starbucks pumpkin loaf

I must admit i have become quite addicted to this starbucks pumpkin loaf. i know there are better pumpkin breads out there. and i have once or twice made a good recipe. but a good recipe is hard to come by. i found this recipe online and was overjoyed!! think of the money youll save!!

i made this and was pleasantly surprised by how much it tasted like the starbucks kind. it has the same texture too! ( highly reccommend getting pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top.)

I omitted some of the water it calls for and was a little dissapointed. but it was still really good and fairly moist.

its very pumpkiny... and moist. try it with chocolate chips, pecans or walnuts.

Starbucks pumpkin loaf--- ( makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins)

1 cup butter or margarine

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 1/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

2/3 cups water

2 cups canned pumpkin

1 c nuts ( optional)

cream together butter, sugar, and eggs

combine all dry ingredients. mix dry to wet, and alternate with water

pour into 2 greased loaf pans.

or you can make 24 muffins. sprinkle pumpkin seed nuts on top.

bake at 350 for 55 -60 minutes

highlight of september

QUILT -O- RAMA

at the end of september, i meant to get around to updating, but just didnt have it in me.

( those with kids in school know about september, and how ridiculously busy it is)

i went to a quilt fair by myself ( boo hoo) . i was determined to go because i had heard from friends how fun it was. now, i must admit, there were some fun things going on there.

but i would have had more fun with a friend who likes to sew, or with Ruby.

Here are some pics of some amazing , and i mean AMAZING quilts.

Too bad you cant see this one very well. this was my favorite of the whole show i think.

its SOOOO detailed. and ....do you see the blue ribbon at the bottom? it won best artistic quilt.

this was my second favorite---i wanted ruby to see it. it was gigantic, the picture doesnt do any of these justice.

these art quilts were incredible. who knew you could do this with fibers and fabric?

i want this for my bed!!

this was some of the cutest fabric i have ever seen . too bad they werent selling the fabric!!

you could make a pile of scraps with this fabric and it would still be cute.

BACK TO SCHOOL

School is starting, and its really official because we got the kids portraits on friday.

I guess its really hard to get all my kids to smile together. The pictures were a bit dodgy. but i refused to let it be a complete waste---and purchased them all! that way , i just couldnt justify doing it again :)

YAY!!! the kids are going off to school again. Ruby went today, and Ezra goes to preschool for the first time next week. im excited for the possibility of having a little extra time to myself. perchance- CRAFT-O-RAMA? ooooohhh the possibilities!

Im sad that summer is over. there is a chill in the air in the mornings now. i have been wearing sweaters the last two days! And, now i have to say goodbye to pools, sunny weather, my garden tomatoes and squash, and popsicles. those are all the summery things that are not the same when school starts.

But, there are great possibilities that come with "back to school" . Learning potential.

we went over Rubys goals for the year, and im excited for her to reach her goals. Here are some of them:

--Learn to tie shoes

--Learn to count money well

--Read more chapter books

--Make bed each day

--Make a goal at soccer

Shes growing up. and theres not much i can do about it. she is becoming such an asset to our family with her helping. She helps out with the other kids more than usual now, watches out for them. Its so nice to see how responsible she is becoming. Makes me feel like im not a complete failure!

Mr Mcpooh

Here are a few funny things Ezra has been saying lately . Luckily he has been funny, or else I might just put him up for adoption :)

1-When asked what he wants to do for fun, in the future of his life he said that "punching a shark"

was top on the list.

2-"i am a race-car driver, and race-car drivers dont eat peanutbutter sandwiches". And then i had to explain to him that even racecar drivers have to stop and eat or else they would be too tired to go anymore. And then he said, " your right, i am too tired to go anymore"

3-Last night while ruby was having cuddle time, and he was trying to go to sleep-- " Ruby , stop talking! Youre noising my peace and quiet!"

4-As we were in the car , waiting to turn left at the top of our street: " mom, my razor scooter is way faster than our car".

Ruby Retorted, "if there was a cheetah running on the road right now, traffic would be going way faster".

3 year olds are funny.

paper and I are not friends

I have come to the blunt conclusion-- I must have been born in an astrological sign that is anti-paper. maybe its fire, maybe its water, but its definately NOT air or anything that would condone the productivity, organization, and proliferation of paper.

Paper products, junk mail, and small slips of paper ( namely receipts)-just dont like me, and i dont like them. heck, even my "paper anniversary" didnt go off that well--as far as i can remember---wait, which one is the paper anniversary---the first?

its pretty comical. and pretty sad. im the only person i know who has piles and piles of paper junk overflowing my house. I even hired someone a while back that was suppose to help me figure out how to manage it---and while my system is awesome for doing that---you have to USE it to have it work.

What is the secret to not letting this happen? do normal people just spend an hour a day managing paper? i dont want to devote my life to managing paper!

If you know me, be a friend, dont ever give me a peice of paper with your number on it---or any other information on it please! ill just lose it , and have to come to you with my tail between my legs to tell you that its gone, and would you kindly give me the information again.

I HEART forever 21

I went into the biggest Forever 21 store in history . it was at south towne mall in south jordan utah. they moved into an old abandoned mervyns building----so it was HUGE!! and the best part....open until 10 pm .....just like mervyns.

i got lost in the jewelry section. it was mind blowing. awesome vintage looking necklaces for 12 dollars. this is totally cheesy, but it was "show stopping" that is how cool it was.

whats another word for show stopping? thats the best i could do.....peace out.

Banantastic bread

The only thing that has gotten me through this day is the thought that i will be able to enjoy a piece of this bread.
Im gonna call this Triple B bread. triple b--meaning: Best, Beloved, Banantastic bread!!

I got this recipe from Stephanie Mckellar. Maybe that is why i love this bread so much. it reminds me of Stephanie when she used to live here. this bread is a lot like Stephanie---perfectly sweet and balanced.

trust me....this is the best banana bread you will ever have. double the recipe. you wont regret it. and youll get rid of that pile of costco bananas that is collecting fruit flies!!

You can do so much with this recipe. you can add pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips ( thats what i always add)

Stephanies Banana Bread , AKA triple B bread

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter ( softened)

2 eggs

3 over ripe bananas mashed

Grease a regular sized loaf pan. sprinkle sugar on the bottom of the pan.

sift together dry ingredients . mix wet ingredients together.

slowly add dry ingredients to wet

Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

POOL PARTY baby

Ruby loses her top front tooth at bagley reunion

The best thing i ever did this summer was to get a pool membership at the neighborhood pool.

i know, it seems obvious, but you have to be on a waiting list to get a membership, and even if they can get you in, you have to pay an astounding amount of cash. Jason was totally against it, but its made our kids SOOOOO happy. we got our first swim lessons this summer. and the kids are like fish now. its been so nice to be able to cool off in a pool. maybe we will dig one out in our back yard :) just kidding.

Ezra cant swim, but he loves to torture whoever is in the pool by hitting them with stuff. is it too early to have testosterone poisoning?

Reunion Time!

These are the photos from our Bagley Reunion that we went to in Pine Arizona. we got back around the 2oth of June, So , it was a while ago. I am just getting around to taking a look at all our summer photos. im feeling very pathetic and sorry for my family that they have such a bad photographer. Luckily, someone in the bagley family is able to take pictures. or i wouldnt have any of these. i didnt take any of these. lucky for you.

sisters and sis in laws

Bros and Brother in laws

Ezra became a man at this reunion--- he's really embracing wild boy ways

Lucille my little darling in a swim suit

Anson, Mia, Gracie, Ruby

Ezra, Brik, Sophie

Girls crafty time

Gracie, Ruby, & Sam

We love you BAGLEY family!! it was such a fun reunion. The kids Played and played in the forts, treehouses, trampoline and waterfall outside. The Adults got to visit blissfully inside with minimal child interruption. DID I MENTION THAT WE GOT A CATERER? folks getting a caterer for your family reunions with children is the only way to do it!!!! great food, fun in the swimming holes, spa night, crafts, lazer tag---what more could want? it was an awesome reunion. thanks to all who did hard work planning. Thanks Elaine and Errol for letting us all stay up there!

The Mediterranean

We Just got back late last night from our trip. So these are the exclusive photos. please ignore my snickery face in most of them. as i am not photogenic. but it was an AMAZING trip. the trip of a lifetime. I celebrated my birthday in Venice. and it was the best birthday ever.

FOr those who dont know, Jason and i took a mediterranean cruise to Italy and greece for my 30th birthday ( and our 10th anniversary celebration). we have never travelled without kids since we had them. it was quite a treat. thanks Errol and Elaine for making this possible!!

this is the Parthenon.

City of Athens in the background of the site of the Acropolis

More Parthenon---- its just too awesome!!

This is the NIKE temple at the Acropolis. the Ladies are so beautiful that hold it up

This is an ancient city on the Isle of Delos. ( birthplace of appolo) this city, and some of its remains date 3,000 years back. this was someones formal living room. look at the beautiful mosaic floor. you cant see the art work in the middle, but it was a god riding a tiger. one of the only peices of "tiger art" in greece.

This is Mykonos---just breathtaking

Jason just stripped down and had to go for a dip. he couldnt help himself the water was just too beautiful and warm :)

Its very humble, but this is where the light the torch for every olympics. this was taken in ancient olympia.

Taking a picture with this statue was not allowed. i got in trouble for it. but it was worth it. this was the ancient archeological museum of olympia. its where they keep all the original carved statues.

This was a beach in Katakolon ( where olympia is) . i must admit. it was a great experience. Jason was frolicking in the ocean , and i forgot my bathing suit---i had to sit around and wait for him to get his ocean time in. ahhhh--some of the ladies were topless!!

We ended our trip in venice. that place is so freakin cool!! i reccommend everyone go to venice before they die. or if you take any trips to italy----be sure to go there. they say its sinking. so ya better hurry!!

eating gelato

view of the grand canal

ALAS, one of my big regrets is not taking a gondola ride.

next time ill bring more money :)