MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010!!!

Merry Christmas! We hope this little note finds you enjoying the holiday season. This year has been a busy one for us. So, in keeping with the tradition of the Christmas Letter, here is a little update from our family!

Eden is almost 2 ½ years now. She is our darling destructo-princess. As she is growing, it is fun to see her personality come out. Edie can be a real clown, and very stubborn all at the same time. It makes it hard to discipline sometimes, haha! She loves to take everything apart, play with her sister (most of the time), hang out with her grandpa, and play with grandma’s new puppy. We love her and are very glad she is part of our family.

Nan turned 5 this year and is attending Pre-kindergarten. She missed the Kindergarten deadline by about 2 weeks, so we are still trying to decide what to do next fall. We’ll see at the end of this coming summer if she will continue on to Kindergarten, or if we’ll have her test into 1st grade. She makes friends very easily and already has a little best friend in school. Nan is taking cello lesson from her Grandma Bowman and is learning how to play I am a Child of God. He favorite things to do are play with her aunts and grandma, going to friends and cousins house for play dates, play pretend with anything she can make talk, and do anything that mommy is doing. Nan is a sweetheart and is a precious blessing in our family.

Sam is in his 4th year teaching high school special education. He is still teaching at East Shore High School. This is the alternative school in Alpine School District where kids can go to finish early, make up credit, attend after normal school hours, and in Sam’s case get the academic help they need. He gets some very interesting characters in his classes and comes home with great stories. It keeps him busy as he is the chair in the department, and has a large load of folders to keep tract of. Sam’s newest development is that he has been accepted at Emporia State University to start his Masters degree in Library Science starting in January. He is excited to start learning in this new field of study. When he is finished, it will qualify him to be a librarian, but also an archivist. Maybe he’ll work up in the church vaults someday. Time will only tell. Sam is serving as the 2nd counselor in one of the elders quorums in our ward.

Eliza is busy being a mom, and doing the everyday stuff that keeps the family running. She still gets to play her violin now and then. We haven’t been dancing in a while now, but hopefully we will remedy that soon. Eliza’s craziness this year is that she is serving as the ward Primary President. It has been a very busy year with this new development, but with the Lord’s help, the primary seems to be doing well. She is hoping to pick up a few violin students starting in January, and maybe (fingers crossed) be able to teach a little dance now and then.

We have been very blessed this year in many ways, and part of that is having such wonderful family and friends around us. Even if you are far away, we keep you in our prayers and hope and wish the best for you all. Hope you have a VERY Merry Christmas and a Wonderfully Blessed New Year!

Love- The Sam and Eliza Bryan Family

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


best Rick Riordan yet! so fun!



View all my reviews

Cakes!

I took a cake decorating class a few years back and have been hooked ever since. I am in NO WAY a professional, but I really enjoy it. I do birthday cakes, cupcakes, and have even done a few wedding cakes. Here are a few pics!

Thankful...
Since this is the month that we all reflect on our blessings, I was thinking it would be nice to say write down what I was thankful for:
A wonderful family who loves me for who I am.
A loving husband that works very hard everyday to provide.
Two DARLING kids that keep everyday fresh.
A home of our own.
Yummy food! teehee
The talents that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with and the ability and oportunities to use them.
And SO much more...
If you so feel inclined, leave a comment with what you are thankful for!

Primary Adventures

I am currently serving as the primary president in my ward, a crazy busy but very rewarding position. I just thought that throughout this time I will be posting things I've learned and ideas my presidency and I come up with. I have to say right now that most of our ideas have come from other sources, or at least the beginnings of them. YEAH FOR PRIMARY!
“Every member of the Church is important to us. Indeed, every person-member or not-is important to us, but surely among the most significant of all our responsibilities is the responsibility to protect and nurture the children of the Church… We care so much about you and about the children you are teaching. Prepare well to bless these little ones. Give it your best effort. Your influence will, quite literally, affect these children for eternity. Enjoy the assignment that you have, and discharge it faithfully… However much we love and admire children, I am certain we underestimate who and what a child is a what in the hands of God he or she may become. May God bless you always in your sacred opportunity to help save the children of this Church.”
Jeffrey R. Holland

Awesome and Easy Bread Recipe

With our lives being a bit crazy the last couple of months, I have been very lazy about making bread instead of buying it. I have an awesome recipe that takes about an hour from start to finish. Sooo, now that things have calmed down, I am buckling down and starting to make bread. Yeah for saving money! Anyway, I know that many people have been asking for this recipe so I will post it here and hope you all enjoy!
Just a few notes on the recipe:
I got this recipe from my friend Heather who got it from a lady in the area that teaches bread making classes. Just thought I should make it clear that this is not an original recipe of my own.
You can use wheat or white flour.
I generally use the 2 loaf recipe so my notes pertain to those measurements.

I don’t use a full 1/4 cup of sugar. I like a more savory bread so I just don’t fill up the measuring cup all the way and then I heap one of the tsps of salt. It worked for me, but you can experiment if you like.
I haven’t ever used another kind of yeast, but if you can’t find the SAF brand, definitely try another instant yeast in its place.
OK<>
I use my stand mixer to get things incorporated at first, but I always end up kneading it by hand at the end so I can feel the consistency. It should be still very pliable when you finish kneading it. I don’t usually knead it the full 6 minutes. Just depends on the altitude etc. Using the Pam Cooking Spray is a genius idea because that way you aren’t adding any extra flour which can make the bread dry or tough. If the dough starts to stick, I just spray a little more on the dough and my hands and it works beautifully. Don’t forget to spray your pans. I use glass usually, but I’m sure metal will work fine.
Cut the dough into the different pieces, don’t tare it or pinch. Don’t ask me why it works better but it does.

Cover your bread with plastic wrap and then a towel and place in a warmer area to rise. I usually let it rise a full 30 mins, but you can just watch it and let it get big. It should be ballooning out over the pan. It only needs to rise once as long as the water was hot enough and it is covered with the plastic wrap.
I know this sounds complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it is super easy and way fast. It probably takes me about 10 mins to mix and knead it and then the 1/2 hour to let it rise and then 20 -25 mins to bake. GOOD STUFF!

Anyway, I think that’s it. I learned the recipe off of a DVD so I had step by step instructions so if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Here is the link for the download: One Hour White Bread
HAPPY BAKING!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

One day I will remember to do this more often. I look at my friends blogs and think..."that is so cool to have this kind of media to keep up with each others lives". Anyway, here is our latest news!

Well, In December we found out that we are expecting our second bundle of joy. And just about a month ago, we found out that Nan will have a baby sister. We are feeling really good about the name Eden Kate for this next one. I have to admit that I was very hesitant about having another kid. But I felt that it was time and that Nan really needed a playmate. Growing up I always thought that I wanted a good size family and that I would be an awesome stay home mom. Then I had my first. Please don't get me wrong. I LOVE Nan, she couldn't be any cuter, better behaved or have a better personality. I love her and am SO grateful to have her in our family. I have however found out that I am a very independent person. I have had a hard time accepting my role as a stay at home mom. But through a lot of prayer and patience, I am finding myself at a more comfortable place. I also have to interject that I have a WONDERFUL family who live close and have been a lifesaver through the rough patches. I have come to understand that the Lord really does know us individually and we just have to let Him into our lives. In this way He can make us into who we need to be. I also realize that because we are individuals we don't have to fit into any mold. As long as we are following the path the Lord has set, the rest is up to us to become the person the Lord expects us to be. I have TOTAL respect for those to whom being a mother comes so naturally (aka, my mother and MANY others). I look to them for inspiration and help. Thank you to ALL those who are such a good example to me.
To sum this all up I wanted to say that I am excited to welcome this new little spirit into our home and pray that the Lord will help me be the mother He wants me to be. I am humbled and know I won't be able to do this without him. I'll keep you all updated with any news on the baby... She is due on Aug 13!