Photo Food Inspiration!

I've been craving the cinnamon rolls that my mom used to make when we were kids (my grandma's recipe).   This is a tricky recipe for me because it involves proofing yeast and bread rising and I've failed at that a few time.  :)  So, I thought I'd photograph the journey and put my photography education to test and by cooking education to test and hope the results at the end are not terrible...

Proofing the yeast.

Ta da!  It actually worked!  :)

Mixing it up

The mess.

I'm always sooo happy when this actually happens. :)

The hard part... rolling the dough out and having it not stick to the counter.

Adding the yummy stuff! 

Almost done! 

Oh wait... another hour and a half until the rise a second time.  

YUM!  Left side w/ vanilla icing for Nick -- left side w/ orange icing for me. :) 

We made a run after church to the apple orchard in Solon.  Such a beautiful area.

lol.  This cow cracks me up.  They're so quizetive.

Dingleberry road... hmmmm.... 

Lunch at Short's downtown IC.  Love me some Short's! 

Torturing Jack.

 

Rough and Tough

It has been a long two, maybe three weeks!  Those ones that you come home, try to do something and just can't.  I'm sure the weather change has something to do with it, but it's also been busy busy busy.  Watchagonna do?  :)

At the moment I'm happy not to be anywhere but right here in my chair typing this!  :)

Last few weeks have been project weeks!  Happy with lots of them too!  A few of us started working on the women's bathroom at church about three months ago.  It's a small church with problems and potential.... some days it feels more like problems than potential, but after getting thru the bathroom it felt like a big victory!  And a much needed face lift. 

ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz. 

So, after 3 or 4 months, we got back on the job!  Here's the mostly done end result.  Still trying to figure out what we can do w/ the baby changing table to make it a little more attractive.

Blinged fluer de lis!  LOVE. 

Love the door sign. :) 

SO YEA!! It's super adorable. Eventually would like to get black and white tile thru the lobby and the bathrooms.

A work night at the church, painting, thought this was a good picture of the boys. :)

This Friday I went and saw Ron Paul (that may be the quickest statement to offend all my conservative and liberal friends)!  I was surprised at myself for making it there.  :)  I consider myself pretty a-political given my belief that right and left (should those be capped??) are basically corrupt.  I'm such a cynic.  What can I say.  But I do believe that.  That being said, I'd heard from enough people and even heard Jon Steward (Daily Show) say enough times that Ron Paul is someone who has stayed consistent his entire career, that I thought I'd give it a look see.

It was actually a fun night.  I sat next to a gentleman that ran a local chapter in support of Ron Paul and he was pretty much a celebrity.  People came up to him all night to say hi.  Super nice guy.  As he said and was evident in the room, there were probably some of the most liberal people in Iowa City in that room and some of the most conservative. 

Much of what he said felt controversial to both sides, in my opinion.  But his message overall was if you do responsible things as an individual you get positive results and the government should try on that same philosophy... sounds right to me.  I'm sure someone would say that's not what he said, but that's how I heard it.  ; )  It was a quick 40 min.  I didn't once think, all right dude, wrap it up.  And I think that a lot.  :) 

I ran into a kiddo Nick used to have in Sunday School there. :)  It was nice to see him again.

Well... so to do...

I've been trying to figure out what to do w/ these flower pins I have, they're always laying all over and falling off my dresser, so I made this!

AND I made these shoes!  (well, I glued glitter to them anyway)

I found Jack sitting in the chair like this the other day.  lol.

Shots from my photo class -- the assignment was "the essence of light."  So, reflection or shadow would be indicators of that...

I just liked this one -- no essence of light.

Get your apples and sunshine!

This my friends is called cheating the system!  Can't beat it.  Windows open, breeze blowing, sunshine, clean air... Love it all.

Yesterday was family day!  It was nice to be able to spend time w/ (almost) everyone.

Nick's from a family of 3 boys and I'm from a family of 5 girls.  Needless to say, we are from very different types of families.  :)  When Nick and I first got married I remember walking into a room at my in-laws and his brothers and dad were sitting in the living room and no one was talking... I had never seen such a thing.  That being said, I remember eating dinner at mom and dad's one night and there was so much mayhem happening.  Food flying, girls screaming, dogs barking, dad hollering about something... and Nick was missing.  I found him playing solitaire in the computer room.  :)  lol.  It was OVERLOAD for him.  Nick's been apart of the family since my youngest sisters (The Twins) were 6 and I've been around since Nick's youngest brother was probably... 10?  Needless to say, things have changed over time.  Nick's adapted to the goings on our side and his brothers talk more than they used to.  :)  The cool part about both our families, is we're family.  My sisters call Nick their brother and his brothers call me their sister... how can you beat that?  That's just the best.  As far as I'm concerned, we both won the lottery w/ our parents.  And believe me, I know what a blessing it is to be able to say that. 

SO, I got a text from Cath that they were heading to Gays Mills and did we want to come.  And we did!  It had been years since we had been there.  What a perfect day. 

There are apple trees everywhere there, but none of the apples on the trees there looked like any of the apples in the bags.  I'm a little concerned they're shipping them in from some where and tricking people.  :)

 

I never once saw apples that looked like these in any of the bags in the buildings... not once...

When Nick and I were first married we went to Gays Mills with Pops and Cath.  They told me this story about a year ago -- I totally forgot about it... until I remembered it.  I had just gotten my camera and I kept making us pull over and take pictures... it was a little cold, a little rainy and no one really was up for it... but I stuck with it!  All day!  We were headed home, I think I had requested one more photo and that's when I realized there was no film in the camera... oooops.  :)  Knowing me at that time I was also probably shooting fall foliage in black and white -- another smooth move.  :)

These things are sooo funny to me.  Nick didn't want to do it, but I some how managed to demand him into it... and apparently to hold my purse while he did it. lol.  It would be funny to get one for the church...

Classic Nick Timmerman.  Drinking coffee wherever he goes!

From the orchards I was off to a ladies event at my parents church.  It was my mom's birthday!!  :)  I know I'm the kid, but it's hard to believe where the time has gone.  She's been my mom along time.  How does that happen??

 

One of the ladies spoke about how love was sacrificial and it made me think of mom instantly.  Some people give of their excess.  But it always has felt to me that she has given of her own portion. 

It was nice to see a lot of friends I hadn't seen in a while and of course my lovely family. 

(L-R: Emie, Ruby, Mom, Melody, Sophia and Savannah)

 

We were all suppose to tell a funny story about mom -- I told about the time she thru all my stuff on the porch cause she was mad that I trashed the house.  I'll never forget it, you could tell dad was afraid of her that night.  :)  I sat out on the porch in my pink fuzzy robe and cried.  lol. 

 

The twins could be called 'The Hair' but Boobie is definitely "The Lips."

A few other photos from the day -- too good not to share.

Sea of apples:

Honesty, still alive and well in some places: 

Apple cider donuts -- they don't taste like apple at all. 

This mans name is Champ, at least that's what his hat says. :)  I shook his hand.  Pops tried to steal his shovel.

It's us! 

Jack doin' what he lu-huves!  He loves him some sunshine and sleepy time!