Table for Eight

This summer has been anything but normal. And that's a good thing, really. I mean, after all, who wants to be normal ? And with that small intro, here's a sampling of our  not-so-normal lives this summer: We've been to the movies (to see Brave). (Psst: photo taken just before the "turn cellphones off" warning. Promise.) Our 5 youngest kiddos rescued this little lady from an intersection on Tuesday. She stayed with us overnight--just long enough for the kids to start asking if we could keep her. But guess what? Animal Control found her owner. Woo hoo! We've planted not one, not two, but 29 pumpkins (and named them all). We've gone to a summer church activity (it's a Bike Wash, PS). We've picked vegetables ... from someone else's garden. (We went to a U-Pick garden because somehow we m issed the whole planting season this year.  W ell, not entirely; we do have pumpkins planted.) And f...

About 8 years ago, I went to an "Enrichment" class at church in California. The class was taught by our Bishop's wife (whom I absolutely love PS). I signed up for the class because SHE was teaching it. I really didn't know what we'd be learning that night (these monthly classes run on all kind of topics--service auctions, birthday dinners, game nights, etc.); I only knew that I needed to bring a pie-tin if I wanted to participate. And so I went. Pie-tin in-hand--and learned to bake bread. And the rest, as they say, is  history . What I mean to say is, that night literally changed my life. And I'm not exaggerating. To date, I think I've made bread--rain or shine, feast or famine, sickness or health--at least once a week EVERY week for the last 8 years. (Well, minus 2 months when I was in Samoa playing Survivor.) Learning to make bread was like a revelation to me. I love love love the process of making bread . . . * I love the m...

I'm  almost done with my latest post (because WOW! was this ONE crazy week) ... but in the meantime, I've added a recipe for Irish Soda Bread to the Recipe of the Week section. I hope some of you will try it.  It's our family's favorite holiday bread. Hope you're having a beautiful weekend.

My best "Cowboy Rick" impersonation. On the heels of yesterday's somewhat whine-y post about our experience at the library, I wanted to post today about all of the AWESOME people there are on Planet E. Because if there's one thing being on national television has taught me, it's that 99.9% of the world's population is KIND, GENEROUS, FUN, THOUGHTFUL, and LOVING. Prove it, you say? I can. Using 6 of my most recent Twitter exchanges-- with people I've never met in person -- I can prove my theory: My Theory = Planet E is overflowing with kind, generous, fun, thoughtful, loving people. Examples #1 and #2 Stephen Fishbach and Courtney Yates are both Survivors (Tocantins, China, Heroes v. Villains) They both corresponded with me via Twitter once Survivor South Pacific started airing.  Though we've never officially met,  we have had so many kind, funny exchanges on twitter. They are downright good peop...

PS: The post is for Caralyn, this pix is for me! Yesterday I received an email comment from a blog reader asking for my bread recipe. And it was then that I realized, "More people than my just my mother-in-law are reading this blog--because she knows and gives me most of my recipes." LOL. So Caralyn, sorry I didn't post this sooner. I'm really not that secretive when it comes to bread baking. I just don't like to tell people HOW to do things--ever--even when it comes to recipes. It feels, I dunno, kinda arrogant?  Plus, I know as soon as I say "We use white flour," someone will say, "Oh, I never use white flour." And at the end of the day, I'm all about co-existing. I don't want you to change--or be me--I want you to be you and me to be me. So, no matter how you feel about bread after reading this post, remember YOU GOTTA BE YOU. AND I GOTTA BE ME. Tee hee. PS: See how my brain works, people? A little questio...