Word of the Day

Did you use quinquennium in a sentence yesterday?  Nathan enjoyed being able to say he is 2.2 quinquennia old.  He will probably never forget that word.  It'll be added to his vocabulary which includes words like thrice.  What 2.2 quinquennia-old says thrice?

Here is today's word (from the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate 11th edition):

quidnunc: a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip: a busybody

Do you know anybody like this?  Doesn't sound so mean if you say they're a quidnunc as opposed to a busybody, almost like it is code.  I hope you don't have to use this one today.

Unfolding the Dough

     I love to bake, but I hate yeast.  So, I don't often bake bread.  I love the taste and smell of freshly baked bread, but yeast and I just don't get along.  Maybe it has something to do with the time it takes to make things with yeast - all that waiting around for it to rise.  Maybe it has something to do with all those steps to get to the final product.  Whatever the case may be, it is a huge accomplishment if I even get to the point of making something that has yeast in it.  I did just that today!

      I made No Knead Whole Wheat Rolls.  I got the recipe from a Taste of Home email I received this morning.  The recipe and picture can be found at Taste of Home: No Knead Whole Wheat Rolls and can be printed out from their website.  I read the directions and decided it would be simple enough to make these.  It only needs to rise once for 30 minutes and then again for 8-12 minutes.  I didn't have to knead it.  I could make it in my mixer by adding all the ingredients at the same time and mixing for 3 minutes.  Besides, the ingredients were intriguing: honey, molasses, and Italian seasoning.

      My yeast had been sitting in the refrigerator for quite a while, so I took it out and let it come to room temperature before using it.  I then followed the directions for making the rolls.  After letting my rolls rise for the first 30 minutes, I could tell that the old struggle I had with yeast was alive and well.  It did not double in size.  My inexperience with yeast caused me to move forward with the directions.  My second rising for 8-12 minutes yielded the same pitiful results.  I baked the rolls anyway.  They were heavy like water balloons and just slightly doughy, but they were delicious.  I make them sound so appetizing, don't I?  Really, they were so good that two of my kids ate them for snack tonight instead of anything else they could have chosen.  They want me to make them again and again.

      Perhaps my yeast was too old.  The temperature of my water in which I dissolved my yeast was just right, so it couldn't have been that.  Thankfully I have a huge block of yeast I purchased at CostCo almost two years ago that I haven't opened yet.  The date on it says it is good until May 2011.  I've got a lot of baking to do in the next month so I don't waste all that yeast.  Maybe the next time my bread will rise like it is supposed to.  Here is the recipe.  I have Greek seasoning in my cupboard.  I think I'll try that next time.

No Knead Whole Wheat Rolls  from Taste of Home

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1-1/4 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 
  
• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the remaining ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes (dough will be sticky). Do not knead. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.  Stir dough down. Set aside 1/4 cup batter. Fill muffin cups coated with nonstick cooking spray half full. Top each with 1 teaspoon reserved batter. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 8-12 minutes.  Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

Word of the Day

I thought it might be fun to give you a word of the day (when I remember).  Today's word is:

quinquennium: a period of five years.

This comes from the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition.

I know you were looking for a word to express every 5 years.  I mean, come on, we have century for 100 and decade for 10.  It only seems fair that 5 years has a word.  And we are deficient in words beginning with Q.  So, there you go.  Try using it today in a sentence.  You'll feel smarter.  ;-)

Unfolding a Cooking Contest

A few years ago I entered the Pillsbury Bake Off with a recipe for Turkey Casserole, which was an invention of mine created from the need to use the few ingredients I still had left in my house before getting to the grocery store.  I stood and stared into my pantry one evening only a short time before dinner ought to be served wondering, "What in the world are we going to have for dinner tonight?"  My family loves meat loaf, but all I had was ground turkey and not enough time to cook it as a meat loaf.  I don't actually think it is the meat loaf they love as much as the sauce on top of the meat loaf which is a mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, and dry mustard.  I remembered I had Pillsbury crescent rolls still in the refrigerator, and I had some Kraft Mexican shredded cheese.  Here is the recipe:

1-1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 rolls of refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground mustard

8 ounces Kraft Mexican shredded cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Brown the ground turkey and then drain it.  Add the ketchup, brown, sugar, and dry mustard to the turkey and mix well over medium heat.  Lightly spray the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.  Place one roll of crescent rolls onto the bottom of the baking pan.  Pour the meat on top of the crescent rolls and top with the second package of crescent rolls.  Cook for 12-15 minutes until top layer starts to brown.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top.  Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Cut into 8 squares and serve.

This recipe can be trimmed a bit to reduce fat and calories by using reduced-fat crescent rolls and 2% shredded cheese.  I did not win with this recipe, but my family still loves it.  So, I will keep making it.  I am even making it for dinner tonight.  It is super simple, and I know no one will complain.

Every year around this time I wonder what I can enter into the Pillsbury Bake Off.  The winner receives $1,000,000.  I'm pretty sure that would come in handy around here.  I have a few ideas about how to spend some of it.  Other winners can receive new kitchen appliances and $5,000.  There are several different categories.  Check it out at http://www.pillsbury.com/bakeoff.  I have an idea for this year's recipe, but I have to get to the store and buy the ingredients and find the time to make it.  The deadline is 11:59 p.m. central time on April 18, 2011.  I will keep you updated on my progress and hopefully add some pictures.

Unfolding at Splash Lagoon

The humor of this post lies in the fact that unfolding could connote the idea of relaxing.  I'm not swimming, so relaxing, you might think, is possible.  We are here with 54 junior highers, so in actuality, you may correctly surmise, there is no relaxing going on.

There are 6 girls in my hotel room.  Lights out last night was midnight.  My bedtime is 10:30.  I spent the day in a large indoor waterpark in 82-degree heat with 90% humidity.  I tried to read a book but kept falling asleep.  Most of the leaders who came to our meeting place fell asleep in the chairs.  The kids were even getting tired.  I highly recommend Splash Lagoon if you're looking for a way to exhaust a hyper child.

A couple of months ago we went to Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio.  I would have to say, Splash Lagoon is better in so many ways.  There seems to be more to do in the water park.  The lazy river is longer.  There are a few whirlpool-type slides at SL that aren't at GWL.  The tip bucket is "way cooler."   Instead of dumping in one fail swoop, it dumps slowly over an overhang so that it gets people on the steps to the slide wet and then hits the people underneath on the floor.

One thing that could be good or bad depending on your perspective is that you can visit SL without having to stay at the hotel.  That way you can make a day trip out of it if you live close enough.  At GWL, you cannot use the water park unless you stay for at least one night.  This could make it cost prohibitive.  If you do stay at SL, you can't beat the price of the deluxe continental breakfast...FREE.  Breakfast is not free at GWL.

I would highly recommend SL if you're in the mood for a fun and quick trip.

 www.splashlagoon.com

Unfolding Cleanliness or Just Free Products (I can't decide)

I am a Bzz Agent.  I signed up at http://www.bzzagent.com/ years ago, and I periodically get invitations to join product campaigns.  When I join a campaign, I receive a product in the mail to try.  I only ever choose the free invitations.  I then tell my friends about the products I have used and give them coupons for said products.  I have received some interesting things to test.

So, let me tell you about my latest products.  I received 5 cleaning products: Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel, Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower foam, Pledge furniture polish, a Glade scented candle, and Glade Plug-In refill.  Sadly, I have no Plug-In, so I cannot use the refill.  Does anybody want it?  It's yours.  I used the Glade candle, Sparkle of Spring.  It does the job of deodorizing the room, so I give it a thumbs up.  The toilet cleaning gel makes my bathroom smell nice, and my toilets look clean; but they didn't really look dirty when they were put in, so I'm not sure what they are doing.  The kids really love putting them in with the plunger that comes with it that just sticks the gels to the side of the bowl.  They think it's cool.  Um, okay, I don't really think doing anything with my toilet is cool, but I won't tell them that.  I haven't used the Pledge, but can it be any different from what it was like in the '80s when I had the chore of dusting furniture as a kid?  I know that when it comes time to dust my furniture (an all-but-forgotten task), it'll work just fine and remove the dust.  The last product I used was the Mega Shower foam.  It definitely has mega foam, but I wasn't impressed with its ability to clean my shower.  Maybe my shower was too dirty.  I just know it doesn't work as well as my Comet Bathroom Cleaner spray.  I'll stick with that.  I do have lots of coupons to hand out, though, if anybody wants some.  Hope this review is helpful if you are trying to decide whether or not to purchase any of these products.  Most of my friends probably won't because they are not natural products, but they were my favorite price....FREE!!  Join BzzAgent, and you can get free stuff too!!

http://www.bzzagent.com/

Unfolding Math

    I like to think I'm a fairly intelligent person, but my son's math makes me wonder.  Jake and Nate have been using Singapore Math for the past 3 years.  Jacob liked it so much that, as he entered 7th grade, he asked to keep using it, but the program changed.  Instead of two thin books, he now uses one very thick book.  He is doing algebra and geometry.  Today he has been trying to calculate angles of triangles given the least amount of information the book could possibly give.  He has had trouble understanding it.  So, I came to the rescue... I mean, I scanned the page of the book and sent it to John at work so he could rescue both Jacob and me.  As I wrestled with it myself, I started to get a headache.  I am now exhausted, and I still have to explain it to Jacob.
    I just said to my mom on the phone this morning, "We plan to homeschool the whole way through 12th grade.  John can do science and math, and I've got the rest."  I didn't think that would start in 7th grade.  I'll be looking for math curriculum for next year that explains things a little bit better in the text so that we can both understand it, and I can look a little smarter.  :-)

Unfolding...Oops

Wow, I can't believe it's been 5 days since I've written anything.  Really?  Time sure flies.  I've been busy.  The kids only have 4 days of school left (we started in June).  They are begging me to give them schoolwork so they can be done on time and not have the year stretch out any further.  I almost feel bad that I'm going to keep giving them things like math to do at least every other day.  Wait...no I don't.  ;-)  Hopefully with having to teach less I'll be able to write more.  For now, though, it is time to type someone else's thoughts.  That is, I have to go to work.   :-(

Unfolding Uncertainty

I was talking to a 9th grader at my daughter's dance recital the other day.  She was relating to me how her school makes the kids do some major research report on jobs they'd like to do and then meet with interviewers and recruiters in their senior year.  She said there is a lot of pressure to figure it out already.  Really, 9th grade?  I told her I changed my major 5 times in my first 2 years of college.  I'm not even sure I know what I want to be when I grow up yet!!  I know, at my age I better figure it out soon, right?  Back in college I took a writing class which I loved.  I poured my heart and soul into my papers, only to be met with relative indifference by my professor.  Three or four years later I tried again but on my own this time.  I started writing a novel.  I wrote the first chapter, and it was good.  Then my computer froze.  I could have handwritten it, but I didn't.  I shut the computer down.  Fast forward 17 years...I'm at it again.  I restarted that novel.  My computer hasn't frozen, but I haven't written in weeks, at least not my novel.  I type for a living doing medical transcription.  I type someone else's thoughts.  Ho hum.  Not exactly creating, but I'm getting the grammar and punctuation rules down.  ;-)

I started writing homeschool curriculum.  I'm researching ragtime and jazz musicians and the history around that time to create something for an early 20th century American music class.  I love doing the research but, again, it's been weeks since I've touched it.  I started this blog 2 or 3 weeks ago.  It is the one thing I have been relatively consistently writing, probably because I don't have to write a lot if I don't have the time.  I want to write more.  I want to share my stories with people, if I could just finish something.  It's kind of like my house.  I have so many unfinished projects.  My office has 2 completely painted walls, one partially, and one not at all.  The bulkhead in my kitchen has one Wallie (those wallpaper stencils).  I intended to put up about 10 or 12 and stencil words in between.  I should just take the one Wallie down.

If I could just get to writing and find out whether or not I'm good enough to make a living from it, then I could maybe move onto the next stage of my life and try to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

Unfolding for No Reason

I haven't written for two days, so I felt like I should write something.  Hopefully I'll write something meaningful tonight.

Last night I watched storm clouds merge from 3 directions and start to spin in the sky behind my house.  I was seconds away from telling my kids to get into the basement.  I was scared.  I always thought it'd be neat to see a tornado (from a great distance), but if there would have been one there where I saw the spiraling it would have dropped in my backyard.  That's too close!  Nathan, my 11-year-old son, started praying, and the clouds moved on and the sky brightened some.  It is always amazing to me to watch the faith of my children.  Guess that's why Jesus tells us in the Bible to have faith like little children.  They don't come to God with baggage.  It's just them and God.  I surely could learn a lesson here.

Unfolding Pages

I've wanted to write a book for a long time.  I started a novel at the beginning of the year, but today I thought of a great idea for a book.  It would be one of those books that relates people's so-pathetic-they're-actually-funny stories about businesses that are incompetent.  I had a great story just today of my own I could add, and a friend gave me another.  If I get enough to fill a book, I'll write it, and your story could be in it.  Tell me yours.

Unfolding the Variables

My kids had a science fair yesterday.  I was a judge (for the other kids, not theirs).  They each had to identify the constant, the independent variable, and the dependent variable.  It got me thinking about my Christian life and if that could be related at all to it.  I think it can in some small way.  Let's start with the constant.  That would be God.  James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  The dependent variable is the thing to be measured.  I would say that is where we are in our walk with God, how close we are to Him.  The independent variables are the things that are changed to produce a result.  These are the struggles we come across in life.  These things are constantly changing.  They are different for everybody, and each life will experience many, many struggles before it has ended.  No matter what the struggle, though, I know one thing for certain, GOD IS CONSTANT.  He NEVER changes.  When things are good, like the verse says, God doesn't change; but when things are tough GOD NEVER CHANGES.  In no way am I making light of any struggles anyone has.  I just know that whatever I am going through I can always go to God.  I know right where to look. I know He will hear every word I utter.

Hebrews 12:2 says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  How do we fix our eyes on something that is always moving?  We can't.  If we don't know if God is going to hear us, why would we go to Him?  If we don't know if He's going to be mad or happy, why would we go to Him?  God's Word tells us that we should FIX our eyes on Jesus.  This means He is constant, unmoving.  His love never changes.  He loves you just as much today as He did yesterday and as much as He'll love you tomorrow.  He wouldn't have gone to the cross if His love changed from day to day.

Hebrews also says He is the author and perfecter of our faith.  The more we depend on Him, the more we become like Him.  He perfects our faith.  It can't be helped.  When we are in his presence, we are changed.  May we all remember in good times and in bad God wants us to look to Him.  He loves each and every one of us.  He NEVER changes, but thank God he changes us!!!!!!

Barely Unfolding ...I'm Too Sleepy

I've thought all day about what I could write.  Now, I'm just too tired.  It's been a long week with a lot to reflect upon.  Have you ever had those times when you've had issues and you put the pen to paper only to wish you had phrased something a different way?  I do that often, but I don't want to do it again this time.  As I reflect, I will share what I have learned, if anything.

I did have an opportunity to relax today.  After our homeschool co-op, I had lunch with two other families.  As we sat there, with kids running all around us (we were in a "private" room away from the other customers) I was able to, for just a moment, think to myself, "I am slowly unfolding right now."  I was not working or teaching, just enjoy some company and conversation.  That was nice.  Until tomorrow...