a twist on pizza

Almost every Saturday is pizza night around this family's place.

we.love.pizza.

Last week I decided I needed a change from our usual pizza.

So I decided to try a little twist - or shall I say 'fold'.

We have a dough we always use that I got from my sister-in-law.

Its so good, and most importantly super easy!

1. Put 7/8 C very warm (but not too hot) water in a bowl

Sprinkle 1 T yeast and 1 t sugar over the water and wait for it to bloom

(approximately 5 minutes)

2. While that's blooming, 

 Mix 2 and 1/4 C Flour and 1 t of salt

I like to add some added spices too.  

Like oregano, italian seasoning, basil, garlic salt/powder.

3. Pour your yeast mixture into the dry ingredients

and mix well (I usually start with a spoon and end up with my hands)

4. Add 2 t of oil and mix til a nice 'normal' dough

Letting it rise isn't necessary, but we like to let ours rise a little.

Just for a little added fluff-ness. If you do let it rise, make sure you cover it.

Normally after letting it rise for a little bit I usually roll it out

on a lightly floured counter top.  Then I put cheese about an inch 

from the edge of the pizza. I fold it over and press it down to 

keep it from opening in the oven.  (Basically you just made a cheesy crust). 

Assemble the rest of your pizza like you normally would, 

only I brush a beaten egg on the cheesy crust and sprinkle garlic powder on

 my half and garlic salt on Jeremy's half.

Bake at 425 for 11 minutes and you have yourself a DELICIOUS pizza!

But, like I said, this time I put a little twist on it.

Make the same crust and roll it out. 

Next cut into 8 triangles and arrange like so.

Spread your sauce around.

Add your desired toppings

{I used mozzarella cheese, chopped pepperoni,

italian sausage, and diced bell peppers}

Next tuck the tips of your triangles under and around your toppings.

Right out of the oven! mmm.... smells so good!

We have a pizza stone that we LOVE! 

{Thank you wedding gift cards}

To keep it from sticking to the stone

and with out the mess of corn meal, 

I cook it on a piece of parchment paper.

But put your dough on the paper before assembling your pizza!

TA- DA! Wouldn't this be a great dish to display at a dinner party

or as an appetizer?  You could put almost anything in in it. 

Like ham and cheese... and... well I'll let you get creative!

I'd love to hear if you come up with anything

 to take this recipe to yet another level!

Funny Story Friday

A couple weeks ago Jeremy was getting ready to give Madeline a bath.

As he took off her diaper, much to his surprise and relief she had 

a clean diaper.  "Hey! Your diaper wasn't dirty! That's so good!"

{We really do have a real baby tub, I just don't have a picture of her in it.  Surprise, I know}

And he proceeds to set her in her little tub and give her a bath.

A few minutes later I hear a little 'blurp' and a, "oh man!"

I guess it wasn't such a good thing that she had a clean diaper.

Because it turned into dirty bath water... 

Lesson learned: A clean diaper isn't always a good thing...

A Little Busy

Sorry I haven't been posting as much lately.  

I was on a good roll, can we be real?

I've just been busy working on some projects

which I will share with you in a month or so.

I hope you like it! I think you will!

Anyway, thought you'd enjoy a picture of a cute 

lil' baby I just happen to know.

My birthday came early this year {thank you mom & dad} 

and I now have the LightRoom Editing software.

Boy do I have a lot to learn?

Luckily I have someone to pose for me 

....whether she likes it or not... lol

Two Months Old

Last Saturday our little bundle officially became 

TWO MONTHS OLD!

Where does the time go?

She has changed so much, and it's hard to

 believe how much more she's going to change.

{sorry these pictures are horrible quality, but it's not like I could 

ask her to wait a second while I messed around with all the settings

on my camera ha.  I just shot away!}

At her 2 month check up, she weighed 11 lbs 4 oz

She's 23.5 inches long,

and she still has a big head - just like her mama.....

Madeline loves smiling at everyone and everything

Her new thing is making lots of ooing and gooing noises

that just about melt this mama's heart!

She's always making us laugh

And making our days brighter

Nothing could make my days any better

 than waking up to this smiling little girl!

Can you tell she thinks she's cute? 

My Reaction to Motherhood

Before I start this post, I would like everyone
to know that I have no intention of offending anyone,
or demeaning anyone's sense of motherhood.
I'm simply explaining my reaction to becoming a mother.
I realize that some babies are easier than others, and Madeline
has been a very easy baby. I truly hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings.
_________________________

Over Christmas break I had the privilege of getting together 

with some friends from high school.

It was so fun to catch up and hear how everyone is doing.

So far I am the only one married.  And the only one with a baby.

Needless to say things are a little, not awkward, but just not the

same as they used to be.  If you get my vibe.  

It's not a bad thing, just a thing.  Which is fine! I still 

love getting to see them a few times a year.

As we were talking, one of them asked me what the 

biggest surprise of becoming a mom has been.

Almost with out hesitation I said, 

"How easy it's been."

She gave me a rather strange look, and 

I probably couldn't have explained myself better that 

night, but I didn't know how.

So here's my more correct explanation.

Since I was eight or so, everyone has 

told me that I am just a natural born mother.

Maybe it's the fact that I'm the oldest of 

nine children.  Maybe it's the fact that I grew 

up in a home where exemplary motherhood was 

demonstrated to me on a daily basis.

Maybe it's more than that.  That as part 

of my unique and divine nature, motherhood 

comes easily for me {or has so far, at least}. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is, all through my 

pregnancy I kept having doubts and fears that it wouldn't

come naturally for me, and that I'd freak out and be way

in over my head.  But so far that hasn't happened. 

There hasn't been a time that I regretted the choice we made to 

start our family quickly.  I haven't ever felt too overwhelmed or

lost and confused. The truth is I just love being a mom. 

And I haven't ever felt more myself than I do now.

I love watching her grow into herself every day.

I love watching her observe the world around her, taking everything in.

I love the way she takes a minute to look up and smile at me 

in the middle of an eating.  Or the way she beams at me 

when I get up in the middle of the night to feed her

{It's so hard to enforce putting her back to bed 

when she's so adorable and happy!}

It even melts my heart when she puckers her lips and 

falls apart in tears. I could go on and on, but my point is, 

there's so many things I love about her, that the diapers,

the lack of sleep, the spit up, and the poop stains are all worth it.

Motherhood has come easily for me, just as music, sports, 

academics, generosity, teaching, leadership and so many

other things come easily for others.

The Truth About Men

I realize you married women already know this truth,

but for those of you that don't live with a man

I thought I'd give you a little heads-up for

whenever that time may come.

{men do not take hints}

And it's not that they don't want to.

They simply just don't pick up on things like that.

Here's a little example from our home that happened just tonight:

I'm sitting on the couch with Madeline in the Bjorn.

The laundry needed to be moved from the washer to the dryer

and I really didn't want to go move it.

Wife: Hey, do you think maybe it's too cold

to take Madeline with me outside to go move the laundry?

Husband: No, I think she'll be fine.

Wife: No, that's not what you're supposed to say...

Husband: Well.... hmmm.... do you want to take her

out of the Bjorn and give her to me while you move it?

Wife: No, that's not what you're supposed to say.

Husband: Oh... do you want me to go move the laundry?!

Wife: There you go! {Took you long enough}

Third times the charm!

And it's not that he didn't want to move the laundry either

and he was just trying to avoid my hint -

 he was perfectly happy to go do it! 

 Later he thanked me for not storming off and moving it myself 

{I confess I have a habit of doing that}

Lesson of the day, woman cut your man some slack.

Chances are he really is completely oblivious

to your hints, and he's probably more than happy to 

do whatever or apologize for whatever he unknowingly

did to ''sabotage'' your day.

Sadly I haven't I haven't yet mastered this lesson.

So thank goodness for truth #2 - men don't hold grudges

like me and you. He'll forgive you for flipping out over nothing

and life will continue til the next incident.

Because, truth #3, he loves you.

And he sees you better than you see yourself.

A Blessed Day

On New Years Day, Madeline was given a name and a blessing by her Dad.

It was a beautiful blessing.  

I wish I remembered more of what Jeremy said.

I was so caught up in the moment, and the spirit was so 

strong that I can't seem to remember the words.

For as long as I can remember, 

every time I've been in a Sacrament Meeting where 

a baby is blessed I'd say a prayer in my heart 

asking Heavenly Father to help me meet and marry 

a man worthy to take me to the Temple, 

and worthy to give our children a name and a blessing

when the time was right.

I'm so grateful that prayer was answered.

Madeline was blessed the same day as her 

cousin Scarlett, who was born just three

weeks after her.  Since Madeline was born first she was 

blessed first too.  After Madeline's blessing, Jon,

 Jeremy's brother and Scarlett's dad, offered to bring

Madeline back to me since he was going to get his daughter 

for her blessing anyway. And Jon, being Jon, 

did the "Simba"/show off baby to the congregation with Madeline.

{Jeremy thinks its cheesy and wasn't going to do it lol}

It was just a really beautiful day. 

And now to entertain you with endless pictures!

Madeline talking to Grandpa Wells

And Madeline with Grandpa Fullmer

Madeline with Mommy

Madeline asleep

And Madeline awake

{I'm just glad she was quiet through the whole blessing. 

She had her binky but not a peep!}

So I thought we got a big(ger) group shot, but I guess not lol

Madeline with the Fullmer Grandparents

And Madeline with the Wells Grandparents

Our happy family!

Madeline's dress

{Can't believe I finished it - that morning....ha}

And sadly most of the pictures I got of Madeline and Scarlett 

could be considered bloopers lol But that's what you get with 

a spontaneous baby shoot and not much time!

I absolutely LOVE this picture! 

Sliding down

"Hey Scarlett, why are you crying?"

"You're silly Scarlett"

This is probably the best shot of her dress with her in it.

Scarlett was just not very happy that morning.

A little E.T. finger action lol

Getting a little bored

And we're done...

Dear Husband

 I loved snuggling with you during Cowboys and Aliens last night, even if it was a little over the top.  I love that nobody can make me laugh like you can (i.e. the way you did right before you left for work tonight).  Thanks for doing the dishes today and thanks for being such a great dad.  I love the way Madeline looks at you.  You're such a blessing in my life and I can't wait to spend the rest of forever with you!


Love,
Wife


P.S. I totally should have won when we rock-paper-scissored over that last diaper....

Nursery Pictures - Finally!

Alrighty, I am finally doing this post!

I took these pictures right after Madeline was born,

and I finished the nursery way before she was born.

So with out further ado - here is our lovely cinderblock wall

office/nursery.

This is on the door when you walk in.  You can't really tell

but its just cream paper mounted on blue, yellow, and green paper.

It's attached to the door by mini clothes pins on hemp.

This is the view walking in.

My beloved rocking chair - Love this thing!

{Thanks Grandma Teddy!}

I just kind of whipped this pillow up one day.

The chair needed a little pop of color I thought.

A really cheap collapsing tray for a reading table.

I originally had the intention of staining it to match the rest of our 

darker espresso/cherry wood furniture, but it just didn't happen. Oh well.

The antique books I found at a thrift store over the summer. 

Tied together with hemp string.

Our little book basket that just isn't quite big enough. 

I don't even know where it came from, so we're just happy to have something!

Jeremy's desk.  I claimed the top portion, 

however, to tie it in with the rest of the nursery.

{Sorry about the sun}

My precious watering can {that I begged Jeremy for.  And it was only

like $5} And some little flower pots with acrylic flowers.

A picture of Jesus and Madeline's ultrasound picture at about 20 weeks.

I found these glass jars at D.I. and just slid a picture in the front then

filled the jar with split peas.  {I love the color of them} 

And of course tied a hemp bow around them.

A beautiful saying and my first teddy bear.

Remember that $10 changing table I spontaneously bought at a garage sale?

Well we've put it to good use! I love not having to get on the floor

to change all of her never ending diapers!

The bins my mom had already,

 but you can get them for pretty cheap at target.

I made the green covers, though.  They were pretty simple.

I didn't use a pattern just kind of figured it out as I went.

I made two changing pad covers - and I'm so glad I did!

It's nice to be able to throw one in the wash and still have a clean one.

This was a can of nuts and I covered it in the only paper I had, white and tied

a bow around it with none other than the hemp!

{We keep qtips, the bulb syringe for her nose,

 butt paste, nail clippers etc in it}

This is the crib we got at Walmart. {remember this post?}

The beautiful white quilt my mom made! I love it :) 

Here's a picture of Madeline in the quilt with her Grandma Fullmer

Made the bed skirt myself! So proud. 

 Didn't think I was going to be able to but I did!

I got this bear for FREE at a thrift store.  Don't worry it went 

through the wash and is very clean now.

It came with a really tacky burnt orange bow,

so I cut it off and gave Mr. Bear a green bow instead.

Here's a close up of the letters so you can see the glitter.

Jeremy cut these letters out himself! And I painted and glittered them.

It was fun to do a project together.

I wish we didn't have stark white walls, then my flower would show up

a little better, but oh well.

And last but not least, the full 

shot of her name. I sure loved doing this room!

 My only wish was that we had more space, money, 

and rights to pain/hang pictures etc.  

But considering the ridiculous restrictions and really tight budge

I think it turned out quite well :)