Pizza & Games - We LOVE Fridays!

Friday evenings are bliss!

School is DONE. 

Lately, Saturdays are for work, work, work, as we beat back winter with the sheer magnitude of our "Property Projects."

BUT - FRIDAY NIGHTS ARE TO COLLAPSE and VEG  RELAX!

Years ago, Fridays became Pizza and Movie night. We made pizza in San Angelo and Japan, we moved to using Papa Murphy's at Beale....and now, in  my ever growing effort to tame the grocery budget, we are back to homemade pizza. The afternoon is not QUITE the rest it used to be. 🐽 I have several pizza dough recipes....EASY FREEZEABLE Pizza Dough has long been a lifesaver. I can make and pre-bake pizza crusts, and just pull them out when we are tired on Friday afternoons.  I have no clue why - but the recipe is failing me now.!!!! I need a mallet to force it into shape, rather than my trusty rolling pin! Could buying flour rather than milling fresh wheat be the problem? Or maybe the yeast is dead? The dough has tasted fine, the kids enjoy making individual pizzas....I tend to make a large one to get them started, and while they eat that, their individual ones bake.

We settled in for games.....we seem to do Pizza and Games much more than Pizza and Movies. 

Having the fire right by the kitchen tables adds a cozy element to game nights and dinners. I wonder if I could make fire baked pizza on or in the wood stove? Hmmmm....

Banana Bread (Susan G's)

Bananas are an odd thing around here. They are missed when I don't have them. They go bad, when I do get them. ::grin:: I had a batch of ripe bananas - seemed a great time to make banana bread. I'd not made this while living in the RV. I could have - but I didn't buy produce in big enough quantities to have ripe bananas when living in the RV. I remember when ripe bananas would be sold for .10 a pound and I refuse to pay full price for ripe bananas.  It has been at least 3 years since I made banana bread. I wasn't sure who would like it. 

Susan was a backyard ally neighbor in Hardin. She had a teenager and three little girls the ages of our pre-schoolers. We lived in Hardin for 6 years - the longest I have ever lived in one place. Susan was a great friend and mentor all of those years. She's the mom who got us started going to toddler story hour at the library.  I'd never thought of attempting story hour with 4 young ones. In those days the kids could play back and forth in our back yards without a lot of concern about abduction. At our first assignment, the contact priest was her husband's uncle. We kept in touch for about 10 years after we moved. Sadly, I've lost track of where she is.....but I remembered her banana bread! She brought over a loaf soon after we purchased our first  little house. Our mortgage was $250 a month. When I first made it it seemed like such an odd, edgy, crunchy type recipe. I had to go buy WHOLE wheat and yogurt. ::snort:: Now, I have everything on hand; though I subbed Rapadura for the Brown Sugar. Several enjoyed the bread. In addition, I enjoyed the memories. 

 Ingredients: 
1/2 C butter (1 stick)
3/4 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C unbleached white flour (soft white or just use all whole wheat)
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1 1/4 C ripe, mashed bananas (2-3)
1/4 C yogurt or buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350*.

Directions: 
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs.
Sift flour, baking soda and salt (I just mixed).
Combine bananas and milk. Stir to mix.
Add dry ingredients alternately with banana mixture to butter mixture.
Stir to combine.
Turn into greased 9x5 loaf pan.
Bake 50 - 60 minutes.
Cool in pan 10 min. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

For more recipes click the "Yummy Eats" recipe at the top of the blog.

The Rest of the Day

After school and Japanese, Stacia and I raced across to the next town for sewing club. Oy vey - the stories we have to tell if we weren't so tired.  I didn't take a single photo.  We eventually got the front and backs of her PJ's sewn together, the inside seam has been sewn twice for reinforcement,  and we'll get the outside seams done before next week.

In an effort to conserve gas, we decided to go grocery shopping. Walmart is also in the next town over. For the third week in a row they were out of all Great Value frozen veggies....we'll grow our own next year...if the moose will leave us alone to grow and harvest.

We got home late. I'd planned an easy dinner. The boys had burritos ready to put in the oven and rice in the rice steamer. 

Meanwhile, Michael sorted through the mish-mash of recycling. The local center has about 12 categories they want it sorted into. Now that we KNOW, we'll get rid of this and then sort into containers so we NEVER  have to sort through a trailer full of "stuff" again. Nolan and Cory did it last month. They went to Eagle River and we thought Valley Recycling might be different.

Arielle must have needed a study break while we were gone. This is Alex when we left. She's gotten good at this.

A cut and a beard trim...handy skills to have.  I'm so pleased to see the new Alex. 

Mornings are for MOOSE - 6 in October

After taking mountain photos, it's time to scan our yard. The little post at the right of this photo was a corner of a horse pasture.....we've not tilled it under yet. We see lots of evidence the wildlife like the wooded acre in the back. Because the horse pasture is growing wild, it is bringing them closer to the house. 

I don't think these are the same two moose we've seen before. One is a bit smaller than the other - the other two were the same size. The biggest was a bit more aggressive - note her ears and stance.

I don't mind them eating the brush pile and weeds in the old horse pasture....but I'm not so sure about stripping the leaves off the trees. 

Season's Changing

I often snap a photo or two to start the day. We have received word MEA will be out to cut the brush and trees along their right away.  This view should be changing shortly.....we'll see more of the mountain but may have significantly less color.....because of the season and because trees are sure to be much shorter. 

See the power lines? They have said they'll be cutting all brush and trees that are near power lines. I suspect it's been some years since they were out here.

Speaking of seasons - we had a HEAVY WIND on Monday....one result is bare trees. 

All the leaves from the tire swing tree are gone....

We are starting to see a house across the street

I expect we'll soon be able to see the neighbors on either side of us and maybe even the neighbors behind us......

Straight Roads

Stacia and I have been exploring various roads in our area. This dirt road off a main road captured our attention. She said she'd like me to drive her to the top and she'd ride down.  This is not from the top, she changed her mind. ::snort:: 

The guys got home from Red Shirt this evening. I'll have photos and stories to share when I receive them.

Jamin got back to Anchorage at 0200 this morning. He came out to visit and we are all glad to have him home. He fulfilled his obligation to the Marine Corps and, in the process,  realized the life of a Marine isn't for him.  As he learned from land nav class, he is making sure his compass is pointing in the right direction before he starts walking. We are convinced this was the right choice for Jamin and that God knows the plans He has for him. When it is revealed it will "uniquely fit" HIM.  (Jer 29:11).  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge HIm, and He will make your paths straight." (Prov 3:5,6) Some translations say, "He will make your path obvious."  In the blink of an eye, we have 8 Gherkins back in the area. Jamin has begun looking at jobs in the area and has a plan he's checking out and praying through.

Bella is a flirt and a tease!  She runs to Cory when the older uncles show up. Josiah and Jared have been patiently working to get in her good graces.  You can tell by her eyes she's playing. She actually let Jamin pick her up - the music on the iphone and his dancing helped. LOL

A few personal closing thoughts, it takes courage to obey God's voice when it's not what you expect to hear.  I've experienced  often plans which are changed, end up getting us to a place where God wanted us. It's all step by step. Nothing is wasted in God's economy and God will use Jamin's time at OCS.

Moosey Monday

Monday finds Cory back at work and Arielle working on College.

Izaak is also working this evening.

The boys and Michael left early with Josiah and Jared for one more Red Shirt trip before it's too cold to enjoy fishing. Of course, they are talking about ICE FISHING at the spot in the winter. I don't try to understand fishing logic.

I was settling back into the house, after seeing everyone off, when I got a text from Bre. "There are moose in the yard again."  I think we may need to keep an October Moose Tally here at the house. I nearly went back to bed, but then  realized I wouldn't have the problem with the "demon eyes" in the morning light.

These two tried to lick the RV....

They LOVED the brush pile on the other side of the RV and BreZaak's car. 

When a moose has an itch...

There eyes ARE black and filled in all the way....ok I've got this in the future. 

What was the rush? Her partner had found a better spot to glean. 

Can you see them both? 

 

Stacia and I had a lazy day. We took care of some things we needed to do around home, and ran to the thrift stores in town. We each found a winter coat for $17.  We look like marshmallows, but we'll be warm! We ended the night with a movie marathon - and stayed up way too late!

*We've had a freaky white truck stop at the top of our driveway a couple of mornings and take pictures. I'll relax, now. As I stood outside in my PJ's taking photos, I realized why the driver must have been stopping.