Holiday Gripe

Today is September 14.  I'm all about planning ahead, being organized and getting ahead of the game.  However, I can do without seeing holiday ads on TV already.  I had the TV on while I was working on a few birthday items for our soon to be one-year-old and saw not one but two Christmas television commercials. Ridiculous! I will not be shopping at that store this holiday season.  I would first like to enjoy Halloween (which is still a month and half away) before even thinking about what is on my to do list for Christmas. Sorry, I had to share my gripe.

Banana Chip Muffins

Those of you who know me well know that I despise bananas.  I pretty much dislike everything about them--the taste, the texture, the way they get soft spots and turn brown.  Funny, because I've fed a banana to my children pretty much every day of their lives since they both started eating solid food.  I know they are good for you, but I've never been a big fan of them myself...until now.  I recently came across a recipe for Banana Chip muffins and it's changed my tune.  I think I make a batch of these yummy muffins at least once a week.  They are devoured by both Carmen and Maxy and I must admit, I look forward to them too.  Add chocolate to anything and I'm sold.  I'm not a baker but this recipe is super easy, fast and the muffins come out close to perfect every time.  Give it a try if you like bananas (or even if you don't), I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Banana Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp. banking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1)  Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  In another bowl whisk egg, bananas, melted butter and vanilla until blended.  Add to the flour mixture; stir just until moistened.  Fold in chocolate chips.

2) Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake 17 - 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

My Muffin Helper

My Messy-face Muffin Kid

 

Remlinger Farms

This weekend we took a family excursion to Remlinger Farms.  There were so many fun things to do; we did what we could manager until the kiddos hit their limit.  Among the highlights:

Riding a horse named Huckleberry

 

 

 

 

 Curiously looking at animals: pigs, chickens, rabbits, goats, imus

 

Taking a canoe ride

  

 

 

 Checking out tractors, the bus and fire engine

 

 

 

 

 

Putting our faces in more cut-outs than I care to count

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 Eating lunch out

 

 

 

  

Riding the choo choo train

 

  

 

Nap time in the car

 

  

First Day

Today Carmen and Max started a new school.  It makes me feel better knowing that they are there together.  They are going three days a week vs. two which means mom gets an entire day to herself.  I hardly knew what to do--a quiet house, the ability to run errands without worrying about snacks, telling the kids to sit facing forward in the cart or reminding them for the 100th time not to grab for things. 

 

I got the two of them off this morning.  Maxy was screaming his head off when it was his turn to go to his new classroom.  Carmen on the other hand gave me a hug and kiss, started playing at the train table, said goodbye and waved.  It was that easy.  Boy, does she surprise me.  Daddy picked the kids up and they both got a gold star report card for the day.  Max apparently was a trooper, stopped fussing fairly quickly, and even slept on his mat for nap time for more than two hours.  Who is this kid?!  I was convinced there was no way he would ever sleep on a mat.  Again, more surprises.  Good ones.

 

They both had a great day and are looking forward to day #2!

More Good Night, Sleep Tight

Ok, so I have done quite a few of these postings lately but I couldn't resist one more.  This time Carmen was not hanging off the side of her bed or even upside down.  This time she wasn't on her bed at all but dead asleep on the floor.  Actually, this happened two nights in a row.  We went to give her a kiss good night and were squinting to find her tangled in the covers and Jimmy ended up stepping on her hand instead.  Talk about a surprise.  She slept through the whole thing and continued her sweet dreams.

Labor Day Picnic

A busy week

Like so many of us, this time of year is busy, busy, busy. It's the ending of Summer and the beginning of Fall with lots of exciting things happening.  This week the Skurski household was buzzing:

Mom and Dad and Auntie Christy and Uncle Dan were able to cheer on the Sounders to a victory and got to see Clint Dempsey play.  Big stuff!

Carmen had her last day of 'school'.  Sadly her school is closing.  Yes, again.  We must have bad luck as this is the second pre-school she's been at that has closed.  She was able to celebrate her last day with Pajama Day and a Teddy Bear picnic.  She chose her glow-in-the-dark bone PJ's (thanks, Anna!) and opted to bring Lamby rather than a teddy bear.  She will miss her teachers and friends, but is excited to start her new school with Maxy next week.  She will also be sad to end her tradition of getting a Slurpee treat on Tuesday's when Daddy picks her up. I'm sure there are other treats in her future.

Carmen's first session of swim lessons ended.  She is getting more and more comfortable in the water and loves to jump in from the side of the pool but is less enthusiastic about back-floats.  Another session is on the calendar; she'll become a fish yet.

Max ate us out of house and home this week.  All this kid wants to eat is fruit--namely watermelon and grapes' occasionally banana, oranges and pear.  He can not get enough.  He consumes bowls and bowls of it and shovels it in by the fist-full.  He pretty much refuses anything else but gobbles up every morsel of fruit.  I guess it could be worse but I'm hoping he'll branch out and maybe eat a vegetable or some protein one of these days. 

The home opener Husky game arrived against Boise State.  As you can imagine, there is more than a little excitement from Jimmy about kicking off football season.  The entire family sported purple and gold.  Kiddos spent time with cousins and Auntie and Uncle while Mom and Dad enjoyed tailgating and checking out the new stadium.