Chocolate Banana Swirl Muffins

I am one stomach virus away from being at my target weight.  I have thought about running down to Wal-Mart and start licking cart handles but then realized it wasn't the healthiest way to lose weight and my odds of passing a stomach virus on to my husband would be great.  And when he gets a stomach virus...the same kind that I've had...it's deadly.  And we wouldn't want that.

I'm sore as all get out from working out with Katie at the Y.  Spin class killed me.  I haven't sweat that much in a long time and it felt really good until I got off the bike and tried to walk to the car.  I'm still walking around looking like a toddler that just learned how to walk.  We didn't work out this morning because we were both up last night getting our children out of bed and taking cover from the tornado warnings.  IN JANUARY!!!  Sigh.  I hate tornadoes.  I am a wreck and I'm so uptight.

Thankfully, our house alarm sends out a beep and when you check the panel, it tells you if you are under a weather advisory.  It beeps at least 2 minutes before the television gives out their warning.  I love it and it gives me great peace of mind.  Amanda helps, too.  I text her and rely on her advice as to when and if I need to take cover.  The kids weren't too happy about being woke up and cramming in the closet under the stairs.  Thankfully they all went back to sleep.  But Adam and I were up for at least an hour.  Luckily for us, we just had high winds and that was all.

Belmont is having a good season this year.  We've been to two games and wish we could go to more.  The starting times are too late and there aren't many Saturday afternoon games.  We're so happy for Coach Byrd and his success.  I took about 15 of these pictures and couldn't get them to all smile and not wiggle or be silly at the same time. 

 Aubrie's class did a time capsule at school.  One of her questions was "How do you  plan to help at home this year?" and her answer was "Help mom make banana swirl bread."  Well, I've never made banana swirl bread.  Hahaha.  So I thought I would keep the poor girl honest and find a banana swirl recipe to make for the family.  I found this recipe and it is vegan.  It was pretty good and very moist.  You'll have to try it and see for yourself. 

 Chocolate Banana Swirl Muffins

by Mon Petit Chou

4 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 and line the muffin tin.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas, applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir until smooth.
Scoop out half of the batter and add the 1/3 cup cocoa powder.
In each muffin cup, alternate a scoop of banana batter and chocolate batter.  Lightly swirl with a knife.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Yields 1 dozen muffins
Enjoy!


Lately the kids will see me with the camera or with my phone and ask me to take their picture.

This is Woof Woof.  If we lost him, the world would end.

Kyle quickly folded over after I shot this.  He can't quite sit up on his own.

My goof balls.  Look at Kyle's crazy tongue!

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Adventures of Katie & Kellie

I promise I've been cooking!  Here is a potato recipe that I made over Christmas break and it is delicious.  My favorite way to eat a potato is twice-baked so I naturally gravitated to this recipe.  It was delicious.  You have to bake the potatoes and then cool them, so you can bake the potatoes and throw them in the fridge the day before assembling the casserole.  I may add bacon next time I make it and my sister-in-law put a dab of sour cream on her helping.  

Rustic Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

by theyummylife.com

5 lbs russet potatoes, baked

3/4 cup low fat greek yogurt

1/4 cup skim milk

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated & divided

3/4 tsp dry ground mustard

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1-2 dashes of cayenne pepper (optional)

1 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts, divided

Bake potatoes at 400 for approximately 50-60 minutes, until soft when squeezed.  Remove and cool completely or refrigerate for assembling casserole later.  (VERY IMPORTANT TO COOL THEM COMPLETELY BEFORE CUTTING THEM AND MAKING THIS CASSEROLE!)

To assemble the casserole, preheat oven to 350.  Leaving the skin on, chop the baked potatoes in 3/4 inch cubes and add to a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, add the yogurt, milk, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 3/4 cup green onions and stir until combined.  Pour over the potatoes and toss until mixed.  Transfer mixture to an oiled 3 quart (9 x13) dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese on top.  Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes, until lightly browned on top and edges and bottom are visibly well browned.  Remove from oven and sprinkle 1/4 cup green onions on top.  Enjoy!!

Katie and I have gotten together for some play dates lately.  On a cold, rainy day, she brought her boys over to play and they made good use out of the playroom.  I think every toy bin was empty.  It about drives me nuts when the kids do that.  The kids have way too many toys and way too many little toys that Kyle can't play with.  I need to commit one day to sorting through toys and throwing out the broken and unnecessary toys and hiding the small toys.  

Aubrie and Higgs

Kyle and baby Rhett

These were rocket ships and the most popular toy to fight over.

Our latest adventure is that we jammed all 5 car seats into the Tahoe and drove down to Murfreesboro to take the kids to the Adventure Science Center.  I've been to the one in Nashville but I've heard that the Murfreesboro center is geared more towards toddlers.  It was fantastic.  We packed our lunches and the place was close to empty.  The kids ran around and had a wonderful time.  We picked a good day because it was once again rainy, and all the kids were in school.  

working the crane

Katie and baby Rhett

Higgs and Emilie having a moment at the train display

Emilie painting.  Let's hope she knows this is for play and not to do it on Mommy's walls.

One of my favorites.  Higgs is moving so fast, he's blurry.  Emilie's screaming because she doesn't want to share.

Only Aubrie could Priss up wheel barrel work.

Kyle the Crocodile!!

Here's my big load.  But wait!  It gets better.  We stopped at a furniture store and Katie bought a twin size mattress and box spring and we had it tied to the top of our car for the 30 minute ride home!  The mountain man that tied it to our car told us to "keep it under 90."  Haha.  Ok. 

Our latest adventure is my favorite.  We are meeting at the Y at 6 am every morning to workout together. The kids are still snug in bed and the husbands are getting ready for work, or in Adam's case, already working.  (Busy season, stress, deadlines, computer is always out, working hard)  Katie and I are taking cycling on Tuesday and Thursday and doing SCULPT on Monday and Wednesday.  Today was day 1 and it was lunge day at SCULPT!!!  I can't walk.  I told Adam I'll be doing a lot of "Couch Parenting" today.  I'm ok as long as I don't walk down stairs or sit for a long time.  I can't wait until tomorrow!  There's nobody I would rather work out with than Katie.  She and I worked out every morning the summer leading to our senior year in college.  We were in the best shape ever for volleyball season and we reminisce about how firm our physique and fast our metabolism was.  Sigh.  

I'll let you know how it goes.  Until then, the kids are napping, laundry needs folded, and what's for dinner??!!  

Love to all!

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Just Another Day!

Don't judge me, but sometimes I strap Kyle in the stroller and let the girls push him around SLOWLY while I get the lunch dishes done.  They love it, he loves it.  One time they pushed him into the entry way and left him in there facing the wall and went off and played.

 Adam had his procedure today.  It went well and he says that having his wisdom teeth pulled was way worse.  Kyle enjoyed having dad home to hang out with.  You'll notice that his outfit is unzipped.  Sometimes when he is unhappy, just busting him out of his clothes changes his mood.  He loves hanging out in just a diaper.  You'll also notice his hand in his mouth.  The poor guy is teething and biting EVERYTHING. 

My sweet gang.  Look at all that drool on Kyle's shirt!



Aubrie slipped on my shoes to go get dog food from the garage.  It reminded me of my dad's hush puppies that he left by the back door.  Both my brother and I would slip those things to go do something outside quickly instead of putting our own shoes on.  They were so worn out and he had them for YEARS!

 We've started a chore chart for the girls.  If they get 5 or more stars (out of 8), then they get five cents.  Some of the chores are feeding Petey, washing hands with soap, pick up 6 toys before bed, turn off lights, no whining, and they both have an individual chore.  Aubrie's is to set and clear the table and Emilie's is to use the potty.  Emilie isn't doing well with hers.  She just doesn't care for it.  Aubrie loves doing her chores.  The biggest difference that we have noticed is the no whining.  It took a couple of days of her not getting a star, but now she stops herself and chooses not to whine.  I'm loving it.

 Back when Aubrie was whining or crying about something, Emilie would say, "Don't cry Aubrie.  You're a baby??"  and then when Aubrie would stop crying, she would say, "Good job not crying!!"  She didn't mean for it to be sarcastic, she was being genuine.  She's used to hearing encouragement from Aubrie at the dinner table.  Aubrie used to tell her, "Good job Em!  One more bite!" so Emilie was just re-paying the kind words.  (in her own mind)

One morning I opened our bedroom curtains and blinds and saw a diaper out in the backyard getting rained on.  I wondered how Petey got past us at the back door with a diaper in his mouth.  It's not unusual to find random items in the backyard.  I've looked out and seen a slipper, stuffed animal, a kitchen spatula, the measuring tape.  Heck, he's even tried to take a knife outside.  I was in a graduate class one night and checked my phone and I had 14 missed calls from Adam.  I slipped out to call him and he was freaking out because Petey stabbed himself in the webbing of his paw and was bleeding a lot, but he finally got it to stop bleeding.  Anyways, it turned out that Petey didn't carry the diaper out through the back door.  He was jumping up and grabbing trash out of the garbage bin on the side of the house.  Neat. 

The girls will come ask me to take their picture with Kyle.  They love him so much.  I think they all have the same eyes.  He's really trying to sit up on his own.  He now eats Oatmeal with fruit in the morning and enjoying a vegetable at night.  He's such a big and hungry boy.  He's 22 pounds and Emilie is 27.

We've had some illness in the house.  Kyle had an ear infection and Aubrie got pink eye.  Luckily, my friend told me that breast milk helps so I put breast milk in her eyes and Emilie's until the next day when I could get drops from the doctor.  I think it really helped it from getting bad and gluing shut overnight.  Everyone is doing better.  I've been exhausted and still have moments where I'm overwhelmed with three kids, but they put so many smiles on my face.

At dinner the other night, Aubrie cleared her throat and said, "Ahem.  Is this thing on??  Everybody calm down and listen." before she told us a story.

I was sitting in her chair one morning and she wanted to sit down and asked me to move.  I told her I would move once I finished writing something down and she said, "Come on!  Work with me here!!"

I can't believe she'll be 4 in a couple weeks and I'll be sending her to preschool.  It seems like it was yesterday when she was Kyle's age.  As a matter of fact, it feels like last week I just had Kyle and now he's 5 months old!!  I really hate that I haven't blogged much for my family and friends who enjoy them.  I really wish I had the energy and time to do more.  I promise I still cook.  There's been many things that I have made and thought about taking a picture of and sharing it, but the herd is so hungry by the time it is ready, I don't have time to take pictures.  I just hope I get caught up and on top of things soon.  I'm sure I will.  In the meantime, I'm soaking up my precious family and this time we have together.

I hope everyone else is doing well and staying healthy.  Love to all!!

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Happy New Year!

He walks down the grey, smokey hallway.  As he passes one door, he hears a high pitched scream.  He passes another and hears whimpering and groaning.  He gets to his room and is told to strip down and wear a paper gown and wait.  He sits on the cold metal table in his paper gown and shivers.  On the walls are chains, rusty saws, and clamps.  A rat scampers across the floor.  He waits for 50 minutes.  Finally he hears loud footsteps coming down the hallway and the doorknob turns.  In walks a seven foot giant doctor with the biggest hands he has ever seen!  His first words to him were in a deep voice, "SO YOU WANT A VASECTOMY??"

Muahahaha.  None of it is true.  Except for waiting for the doctor for 50 minutes part.  One of Adam's goals for 2013 was to finalize the Mark Family number at 5.  His first appointment was today and I've taken great joy in trying to scare him or make him think it was going to be the worst thing he'll ever experience.  But after watching me have 3 c-sections and watching me recover from all 3, he says it is the least he can do.  What a great guy. (The story was approved by Adam, fyi)

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while.  Adam has had 2 weeks off of work and we've enjoyed having him around.  Aubrie and Emilie both had ear infections.  We have Kyle sleeping from 8 pm to 4 am and he has started eating Oatmeal.  We'll probably start him on vegetables soon.  He really loves it. 

Aubrie still gets up every chance she gets.  One night she was up 3 times in the night.  Once was to use the bathroom.  She'll pass her bathroom and come all the way downstairs to use our bathroom.  First she walks to my side of the bed and announces she has to go.  Then she goes and returns upstairs without turning the light off.  So Adam has to get up and turn the light off.  Then she was back downstairs and wanted a drink.  THEN she was back downstairs and said, "Mommy, my eyes forgot how to sleep."

Both girls were fighting over a toy in my closet while we were getting ready for church so I started counting them.  Well, sure enough they got to 3 which results to a timeout and I sent them both upstairs to their rooms.  They were both crying and stomping up the stairs and Aubrie went to her room and Emilie tried to follow, but Adam re-directed her to her own room.  Then she started crying and reciting her favorite book, Llama Llama, Red Pajama.  (In the book the llama throws a fit and stomps and cries because his mom is downstairs on the phone and he's upstairs in bed and wants a drink of water)  So Emilie's in her room crying and in between cries she'd say, "Llama llama stomp and pout!!  Waaaaa!!! Llama llama jump and shout!! waaaaaa!!!

Emilie has started talking plain as day.  She says some of the cutest things.  She'll say, "let me go get Aubrie Jane."  One of my favorite words, that she uses a lot, is help.  But her help has two syllables.  Hey-elp!  Very country.

decorating Christmas cookies

Tonight Adam asked the girls during supper if they wanted to play upstairs and Emilie held her hand up and said, "No daddy.  Not yet.  I'm eating rice and beans first, thank you.  Ok??"

Poor Adam can't catch a break with her.  When he goes in her room to get her up after nap or in the morning she'll yell, "No daddy!  You can't come in!  Shut the door!!"  And if he goes in and tries to get her up anyway, she'll flop down and swing at him if he comes near.  She's so rotten.  Instead, he's been sending Aubrie in there to get her out of bed.  She really does wake up a fire breathing dragon.  Her hair will be wuzzled and she'll have her socks on her hands.  She keeps us laughing.

I know it's been awhile since I've blogged and I'm relying on the pictures on my phone and camera to help me recall what's happened in the past couple of days.  I'll let the pictures help tell the stories.

The kids were plenty spoiled.  Josie's mom, Joan, hooked the girls up with some Christmas pillowcases that turned into an instant hit!  They began to fight over them as I was putting them on Emilie's bed.

 We enjoyed many play dates including a play date at the Kindred house.  The Kindred boys always treat my girls good.

Sweet Marcie putting Kyle to sleep.  So sweet.

Kyle likes going to the Kindreds because of all the boy toys.  We've just got to learn how to not catch the ball with our face.

It's also a different kind of dress up over there.  No princess shoes and dresses.  But we can priss up a fireman costume.

And then poor Kyle goes home and gets prissed up by his sisters.  He's so patient.  He has no choice.

Kyle and I were laying on the couch, him acting as my personal heated blanket, and Adam walked past and couldn't believe how much room he took up on me.  Four months ago, this big guy was in my belly!!

 

Aubrie and I went on a date to go see the Rockettes at Opryland.  She loved it!  She did really good sitting still and watching the show.  I bought her some popcorn and candy from the concession stand and she was in heaven.  She called them the Rompettes.  When we got home, she and Emilie would do their kicks for us just like the Rockettes.

Kyle got a Crocodile in his stocking.  Here he is modeling a new outfit from Gram.  It's 12 months. 

Adam got a 12 foot tree for our living room this year.  We have a 2 story living room and it was beautiful.  We had to get on a ladder to assemble it and hang ornaments.  It sure was pretty.  When we took it down this past week, Emilie woke up from her nap and shouted, "Oh no!  Christmas is gone!!!"

Here's the fam on Christmas Eve.  We went to Christmas Eve service at church and put the girls in the nursery.  When it was time for lighting candles and singing Silent Night, we got the girls and brought them back in.  Emilie sat on her dad's lap and almost burned off his eyebrows.  They really enjoyed it.  Just this past Sunday, we were singing Angels We Have Heard On High and I was holding Emilie.  It was the end and we were singing the Gloooooorrrria part and I was singing in a fake opera voice to be silly with her and as soon as the song and organ stopped, she yelled, "NO MOMMY!!!  NO SING OOOOOO!!!!" and everyone turned and laughed. 

I wanted a picture of them in their matching pajamas from Lana and it was right before bed.  It's usually chaos in our house at that time.  I told them to sit in front of the tree, so Aubrie sat down, Emilie went and sat IN Aubrie's lap, and I quick plopped Kyle down and grabbed the camera.  What cute kids.

Our loot.  All Christmas Aubrie asked Santa to bring her a purple toothbrush.  Well, he got one and put it in her stocking, but also got the kids a red wagon and the girls both got a Curious George doll.  But when someone would ask if Santa came and what he brought, she was most excited about her purple toothbrush.  Christmas morning worked out perfectly.  Each kid woke up at different times and so we got to film their reaction when they saw the loot.  Aubrie just talked our ears off and tried to touch EVERYTHING.  Emilie said, "LOOK!  LOOK!  IT'S A MONKEY!! (I'm caps locked because she is so loud.  Always.  Not just when excited.  Always.) MONKEEEEY!  I COMING!!!  LOOK!  LOOK!  OH!  IT'S CHRISTMAS, DADDY!!"  And Kyle just stared, he didn't care.

One of my favorite ornaments.  My brother made it and painted it to look like our first house.  The  back looks like the back of the house.  It was so sweet and thoughtful!

One of Adam's favorite ornaments is one that Jese gave him in college.  We were walking back to our apartments and ran into him.  He gave it to Adam and said he got it for him as a Christmas gift but we later found out he got it at an ornament exchange or something like that.  It's really hideous.  It's a purple ball covered in peacock feathers.  But it's special because it came from Jese (a.k.a. brother) and it makes us think of him and his precious family every year at this time.

One of my favorite things we did was have Mike & Brooke over with their new baby boy, Jackson, who was born a week after Kyle, and Dan and Jenny came over with four week old Hayden.  Mike and Dan played basketball at Belmont with Adam and their wives played basketball there as well.  Mike is now Dr. Modlin and has a practice in NC and we were happy to host them all for breakfast and get the boys together.  They are so precious!!  Baby Jackson on the left has the longest legs!!  Baby Hayden on the right looks JUST like his daddy.  He liked to hold Kyle's hand.  So sweet.

The dad's and their boys.  My dad and I were laughing at how tired the dads looked in this photo.  :)  Parenthood does that to you!!

We had New Years breakfast at the Burtner house.  It's always fun to catch up with them and their sweet kids.  Max is their oldest and he's enjoying his first year in Kindergarten and their middle is Reese, she's 10 weeks younger than Aubrie and TOWERS over her!!  They have one more little one, Grace, but she and Kyle didn't make the group hug/photo.

Baby Kyle had his 4 month check up before Christmas.  He's 97th percentile in everything.  He weighs 18 lbs 12 oz...Emilie weighs 26 pounds as a 2 year old just to put that in perspective.  He rolled over from back to tummy the day after Christmas.  He's growing so fast and is such a sweetie.  I'm going to miss having Adam around because he is the one who carried his car seat around these past two weeks. 

Well, hopefully that catches you up.  Sorry it took so long.  Hopefully I'll have time to post more these next couple of weeks.  I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Love to all!
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