Kids In The Kitchen

I found this recipe some where online and I am dying to try it. It's the best of both worlds! Cinnamon rolls and blueberries. 

I have decided to make it a kids in the kitchen day. Let them all help out making yummy rolls. Yes, it gets a little harry when they are all in my kitchen and then everyone wants to lick the bowl! But I think I will enjoy it, be a little frazzled and take lots of pictures. Regardless it will be lots of fun and the kids will have the time of their lives.

Does anyone else out there have their kids in the kitchen? I actually think it's important. It gives you that bonding time as well as teaching your kids how to cook. And they can say "my mom/dad taught me how to make..." I know that when I tell my kids my parents taught me to make something, it's a pretty special feeling to be able to say that and then pass on what you were taught.

So I am going to give this recipe a try tomorrow (I hope) and then I will share the results with you.


Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: makes 24

Ingredients:


For the Dough
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
4 cup flour
1/2 cup flour
1/2 heaping tsp baking powder
1/2 scant tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp salt

For the Blueberry Filling
1 pint blueberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 cup water

Additional Blueberries for Sprinkling
1 pint blueberries
2 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp flour
1 batch Cream Cheese Frosting


Directions:


For the Blueberry Filling
In a small saucepan, combine 1 pint of the blueberries, sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice and water. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to thicken slight. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

For the Dough
Mix whole milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald to 150 degrees. Let cool until lukewarm (~45 minutes). Sprinkle in yeast and let sit. Then add 4 C flour, stir mixture together. Cover and let sit for one hour.

Add 1/2 C flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir mixture together.

Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle surface generously with flour and form into a rectangle, roll the dough thin, maintaining a rectangular shape. Spread half of the blueberry filling onto the dough. Sprinkle half of the additional blueberries for sprinkling on top. Roll the dough toward you. Pinch the seam to seal it. Grease foil cake or pie pans. Cut rolls 3/4 to 1 inch thick and lay in greased pans. Repeat with other half of dough and blueberry filling.

Cover the rolls and let sit for 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes.

Generously drizzle frosting over warm rolls after they come out of the oven.

Hello World!

Well it's been a while.

It seems like the move really took a lot out of me emotionally. I was so happy to get out of NC, but of course I miss the very few friends that I made. All of my "adopted" kids I really miss the most. They brought so much joy to us all.
My visit home was just too short. Leaving Virginia was hard, as it always is. I hate leaving my family. I know this will be for a short time but it still sucks. The hardest is being away from my son. I wish he was home.
So much has happened that has been devastating to our family and for now I can't get into it. But always know that prayers are appreciated.

We made it to California. After car issues as well as being robbed in Tennessee, we made it.

We like our house here. it's a 5 bed room which all of the kids love. The back yard is pretty awesome. Yes, because there is a park in it-lol! I could do without all the sand, though the kids love it.

All the kids are enjoying their schools. They seem to be doing well, Thank God. The only thing I dislike very much is that there are no school buses here unless you want to pay for it. $600 per kid a year! That's just crazy. They tax for everything here and can't afford to get the kids to school?! So I drive all day 3-4 round trips and three different schools. I am always tired from the running around. I hate it. I look forward to school breaks just so I can sleep and not have to drive. It's sad, I don't want to get in a car unless I have to.

We found our church. It's nice. I am teaching 5th and 6th grade Catechism. I love it. I have a great class, as always.

Homecomings and Birthdays!!

                                                       My son is home!

What an extra HAPPY DAY the 7th of August was! My son returned from deployment and my sweet daughter Vikktorria celebrated her 9th birthday!

I was almost late! I was told by Port Ops that the ship would be pulling in at 2pm. I was so excited. Then the Ombudsman says no it's at 2:45pm. Then I was irritated. The ombudsman was very positive that she was right and Port Ops and no clue what they were talking about. Lesson one-Port Ops is always right.lol!
I had what felt like, so much to do. I had to drive to Elizabeth City first because my tax consultant sent my return there instead of my parents. I decided to stop at my house and see if the packers had packed my cast iron pans. I just had a feeling they were still there.
So first stop, the old house and I ended up rescuing my pans. Then a quick run into my post office to sign papers and over night them to my tax consultant. I was so thankful to get there and get it done. Then of course the kids were hungry so a quick stop at McDonald's then off to meet my friend Melissa and her kids at the Wal-Mart so that she could follow us to the ships homecoming because her husband was on the ship too! I was happy to have company and well it's always exciting to have someone with you that won't wine "I have to go pee, I'm thirsty and it's hot". HAHA!
The hardest part was parking. It's a carrier homecoming so you have like 5000 people and all their families. It was crazy. I was mad because I didn't want to park so far out. We finally parked and as we were walking I could see his ship coming in. I was so happy and so sad. I had wanted to be there not running to get there in time.
But we got there. The kids were so supper excited. I took 372 pictures of the ship coming in and people coming off.

Jamie (my husband) got to see first hand what I go through with all the kids on the pier waiting on him when he would come in. The kids that complain and want it to just be over, the kids that just can't stand still so you end up chasing them and the dreaded its it over yet, where are they....

Well the ship was in and tied and the brow was put up. The Captain called for "All Hands", everyone was getting off the boat and at the same time. The pier was just flooded with Sailors coming down to meet family and friends. All the happy faces, the tears and the ones that just wanted out.

Steve (Melissa's husband) came down the pier and there was Briana, Taylor and Ryan jumping for joy that he was home and off the boat. He's a Air guy. Now my son, he's an Engineer and well they are the last off. So we waited and I swear it was killing Kyle-ha! I had my 7 kids, husband, my dad and 2 of D.J.'s best friends waiting.

Security kept everyone off to the sides but Jamie was able to walk up the pier and find him. Ya I was a bit jealous, haha! But as the crowd began to thin out we finally saw him. Jamie was holding Immanuel and to his side was my D.J. I was so happy and Kyle was just wanting him to hurry up and run to him.ha! So I asked the security guard if my son could go and see his brother. He smiled and said yes. So Kyle took off like a bat out of hell! HAHA!! Followed by the rest of the kids and friends. It was such a happy moment.


So my kids are all back together and happy. I am so thankful for ALL of my kids. The ones I had and the ones that I have inherited. You know, I hear these kids whine and complain and wish each other away and when it happens all they want is each other back. I love it.

The Stay...

When traveling back home we normally stay at home. This time it's a little more difficult to do.

My parents are awesome. They have a house full of family, that just prooves how awesome they are. They never turn away family, never. I think that has prooven to bite them in the ass.

Originally we too were going to stay there. But today I came to the decsion that it would be too much. With our family being large and so many people already there I just didn't forsee a good out come. There would be no space and only 2 bathrooms. I could very easily stay at my sisters house, she has plenty of space. But it's like 30 min or so from my parents and the base where my husband has to go. So to save on gas and still be with our family I found a nice Inn. It's basically a 2 bedroom appartment. It will be plenty of room with my son staying with my parents (so he can hang out with his couin and Uncle) and my oldest daughter and possibly one other staying at my sisters house cause she's just so cool-lol!
It will all work out. That's what I keep telling myself-lol! I just want to be with my family as much as we can and let everyone still have their space. Not too crazy, right?
I have it all planned out..Pool, park, lots of fun. It will be so nice to spend our time with family and friends. And at the end of the day a place to stay with elbow room-lol!

Getting the cars ready.

The not so fun part about moving is that all of the cars need to be ready. When you have 3 cars that equals lots of money. Not fun to shell out-lol!

So tonight we had to put tires on the Suburban (a vehicle that sat for 5 yrs, no joke) and the Saturn....$800 later...HUH :(
Then we had to get brakes, drums, pads and rotters for the Suburban (I think that's what they were)....And $300 later.... :(
We replaced the gas tank and fuel pump in the Suburban, ugh! But now it runs like a dream....So I've been told-lol! I really can't wait to drive it :)
I was going to get seat covers but he refuses to let me get the black ones that say FORD on it-LOL!!! So I have to keep shopping around.

Now we have to change the oil and filters in all the vehicles and whatever else it is before you make a long drive. OH, when I say WE I actually mean HE-lol!

I can't believe we are so close to being out of here, YAY!!!

Where has the time gone?

Where has the time gone?

I have been so busy and it seems like every time I say I'm coming on here I forget what I am doing and then log off my laptop..lol!

Well we are at the last leg of my sons deployment. I am so happy and ready for him to come home.

Yes, that's his ship..The USS Abraham Lincoln and some awesome planes above. He is having a great time out there. He loves it and I am so glad. He did have some moments where he was just flat out tired from all of the work. But he pushed on and did what needed to be done. He makes me so proud. He misses home and all of us here miss him too!

He was lucky enough to see places that not many can say they saw. I just hope he took lots of pictures for his memories and well for me-haha!!

He missed a lot.. Birthday's, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, the other holidays. But he did get to call home. I loved that he called as much as he could. I could always hear how he felt in his voice. It made me sad a couple of times when he called tired and I'd think he was upset. He would reassure me that he was just tired and hadn't gotten much sleep due to his watches and well his job. Proud I tell you!

Well now we will get to make up for all of the missed time :)  I can't wait! Our entire family and his friends are excited for him to be home.

Missing my Son

Oh my, It's been too long.

So much has happened and I just don't know where to begin.

Well my oldest son is enjoying his deployment. He said it's hard work but he loves it. He has been working on all of his qual's and standing plenty of watches and he loves what he's doing out there. Thankfully he calls home very often. I love being able to hear his voice. I miss him so much. They have extended his deployment 2 times.

Now having said all of that we are up for orders. So that means a move is in our future. I'm torn. I am so torn up about moving this time for two reasons.
1. We wanted shore duty in North VA. This way we were going home and would be with family. Not happening. We are going cross country.
2. We wanted to be near our son. Now we will be opposite sides of the country.

I love moving. It's like a fresh start every time. New places, new people....New everything. Plus we are so use to it. This is the one place I and the kids have lived for this long. It's time for a change. Thankfully we got orders to a nice place and it will help hubby's career as well.

I hate that my son will be here and not with us. I know he's a grown man. I know it's time to "cut the cord". He's my oldest son/child but always my baby. I am going to worry about him so much. But I have faith that he will continue to grow and do great things even though I am not going to be able to physically hold his hand like I totally would like to-lol!

He's missing home and all of his little brothers and sisters. He spends money like a girl-lol! But he's doing better. We've sent out 4 packages so far and he loved them. I have another one going out this week. Full of dark chocolates. Yes I miss my baby! He's such a good boy.

This is a part of our military life. You say hello and see you later. But regardless I love this life.