Dancing my way through the run...

Lately my running partner and I have had a hard time getting our schedules to match up so I've been doing a lot more of my runs solo. And once you've gotten used to chit chatting your way through a run it gets hard to go it alone.   But I've found a new strategy - dancing through my run.

I read recently on my friend Kristi's blog that itunes records the beats per minute for a lot of songs.  I guess DJ's like to know that kinda stuff...anyhow...  she mentioned that you could use that in your run if you knew your steps per minute.  So I went outside and jogged down the street counting my steps per minute.  Since not all of my songs in itunes had their BPM recorded, I downloaded a free trial of some software that would count my beats.  It was free because it only did the first half of my music library - which was kinda stinky but hey - it's free!  So, knowing that my SPM was around 160 I found music between 155 and 170 BPM and put it in order of the beats on my ipod. So I can start out slower and increase to 170 by the end of my run.

And it's been great - when I'm feeling tired or bored or when I start to panic a little I remind myself that all I have to do it start dancing.  And it works every time.  There is something so satisfying as moving your feet to music - in having my feet hit the ground on every beat.  And as long as the music is good - I get moving.  I also tend to play air drums along the way too.  It also works great for speed work because you can have a regular or slower paced song followed by a faster song - and continue alternating so you just have to follow the music.  Which is good - because I seriously need to get faster. 



And from the movie that taught me to love dancing...I totally teared up while watching this.  I'm a sentimental boob.

Miraculous Promises

I can't tell you how often I find myself just sitting and staring at my seedlings.  They are full of the promise of summer and of good eating.  Last summer was the best summer of eating I have ever had.  I learned to appreciate eating in season and enjoying so many fruits and veggies at the height of perfection.  So I've expanded my own garden - I've started so many things - basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, black beans, green beans, snap peas, watermelons, acorn squash, onions, carrots, rainbow chard,  peppers, lettuce, and the list just goes on and on.   I bought the seeds with my friend Callie.  We went through a seed catalog and ordered ones that sounded good to both of us - all heirlooms.  We both like cooking and veggies so it worked out beautifully.  I'm so excited.

Last year I had 10 basil plants and it still wasn't enough to supply our demand for all things basil.  So this year I'm doubling that - including 8 purple basil plants.  Can you see my cute purple seedlings?

Did you know herb seedlings smell good?  I don't why but I figured they wouldn't start tasting/smelling good until they got older.  Nope, not so, they are deliciouso from birth.

I am also hoping to have upwards of 30 tomato plants which means that if they all produce as promised I'm going to be swimming in beautiful tomatoes.  We use TONS of canned tomatoes around here so I was hoping to be able to can them like crazy at the end of the season.  We'll have big red ones, medium sized yellow ones, huge purple ones, and tiny yellow and red ones.  Yum yum.

What about you?  Have you got a garden on the horizon?  If not, it's a lot easier than you think.  Seeds just wanna grow - it's really miraculous.  And once you plant some, you won't be able to keep your eyes of them either.

The Vuissa Family

This session was honestly one of my favorite sessions ever.    Christian is a brilliant filmmaker that I know from my film school days at BYU and he has a beautiful wife and the most adorable children.  The Vuissa's were moving out of their home three days after we shot this - to Europe!  So just about everything they own was out and we just had the beautiful palette of bright windows, wood floors & white walls.  It was a dream come true for me.  So hold onto your hats, I'm gonna share a lot of images!

When I first got to their home their oldest was rockin out on her ipod and I grabbed this shot.  I just love it.

And she has some of the cutest wallpaper on her wall, don't you think?

And I love these little guys.  Those were their chairs and they were very happy that we took pictures in them.  I was too!

I loved this shot too. It took a while to get a smile out of sister but it was worth it!

We still had music, and if you've got music, you've gotta dance!

Now, all children have beautiful skin but these guys just G-L-O-W-E-D.  Must be all that raw milk they drink!

I loved this little moment.  I love how happy Dad looks and the mischievous look on the little guys face.

The whole gang.

 

Then we headed to the bed.  And who doesn't love jumping on the bed?

And wise mom and dad gave out some lollipops to make happy children.

How about more of that milky skin?  I love these.  Isn't she beautiful?

Ok, just a few more...

I never tire of family shots on the bed.  It's such a real moment and always so pretty.

I love those soft colors.

And lastly, something to make you smile.

Dressing for your Session...

The number one question I get asked before a session is, "What should we wear?" so I thought I'd post about it and let you all know how I wish you'd dress.

First off, at your session I want to capture you - the best you, the happiest you, the real you.  So wear something you feel all of those things in - wear something cute.

Second, wear something comfortable.  I want you to be able to move in your clothes.  Don't wear something that you have to tug at or you're uncomfortable in - and DON'T put your kids in anything they hate wearing either.   Make sure everyone is cozy and happy in what they are wearing.  And don't forget the weather when considering that - if it's cold - where warm clothes and if it's hot - wear something cool.  That seems intuitive but we can all get a little crazy when it comes to picture taking.

Third, do not match.  I am sorry but unless you head out the door on a normal cute day with everyone wearing navy polos and jeans, don't wear it to one of my sessions.  I have been there, done that - in fact, I think we all have.  I just don't want to do that anymore - I want to capture the real you.

And finally, DO NOT dress like you are going to a photo shoot.

p.s.  Did you see that I am posting another image from the Vuissa family session?  I am so in love with these pictures and this family.  I can't wait to post the whole session!

 

Sneak peeker...

I had a couple great sessions today and just couldn't keep from sharing some pics...I'll post the rest in the coming week!

One More Recipe!!! *updated

Homemade Graham Crackers

Here's a recipe I got from my cousin's wife just this morning and I made them in like ten minutes and my kids love them.  They are especially good with a glass of milk!
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbl. brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (room temp.)
2 Tbl. honey
2 Tbl. milk

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Add the honey & milk. It will be crumby. I ended up mixing by hand but I bet a food processor would do the trick. Roll out on parchment paper until 1/4 in. thick and transfer to cookie sheet - paper and all. Score with fork and cut with roller. I made mine mini-sized and they are soo cute.  Bake 5 min. at 400 until lightly brown.

*For the life of me I CANNOT get them crackery in 5 minutes even though my cousin swears she can.  I must cook them for 10-12 minutes.  So, see which you like!

Scratching the Itch.

I love this picture of Peter.  He got into some Pero and somehow managed to get it perfectly on his face so he looks like an old hobo.  I love it but it has very little to do with this post...

In an effort to save loads of money AND still eat healthy - I have resorted to making nearly everything from scratch.  And in doing so I've been pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it actually is - AND that it really does save us several hundred dollars a month!  I also love the feeling that if I've got a few basic ingredients I can feed my family really well.   In making things from scratch I aim for not inferior, cheap food, but actually superior quality and taste; and for the most part I haven't been disappointed.   Most of what I make is so good that even if I win the lottery it's going to be hard not to continue to make it myself.  Here are some of my "go to" recipes and some estimates on how much moo-la they are saving me:


(I linked the recipe's original if I found it online - otherwise I note where I found it - the cornbread picture is not mine and was taken from the original site)

Just Like Wheat Thins(taken from Jamie's wonderful book)
These really are just like wheat thins and have great flavor except I haven't yet gotten them as thin.  Each time I make them they get better.  They cost around $.88 to make and yield nearly twice as much as you'd get in a 12 ounce box for around $3.


Ingredients
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour
1/4 c sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 c butter
3/4 c buttermilk
1/4 c wheat germ


Sift the first five ingredients together.  Add the butter and process in a food processor.  Add the buttermilk, and process until it forms a ball.  Set it aside for 10 minutes.  Cut the dough into four parts.  Grease cookie sheets and sprinkle them with wheat germ.  Roll each piece out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Cut into diamond shapes with a pastry wheel.  Baker at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool and put into a covered container.

Flour Tortillas (that don't need lard or shortening!)
 Once you taste these babies you'll have a hard time going back to the super unhealthy version you find at the store.  They're moist, soft, and healthy!  They can't cost me more than a quarter to make - and I double the recipe every time.

Ingredients:
Two cups of all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-wheat flour for white flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Method:
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.
Slowly add the warm milk.
Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.
Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil.
While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.
Makes eight tortillas.

100% Whole Wheat Bread
I already posted this recipe so I'm just gonna link to that...

I make this recipe about once every 6 days.  It makes 4 large loaves.  The bread I was purchasing before this that was of similar quality was $4 a loaf!  I think they cost me less than $0.50 a loaf.  Doing the math that means every week I save $14 on bread alone!







Pizza Dough(taken from one of my favorite cookbooks)
  I love this recipe and so does my family which means I make it at least once a week.  It makes two big hearty pizzas with chewy, tasty dough.  Because I buy my cheese at Costco in bulk - these pizzas cost me about a dollar a piece - including pepperoni!   Compare that with a large pizza from Domino's or Pizza Hut and I'm saving $14 a piece!  I make mine in a bosch which saves a lot of time since I can skip the double rise time.  The recipe below is the original by hand method.

2 1/2 c warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1 c whole wheat flour
5 c unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 scant tablespoon salt


    Pour the water into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it.  Add the sugar, whole wheat flour, and 3 cups of the unbleached flour and stir briskly with a wooden spoon for 100 strokes.  Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.

    Stir the olive oil and salt into the dough.  Stir in enough of the remaining flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, to make a shaggy but kneadble dough; this will require almost 1 1/2 cups of flour.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough with floured hands for about 8 minutes, until soft, smooth, and springy.  Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into a ceramic bowl and smear it around.  Add the dough, rotate it to coat it with oil, and cover the bowl with plasstic wrap.  Set the dough aside in a warmish, draft-free spot for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
    Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead the dough for about one minutes, then divide the dough in half.  Knead each half into a ball and sprinkle lightly with flour.  Let the balls rest for 10 minutes, then proceed with your recipe. 
    Top it with any combination of sauce and toppings that you like and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 450 degree oven.  I bake mine on a pizza stone which makes some seriously great pizza crust.

Homemade Pasta
 As I've said before - this is some cheap but heavenly food.  I try and make it once a week as well.  I can pair with a tomato based homemade sauce, some pesto, or anything I've got on hand.  So good.





Click Here for the recipe

BEST EVER Cornbread
  When I say "Best Ever" I mean it - no matter how good the main dish is, this cornbread always steals the show - it's like eating cake for dinner.  It's all real food but I can't promise it's low in calories!  I'm not sure how much it costs me - I wish I could buy buttermilk in larger quantities than half gallon.  I can make my own cornmeal by grinding popcorn kernels - and it's good!  I've also made it with whole wheat and no one minded a bit!


Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 





So there you have it!  Just about everything I make is from scratch but these are my basic staples that I use every week.  If you've got some other great from scratch recipes - send em to me!  

And before I forget, happy St. Patrick's Day!

p.s.  Our money saving goals have changed - we are now following Dave Ramsey's plan which means home buying is NOT in the immediate future.  But being debt free is!

Man cannot live by bread alone...unless it's 100% whole wheat.

People have been asking me about my bread recipe for a while now and I've been slow in getting it up here for a few reasons.  First, it's not my recipe - it's a recipe that you can find in a lot of places on the internet.  Second, it's specific to a Bosch mixer and since not everyone has one of those I didn't know if there was much of a need/point.  And third, I'm lazy since it's on paper only and I didn't want to have to type it up.  But my copy is getting pretty ragged so I figured it was time.


First off, in order to get things done I have to put the littlest one on my back - which I did today.  He likes it and except for when he pulls my hair, I don't mind it either.  I still have other little hands getting into the wheat though.  In fact, as I type my kitchen floor has a layer of wheat grains scattered throughout.

I go through this process about once a week(maybe 6 days) - making four loaves of 100% whole wheat bread.  We love it and I have gotten used to the trouble of making it.


I start by grinding my flour - flour that comes from the mill that Kevin Bacon danced through in the movie Footloose.  We just finished out first 45 pound bucket - it went quicker than I thought it would.  For every cup of grain I get about a cup and a half of flour - give or take.

 

Here you can see the ingredients(minus the flour) and my Bosch on the right.  I don't think I would be making bread this often if I didn't have a Bosch.  It's a workhorse and does an amazing job - I just add the ingredients and it does the rest.  Here is the recipe:

100% Whole Wheat Bread (Directions for Bosch Mixer, but can be made by hand)
(makes about 4 loaves)

5-6 cups hot tap water (hot to the touch;not hot enough to burn finger)
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey
1/2 c. applesauce
2 tbsp. Kitchen Specialties dough enhancer
2 tbsp instant yeast
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
15-17 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour

Pour warm water into Bosch mixing bowl. Add approximately 5 cups flour on top of liquid. Then add dough enhancer, oil, honey, yeast, and gluten. Use the (M) momentary switch to mix well.

Add approx. 5 additional cups flour, and salt. Turn to speed 2. Continue ading flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading on speed 2 for another 5 minutes.

Oil or grease hands and counter. Divide dough into equal portions and shape into loaves. Put into well greased pans. Let rise till double in size. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack. Top of loaves can be rubbed with water or butter for shiny appearance. Dough can be used for pizza crust or cinnamon rolls.

If you don't have a Bosch mixer you use a Kitchen-aid but I would half the recipe because Kitchen-aid motors can burn out on the heavy load of this bread.  You can also knead it by hand but it will need a double rising time - once in the bowl before you put it in the pans.  

 And when they are all done I pull them out and put them on their sides to cool.  Once they're cool I put them in bags so we can enjoy them over the next several days.  If I know we aren't going to be eating much bread I'll throw a couple loaves in the freezer.

Where have I been?

I know, I've been VERY remiss when it comes to posting on here.  But I have good reasons.  First off, I was getting ready for the Joyography Workshop which went AWESOME!  We had so much fun and everyone learned a ton - I'm so proud of them.  I'll post about that later.    And I've also been finishing up my website.  Websites are hard work!  But it's finally done and I'm glad.

Click Here to Visit!

There are still a few kinks to work out so if it doesn't show up give it a day or two and I promise it'll be there!

Proud Daughter.

It is 10 AM on Monday, March 1st 2010 and as I type my parents are entering the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT.  Today is the first day of their 18 month service mission where they will serve down in Sao Paulo, Brazil after two weeks of training in Utah.   And I am proud of them.   While other couples their age are retiring and taking it easy, they are sacrificing money, time, and comfort to serve the people of Brazil.  They will be working in an employment office helping people better their lives.   I am so excited.  I have awesome parents.  They're crazy, weird, funny, outgoing, loving, and a powerhouse of spirituality.  I can't wait to hear about their adventures.  Brazil has no idea what's about to hit them...