Paper Towel Butterflies

I got this idea off the Make it and Love it blog (link to the right). It is so easy (and inexpensive). And, Rody loves making and playing with these butterflies. He gave some to a few neighbor kids who thought they were cool.

1. Add a drop or two of food coloring to a little bit of water in different bowls for each color.
2. Fold up a paper towel in half then half again and again into a small square or triangle. 
3. Dip the corners or sides into the various bowls of colored water.
4. Unfold the paper towel and set it out to dry on whatever you have (newspaper, empty cereal boxes or paperbags cut so they lay flat, whatever).
5. After they dry, bunch the center of a paper towel and tie it with pipe cleaners or whatever you have (produce twist ties, rubber bands, paper clips, etc.)

A pretty simple, no-worries-if-it-breaks toy. Enjoy!

Granola Recipe

As requested, here is the recipe for delicious, easy granola. I half this recipe because I don't have a big enough bowl nor a big enough oven. I've never been very good at following recipes with exact measuring. It bites me back sometimes, but I've made this granola twice and it came out yummy both times.

Preheat oven to 325*

Heat and whisk:
1 cup oil (I used part coconut oil and part canola oil)
1 tsp vanilla (I used 3 tsp even with a halved recipe because I really like vanilla)
1 tsp salt (optional)
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup maple syrup (I used a maple syrup made with brown rice syrup because I'm trying to reduce corn syrup in our family's diet, but I'm too cheap to buy real maple syrup.)

My recipe didn't say how hot to heat this mixture or for how long. My guess is that you heat it because it helps the oil combine with all the other ingredients. I keep it on a low heat and whisk it occasionally for only as long as it takes me to dump all the other ingredients in a bowl.

In another bowl, mix any combination of oats with nuts or seeds that you like.

This is what I use:
12 cups regular rolled oats (I think you could use quick oats, but they have a different texture/flavor. I get the regular oats from the LDS Cannery).
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 sesame seeds
1 cup almonds (I add a cup even with a half batch)
1 cup sunflower seeds (raw or roasted)
1/3 cup flax seeds (I think I upped the amount of flax seeds, too - gotta love omega-3s)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (raw or roasted)

Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix well. Divide in half and spread on to shallow pans. Stir every 10 minutes. Cook until golden about 20 - 30 minutes (mine took 30).

Tip: I line the pans with aluminum foil so when it is time to stir it is easy to lift the foil by the corners and dump the granola back into the big bowl, stir it up, then pour it back on the foil in the pan.

When the granola is cool, add dried fruit of your choice.

This morning, I halved the cooled granola, added chopped dates and craisins to one bowl and dried cherries to the other. I have long been a fan of craisins, but, for the granola, dried cherries are by far my favorite. They have so much flavor, you don't need to add very many. I bought a bag at Costco and I think it will last for about 4 - 5 batches of granola.

Some where online I read that you should store granola in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, so I do.

ENJOY!!!

Delicious Homemade Granola

Delicious Success!

Pedro and I just finished off two bowls each of my homemade cherry vanilla granola. It tastes amazing, is much healthier for us and is less expensive than other cereals we might eat.

This is the first time I've ever made granola. It was so easy to make, I might not buy another box of cereal for a long while.

Thank you Relief Society for the recipe!

Puddle Jumping Diaper Hat & Sticker Make-Over

I like this dog

If we ever get a place where we can have a dog, I hope it is a Brittany Spaniel like this one.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYCEN!!!

Eat Clouds!

Does a suit made entirely out of DUCT TAPE itch terribly?

 I like it!

 I like to look at that view of the mountains, too. I think your shoe lace is untied.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!

I kinda knew Meg would be my best friend as soon as I met her on the bus on my way to my first day at a new school the middle of my sophomore year of high school.

Megan and I have had so many great adventures over the past 12 years. In fact, Pedro and I met when Megan and Pedro were set up on a blind date and we doubled (thanks Meg and Grant).

Today is Megan's birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I LOVE YOUR GUTS!!!

         She writes cool songs (note guitar in background)

                At the Logan temple after all four of us came home from missions

     After a walking self-guided tour of Washington, D.C. sin umbrellas

Meg and her husband Tyler making brownie sculptures on a double date with us

Happy Birthday America, America!

Pedro hung up our flag off the porch. Hooray! I love seeing the flag every time I walk in the front door.

I haven't been able to capture it on video yet, but Rody sings the most adorable rendition of "America the Beautiful".

I LOVE THE 4th of JULY!!!

I took Rody to his first parade. I think he would sum up his reaction as so: horrifyingly loud, intriguingly fun. We potluck-lunched with church friends at a park. That night we exposed our son to the joys and terrors of driveway fireworks. He loved waving around a sparkler - until it went out and he touched the hot part. Oops. Sorry buddy. If I remember, I'll post the video of that experience.

I randomly sang patriotic songs throughout the day and loved every minute of it.