Lori's White Bread

2 packages active dry yeast or about 2 tablespoons
3/4 cup warm water
2 2/3 cups warm water
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. salt
3 T. shortening
9-10 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in 3/4 c. warm water. Stir in 2 2/3 cups warm water, the sugar, salt, shortening, and 5 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour. Punch down dough; divide in half. Form each ball into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan. Brush with butter and let rise until double, about one hour. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place loaves on low rack so that tops of pans are in center of oven. Pan should not touch each other or sides of oven. Bake 30-35 minutes or until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans. Brush loaves with soft butter , cool on wire rack.