winter in arizona

I'm pretty sure this month has lasted forever. Has it felt that way for you, too? I'm not complaining, but man alive, it's been never-ending! We've enjoyed some really great weather lately, which I hope lasts a couple more months at least. I always start dreading the start of summer about now (which is totally nuts, I know), and I am trying really hard not to do that this year.

Instead, I got my camera out the other day after school and took some pictures of the kids playing on a beautiful January afternoon. Sometimes I just need to get outside, bask in the sun, shake off thoughts of the coming heat, and remember how lucky we are to have such pleasant winters.

Here are some things I love about Arizona right at this moment: the ornamental pear trees are blooming. They are my favorite and someday I will plant one in our yard and gaze at it fondly each time it sprouts its snowy white blossoms. The chilly nights and warm, sunshiny days. The trees heavy with bright oranges. Wearing jeans and not feeling hot. Mornings spent at the park, and wide open windows.

What do you love about where you live right now?

Have a happy weekend!

Creamy Lemon Bars

One of the perks of our Arizona winter (aside from our serious lack of snow and ice) is citrus season. Our house came with about 10 mature citrus trees when we moved in. We've cut a few of them down since then, but we still have more oranges and grapefruit and lemons than we can eat. I'm always on the lookout for lemony dessert recipes to use up some of our fresh lemon juice. When I saw this one for Creamy Lemon Crumb Bars on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it. I waited patiently all week for Sunday to come so I could give it a go.

If you like lemon bars, then you would love these. They are crunchy and buttery and puckery, and super creamy, too. But mostly they just felt like a bright spot of sunshine in this long, winter month (which is saying something, because Arizona does not lack for sunshine ever, not even in the depths of winter).

Some notes: They take some time to prepare, so don't make them when you are feeling rushed. Also, they are worth every second you spend zesting your lemons or standing at the stove stirring that delicious cream filling. Make sure you have at least 4 lemons on hand to juice, and I think the next time I make them, I'll use a larger pan. The recipe calls for an 8x8, but I feel like they could have been spread just a little thinner. Oh man, we loved them.

temple visits and family room forts

First of all, we went to the Gilbert Temple Open House last night. It was stunning! Honestly, so beautiful and elegant. And large. If you haven't been yet, don't delay! It's open for all visitors until February 15th. After that, it will be dedicated and only worthy members of the church will be able to enter. So now is your chance to see it. I loved that I was able to show it to my children. Even though it's not dedicated yet, there is a special spirit there. You can make reservations here, but you don't have to have reservations to visit. You'll just have to wait an extra 20 minutes or so without them. But it's worth the wait, trust me. If you want a friend to go with you, email me! I'd love to see it again.

Second, it's the weekend. I've promised my kids that they can build forts in the family room and sleep in them tonight. So we'll all be sure to be super grumpy Saturday morning. Oh well, that's what weekends are for, right?

See you next week!

Granola Bars

Stella keeps asking to bring a granola bar to kindergarten for snack time, but I just can't bring myself to buy granola bars at the store. Most of them seem so full of junk. I don't know why I hadn't thought to make my own sooner. I did a quick google search for "homemade granola bars" and there were so many recipes to choose from.

I decided to try this one. I like that it has just a few ingredients, it doesn't call for tree nuts (Mabel is allergic), and it uses coconut oil. I bought a big tub of coconut oil at Costco a while ago and I have been trying to better incorporate it into my life. Plus, they don't have sugar. Actually, they remind me a lot of these "cookies".

So I gave them a go, with a few minor adjustments. They were chewy and delicious and I recognized every ingredient that was in them. It was a win-win.

Homemade Granola Bars, adapted from this recipe from Heavenly Homemakers

1/2 cup peanut butter (try the natural kind)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick)
1/4 cup flax seed
1/4 cup or more Rice Crispies (or crisp brown rice - I found some in the bulk bins at Sprouts)
1/4 cup flake coconut (go for unsweetened, but sweetened works, too)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (mini work well)

Melt the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil in a medium pan over medium heat. It only takes a few minutes to get it nice and smooth. While still on the heat, add the oats. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and add the flax, coconut, and Rice Crispies. Mix well. The first time I made these, they ended up a little wet. Just keep adding more seeds or cereal or nuts until they are the consistency you want. You want them to stick together and hold their shape, but not be too squishy or soft. Let cool for about 10 minutes or so, still stirring occasionally. Add 2/3 of the chocolate chips. Mix well. Some of the chocolate chips might melt, and that's ok. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and press into as rectangular a shape as possible, about 1/2 inch thick. Then sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Press them in gently. Chill for two hours, then cut into bars. If you keep them wrapped tightly and they should last for a quite a few days.

I wish I'd added sesame seeds. I think 1/4 cup of those would have been a nice addition. You can really add whatever you want: chia seeds, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, etc.

We're in a good spot.

The hardest period I've experienced during my time as a mother was when Mabel was a toddler. (I think I've talked about this before.) It was just the two of us, all day long, with no where to go, and no money to spend. All we had was time, and far too much of it. I remember waking up in the morning, seeing the day stretching before me and wondering what in the world the two of us were going to do to fill the hours until Mike got home from work. We went for lots of walks, and played at the park, and read books and books and books. I enjoyed our days together, but they were long and hard.

This morning, about ten years later, it was just me and Elliot. The other kids were at school, Mike was at work, and we had hours to fill, just the two of us. But instead of feeling like a burden, they felt like a gift. I did my housework, he watched a show. Then we baked a batch of cookies and headed to the park to sit in the sun and kick our soccer ball. After lunch we read a stack of books ten high.

It's funny how our perspective can change. I guess I've learned to hang on, to know that every phase ends eventually, and to enjoy each phase as it comes. My time with toddler Mabel ended when I gave birth to baby Oliver, and with his arrival, the hours weren't quite so difficult to fill. And so on and so on. We're in a good spot right now, though. Actually, I would be just fine if the hours slowed down for the next little bit.

Roman Bread

We had a major roll disaster yesterday afternoon. I had prepared the dough and put it in the fridge before we left for church. When we got home, I took the cold rolls out to rise. To speed things up, I placed the cold glass pan full of rolls on my stove top, with the burners on low, or so I thought. A few minutes later, there was an explosion and shattered glass was everywhere. So, so dumb.

We were on a time crunch at that point, and bread was our Sunday dinner assignment, so I turned to one of our favorite (and fastest) recipes, Roman Bread. It is chewy and salty and pairs well with just about anything. It's great for a crowd, too.

Roman Bread

Place the following in your bread maker, according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions:

1 1/2 cups water
4 cups, or 19 oz, bread flour (I use all-purpose)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon SAF yeast, or 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon bread machine yeast (SAF yeast is the best and can usually be found at Costco. Or if you are local, I get mine at Shar's in Gilbert.)

Start the dough cycle on your machine. Once it is finished, turn the dough out onto a baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil. Using oil-coated fingers, press and flatten the dough into a 1-inch thick oval. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 40 minutes.

While it is rising, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If you don't have a pizza stone, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Once it has risen, score the top of the dough in a tic-tac-toe pattern with a sharp knife, going no more than 1/2 inch deep. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and sprinkle with 1 or 2 tablespoons crushed rosemary. It might seem like a lot of rosemary, but just go with it.

Now, the recipe says to bake for 20-25 minutes, but mine is always done by 18, so keep your eye on it. Yesterday, at 14 minutes, I noticed the bottom of my loaf was getting dark, so I took the pan off the pizza stone, and moved it to the center of my oven. I lowered the temperature to 400, too. After two more minutes, I switched my broiler on low, and moved the loaf to the top rack for another minute or so, just until the top was golden brown.

When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with a generous amount of Kosher salt.

Some notes:

I have a Zojirushi bread maker and I love it. I make all of the bread in our house, so it gets lots of use. Some of my favorite recipes are Irish Potato Brown Bread (good for sandwiches), rolls, and pizza. I've tweaked all of these recipes over time, usually changing the ratio of whole wheat flour to white flour. I'm slowly trying to phase white flour out of our lives (except for the occasional treat).

The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook is my go-to source for bread recipes. In fact, I just got rid of all of my cookbooks, but this one (and Martha's Baking Handbook) made the cut.

weekend non-plans

I've been without a phone all week, which surprisingly, hasn't been a big deal. A while ago, Mike imported my phone number to google voice, so I am still able to make and receive phone calls and texts through the computer. I just have to be home to do those things. And honestly, I'm mostly always home, so it's been fine.

But I do miss taking blurry photos and posting them on instagram! So, hopefully I'll have a phone again soon.

Other than a long run (Mike is in the midst of his marathon training) and some oranges that need juicing, our weekend is wide open, and that is my favorite kind. Plus, it's going to be in the mid-70s everyday, and it doesn't get much better than that.

Have a good one!

on mundane tasks

Something I've noticed lately that I don't want to forget: It is when I am doing the most mundane tasks required of me (like vacuuming or folding laundry or putting clean sheets on beds) that I receive the most inspiration. This is when I finally feel the answer I've been seeking, or the confirmation that a decision I've made is correct, or when I think to email a friend. From little things to big, the inspiration comes when my mind is quiet and my hands are busy. It doesn't happen nearly as often if I have music playing, or a show on the iPad, or if I am in front of the computer. I am convinced that multi-tasking kills inspiration dead. It is quiet, steady work that does the trick for me. I want to remember this because those mundane tasks never seem very attractive in the moment. They are usually the last things on my list that I want to do, but they are so important! Not only because they make our home run more smoothly, but because my spirit needs their repetitive, simple nature to feel the stirrings that are so easily lost in the bustle of my everyday.

"cookies"

I've always been skeptical of health foods masquerading as treats. Usually, if a recipe claims to be healthy, I skip it. If I want to eat a treat, I want the real deal, butter and sugar and all, you know? But I am trying hard to eat less white flour and sugar these days. (Which is as beneficial as it is difficult; meaning, very.) So on a whim, I tried these "cookies". They don't have any sugar or flour in them, if you can believe it. And they satisfied my sweet tooth without a doubt. My kids loved them, too. I'd make them again in a heartbeat!

A note: I only had sweetened coconut on hand, as well as semi-sweet chocolate chips, both of which added sugar, I know. I am interested to try them again with the non-sweetened versions and see if it makes a terribly large difference.

I've had great luck with Sheena's recipes. Her whole wheat waffles are in heavy rotation at our house right now. I've tried lots of her other recipes also, and I have loved them all. I love her entire approach to food and exercise, actually. And her hair. I love that, too. You can find all of her recipes here.

If you need us, we'll be napping.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather since Tuesday. Elliot and Stella joined me independently last night, announcing their various symptoms in the dark of my bedside. So this weekend will most likely involve lots of the above, which sounds awfully nice at the moment.

Luckily Mike, who has been away all week on business, is back in town. I'm so glad he's home. I can go to bed at a reasonable hour again. Do you do that when your husband is away, too? I putter around the house or on the internet til the wee hours of the morning, when I can finally fall into bed, too exhausted to notice that he's gone. It's a good thing he isn't gone often.

What are your plans this weekend? I wish you and your family good health, wherever you are.

January days

Lately, when the kids get home from school, they head right to the backyard to play baseball. Oliver got rubber bases for Christmas and it has made all the difference, I think. I can hear their laughs as I lay on the couch with my book. (I always lay on the couch with a book in the afternoons. It's my way of gearing up for the dinner/homework/bath/bedtime rush.) These are easy days, when the sun is bright and warm, and the shade nice and cool, when my children want to be together.

Another thing, I've been listening to Ryan Tanner's album on repeat. It is beautiful and slow, and seems to be my soundtrack right now. You can download it for a steal here.

What do your January days look like? If there is snow involved, I'm sorry. Come visit.

a new week

Well, the kids are back at school this morning. It's bittersweet. We had such a nice, relaxing break, but there is only so much loafing around we can do before we start to get on each other's nerves. Plus the house is a complete disaster. I'm going to take my time this week putting it back in order.

Our little office spot is ready for the new year, though. My talented friend, Beth, had a flash sale on her paintings this weekend on instagram (@elizabethannstudioart) and I was lucky enough to snatch one up. It is beautiful and serene and immediately puts my mind in the right place. I hung it over our workspace to remind myself to keep things uncluttered and clean.

And a happy New Year, too.

Mike and I spent New Year's Eve dressed in our nautical best at our friends' annual NYE party. This year the theme was "Yacht Party". It was as fun as ever, and we got home just in time to ring in the new year with Mabel and Oliver, who were waiting up for us.

New Year's day found me on the family room floor, sorting legos, which gave me lots (and lots) of time to think about what I want to do differently in this brand new year. I decided that instead of saying that I want to do this, or I want to be better at that, I am taking the "decide what you want to be and go be it" route. So, in 2014, I only eat sugar on the weekends. I read my scriptures everyday. I don't rush bedtime.

And I will remember that every day is a fresh start, a chance to try harder and be better.

Here's to 2014!