Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here is a super yummy (personally tweaked!) recipe that I have been making quite a bit lately. They are a great way to use up brown bananas.

The boys love them and so do I (even though I am usually not a big fan of banana bread)! The boys call these muffins "mups!" So cute! Enjoy! Let me know if you like them!

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt OR flavored yogurt OR sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (1-2)
1/2-2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (if you make mini muffins, mini chocolate chips work wonderfully!)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.

In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt, milk and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or 12 min for mini muffins until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. ENJOY your MUPS!

Poppie

My grandfather, Charles Kenneth Arpke, passed away on Tuesday May 18th. He was the ripe old age of 88 and had been fading for a while but his passing still hurt quite a bit. Aaron and I packed up the boys, picked up my sister Kalina, her son Hunter, and my brother Kellan (who happened to be in Norfolk VA for an ROTC event), rented a huge SUV and drove down to FL. It was an adventure! The kids did really well (mostly) and the adults didn't kill them or each other. It was really nice to see my siblings but a sad circumstance to bring us together.

We got to Florida on Friday and saw my parents, uncles and grandmother, Nonnie. Nonnie and I just sat on the couch together and snuggled. She seemed alright but I know that having her family there was helping to ease (mask?) the pain of losing her husband of 60 years. She nursed him at home until the end.

I really missed Poppie when we got to the house. He would always say, "Hey Brit!" or "Hi there sweetie!" and give me a big hug and kiss. His memorial service was on Saturday at 1pm. It was nice service although we had to sit in the "cry room" at the back to the sanctuary with the boys because they were WILD! They were pretty good for most of the trip but they didn't get a nap at their normal time (most of the time not at all!) the whole time we were gone so my family didn't really see their best side but everyone understood.

In the past 4 years that Aaron and I have been married (4 years TODAY, actually) we have lost 4 grandparents between the two of us. Wow. I guess we are at that age where we are both creating life and saying goodbye to those we love too. I am so glad that because Aaron is from FL, I was able to spend a lot of time with my grandparents in the last 7 years. I know I appreciate my relationships with them so much more than I did when I was a kid. Poppie was a wonderful man and I miss him dearly.

Tiss and Snugs?

I wrote earlier this year about the cute way the boys say certain words, especially "kiss" (tiss!) and "snuggle/hug" (snugs!)

The other night the boys were NOT wanting to go to sleep. The kept crying and crying in their room. After numerous trips in there to talk to them and snuggle with them, we finally decided to get them up again. It was about 9pm and Aaron and I were watching Two and a Half Men on TV. The show is pretty funny but a bit off color in parts (probably why it is so funny!) and definitely not a kids show.

One of the characters was getting, shall we say, amorous with a lady friend in bed. Usually the boys are oblivious to non-kid shows on TV but lately, we have noticed how much they are noticing. Well, Micah, apparently was very in tune to the TV that night. He watched the couple on TV and said, "Tiss? Tiss? Tiss?" (There were lots of kisses on TV) Then he turned around and kissed me.

(I was thinking, "Our kids should probably not be watching this.")

Then, as the couple got more "friendly" (it was nothing super inappropriate, it was NBC, not MTV) Micah said, "Tiss! AND SNUGS?" Aaron and I just about died laughing, me with a red face and pricked conscience. Sweet little Micah just saw the couple being loving with lots of "tiss-es" and "snugs." This incident just showed us how much the boys are picking up these days. Parenting is a hilarious and humbling job!

Chew! Chew!

Like most 2 year olds learning to talk, the boys are repeating everything we say, especially common phrases like "be careful!" "What do you say?" and "Are you ok?"

We say this last phrase quite a bit, especially after the boys cough. The tend to cough quite a bit at dinner where there is a great temptation to stuff all of one's food in one's mouth at once. Of course, the result is coughing. After the familiar, "Are you ok?" the next command given is "Chew your food!" or simply "Chew! Chew!"

The other night Aaron was laying with Micah before he went to sleep. Aaron got a tickle in this throat and started coughing. Usually Micah, our sweet sensitive son, will ask, "Are you ok?" But this time he told Daddy, "Chew! Chew!!"

How to sew a Twofer dress- Take 2

I made another twofer dress! I made this one a little differently and it turned out so cute! I attempted to take some pictures showing "how" I made it. Enjoy! I am loving my new outfit!

First, I cut a "pattern" out of wrapping paper. I cut pockets for this dress! The long side of the pattern is placed on the fold. Cut two, but cut the back piece about 6-8 inches wider than the front.

After sewing the side with the pocket.

The pocket opening, right side out

I sewed pleats on the front of the skirt so that it fit the front of my waist and the pockets sat on my hips

Imagine this picture horizontally. I shirred the back of the skirt so that it fit snuggly but I could still get into the dress. This actually was some trial and error. I actually had to rip out the seam from the waist to top of the pocket so I could sew about 8 rows of shirring. Then I resewed the seam from the pocket to the waist.

Next, sew the shirt to the skirt. I tried it on before I did this and marked where I wanted the skirt to sit with tailors chalk. Then I safety pinned the two pieces together and sewed. Be sure to stretch the shirred part of the skirt to fit the shirt so that it is nice and stretchy and easy to get on and off.

I sewed a sash and then hand sewed it to the dress. This took a little while but it was worth it. I ended the hand sewing where the shirring started.

Here is how the sash looks in the back. I just untie it in order to get into/ out of the dress.

The finished product!

I paired it with my boots the first time I wore it and I got a lot of compliments. I love these dresses. I have plans to make a few more for the summer.

How to make a Twofer dress

Ug! I felt like I was drowning in grading and emailing students this week. So, that said, I either wanted to do one of two things: shop for new clothes, or sew something cute. Since money is a bit on the tight side, and I was feeling extra creative, I decided on the later. Enter the "twofer" dress!

What is a "twofer" dress, you ask? Well, it is dress that looks like a skirt and blouse combo. I am a daily (and I mean daily) stalker of modcloth and I drool over their dresses. I find the twofer dresses especially cute, but since I don't have $50+ bucks to shell out over every dress I crave, I decided to try and sew my own.

I made a quick trip to Joann's yesterday afternoon before class an picked out some fabrics that coordinated with a knit shirt from my closet. And JOY! Joann's was having a sale! I got my fabric (1.5 yard for the skirt and 1/2 yard for the belt) for only a little over $7! Add a few spools of thread (also on sale!) and some tailors chalk, my grand total for this project was $10.02!!! WOOT!

So, here is what I did. I first measured my waist and then the distance from my natural waist (where I wanted the skirt to sit) to my knee.

Then I made a really long belt (basically a long tube that I sewed, turned, and sewed the ends in a diagonal)

I then cut two rectangles of fabric for the skirt: width = 2 inches shorter than the circumference of my waist (26") and then the length = the distance from my waist to my knee (25" but I ended up shortening this a lot when I hemmed)

I hemmed the top of each skirt piece and then did eight rows of shirring (see last summer's blog on making an Easy Summer Dress) on each piece. I then sewed each the skirt pieces together (right sides together).

I then sewed the skirt to the shirt. This took a bit of creativity and help from my BFF Candace. She stretched the skirt for me while I safety pinned the shirt to the skirt. After sewing the shirt to the skirt, we hemmed the dress to right at the top of my knee (I just machine sewed the hem).

I tried on the dress and tied the belt in a big, sassy bow! The whole project took me about 3.5 hours and VOILA! Twofer dress! I love it!

A close of up the yummy fabrics! I love this color combo!

This dress is so comfortable! The shirring keeps it close to the body but it is easy to get on and off because of the stretch. I wore my dress today and got a lot of compliments. I have a brown shirt that is the same style as the tourquoise one and I think I am going to make another dress sometime soon!

Sex ed?

Tonight I was talking to the boys and having them repeat all of my siblings names. They were having a lot of fun saying "Chelsea!" "Amberley!" "Kalina!" "Baby Hunter!"

My sister Chelsea is pregnant so I decided to tell the boys. Here is Benji's response:

Me: Benji, there is a baby in Chelsea's tummy!

Benji: Ewwww! Yucky!

LOL. And so it begins....

Good Spring Break

I am on my last day of Spring Break 2010. It has been a good week. I am sad to see it leave. The weather has been wonderful so we have been able to play outside with the boys every day.

I was able to do some sewing! YEA! Check out the cute pics of the little birds I made. The project is not complete. They will be a mobile...someday. Probably not until after school is out for the summer. But I had a great time being creative and sewing them.

The boys call them "chickens"

We took Goldie for a walk almost every day this week. The boys actually walked on the walk! WOW! I have to offer them lots of encouragement and remind them to "keep walking" but they have done really well! We only walk about 4 blocks round trip but I think that is pretty good for a two year old! I think are stroller days are over--which I am sad and glad about.

I also planted some flowers this week! I have this overwhelming desire to plant things now that it is spring, even though my better judgement (and personal history) reminds me that I am not a good plant mother. Well, I can change! I am determined to water my plants, give them sunshine, and not kill them this year! Stay tuned for updates on this daring resolve. Enjoy the pics. The flowers are still alive. :) And I feel very Spring-y. :)

This is what your porch looks like when you plant flowers with two-year-olds....and a grown woman who doesn't have a green thumb....

My flower set up. I feel like I should be in Better Homes and Gardens...ok maybe not. I got a little excited about watering...if you couldn't tell. Too bad you can't see them better. They are really pretty! I promise!

Love the pink!

I wish you could see the colors better. They are really pretty.

I also had to do a lot of grading this week and homework. Bleck. But I got all the grading done and um...SOME of the homework. :) I jump right back into school this week. I have a presentation on Tuesday and I need to work hard core on my thesis proposal. That is the other thing I really work on this week: thesis. I have been avoiding it in my mind because my mind was way too full of other things, which is not usually my style or way I approach deadlines or projects. But the thought of the thesis was too overwhelming. Well, there was no avoiding it any more. I HAD to work on it...considering my proposal is due April 1st, which is um....a week and a half away. AHH! I am trying not to freak out--too much. I got some good reading and thinking in this week and I think/hope/pray I am going in a good direction. The proposal is only 10-15 pages so that shouldn't be too hard to write. Heh...shouldn't.

So, spring break it was a nice week. And I have made it half-way through my first semester of teaching, going to grad school, wife-ing, and mothering. It was a well earned break.

Did it hurt?

This story is a little off-color--BUT super funny...you know you want to keep reading.

We were eating dinner the other night and the boys were pretending to be dragons, complete with loud roaring!

Aaron, not wanting to be left out of the fun, decided to join in on the dragon game. In typical man-fashion, he burped loudly and said, "The dragon is coming out of Daddy's mouth!"

The boys thought this was hilarious. Mommy pretended that she didn't hear (and tried not to laugh).

Aaron then (here I am shaking my head, and questioning my choice of mate) *ahem* passes gas loudly at the table (which is always very funny for any male audience).

Aaron: Oh no. The dragon is coming out of Daddy's butt. (I am horrified at this point)

Benji: (not missing a beat) Did it hurt?

We about died laughing. I think the mantra after some passes gas now, after the polite "Excuse me!" of course, will be to ask, "Did it hurt?"

Throw it in the "basket" (?)

I have been trying to teach the boys about chores and responsibility lately with having them take their dishes to the sink, etc. One chore I have been trying to work on is having them put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket.

Today, I changed the boys out of their jammies in the living room and told them to "go throw them in the basket!" Benji promptly grabbed his pj's and ran out of the room. Micah was a little more reluctant. I coaxed him and we trotted off to the bedroom where I thought I would see Benji. He was not there.

Me: Benji?

Noise: CLUNK! (sounds like the toilet lid!!!)

Me: (dashing out into the hallway) Benji! Did you throw your jammies in the toilet??

Benji: (very proud) YEAH!

I ran to the bathroom and lifted the toilet lid--and there were Benji's jammies. I guess I need to be more specific about which "basket" I ask the boys to throw their clothes in (though we have never called the toilet a "basket" before...go figure!) Hilarious!