!


{2013 Goals!!}

Spiritual
     Go to the Temple Once a Week (I am trying to go on Tuesdays if any one wants to join!)
     Find 1 Name a Month in Family History
     Write in Journal Once a Week

Business
     Make over a Certain Amount
     Get a Bigger Social Media Following
     Set Hours and Stick to Them

Physical
     Workout Once a Week
     More Outdoor Activities; Cross Country Skiing, Biking, Climbing, Hiking...
     No New Clothes until I loose 30 pounds

Financial
     No More Big Purchases until Everything is Paid for
     No New Clothes of Fabric until Summer

Wahoo!  I am doing good so far!  Hopefully I can stay on track and become a better person!
   



Valentines Special {Utah Photographer}