my new brü

As soon as the cold weather hits every year I start brewing up the hot chocolate in the morning. This year I've got a new obsession----Crio Brü. It's definitely not sweet and creamy like hot chocolate but I love it! 

You know you're getting old when....

....you think it's okay to tape your glasses together like this.  However, this is an improvement from just resting the two halves of your glasses on the sides of your nose (which went on for about 3 weeks)!

Reunited!

 road trippin' with the folks

I finally got the chance to go see Indy last week! The trip actually had a dual purpose. My parents were going to So. Cal for Max's funeral so I decided to go with them and then stay a few extra days. 

San Clemente Pier

We got to San Clemente Thursday night and went out to dinner with Granddad and Dorothy at the pier. It was a little early celebration dinner for Mom's and Granddad's birthdays. I got to stay at Dan & Jan's house that night-----what a gorgeous house! Nothing like having a sleepover with your aunt in the kid's bunk room!

Friday was the funeral and it was amazing! Courtney and Gordon are amazing---such strong testimonies. Although the accident is such a tragic thing, I know that they feel peace and will continue to feel that because of the gospel and the plan of salvation.

When I finally made it to Laguna, Indy wasn't really in a hurry to see me! He was with friends and taking his sweet time to get home. I was dying! After a couple of hours he got home and it was so good to see him! He's gotten taller.  And all the surfing has made his shoulders and arms pretty strong! Watch out Finn----little brother is getting bigger!!

That night I went with Peter and Darin and all the kids to the Laguna High football game. It was a lot like the games here at Orem---very social with tons of parents and families. It was fun to see Indy in his social scene.

Saturday was spent doing a little skimming, shopping at Irvine Spectrum and just hanging out. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the greatest that day so I didn't spend any time at the beach.

The next few days were just spent hanging out at Darin's. I didn't really do much of anything. It was nice not to have a schedule and just be around to be with Indy. He seems like he is doing very well and enjoying his stay. We all sure miss him though and will be glad when he is back home with us.

Big shout out to Peter, Darin and family for taking care of him!!

Families are forever.

Sweet Max

A terrible accident happened on Friday morning in our England family. My uncle Todd's family was in the beach house in Dana Point/Capistrano Beach. Aunt Jeannette and cousins Courtney, Chelsey and Amanda were all in Denver at the time for a girls weekend.  Courtney's 17 month-old Max escaped briefly and was found floating in the hot tub. Todd and Chase found him, called 911 and immediately started CPR. The paramedics arrived and continued working on him while they took him to the hospital in San Clemente. The doctors confirmed, at that time, that there was no brain function. He was then transferred to Children's Hospital of Orange County where he passed away Saturday morning.

I remember thinking, after I got the terrible news of the accident, that he would be okay. Although he was on a ventilator, his little heart was beating on its own.  I just kept thinking he would be okay----our prayers and pleading with the Lord would be answered and Max would live. But that was not Heavenly Father's plan for Max. And what a tragedy it would be if we didn't have the knowledge of Heavenly Father's plan. I know they will see him again and that he is sealed to Courtney and Gordon forever.

I'm hugging my kids and husband a little tighter today. I know that every minute I have with them is precious and could be taken away so quickly. But my knowledge of the gospel plan is sure and how eternally grateful I am that families are forever. 

The Zombie Life

That clock says 10:00----10:00 AM!

If you know Kurt very well then you know that he loves zombies----zombie movies, zombie books, anything having to do with zombies. 

Well, for the past 2-3 weeks, he has been living the zombie life. He has been working on hard on all his year-end projects for Vivint. He hasn't come home before 1 or 2 am but still jumps out of bed by 9 to get back to work. This has included Saturdays and even a few Sundays. Yesterday he came home at 6 am, didn't really sleep but got up at 10 am to go back.

Luckily last night he finally got to show off all the videos. They were all so awesome. Kurt is so talented! I only wish people truly appreciated the time and hard work that goes in to a little 5 minute video. 

Love you Kurt! You're a rock star!

How about them tomatoes!!

Just ignore my funny-looking thumb.

Can you believe the size of these things???? And WE grew these!

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Recipe courtesy of www.sunnysideupsd.com

So I have had multiple (that is really only like 1 or 2...) requests for the recipe for this pumpkin bread. I actually got it off of Pinterest but, apparently, there are some people out there who are NOT on Pinterest....what???? C'mon people get with the program!!!   

Anyway, it's not my recipe but comes from the blog listed above. I wish I had a little print button so you could print it out from my blog but I'm too computer illiterate to know how to do that. So if you want to print one out then go to the above website.

Pull-Apart Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 cup milk

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 Tbsp. butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown color. Be careful to not let it burn. Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk. Return the pan to the stove and let it heat through. Pour that mixture into the bowl of a mixer and allow to cool to between 100-110 degrees F. Once it has reached this temperature, add the yeast and 1/4 cup sugar and allow it to proof (this may take as long as 8 minutes). Then add the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of the flour. Mix until combined and add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and slightly sticky. Add extra flour if needed. 

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size. 

While dough is rising, brown another 2 Tbsp. butter. Add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20 x 12 rectangle. Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into the dough. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares. Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes. 

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until top is a deep golden brown. 

GLAZE

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/8 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. rum flavoring

Heat butter, milk and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Then immediately remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and rum flavoring. Drizzle over warm bread.

What's up lately

Pumpkin pull-apart bread

 I love fall for many reasons. One of the things fall makes me want to do is bake! It's not always good for the waistline.  If I start restricting calories now I can maybe justify the number of doughnuts I will consume on Halloween. 

Emerson has been busy crafting! She made the cute Halloween banner. The mess she made in the craft room-----not so cute.

 It seemed that Homecoming was barely over before Finn was asked to Sadie's.  I love school dances---such fun high school memories.

pictures in wrong order...oops!

For FHE a couple weeks ago we made the trek to City Creek. It's a great mall for the girls but Finn doesn't really love any stores there. So we ran over to Gateway for him. You can always count on getting a good laugh at something (a book, gadget or toy) in Urban Outfitters. I may have to buy Kurt these giant foam hands for his birthday.

Emer is my little chef-in-training. She LOVES to cook and help me in the kitchen whenever I ask.  One night she took over dinner completely and made this whole-wheat pizza with fresh basil and tomatoes from our garden. It was delicious! 

We haven't had too many families dinners lately because of crazy schedules but, when we do, we all fight over baby Atticus. Or as Kurt has dubbed him "fatticus". Sorry, Linz. It's an endearing nickname for sure. That big little belly was being squeezed in that shirt a little too tightly. We sure love the babies in our family.