Bakin' muffins, breakin' bones, bondin' with baby frog

Our delish muffins

Mommy's search for healthy recipes our whole family will enjoy is bearing fruit--er, muffins. SheKnows.com has a recipe for these Oatmeal-Carrot Muffins, and Chance--our pickiest eater--ADORES them, eating 2, 3, or 4 at a time. I've made 3 batches in only 3 weeks, and he ate most of them.

They contain VEGGIES like fresh carrots and 1 jar of carrot baby food (I used 1 jar of baby sweet potatos, actually) along with whole wheat flour, and oats! They're moist and sweet! (See recipe at bottom.) We all like them, except Daddy who hasn't tried (i.e., won't try) them.

But Daddy really loves another healthy recipe, Turkey Sloppy Joes from http://www.weelicious.com/. They really are good and don't contain any ketchup or other icky sweetners or preservatives.

BREAKIN' BONES
When Daddy comes home from work, we eat dinner, then the kids go crazy with a last burst of energy. Last nite, Daddy got creative. He asked Chance if he broke his arm when he fell down. Chance wasn't crying, but because Daddy was grinning and they were in the midst of a game, Chance said, YES! It led to the creation of these "casts" -- Mommy took pics and wrote "I heart you" on his arm cast (I'm SUCH a Mom!). Apparently, Nestle was injured too, and the twins comforted him. What a patient pup he is (pun intended).

OUR BABY GIRL FINDS A BABY FROG
We've had lots of summer showers, and the ground has been damp, hence LOTS OF FROGS! We found one in our cup outside--a little bitty baby one. And Grace was so pleased that she carried it around the backyard with a grin on her face.
Mommy has always liked reptiles (maybe growing up in Tallahassee fostered that--lots of 'em 'round there, including alligators), so I've been trying to persuade Grace to hold the baby frog . . . this is as close as she'd get to it. (Isn't that frog CUUTE?) But at least she didn't scream or act scared or run away, like she did about a year ago (remember, Aunt Manda? We have some of that on video!). So proud of her now--that's my girl!

Here's a pic of Mommy, at about age 6 or 7, holding a snake we'd found in the yard. Uncle Matt is holding some kind of lizard, and little Aunt Manda is holding her stuffed clown--Manda was about the same age as Grace is now, so maybe they are/were too young for reptiles. :)

Recipe for Oatmeal-Carrot Muffins

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup oatmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

* jar carrot baby food

*1/2 cup shredded carrots

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir by hand until combined. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 16-18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins. (Allow toddlers to "frost" muffins with fat-free cream cheese, if desired.)

Happy 4th of July!

We're grateful for our American freedom. And we thank those who served--and are serving--in the U.S. armed forces.


Free watermelon at the downtown Summerville celebration tonite.

And free Tootsie Rolls for the twins, given to them during the parade. Their very FIRST taste of Tootsies, btw. In pics: Chance, drooling Tootsie Roll down chin (he's a bit messy when he eats) and Grace opening her mouth to reveal piece of Tootsie.


Chance asked to jump in one of the jump castles, but too many big kids made him jumpy. He didn't jump. He watched for about 5 minutes, then got out. Yes, it's a goat. Named Fudge. She was friendly . . . but the twins weren't convinced. (Did we mention that Chance is a bit messy when he eats? With watermelon, he shoves his entire face into a slice, leaving a large wet spot on his t-shirt as seen in this photo.)

Grace kisses her Daddy after the parade. We didn't stay for fireworks (at 9 pm) . . . maybe next year!