My Buns are Better than you Buns!

I just tried the best cinnamon roll recipe I have ever tasted! These things rival CinnaBon and are so full of sugar and butter that you'll have to limit yourself! This photo is without the iceing. Thought I'd include the recipe just in case anyone wants a copy. Let me know if you make them and how they turn out!

Cinnamon Buns like Cinnabon's®
Prep. Time: 4:00Serves: 12 - 15
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar3 Tbls. ground cinnamon(2) .25 oz. pkts. active dry yeast1 tsp. granulated sugar1 cup 110 degree water1 cup warm milk2/3 cups granulated sugar2/3 cup melted butter OR margarine2 tsp. salt2 eggs - slightly beatenup to 8 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts OR pecans - optional1/2 cup melted butter OR margarine1/3 cup granulated sugar4 cups powdered sugar2/3 cup melted butter OR margarine2 tsp. vanilla extract1 tsp. maple extract - optional, but recommendedup to 6 Tbls. hot water
-Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and the cinnamon; set aside.-In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in warm water; set aside.-In a large bowl, mix together milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, salt, and eggs; add yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour to mixture; beat until smooth; stir in enough flour to form a slightly stiff dough.-Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 8 minutes.-Place dough into a large greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.-Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.-Roll dough out onto a floured surface into a 15" X 20" rectangle.-Brush 1/2 cup melted butter over dough; sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over dough; sprinkle nuts evenly over dough, if desired.-Tightly roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal; cut the roll into 12 - 15 slices using dental floss or thread.-Coat the bottom of a 13" X 9" X 2" baking pan with 1/2 cup melted butter; sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar evenly in the bottom of the pan.-Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the prepared pan; cover pan and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.-Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown.-Stir together powdered sugar, 2/3 cup melted butter, and extracts; stir in hot water, 1 Tbls. at a time, until the glaze reaches desired spreading consistency.-Spread prepared icing over slightly cooled rolls.

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So many GigaBytes, so little Time!

Some more cute pictures I "couldn't resist" adding to the blog! The one of Caleb is for you Sis. Preston! Soft Bear has become the chosen flavor of the month!

How Firm a Foundation...

Tonight we had the missionaries over for dinner. I enjoy having them over for a lot of reasons:

#1-I like to cook for people and most missionaries think that they have to eat everything on their plate, so I always feel good washing the dishes.

#2-It's fun for the boys to see them and to ask them questions about serving a mission.

#3-It lets David reminisce about the good 'ole days being in Portugal. Different country, but same church, right!

#4- They challenge me to do things that I would never be motivated to do on my own.

Tonight they challenged me to give out one pass-along card in one week. No, I haven't been able to give one out since we've been here. I'm such a chicken! I guess I don't want people to think about me, what I would think about someone else trying to "sell" me on their religion. Frankly, I know I'm right and I know that I'm a member of the only true gospel on this earth, but how many other religious people think this way? Would they believe that the true gospel "sells" itself? Any comments from converts? ...I've always wondered if I would have joined the church if I hadn't been born into it, but I'd like to think that I would have, if I had been given the chance. Hopefully I would recognize the pure truthfulness of it all and join because I was, at first, willing to listen to someone's opinion.

Anyway, wish me luck. I'm going to the grocery store tomorrow. Let's see if I can let one accidentally fall out of my wallet and on to the conveyor belt! There's a conversation piece! I need to get over the fact that people might think that I'm a little weird and just do it because I need to share the Gospel with as many people that I can. They have no idea what joy they are missing in life!

..And yes, I did end up scrubbing pee out of the carpet. (refer to picture above, ^)

Here are some pictures of the missionaries doing what they do.....2nd best. Taking pictures! While having desert on the patio, one of the Elders decided to go for a ride on the Big Wheel! Caleb wasn't too sure it would work. To be honest, I wasn't sure either. This post's for you, David Andrew!

Trauma, Life in the E.R.

This week has been really interesting. I felt like I was a doctor with all of the medicine I have been dishing out! Jake has had an ear infection so I gave him a prescription for that. Well, then he broke out with a rash all over his body so we stopped that and started giving him Benadryl. In addition to the rash, he is still cutting teeth so we threw in some Motrin to top it off. Yesterday, Caleb had a fever so he's been getting Motrin as well. I'm on three different Acne medications, so add that to the pot and we are seriously doped up over here! Luckily, David has been spared. I just keep telling him to take his vitamins!
Anyway, nights have been crazy, too, with not much sleep and last night wasn't any different. Early this morning we heard Caleb crying. David went in to check on him and Caleb told him that he didn't want "Soft Bear's head to have a hole in it." He was pretty upset about it all and calmed down after David told him that Mommy would sew it up it the morning. Well, as you can see by the pictures, surgery went fine and Soft Bear is recovering comfortably. All in a days work!

Yumm-o

Can I just say that this cookie was made especially for me! If you haven't tried it, you haven't lived, and that's all I have to say about that!

How Sweet is Da Honey

Can I just tell you how lucky I am to have the Husband that I have! The other day I hurt my back carrying car seats and a stroller up our apartment stairs. Well, I haven't been able to bend over very easily or carry kids much, so David has really had to do a lot. I was just thinking of all the reasons why I love him so much and why he is so perfect for me. Here are a few of them:
1. He goes shopping for paint samples with me just because he knows I'm excited about it.
2. He'll watch chick-flicks and occasionally Jane Austen movies with me.
3. He eats everything I cook and acts like it is the most delicious thing he has ever tasted. (What About Bob? anyone......)
4. He would rather play with our boys than guys his own age!
5. He is excited when I have a fun day or when something good happens to me.
6. He still brings me flowers often. (I think the temple flowers smell better anyway!)
7. He rubs my neck, back, feet, and hands whenever I ask him to.
8. He always shares his drink with me.
9. He gets excited about new tractors! (Even if he doesn't get to take them home)
10. He tells me he loves me and gives me a kiss every single day.

I am so blessed to be married to such a wonderful father, priesthood holder, friend and handsome hunk there ever was! I love you Honey!

A Little bit of Spring

Mom, here are those Easter pictures I've been promising you! It took us a while but we got it done! I thought this bridge was so neat and it was perfect to take the boys' pictures. Jake even had matching shoes like Caleb, but his feet are still too thick to put any shoes on his feet. Poor kid! My Jakey has turned from a baby into a little boy in these pictures, I think.

The weather has been beautiful the last few days. I even got a sunburn (which really isn't too difficult when you are using Retin-A) but just thought I'd put that out there for all of you who just had more snow over the weekend! I'm sorry!

Hey Natalie, want another photo project? Can you combine the two top photos and make it so both of the boys are smiling? Let me know that you think!