Snapshot #1073: Water! Water!

April 30, 2014.  San Jose, California.  It hit 89 degrees today.  We found respite from the heat thanks to a water feature at a local park.

Snapshot #1072: Last Class Gymnastics

April 29, 2014.  Sunnyvale, California.  It was her last class with Gym Tots today.  Miss Elicia, we will miss you.

Snapshot #1071: Bread Baker's Apprentice

April 28, 2014.  San Jose, California.  She's my little apprentice as I'm practicing for a bread baking class I will be teaching this upcoming Friday.

Snapshot #1070: Mormon Helping Hands

April 26, 2014.  Sunnyvale, California.  We worked at Sunnyvale's City Hall today planting shrubs and flowers.  Good times.

Snapshot #1069: Date Night with Daddy

April 25, 2014.  San Jose, California.  We're out on the town again...not quite 24 hours after her fever broke late last night.

Snapshot #1068: House Arrest

April 24, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Her fever hit 104.5 today.  We aren't going anywhere...except maybe to see the doctor.

Snapshot #1067: Memory

April 23, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Hazel came down with a fever yesterday afternoon so we're in house arrest today.  I'm teaching her the game, Memory.

Snapshot #1066: Easter Egg Hung 2014

April 22, 2014.  San Jose, California.  We had an easter egg hunt for the children on the back lawn of the church today.

Recipe Diaries: Snapshot #1065: Thee BEST Apple Pie

April 21, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Thee best apple pie I've ever made...or ever tasted...yes, I'm biased.  Click here for the recipe.  I made the following changes:

First, I made my mother-in-law's pie crust--
Combine 2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine 1/3 cup cold water and 2/3 cup canola oil by pouring it back and forth between two containers to air-ate and fill with tiny little bubbles
Slowly mix water/oil mixture into flour/salt mixture with a fork until just combined then divide in two equal balls and roll out between two sheets of wax paper

Then, I took 2 bartlett pears and 6 granny smith apples
I peeled, sliced and cored the apples and pears, then sprinkled them with lemon juice (to keep them from browning and give them a little extra flavor) and placed them in the pie crust.
Put the lattice work crust over the lemoned apples & pears.
Prepare the sauce.  I used salted butter and added the following ingredients:
An extra tablespoon of flour, totaling 4TB flour, added 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1 tsp vanilla (the vanilla goes in at the very end, otherwise it boils off)
Once slightly thickened, I poured the piping hot sauce slowly over the pie and crust
And baked at 350, 45 mins approx.  And...Yummm!!!

See My Recipe Below:

Ingredients
1 Recipe pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and sliced
sprinkle of lemon juice
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1.  Place the bottom crust in pie pan.  Fill with apples & pears, mounded slightly and sprinkled with lemon juice.  Cover with a lattice work crust.
2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Stir in flour to form a paste.  Add water, white sugar, brown sugar, and spices and bring to a boil.  Reduce temperature and let simmer.  Add vanilla just before pouring over the apples.
3.  Gently pour the hot sugar and butter liquid over the crust.  Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
4.  Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven.  Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F.  Continue baking for 35-45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Let sit for 15 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream.  Yummm!

Snapshot #1064: Easter Sunday 2014

April 20, 2014.  San Jose, California.  A darling easter dress from Granny, coloring eggs with Daddy, making pie crust with Mommy, and playing in a friend's yard after dinner.  Perfect day.

Snapshot #1063: Marianne's

April 19, 2014.  Santa Cruz, California.  Oh my...I have discovered Marianne's Ice Cream.  It is worth the drive to Santa Cruz just to get another scoop.  And this, by the way, is Hazel's first ever ice cream cone.

Snapshot #1062: Santa Cruz

April 18, 2014.  Santa Cruz, California.  I'm always a sucker for a day at the beach.

Snapshot #1061: Bay Aquarium...Again

April 17, 2014.  Monterey, California. Third visit in three months to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Working on getting good use out of that annual pass.  The schools of fish are so cool!

Snapshot #1060: "Knock-Knock-Lers"

April 15, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Some toddler words are better left never corrected, like "knock-knock-lers."

Snapshot #1059: Valparaiso's Easter Concert

April 13, 2014.  Menlo Park, California.  Dave sang with the Valparaiso Singers for their Easter Concert.  Love, love, love, love to hear him sing.  

Snapshot #1058: Bean Day

April 9, 2014.  San Jose, California.  My two sweet friends.

Snapshot #1057: Gymnastics

April 8, 2014.  Sunnyvale, California.  Only a few weeks left...

Snapshot #1056: Melt-Aways

April 7, 2014.  San Jose, California.  We're making melt-aways as our treat for family home evening tonight.

Snapshot #1055: Hotel Deluxe

April 5, 2014.  Portland, Oregon.  Dave and I got back to our hotel last night and they were filming the TV Series "Grimm," hmmm...never heard of it; but it was on TV upstairs.

Snapshot #1054: Business in Portland

April 4, 2014.  Portland, Oregon.  Dave had a quick business trip to Portland this weekend and I got to come along!

Snapshot #1053: The Jungle

March 31, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Rainy day, so we went with some friends to The Jungle.

Snapshot #1052: Point Lobos

March 29, 2014.  Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel, California.  My photos simply do not do this place justice.  Breathtakingly beautiful in the most unique way.

Snapshot #1051: Favorite Places

March 28, 2014.  Cupertino, California.  We took Nonnie and grandpa to one of our favorite places, Deer Hollow Farm.

Snapshot #1050: Story Time

March 27, 2014.  San Jose, California.  We are so lucky to have another set of grandparents in town!

Snapshot #1049: A Flower from Josephine

March 26, 2014.  San Jose, California.  We love you and miss you Josephine.  Save a spot for us in heaven.

Snapshot #1048: Fix-It Please

March 25, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Fix-it up chappies.

Snapshot #1047: Puppy Love

March 24, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Every night she gets to choose a family of animals to sleep with her in bed.  Tonight it was her puppies.

Snapshot #1046: Love in a Box

March 22, 2014.  San Jose, California.  Sending our love from America to Wales.  Happy Birthday Sister!