Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Birthday

My birthday was last week. I'm 31 and a week old now and feel great. The day of my birthday was filled with cranky children but the evening was great. Reggie and I walked to the park to see the play Much Ado About Nothing. We were and late and had to leave early cause we had to pick the kiddos up, but it still was so fun. I hope it's something the park does more often.


My mother-in-law Darlene surprised me with this cake when we picked the kids up. It was so sweet of her and the cake was very yummy.

To make my birthday feel longer, on Saturday the 5 of us went to the Harvest House in Greenbluff to pick peaches and have ice cream. We were too late to pick and were very bummed about that. And it was very hot, but us Oakes make the best of things. We still had ice cream, the kids got free guitars, we bought peaches, let the kids run around. Over all it was good, we do want to go back when we can pick our own fruit. But any family time is a good time. :)




Summer was sad about not picking and wouldn't smile, but I liked my smile. :)

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Zucchini Bread Two Ways

Last week I scored some Zucchini (thanks Erica!). Zucchini Bread was on my baking wish list so I was excited to bake. I had two different recipes and thought I would try both just to see and taste the difference.

First one from Better Home & Garden cookbook at my mom's house
Oven at 350*
8x4x2 loaf pan
50-55 mins

1 1/2 c flour
1 tea cinnamon
1/2 tea baking soda
1/2 tea salt
1/4 tea baking powder
1/4 tea nutmeg
mix together

1 egg
1 c sugar
1 c shredded zucchini
1/4 c cooking oil
mix together then add to dry

optional 1/4 c walnuts fold in last


This one was dry, kind of like dough.

Second one from the Joy of Cooking cookbook

Oven at 350*
9x5 loaf pan
Whisk together:
1 1/4 c flour
1 tea baking soda
1 tea baking powder
1/4 tea cinnamon

Blend well in a large bowl:
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 vegetable oil
1 tea vanilla
1/2 tea salt

Stir in the dry ingredients. Blend in with a few swift strokes:
 2 c grated zucchini squeezed of excess moisture (Which really I didn't do.)
1 1/2 c ground pecans or walnuts (didn't add)
Scrape the batter into the greased pan. Bake until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 45 mins. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 mins before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

This one was very runny and rose more when baking.

Add this is what they looked like done.
Better Hone & Garden / Joy of Cooking



Reggie liked the the Better Home & Garden, I liked the Joy of Cooking one. Both were very good, but we did find out that zucchini bread doesn't do much for us.

Monday, August 29, 2011

MOPS Convention Nashville 2011 - Part 3

Friday we missed morning devotions, we were just too sleepy to get earlier then we needed to. General Session opened their doors at 9:30 so that's when we got there. General Session was great with Lisa Harper as a guest Speaker, she is very funny. And Travis Cottrell did the music, amazing.
   After that was a fast lunch break then off the workshops. I had Living with Less so Your Family Has More, with Jill and Mark Savage. Erica and I had this one together. I bought there book and am excited to read it. This workshop was 1-2:30 then next one was at 3 so really there wasn't alot of time in between to do much but get to the next thing. I took the MOMSNext workshop and sadly didn't get too much out of that one. But someday there might be one in our area and I'll know a little about it. That one was over at 4:30 and the doors opened at 5 for the next General Session with Mandisa. Everyone was getting there early for that one.



Pictures aren't that great but man doing Zumba with Mandisa was a blast!! Also we laughed at and with John Branyan, who was very funny. It was a great session and a great day. We had dinner at a Mexican place in the hotel. Then bed so we could do it all again the next day.





A few fun pics while we waited for our dinner.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Love This Book

The Oak Inside the Acorn

This is my new favorite kid's book. I love the message it tells, God as a special purpose for everyone. :)

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

7 Kids 1 Hill

I had Erica's kids yesterday evening. After the little ones played in the water and sand, and the big ones started watching a movie. I decided to take everyone for a walk. I put the 3 little ones in the bike stroller and off we went. We cut through "the woods" and ended up at the steps where the hill is fun to roll down. The kids had so much fun. I even rolled down a few times, but got very dizzy and had to stop. We found an apple tree and had a snack. The big kids found a jump that was left there and used it as a sled. It was the best babysitting I've done in awhile. I felt like a kid, it was awesome. :)








Monday, August 22, 2011

Super Papa's Boat


Yesterday we went to Pend Orielle Lake to hang out on my dad's new boat. I guess this use to be the boat my grandparents (his parents) used back in the day. The boat is beautiful! We took a little tour, stopped to let the kids swim, had lunch on the boat, it was all very cool. He shares the boat with some of his siblings, (he has alot of them). He gets it every 5 weeks, it's an interesting deal. But it works for them. It was a full boat with Dad, Leanne, the 5 Oakes, Brandon and Neavaeh. So much fun! :)

















Fire and Rescue Truck


This is the cool fire truck we got from the Carlsons. Grandma D bought it for Chad and now that he is bigger we get it. The boys love it, as do the neighbors. :) They fight over it, so we might have to get something else, one for each. But how cool is this thing!?!  I love hand me downs! :)

Friday, August 19, 2011

MOPS Convention Nashville 2011 - Part 2


Thursday we had alittle time to kill before me could get our MOPS goodies and be to our first workshop. Which we didn't know we had till right before. Anyway in the morning we walked across the street to see what we could see. It wasn't a whole lot. It was HOT out. I thought my flip flops were going to melt. We did find a few places to check out. A Cracker Barrel, a cake and candy place (Erica was in heaven there), and a gift shop.


We walked back "home" and as soon as we enter the building you could feel the buzz. MOPS mom have arrived!! They were everywhere. You could feel them. We got so excited and went to the Convention Center part to check in.  Our first workshop was at 3 (mine was Martha Doesn't Live Here and That's Okay with Kacey Johnson) then to Storyboard at 6 where Kathi Lipp, Max Lucado talked and Sara Groves lead us in worship. It was great!. After we got to check out the Resource Fair and all the awesome booths. By the time it closed we were worn out, so off to bed to dream about Friday.


Can't Believe I Have a 7 Year Old!!








I'm too young to have a 7 year old!! Well I guess not but it does blow my mind. It goes by way too fast. Her birthday was short and sweet with just family over, some pizza and cake, and of course lots of gifts. :)