Happy New Year!!!
The bowling tradition continues.
The boys each invited a friend to come with them to bowl. They had a lot of fun being goofy and laughing. We video taped them on slow motion and laughed as they watched themselves.
We try to eat Chinese on New Year's. The Sister Missionaries came supper. One of the missionaries is gluten and dairy intolerant. Supper was to be stir fry because it meets the requirements. Nothing cooked well that night. It was hard for me because I food be ready and taste good. I guess it can't always be perfect.
The boys have wanted a telescope for a long time. The 3 Kings brought them one.
There was a Super Moon so we could use the telescope. Sweetheart set it up, and we could see the craters on the moon. It was so cool! We are so eager to look at more starry events. I know we set it up inside the house. It was really cold outside. We need to have cleaner windows.
Each year I make a calendar for our family. We use the photos from the previous year. It is a great way for us to remember the memories from the year before. I was so happy to finish it and can't wait to see it.
The boys wanted to play basketball this coming winter season through the community recreation program. We thought that we would give them a step up by sending them to basketball camp. The boys needed the chance to learn to play (Hurricane has never played) or play better (Underfoot played one recreation session before). The camp turned out to be very hard for them. The boys took away from camp that they can
do hard things. They can learn in an environment that isn't always
easy for them.
Each evening after the camp, they would cry
tears because they didn't feel listened to or had been called names by other
participants. As parents, we understood that the staff you cannot monitor the words
of all the participants. Each night the boys would come home and said
they were called stupid, idiots, and other names. We are not naive to
think that name calling doesn't happen and believe that the camp's intent is a learning environment to build
and promote good sportsmanship.
The challenge came when the boys
would ask for clarification from a coach and be told to just watch and
they'd get it. Since Hurricane played basketball before, he didn't understand the rules of the game. His hope in coming to the camp
was to learn the rules and some basic skills so that he could
participate in recreation ball. He said that his coach wouldn't answer
his questions and felt mocked for doing it wrong instead of the
coach taking the time to explain and show him the skill.
I
asked the boys if they would like to talk to a coach to get the help
they needed and asked
if they would like me to talk with the staff to help them. They wanted
to be see as tough and not mama's boys.
We appreciated the time the staff takes to teach and share their love
of basketball. We are grateful that we had the opportunity to learn as a
family new skills and ways to support each other and hope the best for the basketball program. We shared the feedback with the program and are not expecting any response.
At the end of the camp, the boys asked to go out for ice cream or a milkshake because they had done something hard.
They said it was a reward. We went home and had milkshake in an ice cream cone.
We celebrated 3 Kings Day. The boys laid out treats for the camels and Kings.
The next morning the boys were greeted with treats. Later that day we made Rosca de Reyes by adapting a cinnamon roll bread recipe.
The recipe is listed at the end of the post. This is a fun tradition that we love.
I decided I want to improve photo skills and will take a picture each day and post pictures on a Instagram account I have.
I will also post them the blog I have for a hoped for business one day.
*****
When we parked to go in bowling, I noticed that the odometer was at 222.
It is the number of the ship Grandpa Kirkham was on during WWII.
Bowling Tradition
Bowling Tradition
Bowling Tradition
Three Kings Day
Three Kings Day
Rosca de Reyes
Adapted from
Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Ingredients
DOUGH
1 quart Whole Milk
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Reserved) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 oranges zest
1 grapefruit zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
FILLING
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
2 cups filling dried mixed fruits such as cranberries, mangoes, apricots, figs, candied citrus
ORANGE GLAZE
1 bag Powdered Sugar
Juice from the zested oranges
1/4 cup Melted Butter
1/8 teaspoon Salt
For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute. Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, zests, extracts, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal.
Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log.
Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls.
Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)
Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the counter top for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.
While the rolls are baking, make the orange glaze: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, zest, butter, and salt. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more of what is needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.
Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor
