Our weekend

What a great weekend!

We spent Saturday afternoon listening to the radio,and dancing with the kids. Then it was off to do the grocery shopping (that I should have done on Friday). When we got home, Daddy (Brian) made us some AWESOME chicken on the grill and we had baked potatoes with it.

Sunday we went to church like normal, ran to Walmart to pick up a birthday present for Zac's 1st birthday, and then headed to the birthday party, where the kids had a TON of fun! (Thanks Tami!) Libby, and Justin got soaked in a water fight, and Faith got wet too, just not as wet as Libby and Justin (who were dumping BUCKETS of water on each other) LOL! Patrick and Zac played in the water too, in a little swimming pool. Zac I have to say is much better about water, Patrick cried for a pretty long time, about being in the water (he HATES baths). We left him in the water until he stopped crying, and it was shortly after, Libby tried to play with him, by dumping water on him, to which he started screaming again....oh well!

The really nice thing about all of this? We were able to enjoy our selves this weekend, and not spend the entire weekend inside cleaning, because we had maintained the house all week! Again it's a MAJOR accomplishment for this to have happened. The white board is working wonders! I am still just writing the chores up there, and the kids do them. This week I am introducing "morning" chores and "afternoon" chores it preparation for school this fall. Gradually I am adding more and more things the kids can do around the house to help out. Now before you start thinking I am using them for slave labor, and they are spending all day inside cleaning, let me clarify something. They each have 3 chores to do in the morning, and 3 I am adding to the afternoon. IF the kids get right to it, and don't mess around, these chores should take them no more then 30 minuets in total to do! Each of them putting in 30 minutes in the morning, and 30 minutes in the afternoon, saves me a LOT of time, and we get to go do fun things in the afternoon. Like Going to the local $1.00 movies, or swimming (we may have to figure something out with Patrick), or bowling. Now we haven't done the swimming or bowling yet, but the kids know that we CAN, if they keep up on their chores, because it allows me to say yes to these things with out thinking "I really should be at home cleaning".

This week we are going to start on the large task of the kids rooms. My plan is they will work hard on cleaning, and going through their stuff, for 15-30 minutes each day. Keep what they love, and either give or throw away what they don't (Thanks fly lady). Plus they have to maintain the area's already cleaned.

Again, wish us luck!

School is out

Well, we did it!

The kids and I survived the first full week of no school. I am actually pretty happy with the way things went. When I was talking with Brian on Friday (he had been out of town all week for training), I told him,I thought things went pretty well.

We managed to maintain the house and not let it get out of control with toys,clothes, and coloring pages/art projects everywhere. I feel this was a HUGE accomplishment,because, in the past when I would stay home with the kids for a day from work during summer vacation, the house would look like a tornado had attacked the inside of the house.

Looking back now I realize why.

When I was home with the kids for a day (from work) I would feel guilty for not spending much time with them, and didn't want to spend the one day I had taken off cleaning all day. So I would let it (everything) go, just to give the kids the attention I felt like the deserved. Looking back I now realize what I did was a really bad thing. I didn't hold them accountable for their actions. I should have been making them clean as they went, but, they were having so much fun, and I didn't want to spoil that with making them clean. I now know "quality" time with my children just means being available to them whenever they need me, and yes "quality time" can be done while cleaning, because it is teaching them valuable life lessons. Such as how to keeps things (most anything) picked up and tidy, will last them well into their adult lives. Cooking: again a valuable lesson to learn, they will use this too all their lives.

So, this summer I have vowed to make sure they know how to take care of themselves. Libby and Justin are getting old enough now, they can start doing some of the minor cooking in the house, and why not? they LOVE to bake with me, so why not start teaching them now, while they enjoy doing such things? They also love making their own grilled cheese sandwich and scrambled eggs, Yes I do believe it is time, for the kids to start doing more in the house.

This summer I have a few things planned that I would really like to accomplish before the end of the summer. One of my projects is cleaning out all un-needed or not used items, and trying to get this small storage challenged house of our organized once and for all. YES! I did say this summer. Again, it is a project I have put off way to long, because, again, I didn't want to spend the little time I had with the kids cleaning all the time. Well, living in a small house that has very few closets, and practically no storage can prove to be a bit of a challenge. So, that is my summer project with the kiddos! I'll let you know how it goes :)

All in all, as I said, it was a great week, the kids really pitched in when I asked them too, and I now know, it's ok to make them "work" and it is actually good for them. We have started something new, I have a whiteboard, to which I am writing their daily chores on. So when they get done with one, they can move to the next and not have to ask me, and I don't have to nag them. At this point I am going to let them do their  chores anytime they want to, as long as they are done before bed. On days like today, when they have something special they want to do, I note on the board when the chores need to be completed by to be able to do what they want to. So far this morning it has gone VERY well. Libby is already done with her chores, Justin is working on his, and I have to help Faith with hers.

So there you have it!
Wish us luck!

Nutri-grain bars, take II

I titled this blog the way I did, because I wanted to try the bars again. I also wanted to modify the recipe a bit and see what I come up with. Now the last time, they came out great, don't get me wrong. My older 2 children (ages 11 & 9) LOVED them, the four year old however wanted NOTHING to do with them like they were. It got me thinking, the "real" nutr-grain bars you buy in the store, have a cake-like appearance and consistency to them. The ones I made using the recipe, while they where good, they were also kind of dry and crumbly.

 So, what could I do to change that? Well, here is what I have done, and we'll see how it works out. I went ahead with the recipe as stated, BUT(!), I didn't use the butter (OMGosh! that's a lot of butter!), instead I made the cake mix as stated on the box, and added the quick oats into it. I used a whole jar of jam (18 oz instead of 12), still using just the 1 table spoon of water.  Next I started spooning the really thick mixture in to an already greased pan. This did prove to be a bit challenging as it was more of a batter, but didn't spread as easily as batter. None the less, with a fork, and a "patting" action, I had it spread to a pretty even consistency in the pan. Next came the jam, just like the directions said. Last  I put the remaining amount of the batter on top, again using a more patting like action to smooth it over the top of the layer of jam. The bars are currently in the oven baking. They smell WONDERFUL!

 After baking for 30 minutes this is what it looked like:

As you can see it turned out nice and brown on top. But this time the "bars" are a little to soft and moist. I know, I know, there is no pleasing me! (LOL) Really there is, I just need to find a way to fine tune this recipe, so it is the best combination. The kids just got home from school and saw the bars cooling on the table and dug right into them. Faith didn't like them at all, Justin LOVED them, Libby didn't like them. So there you have it. Not a success yet, but we'll get there. Thankfully I have a family who doesn't mind being test subjects for my recipes. Yes they are honest with me about the recipes, but are never unkind or nasty about it.

Home made nutri-grain bars

I found a recipe for home made nutri-grain bars. My kids LOVE these things. However if you buy them, you know how expensive they can be. When you are a stay at home mom on a tight budget, you start looking for ways to make some of these things yourself.


So, here is what it looks like step by step:

These are the ingredients: Yellow Cake mix, oats, Jam, and butter

 This is what the oats and cakes mixed together look like

 (note: since I am making these for the kids, including 7 month old Patrick, I ground the oats into a flour like consistency)

 This is with the butter added in.

See how crumbly it is?

 Now you just press 1/2 the mixture in to a greased pan.

 Add the jam and water mixture on top.

Now add the rest of the mixture on top of the jam and press down.

 Now off to the oven.

 This is what it looks like coming out of the oven. Lightly browned. 

The directions say to bake for 20 minutes.

 But I found it needed to go for a little longer and extra 10 minutes was perfect. 

(Total cooking time of 30 min.)

This is what they look like all cut into "bars"

Next time I make these, I might try adding in a little water or something to the remaining 1/2 of the mixture so that it spreads a little easier, and to give it the store bought look :)

They are thicker, but I think I may have used to much of the mix on the bottom. 

 Next time I will use the same amount of ingredients, but I will use a rolling pin to thin in out a little more, and bake in 2 pans instead of one.

If you would like the recipe is below.

 I plan on trying to make them with different flavored jam (grape, apple, etc.)

Recipe:

1 pkg yellow cake mix

3/4 cup butter

2 1/2 cups quick oats

12 ounces preserves or jam

1 T water

Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter. Combine cake

mix and oats in a large bowl; stir in the melted

butter until the mixture is crumbly. Measure half

of this mixture (about 3 cups) into a greased

13x9x2−inch pan. Press firmly into pan to cover

the bottom.

Combine preserves and water; spoon over crumb

mixture in pan, and spread evenly. Cover with

remaining crumb mixture. Pat firmly to make top

even.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes−−top should be very

light brown. Cool completely before cutting into

bars.