Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Muffins, AC, & the BG



Even if you don't like bran, I bet you'll like these. Mama made the original recipe for me while she was here just after MC's birth. They called for raisins, which T and MW won't eat, so when we finished off the original mix, I decided to tweak the recipe a bit...in an effort to make these babies a little more healthy and with raisin substitution plans...

Here's the beautiful thing about this recipe...the mix keeps for 6-8 weeks in the fridge and takes minutes to prepare and you get fresh, made from scratch muffins anytime! And they are DELICIOUS!!!


All-Bran Blueberry Muffins
4 c flour
1.5 c wheat flour
2.25 c sugar
5 c All-Bran
3 T baking soda
1 qt buttermilk
1.5 c oil
4 eggs
.5 c molasses

turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)
fresh blueberries (you'll add these the day you bake 'em - I do 8-10 per muffin)

Add liquid to dry ingredients
Keeps 6-8 weeks in fridge

Baking Instructions:
Spray or line muffin tin. Fill cups half way and sprinkle with blueberries, top with another spoonful of muffin mix and more blueberries (I have to push them in a little to get them to stay). Sprinkle lightly with turbinado sugar. Bake 20 minutes at 375˚

Enjoy!


Saturday morning we went to the pool.

MC chilled in the stroller.



MW got to show off her skills. She can swim underwater with her eyes open...and jump off the diving board...and go down the slide. This is BIG! (Um...slightly over exposed pic...oops.)


Little man kept cool in the baby pool. No swim diapers allowed in the big pool. (Which has been motivational...I think.)



After a full morning of swimming, we headed home for lunch and some down time. Sometime Saturday afternoon things began to feel a bit warm in the house. And they only got warmer. T, being quite literally a jack of all trades, headed out to remove the AC panel and investigate. He's done this several times before and successfully made repairs (even in the middle of the night sporting nothing but his boxers...).

When he pulled the panel off, the wires on the unit sparked. Long story short, the contactor had literally burned. And so the AC wasn't cooling. And it was Saturday afternoon. Home improvement stores don't carry that kind of thing. I assumed we were sentenced to intense heat until Monday, probably Tuesday, as the part would have to be ordered...but alas, my genius husband made several calls and tracked down the part. A very kind repair guy in a town not too far away had the part and actually agreed to sell it to us. We loaded up, drove way out, T talked the guy into selling him a second contactor, so we'd have a spare, and we headed home. T made the repair in a few short minutes and ahhh...that wonderful cool air!

He's always telling me he's "just a man."

No. He isn't "just a man."

He is "the man." Every single thing he puts his mind to, he does, and does well.

Oh, by the way, each contactor cost us a whopping $10.98. Not bad, huh?

Sunday morning we got to worship the Lord together, as in, all five of us! MC slept the entire time. MW "took notes." (Post service, we asked her what the sermon was about. Her reply: "I think he talked about God and Jesus and the Bible." Um, yes...we have a little work to do there.) Little man made it partway into the preaching. That's the longest he's lasted. Time spent singing "How Great Is Our God" was precious. We sang about time being in God's hands...the beginning and the end, which is an awesome and precious truth to be reminded of, especially while standing there, surrounded by my husband and our three precious children. The beginning and the end - it is all in His hands.

Sunday afternoon we headed to the Botanical Gardens to stretch our legs a bit.

We saw some beautiful Koi fish...


and watched them splash a bit near the surface...


Little man led the way on the trail...


closely followed, and sometimes passed by a delighted big sister...

who pretended we were on a treasure hunt...


and also wore her Cinderella dress...


she and her bro were too busy fighting to spot this beauty...


but man did they team up and have fun skipping through the muscadines...


T gave a lesson on how windmills work...


little man was enthralled...


and kept looking up...


and when he was forbidden from playing in the water beneath the windmill, he took off running...


I was the odd ball snapping pics left and right. No one else noticed this. I think they were hot and tired and ready to go at this point.


Makes me marvel at God's creativity.


MW was wiped out. As soon as T unlocked the car, she was in it.



But a few feet shy of the car, the little man got a rock in his shoe and sat down to remove it...at which time a bug landed on his face...resulting in a total meltdown.

All said, it was a wonderful day!

7 comments:

  1. I am impressed with T's skills! I havent sorted out a defunct A/C, but I did have some experience with a water heater that I managed to temporarily fix with some tin foil---although, said repair was not done in my boxer shorts!

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  2. How Great IS our God!!!

    Secular song warning here...

    In T's case, In my Bill's case:

    Whatta Man, Whatta Man, Whatta Mighty Good Man....

    (Yes some sometimes racy lyrics and the like, but I find myself singing that chorus about my Bill at times when I realize just how God works through him in so many great ways!)

    And to you my brother T... Whatta Man!!! (Chorus only in this case, umm, hmm)

    I am so happy for how you realize how much God blesses you through your husband.

    In closing, you officially make me sick :). Making muffins and taking beautiful pictures at this stage in adjustment to three children, Amazing... Love how Cinderella looks with her bro near the arbor. Blessings to you my friend.

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  3. The BandW pic of Mw and T3 on the path...they look like Hansel and Grettel!

    All our bags are packed, we're ready to go...can't wait to see you (and T3's superman underpants) TOMORROW!!

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  4. Those muffins looked so yummy and I have been looking for something new and healthy for breakfast. So, I tried them this morning and they are great! The fresh blueberries just make them!! What a huge recipe, I. Am glad they keep for a while in the frig! Thank you for sharing!! Oh yea, did I already tell you thank you for getting T to email MC's name? It was so sweet and I really love her name. So looks so sweet and you seem to be doing so well with three! I don't think I am doing that well with 2!
    Leslie

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  5. i'm going to try those muffins!! They look so yummy! Love the pic of MW and T3 skipping through the muscadines...looks like something out of a movie ;)
    Love yall!!!

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  6. Love the pic, too, of MW and T3 walking through the muscadines. It looks like some fairy tale! BTW, your pics of the flowers are AMAZING! What can I say? I'd love for you to teach me a couple pointers. Flowers are my favorite subjects to shoot so I was definitely lovin' those pics. Have a super day, Jennifer! Love you!

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