2.29.2012

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins {recipe}




A few weeks ago was Anton's "Beary Special Week" at Preschool. 

This is the exciting week where he got to make a Poster telling all about himself, 
I come in to read his favorite book 
{an anatomy book given to him by our sweet friend - & my obgyn, after asking her m.a.n.y body ?'s}

He also got to bring a snack in for all his friends in class to enjoy. 

This is the recipe he chose to make...




Anton loves picnics so we incorporated it into the grass baking cups & picnic looking napkins. 
It's the details that make things extra fun.



ingredients:

flour, rolled oats, light brown sugar, organic white sugar, cinnamon, 
baking powder, salt, milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, 
& of course...apples.




{anton's favorite part is always cracking the eggs}




Someday I'll break down and get one of those tools specifically made for taking the skin off apples. 
But for now, I'm completely content in doing it the old-school way: with a knife.




In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. 

In another bowl, stir together milk/water, eggs, oil, and vanilla until blended. 







Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add wet ingredients, 
stirring just to combine. 

Stir in apple.



Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes
{or until they pass the toothpick test}




Personally, I like how muffins look with a little dusting of powdered sugar on top. 
Kind of finishes it off without adding anything too sweet. 



Anton was excited when they came out of the oven

...but I thought it was missing a little something.




Going along with Anton's favorites {and his love for anatomy & body stuff}, we decided to add some eyeballs to the muffins.  He completely freaked out, so excited about how they looked. 

I got the eyeballs at Target and Ben & I had actually put them in his stocking at Christmas, knowing he'd love to put them on something we cooked together, at some point. We stuck them on using the tiniest little bit of icing/glaze from my post here.

{I couldn't find they eyes on Target's site, but click here for a link to some other options}

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

These are great for breakfast. It's like eating apple cinnamon oatmeal. 


The only thing I'd like is for them to have less sugar, 
so the next time I make them I will try them with less. 


The healthier, the better!



{recipe}
apple cinnamon oatmeal muffins

. ingredients .

. 1½ cups whole wheat flour,
. 1/2 cup rolled oats
. 1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
. 1/3 cup sugar
. cinnamon to taste
. 2 teaspoons baking powder
. 1/2 teaspoon salt
. 2/3 cup milk or water
. 1/2 cup oil
. 2 eggs, lightly beaten
. 1 teaspoon vanilla
. 1½-2 cups chopped apples


. directions . 

. Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a muffin pan {or use baking cups}.

{step 1} In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. 



{step 2} In another bowl, stir together milk/water, eggs, oil, and vanilla until blended. 


{step 3} Make a well in centre of dry ingredients and add wet ingredients, stirring just to combine. 


{step 4} Stir in apple.


{step 5} Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a muffins pass the toothpick test.


. Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack for five minutes before removing from pan to continue cooling.
Serve warm or completely cooled. 



. Muffins can be frozen.


enjoy!


TERESA

2.14.2012

Valentines {tutorial}

Happy Valentines Day! 

In our house, this holiday isn't really a romantic one. Rather than romantic love, we celebrate the unconditional love we have for each other as a family 
{I don't mind missing the romantic part since our anniversary is about a week later} 

I know, I know...every year it's on the same day. February 14th. 
Somehow though, it snuck up on me this year. 

Because of that, I was up 'till 2am this morning getting everything ready. 
It's my own fault...I love a party & every little detail!




These are the valentines I made for Laith's class. I got the printable here 
{thank you to the handmade home} and then added a little more personality to it. 

I love how it looks with the glittered edges like I did in before in this post






I especially love this one. "I'm a big fan" whoever originally made these: you're awesome.




These are the Valentines for Ezekiel and Anton's classes. 
They didn't turn out quite as cute as I had hoped but hey...for 2am they're great. 



I got the printable here {thank you dandee




Finally I finished the Valentines. whew. 

It'll be nice when the kids are old enough to help me a little more with them 
{um lets be honest} or when I relinquish control over it.

On to breakfast! I decided to make a Monkey Bread mix that I had gotten from William Sonoma. Perhaps it wouldn't be warm when they woke, but at least it'll be ready to be eaten!





I decorated the door to the boy's room with these hearts & tons of ribbon so they'd have a surprise when they woke. They l.o.v.e workbooks so that's what their Valentines surprise contained. 




They woke a bit earlier than I had hoped {therefore I'm currently on my 3rd cup of coffee} 
but their excitement made it worth it.




The Crazies ran downstairs to work on their books as they ate breakfast...
while Ben & I drug ourselves out of our nice cozy bed. 




Imani of course, got a book too. 



And was surprised to see her own picture was on every page!

{and yes, of course she's wearing Stella & Dot she's my little advertiser/model}




Sigh. Story of my life. I was upstairs getting ready and Laith runs up to tell me that he dropped some of his Valentines in Thatcher's dog bowl as he was putting his name on all of them. 

I didn't react as I probably should have & he got a bit teary. 
But he helped me make a few more & I apologized for snapping at him. All was forgiven. 




Thought for memories sake {more mine than yours, I suppose} 
I'd take a photo of the Mail Bags each of the kids made at school. 


Laith got HOOKED up. His mailbox/envelope is bursting at the seams.




This is my favorite one from Laith's class. So creative. 




I didn't get to take a picture of my favorite valentine from Anton's class before it was torn apart and used but I had seen it on Pinterest before so here's another example of it. 
Super cute {and l.o.v.i.n.g that it's not candy}.








This is Ezekiel's favorite valentine. Justin Bieber, anyone? 




This one was MY favorite from his class's valentines .  
Ahhh Edward. Apparently Ezekiel didn't agree.


Time to grab Anton & make the cupcakes I promised him we'd make for dessert after 
our special "love dinner" {his words, not mine}. Hope you have a very Happy Valentine's Day! 


xo
TERESA


2.11.2012

Heart Bird Feeder {tutorial}



Ben & Ezekiel were gone this afternoon at a jiu-jitsu tournament, where Ben was competing. So the rest of us decided to do some Valentines Day art projects. 

Anton's sweet buddy Corbin did this project a few days ago so that's where we got the idea 
{love you Ginna}...anything that Corbin does Anton wants to do, too. 



. supply list .

. cheerios
. thin wire
. ribbon {to hang on a branch}




Needle nose pliers may also come in handy when twisting wire together 
once the cheerios have been strung.




This is a terrible photo but here's what the hearts looked like before the kids strung the cheerios on them. The shape does NOT have to be perfect, the cereal hides the flaws.







  Imani was initially just eating the cheerios but when she saw 
Anton & Laith get into it, she wanted to join in






Look at all those teeth! Her molars all came in a few days ago. Pretty girl.




If Laith wasn't so busy finding & eating all the broken cheerios, 
this project probably would have taken a quick 10 minutes. 

He drew it out to be at least 30 or 40. That kid is so all over the place, it cracks me up. 






Anton was determined to get me into a photo. So under his instruction, I was required
to include this {super awesome} picture of myself that he took. 






Loving it. Hope the birds do, too!

TERESA