I had to do some work tonight. So I was in babe's room while she played and I worked. When I have to work during her waking hours I usually sing songs about the toys she is playing with, usually I have to make them up. She grabbed her butterfly toy, so I started sing the song "Butter fly Kisses". At one time I thought this song too cheesy for my taste. I went to youtube to see the video. I bawled.like.a.baby. And because I was crying my baby started crying. It was quite the sight. Seeing her little self and how she already has her daddy wrapped around her finger (For example. This has been a very busy week for me, so she has been having a lot of one-on-one time with daddy. In one week and two times he has been solo with her: BLOWOUTS. TWICE. ONE WEEK. And he handled them like a pro - ok by the second one he was pro.) the tears just started flowing.

Sorry, it took me so long to post these, I was experimenting with the recipes.

These recipes come from my dear friend Erin, who is wonder woman.

Granola Bars

Stir together:
2 c. oats
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flax seed (ground--a good brand is Bob's Red Mill. It might be in the fridge at the store)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Add:
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. peanut butter (use crunchy and your bars have nuts!)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3/4 c. chocolate chips or raisins, craisins, dried apples, etc.

Mix with hands. Press into a 9x13 greased pan. Bake at 20 minutes (no more, no less). Cool in pan for 5 minutes (no more, no less--if more, they turn into a brick and it's hard to get them out, if less, they fall apart). Cut, remove, let cool on rack. YUM! I haven't made these in a while, I don't know why. Guess I better make some now. If you find they're too crumbly or too soggy or whatever, adjust the peanut butter and/or honey. I baked them at 300 degrees. (The degree wasn't in the recipe I have seen recipes bake them at 300 or 350 - really I was sure if that would be high enough with the egg. But no sickness here :)

Graham Crackers
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. whole barley flour (I had a hard time finding this, so I used spelt flour, which has a sort of nutty flavor. You can also use graham flour, if you can find that)
1/2 c. white flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 c. chilled butter
1/3-1/2 c. milk
Mix all dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Add milk until a sticky dough forms. Knead smooth by hand. Make it about like pie crust, not too dry to roll out, not too sticky to knead. Chill for an hour. Roll out 1/16 inch or so and cut unto squares. I would use a cookie cutter of some sort, because cutting with knives distorts their shapes. I use a Gerber baby food lid. Rub cinnamon and sugar onto each cracker, if desired. Prick with holes on top, if desired. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (I found that 11 minutes is my preference. The longer their in, the crunchier they are).

**Now, I tried to make the graham crackers healthier by substituting the half stick of butter for 1/2 cup of applesauce (I have done it before it other recipes). The verdict: AWFUL. I can't eat them. Lucky, for me the babe doesn't notice. She devours them regardless.

ENJOY!

I am sorry. I recorded it vertical and do not how to rotate it, so you will have to turn your head sideways.

I know I have been a bit MIA. But I have been busy being a domestic goddess. Brad and I started this "PHAT Challenge". He stepped on the scale and saw that he would like to lose some weight, and well, I am still carrying around an extra 20 pounds from the babe. I like this "PHAT Challenge" because it isn't your typical weight lose challenge. It is based on points. (You get a point for water, exercising, eating fruit and veggies etc) so there is more to it than just weight loss. So I decided to take this opportunity to do other things to change how we eat. I know processed foods are terrible for you, so I am trying to cut processed food out of our diet. And after researching it I CANNOT believe how much we eat is processed. Things you would never think. So I started making our own granola bars and graham crackers (the babe LOVES graham crackers).

I have been getting freezer meals together (thank you pinterest). Everything is done all the chopping and cutting, I just open the bag and dump it in the crock pot. They are packed with veggies. The test: are they any good? I haven't tried yet.

Oh, and green smoothies. Easiest way to get your servings of fruit and veggies. My favorite: One big handful of spinach (which is about 2 cups), 1 banana, and 1 mango, and 1 cup of ice. Nothing else. I love it. (Don't mind the picture of me, I just finished a 45 minutes ride on the stationary bike).

And other things: We have been enjoying this unrealistic 55 degree weather in January. Enjoying some time on our new deck. (Oh, yeah, and the babe is growing. It is pure joy to watch her learn new things and continue to develop but I do it with a lump in my throat. My heart telling my brain, "No, no, no. Stay my baby forever." It can't happen, and it shouldn't happen, I know, but...)


Anyway, we hope everyone had wonderful holidays. We missed our east coast family, but we will visit again after winter.