Our Favorite Healthy Granola Bars

I started making these some time last year after I realized I was buying way too many granola bars for my children. I found this recipe online an decided to alter it a little by adding some more healthy ingredients. We take them on road trips, eat them for breakfast, bedtime snack or any time in between. I don't feel guilty about letting our boys have them because I have incorporated some healthy stuff.

In a large bowl combine

3 cups rice cereal

3 cups quick oats

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 pack of chia seeds (or more if you like)

Set aside...

In a small boiler combine 1 1/2 cups of honey

1/3 cup of coconut oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

Bring it to a boil for 1 minute

Turn off the heat and add 2 tsp of vanilla and 1 cup of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy is fine)

Dump the creamy mixture onto the dry ingredients and mix very well to make sure all the dry stuff is moistened.

Spread it out onto a cookie sheet then add chocolate chips. I use the miniature semi sweet ones.

I cover with wax paper and squish it as flat as possible (with all my strength) using another cookie sheet on top of it.

Then place the flattened granola in the fridge for a couple hours to let it cool.
Then I cut it into 24 bars. (3 rows of 8)

Last but not least, I wrap each bar individually with saran wrap to keep fresh. I store them in the fridge to retain their shape or they will get gooey and mushy if left out at room temperature.

National Siblings Day

Well I guess today is a holiday so I might as well use this time to talk about my siblings. I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. I grew up in FL with my mom & step dad through the 6th grade living with Tonia, Tim & Sarah. We loved to play outside and climb trees in FL. We had a trampoline and loved riding bikes with all the neighborhood kids.

Then I asked if I could go live with my dad when Tonia graduated. So Tim and I went to live our dad & stepmom and brother Travis.  We stayed with them until we graduated High School in NC.

 I had a good childhood. We never went without. Our parents took good care of us and I am thankful for the way I was raised. We are all separated now, living in different states and don't see each other very much. I do miss spending time with my family. We are all married and have children of our own now. Its hard to get everyone in the same place at once.

So to my siblings I want to say I miss you all and wish we could talk and visit more often.

HAPPY SIBLINGS DAY!

Breaking Ground~Above the Storm

I have been listening to this song a lot lately. It really is true, the sun does shine above the storm. I have been on a lot of airplanes with Jaron over the years. When it was cloudy and raining we would fly above the clouds and it would be so bright we would have to close the window. Down here on earth the storms seem so big and dark but if you just remember the sun is still shining

 and it didn't come to stay "it came to pass".

Life is that way too. When we have troubles in our lives and we are afraid or unsure when it will end, we need to always remember the SON still shines above the storm. Jesus is watching over us and he can see everything we are going through. I believe that God allows storms to come in our lives to help us grow. When we are at our lowest it is humbling and we learn to trust in the Lord for all our needs.

Breaking Ground wrote this song and they are a very sweet family. 

Hope you Enjoy!

Beginning Orthodontics

I took Jaron to his orthodontist yesterday for the 4th time. He finally put in his quad helix palate expander. It's a wire that is attached to his back teeth to stretch out his palate. He was sore afterwards and complained that it was hard to swallow. Its going to take some getting used to.

I made pancakes for dinner so he wouldn't have a hard time eating. At bedtime he did ask for some ibuprofen to help with soreness.

This morning when he woke up he said "I don't feel anything". Thank God the soreness is gone and he is getting used to it. We go back in 3 weeks for a check up and see how much it has moved. If he needs to wear it longer and if so he will have to tighten up the device.

We haven't gotten our plane tickets to Boston for his July 25th surgery date because we aren't sure he will be done with expansion. The orthodontist seems to think it will take a lot longer.

Please help us pray that we can keep our surgery date. We need to get this done during the summer and I know his surgeons in Boston usually book a year in advance.

Homeschool Curriculum DEALS!

I joined this AWESOME Co-op for FREE to get great deals on curriculum for our boys.

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/alpha-omega/?source=163912

They offer discounts and you earn points for every dollar you spend, for more curriculum.
Homeschool buyers coop also offers points for referring friends and family. I can also get member discounts from over 100 educational suppliers

They have online programs and books and cds also. There is such a wide variety to choose from for all grade levels.

I personally love the FREE homeschool ID cards they offer for the students.

Please check it out and share with your friends!

 The Homeschool Buyer Co-op is a free homeschooling organization for both new and veteran homeschoolers.  Co-op membership is free and confidential, and entitles homeschooling families to discounts from hundreds of educational suppliers.  The Co-op also sponsors "GroupBuys" for curriculum packages that can save homeschooling families lots of money. On the site you'll find lots of free information, such as databases of free curriculum, field trips, and educational contests and scholarships.