On Bread Baking and Such

My baking whole wheat bread began when I was in high school and a couple of college fellows taught me to make whole wheat bread in a coffee can. I don't remember the recipe but it was so easy and it was delicous. Then when I was pregnant with our second daughter I took a class at our church on the Prov. 31 woman and making our own breads. It was a rich time in life, enjoying life with a two year old and learning so much about the Word of God. Carrie and I would bake bread every week and she loved it as much as I did. Then a problem occurred-I gained 9 lbs in a very short period that I attributed to having fresh, warm bread in our house to which my doctor told me to stop sampling it so much. I continued on until I burnt out my mixer. When my girls were older we got a bread making machine and we made bread several times a week and loved it. I'm not sure when we stopped or why; I was homeschooling at the time and also doing childcare so it is possible that I just didn't have the extra time or energy it took, even with a machine. Now Carrie has my machine and uses it continually to keep her family provided for. Yesterday I went to a friends house for a visit and when I walked in she told me she was making bread. I can't tell you how much I loved smelling the yeast and whole wheat mixture, needless to say today I went out and bought stone ground whole wheat flour to make bread with. Now over the years I've forgotten all the little tricks I used to make the loaves look perfect but it was such a joy to knead the dough and then wait while it was rising. Maybe it is the time of year, with the cold upon us it seems natural to stay in and bake and sew. It is so much cheaper than store bought and you know what is in it so that makes it healthier than processed bread. Although I have found Ezekiel bread and that is really a healthy bread my hubby doesn't like it. So as my bread bakes I am excited to have found this pastime and looking forward to supplying Kim's family with homemade bread. I'm hoping hubby likes it as well~I don't need to eat it all by myself.