Yummilicious Granola Bars

As many of you know...I have a thing for creating healthy, but yummy recipes. I always try to find a way to make the things we (especially the boys) eat just a little healthier...maybe extra fruit or veggies or more protein. Not to mention safe for me to eat..I have food allergies out the wazoo!
I have spent countless hours looking for recipes that I can have, but usually come up blank. That is why I started creating them :)

Sometimes you just need a quick easy snack that has some staying power. Something that will hold you over until lunch or dinner. Heck! I even eat them for breakfast :)
I don't like a ton of ingredients. Less is more for me! I find that I don't have much extra time anymore (like most of you out there), and I need something quick, easy, healthy, and something that I can just grab-and-go!!

These Yummilicious Granola Bars are not only Gluten Free and Nut Free they are even NO BAKE!!! Even better, right?! I love them because they can be sooo versatile too!

Here's the stuff:
Dates: 1 Cup
Local Honey 1/4 Cup
Sunbutter: 1/4 Cup
Oats (I have used quick or regular): 1 1/2 Cups
Sunflower Seeds: 3/4 - 1 Cup
Hemp Hearts: 1/4 Cup
Chia Seeds: 1/4 Cup

Here's what to do:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS
2. Measure out your oats and sunflower seeds. Toast them in the oven for 10ish minutes on 325. Make sure and jshoosh them around so they don't burn. ***this is TOTALLY optional*** I just like the toasted flavor.
3. While they are toasting..get your Food Processor, Blender, Ninja, Magic Bullet...whatever you have and PULVERIZE the dates.  (If your dates are dry, you may need to add a little water.) You will know they are done when they are mushy. Mine often rolls up like a dough ball.
4. Add the Chia Seeds to the mush
5. In a SEPARATE bowl, put EVERYTHING else. Doesn't have to be in any particular order.
6. Add the date/ chia mush.
7. Then add the oats and sunflower seeds
8. Mix it all up. It will start to get a little hard, but mix thoroughly.
9. While your baking sheet is empty, line it with Parchment Paper.
10. Put you mix onto the Parchment Paper lined baking sheet.
11. Wet your hands (this is really important because you need to use your hands to smooth out the mixture...and you don't want goo on your hands.
12. Make it into a square (It should be about a 9x9x1/2 inchish (thick)
13. Get a BIG knife and run it under water before you cut your pieces. Separate them from each other on the baking sheet.
14. Pop it in the freezer to finish "setting".
15. Enjoy!

This will make around 9 pieces. I don't know the dietary information on it, but it would be hard to figure out.
They can be refrigerated if you like them cool. Or even out if you like them room temp. They will be good for about 1 week (if they last that long). You could even make extra to freeze!

Change it up...make it yours!
You could use Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, or even Nutella instead of Sunbutter.
You could use any kind of nuts you like..cashews, peanuts, almonds..you name it!
Switch Honey with Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar.
Add Dried Coconut, Chocolate Chips, even add Vanilla Extract ..the options are endless!

Most of all have fun creating, and enjoy eating. MMMmmmm good!

This is about 1 1/2 of this recipe. 1 doesn't last us very long.

Yeah..So I forgot to add Parchment Paper on this one :)

 

My $10 Mirror

I love to buy cheap, redo, and make it look like it is worth much..much more ;) I'm ALWAYS looking for a deal. I needed a mirror for our half bath. We moved here in June, and we have been living without a mirror in that bathroom for a few months. That is until I found this little gem!

This is just one of my recent projects.

You know those FB resale pages? I got this UGLY mirror for just $8!

Faux leather..I'm not sure it is even real wood..lol

I LOVE me some Elmer's glue! It does wonders on just about anything :)

I used it to fix some dingy's, and fill a few scratches.

Primed it up!

Just a close up

Et voilà! Here is my $10 mirror! $8 for the mirror and $2 for the spray paint. Can't beat that deal!

 

 

I will leave you with this, my friends.

 

Never walk away from failure. On the contrary, study it carefully and imaginatively for its hidden assets.

 

~ Michael Korda

 

My Magnetic Chalkboard Wall

For those of you who know me know that I LOVE to do projects!  I usually have about 3 going at one time..lol I am also VERY frugal when doing them. If I can save money, I usually do. If it is something that I can do, build, paint, cook, etc. for myself, I do it myself. I feel like that I shouldn't have to pay anyone if I can do it :)

This is one of my last minute projects that I decided to do that I just finished! So much fun!!

I have this bar island in my kitchen, and I haven't found any barstools that I like. So, I decided to make it an activity place for my boys.

My little one, L, and I went to Lowe's yesterday to check something out for a future project that I have in mind. I walked down the paint aisle. (Just because it is one of my FAVORITE aisles in Lowe's!) I decided on doing a magnetic chalkboard wall!

Here are my pics :)

First to tape off the trim and cover up that HORRIBLE flat paint.

 I used Rust-oleum Magnetic Primer. It takes 3 coats with 30 minutes of drying time in between (that was the long part!) Make sure you constantly stir the goopy liquid. The goop is what makes it magnetic. Oh yeah..and use a foam roller brush so you don't have any brush strokes.

 

After one coat!

 

 We needed a break to brush the dogs ;)

 

 Now for the chalkboard paint!! I used Valspar Tintable Chalkboard Paint in the color Faded Denim!

There are 10 colors you can choose from! So cool :)

 

Now for the test :)

I think they like it!

 

 

 

~A busy child is a happy child, and a child that doesn't have time to get into too much trouble. That is why we try to stay super busy!

I'm not your best friend

But, if that happens..then great! This has always been my philosophy with parenting. My job as a parent is to love, nurture, guide, direct, listen, and know when to choose my battles. No is a word that my children hear. Do they like it? No. But who does.

I recently had one of those nights that I chose my battle and DID NOT back down. My 3 year old is definitely hard headed and has always had a mind if his own (which is a great thing..or will be in the future..)

The afternoon was abnormally easy. No fighting or arguing..really (for them). They were playing together and getting along great! I made dinner (and added..well tried to hide yellow squash). Wrong thing momma! They do not like it. My 5 year old has learned to deal and eat what is served. Gosh! I even bribed them with half a cookie. Little L was having none of it. I told him to pick it (the squash) out, but he wouldn't. He just got pissed off! I get it..we have all been there, right? I gave him a choice. Pick it out or go to bed without dinner. Then he tossed his bowl and spoon on the table! What the hell! I got him out of his seat and carried him up to bed. More fits..more screaming. I calmly gave him his lovey, turned on his moon light, and walked away.

While all of this was going on, J had been eating his dinner waiting for me. As soon as he saw me he said, "Mommy I need to give you an arms and legs hug..and a kiss! I'm sorry L is not being nice." Wow. I love every single minute of our time together! (even though there was an abundance of  screaming and crying in the background) He really made my night, and helped me calm down and realize to take a breath. We sat there and talked and ate dinner...it was awesome! Usually J doesn't say anything about his day. It doesn't matter how I phrase the questions.

You know the ones..
What happened that made you laugh today?
What happened that made you smile today?
What special did you have today? (even though I already know..it's really all about getting him to talk)
Who would you want an alien to take away?

There are an abundance of silly and fun questions to help your kid tell you a little more about there day. Mine just doesn't like talking until he is ready. So I wait. Tonight was the night! I just soaked it up :)

Then finally, quiet..He fell asleep. (Laaaa..that's the angel's singing)

 



 

For about 20 minutes..lol We (J and I) went to go check on him. He was in the playroom talking to himself and crying at the same time. (I think this might be the beginning of sleep walking..he was totally asleep) He had opened up the cabinet and was about to pee in it! I got him to the bathroom, but couldn't wake him enough to go potty. He decided his fit throwing wasn't enough. I put him back in his bed turned on a lamp and nightlight, and I locked the door. (anyone who knows this kid know that he has been able to unlock deadbolts since about 16 months..so I wasn't worried.) I got J to bed in my bed because he obviously couldn't sleep with that racket. We talked and snuggled some more until I heard..."MOM!" bang..bang..bang.."MOM!" I told J that I better go check on his brother. He said, "that's really nice Mommy." All I could do was laugh as I was going upstairs, because I figured it would be a matter of minutes before he unlocked the door himself and came downstairs...but no, he didn't. I opened the door, and asked why he didn't unlock it himself. He just looked me straight in the face and said, "Because I had to pee!" I just really wanted to belly laugh then, but I figured it would just make it worse. I helped him into his jammies, and had one snuggle song..he was OUT!

 

Fast forward to the following morning. It was L's 4th day of Preschool.

Every single morning has been BAD. I mean, really bad. 1st day was tears galore, but tried to be strong. 2nd day he cried so hard he made himself throw up. 3rd day more tears, but stronger...he just wouldn't let go of me.

 

This morning started out how the night ended. I walked away from him and said, "You DO NOT have the right to ruin my day..or your day. Calm down." We proceeded to get lunches packed and backpacks ready. The whole time him saying..I'm NOT going! Yes you are son, yes you are.

 

It ended up being a great day after we got through drop off and tears...and I got tons done in the short 5 hours to myself :)

 

One thing that I have learned over time is; Being happy is a choice..a decision. I do my best to make a choice to be happy every single day, and to learn a lesson from every thing I do. I think it makes me a wiser person.

 

The first of many

I started my morning out by making 2 lunches instead of one, and getting 2 backpacks together...instead of one. I made my to-do list, and I have lots of projects that I want to get done. But, here I am pouting and even sobbing a little. I just dropped my little one off at Preschool for the first time. I thought we were ready. Heck! I've been saying for so long that I could use a little break from that rascal, but apparently not. You would think that by the way I feel he was my first. But no, he is my 3rd and final. Maybe that is why I'm having trouble today. I'm sure that the fact that I'm all alone (hubby's out of town for the week, daughter's at work, and now both of my little guys are at school) for the first time in years and I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what to do with myself isn't a factor at all.


As I'm writing, I'm looking around my house and see that there is dog hair to vacuum up (UGH), toys to put in the basket, and a few empty boxes to get rid of..the darn things keep ending back up in the house. You see, we just moved to TN from TX 3 months ago. Just about all of my house is put together (except for that one room..you know, everyone has one) That will need to be a post for another day though.


So here's to you Mommy's and Daddy's who just dropped of your babies for the first time. For some of you may be Boo-Hooing...some of you may be Yahooing, either way here's to you.


Children Are Like Balloons
by Dan Gauthier


Children are like balloons with a message inside.
They start out small and we inflate them with
       something of ourselves.
As we pour our lives into them,
they spread sunshine,
give joy,
brighten the days, and
cheer up the sick.
They remind us of being young and that life is fragile.
They celebrate living.


When discouraged, they are like a balloon that deflates.
A simple openness allows us to refill them
with hope for the future and
feeling that they are special,
and the knowledge that they are loved.


Their enthusiasm is like a balloon carried
      on the wind with the never-ending energy.
They sway and drift,
it's then that they need our
prayers and loving guidance,
without too much pressure
that would cause them to burst.


The time comes, sprinkled with tears and joy,
when others are able to read the message we have
        written on their hearts.
So we let go and with faith we let fate guide our
        precious balloons.


Not the end...but truly the beginning