My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy. A lot of people I know and love were affected by this storm.

I have been...absent lately. Not by choice, for sure. I think it's because my kids are finally at the ages where they are doing SO many things, I am running circles (or more appropriately DRIVING circles) to keep up/get them where they need to be. Things were so much simpler when they were young and not into many extracurricular activities.

We didn't do soccer this year (I know, weird, right?) but we are HEAVY into Taekwondo and Basketball. Oh, and Driver's Ed. I am very excited about that. I get to pick up my daughter from school at 6pm every day for two weeks. And then she gets to start DRIVING. Woo hoo. (And yes, in case you are wondering, that's a mild undercurrent of sarcasm you are detecting.)

Where has the time gone? Thing One turned fifteen a few days ago, Thing Three is about to turn 12 in December, and yes, Thing Two is already a teenager. Thing Four is in Kindergarten, and I'm Room Mom, so that's keeping me busy.

We did the "Pumpkin farm" experience today, and Thing Four had fun pulling the little wagon, as we looked for pumpkins to carve tonight. **note to self, pick them up a week earlier, and there will not be just SUPER HUGE and super small  pumpkins left.**

And now we're hunkered inside from the cold, I've got crockpot chili going, a batch of sugar cookies baking, and things are calm. For an hour more, at least!

;-) I love Fall. LOVE it.

It's SO Tempting!!!

I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG. I WILL REFRAIN FROM POSTING MY POLITICAL VIEWS ON THIS BLOG.

I can't even watch the debate tonight. Too nervous. I will just sit in my room and read Twitterfeeds on my iPad. That's good enough for me.

Best. Honey. Wheat. Bread. Ever.

We LOVE us some wheat bread at my house. Hubby and I love to try new wheat bread recipes once in a while. Yesterday, we found the PERFECT Honey Wheat Bread recipe. Am totally stealing it. Here it is. You won't go back:

“Awesomest Honey Wheat Bread Ever”

Ingredients:

1 (25 oz.) package rapid rise yeast 

1 teaspoon white sugar 

½ cup warm water (110 degrees F) 

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk 

¼ cup water                        

¼ cup melted shortening

¼ cup honey

2 teaspoons salt  

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 

3 cups Bread Flour  
1 stick butter, softened

Directions:

1)   Dissolve yeast and sugar in ½ cup warm water in small bowl.

2)   Combine milk, ¼ cup water, shortening, honey, salt, yeast mix and wheat flour in bread mixer with dough hook. Mix until blended and let rest 15 minutes. Add bread flour, and process until dough forms a ball. Knead the dough by processing about 1 ½ minutes in mixer (or knead 10 minutes by hand). Place the dough in a BUTTERED bowl, turn to coat. Spray plastic wrap with PAM and cover the bowl. Let dough rise for 45 minutes, or until almost doubled.

3)   Punch down, and divide dough in half. If there are bubbles, roll dough out, pound out bubbles. If not, form into loaves and place in 2 buttered 9X5 inch bread pans.  Butter the tops of the dough, and cover loosely with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with PAM. Let rise in a warm area until doubled. Second rise should take 40 minutes-ish.

4)   While dough is rising, place a jelly roll pan half full of water on the bottom rack of the oven, and preheat oven to 375° (You will bake the bread with the jelly roll pan on the bottom.)

5)   Bake for 25 to 40 minutes or until tops are dark golden brown. (But not too dark! Gotta watch 'em!)

6)   Empty loaves onto cooling rack, butter tops immediately. Slice bread when cool.

*This recipe makes two loaves, can double easily. Total prep/baking time 2 ½ hours