We’ve been having a lot of fun the past few days. We’ve definitely been living up summer!!
We went to a reservoir near our house yesterday with my brother, sister and their families. Everyone had a BALL! The kids had such a fun time playing in the water…
My 6 year old thought he was indestructible in that life jacket though! I think I had about 13 nervous breakdowns as I watched him play in the water. I’m such a paranoid mom, BTW. You think I’d chill out a bit after having so many children, but I DO NOT.
Kids+water=Stressed out Mel!
Thankfully, my 4 year old wanted to play in the sand and on the nearby playground instead of the water.
My oldest son and his cousin liked hanging out and chatting at the top of the playground. My 4 year old loved running around with his cousin (that’s my sister taking a picture too!)
Kevin (my fearless, over-adventurous husband) decided to swim across the reservoir! He also took my 10 year old son with him! AUUUGHHH!
They made it across and then swam back! I had about 4 more nervous breakdowns watching them swim. Oh, and I just want to mention that a teenager drown just a few months ago trying to swim across this EXACT reservoir.
Ya.
I know I’m paranoid, but I think it’s for good reason! I also don’t know how NOT to be paranoid. I think it’s programmed in my DNA.
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Yesterday was “Pioneer Day” in Utah. It’s the day the Pioneers finally made it to Utah back in 1847. It’s kind of like Utah’s birthday and like a second “4th of July.” I love it.
So, last night we went to a fun neighborhood BBQ and then watched a bunch of amazing fireworks. I couldn’t believe all the fireworks going off around our neighborhood. It was incredible!
And, I’m lame and didn’t take any pictures. 🙁
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Kev took my three middle kids (13 year old, 10 year old and 6 year old) back to Lagoon Amusement Park today! We had such a fun time there last week and Lagoon lets you “Bounce Back” within 10 days for only $12 per person.
I decided to stay home with my 4 year old and 15 year old (who doesn’t like rides!???!) Sooooo, I decided we needed to have a “Brothers Day” with my two kiddos….my biggest kiddo and my littlest kiddo (for now, lol.)
I took them to Carl’s Jr. for dinner. I wasn’t feelin’ the “salad vibe,” and I didn’t want to pig out, so I ordered myself a Cheeseburger kids meal. It was just perfect, but I didn’t take a pic. 🙁
We got there a little before the dinner rush (around 4:30), so we had the playground all to ourselves. I even talked my older son into playing on the playground with his brother. I reminded him that he’s “only a kid once” and his childhood will be over soon, so LIVE IT UP!
Cutie pies. It was actually a fun playground and they loved climbing and sliding down all the slides.
Afterward, I took them over to Petco to look at all of the dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, turtles, fish, lizards, frogs, etc.
They loved it. Then we decided to head over to Target and I bought them each a Lego set (I’m sure my other kiddos won’t be happy when they find out….Eeee.)
They had so much fun building together and my older son was so sweet to help his little bro.
Love these guys!
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I also made some YUMMY healthy Banana Chocolate Chip muffins the other day that I want to share with y’all. They were so delicious and all my kids loved them! YAY!
I especially love these muffins because my little kids have been able to HELP THEMSELVES when they want a snack. In the summertime, I feel like my kids are always looking for a snack and it’s so nice when mom doesn’t have to get it for them. Yay!
I was inspired by a recipe I saw on AllRecipes.com, but I COMPLETELY changed it up and made it even healthier. Woo hoo.
Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 24 muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed)
- 1 cup quick cooking oats**
- 1/2 cup Sucanat (or sweetener of your choice)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs; beaten
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 3 very ripe bananas; mashed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
**If you don’t have quick cooking oats, you can just use regular oats and put them in the blender/food processor and pulse a few times to make them smaller.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
Stir whole wheat flour, flaxseed meal, quick cooking oats, sucanat, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
Add applesauce, milk, bananas and vanilla to the eggs.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Add chocolate chips and mix into batter.
Fill prepared muffin cups about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of several muffins comes out clean, 12-16 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to finish cooling on wire racks.
Enjoy!
These were really tasty! I hope you all enjoy them.
Have a great night!
- Serves: 24
- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 99
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 147
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 23
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed)
- 1 cup quick cooking oats**
- ½ cup Sucanat (or sweetener of your choice)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs; beaten
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 3 very ripe bananas; mashed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
- Stir whole wheat flour, flaxseed meal, quick cooking oats, sucanat, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
- Add applesauce, milk, banana and vanilla to the eggs.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
- Add chocolate chips and mix into batter.
- Fill prepared muffin cups about ½ to ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of several muffins comes out clean, 12-16 minutes.
- Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to finish cooling on wire racks.
- Enjoy!
Sounds like so much fun!! The reservoir sounds awesome – although, I would be paranoid too… poor family of the teen who drowned :'( that’s awful. The banana choc chip muffins sound divine. I just threw away a ripe banana and I wish I would have seen this first!! I was thinking I was tired of the same old banana bread and didn’t want to put the work in, but these sound like a hit!! And not too difficult. Muffins are such a yummy grab n’ go food!
I know, I was so sad when I heard about the poor boy who drowned. It was terrible. 🙁
I really love muffins too and these turned out so yummy! I always seem to have overripe bananas at my house, so I’m sure we’ll be making them often.
I agree with Arianna. The muffins seem a lot easier and quicker and more portable than banana bread. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
My favorite thing in this post, though, is that little face of your four-year-old, so EXCITED and happy with his big brother and brand new lego set.
I’ve really loved how portable and convenient the muffins are too! It really was fun to see how excited the boys got with their new Legos. A 4 year old’s excitement is priceless. 😉
We are kind of the reverse here – my husband is the nervous “nellie.” Love that you had the oldest and youngest – sounds like a fun day for all y’all. (and I’m right there with your son – no rides for me)
That’s so funny your husband is the nervous one. Thankfully, my husband is super calm and mellow….it really helps to balance me out, lol!
Oh my gosh that far open water swim would have given me a breakdown too. So glad you guys are living up the summer, it’s been a great one so far!! YUM TO THESE MUFFINS!
I know!! I was sure one or both of them wouldn’t make it. We’ve had a great summer, but I can’t believe August is just a couple days away! The summer always go by WAY too fast!
I LOVE using applesauce in lieu of sugar or oils. It works SO well. I recently made gluten free chocolate zucchini bread. I used 1/2 splenda and 1/2 applesauce. Gluten free baking can be really dry and dense but the applesauce made it light and fluffy.
I really love applesauce too! Your gluten free chocolate zucchini bread sounds heavenly!
Those muffins look so amazing.
And how fun that your oldest and youngest got a special day together.
I really loved the muffins and I had such a fun day with my two cute boys. 😉
I can’t wait to try those muffins! I love banana oat bread, but I think these muffins would be even better for breakfasts. Yum!
If you make them, I hope you love them! I was so happy with how they turned out. These would make a great, healthy, on-the-go breakfast. 😉
Your boys are so stinkin adorable!! The muffins look fabulous too and I love that they are oil-free!!
Thanks so much! I was really happy with how the muffins turned out. They are yummy!