Granola bars

So I've finally found a granola bar recipe that I really like! The ones I made before were okay, but they always ended up so hard, so they were a pain to eat. These are a lot softer (sometimes too crumbly) - almost more like a cereal bar - but I love them. I made some yesterday and woke up this morning to find the bag nearly empty! Matthew, of course, had found them in the pantry when he woke up and went to town. At least the boys like them, too! That says something, right?

Since several people have asked me for the recipe, I thought I'd just post it here. It's actually from the Sneaky Chef cookbook by Missy Lapine. I'm a huge fan and I've used a lot of the recipes, but I never noticed the granola bar one until a few weeks ago. The ingredients aren't super cheap, so I'm not sure if I'm saving money by making my own, but they taste good and they're healthier than the store-bought ones we usually get.

Grab 'n' Go Crispy Granola Bars

2/3 c. rolled oats, ground in a food processor to about 1/2 c. (I use my Magic Bullet blender)
1/2 c. blanched, slivered almonds, ground up to about 1/3 c. (can use another 1/3 c. of oats instead)
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 c. crispy rice cereal
1 c. nonfat dry milk
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. honey
1 t. vanilla
1/4 c. chocolate chips or raisins (or whatever else you'd like to try!)

Combine oats, almonds (if using), wheat germ, cereal, dry milk, cinnamon, and salt. Add the oil, honey, vanilla and chocolate chips or raisins and mix well. Line a 13-by-9 inch baking pan with foil and butter the foil (or spray w/ oil). Pour in mixture and press w/ the palm or your hand, evenly distributing it into the corners of the dish. Bake at 300 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Cool and then use the foil to lift it out of the pan. Cut into bars while still warm.

So there you go! I love grinding up the oatmeal and using the cereal for a little bit of crunch. I've made them both with and without almonds and it really doesn't affect the taste. The almonds were pretty expensive, so I'm not sure how often I'll use them, although I like the added nutritional boost. I've also tried them with part applesauce instead of oil and they didn't hold together at all. I may try just using a little less than the 1/2 c. the recipe calls for since sometimes it seems like a little much.

If you do try them out, let me know what you think! I'd include a picture if the boys hadn't already eaten them all... I'll add one the next time I make some, which will be sometime soon, I'm sure.

Weekend fun

This weekend we decided to get out and do some fun things with the boys. David's been working a lot lately and the kids and I have been feeling stir-crazy staying cooped up in the house for so long! (Runny noses and coughs have kept us from doing a whole lot...) On Friday we went to a new restaurant in Orem called Pirate Island. Think Mayan restaurant and Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean - the boys loved it! The food was good (yummy, extra-cheesy pizza), the boys got balloon swords, and then we got to play some games in the adjoining arcade. They even had a play area for smaller kids that Matt ran around in for a bit. Bryan's decided that Matt needs to go there for his birthday in June, but we'll probably go back before then. It's the perfect restaurant for little boys (or pirate-loving little girls, for that matter)!

On Saturday, we took the boys to the Model Railroad Show at Thanksgiving Point. I'd read about it in the newspaper and figured that would be something else they would enjoy. What boy wouldn't enjoy seeing a bunch of trains - even David got a kick out of it. Our favorite part was the Lego display. They had a few trains, but they also had a ton of other things made all out of Legos. The dinosaur museum with dinosaurs escaping was especially clever. :)

I was amazed at all the details and the time and effort people put into everything, Legos and trains alike. You could tell the people there were really passionate about what they do! It was fascinating to see. Our other favorite display was a model of Hogwarts from the Harry Potter movies. I can only imagine how long it took to make this! Ari was a trooper, like always, and seemed content just looking at all the moving parts. It made for a fun, little outing - something we'd certainly do again.

Soooo big!

Ariana's 9 months old, and she really is getting so big so fast. Her one trick is the "sooo big" thing where she raises her hands above her head. Of course, she never does it when other people are around, but at least I was able to catch it on camera. She's also crawling, which means she's into everything! It's extra tricky with two boys now leaving their little things all over, and of course she'd much rather play with their things than her own. Shoes and dvd's are some of her other new favorite things to chew on (little stinker).

I wish she'd show as much enthusiasm for her baby food as she does for the random things she finds on the floor... She started off eating really well, but now she spits most things out. She likes fruit and cereal, but that's about it. I'm hoping that she'll take to finger foods soon so I can feed her "real food" and not have to force the nasty pureed chicken stuff anymore. If I were really on the ball, I'd make my own purees, but I'm just not that on the ball. She refuses to take a bottle, too, so she's still nursing - a lot! I don't mind it, really, except for the few times I've had to miss out on fun events because I couldn't be away from her for so long and her ongoing middle-of-the-night feedings. We tried to let her "cry it out" a couple weeks ago, but then she came down with a cold and I didn't have the heart to do it any longer. At least she always goes right back to sleep. She's a good little sleeper, so I can't complain about that!
Really, there's not much to complain about with her. She hardly fusses or causes problems. She does fine in the car and stroller, and she's great in the baby carrier - now she likes to look up at me and play with my face as we walk around. She's good with other people and she loves watching her brothers, especially Bryan. He's great at making her smile and definitely has a soft spot for his baby sister. He came with me to her recent check-up at the doctor and was so nervous about her getting a shot that he asked to leave the room until it was done. When he heard her crying, though, he came right back in doing the beat boxing sounds Javi taught him and it helped her feel better and stop crying. Even right now as I'm writing this he's in playing with her in her room, since she just woke up from her nap and he doesn't want her to be alone. :) So cute.

Speaking of her doctor's appointment, Ari weighed in at 16 1/2 pounds, which puts her in only the 12th percentile for weight! They say she's in the 70th percentile for height, but I'm not sure I believe it... After my two big boys, I love having such a petite little thing! Small and sweet with just the right amount of spunk - that's our girl! We couldn't love her more.

Changing perceptions

I realized something yesterday. I often measure how successful my day is based on the amount of housework I accomplish. If the dishes are done, kitchen is clean, toys are picked up and laundry put away then it's been a good day. The only problem with that is that I'm not counting the most important part of who I am and what I do - my kids! The most important things I do are the things I do with them and for them, and yet there's seldom tangible evidence at the end of the day of what we've done. I don't really keep track of the number of books we've read, games we've played, towers we've built, diapers changed, noses wiped, meals fixed, questions answered, hurt feelings mended, owies kissed... Sometimes I'm frustrated when David asks me at the end of the day what I've done and I can't think of anything big to say, even though all the little things I've done as a mom have taken up most of my time! "Oh, I played with the boys" doesn't sound nearly as impressive to me as "I cleaned all the bathrooms and got the laundry done!" The thing is, I know it's all in my head. I need to change the way I perceive my success as a mom and housewife and not focus so much on the tangible things, the things that can be checked off a list at the end of the day. It's tricky because it's unlikely I'll see the effects of what I'm doing with my kids until they're older. Hopefully then I'll remember all the little things we do and see how it's helped my kids learn and grow into good people. I'm certainly not going to be looking back and reminiscing about a clean house.

So I guess I need to set another resolution for this new year to change my way of thinking. Maybe I can make a list at the beginning of the day of small things I want to do with the kids - say "I love you" more, give more hugs, get down on the floor to play with them more - and then measure my success based on whether or not I do those things, not the stuff around the house. I'll still clean and do what I can to keep our house in order, but I won't have that be my measuring stick for success. I think I'll feel a lot better about myself as a mom if I can focus on the other things instead!

Pictures of some of the little things we've being doing the past few days...

Bryan and Matt playing with their blocks - a new favorite pastime.
Ariana learning to crawl! After doing "the inchworm" for a couple weeks, I think she's finally getting the hang of it!
Trying new foods...
Modeling his "homeboy" look. :)
Playing in our fort. It's always so exciting when we can transform the living room with just a few blankets!
"Helping" me in the kitchen. We finally found a granola bar recipe that we all like! Yum!

Talk to Me

My sweet Matt likes to have little talks before he goes to sleep. Bryan's been sleeping in the baby's room lately, so Matt's in their room by himself. (Seems to work better that way for everyone.) Often he'll come and find me after I've already tucked him in and ask me to come and talk. :) I lay down next to him on his race car bed as best I can and get real close so our foreheads are almost touching. Then he proceeds to give me a run down of his day. Today we went to the Dinosaur Museum with some friends, so most of what he said had to do with dinosaurs and playing in the water and the sand. Sometimes he makes things up - usually stories about trucks and mud puddles. To be honest, I can't understand him half the time because he talks in a really soft voice and just goes on and on without stopping... I just like to watch him and see him smile as he recounts his adventures. He never wants me to stay very long. After a couple minutes of him talking and me asking a question every now and then, I kiss him on the face and tell him goodnight. He usually seems to fall asleep right after I leave.

I wish I could say we did this every night, but I'm not always in the mood so he doesn't always ask. I remember having talks with Bryan, too, when he was two or three and thinking it should be a nightly ritual, but at some point we stopped. I was reminded today how precious my boys are to me and how precious my time is with them. I need to make sure we have our talks much more often. These are moments I can't afford to miss!

Ringing in the New Year

After having so much company for Christmas, we decided to take it easy for New Year's Eve this year. Early in the evening we put on a new Disney movie to watch with the boys and we ate pizza and snacks on a sheet in the family room. After the movie we had some hot chocolate and the kids were in bed by 8:30! I was beat, but I was determined to stay awake until midnight. Last year I slept through it because we'd just gotten back from Pennsylvania and I was still on eastern standard time. This year I didn't have the excuse, so David and I just enjoyed flipping through channels and watching all the "Best and Worst of 2009" shows. I wish I could say we got out the pots and pans and had a big celebration at midnight, but we didn't. I just rolled over in bed, gave David a kiss, and then fell asleep. :) Boring, I know. But it was kind of nice to just relax and welcome the new year in our own quiet way. Things aren't often so quiet around here, though I don't mind that, either.

I love starting a new year and feeling like we get a fresh start at things. David and I both have a number of resolutions. David is determined to eat better and get healthy, and I'm determined to help him! I need to start exercising also and develop better sleep habits, which means waking up early so I can take control of my mornings. (Hopefully Ari will start sleeping through the night soon to help me accomplish that!) David and I both also want to use our time better throughout the day. For me, I'm making an effort to simplify! I tend to get distracted by not-so-important things and lose focus on the more important things, like spending quality time with my kids, reading the scriptures, and becoming more self-reliant. I'm hoping that by taking small steps like reducing the amount of e-mails I read and online stores I peruse I'll be able to use my time more wisely and accomplish more during the day. And I need to work on relaxation techniques or something to help me handle stressful situations (ie. tantrums, fighting children, etc.) more effectively. Any suggestions on how to do any of the above would be welcome. :)

Last year was pretty eventful for us with Ariana being born and David opening his office, but this year should hold some exciting things for us as well. I'm excited to see what will happen with David's career in the coming months and where we'll be this time next year. I'm looking forward to having more family nearby, with Sara and Ben planning on coming out here in the Fall. And of course it will be exciting to see if there will be more weddings or new babies in either side of the family. (No babies for us - we're good with our three for now!!) Of course these are all positive things, and since life is the way it is, I'm sure there will be challenges to face and overcome in the coming months as well. I just need to appreciate all the blessings I have right now and not get too caught up in thinking about the future, good or bad. Life for us really is good just the way it is. We're healthy, happy, stable, and safe. It's a good way to start off the year!

Christmas 2009 - Part 2

Christmas morning the kids were so excited to see that Santa had really come! After a remote control car, the thing Bryan wanted most was this dagger and helmet set he'd seen at Ross a few weeks before Christmas. (Thank goodness it was still there when Santa went to go get it several days later...) He was so excited that Santa had remembered! Matt got some fun Bob the Builder Legos and a big Tonka truck, but he was most interested in the raceway Bryan also received. I guess that's the nice thing about having boys close in age - they can have fun playing with each other's things!Ari, of course, didn't know what was going on, but she wasn't totally left out. She likes to dance, so we got her something that plays lots of music!
After we opened presents, the Misiegos came back for a breakfast of Spanish churros and hot chocolate. Not exactly a low-cal meal, but so yummy! You'd think by the looks on our faces that it was still really early in the morning, but it was probably 10:00 here! We didn't even go down to look at Santa's presents until 8:30. Bryan kept himself busy while he was waiting for the rest of us playing with a Lego set he'd gotten from Abuelo the night before. It all worked out pretty well! :)Mom and Dad finally made it down to our house (they'd spent Christmas Eve and the morning at Heather's) sometime in the afternoon. We opened more presents with them and Ari got her very first doll! It's so fun to start getting girly toys! Matt sure loved his tractor stuff, though. He takes after his grandpa, for sure. :)By the end of the day, the boys had opened enough presents for the entire year! I think they were little worn out. David was, anyway.That night we had my parents, Bree, Grandma Willes, my cousin, John, and David's parents and brothers all over for a Christmas dinner. I'm so glad Mom was there to take control of things! It turned out wonderfully and we all had a great time, even with the language barrier.The days after Christmas were spent playing with new toys (like these fun blocks from Grandma) and shopping the after-Christmas sales. (I have to say, though, that I didn't buy a single thing! I was proud of myself since I'm usually such a sucker for good sales!) We ended the week with one last combined family dinner. Jake and Heather came down with Cambria, and Javi's girlfriend, Annalece, joined us as well. Our house isn't nearly big enough for so many people, but we always manage somehow. :) Maybe this time next year we'll be in a house big enough to accommodate our growing families!
The sad thing was having to say goodbye to Mom and Dad. They left the next day for PA. I HATE that they live so far away and we only get to see them a couple times a year. I'm just grateful they were able to be here to share the holidays with us. Having them and David's parents here made for such a wonderful, memorable Christmas! I was sorry to see it end... I guess I can only hope that the new year brings more opportunities for us to all be together again!

Christmas 2009 - Part 1

We had a wonderful Christmas this year with both of our families in town. We were able to juggle our time easily enough to spend time with both sides, and a couple times we were able to have everyone together! In one week's time, we hosted four big family dinners - two with just the Misiegos and two with everyone! It was crazy, but so much fun.

The week leading up to Christmas we did a lot of last-minute shopping and candy-making. (No matter how early I start, I'm never able to avoid the last-minute frenzy!) Thankfully Mom was here to give me a hand with things. Heather came down one day so we could all make our stuff together. These peanut clusters are a definite family favorite! And the boys got a kick out of watching Mom pop popcorn for her yummy caramel corn. Mmmmmm, we ate so many good treats!Ari spent plenty of time jumping in her jumperoo while we did our thing in the kitchen. She stayed happy, though - she loves that thing and looks so cute with her little ballerina feet dancing around. :)On Tuesday night we had our first Christmas dinner with David's family. Jazmin and Landin were heading out of town the following day so they came over to celebrate with the family before they left. They'd gotten both Bryan and Matthew remote-control cars, which happened to be the main thing Bryan wanted for Christmas this year. We told him Santa has lots of helpers and must have told Jazmin and Landin to help him with this particular gift. Matt was just as excited as Bryan was!Besides the gifts for the boys, Jaz and Landin had also gotten pajama pants for everyone else in the family! There's nothing better than new, cozy Christmas jammies. :)A couple nights later we had another family dinner to celebrate Christmas Eve. Since Christmas Eve is generally celebrated more in Spain than Christmas Day, we decided to have David's parents over that night and my parents over the following morning. Mali made a traditional Spanish dinner of pork loin, fried potatoes and red cabbage. After dinner we read scriptures about the birth of Christ, sang Christmas carols, and opened our family "Secret Santa" gifts. It all made for a wonderful night!